Dinner for 85

[Mezzaluna]

Please stay with me; this will be a long post! I know I called out the troops for help with a spaghetti dinner that I didn't have to make, in the end, but I will be making most of a seder dinner for 65 adults and 20 kids on April 8 at my temple. (Our budget was too tight to accomodate this elaborate meal.) I'll be serving the usual items (gefilte fish, chicken soup with matzo balls) but would like some preparation ideas for the main course. I'm asking for simple preparations for chicken breast or beef brisket, unless you have an idea for something else that makes sense. Remember: no pasta, flour or grain products allowed! I have a tried and true vegetable medley that can be made ahead, then heated. I will call on other people to prepare some sort of potato dish (maybe a good old potato kugel) in their homes and bring it to the seder. The soup is taken care of, and the fish comes out of a jar.

I will be preparing the main course in the temple's kitchen, which has home-sized double ovens (one with convection) and five electric elements in the cooktop. We have a home sized Sub Zero with 12" deep shelves, and a freezer about 5 cu. ft. The dinner is on Sunday, and I don't have to prepare a seder myself the day before, so I have time. I don't anticipate any problems holding food, as I think I have enough oven and stove space for this meal.

I thought about a basic onion/mushroom brisket or a baked lemon/rosemary/herb chicken breast. I am also figuring 5-10% extra for big eaters and surprise guests (although we usually have no-shows, even though they're prepaid). BTW, dessert will be sort of a pot luck, so I don't have to prepare it.

Thanks for your ideas! I posted this here, rather than in the catering forum, because some non-pros may have dealt with this sort of challenge and would be likely to see in in this forum.

[ 02-16-2001: Message edited by: Mezzaluna ]

[shroomgirl]

I did 85 servings of a lemon, garlic chicken to go with a porcini sauce a couple of years ago....make sure to rotate your chicken and check the outer breasts for doneness...the ones in the center of the sheet pan cook slower....so Mezz what is your question? are you looking for additional ideas or just ways to prepare brisket & chicken?
You've not alot of heating space, I'd consider doing a cold salad or veg.
Every hot thing you add takes so much more additional stove/oven space and for that volume it's alot.

[cape chef]

Hiya Mezz,

Let me see if I can help.
If I have a large number of people to feed it is the most important to me to break down the event into a daily prep list.It helpd you see things more clearly. I love brisket for Passover and my mom makes the best (to me)This is what I would recomend. A couple of weeks before the event ask you buthcher or market if they can prepare 6 or so first cut briskets around 5/7 # ea. That you can pick up in one week.Do you have any friends or do you yourself have any large roasting placks? and can you have acces to the temple a week out? If so, I would prepare the briskets a week ahead and freeze. This will put the really time consuming work behind you. Let me give you a really basic recipe to follw as for technique if that helps.

For each brisket slice about 8 onions,1 peeled carrot,2 cloves of galic 1/4rd a little tomato paste and kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper.you will need a little vegetable oil as well. Mezz, Pre heat your ovens (more than 1 i hope)to 375 trim the brisket of most of it's fat and hit it with some S&P. Heat the oil in your roasting placks and add your beef and brown on both sides.after you get some color on the brisket,remove it to a pan and then add your onions and saute them down till carmilized. now take the brisket and any juices that collected and place them ontop of the onions then spread the meat with the tomato paste (like your icing a cake)add the garlic and carrots and cover and pop in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours. Then remove from the oven and place it on a cutting board cut it thin on a bias, then place back in the origanal roasting pan as if your rebuiling the brisket,check seasoning and add a little water if you need to.cover it back up and cook for another 2 hours. take it out and slice the carrots and let cool.Then ask a restaurant or friends or whoever possible for some 2 inch standard hotel pans and place the briskets ,Jus everything in them. Double wrap with saran then Foil and freeze, This way you only need to pull them out of the freezer two days before and let them defrost in the fridge. Mezz, I figure 30/35 minutes per pound for the brisket in case the wieght you get is different then what I said...Don't forget the Simmis and harosses (sp). Let me know if that helps at all,or if there is more I can help you with
good luck
cc

[Mezzaluna]

Shroomgirl, I like your chicken idea, but the thought of dealing with 85 or so chicken breasts is daunting, especially if they must be browned before baking, which I forgot about. Brad, I like the brisket idea. This morning I found a good price on one in the store and it's in the oven now (onions/mushrooms/garlic/thyme layer on the bottom, same on top, beef stock). It's easy and freezes very well. Thanks for the tip on how much to buy, as that was a followup question. The Jewish mother in me will want to buy a couple of extra pounds of meat, but we'll see! The temple has NO meaningful freezer space, so I'll find a way to farm out the meat to other members' freezers. I think 2 days in the fridge to defrost ought to do it, yes? Put in the right pans, they could be reheated in the oven or on top of the stove.

Now the vege: I do a simple medley of batonets of carrot, zucchini, yellow squash and asparagus, sauteed in butter with thyme. I do each veg separately until just underdone, chill, and mix before heating. Experience has proven this to be a very good do-ahead dish people like. I'll have all day Saturday and most of Sunday to do the vegetable prep. My Matfer mandoline will be a big help.

**I'd appreciate suggestions of how much of the veggies to buy, given 85 diners. The medley is easily adjusted to account for substitutions, depending on what's available and FRESH.

Soup: I'm preparing chicken broth, which will be adorned with other people's homemade matzo balls. How about 8 oz. of broth per serving? Our soup bowls are small.

That's really it. Since the starch and dessert will be coming from others' homes, I think this is a very doable meal.

Immense appreciation for all the help and advice! I know I can pull this off, and feel much more confident knowing you pros are willing to coach me on the fine points.

[cape chef]

Hey Mezz,

This is what I would suggest give or take.
I usally plan for three onces of veggies per person,that would mean 255 onces divided by 16 give you almost 16 # of veggies divided by the 4 veggies you named gives you about 4 # each, Maybe go alittle higher to feel safe and maybe throw some red pepper in too for color?.You can make a fresh thyme compound butter ahead as well, Just temper 4 # lightly salted butter (or sweet if you prefere)Add to the butter some minced shallots,your thyme and chopped flat leaf parsly,some turns of your pepper mill and some fresh squeezed lemon juice and mix it in your brand spanking new kithcen aid with the pattle attachment. Then you can roll it like a log in saran and freeze, then defrost and saute your veggies and just adjust the seasonings. 8 oz is a pretty big portion of soup, I do 6 oz + garnish seems to do the trick. But I will also eat 5 bowls of matza ball soup
cc

[Mezzaluna]

I'll save you a bowl! I am currently trying to sell my plan to do this dinner to our board. Wish me luck!

[cape chef]

Good Luck
cc

[shroomgirl]

Hey good luck!!!
Sounds like a blast.
Remember though that if you have standard size ovens heating meat, veg and startch for 85 maybe hard. also consider in the ages of the 20 kids when buying, though I guess sending home go dinners with your older members would be a nice touch.