The Dinner Party Shortcut Daniel Boulud Uses Every Time

Dinner parties are a fun way to test your culinary skills, but you can't be the charming, convivial host if you're stuck in the kitchen away from all of your friends. You hear their laughter from across the room, but you're missing out on conversation as you juggle three pots on the stove and a roast in the oven. If you'd like to cut down on the stress and join the party, you need to use Daniel Boulud's genius dinner party shortcut, which is doing it up with an easy one-pot meal. 

As he told Bon Appétit, "The main course should be a one-pot make-ahead recipe, so you can spend more time with your guests. I prepare a slow-braised, melt-in-your-mouth dish in a great-looking pot that I can bring to the table." By taking it a step further and cooking it in a table-ready pot, you also cut back on fussing with plating. It's the perfect shortcut.

One-pot recipes are a dime a dozen, but it gets a little tricky when you need to find one that you can make ahead of time. Rather than wasting time cutting ingredients while your guests congregate without you, make it the night before and chill it in the fridge. That way, once the cocktails are served and the conversation flows, you can excuse yourself to pop it into the oven and come right back to the festivities.

For example, you can try making red-wine-braised short ribs, which you can make ahead of time and reheat right before it's time to serve. For those looking for something simpler, you can make an easy chicken tetrazzini recipe, which you can bake in a decorative dish worthy of your tablescape. It takes about 25 minutes to bake, giving you ample time to hang out at the dinner table and enjoy your charcuterie boards. However, if you want to take it up a notch, you can also try making peppercorn roast beef with horseradish cream. Prepare the meat the night before, seasoning it with peppercorns, mustard, and rosemary leaves, and just pop it in the oven once your guests start coming in.