When you have to play host to a number of people, the best thing to do is to think of a menu that can be prepared ahead of time, you have to chose items that don't need a lot of work to prepare and dishes that you can have ready when your guests arrive, so that you don't spend your time in the kitchen and you can enjoy yourself with your guests. So my first rule is: no fried items. Beside the fact that fried foods are heavy and, as everybody says, not good for you, any fried food is better served immediately, because if you let it hang around it will become soggy, and lose all its appeal. One basic rule is to have fried foods only when you are going to eat them immediately, and in limited quantities. It's OK, every now and then to have a fried fish or chicken, but not every day. It's not good for you and it's a hassle you don't need to go through.
Today I was hosting a dinner for 15 people, so I thought of making a meat dish, a chicken dish and some easy side dishes. I had to make sure also that my menu takes care of the allergies of some of my guests, two of them are lactose intolerant, so no milk or cheese in the food. I thought we can crank up the grill in the back yard and have the dinner there, but I also have to make sure the the weather will allow us to do that. It's been terribly hot lately in New York, and going outside might not be the best idea. So, I had to revert to plan B.
I chose a chicken dish that can be prepared a day ahead, chicken ragout (in a May 2011 blog, to which I added some fresh rosemary and thyme from my garden) and for the meat I opted for a whole beef tenderloin. As side dishes I'll prepare a pasta dish, very basic and simple, and some salads. For dessert an ice cream cake, it's very hot outside!!
BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH MY SPECIAL SAUCE
This is the easiest dish you can prepare for company. It's big, it can serve a lot of people, it doesn't need a lot of work and it's delicious. Of course it is: it's one of the best cuts of beef you can get. You can buy it whole, or peeled. Today I got a peeled tenderloin. If you cannot get it peeled, don't worry it won't take you minutes to peel the whole tenderloin yourself: You won't even need a knife, just "peel off" the excess fat around it. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to remove it. I also chose this cut for another reason: if we were going to use the grill, I would cut it in thick slices to get filet mignon and grilled them. But since I went for plan B and stayed inside, I am going to cook it whole in the oven and then slice it before my guests arrive.
As a sauce to be served on the side, I first thought of serving a brown sauce with mushrooms, but finally opted for a light mustard based sauce. You'll need:
1 whole beef tenderloin (I got a 4.50 lb tenderloin)
3 tbsp frozen onion/garlic mixture
Salt and pepper to taste (I used Adobo seasoning)
Rinse and pat dry the beef, mix the seasoning with the onion mixture and rub it all over the meat. Put the meat in a baking dish, cover it with foil and refrigerate it to marinate 2 hours to overnight. I left it over night. The next day, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Remove the tenderloin from its dish, place it on a baking sheet and cover it loosely with foil. cook it in the oven, covered first for 15 minutes to make sure that it will be cooked from the inside. We prefer our meat well done. Remove the foil and continue cooking. It should take 12 minutes for the first pound and 10 minutes for each additional pound. Remove the tenderloin from the oven, cover it with foil to allow it to rest, about 10 or 15 minutes, before slicing it. Serve with the sauce on the side.
SAUCE
This is a very simple sauce that you can serve with steak, with grilled meat or chicken. You can even use it as salad dressing, just by whisking some oil into it and you're good to go. You don't really need a recipe for it, but here are some guidelines. You can change or tweak the ingredients according to your taste and to the quantity you need to make. You'll need:
1 small red onion
3 to 4 tbsp capers
1 cup good mustard
1 tsp mayo
chopped dill
In the small chopper process the onion until very fine, almost pulverized. Remove to a bowl. Give the capers a couple of pulses to chop them. Add the capers to the bowl. Add the mustard, and the mayo and mix thoroughly. Add the chopped dill and mix to incorporate.
You can also add some chopped dill pickles or different herbs.
I also served a very simple pasta dish: Farfalle with peas and carrots. Simply cook the pasta according to package directions in salted water (remember this is the only chance you have to season the pasta), and just before it's done, add some frozen peas and carrots.
I usually make one handful of dry pasta per person, so depending on how many people you are serving, add the peas accordingly. Drain the pasta, transfer it to a serving dish and toss it with some olive oil and freshly ground pepper. You can serve the grated cheese on the side.
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