Trying to figure out how to capture some holiday sales this year may seem as hard as catching yourself a mutton-bird for dinner. But the desire for consumers to take a break from cooking, turn to the experts, and support their local foodservice outlet is real, and provides some opportunities no matter where you are. Here are a few ideas from our chef ‘mates built for holiday catering, whether yours is drop-off, off-premise, carry-out, or under an igloo.
Showy Mains:
Molasses 'n Bourbon Glazed Leg of Lamb
We love the golden color on the couscous here. It makes a gorgeous stage for Chef Thomas Griese’s molasses-and-bourbon glazed lamb leg. As a dish it’s easy to make ahead and reheat for service, whatever format that takes.
Grassfed Aussie Beef Sous Vide in Grassfed Butter
There’s lots more on sous vide in this issue, but this luxurious dish from Chef Jason Fullilove is one of our faves. The steaks are cooked sous vide with just maldon salt and grassfed butter, then seared for service and served up with simple, colorful and flavorful elements that dress the plate around it – a pistou and a piquillo pepper coulis.
We Wonton Some More:
These star-shaped beauties are simple and elegant. Inside they’re an explosion of umami and deep, rich grassfed beef flavor from the miso-sake braised Aussie shortribs. And like all good catering recipes, it’s all in the prep! Wonton wrappers make an easy, neutral carrier to let the beef be the star.
Ok, Chef Adam had us at “vegemite” with these, but who can resist these little golden sacks of deliciousness?! With ground lamb at the center, the flavoring can go in any direction, from Aussie like this to Indian to Chinese, Italian or Latin. You can make them ahead and bake on-site, or let your clients do that on their own with your prepped and frozen wonton-skin samosas.
