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Question Of The Day #29

michaelnatkin

When you are going to make several recipes to build a meal, how do you plan your order of attack? Do you just dive in somewhere and hope for the best, or make a whole schedule? What is your process?

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Comments

tshewman

Depends on occasion(s) and recipes. Something like thanksgiving, I tend to write/type most of it down well in advance and then begin to modify (sometimes inflight :-)..). Regardless of my approach, I tend to over-shoot with aspiration and fall short of where I would like to be and lately, usually ahead of where my guests think I will/should be. No doubt having a plan makes perfect sense and is the best route (usually). I reserve the right to contradict myself however, as sometimes, last second/minute changes make for the most wonderful flavors/dishes. Now if I could learn to write them down (or use a digital dictator app).

michaelnatkin

I very bi-modal when it comes to prep. There are meals I'm so comfortable with that I'll literally turn on the burner on my cast iron skillet before I start cutting vegetables. (For say a 20 minute weeknight rice bowl.) And then I do dinners for 8 to 30 people where I have a meticulous shopping list an a meticulous prep list with everything scheduled out and the components for each dish bagged and packed together into hotel pans - or whatever will help me make sure I don't miss something when I plate up. I enjoy being able to work both ways, though the latter is really more rewarding.

sebastian_palmigiani_21610

when preparing before hand i do all of the sub steps of the different recipes together that use the same equipment. i also choose to prep dishes that can remain 'fresh' in the refrigerator 1-2 days before the dinner. i i prepare everything ahead of time except the last step in the process. the last step is done at the time of service. example, all the components of a salad are prepped and ready and to be assembled at the time of the dinner or the fish is ready in their plastic pouches and ready to put in the sous vide bath or the soup is done and all it needs is to be warmed and extra liquid added. in my mind i outline the steps of the dinner service such like put the fish in the bath when you serve the salad. that way the fish will be ready when that course is done.

timdebnyc

I always have a written or mental prep list. Everything is done in an order so I am not waiting on equipment. During cooking times other prep and cleaning is being done. Ovens are generally used low to high as it is easier to heat the oven than cool. If I need move water baths than I have then high to low as normally the baths are used to hold for service at a lower than cooking temp.

I always have a schedule for dinner parties with the start of service as H Hour. Everything is cooked and ready at H minus 1. Components will be on the schedule as, all vege, minus 2; pastries minus 4; protein brined minus 48, etc. Since I was 19 I have had the 7 P's drilled into me (Prior Preparation and Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance) and I planning is second nature.

osker105

For me it is a bit difficult because I have ADHD so I feel like i need to do a bit of planning. Really for anything I'm making. Last night I roasted pork and made a spicy cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes and a salad. The salad I made ahead. But for everything else I had to think each thing out step by step.

Fist gather all the ingredients for the cranberry sauce, prep, and cook. It can be heated for dinner.

Next, prep the pork and start to roast.

Next, cut up potatoes, boil, drain, assemble the mashed potatoes.

Finally, check pork, let rest, reheat sauce, re hydrate the mashed potatoes if needed, cut pork and serve.

It is more for me overcoming my lack of focus to focus on each step equally and decide what can be done ahead and try to work on them in the correct order.