- Thread starter
- #21
Count, I like your style 
Barry, beef Wellington or en croute used to be my specialty, maybe I should resurrect it.
Barry, beef Wellington or en croute used to be my specialty, maybe I should resurrect it.
When you absolutely, positively got to WOW every dinner guest in the room
- Thread starter Haggises
- Start date
I'm thinking sides...
1. Vichysoisse to start. VERY simple to make. OUTSTANDING guest responses.
2. Roasted Onion Casserole My family comes unglued when this is on the table. There is NEVER a mouthful left over.
Good luck sorting through all these suggestions!
Mike
1. Vichysoisse to start. VERY simple to make. OUTSTANDING guest responses.
2. Roasted Onion Casserole My family comes unglued when this is on the table. There is NEVER a mouthful left over.
Good luck sorting through all these suggestions!
Mike
+1 to the beef wellington.
Time for a big roast, Turkey, Beef, Ham. Big friendly sides . . . scalloped potatoes, candied yams, Sweet potato cassarole. Large cheese platters.
I guess I'm thinking a sit down meal. The other option is buffet but I don't think there is time enough to pull it off.
I guess I'm thinking a sit down meal. The other option is buffet but I don't think there is time enough to pull it off.
If you don't want to shell out for veal, use beef shanks. It's not AS good, but it's close.
Steak Oscar is a good one. Get some good lump crab, practice your bearnaise ahead of time and sear the filets on cast iron, basting with butter and seasoning them with only salt, pepper and a touch of garlic powder.
Pair with asparagus and pan fried potatoes and you're set.
Boil small golden potatoes until just fork tender. Cool and cut in half. Heat a heavy skillet with duck fat in the bottom. Toss the potatoes with diced garlic (fresh, not the jar) fresh rosemary, thyme, parsley and salt and pepper. pan fry until golden, serve after tossing again in the oil/herb mix.
Steak Oscar is a good one. Get some good lump crab, practice your bearnaise ahead of time and sear the filets on cast iron, basting with butter and seasoning them with only salt, pepper and a touch of garlic powder.
Pair with asparagus and pan fried potatoes and you're set.
Boil small golden potatoes until just fork tender. Cool and cut in half. Heat a heavy skillet with duck fat in the bottom. Toss the potatoes with diced garlic (fresh, not the jar) fresh rosemary, thyme, parsley and salt and pepper. pan fry until golden, serve after tossing again in the oil/herb mix.
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Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
I like to do a double header in a situation like that. Two main entrees. Jambalaya and Gumbo. Enchiladas and menudo. Fried chicken and ribs. When two well executed entrees are competing with each other for the palates of a roomful of people, the comparisons are a reliable topic of conversation.
The right soup puts your guests in a very receptive frame of mind for the main course. One of my favorites is a clear shrimp and sausage soup with jalapenos and celery. A well made onion soup is a good starter. I sometimes do something with a half rack of ribs cooked down in the pressure cooker, then cooked some more with cabbage and pok choy until the veggies are just right. Carrot, bacon, and white bean soup. Yum yum. Ham and tortilla soup, with avacado and tomatillos.
The right soup puts your guests in a very receptive frame of mind for the main course. One of my favorites is a clear shrimp and sausage soup with jalapenos and celery. A well made onion soup is a good starter. I sometimes do something with a half rack of ribs cooked down in the pressure cooker, then cooked some more with cabbage and pok choy until the veggies are just right. Carrot, bacon, and white bean soup. Yum yum. Ham and tortilla soup, with avacado and tomatillos.
Smoked creamed corn is also another good one if done right. Smoke the corn on the cob, cut the kernels off and scrape the cobs to get the 'milk' off. Cook with bacon fat and add bacon at the end. One of the food network girls has a good recipe to start with...Claire Robinson is her name IIRC. I took her base recipe and I tweak it when I cook it to make it my own every time. I'm not sure what I change, it's all to taste. Adding some fresh jalapeno would be a good option. Don't count it out because it's called creamed corn. It's nothing like the thick, gross stuff from a can. There isn't any dairy in it at all. It's like a bacony smoked corn on the cob.
I've done well with a number of dishes. Hoisin and garlic marinaded pork tenderloin (make sauce out of marinade after) with blanched napa cabbage and bok choi on a jasmine rice... Started out with seared tuna steak appetizers, goes great on a cracked wheat cracker with a light wasabi mayo sauce and maybe a little ponzu if you have it. You can always make a hot and sour soup and you have a three course meal there, easily paired with wine and a dessert. I did that menu for a Valentine's Dinner a few years ago and left people impressed.
I personally love a good roasted chicken. Salt and pepper olive oil rub, shallots and tarragon and away we go! Potatoes Anna is a great potato dish that is easy and there are multiple ways to plate it to make it look amazing.
Cajun spice/butter injected turkey is great.
Steak Florentine can be a way to lighten up a steak a little bit but it can also torque off the steak purists. I think it makes a great sirloin...
Blackened Chicken Alfredo...
Baked trout
Grilled Whole Salmon
Salt crusted baked fish
Butter braised Brussel sprouts and radishes
Bleu cheese, green apple, carmelized onion topped steak/pork chop/whatever. Can also stuff chop, steak, chx, whatever.
I can go on and on and on
I personally love a good roasted chicken. Salt and pepper olive oil rub, shallots and tarragon and away we go! Potatoes Anna is a great potato dish that is easy and there are multiple ways to plate it to make it look amazing.
Cajun spice/butter injected turkey is great.
Steak Florentine can be a way to lighten up a steak a little bit but it can also torque off the steak purists. I think it makes a great sirloin...
Blackened Chicken Alfredo...
Baked trout
Grilled Whole Salmon
Salt crusted baked fish
Butter braised Brussel sprouts and radishes
Bleu cheese, green apple, carmelized onion topped steak/pork chop/whatever. Can also stuff chop, steak, chx, whatever.
I can go on and on and on
Good choice. I got no problem with veal, but unsure about all guests...
woah nelly. I'm not a bad cook but I dont think I could do paella justice. Would have to be anglicized paella-lite. Also, mother's proscribed food includes most sea creatures
Nothing wrong with that! You don't NEED to have seafood in it. Just replace it with chicken or MOAR SAUSAGES!
I have two: Beef Wellington, and a lemon sabayon tart that I got from The French Laundry Cookbook. The tart is fantastic, and the honey marscapone cream pairs perfectly. I shall make the tart for a dinner party next week at friends', we are supplying dessert.
- Thread starter
- #31
Well.............
The menu was taken over by SWMBO who did all the veggies and bought pork cutlets and a 3 lb piece of fresh salmon.
On the veggie side: Asian flavored snap peas, mushrooms and ginger; roasted whole carrots, onions and beets
Starches: cornbread made with added corn relish; orzo and pepper salad
Meats: The pork I marinated in olive oil, a touch of apple cider vinegar, and a whole Foods Caribbean BBQ seasoning. Grilled on the gas grill to just done perfection (even if do say so myself, a day later the cutlets were still juicy ) adding more BBQ seasoning at the end. Went down well, though to my tastebuds it didn't quite fit with the rest.
The salmon I did en croute, 2 of em because it was a huge piece of fish. Rolled out puff pastry, laid down salmon. Added a little paprika based salmon dry rub, topped with a Trader Joe Red Pepper Spread, sprinled with chopped sun dried tomatoes in olive oil then wrapped it up. The salmon and the pastry cooked perfectly together in the oven. (OK I was 3 minutes too late on taking it out, sue me)
All in all went very well.
Thanks all for your suggestions - I will be trying many of these out this summer!
The menu was taken over by SWMBO who did all the veggies and bought pork cutlets and a 3 lb piece of fresh salmon.
On the veggie side: Asian flavored snap peas, mushrooms and ginger; roasted whole carrots, onions and beets
Starches: cornbread made with added corn relish; orzo and pepper salad
Meats: The pork I marinated in olive oil, a touch of apple cider vinegar, and a whole Foods Caribbean BBQ seasoning. Grilled on the gas grill to just done perfection (even if do say so myself, a day later the cutlets were still juicy
) adding more BBQ seasoning at the end. Went down well, though to my tastebuds it didn't quite fit with the rest. The salmon I did en croute, 2 of em because it was a huge piece of fish. Rolled out puff pastry, laid down salmon. Added a little paprika based salmon dry rub, topped with a Trader Joe Red Pepper Spread, sprinled with chopped sun dried tomatoes in olive oil then wrapped it up. The salmon and the pastry cooked perfectly together in the oven. (OK I was 3 minutes too late on taking it out, sue me)
All in all went very well.
Thanks all for your suggestions - I will be trying many of these out this summer!
If you really want to impress and your guests are meat eaters, I've had nothing but success with a rack of lamb and beef wellington. Best of luck!
Standing rib roast
Haggises:
How about cooking a Thor's Hammer?
"This massive bone-in ('frenched'...have your butcher to do this & tie it for you) beef shank meat, also known as the 'Thor's Hammer' is quite lean, it makes a great cut for the oven or smoker.
Bone-in beef shanks needs to be slow cooked – either braised or roasted – to break down the tough meat to soften it into succulent tenderness. This cut is full of flavor and is sure to be a 'crowd-pleaser & show-stopper'".
Works Cited: Thor's Hammer
"Beef...it's whats for dinner". CBJ
How about cooking a Thor's Hammer?
Bone-in beef shanks needs to be slow cooked – either braised or roasted – to break down the tough meat to soften it into succulent tenderness. This cut is full of flavor and is sure to be a 'crowd-pleaser & show-stopper'".
Works Cited: Thor's Hammer
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Popular offerings I have served include braised short ribs over polenta, coq au vin with noodles, and boeuf Bourguignon with steamed parsleyed new potatoes (all cool weather dishes), saltimbocca with risotto and asparagus, and shrimp and grits (my own recipe). We went to a friend's for Chang's bo saam and were really happy to help with it, a great casual meal.
My brisket slow cooked in the Big Green Egg is always a welcome addition to any family gathering we've attended.
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