Impress Your Guests

T- this one's for you. Thanks for the inspiration. xo.

I get the question often of “How do I make everything come together at the same time?” particularly when someone is getting ready to serve dinner to guests. That’s a tough question because a lot of it is just practice. When you are cooking on a line in a restaurant you have hundreds of opportunities for trial and error, even in just one night, and begin to learn instinctively how long things take and even more importantly what can be done ahead.
I’m going to give you instructions here for an entire meal that is perfect to serve to a dinner party, primarily because everything is brought close to finished long before anyone arrives. Hopefully you will be able to enjoy some time with your guests, slip away for 15 minutes, and reappear with a fabulous plate.

Braised Short Ribs with Potato/Parsnip Puree and Glazed Carrots

Pick out some really nice, large, meaty beef short ribs at a butchers or specialty shop. Whole Foods usually carries really beautiful ones. If you are in New York, Fairway seems to always have really nice ones too.

You'll be starting out with something like this.

First, the day before, or morning of your gathering, prepare braised beef short ribs. This recipe will pretty much follow the exact same as I gave you for beef stew except I would double the red wine. Make sure the liquid only goes a little more than ½way up the meat. Also, be sure to set the oven at 350. The liquid should continue at a low boil when in the oven. If it seems like it’s boiling really heavily adjust the heat down. Turn the ribs over in the liquid about an hour into the cooking time. After you pull the pot from the oven let it sit for an hour while it cools down. Pull out the ribs and set aside. Strain out the vegetables. Skim the fat from the surface of the liquid and set aside. If you are preparing a day ahead you can skip the skimming for now and just put the liquid back with the meat and refrigerate. The next day the fat will have risen to the top and solidified and you can just pull it off.

The meat should be falling off the bone. Being careful to keep the meat intact, pull the bones away. Now you will have a piece of meat with a skin-like tendon covering one side where it was attached to the bone. With a sharp knife carefully remove this (see video). What you have left is a super powerful, rich flavored chunk of meat. You’ll probably use two per person. Set aside the meats.

Boil some carrots. Be sure to use this technique. Put aside or refrigerate depending on how far ahead you’re doing it.

Peel one Yukon Gold potato per person and half as much parsnips (unless you hate parsnips, in which case just do mashed potatoes instead). Cut them up in similar sized chunks and put them in a pot with water and salt and cook until soft. Drain and leave in the pot on the stove covered with a lid. Do this sometime within the hour of guest’s arrival time.

In a small sauce pan boil down (reduce) the liquid from the short ribs until it begins to get syrupy and adjust the seasoning. Leave this, too, in the pan on the stove.

All these things can be done prior to your guests arriving.

Now, here’s where the timing part comes in. You’ll need ready for yourself in the kitchen- the cooked potato/parsnip combo on the stove(not over heat yet). Cooked carrots (or other side you’ve chosen) and a sauté pan for reheating. The trimmed meat and a pan. Some butter. A little chicken broth. The reduced cooking liquid (now your sauce) in the small sauce pan on the stove.
About 15-20 minutes before you want to serve the meal slip away to the kitchen. Spread out all your plates. Pour some milk and cream into the cooked potatoes and parsnips and turn the heat on medium. At the same time turn the heat on low under your sauce. When the milk/cream starts to get hot begin mashing the potato mix until smooth and everything is hot. Throw in a lump of butter, mix in and check salt and pepper level. Turn the heat off ,cover and leave at the back of the stove where it is warmest. Turn heat on under the pan for the meat and place a small bit of butter in it. When hot, place the meat in with top side down and let it sear, should be about two to three minutes. Turn heat on under pan you’ll be reheating carrots (or other side dish) in. Follow the instructions here for glazed carrots. When you put the carrots in the pan turn the meat over in its pan and let sear on other side then turn off heat and leave it there. Finish off the carrots and turn the heat off and leave it there. Check your sauce to make sure it’s ready to go.
Time to plate. If you can keep you plates warm in a very low oven it will help keep the food warm when you are ready to put it on the plate. Just make sure they’re not too hot or they’ll cook the sauce, in a bad way. If this stresses you out just skip it. It's not that big of a deal, especially if you have someone helping you to get things out quickly.

Put a large spoonful of the potato mixture slightly off center on the plate (do each step for all plates at the same time, production line style, this is the most efficient way). Try to create as much height as possible by pulling spoon upward after placing puree on the plate. Stack carrots on the plate next to the potatoes (a pair of tongs work best). Create a small pool of sauce in the empty spot on the plate and then place two pieces of the meat crisscrossed and propped up against the potatoes. Drizzle a little more sauce over top the meat. For a little added decoration you can stick a sprig of rosemary and thyme in the potatoes.

Serve!

Some ideas for sides other than the carrots.
Asparagus. – Prepare ahead. Be careful not to overcook! When ready to serve heat up in sauté pan with a little butter. You can add a crushed clove of garlic too, if you’d like.
Baby Bok Choy – Split the bok choy in half, salt it generously, and place flat side down in a sauté pan over high heat with a little boiling water or broth and a bit of butter. Cover pan and let the bok choy steam for a few minutes. Remove lid and let moisture evaporate and the side facing down to get brown.