Globally Inspired Dishes to Make for Your Next Dinner Party

For many of us, food plays a central role in the memories of our travels. And since the sharing of a meal is something that transcends language, the people we dine with along the way stay with us, too. We've asked six regional food bloggers to share the dishes they love to make when cooking for others, along with the recipes, so you can make them for friends and family at your next gathering (wherever in the world that may be).
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    MALTA: Stuffed Artichokes with Minced Meat and Brandy

    “Stuffed vegetables have long been a tradition in Maltese cuisine,” says Meike Peters, whose blog (and forthcoming cookbook) Eat In My Kitchen combines culinary influences from her time spent in Berlin and Malta. “Juicy tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, and aubergines [eggplant] ripen perfectly under the Mediterranean sun, and so many of the island’s delicious recipes are based on these rich flavors. Each family has their favorite preparation, and recipes cooked by grandmothers are respectfully handed down to generations following to keep culinary traditions alive. My favorite is stuffed baby artichokes with minced meat, brandy, cumin, and parsley. It’s an absolutely beautiful addition to a festive dinner table.” Find Meike’s recipe on Eat In My Kitchen.

  • MEXICO: Guacamole Tostadas

    “Guacamole is always present on Mexican tables, especially for casual get-togethers or dinner parties,” writes Heidi Leon Monges of the food- and travel-centric Aromas & Sabores. “It’s normally a dip or a side, but I like to upgrade it to an entrée by putting together a do-it-yourself tostadas bar. For fixings, I use corn tostadas, crema, Oaxaca-style queso (which you can substitute with feta or fresh chèvre), cherry tomatoes, sliced onions, homemade salsa—and the guac, of course. An important tip: in Mexico, we eat tostadas with our hands—I encourage you to do the same.” Find Heidi’s full recipe on Aromas & Sabores.

  • LEBANON: Grilled Lamb Skewers with Fresh Mint Sauce

    “Lamb shish kebab hot off the grill is one of my dinner party favorites,” says Maureen Abood of the Lebanese food blog Rose Water and Orange Blossoms. “The skewers can be made in advance, and they’re gorgeous with red onion. Give each person their own, or push the lamb off the skewers onto a big platter. Fresh mint is a classic pairing and a characteristic Lebanese herb—here, the sauce makes the charred lamb sing.” Maureen’s recipe can be found in her forthcoming cookbook, Rose Water and Orange Blossoms, out April 28; in the meantime, find similar dishes on her blog.

  • ACADIANA, or FRENCH LOUISIANA: Spicy Creole Shrimp Dip

    Get a dinner party started right with a fragrant, flavorful dip made from Louisiana shrimp and horseradish. Says George Graham, whose blog Acadiana Table has brought Cajun Creole cooking to the tables of curious readers worldwide, “it’s the perfect dish to kick off any dinner party. With a Creole mustard and horseradish base, it showcases briny Gulf shrimp in a zesty, palate-tingling sauce—pass the crackers.” Find George’s recipe on Acadiana Table.

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  • NIGERIA: Moimoi Roll-up

    Typically eaten for breakfast, moimoi is a Nigerian staple made from ground beans—but a simple twist (or, more fittingly, a roll) helps Ronke Edoho of the Nigerian food blog 9jafoodie elevate the dish to dinner party status. “It’s a truly modern take on a classic,” she says. For more, including Ronke’s step-by-step instructions on how to achieve the perfect roll, visit 9jafoodie.

  • ENGLAND: Toad in the Hole

    “The first recipes for Toad in the Hole—a dish that combines sausage with Yorkshire pudding—appeared in the 18th century,” says Regula Ysewijn of the British food blog Miss Foodwise. “It was originally a way to use leftover meat. Today it’s a crowd-pleaser with children, and the perfect comfort food. It’s often made for festive occasions like Bonfire Night—the addition of Toad in the Hole really makes the meal a celebration.” Regula’s recipe can be found on Miss Foodwise.