Chef and recipe developer Vilda Gonzalez – Sweden-born, Savannah-raised and now rooted in New York’s Hudson Valley – has a rare gift for creating food that feels effortless, generous and alive. Her work takes many forms – from cooking private dinners and developing recipes for brands to advocating for more sustainable local food systems. After years working in restaurants and hosting countless gatherings at home, she knows how to craft a menu that supports the host as much as it delights the guests. Her philosophy is simple: “Let your ingredients lead the way, be generous – and don’t take yourself too seriously.”
We loved her approach so much that we even invited her to cook at one of Service95’s own hosting events in New York – and she exceeded every expectation. And so, for our special Hosting Issue, Vilda has curated a menu designed for home cooks who want to entertain with confidence. “Everything here can be prepped in advance, assembled casually, or finished with just a few calm, intentional steps,” says Vilda. “My goal is for you to feel as present at your own table as your guests do.”
From simple bites and pre-batched drinks to a slow-roasted main and a make-ahead dessert, this menu is all about generosity, ease and the kind of warmth that makes any gathering unforgettable – and one you’ll actually get to enjoy. Keep scrolling for all the crowd-pleasing recipes you’ll need this season...
What’s On The Menu
For The Table, When Guests Arrive
Honey and cardamom pickled carrots with thinly sliced finocchieto (Italian wild fennel)
A pre-batched martini, slightly dirty, waiting in the freezer
Cold sparkling water and a few delicious vinegars, as a non-alcoholic option
For Dinner
Radicchio salad with toasted hazelnuts, asian pear, fancy parm
Slow roasted trout, salsa verde, charred meyer lemons
Optional (but delicious): slow-cooked gigantes beans
For Dessert
Dark chocolate ganache tart, salted pistachio crust, cardamom whipped cream
The Recipes You’ll Need
Radicchio Salad
“Radicchio salads are my signature move, and this is one of my favourites when I want the menu to feel elegant and indulgent,” says Vilda.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 pound of a variety of the most beautiful radicchio you can find
2 medium shallots, halved lengthways and thinly sliced
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 heaping teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 large Asian pear or crisp apple, thinly sliced
2 ounces best quality Parmigiano Reggiano
Method
1. Pick all of the radicchio leaves off of their core, and tear them into bite size pieces. Wash and dry if necessary.
2. In a mixing bowl large enough to hold all of your radicchio, add the shallots and salt. Massage the salt into the shallots to help them soften, then submerge them in the vinegars. Set aside to macerate for at least 5 minutes, or 10 if you have the patience! Add the mustard, honey, red pepper flakes, and the olive oil. Whisk vigorously until the vinaigrette is lush and emulsified. Taste for seasoning and adjust with another pinch of salt if necessary.
3. Add the radicchio and pears directly to the bowl and toss with your hands until every leaf is slicked with the vinaigrette. Layer ⅓ of the dressed leaves on your serving platter, scatter over ⅓ of the hazelnuts, and generously grate over some parmesan. Repeat with the remaining two thirds–this method ensures an even distribution of all the flavourful, crunchy bits, and helps prevent the snowy feathers of parm from getting soggy.
Slow-Roasted Trout With Rosemary & Citrus Salsa Verde
“This is a foolproof way of cooking trout; the slow cook ensures that the fish stays meltingly tender, and the low temperature is forgiving if you forgot to set a timer in a scramble. The fish gets dressed in a bright, lemony marinade before the oven, and is later lathered in an orange- and rosemary-forward salsa verde.
The quantities for the salsa verde make more than the fish will require – it fortunately makes for great leftovers, but can also be set out as a sauce for the table. The salsa verde is especially delicious paired with white beans, which would be a welcome addition to round this meal out if there’s any vegetarians joining the party.”
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
For The Trout:
1.75 lb filet of steelhead trout
Fine sea salt to season
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or a similar fruity, mild chili
For The Salsa Verde:
1 grated clove garlic
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
½ teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon orange juice
1½ cups packed parsley
⅓ cup packed rosemary
2 tablespoons capers, soaked and rinsed if they were packed in salt
1¼ cup olive oil
Pinch fine sea salt
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 225°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
2. Pat the trout dry, and place it skin side down on the parchment paper. Season generously with salt. In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, juice, honey, olive oil and Aleppo pepper. Spoon this mixture evenly over the fish.
3. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the densest part of the filet flakes easily with a fork.
4. While the fish is baking, make the salsa verde. In a small bowl, combine the grated garlic, vinegar, orange zest and orange juice. Set aside to macerate for at least 5 minutes. Add the parsley, rosemary, and capers to a food processor and pulse until the herbs are fully broken down but not pasty. Add the oil and a pinch of salt and pulse another couple of times to combine. Add the garlic and citrus mixture and pulse once more to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust with a pinch of salt or splash of vinegar if needed.
5. Once the fish is cooked, allow it to cool on the sheet tray for at least 5 minutes before transferring it to a serving platter. Spoon the salsa verde evenly over the whole surface area of the fish.
Dark Chocolate Ganache And Pistachio Tart
“This tart is delicious any time of day, any season of the year, but is especially welcome as a festive exclamation point to finish a holiday meal. The crust – rich with ground pistachios – is unfussy and forgiving; there’s no need for kneading or resting, you simply combine all of the ingredients and press them into a tart shell. Take it over the top with a spoonful of cardamom-scented whipped cream.”
Ingredients
For The Crust:
2¾ cups (210 g) raw pistachios, ground to a course meal in a food processor
⅓ cup (55 g) maple sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 ounces (57 g) unsalted butter, melted
For The Ganache:
8 ounces (227 g) 70% dark chocolate, roughly chopped
12 ounces (355 g) heavy cream
2 ounces (57 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into ½” pieces
Flaky salt
For The Cream:
8 ounces heavy cream
2 teaspoons mild, runny honey
Small pinch salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter a 9” tart pan, then line it with a piece of parchment cut to fit the pan. Butter the parchment paper, too.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground pistachios, maple sugar, and sea salt. Pour in the melted butter and mix with your hands until the mixture looks sandy and barely holds together when squeezed. Press the mixture into the prepared tart pan, compressing it as tightly as you can.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and aromatic, being careful not to let the crust burn. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
4. When the crust has cooled, make the ganache. Add the chopped chocolate to a medium mixing bowl. Heat the cream over medium heat until it just barely reaches a simmer, then remove it from the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Leave the two undisturbed for 5 minutes, then add the butter and vigorously whisk until you have a silky, homogenous ganache.
5. Pour the ganache into the crust, then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour until the ganache has set.
6. Whip the cream until it’s just thickened, then add the honey, salt and cardamom. Gently continue whipping until the cream holds soft peaks.
7. Serve the tart with a generous dollop of whipped cream.
