The secret to throwing a great holiday party is simple. Pass on pretension and use food to bring people closer together.
"Party food has become just a little too snooty in recent years," says Daniel Frenette, one of the young star chefs behind the popular Toronto catering company, The Food Dudes.
"Throwing a holiday party should be about fun and using food to take people on a memorable journey together," says Frenette, a former on-tour sous chef for the Rolling Stones.
"The whole party experience should be one you love, not loathe. If it's anything else then that why bother?"
Launched in 2003 by owner and executive chef Adrian Niman, these 20-something food gurus have whipped up mouthwatering menus for such celebrities as John Mayer and Jennifer Aniston.
The mellow chefs have served up delectable fare on the international film festival circuit and been whisked off to the U.S. to cater client parties.
From chic cottage get-togethers in Muskoka to hip cocktail parties in downtown lofts, The Food Dudes put local, sustainable produce to work to create culinary magic.
"There is nothing like fresh quality food that is locally grown," says Niman. "It's great for what we plate. It's also good for local farmers and those little mom-and-pop food suppliers and stores that are falling by the wayside."
Local, sustainable fare brings new flavour to holiday feasts
Prior to launching The Food Dudes, Niman worked with star chef Mark McEwan at Toronto's famed North 44. He later travelled to Mallorca, Spain to train with Michelin-starred chef Mark Fosh at the luxurious Reeds Hotel.
"I always had the best ingredients at my finger tips. But, that's hard to do, particularly in today's economy when everyone is watching their budgets," says Niman.
For $20 per person, however, Niman says you can serve a substantial meal to a party of eight that is full of fresh local flavour.
"Hosting a holiday dinner doesn't have to be hard or outrageously expensive," says Niman.
"I always tell people to start with root vegetables and things that can be slow cooked, like stews and hearty braises. These foods capture the mood of the holiday season and are so easy to prepare."
Niman suggests starting with a fast, flavourful soup made from parsnips and white beet pur�e.
"It's so simple to make and has such a wonderful, fresh taste to it," says Niman.
To stretch your ingredients -- and your dollar -- further, Niman also suggests cutting the outside of the parsnips into chips and baking them at 350�C.
"It's an easy, economical way to create a great party finger food. Plus, there's absolutely no waste. That's what consumers want to hear," says Niman.
For a main course with a holiday twist try braised short ribs cooked slowly in a fragrant mix of molasses, spices and red wine.
"Finish each serving off with some shaved fresh truffles and you've got a star meal with minimal effort," says Niman.
Finally, The Food Dudes' rich, decadent Lazy Man's Cheesecake can be made and enjoyed almost as quickly as busy hosts can blow-dry their hair.
"People make the mistake of getting stressed out before they host a party. It doesn't have to be that way if you keep it simple," says Frenette.
The Food Dudes' fool-proof plan to party perfection
To minimize stress, plan ahead and make as many dishes before your event as possible.
Also, don't be afraid to take chances and try new ingredients, says Frenette.
"Look at what is available in your local market during the holidays and experiment," says Frenette.
If you have a particular ethnic background, work in old family favourites with holiday standards like turkey and stuffing.
"A holiday dinner party should be a real expression of who you are. So, mix things up. Have some fun. Stop worrying and go for it," says Frenette.
Finally, get out there and visit your local markets.
"It is so important to get to know good suppliers of locally-grown produce in your area," says Niman.
"Visit the local market whenever you can. Get to know those little, family-run food shops where the produce is so great and the staff possess a real knowledge about what is on the shelves, he says.
"It's important to your community and the meal you'll showcase on your holiday table."
Appetizer: Parsnip and White Beet Pur�e
Ingredients
1 white onion
4 white beets
4 large parsnips
4 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. white pepper
1/2 Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. white truffle oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup white wine
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Method
Peel beets, parsnips, onions and garlic. Place all peels in a pot. Fill the pot with 6 cups water. Simmer for 2 hours.
Roughly chop all the vegetables. Saut�e vegetables in butter until very tender, then deglaze with white wine. Add the beet and parsnip stock. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Pur�e with a hand blender and strain. Adjust consistency (you do not want it to be too thick or too thin). Season the mixture with salt and white pepper. Finish with truffle oil.
Serves 4 to 6.
Main course: Short Ribs
Ingredients
Beef short ribs (6 bones)
2 L beef stock
2 cups red wine
6 cloves garlic
3 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 onions, roughly chopped
1 cup canned tomato
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
4 whole cloves
1 Tbsp. allspice
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. pepper
1 truffle, if available
Method
Preheat oven to 175�C. Trim any excess fat off the short ribs. Season meat with salt and pepper. Sear on high heat until golden brown, then reserve liquid.
Combine carrots, garlic, onion, bay leaf, spices, beef stock, tomato and red wine in a deep roasting pan. Place ribs meat side down in the liquid. Cover with parchment and tin foil. Cook in oven for 12 to 15 hours (or until meat falls off the bone).
Remove ribs from cooking liquid. Strain the liquid and reduce it over heat until it can easily coat the back of a spoon.
Brush reduced sauce over the short ribs and roast for 10 minutes in an oven at 450�C. Finish with shaved truffles and enjoy.
Serves 4 to 6.
Dessert: Lazy Man's Cheesecake
Ingredients
1 can pumpkin pur�e
250 grams mascarpone
250 grams ricotta
1 Tbps. cloves
1 Tbsp. ginger powder
10 graham crackers
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
Method
In a mixing bowl combine, pumpkin pur�e, mascarpone, ricotta, cloves, maple syrup and whisk.
In a food processor combine graham crackers, ginger powder and brown sugar.
How to plate: in center of plate put a bed of the dry mixture. Take an ice cream scoop and put your cheesecake filling in the center on top of the bed of the dry mixture. Top with one sprig of mint for garnish.
Serves 4 to 6.
