? 15 friends coming to dinner next Sat evening. This group always presents a great challenge

B

barbara-in-va

Well-known member
to me because of their extremely varied tastes including one gentleman who doesn't want any seasoning more than salt and pepper and wants nothing exotic (mushrooms are considered exotic). I find this extremely limiting and have a very hard time finding something that will please his taste and mine too! This is what I came up with:

Asparagus and smoked salmon bundles

Salsa di Parmigiano

Bourbon Pecans (thank you Charlie)

Cranberry Margaritas

Caesar Salad (thank you Joe)

Forever Roasted Pork

Smashed potatoes

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

Red onion & chestnut marmalade

good bakery breads

Mousse Filled Chocolate Hearts

I made the forever roasted pork last night and am having a very hard time not eating it all this morning! I will put the shredded meat in ziplocks and freeze it for next week. Now for the question part. I lined the roasting pan with heavy duty foil, rubbed the pork with olive oil and then covered with the fennel spice rub. This is the best pork I have ever made, the fat and skin turned crispy golden brown and there is a beautiful layer of golden drippings on the bottom of my pan. Can I make gravy with these drippings? Or do I just toss them or...?????

 
This sounds a yummy menu, you'd have 16 over for dinner....

if I lived closer, LOL! Could you post the pork recipe, or more to the point what brand name is the spice rub? The drippings I'd keep and use for gravy.

 
Your menu sounds wonderful.

I second joanie's request for the roast pork. I would most definitely use the drippings for gravy. You could strain out the fennel seeds if there are a lot of them.

 
Isn't is just amazing how some folks don't mind stating their "almost unreasonable"

preferences for food? If these are allergy issues maybe he could bring some of his own food and spare the hostess. If the preferences are not allergy related, perhaps such a group is not a good choice for him.
I guess it is the era I grew up in, as we were taught to eat what the hostess gave us.....at least take bites of everything, and if you absolutly did not like it, you still made a positive comment to the host about the rest of the meal.
And I agree with the others, you made excellent choices for your meal. Your friend is very lucky to have you as a friend.

 
Dawn and Joanie, recipe is in Joe's link below, including the spice mix.

I have made this several times and it is always delicious. I skipped the onion layer this time, maybe that's why the skin and fat layer got so crispy?

 
Joe, yes I did make the Chiarello recipe. I just stuck the meat in the oven before I went

to bed last night and it was ready this morning. I had 2 shoulders and one butt in my pan and roasted about 8.5 hours. It is REALLY good.

I think you are right. I will save the drippings and put them in the pan to reheat the meat. While they would make delicious gravy--even a milk gravy--I don't think gravy quite fits with what I am serving. Thank you for your thoughts!

 
Yes, Karen, you are right. He always wants the full description of every dish

so he can decide--without tasting--if he should eat it or not. I frequently forget to mention things like "the meat was roasted with a fennel spice rub" because he would not even eat the meat! My mom taught me the same thing that yours did: always taste a bit of each thing, never say "I don't like", and always be gracious. Oh well, not everyone had mom's like we did, too bad.

 
Oh my. I cannot imagine someone being so nervy and ungrateful and ungracious.

I don't have a problem imagining 'unwelcome' though.

 
On the show, Chiarello had a boned shoulder. He opened it up and stuffed the onions in the center.

 
I know one of those so-called "picky" eaters.... has never tasted red bell pepper

because it "looks hot". Barely uses salt & pepper and says "ewwww" at garlic. But I gotta tell you - I bring stuff in to work ALL the time and she literally picks up her bowl and licks it clean... has NEVER turned anything down. But STILL claims not to like spice! I say, make what the majority would eat and, trust me, he'll eat it.

 
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