Question Of The Day #26

It's Tuesday, and time for another QOTD from Boston! Today, I am curious what your go-to dish is when trying to impress someone? Whether its a new friend, people from work, or people that have hired you to work for them, is there one dish you have in your pocket as a guaranteed show stopper? What have people's reactions been to this dish in the past?

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Johan_Edstrom_5586

For a while that probably was the potato pave. Now I don't think I really need that type of

crutch, I just ask people what they like.

tshewman

1. Something I've never done. 2. Depends on their experience and tastes. Never had a modernist sphere? Beet juice or apple pie sphere. Truffle or favorite puree explosion. Anything with liquid nitrogen when I can get it always impresses.

SteveM_20803

Like Johan said, normally, I'll talk to them and get a feel of what they enjoy or cannot eat. However, when I am not feeling creative, I pull out the water smoker - and smoke whole chickens (half a chicken per person), smoked Brussel sprouts, maybe a seven layer salad and a trifle with whatever is in season. The best part is you can eat whenever without having a set time and to plate, it is a matter of cutting the chickens in half and spooning the brussel sprouts on the plate...

Tim_Sutherland_52834

I try and do something that is familiar but slightly different. For me Aussie mates, rack of lamb. Those I know in Texas, BBQ. If I switch the dishes they could be show stoppers, but for the wrong reason.

Most people I have cooked for, even self described "foodies", are very unadventurous in their eating. Cow is good, but only if it comes from a handful of known cuts. Homemade salsa is good, but they prefer the stuff in a jar (because that is what their palate is attuned to.) Store bought/box made cake/pie/ice cream tastes better than scratch made cake/pie/ice cream because they can eat a big bowl/slice of bland, rather than two rich and flavourful bites. The store bought stuff also lasts weeks on the counter/fridge/freezer without changing, rather than the stuff from scratch which doesn't taste as good the next day.

Matthew_Snyder_68770

Most of our friends are easy to impress - ooooh, tacos! - but we know a few couples who can walk the walk when it comes to gastronomy. When they're over, it's almost always going to be some sort of fish dish (which generally means something from the Ripert canon, or Salmon 104). I'm hopeful to try the John Dory recipe from CS; always been one I've found interesting, but never got around to actually making it.

reck.harm

It's not overly complicated or showy, but usually i do basil ice cream with strawberries and balsamic vinegar. Basically because no one can initially imagine it, but everyone always loves it afterwards. I actually get complains when i have people over and don't make it because strawberries aren't in season.

William_Redmond_102249

I've been working on my Tonkotsu broth for some time now and am getting quite happy with the result. Instead of going for ramen when I want to impress, I usually go for sous vide lobster, corn, Mayu and Tonkotsu broth as an appetizer. I've got really good feedback for this and guests are usually impressed by the 12 hours boiling process for the broth.

Steve_Ho_7147

Can you elaborate on your tonkotsu?

Steve_Ho_7147

I'm still in college.. so anything not microwaved makes my friends happy! lol

borgech

I like to give people what they want in an unrecognizable package. For example, t

his summer, lots of people wanted tomatoes. We like to use the combination of tomatoes, watermelon and Spanish Chorizo. We made a cloud out of tomato water, a fluid gel out of the watermelon, and powdered chorizo oil. They had no idea what was on their plate, but when they tasted it, they loved it and couldn't get enough.

William_Redmond_102249

Sure. First, I'd say that Kenji Lopez-Alt's trick for milky broth does truly work, so blanching bones first is key to get a milky white tonkotsu. For the bones, I usually ask a thai butcher to cut me two complete pigs' legs bones (not sure of the real word here, sorry I speak French) in disks. I'd say it gives me about 2 - 2,5 kg.

- Rince two sheets of konbu in water, leave it for 10 minutes whilst you start heating maybe 5-6 liters of water in a big pot.

- Take out konbu, add around 2 cups of dried shiitake mushrooms, leave for 30 minutes, take out.

- Add 1,5 kg chicken carcasses to the water, 1 hour. Put your pork bones in the oven 30 minutes at 400 F during that time (I blanch them first like mentionned).

- Add pork bones. Always add water to maitain enough water for a heavy boil without seeing the bones, skim the scum as it forms. Maybe 10 hours. Near the end, stop filling up the pot with water, depending on the thickness you're looking for. I like my lips to stick together after I taste it.

- Burn shallots, onions, garlic in a pan, add for the last hour. If I'm not making shashu, I'll add some mirin/soja/sake/sugar to taste at the end. Salt.

- Filter it.

- It's better to let it sit during the night in the fridge before using or freezing it.

For me, not much is more relaxing than making broths on Sundays. Skimming scum is quite zen for me for some reason.

Brendan_Lee_56950

I don't really think I have a go to dish. I probably have more of a go to set of flavors that I can adapt to any number of protein/veg combos but I don't think there is any single recipe that I pull together whenever I am trying to impress someone. I have a tendency to cook with more chinese/vietnamese flavors but no specific dish that I can think of. I do, however, have dishes that people request a lot but I don't necessarily consider them to be go to dishes from my perspective.

TODD_ANDERSON_36806

i've made that recipe with halibut! They loved it!!!

HammeredChef_DEFINITELY_does_NOT_work_at_22134

My go to dish varies with what someone says they don't like. After a few questions about why they don't like it I immediately add it to the menu ;-) ( given the objections meet certain parameters) A perfect example is lamb, its too gamey, its dry, its tough. That goes on the menu even if it is just a single lollipop. so far out of probably 10-12 people who said they don't like it, the overwhelming response is "this is what lamb tastes like ? it never tasted like this before " I don't push things like Uni, foie gras, or certain offal until they begin to trust me, but stuff like lamb, duck, fish is a lot of fun. It is so often abused by home cooks and some restaurants that spending time getting it as perfect as possible is a lot of fun for me.

Tim, I know where you are coming from...I have some friends that get invited for burgers (CS variety) and then I have a great group that is willing to try anything.....thats fun for me...