Ep 10. Cooking for a Crowd

In season 11 episode 10 of Barefoot Contessa titled "Cooking for a Crowd," celebrity chef Ina Garten shares her tips and tricks for preparing a delicious meal for a large group of people. Whether it's a family reunion, dinner party, or holiday gathering, Garten has plenty of ideas for how to please everyone's palate while still keeping things easy and stress-free in the kitchen.

The episode begins with Garten visiting a local farm to pick up fresh ingredients for her recipes. She explains that when cooking for a crowd, it's important to think ahead and plan out your menu so that everything can be prepared in advance. This not only saves time and stress on the day of the event, but it also allows you to spend more time with your guests instead of being stuck in the kitchen.

Garten's first recipe is a classic spinach and cheese puff pastry, which she demonstrates step-by-step in her kitchen. She shows viewers how to make a homemade sauce for the spinach and cheese filling, then how to fold it into the pastry dough and bake to perfection. This appetizer is perfect for a large crowd because it can be made ahead of time and served at room temperature, making it easy to prepare and serve.

Next up is the main course, which Garten prepares using a slow cooker. She explains that using a slow cooker is a great way to feed a crowd because it allows you to cook a large quantity of food without taking up valuable oven space. Garten's recipe for slow-cooked beef brisket is hearty and delicious, and she pairs it with a homemade barbecue sauce that is sure to please everyone's taste buds.

For sides, Garten prepares a roasted carrot salad and a creamy potato salad. She explains that both of these dishes can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until it's time to serve. The roasted carrot salad is a simple but flavorful dish that combines honey-roasted carrots with arugula, feta cheese, and a lemon dressing. The potato salad, meanwhile, is a classic recipe that Garten has personalized with her own twist, using bright, fresh ingredients like scallions, parsley, and Dijon mustard.

Finally, for dessert, Garten whips up a showstopping mixed berry pavlova. This dessert is perfect for a crowd because it can be made in advance and assembled just before serving. Garten shows viewers how to make a crispy, chewy meringue base, then how to top it with fresh berries and whipped cream. The end result is a colorful, impressive dessert that is sure to wow even the biggest crowds.

Throughout the episode, Garten shares her tips for simplifying the cooking process when hosting a large group, from doing prep work in advance to timing your dishes just right. She makes it clear that with a little bit of planning, anyone can prepare a delicious meal that will impress even the toughest critics. With "Cooking for a Crowd," Garten proves once again that hosting a successful dinner party is all about having fun and enjoying good food with good company.