Chef's Table: Cook for a Crowd
Easy, all-occasion ideas for entertaining at home in the Lowcountry
Easy, all-occasion ideas for entertaining at home in the Lowcountry What’s better than friends and family gathering around the supper table, trading stories and dining on home-cooked everything? Not much, as we see it. And we’re not alone: Whether it’s close relatives at the holidays or a weeknight get-together among pals, homespun entertaining is making a grand comeback. Still, whipping up hors d’oeuvres or a meal can be a feat for veteran hosts and amateurs alike. But with the right approach (and a little practice), the part of entertainer extraordinaire can become second-nature. That means you can lose the stress and enjoy the party as it plays out. And if you’re limited on time or money, join the club! Everyone’s in the same boat these days, so we’ve outlined a budget-smart plan that features dishes with minimal, locally accessible ingredients. Plus, we’ve mixed in loads of pointers to help with the process. So get comfy and read on. The party’s about to start...
{Food for Thought}
Set The Stage Any good event planner has a roster of A-list venues, and believe it or not, so do you. Think about it, there’s the kitchen-patio-garden area for spring and fall, and how about the kitchen-living room-dining room combo for summer and winter? To pick what’s perfect for now, consider guest flow, temperature, and prime mingling territory. Once you’ve nailed down your party zone, anchor the action there by placing hors d’oeuvres throughout the space. Time It Right When is the right time to begin getting ready? It all depends on how you’re wired. Planning too far in advance could wear you out on the whole affair before it even begins; not planning enough can leave both cook and kitchen in disarray, and your to-do list undone. So pull out your calendar, plot backward from the party date, and schedule when you are doing what—shopping, make-ahead cooking, decorating, final prep, and so on. Keep It Simple Pick a theme and stick to it, but keep it as basic as possible. Whether it’s a Chips, Dips, & Football afternoon; a Cool-Weather Comfort Food Potluck; or New Year’s Eve Cocktails, use your theme to streamline your ideas. Caution: stick to what’s familiar. Think twice about hosting a Moroccan dinner if you and your guests don’t know a thing about Morocco... and none of you are big on couscous either.
{Budget Your Bash}
Don’t break the bank in the name of a good time Using the recipes you see here, we’ve put together two sample menus—with both food and drink—based on steal and splurge budgets. Our estimates assume you’re cooking with a relatively well-stocked pantry and a fully equipped spice rack. Here’s the menu portion; for bar ideas, see below. 
Budget-Savvy Shopping Tips
- A month before your party, begin looking for specials in the paper. Put your bargain buys in the freezer until the big day.
- Plan a seasonal menu—fresh items are less expensive because they are in greater supply.
- Buy generic brands.
- Avoid purchasing items at eye-level on grocery shelves. The most expensive brands pay for that placement.
- Choose recipes with fewer or less expensive ingredients, like the ones on these pages.
{Food for Thought}
Streamline Your Menu Start with hors d’oeuvres or sides you’re known for, rave-worthy creations like “Jane’s meatballs” or “Carrie’s pasta salad.” Then fill in holes with new and/or seasonal dishes. Hard & Fast Rules 1. Don’t experiment on your guests, unless you’re a bold, seasoned soul. Typically safe party dishes are those you’ve made at least once before. 2. If you fashion an ethnic menu, let guests know ahead of time and have some “safe” foods (i.e. mass-appeal basics) available. Book It Track your past hits (and misses) in a party planning notebook. Include perennial hit recipes, menus, drinks, games, winning settings, and timelines that have worked for you. Add sketches, magazine pages, or photos from your last event to help you with décor.
{Bar on a Budget}
Serve spirits but skip those cash-draining drink bills of the past {Steal Bar} 6-8 guests
- Serve a signature drink to get the most cocktail bang for your buck. Here’s how: Opt for a drink with three or less ingredients (only one of which is alcoholic). Emphasize color and know that garnishes like sliced fruit add the wow! factor. Local distillery Firefly Vodka has some great recipes—visit fireflyvodka.com.
- Ask guests to bring a favorite wine to share. Include this on the invitation and have decorative labels ready for guests to note which one they brought—this should encourage some back-and-forth wine tasting and talking.
- Stock up on a case of beer for non-wine drinkers. Choose a tried and true light or dark variety from local brewers like Coast Brewing Company or Palmetto Brewing Company.
- Have two non-alcoholic drinks on hand for kids, pregnant guests, and those skipping the spirits for the evening. One two-liter diet cola and two more liters of sparkling water or iced tea (brew some from Wadmalaw’s American Classic Tea) are sound options.
______________________________________ Bar Bill: $60 {Steal Bar} 10-12 guests
- Stock 1.75 liters each of light liquor (vodka is our crowd-pleaser pick) and dark liquor (a mild bourbon or scotch); and two liters each of cranberry juice, orange juice, and soda mixers. (Note: You should always have more mixers than you do alcohol.)
- Though demand decreases where there’s liquor on hand, beer is still a must. Two cases will work.
- When dinner is served, wine is a hot ticket item. Plan on one bottle for every two guests, (which means five bottles of wine at minimum in this scenario). Save by heading to your neighborhood wine shop; ask the owner to cut a bulk-buy deal or inquire about case specials.
- As always, include soft drinks in your budget. Three two-liter bottles should suffice.
______________________________________ Bar Bill: $133
Olive Tapenade
Yields 2 cups Cook Time: none
- 1 cup kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup Spanish olives, coarsely chopped
- 2 Tbs. minced red onion
- 1 Tbs. capers
- 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined. Chill until ready to serve. Shop Smart Any variety of green or black olives works, except those marinated or packed in seasoned oil. Hit up the olive bar at the grocery store for quality olives at a good price and the freedom to buy only the amount you need.
Creamy Olive Dip
Yields 2 cups Cook Time: none
- 1 heaping cup pimiento-stuffed green olives
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 Tbs. milk
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. celery salt
- 1/8 tsp. white pepper
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until fully incorporated. Chill until ready to serve. Time Saver Don’t have Worcestershire sauce on hand? Use olive juice instead.
Homemade Sun-Dried Tomato Boursin
Yields 1½ cups Cook Time: none
- 3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), firmly packed
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
Pulse sun-dried tomatoes and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add remaining ingredients and process until fully incorporated. Serve at room temperature.
Five-Spice Meatballs
Recipe by Heather Garvin
(Yields 24)
Prep time: 10 minutes; cook time: 25 minutes
- 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
- 1/2 lb. ground pork
- 2 Tbs. minced white onion
- 1 1/2 Tbs. minced green pepper
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
- 1 large egg white
- 1 Tbs. bread crumbs
- 2 tsp. less-sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp. orange juice
- 1 tsp. five-spice powder
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Hoisin sauce, for dipping
Combine all ingredients except vegetable oil and hoisin in a large bowl. Gently knead mixture until just incorporated. Form into one-inch balls and set aside on a baking sheet. Heat a quarter-inch layer of vegetable oil in a shallow sauté pan over medium heat. Working in batches, brown one side of meatballs for two minutes before turning to brown the opposite side. Continue to turn meatballs until browned on all sides and cooked through, about eight minutes total. While working through the batches, cooked meatballs can be held in a warm oven. Serve with store-bought hoisin, a Chinese dipping sauce that goes well with meat dishes. Meatballs can be made a day in advance and gently reheated in a 250°F oven for five to 10 minutes. Shop Smart While this recipe calls for ground pork and beef, ground round (a slightly less lean ground beef, and thus less expensive) can be substituted in place of either meat.
Photograph by Brie Williams
Chèvre-Stuffed Roasted Roma Tomatoes
Yields 8 Cook Time: 15 minutes
- 4 oz. goat cheese
- 3 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
- 3 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 3 Tbs. bread crumbs, plus more for topping
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 4 ripe Roma tomatoes
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mash goat cheese, herbs, and lemon juice together in a small bowl. Separately, mash the bread crumbs with butter to form a crumbly paste. Halve tomatoes lengthwise and scoop out pulp and seeds. Lay tomatoes cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Turn tomato halves over, coating bottoms with any excess olive oil on foil, and sprinkle salt and pepper over insides of tomato cups. Lightly pack each tomato with goat cheese mixture so it mounds over the top. Sprinkle bread crumb topping evenly over tomatoes, and roast for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Time Saver This recipe comes together in a flash, as most of the amounts can be easily eyeballed to minimize measuring. Tip: You can substitute an herbed chèvre log and skip the fresh herbs.
Frogmore Bake
Cook Time: 1 hour
- 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. flour
- 4 cups (1 quart) half-and-half
- 3 Tbs. beer
- 1 1/2 Tbs. lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 3 Tbs. Old Bay or Cajun seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 9 medium red potatoes, sliced 1/8-inch thick
- 2 1/4 cups (about 12 oz.) Andouille sausage, diced
- 1 1/2 cups cooked corn
- 1 lb. medium raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed, and halved
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Sauté the celery and onion until soft, then add in the flour, stirring until it is fully moistened. Slowly whisk in half-and-half. Add beer, lemon juice, Worcestershire, Old Bay or Cajun seasoning, bay leaf, and pepper and let mixture simmer for three to four minutes, stirring occasionally so it does not scorch. (Mixture will be thick, but the shrimp will release natural juices during cooking and thin the sauce.) Remove the bay leaf. Fold in the sliced potatoes, sausage, corn, and shrimp and transfer to a 13 x 9-inch shallow casserole pan lightly coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until potatoes are al dente. Uncover and cook an additional 20 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork and casserole is bubbling. Let the casserole rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Horseradish-Encrusted Roast Prime Rib of Beef
Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 90 minutes
- 6 lbs. boneless beef rib roast
- 1 cup prepared horseradish
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 Tbs. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
Allow beef to come to room temperature (approximately one hour) before roasting. Preheat oven to 425°F. Make five slits on the top of the roast, scoring only the fatty layer and not the beef underneath. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Pat a thin layer evenly over the top and sides of roast. Transfer beef to a pan fitted with a roasting rack and cook for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue cooking for 70 to 80 minutes more, or until thermometer inserted in the center reads 130°F (for medium rare). Transfer roast to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 20 minutes before carving. (Internal temperature will rise five to 10 degrees during resting.) Time Saver Have your grocery store butcher bone and truss (bind with string) your roast. Boneless roasts take less oven space, cook faster, and are easiest to cut than standing (or bone-in) roasts. Serving Size Generally, each pound of boneless roast requires 15 minutes to cook and yields two servings. Use this formula to adjust the recipe to your number of guests.
Chopped Pomegranate Salad
Serves: 8-10 Cook Time: 5-8 minutes
- 8 cups chopped Romaine, Bibb, or red leaf Lettuce, packed
- 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts, lightly toasted (*see instructions)
- 1 1/2 cups crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- 2 pears, cored and diced
For the dressing:
- 1/3 cup pomegranate juice
- 2 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a small bowl, whisk all dressing ingredients except the oil until well combined. Add the oil in a slow stream, whisking continuously. Place greens in a large bowl. Just before serving, toss with dressing and top with walnuts, cheese, and pears. *To toast walnuts, preheat oven to 350°F. Spread nuts on baking sheet and broil for about five to eight minutes, taking care not to burn them. Remove, turn over nuts, repeat. Remove and let cool before adding to other ingredients.
Parmesan Risotto Cakes
Yields 24 cakes Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
- 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more for sautéing cakes
- 1/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 2-3 Tbs. white wine (optional)
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, heated
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
- White pepper, to taste
- 2 cups cornmeal, or more as needed
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened (about two minutes). Add garlic and cook for one more minute, stirring so garlic doesn’t burn. Add rice and stir to coat. If using white wine, add it to the mix to deglaze the pan and let liquid evaporate. (Skip this step if not using wine.) Ladle in chicken broth a small amount at a time, stirring constantly until all of the broth is absorbed before adding more. Continue cooking, maintaining a slow boil until all the broth is incorporated and rice is al dente. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan. Season to taste with white pepper. Let sit until cool enough to handle, or spread in a single layer on a sheet pan and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a nonstick skillet, enough to just coat the bottom of the pan. Working one at a time, portion and mold risotto into one-inch balls and lightly dredge in cornmeal, pushing down to form a flat cake. (If risotto is not sticky enough to hold together, you can stir in a few teaspoons of cornmeal to help bind the rice.) Gently drop cakes into pan and cook each side until golden brown, about one to two minutes per side. The cakes can warm in the oven for up to 30 minutes before serving time. Time Saver: Risotto cakes can be cooked and refrigerated one day in advance. Before serving, heat for 10 minutes in a 350°F oven.
Three-Cheese Penne
Recipe by Heather Garvin
(Serves 12)
Prep time: 25 minutes; cook time: 45 minutes
- 4 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 5 Tbs. flour
- 3 cups milk (not skim)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1 1/2 cups sharp yellow cheddar, shredded, divided
- 1/2 lb. fontina cheese, cubed
- 2 tsp. dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Pinch of salt
- 1 lb. penne pasta, cooked
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat the butter and flour over medium heat for two minutes, stirring constantly, until all flour is incorporated. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in milk. Return to heat and boil until sauce thickens. Add parmesan, one cup cheddar, and fontina a small amount at a time, whisking constantly, letting cheese melt before adding more. Once all cheese is melted and mixture is smooth, stir in mustard, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt. Pour cheese sauce over cooked pasta, fold in remaining cheddar, and stir until pasta is well coated. Transfer mixture to a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray and bake, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking for 20 minutes more, or until top is golden and cheese is bubbling. This dish can be assembled one day in advance. When baking directly from the refrigerator, add 10 minutes to covered cooking time to ensure the dish is heated through. Mack Out Your Mac Change up your mac ’n’ cheese with these tasty additions: crumbled bacon, sliced Kielbasa, diced red peppers and/or tomatoes, or bread crumbs sprinkled over the top before baking.
Photograph by Brie Williams
Black Forest Cupcakes
Yields 12 cupcakes Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- 1 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup cherry preserves
- 1 Tbs. water
- 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. sour cream
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 6 Tbs. unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 12 fresh cherries
For the frosting:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
In a small saucepan, combine the cherries, preserves, and water, and then cook over medium heat until cherries are softened, about five minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stir in sour cream and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Alternating in thirds, add the flour and cherry mixtures to the mixing bowl on low speed until just incorporated. Portion the batter into paper-lined muffin pans, filling each cup three-quarters of the way. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Leave in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting. Whip the cream and confectioner’s sugar together. Right before serving, finish each cupcake with a generous dollop of the topping and garnish with a fresh cherry. Sweet Treat This cupcake—rich chocolate and tart cherry topped with sweetened cream—mimics a Black Forest Torte. We made it kid-friendly by skipping the traditional kirsch (cherry brandy).
Recipes & Food Styling by Heather Garvin Shot on location at 58 Tradd Street, courtesy of Handsome Properties
