Barefoot Contessa (2002–…): Season 19, Episode 8 - Best Barefoot Grilling - full transcript

I'm the Barefoot Contessa.

It's card night
at the barn tonight,

and I've got a game plan
for the perfect dinner.

[ Laughter ]

To go with drinks, I'm making
spicy chili tortilla chips.

The main course is a fabulous
slow-roasted filet of beef

that comes out perfectly
every time.

And it's delicious
served with a no-cook sauce --

basil Parmesan mayonnaise.

Next, I'm making elegant but
easy truffled mashed potatoes.

I'm turning up the volume
on a favorite side dish --



balsamic roasted
Brussels sprouts.

And for dessert, it's a
store-bought coconut cake.

That should make the card sharks
very happy.

-- Captions by VITAC --

Closed Captions provided by
Scripps Networks, LLC.

Every time I have friends
to dinner, I make a game plan.

It's exactly what I need to do
at every moment

to be sure everything gets hot
to the table at the same time.

My card-sharks friends
are coming for dinner,

and I've got a game plan.

First thing on the menu --
slow-roasted filet of beef.

First thing on the game plan --
oven to 275.

So, slow-roasted filet of beef

is one of my favorite things
to do.



It's really easy,
and it really is foolproof.

So, I'm starting with
a 4 1/2 pound filet of beef,

and it's already been trimmed
and tied by the butcher.

And I just want to pat it dry
with paper towels.

If it's wet, it'll steam in the
oven, and I want it to roast.

Okay. Nice and dry.

So, the first thing I'm gonna do
is rub it

with a little bit of olive oil,
couple of tablespoons.

Just drizzle it right on.

It just keeps it really moist
in the oven.

You know, generally,
filet of beef is roasted

at a high temperature.

And you end up
with this nice, brown outside

and a nice, juicy inside,

but it's not consistent
all the way through.

It's sort of more done
on the outside.

What I found was when you
roast it at a low temperature,

it ends up being perfectly
medium-rare all the way through.

And it's amazing. Okay.

Olive oil, and then lots
and lots of salt and pepper.

Want it to have great flavor.

So, the first thing
is 4 teaspoons of salt.

It seems like a lot,
but it really flavors it.

And you want to do it carefully
and all over.

I'm really looking forward to
seeing my card-sharks friends.

We've been playing bridge
for years.

And because I've been so busy,

we haven't been able
to play lately.

So it'll be fun
to see them again.

And the next thing

is 2 teaspoons
of coarsely ground black pepper.

It's much coarser
than I usually do.

But for this,
I think it's really nice.

Right down the middle.

If you don't have a grinder

that can make really
coarsely ground black pepper,

you can actually use
a mortar and pestle

and grind it yourself.

Okay. That's salt and pepper.

Next is fresh tarragon.

It's about 15 branches.

Tarragon has a really nice, very
sort of subtle anise flavor,

and it's gonna flavor the beef
when it roasts.

Just lay it
on the outside of this.

Okay,
a little bit of kitchen string.

I always have that around.

Tie it underneath and around.

Just want a few ties just to
make sure it stays on the beef.

And then, before I serve it, I'm
gonna take all the string off.

Nobody needs to eat string.

You know, I think people think

that because I cook
all the time,

I've got a game plan in my head.

But the truth is,
it's really hard to do that.

And I found that if I wrote it
down, I just forgot about it.

I didn't worry all day,
"Should I start the dinner?

Should I not start the dinner?"

I just look at my game plan,

and there's nothing to do
before 4:30.

So, just a little brush
of olive oil on the tarragon,

just to make sure
it doesn't burn.

This is gonna be really good.

Okay. That's it.

Into the oven, 275,
for about an hour and a quarter,

an hour and a half,
until the internal temperature

is about 130 for medium-rare.

This is a little, thin one,
so I'm gonna keep an eye on it.

So, next, I'm gonna make
basil Parmesan mayonnaise

to go with the filet of beef.

I know it sounds a little
complicated to make mayonnaise.

Trust me. It's not.

So, the first thing
is two room-temperature eggs.

I'll separate the eggs.
I just need the yolks.

Next is 3 tablespoons
of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

And the lemon juice is
really important for mayonnaise,

just to give it
that sort of edge.

Right into the food processor.

1/2 cup of freshly grated
Parmesan cheese,

1 tablespoon
of good Dijon mustard.

1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil.
I love basil.

Next, some garlic --
just about 1/2 teaspoon.

Tablespoon of salt.

It seems like a lot,

but it makes a lot
of basil Parmesan mayonnaise.

1 teaspoon of pepper.

And I'm just gonna puree this.

Top goes on the food processor.

Process for about 20 seconds.

Next is oil.

I'm combining
two different oils --

1 cup of vegetable oil,
which has really no taste,

which is good,
and then 1/2 cup of olive oil,

which gives it some taste.

I like the combination
because just pure olive oil

would be way too flavorful
for this.

I just pour them both
into a glass measuring cup.

So, with the food processor on,

I'm just gonna pour this
slowly through the feed tube.

Just a steady stream.

This is such a great sauce
for the filet of beef.

It's really spicy
from the Parmesan and the basil.

That little bit of lemon juice
and mustard give it a nice edge.

Add the oil slowly so it
gets absorbed by the egg yolk.

And that's done.

Now, how easy is that?

Okay. Right into a pitcher.

Can't wait to taste this.

Mmm. Don't mind if I do.

Mmm. It's lovely, layered.

I really taste the basil.

The Parmesan is really strong.

A little bit of mustard and
lemon juice to give it an edge.

It's gonna be great
on the filet of beef.

And I think
I'm right on schedule.

Next, I'm making balsamic
roasted Brussels sprouts

and truffled mashed potatoes.

I've got the secret
for homemade tortilla chips.

And then, I'm pulling
the whole meal together.

I'm absolutely on track
for dinner at 7:30 sharp.

Cheers!

There's nothing that makes
a dinner party less stressful

than making a game plan,
which is really just a timeline

for when everything
has to get done in its order.

I've got three friends
coming for dinner.

We call ourselves
the card sharks

because we play bridge together.

And I'm making dinner for us,

and then
we're gonna play bridge.

I'm making balsamic
roasted Brussels sprouts.

They're so delicious,

and the good news is,
I can make them ahead.

So, 1 1/2 pounds
of Brussels sprouts,

right onto the sheet pan.

And I actually even include
all the little leaves

that sort of fall off
while I'm cutting them

because they end up
being those crispy bits

that are so delicious.

Okay.

Next, pancetta,
which is Italian bacon.

If you can't find it, you can
always use regular bacon,

but it has a great flavor.

And I'm just gonna dice it
in a 1/4-inch dice.

I actually originally
came across this recipe

when I went to Tyler Florence's
wonderful restaurant,

Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco.

And he made them, and I thought,

"I could probably
make something like that."

So what I do
is I roast the Brussels sprouts

and the pancetta together

with some olive oil, salt,
and pepper.

And then after
they come out of the oven,

I'm gonna drizzle them
with a syrupy balsamic vinegar.

It's a great combination.

Okay. Onto the sheet pan.

Okay.

Now I just need some olive oil,
about 1/4 of a cup.

Just drizzle it right on.

Lots of salt and pepper --
about 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

and about 1/2 teaspoon
of pepper.

And clean hands.

Just mix them all together.

What I'm doing is I'm just
preparing them now in advance.

Then they're just gonna sit
at room temperature

until I'm ready to roast them.

That's one of the secrets
of stressless entertaining --

do as much as possible ahead.

So, just spread them out
in one layer.

Perfect. Ready for later.

And now I'm gonna make
truffled mashed potatoes.

Trust me. They're delicious.

Well, you can't make
good mashed potatoes

without half-and-half
and some butter.

So the first thing I'm gonna do

is just heat up 1 1/2 cups
of half-and-half...

...and 3/4 of a stick of butter.

That's 6 tablespoons.

And just melt them together.

And then I'm gonna show you
my secret ingredient.

Truffle butter
comes in 3-ounce containers.

White truffles
are unbelievably expensive,

and the truffle butter isn't.

You can find it online

if you can't find it
in a grocery store.

So, as soon as the butter
and the cream heat up,

I'm gonna put
the truffle butter in.

But in the meantime,
I'm gonna drain the potatoes.

I have 2 1/2 pounds
of Yukon Gold potatoes

that I peeled
and cut in 1-inch chunks.

This is truly
one of my favorite side dishes.

Back into the pot.

Oh, perfect.

The butter's hot,

and now I'm just gonna put
the truffle butter right in,

off the heat.

I don't want
the truffles cooking.

Okay, right in.
You want to get all of it in.

Gorgeous.

And so here's the secret
about mashed potatoes --

I just do it right in the pot.

So, just turn the mixer
on slowly and break them up,

and then slowly add the cream
and butter and truffle butter,

just until
it's the right consistency.

This is so great to do
with a hand mixer.

You never want to do it
in a food processor.

It brings out the starch
in the potatoes,

and they get really gummy.

Not good in mashed potatoes.

And I know people say you can't
make mashed potatoes in advance,

but the truth is you can.

I just keep them warm in a bowl

set over a pan
of simmering water.

Okay.

Just a few more things,
and we're done.

2 tablespoons
of grated Parmesan cheese.

How could that hurt?

Next, 2 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

I use kosher salt.
I think it's got great flavor.

And 1 teaspoon of pepper.

And just mix that in.

And I may
just have to taste this

to make sure it's really good.

You know,
for something like this,

a lot of people
use white pepper.

I really prefer
the taste of black pepper.

And I kind of like knowing
that there's pepper in it.

Okay.

Now a taste to make sure
it's perfectly seasoned.

Why is this the one thing
I have to taste?

Mmm.
Wow. That's incredible.

My guys are gonna love it.

You really taste the truffles.

You taste a little bit
of the Parmesan.

Fantastic.

Okay.

Into a bowl set over
a pan of simmering water.

That's gonna keep it
nice and warm.

It's gonna be so good

with the filet of beef
with basil Parmesan mayonnaise,

roasted Brussels sprouts.

It's a real guy dinner.

I'm just gonna keep an eye
on them.

Just make sure --
if they get a little thick,

I'm gonna add
a little more cream.

Never hurts.

Perfect.
And that's ready for dinner.

Next, more game-plan strategies
with an easy table-setting idea.

Chili tortilla chips
delicious with drinks.

Then I'm pulling
the whole meal together.

I love it
when a game plan works.

It's bridge night
at the barn tonight.

I love these nights.

My card-shark friends
are coming, and I thought,

"I think I'll make them dinner
this time."

So, every time I make a dinner,
no matter how small it is,

I've got a game plan
so it comes out perfectly.

So, let's see where I am.

The beef is in the oven.

Truffled mashed potatoes
are staying warm on the stove.

Brussels sprouts are all ready
to go into the oven.

But with any game plan,

the first thing I always do
is set the table.

So, I started
with a 42-inch round table,

covered it in burlap.

Then I chose plain, white plates
and my good, silver flatware.

Then napkins
in orange and brown.

They look stylish but not fancy.

I like to use stemmed
wine glasses for the height

and straight-sided
water glasses.

And instead of flowers,

a big bowl of clementines
with lemon leaves.

I do always feel so much better
when the table setting's done.

It's kind of like having
the dress for the party.

You know you're good to go.

So, another rule I have
for entertaining

is don't make everything
yourself.

So what I did was I went to
the Sag Harbor Baking Company

and ordered an incredible cake.

The Sag Harbor Baking Company is
owned by two fabulous women --

Mimi Yardley
and Margaret Brooks --

who bake incredible custom
cakes, French pâtisserie,

muffins, doughnuts, cupcakes --
I could go on and on.

They've known each other since
they were kids in Sag Harbor.

Margaret became a pastry chef.

Mimi was an accountant
with a passion for baking.

They spotted a gap in the market
for a local bakery

and, well, the rest is history.

There's only one problem --
what do I choose?

Should it be
the chocolate ganache tart,

the almond cake, the lemon tart,
or the coconut layer cake?

They're all just so fabulous.

Wait till you see what I chose.

Coconut cake.

An outrageous coconut cake.

You think this is big enough
for four of us?

Oh, my God.
This looks so amazing.

I mean,
what guy wouldn't want this?

Wow.

That looks just fantastic.
All right. That's dessert.

I'm going back
to the beginning of the meal,

and I've made chili corn chips.

You can fry them
when your guests are there,

but I made them in advance.

I'm gonna reheat them
in the oven.

First, I cut 6-inch
round tortillas in quarters,

and then I fried them
in 6 cups of peanut oil

heated to 380 degrees.

It's almost smoking-hot.

They seem large, but they'll
come out a perfect size.

And here's a tip --
cook them in small batches.

Don't crowd the pan
so they cook really evenly.

Each batch
takes 2 or 3 minutes to cook,

and I just turn them once
so they brown evenly.

When they're ready,
I just take them out

with a flat,
wire strainer or tongs.

They work just fine.

Place them on a sheet pan
lined with paper towels,

and keep cooking the chips in
batches until they're all fried.

I use 10 tortillas total.

So, in the meantime,
I'm gonna make the spice mix.

It's just a matter of mixing up
1 tablespoon of salt,

1/4 teaspoon
of chipotle chili powder,

1/4 teaspoon of chili powder,

and 1/4 teaspoon
of ground cumin.

It just gets sprinkled over the
chips while they're still hot.

They're so good.

I'm just gonna take
the paper out...

...and reheat
the chili tortilla chips.

350-degree oven
for just about 4 minutes,

and they'll be really warm
and crisp.

Time to check the filet.
It smells fantastic.

Whoa.

I want it to be
just 130 degrees internally.

Let me just check.

You know, a lot of people
test the filet like this,

but it's so much more accurate
to do it through the end.

So, you make sure
you really get the middle.

Let me just see.

And it is -- bingo --
130 degrees exactly.

So, I'm gonna cover it with foil

and just let it rest
for 20 minutes.

Makes such a difference.

All the juices
get back into the meat.

It comes out so much better.

There. Okay. One more thing.

I'm gonna turn the temperature
up to 400 degrees,

and the Brussels sprouts
and pancetta go in to roast

for about 20-30 minutes,
until they're crisp and browned.

I actually think this is
gonna be a really nice dinner.

Next, it's drinks
with the card sharks.

Then pulling the meal together,
slicing that fabulous filet,

and dinner served.

[ Chuckles ]
Cheers.

Cheers.
Cheers!

I'm so happy to see you!
It's been a long time!

I know.

And I made
chili tortilla chips.

Are they spicy?

Yeah,
they're a little spicy.

They have chili in them.

Have a seat.

I hope
you like my new library.

I do. It's beautiful.
Thank you.

Okay, I have to
put dinner together.

Can you have fun
for a few minutes?

Absolutely.
You bet we can.

Without me?
I don't think so.

Okay, Mark,
you're in charge of the chips.

How's that?
That's dangerous.

Okay. Talk among yourselves.

Okay. Jack?

Don't those look good?

Well, I'm having fun.

My friends are here for dinner
and a game of bridge --

my idea of a great night.

So I've got a game plan
for dinner,

and it's working perfectly.

So, first,
I'm gonna slice the meat.

Filet of beef.

It's done
exactly the way I like it.

So, what I'm gonna do
is take the strings off.

Nobody needs to eat string.

You can really
smell the tarragon.

It's wonderful.

All the pepper and salt.

MAN:
Are we gonna play?

[ Laughter ]

That's why we're here.

So, all you really need
for this is a nice, sharp knife.

And see how perfectly
it's cooked?

It's just the way I wanted it.

I think
since it's only four of us,

I'll put the whole thing
on the platter,

but I'm definitely not
gonna carve the whole thing.

Put the slices on next.

That's why
a good, long knife is good.

Fabulous.

Brussels sprouts are done.

They smell fantastic.

But I have one last thing
to put on them --

good balsamic vinegar.

About a tablespoon.

I'm just gonna drizzle it
over the top.

See how thick
and just wonderful it is?

If you can't find the
really thick balsamic vinegar,

you can actually
just take regular balsamic

and just boil it until it gets
a little bit thick and syrupy.

Okay.

Nice, crispy Brussels sprouts
and salty pancetta,

and the balsamic vinegar.

Whoa! This is great.

Into a bowl.

[ Laughter in distance ]

It sounds like they're having
a really good time in there.

And finally,
the truffled mashed potatoes.

Mmm. They smell amazing.
They're a little bit thick.

I'm gonna add a little bit
of cream to them,

a little half-and-half.

If you have to add a lot,
you want to heat it up,

but just a little splash,

you can just do it
at room temperature.

How great is that? Okay.

I'm just gonna pile this high
in this bowl.

And I would say my game plan
worked perfectly.

Everything's ready
at exactly the same time.

So, this is
my slow-roasted filet of beef.

Oh. It's cooked slowly?

It's actually very rare
all the way through.

Uh-huh.

A little Parmesan basil
mayonnaise?

Absolutely.

With your filet of beef?
Yeah.

It looks like guacamole.

[ Laughter ]

So, a little truffled
mashed potatoes?

Truffled mashed potatoes?
Yeah.

Yum.
I think so.

Yes. Thank you.

Those look delicious.

They smell great.

INA:
So, Brussels sprouts.

They're roasted with pancetta
and balsamic vinegar.

Perfect.

I love these.

Well,
I hope everybody loves dinner.

Thank you
for having us.

Eat fast so we can play bridge.

Yeah.
[ Laughter ]

The potatoes
taste so good.

You really taste
the truffle butter, don't you?

I like
that there's a crunch to them.

Yeah, I do, too.
Anybody ready for dessert?

Mmm. Me.

I have the biggest dessert
you've ever seen.

Oh, my goodness.
So, it's a coconut cake.

Oh, my goodness!

Wow.
[ Laughter ]

You think it's big enough?
It's from Sag Harbor Bakery.

We can each
get a quarter.

Oh, my God.

I think one slice would be good
for all four of us.

I was gonna say,
what are you guys having?

[ Laughter ]

Part of my game plan is you
don't make everything yourself,

as long
as it's really delicious.

Ooh.
Oh, my goodness.

How's that look?
Does that look good?

Nice slicing,
Ina.

Whoa. Did I do good?

It's the finger part
that's really special, right?

Four layers.
Is it good?

Mm-hmm.
Excellent.

Ina, this is delicious.
I don't know how you did it.

[ Laughter ]
Thank you.

Well, it turns out,
a game plan is the difference.

All right,
enough with cake.

Let's play bridge.
Yay.

[ Laughter ]