Throwing an impressive dinner party is one of the most satisfying things a die-hard cook and entertainer can do—but it’s not easy. A successful dinner party means that you’re straddling the line between chef and host, seemingly effortlessly floating from living room to dining room refilling drinks while also making sure your red wine-braised brisket is still on track. And you pull it off every time. But the thing that will put your parties over the top is a kitchen upgrade. With professional-grade appliances from Kenmore PRO, you’ll be putting restaurant-menu-worthy food in a seemingly effortless fashion.
The first restaurant trick? Make your ingredients speak for themselves. Get organic, sustainably raised meats for the best flavor, and find fresh produce and dairy from your farmers market or gourmet grocery store. When you’re figuring out how much food to make, always get enough for 1.5 times the guests you’re expecting. That way, nobody will be shy about getting up for seconds, and you can refrigerate or freeze any leftovers for another dinner or even lunch later in the week.
Dinner party mains that have unexpected ingredients work best—like this Riesling Chicken with Leeks and Mushrooms. It’s a sophisticated dish that’s simple, but will certainly impress.
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit Executive Chef Mary Nolan
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs (about 8)
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
3 medium leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced and then thoroughly rinsed (about 5 cups)
2 cups Riesling wine
12 ounces white mushrooms, halved (quartered if very large)
3 tablespoons creme fraiche
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
Generously salt and pepper both sides of the chicken thighs. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven until very hot. Place chicken (in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pot), skin-side down, and cook until the skin is light brown and crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Turn over and cook other side until browned, about 5 minutes longer. Remove chicken from pot and turn off heat. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat.
Return to a medium-low heat and add the leeks. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Saute, scraping up any brown bits that remain on the bottom of the pan, until leeks are softened and lighter in color, about 5-7 minutes. Return chicken, skin-side down, and any juices to the pot with the leeks. Increase heat to medium-high and add Riesling. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 5-7 minutes. Cover and continue to cook, 15 minutes longer. Add mushrooms, stir to submerge them in the liquid, cover and cook until mushrooms and chicken are cooked through, about 7-9 minutes longer.
Stir in creme fraiche and check seasoning, adding more salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with parsley and serve.
An advantage to being a restaurant chef is that they have sous chefs and line cooks to assist with dishes. Be your own sous chef: The night before your party, wash and chop your produce and put each ingredient into labeled containers. Don’t worry about your veggies wilting: The Kenmore PRO airtight crisper bin uses state-of-the-art cooling technology to keep the moisture in your produce. When you use them, it will be like you chopped them minutes ago.
What if your friends are in a deep conversation or heated game when dinner’s served? Easy: Tent your chicken thighs, and use a water bath to keep your sauces warm without risking the chance of scorching them on direct heat.
The most impressive-yet-simple dessert? Fresh, hot-out-of-the-oven popovers. You may have heard that popovers are fussy, but they aren’t: ovens are often the fussy part of the equation. Their temperature might be inconsistent, or the door might not seal tightly. But Kenmore PRO’s oven utilizes state-of-the-art technology for even temperature that assures a fluffy baked dessert—just don’t peek at them until the full cooking time is up. Serve with a variety of compound butters for your guests to choose from, like chili-honey, bourbon, or cinnamon-sugar butter. Your guests will wonder how you whipped up fresh, fluffy popovers without even breaking a sweat.