Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello

Thinfully Delicious

Turn your kitchen into a spa with our absolutely sinless, flavor-packed meal. Not only will everyone love the food, but they will get a head start on looking great for beach weather.

Gameplan
Day Before Party:

• Mix cardamom yogurt sauce for Zinfully Delicious desert, refrigerate.


• Whisk together vinaigrette for Zucchini Papardelle, refrigerate.


• Assemble, roll and refrigerate steaks for Skirt Steak Saltimbocca.

1 Hour Before Party:

• Take Steak Saltimbocca out of refrigerator to bring to room temperature before cooking.


• Simmer peaches and reduce pan sauce for Zinfully Delicious desert.


• Marinate and broil zucchini and cherry tomatoes for Zucchini Parpadelle.
  
• Sauté steaks for Steak Saltimbocca, finish in oven and then let rest before carving into pinwheels for serving.


• Assemble Zucchini Parpadelle.


• Fry sage leaves to garnish Saltimbocca.


• Combine remaining parpadelle vinaigrette with steak pan juices to make sauce for sliced Saltimbocca. Drizzle over plated Saltimbocca.

At the party:

• Top peaches with cardamom yogurt for Zinfully Delicous desert.

Eat and Enjoy!

Ice Cream Pool Party

No matter how hot it gets, it's just too cool when Michael and his guests whip up a vanilla gelato with crazy variations. Making your own ice cream cones is almost as much fun! A fancy pre-frozen layered ice cream torta served with smashed strawberries brings it high cotton.

Gameplan
1 Day Before the Party:

• Bring chocolate, strawberry and vanilla ice creams for Neapolitan to room temperature.


• Simmer and strain Mint Simple Syrup for Cantaloupe Granita.


• Peel and puree cantaloupe. Blend cantaloupe puree with Mint Simple Syrup and freeze overnight.


• Layer softened ice creams into a freezer-proof dish. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.


• Heat cream and espresso to blend with chocolate for Chocolate Hazelnut. Set aside.


• Clean, core and quarter strawberries for Strawberry Balsamic Sauce. Blend strawberries with balsamic vinegar. Season and allow to marinate.


• Stir Cantaloupe Granita.


• Blend Mint Pesto with one pint of vanilla ice cream and return to the pint. Cover and freeze overnight. Blend Chocolate Hazelnut Ganache with one pint vanilla ice cream and return to pint container. Cover and freeze overnight. Blend one pint vanilla ice cream with Strawberry Balsamic Sauce and return to pint container. Cover and freeze overnight.


• Blend batter for Ice Cream Cones. Cover and refrigerate overnight.


• Place plates for Neapolitan in freezer, freeze overnight.

1 Hour Before Party:

• Bake and shape Ice Cream Cones on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.


• Place milk for Egg Creams in freezer for 15 minutes.


• Unmold Neapolitan and slice into one inch slices and place on pre-frozen plates. Drizzle with Strawberry Balsamic Sauce.

At the Party:

• Blend Egg Creams and serve.


• Scoop and serve Blended Ice Creams and Ice Cream Cones.


• Scoop and serve Cantaloupe Granita.

Eat and Enjoy!

Bruschetta Bar

Everyone's favorite appetizer becomes a party in itself as we set out a make your own bruschetta bar with plenty of toasty, garlicky bread and lots of delicious toppings. A fun and easy cocktail party everyone will love.

Gameplan
Day Before Party:

• Shave corn off cobs, simmer with cream for Creamed Corn Bruschetta. Cover and refrigerate.


• Blanch broccoli for Rosemary Skewers.


• Remove some leaves from rosemary stems to make "skewers".


• Whisk together marinade for Rosemary Skewers.


• Roast garlic in olive oil for Rosemary Skewers.


• Remove stems from shitake mushrooms for Rosemary Skewers.


• Assemble vegetables on Rosemary Skewers. Cover and refrigerate.

1 1/2 Hour Before Party:

• Sear steak to rare for Bistecca Bruschetta. Set aside on a rack.


• Slice and roast onions for Bistecca Bruschetta.


• Slice and bake bread to make Crostini.


• Slice bread for bruschetta.


• Finish roasted onions with vinegar, garlic and herbs.


• Finish steaks in oven for Bistecca Bruschetta. Remove and let rest.

1/2 Hour Before Party:

• Re-heat and plate creamed corn and proscuitto slices for Creamed Corn Bruschetta.


• Set up ingredients for Smeared Tomato Bruschetta with extra virgin olive oil, torn basil, and salt on a tray for guests to assemble.


• Carve steaks and arrange on platter with onions for Bistecca Bruschetta.

At the party:

• Grill Bruschetta bread slices.


• Grill Rosemary Skewers, serve with Carambazola cheese.

Eat and Enjoy!

The Best Roast Chicken in the World Contest

Michael and his chef buddy Jan Birnbaum face off once again in a contest for the ultimate Sunday supper favorite, Roast Chicken. The old bird will be singing a new tune when these two put their spin on one of the easiest entertaining dishes around.

Singin the Blues

We're pickin' and grinnin' in this fun outdoor party featuring our favorite slow cooked pork and other summer delights for a hot day of blues and barbecue. Invite the neighborhood!

Gameplan
Day Before Party:

• Cut, boil and cool potatoes for Roasted Potato Salad.


• Blend ingredients for Blue Cheese Compound Butter. Roll into a log and refrigerate.


• Roast cooled and dried potatoes for Roasted Potato Salad.


• Shave fennel and celery hearts for Roasted Potato Salad.


• Whisk together vinaigrette for Roasted Potato Salad.


• Layer potatoes over vinaigrette, top with fennel and celery, do not toss. Cover and refrigerate.

Morning of Party:

• Mix Roasted Garlic Rub for Slow Cooked Pork. Coat pork with rub, place in oven.


• Dissolve sugar in water to make simple syrup for Spiked Sweet Tea.


• Brew concentrated tea for Spiked Sweet Tea. Add room temperature water and simple syrup. Cover and refrigerate.

At the party:

• Pour sweet tea over ice, top with bourbon and garnish.


• Grill corn and coat with compound butter.


• Shred the pork.


• Toss the roasted potato salad.

Eat and Enjoy!

Backyard Lobster

Michael shows you the Chiarello version of the classic Lobster bake including recipes for Grilled Potato & Green
Onion Salad; Grilled Baguettes w/Old Bay Butter plus Cake Doughnut Bread Pudding

Gameplan
Day Before Party:

• Zest lemons for Old Bay Butter


• Simmer Old Bay Seasoning and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, cool in an ice water bath, and blend in food processor with sweet butter, lemon zest, gray salt, and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate.


• Slice and boil potatoes for Potato and Scallion salad. Toss boiled potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper.


• Slowly cook bacon for Potato and Scallion salad.


• Whisk leftover bacon fat and olive oil, mustard, champagne vinegar, shallots, Italian Parsley, salt and pepper for potato salad vinaigrette.


• Season Scallions with salt, pepper, and bacon fat mixture for potato and scallion salad.


• Grill scallions and potatoes. Slice ingredients for potato scallion salad and separate onto a plate. Cover and refrigerate.

1 Hour Before Party:

• Start charcoal for lobster bake.


• Fill galvanized tub with seaweed, lobsters, corn, partially boiled potatoes, clams, and chardonnay. Cover with damp burlap and set tub on charcoal to bake for 45 minutes.


• Break up donuts and raisins in the bottom of a pan for bread pudding.


• Cream sugar and sweet butter in a food processor for custard. Mix in eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and cream. Pour custard over donuts. Cover with foil and bake.

At the Party:

• Pour out the tub of lobster onto a newspaper covered table. Serve with lemon, Old Bay seasoning, and salt.


• Lightly grill linguisa on the grill.


• Toast baguettes on the grill and smother with Old Bay butter.


• Combine ingredients for potato and scallion salad. Cover with vinaigrette and season with gray salt.


• Remove foil from bread pudding and crisp in the oven for 10 minutes.


• Melt butter for Rum sauce. Stir in powdered sugar and thin sauce with dark rum. Pour sauce over bread pudding and serve.

Eat and Enjoy!

Budget Party

It's high class without high cash as Michael hosts another low cost, high impact meal that will save you time and money entertaining. With recipes for Bean Cassoulet with; Fennel Spiced Chicken and Roasted Vegetables; Roasted Peppers and Pecorino Cheese; Toasted Coconut Flan

Gameplan
Day Before Party:

• Roast Peppers on burner or hot plate. Steam roasted peppers in a paper bag for a few minutes.


• Combine fennel seeds, white pepper corn, and coriander. Roast the seeds dry in a sauté pan, and grind the mixture with some gray salt. Put in a container and save for the party.


• Peal, remove seeds, and tear apart roasted peppers. Season with salt, pepper, and extra virgin olive oil. Plate, cover, and refrigerate peppers for the party.

Day of the Party:

• Toast shredded coconut for flan dessert.


• Cut and blanche brussel sprouts for cassoulet.


• Combine and simmer coconut milk, milk, and cream in a sauce pan for flan dessert. Add toasted coconut.


• Slice and caramelize onions, Parsnips, peeled celery and carrots for cassoulet. Add blanched brussel sprouts and season with salt, pepper, and fennel spice rub.


• Separate chicken for cassoulet, heavily season with fennel spice rub, and caramelize in pan.

1 Hour Before Party:

• Slice pancetta, add a couple cloves of garlic, and cook in your cast iron pan. Once caramelized add white beans, chicken, and vegetables. Bake cassoulet.


• Whisk eggs and egg yolks together. Strain in coconut milk mixture. Make caramel for flan dessert. Ladle caramel and custard into mason jars and bake in the oven in a water bath. Remove from mason jars after dinner and serve.


• Slice pecorino cheese and add to roasted peppers with Italian parsley.

Eat and Enjoy!

Basta Pasta

It's pasta three ways in an inexpensive party featuring everyone's favorite Italian food served in ways you'd never expect! With recipes for Lasagna of Roasted Butternut Squash; Crispy Pasta Salad with Warm goat cheese and pancetta; Baked Pastina Timbale

Gameplan
1 Day Before Party:

• Grind fennel-cinnamon spice mixture for Butternut Squash Lasagna.


• Peel and dice butternut squash. Season and roast squash then puree for lasagna. Blend puree with cheeses and set aside in refrigerator.


• Roast tomatoes and jalapeños for Pastina Timbale Sauce.


• Dice roasted peppers for Pastina Timbale Sauce.


• Cook lasagna noodles for Butternut Squash Lasagna.


• Dice and sauté remaining ingredients for Pastina Timbale Sauce. Finish Timbale Sauce. Cool and store overnight in refrigerator.


• Prepare and finish béchamel sauce for Butternut Squash Lasagna.


• Assemble Butternut Squash Lasagna.

1 Hour Before Party:

• Bake Butternut Squash Lasagna.


• Cook pastina for Pastina Timbale.


• Poach and sauté sausage for Pastina Timbale.


• Sauté garlic and breadcrumbs for Pastina Timbale. Prepare bowl to mold Timbale.


• Combine pastina with Timbale sauce, pour into bowl and rest until service.


• Cook angel hair pasta and fry for Pasta Cakes.


• Assemble and dress Pasta Cake Salad.

At the Party:

• Un-mold Pastina Timbale.

Eat and Enjoy!

Little Bitty Bites

Tiny versions of your favorite foods make fun cocktail party fare. Mini hamburgers on a bun, tiny soups in espresso cups. Everything pops in your mouth! With recipes with Tiny hamburgers; Tiny pizzas; Asparagus Soup with Parmigiano Zabaglione

Gameplan
1 Day Before Party:

• Sweat onions for Asparagus Soup.
  
• Caramelize onions for Onion Relish.


• Finish Onion Relish with mustard, ketchup salt and pepper. Cool and store in refrigerator overnight.


• Add potatoes, bay, stock to onions for Asparagus Soup.


• Puree and mash fruits for Tiny Banana Split Fruit Sauces. Finish Fruit Sauces and store in refrigerator overnight.


• Prep asparagus. Cook, finish and puree Asparagus Soup. Chill and store overnight in refrigerator.


• Blend and cook egg mixture for Parmesan Zabaglione. Finish with Parmesan. Cool and store overnight in refrigerator.


• Blend and form burgers. Refrigerate overnight.


• Scoop ice cream with mini scoop for Tiny Sundaes. Freeze overnight.

1 Hour Before Party:

• Cut out pizza rounds for Tiny Pizzas.


• Heat jarred tomato sauce and assemble Tiny Pizzas. Top with cheese and bake.


• Reheat Asparagus Soup.


• Finish Parmesan Zabaglione with heavy cream.


• Pour Asparagus Soup into mini cups and top with Zabaglione and serve.


• Platter Tiny Pizzas. Finish with basil and Parmesan and serve.

At the Party:

• Grill Tiny Hamburgers. Assemble burgers with Onion Relish, pickles and serve.


• Slice bananas and assemble Tiny Sundaes with Fruit Sauce, Ice Cream, Chocolate Sauce, Nuts, Cherries and Whipped Cream.

Eat and Enjoy!

Gone Fishin Picnic

Whether you catch and release or just spend a lazy Sunday on a lake, our picnic is the perfect thing to take on a boat
or a hike in the great outdoors. With recipes for Pappa Al Pomodoro ; Corn on the Cobb Salad WRAPS ; Aqua
Fresca di Fruitta (drink).

Gameplan
Day Before the Party:

• Peel and slice onions for Blue Cheese Dressing.


• Season and grill onions. Chop.


• Blend mayonnaise, sour cream, Tabasco, Worcestershire, blue cheese, salt and pepper, olive oil for dressing. Finish with chopped grilled onions.


• Pack dressing for picnic.


• Chop, puree and strain watermelon for Aqua Fresca di Fruitta. Season with sugar, salt, lime juice, water. Pour into individual drink containers. Reserve in refrigerator.

Day of the Party (1 ½ hours before the picnic):

• Boil eggs for Corn on the Cobb Salad.


• Season and grill chicken breast for Cobb Salad.


• Cool, peel and chop hard boiled eggs.


• Cut grilled chicken into bite size pieces.


• Chop onions and slice garlic for Pappa al Pomodoro. Sauté garlic and onions and add chopped tomatoes, bread, water, basil and olive oil. Simmer soup.

Day of the Party (1 hour before the picnic):

• Sauté the prosciutto for the Corn on the Cobb Salad.


• Slice fresh corn from cob.


• Chop tomatoes, avocados, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce.


• Pack corn, watercress, grilled chicken, hard boiled eggs, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, prosciutto, avocados, tomatoes into a picnic container.


• Pack a small container of salt and pepper.


• Pack Pappa al Pomodoro soup into individual containers. Top with grated Parmesan.


• Pack some extra grated Parmesan.


• Pack sandwich wraps, Cobb Salad ingredients, Aqua Fresca di Fruitta, and soup.

Eat and Enjoy!

Cinema Paradiso

Warm weather, the moon and movies come together for an unforgettable evening under the stars. With recipes for
Flavored Popcorn: Brown Butter Rosemary Lemon; Grilled Pizza with Ricotta & Pesto; Raisin-oni - huge chocolate
covered raisinettes plus Flavored Syrup soft drinks.

Gameplan
Day Before Party:

• Chop mango and puree with sugar for Mango Soft Drinks. Set aside in refrigerator overnight.


• Chop and puree watermelon with sugar for Watermelon Soft Drinks. Set aside in refrigerator overnight.


• Zest and juice lemons, limes and grapefruits for Citrus Soft Drinks. Heat juice and zest with sugar, strain and set aside in refrigerator overnight.


• Melt chocolate and mix with raisins. Form Raisin-oni, cover and store overnight.

1 Hour Before the Party:

• Pop popcorn in olive oil and set aside in 2 separate bowls.


• Melt brown butter and blend with rosemary and lemon zest. Combine with popcorn, salt and pepper. Set aside.


• Melt brown butter and pour over popcorn. Combine popcorn with Parmesan, salt and pepper. Set aside.


• Roll out pizza dough into individual pizzas. Brush with oil and grill one side.


• Turn over pizzas and top with pesto and ricotta, grill to melt cheese. Cut into wedges.

At the Party:

• Assemble fruit syrup soft drinks.


• Serve popcorn, pizza and raisin-oni

Eat and Enjoy!

Housewarming Party

Celebrate your new home with a home made meal that's as simple as it is delicious. You'll be the envy of the neighborhood with recipes for Crespelli "Short Stacks" with BBQ Chicken; Slightly Cooked Gazpacho and Olive Oil Cake.

Gameplan
2 Days Before Party:

• Assemble and simmer all ingredients for Barbeque Sauce. Cool, cover and refrigerate sauce until day of party.


• Blend ingredients for Crespelli Short Stacks crepe batter. Cover batter and refrigerate.


• Mince carrots for Slightly Cooked Gazpacho. Saute carrots with garlic, add tomato juice. Season and pour into a bowl to cool. Cover the Gazpacho and refrigerate.


• Reheat Barbeque Sauce. Using a roasted store-bought chicken, remove the skin and pull the chicken from the bone. Stir the chicken into the warm Barbeque Sauce. Stir in orange zest. Set aside to cool. Cover and place chicken in refrigerator.


• Pull Gazpacho from the refrigerator and finish Gazpacho by adding small-diced red onion, zucchini, celery, fennel, fennel fronds. Season Gazpacho, cover and set aside in refrigerator.


• Cook crepes in butter. Layer crepes on a sheet pan on top of wax paper.


• Assemble Crespelli Short Stacks by buttering crepes and layering them with chicken in Barbeque Sauce. Wrap finished crepes in foil and set aside in refrigerator.

1 Hour Before Party:

• Pre-heat oven to 350?F and place wrapped Crespelli Short Stacks for 30 minutes to heat through.


• Reduce orange juice for Olive Oil Cake. Reserve.


• Assemble chopped scallions, cabbage, apple, lemon juice, lemon juice, olive oil for Apple Slaw.


• Blend milk, eggs, olive oil, liquor, reduced orange juice, sugar, rosemary, lemon zest and anise seed for Olive Oil Cake batter.


• Add dry ingredients, baking powder and flour, to Olive Oil Cake batter.


• Bake Olive Oil Cake in two greased round spring-form pans.


• Plate Gaspacho in a large bowl. Finish with chopped fresh parsley, fresh basil and Sweet 100 tomatoes and red wine vinegar.

At the Party:

• Toss Apple Slaw with dressing.


• Remove Crespelli Short Stacks from the oven and slice into 8 pieces.


• Un-old Olive Oil Cakes and spread with orange marmalade while cake is still warm. Slice cakes into eights and garnish with rosemary.

Eat and Enjoy!

Brown Baggin' It

Michael liberates the tired (of cafeteria food), poor (from expensive lunches) and hungry masses with a brown baggin' party where everyone gets together to make lunch. Plus, special tips on transporting these delectable dishes and keeping them fresh!

Gameplan
1 Day Before the Lunch Party:

• Toast Barley for Roasted Barley Salad. Simmer barley in chicken stock.


• Core and chop tomatoes for Roasted Tomato Soup. Roast chopped tomatoes with garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.


• Mince and sauté onions, basil, and roasted tomatoes for Roasted Tomato Soup.
  
• Drain barley and set aside to cool.


• Puree roasted tomato mixture to soup consistency and cover and refrigerate overnight until ready to serve.


• Slice and roast zucchini for Frittata and Tomato Sandwich.


• Blend egg mixture for Frittata Sandwich. Remove roasted zucchini from over, chop into large pieces and stir into egg mixture.


• Cook frittata in a large skillet. Finish frittata by cooking under a broiler. Sprinkle with Provolone cheese. Set aside to cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight.


• Slice bread and line up on sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toast bread slices in the oven. Cool and set aside.


• Chop and cook smoked bacon for Roasted Barley Salad.


• Chop zucchini, garlic, thyme and carrots for Roasted Barley Salad. Saute chopped vegetables in leftover bacon fact. Add apple cider vinegar to the pan to create dressing for salad.


• Assemble Roasted Barley Salad with barley, bacon, and dressed vegetables.


• Chop parsley and set aside for Roasted Barley Salad.

Morning of the Lunch Party:

• Slice bread for Frittata and Tomato Sandwiches. Pack in paper bag.


• Pack toasted bruschetta slices into paper bag.


• Reheat Roasted Tomato Soup and pour into thermoses.


• Slice tomatoes thickly for Frittata and Tomato Sandwich. Pack into small plastic container.


• Pack salt and pepper and chili flakes.


• Stir reserved parsley into Roasted Barley Salad. Pack up salad.


• Slice Frittata and pack into container.


• Pack basil leaves into small container.

At the Party:

• Assemble Frittata and Tomato Sandwiches.


• Serve Roasted Tomato Soup in mugs. Top with bruschetta slices.


• Serve Roasted Barley Salad.

Eat and Enjoy!