June 2011
People often ask me how to keep things cool in the kitchen when cooking for large numbers of guests.
The first thing I say is be prepared in advance, give yourself plenty of time and don’t cook food that you haven’t tried before.
Don’t get me wrong I love to see people rolling their sleeves up and trying out recipes that challenge them on every level, but there is a time for that and it’s not when you have 20 hungry people sniffing around the kitchen waiting for their dinner.
Choose a menu and stick to it, try to plan it around the season which will make things cheaper and burst with flavour. Ring your butcher or fishmonger ahead of time to place your order even check if they deliver to the Valley, this way you save time and also a little money on fuel.
Ask your fishmonger to prep your fish, there is no extra charge! With meat if you are not familiar about cooking different cuts ask your butcher for some tips on cooking times and methods you will be surprised at how much information they have.
You don’t have to spend lots as the larger more muscular cuts are cheaper and ideal for slow low cooking.
I always get the butchers to score, tie and weigh my meat this way it’s ready to season or marinate then pop straight into the oven with your correct cooking time based on weight. Remember to calculate your cooking time based on weight but always remember this is a guide and each oven is different so check a few times during cooking.
This is another reason to give yourself plenty of time just in case! Got family staying… well they just became your instant kitchen brigade. Ready to chop, peel, wash dishes and be at your every command…..well we can always dream can’t we.
Having things already prepped in your fridge will cut your time significantly so start anything you can the day before.
During my peak periods I will have at a glance four different salad dressings in my fridge which can be used for hot or cold vegetable sides.
This way all you need to do is arrange, chop, peel, steam or roast the other components of your salads/side dishes.
Another good practice is having your veggies and salads prepped and ready to go.
The key for me when entertaining is to have large joints of meat you can leave to slow cook in the oven which leaves you free for other much needed tasks like sharing a glass of wine with friends and family before the meal.
Big pots of braised lentils or beans can be made in advance and reheated in a dish in the oven or microwaved. This is also a good trick with mashed root veggies. After mashing put in a ceramic dish with gladwrap over the top ready for heating.
I like to add roasted garlic and a drizzle of oil for extra flavour and moisture.
For the dessert end of the meal I would rate this as the easiest because this can be done anytime before the big day and put in the freezer. Freezer? Yes, a large number of cakes, cheesecakes cookies and pastries do fine frozen then taken out to rest for room temperature.
An all time favourite of mine is Parfait.
This is a wickedly light treat that can be flavoured by fruit, chocolate or anything that takes your fancy.
My latest Parfait was flavoured with last season’s lavender and local honey, finished off with some roasted hazelnuts sprinkled over the top. Not a bad way to finish a meal!
If you are not keen on dessert, why not have a platter of local cheeses and fresh fruit which can be made ahead of time then set out to warm to room temp for ultimate taste?
In this day and age of processed foods it’s easy to be lulled into a safe sense of security by believing all the advertising telling you how good the products taste, but trust me there’s nothing that beats a good home cooked meal. Don’t stress, just think ahead and plan your day. The more time you have the better your food will taste and it will be enjoyed more with the host sitting at the table with a smile on their face watching the guests ooh and ah at the amazing feast being offered.
This month’s recipe is one in my classic repertoire :
Local Honey and Lavender Parfait with Roasted Hazelnuts.
· Free range egg yolks 8
· Sugar 170g-3/4cup
· Water 150ml-2/3cup
· Heavy Cream, very cold 625ml-2 ½ cups
· Salt 1ml-1/4 tsp
· Local Honey 30ml - 1/4cup
· Lavender 2 tsp ground to dust
· Chopped Roasted Hazelnuts to garnish
Method
Put the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on high speed until light coloured, about four minutes.
While the yolks are in the mixer, combine the sugar, salt and water in a deep, heavy based saucepan and place over a medium high heat. Wet down sides with a heatproof pastry brush to ensure no sugar is sticking to the sides and from time to time stir liquid with a wooden spoon to make sure it is not sticking to the bottom of pan.
Bring to a boil and cook until mixture reaches 120’C on a sugar thermometer.
This should only take a few minutes.
Remove the sugar syrup from the heat and add it in a thin stream to the whipped eggs pouring it between the whisk and the side of the bowl. The yolks will cook from the heat of the syrup and thicken considerably.
Continue to beat for a few minutes on high to increase the volume and start cooling the mixture. It should be thick and pale yellow. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and place in cool water or ice until cool.
Remove whipped eggs and place in a large bowl ready for the whipped cream to be folded through. Be careful when transferring as you don’t want to knock the air out.
Place cream in stand up mixer with whisk attachment and whip until it holds soft peaks. Fold this through the egg mixture.
When this is fully incorporated gently fold through honey and then the lavender.
Pour mixture into a loaf tin lined with glad wrap then fully cover and place into the freezer for four hours minimum.
If you prefer individual desserts pour in glasses and freeze for up to an hour depending on size.
When the parfait is frozen remove from loaf tin and slice into individual pieces then garnish with the roasted hazelnuts and a drizzle of honey.