Paper Palate

The Tools of the Trade section of December’s Bon Appetit features super-sized cooking tools, from chafing dishes and warming trays to a screwpull cork catcher, that promise to make cooking for a crowd slightly less painful.

I suspect more than a few readers aren’t prepared to spend $120 on a De’Longhi Coffeee Urn they’ll use once a year. At work I’m used to feeding at least 200 people a night, so I put together a few simple (and free) suggestions that will help ease the pain of large scale entertaining.

Use the Oven: Baking and roasting are much easier than sautéing or frying. Less risk of burning, sticking and smoking. A stir fry for 30 will make you crazy. When possible, choose slow cooking recipes that can trundle along happily in the oven while you turn your attention to other aspects of party planning.

The Magic Number: When possible, cook everything at the same temperature. Your magic number may be 400, or 325; either way, there is no need to adhere slavishly to a recipe’s recommendation. Rather than doing all sorts of complicated calculations while rotating gratins and pies in the oven, just pick a number in the middle and stick with it. It really doesn’t matter that much. If you notice excess browning, turn down the heat. If nothing is happening, turn it up.

Aluminum Foil: If you don’t have it, make it. Need a lid for the roasting pan? Two pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil. An extra cookie sheet? Two pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil. A huge colander? Two pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil with holes poked through. Your cookware wont be glamorous, but it’ll be nearly free and you can throw it away when you’re finished.

Keep Hot Food Hot: One of the biggest challenges when cooking for a crowd is getting your food to the table warm. Rather than a warming tray, pop your pizza stone or a ceramic tile into the oven to heat up while you’re cooking and use it to keep food warm from below (but cover with a towel to protect grabby hands if you’re having a buffet). Gently warm your serving bowls and trays with hot water. Your old friend aluminum foil is the perfect cover for casseroles, and the microwave is a well insulated box where you can hide foods until you’re ready to serve them. Many restaurants even partially cook your food earlier in the day and finish cooking right before service.

Choose Wisely: Menu planning is the real key to simplifying your holiday extravaganza. In addition to preparing mostly oven (not stovetop) dishes, consider a few plates that will be served room temperature. Plan foods like short ribs that don’t burn easily and that can hang around in the oven until you’re ready for them. Prepare baked pasta dishes rather than worrying about getting your linguine al dente. Make dessert a day or two in advance. Don’t worry about garnish and, whatever you do, don’t deep fry or you’ll find yourself spending Christmas Day over a pot of hot oil in a kitchen reeking of crab cake rather than opening all those presents you surely deserve.