Who doesn’t love a party?
Even though the first day of summer isn’t officially until June 21, we all know that summer is here already and here to stay (for a loooonnnggg while). Schools are out, summer plans and schedules are in place and hopefully you’re looking forward to a season packed full of summer fun.
There’s plenty to celebrate and whether you’ll be going away for a vacation or staying at home for a “staycation,” I’d bet that celebration menus are central to your family’s happy plans.
I don’t think I’m alone here, but I really enjoy making plans for a celebration — and yes, that includes ALL the details. Guess it’s a good thing that not only do I like it, but I excel in fine-tuning the details. My chosen professions as chef, caterer and cooking class instructor all seem to benefit from my (some might say) obsession with the details. And although I may not like having to go to “plan B” or even “plan C,” they are ALWAYS in place.
Any other “Type A” people out there? Alright, I’m in good company then.
If you want to learn a few tricks-of-the-trade to assist you in your summer dining and entertaining plans, I welcome you to my world. What others out there may not realize is that it takes a lot of planning to pull-off a seemingly effortless event — whether it’s a big wedding, a birthday party or a family gathering for a backyard barbeque.
The No. 1 priority of any good host or hostess is to make your guests feel welcome and at ease. We want everyone to have a good time. But what about the host or hostess?
Ask for help from others. Folks love to help out and feel needed and there’s no need to do it all yourself. Forget the old adage, “if you want something done right, do it yourself.” Maybe you CAN do it all yourself, but why should you?
Learning to trust others to help is one of the biggest gifts I’ve ever given myself. And it truly frees me up to be a better version of me. So go ahead, ask your neighbor (who loves to scrapbook) to help you make cute invitations. Ask your husband’s co-worker to make her famous poundcake and bring it to the party. Ask your best friend to bring some garden fresh strawberries to go along with the poundcake. Ask your brother to set up the bar by the pool, etc.
But if all this planning has some of you stressed out, scale it down and opt instead for an impromptu “pop-up party” — the only thing you’ll have to do is call, email or even text some folks and give them a date, time, place and theme. You can even make it a pot luck event.
But, if you insist on tackling the party menu solo, I’ll help you out with a few stress-free meal solutions.
Whole Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Creamy Dijon Horseradish Sauce is one of my favorite entrees for elegant entertaining, especially when served with Truffle Infused Creamed Potatoes and Oven Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan.
Take it down a notch and serve this same super-tender and flavorful tenderloin, thinly sliced, along with the horseradish sauce and some spicy whole grain mustard, yeast rolls, multigrain rolls and croissants, and let everyone make their own delicious sandwiches. Arrange a platter of sliced tomatoes, Vidalia onions and some sliced deli cheeses and everyone can customize their sandwich creations to their preference.
I hope these tips and recipes help get your summer plans in full swing. Happy summer, y’all! Celebrate good times, c’mon!
Roasted Whole Beef Tenderloin
FOR THE GRILLING & ROASTING RUB:
1 cup turbinado sugar (aka Sugar-In-The-Raw)
1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup kosher salt
1/3 cup celery salt
1/4 cup paprika
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup onion powder
1/4 cup dry mustard powder
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
FOR THE TENDERLOIN:
1 (6-7 pound) whole beef tenderloin
100-percent-cotton butcher’s twine
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 - 1/3 cup Grilling & Roasting Rub
Prepare Grilling & Roasting rub simply by placing all ingredients in a container and shaking well to blend. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 1 year.
Trim away most fat and all sinew and silver skin from tenderloin. Tuck thin ends under. Using kitchen twine, secure the entire length of the tenderloin at 1-inch intervals. (This makes for a nice, tight roast that cooks evenly.) Rub olive oil over the entire surface of the roast.
Roll the roast in 1/3 cup prepared Grilling & Roasting Rub, pressing meat into the rub to adhere the seasoning. Let rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
Thirty minutes before roasting, preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place a roasting rack on a foil lined roasting pan. Place the roast in the center of the preheated oven. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and check the temperature of the center of the roast. It should be at a perfect 125-130 degrees for medium-rare. Roast a few minutes longer if you prefer your beef more done.
Remove from oven and cover loosely with foil and let roast rest for at least 15 minutes before removing twine, slicing and serving.
Note: If you are preparing the beef tenderloin for serving chilled (as for sandwiches) let cool for at least 30 minutes before wrapping securely in food safe plastic wrap and refrigerating for several hours or up to three days before serving.
Serves eight to 12.
Creamy Horseradish Sauce
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon or wholegrain mustard
2 tablespoons prepared (grated) horseradish
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 tablespoon dried minced chives
Sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients and blend well. Best prepared at least several hours ahead. Cover and store in the refrigerator until 1 hour before serving time.
Makes almost 2 cups.
Creamy Truffle Infused Smashed Potatoes
4-5 pounds red-skinned potatoes, cut into cubes
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup heavy whipping cream, heated
1 tablespoon truffle-infused olive oil
Sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until just tender, do NOT overcook. Drain well. Using a hand-held potato masher or a hand-held electric mixer, smash the potatoes until just broken up.
Add the whipping cream and butter and continue to blend until thoroughly incorporated and to the texture of your preference. Season the potatoes with truffle oil, salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Serves eight to 10.
Oven Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan
2 pounds young (slim) asparagus, ends trimmed and discarded
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan
Sea salt or kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with oil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange asparagus on baking sheet with the tips pointed toward the center of the pan. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with Parmesan, salt and pepper.
Place in the center of the preheated oven and roast for 7-10 minutes only, just until the asparagus is tender — do NOT overcook.
Serves eight to 10.
This story was originally published June 1, 2017 at 2:28 PM with the headline "Who doesn’t love a party?."