Holiday Open House Recipes

By Food & Wine
Updated May 17, 2017
Throwing an all-day open house party may seem daunting but, with planning, it might be the best party you've ever had.
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Crudités with Creamy Pistachio Dip

Credit: © Anna Williams
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Italian Spritz Punch

Credit: © Tina Rupp
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Mixologist Agostino Perrone created this simple sparkling punch. “It would be a great aperitif for a large dinner party,” says Wayne Collins; he recommends serving it in teacups.

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Roasted Persimmons Wrapped in Pancetta

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Smoked-Trout-and-Caper-Cream-Cheese Toasts

Credit: © Michael Turek
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Inspired by the classic combination of bagels with lox and cream cheese, Tory Miller devised this variation using smoked, locally raised trout and homemade English muffins. It would be equally good on other breads, such as a baguette, or even the bagel that inspired it.

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Caffè Di Alpi

Credit: © Wendell T. Webber
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Bartender Steve Peters dreamed up Caffè di Alpi (“Alpine Coffee” in Italian) as a deliciously warming après-ski drink.

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Lemon and Arugula Salad with Parmesan Cheese

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Red Pepper, Garlic & Pecorino Gougères

Credit: © Maura McEvoy
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Fennel, Apple and Celery Salad with Watercress

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To maintain crispness, toss the salad just before setting it out on the buffet.

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Herb-Gruyère Biscuits

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The herb-and-cheese combination is infinitely variable: Try cheddar and minced chives or chopped rosemary and Parmesan.

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Cranberry-Pecan Bread Pudding with Bacon

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A good loaf of cranberry-nut bread from a bakery has so much flavor that there’s no need to trick it up with lots of ingredients. As the pudding bakes, the bread becomes almost custardlike, with a crispy brown top.

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Swiss Chard Gratin with Toasted Bread Crumbs

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Smoked Ham with Apple-Riesling Sauce

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Marcia Kiesel makes easy and impressive roasts that can sit out on a buffet table.

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Porchetta

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This crowd-pleasing pork roast, made from brined, seasoned pork belly, has crisp, crackling skin and tender meat flavored with rosemary, garlic and fennel.

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Green-Olive-and-Lemon Crusted Leg of Lamb

Credit: © Keller + Keller
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Bruce Aidells’s inspiration for this Mediterranean-flavored leg of lamb was a dish he tried during the annual sheep festival in St-Rémy, Provence. During the festival, legs of lamb are strung up and cooked over an open fire, then served with a green-olive tapenade, which became the basis for Aidells’s lemon-scented crust.

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Classic Cheese Fondue

Credit: © Rob Howard
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Chef Ryan Hardy makes his luxurious fondue with two kinds of Swiss cheese (Emmentaler and Gruyère) and two kinds of spirits (white wine and Kirsch), all traditional ingredients.

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Flank Steak Spirals with Porcini & Red Wine Sauce

Credit: © Anson Smart
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Winemaker Mario Monticelli learned to make this stuffed steak from his mother.

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Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Credit: © Petrina Tinslay
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Chipotle-Roasted Baby Carrots

Credit: Christina Holmes
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To make this stunning salad, Alex Stupak roasts carrots with smoky chipotles in adobo.

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Farro Salad with Turnips and Greens

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To get the most out of turnips, Tamar Adler buys them with their greens attached and then uses both parts in this hearty grain salad.

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Pan-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Pancetta

Credit: © John Kernick
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Fabio Trabocchi sears golden, buttery fingerling potatoes and tosses them with fresh dill; if you can’t find fingerlings, try baby Yukon Gold potatoes. For a lighter version, leave out the pancetta.

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Père Roux's Cake

Credit: © Quentin Bacon
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John Besh’s cake cake pays homage to New Orleans’s classic bananas Foster with a filling of sautéed bananas, cinnamon and dark rum in between each layer of fluffy genoise cake, capped with cream cheese frosting.

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Flaky Pear Tartlets

Credit: © Dave Lauridsen
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These tartlets, made with layered sheets of phyllo and almond cream, are a riff on baklava. If you can, fill the tartlets with Bartlett pears, which are sweet but not very juicy.

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Milk-Chocolate Tart with Pretzel Crust

Credit: © Con Poulos
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This dessert from pastry chef Colleen Grapes, a tribute to the chocolate-covered pretzel, hits just the right salty-sweet note.

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Raspberry Macarons

Credit: Michael Turek
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These are among the simplest macarons, made with only sugar, almond flour, egg whites and red food coloring—and a filling of raspberry jam.

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Vanilla and Cranberry Panna Cotta Parfaits

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This dessert is made up of two elements—creamy vanilla panna cotta and a clear cranberry jelly.

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