D R E S S E Df or D I N N E R

A C L A S S I C G U I D E W I T H R E C I P E SF O R E F F O R T L E S S E N T E R TA I N I N G

A S L O N G A S P E O P L E H A V E

H A D F O O D T O S H A R E and friends

to enjoy it with, entertaining has been

a tradition that prompts us to open

our homes and celebrate the good

moments of life, from the mundane to

the magical. We hope this little guide

inspires you to dust off your cookware

and do some entertaining of your own.

4 The Table

5 The Plate

6 Entrée

2 The Drinks

3 The Conversation

7 Side Course

8 Dessert

“NEVE R BE TH E FI R ST to arrive

at a party OR TH E L A ST to go home,

AND NEVE R , never BE BOTH.”

David Brown

A few well-chosen bottles of wine

or thoughtful cocktail offerings

are the host’s best friends. They

keep guests entertained, complement the

evening's menu and bring life to the party.

C A L I F O R N I AT O N I C S

1 oz. orangesimple syrup* 2 oz. gin

3 oz. good qualitytonic water2 sprigs of rosemary

Muddle rosemary sprig with simple syrup in mixing glass.

Add gin and ice; stirand strain into a highball glass filled with ice.

Top with tonic waterand a final stir.

Garnish with another sprig of rosemary andan orange twist.

*This lovely, time-saving simple syrup can be made simultaneously with the dessert. Prepare it in aLe Creuset saucepan. See page 7 for the recipe. >

O P E N S E S A M E

W E L C O M E W A G O N Fill Le Creuset wine carafes with a

white wine; place next to a tray of

oven-warmed nuts or cheese and olives,

along with some empty glasses; and allow

guests to serve themselves as they arrive.

Foundation for aWell-Stocked Bar

Club soda & tonic waterCocktail olives & cherries

Fresh lemons & limesSparkling mineral water

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D R I N K S

Throwing a major bash?The efficient Compact Lever

makes opening bottle after

bottle of wine a breeze.

Saving a special bottle for a special occasion? The Table Model

corkscrew lifts out even the most

stubborn corks.

Saving a special bottle for a special occasion?corkscrew lifts out even the most

stubborn corks.

P A R T Y T A L K

Fill a stoneware crock with a few tried and true conversation starters to keep things lively.

· Upcoming vacations· New music· Skydiving· Best birthdays· Recent reads· Music recommendations· Most memorable meals· Art shows

· Cooking techniques· Invincibility versus invisibility· Great restaurants· Bad first dates· Secret talents· Favorite TV show to binge watch· Weekend plans

D O N ’ T A S KSwap your standard “What do you do?” for a more interesting icebreaker: “Would you rather…?” You fill in the blank. Tip: the crazier the question, the better the conversation.

T R A D I T I O N ,T R A D I T I O N

—Party etiquette says

male and female hosts

should sit at opposite

ends of the table. But rules were

meant to be broken, right?

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C O N V E R S A T I O N

T he best parties are the ones where

the conversation lasts long after the

candles have puddled into wax. But,

great conversation doesn’t always happen

organically. Stack the deck in your favor by

serving pre-dinner drinks to set the mood.

M I X W E L L Place cards are great for mixingpeople up—but you’re not limited to plain ol’ cardstock. Use unexpected items—leaves, stones, corks, Scrabble

letters, vintage postcards—to seat people and spark conversation. Le Creuset cheese markers also make

charming (and reusable!) place cards.

W hether you’re casually placing a big

punch bowl in the center or carefully

setting it for a dinner party, the table

brings people together, determines the mood for

your gathering and gives you a chance to decorate.

P A L E T T E

Bold color makes a vibrant backdrop to Black and Whitecookware or dinner-ware. Don’t be afraid to try different ways to dress up your table.

Layer varying shades of the same color

Color-block with brightly colored linens and dinnerware

Mix-and-match complementary or contrasting colorsand patterns

S E C R E T SO F P L A C E S E T T I N G

> Don't put morethan five glasses on the table at once.

—If you need morethan five glasses, you're throwing a different kind ofparty, my friend.

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T A B L Et h e

P L A T E

C E N T E R O F A T T E N T I O N Need an elegant floral centerpiece in a pinch?

These beauties look lovely gathered in one large urnor arranged individually with an array of bud vases.

1Buy a dozen or two grocerystore roses and place theirfresh-cut stems into warm

water for an hour.

2Gently open each bud with

your fingers while blowing on the petals to create the full look

of expensive garden roses.

W hen you make the effort to host a dinner party, you want

to serve recipes that are bound to impress or delight your

dinner guests. Our timeless dinner party menu is designed

for oven-to-table presentation—making it easy for you to look good.

P L A T I N GFor a chef-worthy presentation:

¨ Think like an artist, considering symmetry, contrast and color

¨ Create plenty of space around food when plating

¨ Wipe any spills or drips from the rim with a clean towel

¨ Arrange items in groupings of odd numbers for a more pleasing presentation

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P L A T E

1 Warm plates so food won’t get cold while plating. 2 Buy extra ingredients and

reserve a few for garnish.

F I N I S H I N G T O U C H E S

3 Use a tablespoon to create an elegant oval scoop called a ‘quenelle’ when serving ice cream, whipped

cream or custard.

S H O W O F F Serving food from the table helps your guests relax and connect with each other as they pass

dishes around while also showing off all your hard work in the kitchen. Just make sure to carry trivets and

serving utensils to the table when you bring the courses.

R I B R O A S T

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Place rib roast in Le Creuset Oval Dutch Oven and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a food processor, combine garlic, rosemary, thyme, 1 stick of butter,and parsley. Pulse until all ingredients are combined into a paste.

Evenly spread paste over the rib roast about ¼ in. thick.

Bake for 2 hr. 20 min. until meat thermometer reads 145° Ffor medium rare.

M U S H R O O M & W I LT E D G R E E N S P A N J U S

Remove roast from Oval Dutch Oven and set aside, keeping warm.

Degrease the Oval Dutch Oven by pouring excess grease into a container to discard.

Add balsamic vinegar to Oval Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Deglaze the pan by scraping browned bits off the bottom. Add beef stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce by a third.

Add 1 tbsp. of butter and mushrooms. Sauté until mushrooms are soft. Add greens and sauté until glossy and wilted, about 3 minutes.

Return roast to the Oval Dutch Oven and serve.

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

4 lb. bonelessrib roast

8 cloves garlic,peels removed

2 sprigs rosemary

1 tbsp. thyme

1 stick butter

2 tbsp. parsley

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup beef stock

1 tbsp. butter

8-10 oz. mushrooms (shitake, baby bella,

oyster)

3 cups swiss chard, rinsed and torn into

2 in. pieces

Serves 6-8 | Prep Time 15 min. | Cook Time 2 hr. 20 min.

Prepared in Le Creuset 6¾ qt. Oval Dutch Oven

H E R B C R U S T E D R I B R O A S T W I T HG O U R M E T M U S H R O O M S & W I LT E D G R E E N S

I N B A L S A M I C P A N J U S

P E S T O

Combine garlic, pine nuts, basil, carrot tops, and 1 cup of olive oil in a food processor. Pulse until thoroughly combined. Stir in the parmesan.

C A R R O T S A N D S H A L L O T S

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Peel carrots and cut off stems, leaving about an inch of green on the carrot. Arrange in a baking dish and reserve.

Heat the butter in a Le Creuset Stainless Steel Sauté Pan over medium-high heat and add shallots. Sprinkle shallots with sugar and salt and sauté until shallots begin to caramelize and gain a golden brown color.

Add caramelized shallots to Le Creuset Rectangular Dish with carrots. Toss with ½ cup of pesto and 1 tbsp. of olive oil. Bake at 400° F for 30 minutes until carrots are tender. Serve with remaining pesto on the side.

3 lb. carrots,with tops

8 shallots, halved

4 cloves garlic

½ cup pine nuts

1 cup packed basil

1 cup packedcarrot tops

1 cup parmesan, finely grated

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

Serves 6-8 | Prep Time 15 min. | Cook Time 30–40 min.

Prepared in Le Creuset 31/10 qt. Rectangular Dish and Using Stainless Steel Sauté Pan

R O A S T E D C A R R O T S W I T H C A R R O T-T O P P E S T OA N D C A R A M E L I Z E D S H A L L O T S

P A N N A C O T T ASprinkle gelatin over heavy cream and allow to soften, about 1-2 minutes.

Combine milk, sugar, vanilla seeds and pods in a saucepan and cook until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer and remove from heat.

Add softened gelatin and cream to milk and sugar mixture. Whisk to combine until smooth and all gelatin is melted. Strain through a fine mesh sieve over a clean bowl and discard vanilla bean pods.

Ladle mixture evenly into 6 Le Creuset Mini Oval Cocottes. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours – overnight.

C A N D I E D O R A N G E P E E LPlace julienned orange rind in a Le Creuset Saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and strain through a sieve. Repeat two more times.

In an empty saucepan, combine sugar and water over low heat and whisk until sugar dissolves. Once sugar is dissolved, bring to a simmer and add orange rind. Simmer orange rind in syrup for approximately 30 minutes, until rind becomes translucent.

Strain through a sieve, reserving syrup for later use. (See cocktail recipe on page 3.)

Sprinkle an even layer of sugar on a sheet pan covered with wax paper. Spread orange rinds on the pan and lightly toss to coat with sugar. Allow to cool and harden, about 2 hours.

A M A R E T T O C A R A M E LCombine sugar, water, and orange juice in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk until sugar is dissolved.

Bring to a simmer and cook until mixture becomes a dark amber color.

Remove from heat and add cream, butter and amaretto. Whisk to combine.

Allow sauce to cool. Pour an even layer over panna cotta and sprinkle tops with candied orange peel.

Panna Cotta

6 tsp. unflavored powdered gelatin

3 cups heavy cream

3 cups whole milk

¾ cup sugar

3 pods vanilla bean, split with seeds

scraped out

Candied Orange

2 navel oranges,rinds peeled and

julienned

½ cup water

1½ cups sugar, plus extra for dusting

Amaretto Caramel

2 cup sugar1/3 cup water

1/3 cup fresh orange juice (strain through a fine mesh sieve for

thinner sauce)

½ cup heavy cream

½ stick butter

Serves 6 | Prep Time 5-10 min. | Cook Time 8 hrs. – overnight

Prepared in Le Creuset Mini Oval Cocottes and Using 2¼ qt. Saucepan

V A N I L L A B E A N P A N N A C O T TAW I T H A M A R E T T O C A R A M E L & C A N D I E D O R A N G E

“One cannot TH I NK WE L L ,

LOVE WE L L , SL E E P WE L L ,if one has not dined well.”

Virgina Woolf

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