SMALL ADVANCES

Just the thought of the amount of work involved in entertaining at home is enough to do in some would-be party-givers. That’s particularly true if the host chooses to handle all preparations alone.

There’s no doubt that last-minute chores are the worst. Just when you want to look your best and exude serenity as you greet your guests, you discover there is just too much left to do in too little time. So take that into account when you begin planning your personal holiday soiree.

Pick a menu that can largely be prepared a day or more in advance. Think frozen for dessert. Choose a do-ahead soup that can be reheated quickly or a chilled seafood offering for a first course. And, above all, keep the main course simple.

If a menu based on a main dish that can hold in the warming oven for an hour or so fits your party plans, nothing could be better than our Duck and Wild Rice Casserole. It, like our other suggestions, can be cooked the day before and assembled quickly for final heating at the last minute. This is a dish that combines roasted duck with wild rice, apples, apple brandy and pecans in a casserole that will hold nicely.

This particular casserole is a good choice for a buffet, and it won’t lose its character if kept on a hot tray or in a chafing dish. A vegetable side dish (we found lightly steamed broccoli a nice texture and flavor contrast), perhaps a simple salad and light dessert will make up a menu that can’t be faulted. If you like to serve a first course or appetizers, choose a cold soup or finger foods that can be served with drinks in the living room. Then move to the dining room for the rest of the meal. The secret to nonstressful entertaining is to do as much ahead of time as possible.

Another good main-course choice for an informal gathering is our Two Sides Brown Noodles With Beef Stir Fry. This is a remarkably easy dish that can be almost completely prepared ahead.

The beef topping is a simple stir-fry mixture--strips of marinated beef cooked quickly with snow peas, won bok, onions and tomatoes. All of the chopping and marinating can be done a day ahead and, if you have a microwave, the topping mixture can even be cooked the day before.

Refrigerate the topping, covered, and then reheat it at the last minute in the microwave. Quick microwave reheating won’t destroy the desired crisp texture of some of the ingredients.

If you don’t have a microwave, the topping can be cooked and then refrigerated at the point where the tomatoes and snow peas are ready to be added. Just before serving, reheat the mixture and pick up the rest of the recipe at the point you stopped. In either case, the topping will taste even better if the flavors are allowed to blend.

The “two sides brown” noodle cake is an excellent contrast for the dramatic topping. It’s based on an old Chinese classic, is simple to prepare and can easily be made even the day before and reheated when needed.

When ready to serve, the crisp-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside noodle pancake makes a wonderful base for the stir fry. The dish is very attractive, and everyone will think you have been slaving away in the kitchen all day.

For a more glamorous party--a cocktail buffet or after-theater supper--make your own Italian-style Torta Rustica . This looks and sounds quite complicated, but it’s not, and your guests will never suspect how easy it is.

Our version uses a super shortcut in the form of frozen bread dough. It is simply rolled out and pressed into a springform pan, filled with all sorts of delicious cold cuts, cheeses and vegetables, covered with a bread dough lid and baked till golden.

Because the torta is served cold or at room temperature, it can be made a day or two ahead, thus easing the last-minute crunch inevitable with holiday entertaining.

As it requires a fair amount of cold cuts, a torta is not inexpensive; but the result is a spectacular-looking Italian-style sandwich that, when cut in thin wedges, will easily serve from 16 to 20 guests.

A cup of hot soup, a simple salad and some bon bons from the ice cream parlor will complement the torta nicely and provide a complete light menu.

The following recipes should fit nicely into most contemporary holiday entertaining plans. And each has added value in that they can be either totally or partially prepared ahead, a true boon for a busy host.

DUCK IN WILD RICE AND APPLE CASSEROLE

1 (3- to 4-pound) duckling

6 cups water

1 small onion, quartered

1 medium stalk celery, including leaves

Salt, pepper

2 (4-ounce) packages wild rice, rinsed

1/2 cup apple brandy

1/2 (1-ounce) jar wild (morel) mushrooms, reconstituted and chopped

1/2 cup toasted pecans

1 unpeeled red apple, cored and chopped

Brandy Sauce

Place duckling on rack in roasting pan and, with sharp-tined fork, pierce skin in 3 or 4 areas near fattier parts of bird. Roast at 325 degrees about 45 minutes per pound or until duck is tender and skin crisp. Cool slightly, remove skin and set aside. Remove meat from bones and reserve, placing bones in large, heavy saucepan. Add water, onion and celery to saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour. Strain, discarding bones andvegetables, return broth to pan and reduce to 5 cups over high heat.

Meanwhile, cut duck skin into 1-inch squares and meat into 1-inch pieces. Set aside. Reserve 1 cup broth for sauce and combine remaining 1 quart broth with rice and brandy in large saucepan. Bring mixture to boil and cook over mediumheat until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Add water if needed during cooking period.

When rice is cooked, stir in duck meat, mushrooms, pecans and apple and spoon into heat-proof serving dish. (May be made ahead to this point and refrigerated.) Heat through. (If reheating, it may be necessary to add small amount of water or extra broth.) Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, sprinkle crispy skin over top of casserole. (Skin can be re-crisped by briefly placing on foil under broiler.) Serve with Brandy Sauce on side. Makes 6 servings.

Brandy Sauce

1 cup reserved duck broth

1/4 cup apple brandy

1 tablespoon butter

Combine broth and brandy and heat just until simmering. Remove from heat and swirl in butter. Makes about 1 1/4 cups sauce.

CURRIED LAMB IN WON TON CUPS

2 pounds lean lamb, cut in 3/4-inch cubes

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons curry powder

3 tablespoons flour

Salt, pepper

1 quart Lamb Broth

Dash crushed red pepper flakes

1 sweet red pepper, cored, seeded and cut in chunks

1 cup Chinese long green beans, washed, trimmed and cut in 1-inch pieces

Won Ton Cups

Saute lamb in butter and oil in large saucepan until browned. Add onion and garlic and continue cooking until onion is tender. Stir in curry powder and flour and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add Lamb Broth and red pepper flakes and bring to boil. Simmer 1 hour, uncovered, or until lamb is very tender. Add sweet red pepper and beans during last 5 minutes of cooking. (May be prepared ahead and refrigerated at this point.)

To serve, reheat in microwave or in saucepan and spoon into Won Ton Cups. Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Lamb Broth

1 to 1 1/2 pounds lamb neck bones

5 cups water

1 small onion, quartered

1 stalk celery, including leaves, cut up

Salt, pepper

Brown lamb neck bones under broiler, turning to brown on all sides. Remove and place in large saucepan with water, onion and celery. Bring to boil, skimming foam off if necessary, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Add water if needed during cooking period.

Strain, discarding neck bones and vegetables. Measure and either add water to measure 1 quart or place over high heat and reduce liquid to 1 quart. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 1 quart.

Won Ton Cups

10 to 12 large square won ton wrappers

Lightly grease maxi-muffin pan and press won ton wrapper into every other cup allowing corners to stand upright above cup. Bake at 350 degrees 7 to 10 minutes or until wrappers are lightly browned. Cool and carefully remove from pan. Serve at room temperature.

TWO SIDES BROWN NOODLES WITH BEEF STIR FRY

1 1/2 pounds beef top round

3/4 cup light soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 cup cream Sherry

1/4 cup oil

2 medium onions, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 (6-ounce) package frozen peas or 1/2 pound fresh snow peas

2 tomatoes, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

1 small bunch bok choy, sliced diagonally (including tops) into 1-inch pieces

1 (14-ounce) can clear beef broth

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Salt, pepper

Two Sides Brown Noodles

Place beef in freezer and chill until almost frozen. Remove from freezer and while still firm, slice across grain into 1/8-inch thick strips. Combine soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar, Sherry and 1 tablespoon oil. Place meat strips in sealable plastic bag and add soy sauce mixture. Seal bag and refrigerate, turning occasionally, several hours or overnight.

At serving time, heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over high heat in large wok or saute pan. Drain beef, reserving marinade. Add beef to wok and stir fry, tossing frequently, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onions and bok choy and continue to stir fry 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and snow peas and toss lightly. Add broth and 1/2 cup reserved marinade. Bring mixture to boil then reduce heat.

Combine cornstarch with water and blend until smooth. Stir into wok and continue cooking until sauce thickens slightly. To serve, place Two Sides Brown Noodles in center of large platter and top with beef stir-fry. Cut into wedges to serve. (Stir fry sauce may be served on side, if desired.) Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Two Sides Brown Noodles

1 pound thin fresh Chinese egg noodles, fettuccine or spaghettini

1 tablespoon sesame oil

3 to 4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

Add noodles to boiling salted water and cook to al dente stage, about 8 to 12 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Place in bowl, add sesame oil and toss gently until well coated with oil. Transfer noodles to 10-inch cake or springform pan, pressing lightly to form firm flat cake. Cover and chill well.

When noodles are well-chilled, place flat plate over pan and invert noodle cake onto plate, or release sides of springform pan. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil in flat-bottomed 10-inch skillet. Slide noodle cake into pan and cook about 5 minutes until bottom is golden brown and crisp. Shake pan occasionally so noodle cake doesn’t stick to pan bottom. Slide noodles out of pan onto plate, invert and return to pan to cook until well-browned on other side in remaining hot 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil.

Noodle cake can be refrigerated, covered, at this point, if desired, or served at once. If refrigerated, heat cake, uncovered, in shallow pan at 350 degrees 20 minutes or until heated through. Makes 1 10-inch noodle cake.

TORTA RUSTICA

2 loaves frozen bread dough, thawed

20 slices provolone

8 (7-inch diameter) slices mortadella with pistachios

1 (1-pound) jar roasted sweet red peppers, drained, seeded and halved lengthwise

25 slices mozzarella

10 slices cappicola

6 (4-inch diameter) slices mortadella

Omelet Layer

1 (1-pound) jar Macedonian golden peppers, drained, seeded and halved lengthwise

1 (10-ounce) package frozen collard greens, thawed and well drained

1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto

1 (6-inch long) link Italian dry sausage, cut in thin diagonal slices

13 slices spicy hard salami

Roll one loaf of thawed bread into circle large enough to fit in bottom and up sides of 10-inch springform pan. (If dough is too elastic to retain shape as you roll it, let it rest a few minutes, then try again.) Press rolled dough onto bottom and up sides of oiled pan.

Arrange 7 slices provolone over dough in bottom of pan, overlapping slightly. Top provolone with 4 slices 7-inch mortadella with pistachios. Flatten sweet red peppers on paper towels to remove any additional moisture and arrange half of peppers over mortadella. Add layer of 7 slices mozzarella, all cappicola and all slices 4-inch mortadella. Press layers down firmly each time new one is added.

Slide Omelet Layer over mortadella. Flatten golden peppers on paper towels and arrange over Omelet Layer. Add 6 slices mozzarella. Spread drained collard greens over provolone. Press each layer down firmly while continuing to add layers of 6 slices provolone, prosciutto, 6 slices mozzarella, dry sausage slices, remaining half of sweet red peppers, remaining 7 slices provolone, all spicy hard salami, remaining 4 slices 7-inch mortadella and remaining 6 slices mozzarella.

Roll remaining loaf of dough into large enough circle to fit top of torta. Pinch edges of dough together at sides, sealing well. Brush with egg white mixed with water. Bake at 350 degrees 1 hour or until bread case is golden brown and pulls away from sides of pan slightly.

Completely cool in pan on rack. Refrigerate and serve cold. Cut in wedges to serve. Makes 16 to 20 servings.

Omelet Layer

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

3 eggs, beaten

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves

Salt, pepper

Melt butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet. Combine eggs, garlic and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture into skillet and cook over medium heat, lifting edges to allow uncooked portion of egg to flow underneath to cook. Cook until set. Slide onto plate and cool. Makes 1 10-inch omelet.

Food styling by Minnie Bernardino and Donna Deane / Los Angeles Times