Hey Linda!

Is there a "timed cook" option on the oven? A few years ago I made a wonderful crown roast that I had assembled and refrigerated, then just before I left for another cocktail party I put it in the oven cold and had the oven set to come on in 45 minutes to the correct temp. It was wonderful and the house smelled divine when we got home for dinner.

Also, I'm not sure I would do 2 sweet sides with the pork. The sugar on the sweet potatoes and the apple/pear may be too much sweet for some people. Maybe garlic mashed with creme fresh? Or garlic roasted yukon golds?

For the veg side, what about par cooked brussel sprouts that are thrown into a hot pan with bacon, onion or some variation like that that would heat and finish cooking in the few minutes while you are carving the roast?

I know you will pull this off with your usual flare - please tell us what you decide on.

Alexa

Linda you may think of this dish as falling into the stew category but I find the Silver Palate's Beef Stroganoff to be just the dish for events such as this. Tasty, elegant, and a complete do ahead.

I'm at the cottage and only have a paper copy available to me. If you think yopu may be interested I'll type it up.

Everything can be made several hours in advance and then assembeled and heated at serving time.

The sauce is demi glace, creme fraiche, worcestershire, paprika, dijon mustard and tomato paste. Make and set aside.

Saute whole pearl onions and fresh button mushrooms and set aside.

Slice beef tenderloin in thin strips on the diagonal, quickly saute and set aside.

When ready to serve bring the sauce to a low simmer, add mushrooms and onions, simmer 5 minutes, add beef just until heated through. (I find the beef cooks so fast that you can do this while the sauce is heating rather than do in advance)

Serve over noodles with steamed asparagus or haricots verts on the side.

Linda,

Don't know if you are interested or not but here is a recipe I made for sweet potatoes last night, that is a definate keeper! Would be a could alternative to doing the sweet potato fries, and also would take away from having two sweeter sides if you decided to. If you bake at 325F it take about an hour to make so could be baking while you are out and about, and then finished off when you get back home.

Sweet Potato and Sage Gratin serves 6

4 large sweet potatoes (2 1/2 lbs)
2 tbsp butter
1 med onion, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp chipotle pepper powder
1 c cream
1 tbsp butter
1/2 c breadcrumbs (I used italian)
1/2 c parmesan

Heat oven to 350F (I did it at 325F) and grease a casserole or gratin dish. Peel and slice potatoes and toss in a bowl with some olive oil and salt and pepper to coat.

Heat butter in a heavy skillet and slowly caramelize the onions. When the onions are dark, add the garlic and cook just until golden. Reserve two tbsp of the chopped sage and add the rest to the onions along with the chipotle powder and the cream. Cook until the cream is slightly reduced then remove from the heat.
Layer the potatoes in a greases casserole dish with the onions, lifting them out of the cream with a fork or slotted spoon. Pour cream over the top and bake for 30 min, (I baked for 45-50 because of the reduced temp) uncovered or until potatoes are barely tender. Heat remaining butter in skillet and toast the reserved chopped sage and breadcrumbs until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and toss with parmesan. Sprinkle over top of the gratin and return to the oven for another 15 min or until brown and crispy.

Shelley

Just re-reading my post. I really should proof read before I send and not afterwards.Sorry about all the typo's and spelling mistakes. Think of it as a puzzle and recipe all in one! (lol). I have a headache which is obviously affecting my brain and fingers.

Shelley

Sharon, I made that - at your recommendation for our winter romance virtual dinner...it was wonderful and a great idea. You don't have to type it up - here it is!

Beef Stroganoff (Silver Palate) - Chase
3 Cup Crème Fraiche (recipe follows...takes 2 days)
1 1/2 Tbl Dijon mustard
3 Tbl tomato paste
3 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
2 Tsp paprika
1/2 Cup demiglace (or good beef broth)
3/4 Tsp salt
fresh black pepper To Taste
1 Lb firm small sized, white button mushrooms
10 Tbl butter (or a combo of butter)and EVOO
24 pearl onions
3 Lb of beef filet
Italian parsley Chopped

Combine creme fraiche, tomato paste, mustard Worcestershire, paprika, demiglace (or beef broth if you don't have demi glace), salt and pepper in a medium size sauce pan.

Simmer slowly for 20 minutes or until sauce is slightly reduced. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let sit covered. Cut a small x in the bottom of each onion. Bring a pot of water to the boil and drop the onions in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain the onions and run under cold water. Peel the onions.

Melt 3TBSP of butter in saute pan. Saute Mushrooms until tender. Remove mushrooms and add 3 TBSP more butter, saute onions just until lightly golden. Remove the onions from the pan and add to mushrooms.

Cut the meat into thin slices on the diagonal. Heat the remaining butter in the same pan. Cook on high heat just until lightly browned,do not over cook.This dish can be prepared to this point several hours before serving.

To complete, set sauce over medium low heat and bring to a bare simmer. Add mushrooms, onions and any accumulated juices. Simmer 5 minutes. Add beef and juices, heat just until meat is heated through.

Serve immediately over hot noodles , garnish with the parsley.

Creme Fraiche 1 (you need to double for Stroganoff recipe)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sour cream
Whis together in a bowl. Cover and let stand in a reasonably warm spot overnight. Stir well, cover and refrigerate 36 hours.

Creme Fraiche 2
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsps buttermilk
Directions same as above but it only needs 24 hours in the fridge.
Note: no matter which way I make it I make it two days ahead.

I have to agree with Sharon as the Silver Palate's Beef Stroganoff is the first thing I thought of when reading your post. It is delicious, both Joe and I just love it and he's been asking for it lately too.

Beef Stroganoff (Silver Palate)

Posted by Chase (Sharon)

3 Cup Crème Fraiche (recipe follows...takes 2 days)
1 1/2 Tbl Dijon mustard
3 Tbl tomato paste
3 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
2 Tsp paprika
1/2 Cup demiglace (or good beef broth)
3/4 Tsp salt
fresh black pepper To Taste
1 Lb firm small sized, white button mushrooms
10 Tbl butter (or a combo of butter)and EVOO
24 pearl onions
3 Lb of beef filet
Italian parsley Chopped

Combine creme fraiche, tomato paste, mustard Worcestershire, paprika, demiglace (or beef broth if you don't have demi glace), salt and pepper in a medium size sauce pan.
Simmer slowly for 20 minutes or until sauce is slightly reduced. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let sit covered. Cut a small x in the bottom of each onion. Bring a pot of water to the boil and drop the onions in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain the onions and run under cold water. Peel the onions.

Melt 3TBSP of butter in saut pan. Saute Mushrooms until tender. Remove mushrooms and add 3 TBSP more butter, saute onions just until lightly golden. Remove the onions from the pan and add to mushrooms.

Cut the meat into thin slices on the diagonal. Heat the remaining butter in the same pan. Cook on high heat just until lightly browned,do not over cook.This dish can be prepared to this point several hours before serving.

To complete, set sauce over medium low heat and bring to a bare simmer. Add mushrooms, onions and any accumulated juices. Simmer 5 minutes. Add beef and juices, heat just until meat is heated through.

Serve immediately over hot noodles , garnish with the parsley.

Creme Fraiche 1 (you need to double for Stroganoff recipe)

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sour cream

Whis together in a bowl. Cover and let stand in a reasonably warm spot overnight. Stir well, cover and refrigerate 36 hours.

Creme Fraiche 2

2 cups heavy cream
2 tsps buttermilk

Directions same as above but it only needs 24 hours in the fridge.

Note: no matter which way I make it I make it two days ahead.

Michelle

We just did a progressive dinner with a friend (or mini-progressive as there were only two stops). It was challenging to come up with a suitable main course because of the timing issues. It is difficult to know when people will arrive for the main. I had planned on cold or room temp sides and casseroles in the oven using timed bake. At the last minute, I chickened out on the timed bake and just stayed home because of the time uncertainty issue. I stayed home and my DH called me when people were getting ready to come to our house. If I understand your post above, people are going to multiple homes for the salad course so arrivals may be spread out too.

I had the food ready when people arrived, but it took about 15 minutes for them to get settled and ready to eat. I expect that is probably typical since people have had the earlier courses  they can be leisurely and socialize a bit before starting the next one.

So, my recommendation is to either do items that can be held at temperature without losing quality or do things where the final prep can be done in about 15 minutes. A long slow cooking main dish such as pot roast or brisket for example.

Here is your original thread Linda

Linda, have you ever tried stir-frying broccoli? It's the best veggie in the world and takes about two minutes to stir fry at the last minute.

Wash and trim the florets and peeled stems into bite size pieces, let dry (or spin them dry). Do NOT parboil. At serving time, in the largest pan or wok you have, melt equal parts olive oil and butter till hot, add the broccoli but don't overcrowd the pan, toss in the pan to coat and leave it alone for a minute or two. Toss again, sprinkle with salt and place in the serving plate. You will probably have to work in batches if you have a large group.

It works for cauliflower too, but we prefer broccoli. It is a beautiful shade of dark, glistening green and is the perfect compliment to pork. Salty, crunchy, fast and easy. And it looks gourmet! I've given this recipe to countless friends, never had anyone dislike it unless they refuse to try it. The trick is in not par-boiling the broccoli.

Tenderloins don't take very long, so I agree with Caliloo about the timed cook option, if you can.

Have fun!

Sherry

WEll....apparantly I was away f4rom the computer fora while and it scrolled off and I never saw it.
The pork tenderloin is engraved in stone as I have 2 of them sitting in my refrigerator!
The Silver Palate Stroganoff is good, I know.
Never thought of serving stif fry broccoli. I do that a lot as part of a general veggie stir fry....and even a general veggies tir fry would be a good idea....a mix of celery, onions, broccoli, carrots and red or yellow bell pepper....and maybe a couple of little zucchini for those that pick broccoli out of everything....drizzle with a little sesame oil...
How would the sweet potatoes be dipped in oil and tossed with a mix of chili powder, parmesan and a very little bit of rosemary? or would it be better if I seasoned the pork with rosemary instead?
And yes there is a timed cook option on her stove.
Linda C