Grilling for Anniversary Party


 
A

A.D.Letson

TVWBB Fan
This Friday, August 25, my wife and I have been asked to grill for her grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary. The only request I have is for the main course to be steak and shrimp. I haven't found a decent butcher shop in my area so I plan on buying Choice Strip Steaks at Sam's. I have tried these before and they seem to be the best around here. I am open to other suggestions though because I am sure I could sell it to her grandparents.

As far as side dishes, I am open to anything and the dessert will be a bought cake so nothing there. I've had the idea of having the shrimp as an app but I don't how to work that out on a charcoal grill and still have enough heat left to cook the rest of the stuff that needs to be grilled. I am going to be off work all that day so prep time is not too big of an issue. This is my first opportunity to cook something and present it in a formal setting so any tips will be appreciated. All those who have catered or entertained, please, help me out. On that day, I will have my kitchen (of course
icon_smile.gif
), a gas smoker, a 22 1/2 inch platinum grill, and a cheap thermos charcoal grill.

Thanks everybody.
 
More information please:

How many people?

Are you cooking it at grandparents' house or carrying everything from your house?

What's the age group of people? Is it kind of formal/sitdown/buffet?
 
A.D.; most of these folks will be older, and who knows how many with their original teeth. I would grill nice Ribeyes for them as they are more tender and have better flavor than strip steaks. For the shrimp, skewers make them much easier to handle on the grill. I would serve them with the meal, with a warm cocktail sauce and a warm smoky BBQ sauce to dip them in. Baked potatoes, a nice salad, or a Waldorf salad, and some cinnamon rolls or dinner rolls should keep them well fed and happy!
 
Sorry for the loss of info. I had typed more but my wife accidentally deleted it and there was some lost stuff in the retyping.

Thom H.,
There are going to be 20 people, 17 adults. The 3 kids will probably demand to go to McDonald's so we don't really have to worry about them.

As far as where it is being cooked, the bulk of the actual cooking will be at the grandparents' because it will be fresher and much more convenient. As far as prep, I will do it wherever it is easiest.

The tendency of this family is to throw it all out on the counter and eat it as they please. I am hoping to get away from that so I am going to plan for a casual (formal to us but casual in classification) sit down meal. The age range is 23 (my wife and I) to 73 (the celebrated couple) so we have a big swing.

Bob H.,
I agree that ribeyes are more tender and better in my opinion, but this family does not agree. On top of that, I have no place to get quality ribeyes as my meat place of choice (Sam's) cuts them about 1/3 inch thick and gets very snippy when I ask them to make custom cuts. The only steaks they cut well (about 1 1/4 inches) are strips so that will probably be the choice of the day.

I like them, but we've done baked potatoes and salads to death so since I have some extra time (and little extra money than usual in the food budget) I wanted something with a little more pizazz. I hadn't thought of cinnamon rolls. that would be a fun change up. Thanks for the suggestion.

I was wondering how everyone usually serves steaks to a number this large. These are pretty big steaks (maybe a lb a piece) so giving one to everybody is not really an option when I know most won't eat that much. Do you slice it or do you make "portions" of steaks?
 
It's summer so:

Consider chilled gazpacho--'regular' or, perhaps, a simple avo-tom-cuke number, or perhaps a cuke-mint--served in small cups and passed while guests are still milling around.

Marinate trimmed asparagus spears in evoo mixed with Dijon; reserve.

Earlier: Puree roasted red bell peppers (jarred roasted peppers are fine but drain them well) till very smooth. Make mashed potatoes out of russet potatoes, unsalted butter, half-and-half, salt and a bit of white pepper then fold the pepper puree into the potatoes. Add just a little freshly grated parm--do not use the Kraft junk in the canister--just a little for background umami/nutty notes. Hold on top of the stove, off-heat, covered. Pre-heat the oven to 375 when the guests start arriving.

Meanwhile, grill marinated shrimp on skewers (just one or two tops per skewer), cook the excess marinade while grilling, paint the shrimp with the cooked hot marinade as soon as they are removed from the grill, put them on a heated platter (with a stack of cocktail napkins alongside) and have them passed while the guests are still milling. The server can make a swing immediately thereafter to pick up empty soup cups while the coals are re-stoked for the steaks. Get the salad course plated and on the table and call the guests to be seated. A simple salad of baby greens with a little romaine for crunch tossed with an end-of-summer lemonade vinaigrette with a few wedges of ripe red tomato fanned on the side would be great. A single slice of toasted (or pre-grilled then held) baguette spread with homemade or store-bought pesto as an edible garnish would add an easy but elegant element to the plate. Prior to the guests being seated for salads get the potatoes--uncovered--into the oven to reheat. Include a stack of dinner plates or warm them on the dry cycle of the dishwasher or in the microwave.

Grill the steaks to medium. (I'd rub first but that's up to you.) I could not care less if clerks are snippy--you damn well better cut what I want the way I want it or I'm dragging store management out of their offices--and I so agree rib-eye is superior. However, do what you wish.

Grill the steaks then remove to a platter, tented, to rest. Put the asparagus on the grill while the steaks are resting but put them on indirectly. Have someone roll the asparagus periodically while you cart the resting steak into the kitchen. Pull the warmed plates from wherever you chose to warm them, lay them out and top with a nice scoop of the red peppered mashed potatoes (which will be a wonderful color on the plate); slice the steaks quickly and fan the slices off the potatoes. Have your helper bring in the now-finished grilled asparagus and arrange a few spears attractively on the plate. Garnish with lemon (on the asparagus) and a sprinkling of slivered chives over the potatoes; serve. A simple mustard sauce can be passed at table or one of horseradish cream or both.

Alternatively, the asparagus can be oven-roasted while the potatoes are reheating rather than grilled.

Alternatively, a potato gratin can be done easily and can be cut into diamonds, plated, and the sliced steak fanned and cascaded off of that.

Alternatively: I never dumb down food for children no matter what their ages. No reason they should be relegated to McD's junk nor cooked especially for. Children usually rise to food occasions when treated as if they will--when treated as a bit older and more mature than they actually are. They appreciate the validation and most often respond well. Serve them what everyone else is getting. (Just a thought.)

A couple platters/plates of really good olives garnished with lemon zest slivers sharing the plate with a mound of smoked almonds and a pile of fanned cornichons would dress the table nicely.

Sit-downs work best, imo, if some food is available beforehand while guests are chatting and mingling. This is especially effective if the food is trayed and passed by someone. It is more elegant, fun, unexpected in a familial environment, yet casual because the guests are not seated. I serve soups this way (often using coffee mugs with spoons, or shot glasses, martini glasses or styro espresso cups--whatever will work for the soup) and I often serve at least one or two more items (often one of which is grilled on skewers) passed on trays because it is more festive in that the guests do not have to be at table to partake. This also buys time while coals are being stoked and food is going into the oven to reheat: people have had some good food and are content to socialize more before actually sitting down for dinner.

This may be way more than you are asking for I realize--but I am enjoying thinking about it and so, there you are.

Have a great party.
 
mmm. the cold gazpacho is a great idea. Perfect if you have great tomatoes.

Another good salad I like to serve for outdoor grilled parties is tomato-cucumber-couscous salad. It's really only good if the tomatoes are fresh. But either slice in half small cherry tomatoes or cut into large-ish chunks a bunch of tomatoes, seed and peel a cucumber and dice into 1/4 chunks. Make some couscous (amount varies on how much salad, obviously). Toss the tomatoes and salad with just enough couscous to sort of bind it. Sprinkle the whole thing with pine nuts, feta cheese and basil or mint. Then mix a touch of olive oil and a sprinkle of a good vinegar (champagne, red wine, white wine or even balsamic (go very light on the balsamic)) to get the whole thing to come together. Great salad to accompany grilled foods...
 
Kevin it is wonderful how you approach opportunities to exceed folks expectations when it comes to meal planning and entertaining.
I envision a cross between an artist with a blank canvas and a conductor of a fine symphony
orchestra. But it is so much more than that. The best meals please the eye, nose, palate and the textural senses. I do not mean to get too heavy here but you are quite an artist.

A.D. Have a wonderful event.
 
My menu, like Kevin's, includes a lot of do-ahead things.

A cheese and/or antipasto platter during cocktail hour with several different kinds of cheese, some in big hunks.

First course, pre-plated: Cold shrimp appetizers served in a martini glass. Hang the shrimp (big and cold) off the sides of the glass, put some finely shredded lettuce and mango cocktail sauce in glass). Have crusty bread/croissants butter already on tables.

2d course: Steaks, with a brandied mushrooms on top. Chipotle smashed sweet potatoes (done ahead), roasted asparagus (really easy, lay trimmed asparagus single layer on sheet pan, drizzle with EVOO and kosher salt, roast at 400 for 10 minutes). Do a sample presentation platter (lean asparagus up on steaks for some height), so everyone knows who's plating what goes where, so you can get the hot plates out quickly.

Alternative potatoes could be Kevin's mention above (yum), scalloped or gratin with asiago.

Alternate steaksauces: bernaise, gorgonzola, or horseradish cream.

Dessert: Bread pudding with butterscotch bourbon sauce. I like the one on the wild turkey website www.wildturky.com. Make the sauce ahead. As an addition, alternate dessert the Rick Bayless Chocolate Pecan Pie looks good at http://www.fronterakitchens.com/cooking/recipes/pecanpie.html

If you want to do an informal but nice buffet party, how about roasting/grilling some nice tenderloins and setting up a carving station at the end of the buffet table with you carving?

And, what time do you want us there for dinner?


What time do you want us there?
 
Wow! Thanks guys. I knew yall would come through with some great ideas.

Kevin,
I agree completely with what Steve said. You certainly do seem to be an artist with food entertaining. As far as the gazpacho, sounds great but I don't have access to any of those herbs. Looked for them in my area and grocery stores don't carry them, and I live in an apartment so I can't grow them. But I really like the idea of a first course pass around soup but I am a novice as to what would make a good one. Any tips?
I believe you have sold me with the mashed potatoes and roasted reds. I have never tried it but it sounds wonderful and waaaay off the beaten path of what we would normally prepare or eat.
I like the idea of a sauce for the steak, but once again am at a loss for what to make. Simple mustard sauce or horseradish cream? Any expanding on that would be appreciated.

And I gotta say again, I am wowed by your knowledge of the "flow" of the party. Thanks.

Thom H.,
I like your idea of the tenderloins. Would be an eye popper and a lot of trouble off me, but I'm sure my budget doesn't go THAT far.
What exactly are brandied mushrooms? Sound wonderful.
 
Hi A.D.,

Brandied Mushrooms:
2 lbs fresh mushrooms, sliced
8 T. butter
2 T. Worst. sauce
1/2 cup brandy
S & P to taste
Sautee mushrooms in butter till they are tender, add other stuff and let cook a while.
Can be made day before, reheat and serve piping hot. Adjust quantities to your needs.

Let us know how it turns out. I'm sure you'll have it under control.

T.
 
Thanks Steve. I think the most memorable parties are those that are 'different', that exceed or in a good way confound the expectations of one's guests. Just a few unexpected touches here and there can make all the difference.

Adam, I am so liking the couscous salad idea. I think I'm doing a thing this weekend and will make it for that.

Thom, your suggestion of the chilled shrimp ap served in martini glasses brought to mind a variation: grilling marinated shrimp first, then chilling them rather than using steamed/boiled shrimp. It's a way of getting grilled flavors into the party earlier on (to be picked up later by the steaks), can be done ahead of time (obviously, since chilling is essential) and would work splendidly with a mango sauce as smoke and fruit do so well together.

A brandied mushroom topping is a superb idea and would work very well with both horseradish cream and mustard sauce. Since both sauces are very easy to make, A.D, consider making both. They can be passed at table or pairs of little pots or soufflé cups, one sauce in each, can be spaced along the table's center line.

For the roasted red-mashed potatoes: Again, you can use jarred roasted red peppers or you can do them yourself. I often just grill/roast peppers or char them directly over the flames of my stove but you can also do them easily in a hot oven. Preheat your oven to 500. Take 4-6 large red bell peppers and halve them lengthwise. Remove the seed cores and stems. Spray a sheetpam with olive oil, put the peppers cut-side down on the pan and spray them lightly as well. (Alternatively, drizzle a couple T of olive oil on the sheet pan, spread, then pour a little oil on a paper towel and rub the outsides of the peppers with that.) Season the peppers lightly with salt and pepper. Put the sheetpan on the center oven rack and roast about 20 min. Remove the peppers to a bowl and cover it tightly with plastic wrap to allow the peppers to steam in their residual heat (which softens the skins). 30-35 min later, remove the peppers from the bowls and peel off their skins. Puree the peppers and reserve. If using jarred peppers, drain well, rinse very briefly in cold water, drain well again, puree and reserve.

Make mashed potatoes as usual (use Idaho potatoes) but make slightly on the dry side (i.e., use a bit less half-and-half), seasoning with salt and white pepper. Optionally, add just a little freshly grated parm, romano, or asiago--about 1/2 t per potato should do it--and mix in. Nuke the pepper puree to warm it well then stir into the potatoes. Adjust salt and pepper; adjust texture by adding more warmed half-and-half or butter if needed.

For the mustard sauce: Here's a very easy version--mix 3/4 c sour cream, plain yogurt or creme fraiche with 3/4 c best quality mayo. To that add 1/4 c plus 2 T Dijon mustard (standard yellow mustard is too flat; use Dijon). Mix well then sprinkle the top of the sauce with a nice dusting of Old Bay seasoning plus a little ground white pepper. Add a few dashes of Tabasco and the juice of one-quarter of a lemon. Mix well then taste and adjust seasonings by adding salt and/or Old Bay. Look for the lemon to be identifiable and bright, but don't make the sauce lemon-y. Add a drop or two at a time, if needed for adjustment. Reserve, covered, in the fridge.

For the horseradish cream: Use the mayo and sour cream, yogurt or creme fraiche just like above but skew the mix a bit more towards the sour side (if desired, by using, say, 1 c sour cream or yogurt to 1/2 c mayo) or mix just as written above. Mix in 1/4 c horseradish (or more, to taste) then add salt to taste then a few drops of lemon juice and a little white pepper. Mince enough chives to equal 2 T and mix in or if chives are not available use the while and light green parts of a scallion or two, finely minced. Optionally, add 2-3 T minced, drained capers. Optionally, add 1-2 T minced fresh parsley. Add a pinch of sugar if needed. Reserve, covered, in the fridge.

Give me a little while and I will think up a few gazpacho/chilled soup recipes that I'll make easy-to-make and that will use, I hope, easy-to-find ingredients. I'll post those in the recipe section and provide a link in this thread when they're posted.
 
This is off the main topic, but in line with a few comments in here:

1) If I am making a big meal, for others or just the family, and the kids are not going to be eating what we are eating, I make sure do something that they would find particluarly special too. I'll grill them a pizza, make their own special bar-burger hamburgers, something. That way, even if they aren't eating the same thing, their meal was special too.

2) Living in an apartment doesn't necessarily mean no herb garden. I have an indoor herb garden in my kitchen which gets zero sunlight. I use a grow lamp. Herbs: $2.99 a piece at the garden center as mature plants. Plastic pot: $0.49, plastic tray under pot $0.29, potting soil: a few bucks for more than I need. Grow light was about $25-$30. I'm planning on putting it on a timer. If you travel, you can even use an automatic waterer: http://www.smarthome.com/31102.HTML for only $40.

I love my herb garden.

-Matt
 
The soups are posted here, A.D. It is hard to know what quantity you'll need--that will depend on how much you wish to serve and in what size containers--but you can kind of figure that the recipes will serve around 6 people as 'normal' servings. If you choose to serve in shot glasses, wine glasses, or small styro, paper or ceramic espresso cups (I've bummed small cups from Starbucks on occasion) you'll get more servings of course. Or increase the recipe ingredients by 50-100% and make more. If you'd like something different from what I've posted let me know and I'll come up with some others.

Matthew's indoor garden suggestion is a good one. Nothing like fresh herbs in the kitchen...
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by K Kruger:
Adam, I am so liking the couscous salad idea. I think I'm doing a thing this weekend and will make it for that.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>I look forward to hearing how it turns out and what your variation on it ends up being. Let me know as I'm always looking for new twists...
 
This thread is absolutely fascinating. Thanks to all the contributors. So many ideas on how to have a class event in a rather casual setting. Just about got my fall neighborhood event planned.
 
Here's another tip that helps these events go a little smoother, budget allowing: Hire an experienced server (or two) to pass the ho-do's, pick up dirty dishes, serve the courses, wash the dishes, take out the trash, or whatever needs to be done with cleanup. It gives the cook more time to focus and helps keep minglers out of the kitchen.
 
Man those soups look good! That chilled cucumber looks like it might be what I'm looking for.

Another question, should I have some kind of sauce with the grilled shrimp? I just plan on serving them like Kevin said, 2-3 to a skewer and passed around. And I am open to any new/creative marinades for the shrimp.
How much steak should I plan for each person? I am thinking 8 ounces a person. Is that too much/too little?
How many lbs of potatoes should I prepare?
How long should I marinate the asparagus?

I hope my questions are not getting annoying yet. I'm learning a lot of great stuff so maybe I won't have to ask any of this stuff again. Thanks again.
 
Ask away. Questions are never annoying--it's one of the best ways to increase knowledge.

Shrimp: I wouldn't have a dipping sauce per se. You could but I think I'd keep it simpler. What I would do is brine, marinate, turn the marinade into a finish sauce (which you'll apply before serving), and dress the serving platter in an interesting way.

Brine: Make a straight brine of 4 T kosher salt per 3 cups water. Mix well to dissolve salt, add a handful of ice cubes and the shrimp and brine on the counter for an hour. If you have frozen shrimp let them thaw in the bowl. Figure an hour to brine (start counting from the time the shrimp are thawed).

I'd suggest a shrimp size of 21-25s which means for 20 people 2 lbs of shrimp will give you about 20-25 skewers of 2 shrimp each. I'd suggest pink or white Gulf shrimp over the Asian tiger shrimp. If you can get them already deveined so much the better as it will save time. If not, and they are shell-on and frozen, peel and devein after brining.

Marinate: One I often do is this: Into a Ziploc bag large enough to contain the shrimp dump about 3/4 c evoo and 3/4 c white wine. Cut 2 lemons crosswise, squeeze the juice into the bag then add the lemon halves. Mince 2 T fresh parsley leaves and 2 large cloves garlic; add both to the bag along with a T of dry thyme and 2 T minced yellow onion. Add 1 T Dijon and several turns of the peppermill. Close the bag and mash it around a bit to mix well and to release some of the lemon oil from the lemon halves. Add the shrimp to the bag, and mix them around a bit to get coated with the marinade. Marinate 45-60 min. Remove the shrimp a few at a time, shaking off excess marinade, skewer, stack on a platter and return to the fridge, covered, till grill time. Reserve the marinade in the bag in the fridge for the finishing sauce.

Finishing sauce: Easy. Remove the lemon halves then squeeze the reserved marinade out of the bag into a small skillet. Add a half-stick of unsalted butter plus a pinch of salt. Over low heat allow the butter to melt, stirring occasionally. What you're now looking to do is to cook the garlic slowly without letting it brown--this happens at the barest of sizzles and takes about 10-15 min. Whisk with a fork periodically. If your burner does not heat low enough put the pan only half on the burner and stir more frequently. When garlic cooks slowly it sweetens, the sharp edges of the flavor soften considerably. That's what you taste for. It can color a little and be fine but browned garlic has a bitter quality best avoided. You cannot cook it at too low a temp--it just takes longer--so err on that side of caution if need be.

Grill the shrimp direct. I usually do not wait for the coals to moderate (time and impatience issues!) and cook over very hot lump. Perfectly fine--it will be quick; one just needs to be on the ball. I cover the grill to minimize flare-ups, cook a couple min, flip, re-cover, cook a couple min then check a single shrimp. If a little moretime is needed I move them to indirect and re-cover for a min or teo (this depends on how much coals I used and so forth). Have the finishing sauce hot (if you made it earlier reheat it gently so that it won't break). Pull the skewers to indirect (if they are not there already), paint one side of the shrimp with the sauce, generously, using a brush, then flip the skewers over as you put them on the warm serving platter. Paint the now-exposed dry side with the sauce; serve immediately.

The platter: If you have the grill space and inclination: Slice 8-10 lemons into 3/8" rounds, discarding the ends. Grill the lemon rounds on a well-oiled grate, direct--you can do this just before the shrimp, stacking them on a cooler side of the grill while the shrimp grill, or do them at the same time if you have the room--till the lemons get browned in spots, flipping now and then to brown both sides. When the shrimp are almost ready lay out the lemons on the platter, add a few sprigs of parsley and/or fresh thyme here and there, and put the shrimp skewers directly on the grilled lemons.


(The above is just a thought. You, or others, might have better ideas.)

If you are plating for service 8oz meat/person is more than enough. It is what I'd figure knowing that there will be some slices I do not select to plate.

Potatoes: If you're plating then 1 lb/3 people (about 7 lbs raw) should do it.

30-60 min on the asparagus but a bit longer is fine if you need to. I grilled asparagus last night to accompany grilled potato planks, grilled onions and grilled spice-rubbed tri-tip with a guac topping. I used equal parts evoo and Dijon and added a half-part of Chardonnay. Very tasty.
 
I just have to give my recommendation to the couscous salad. We often do a version where some of the veggies are grilled (usually peppers, tomatoes and onions). We use whatever veggies are good at the time we make it. We also use a very light vinegar and oil dressing. It is a nice and light dish and has been very well received by everyone who has tasted it.
 
Ok quick question. The only left up in the air is the salad. I have some great tomatoes I got from my boss out of his garden and I was requested to grill some peppers and onions so I was hoping to make that all into a salad. What dressing, what else to put in? When you say a light vinegar and oil dressing, what exactly do you mean? I'm a salad novice.
 
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