‘Taming the Feast’: Paella for 60? Ben Ford says you can do it

What is the next frontier for the adventurous home cook? I’ll put my money on feasting, which is to normal dinner parties as running a marathon is to walking around the block. When you’re ready to try it, Ben Ford will be there.

Chef and owner at Ford’s Filling Station in Culver City, Ford has released a new cookbook, “Taming the Feast” (written with frequent L.A. Times contributor Carolynn Carreño), that explores the furthest reaches of the dinner party.

No simple roast chickens for four here: We’re talking about whole pigs and spring lambs, clambakes and fish fries, and paella for 40 to 50 cooked over an open fire.

On a slightly more realistic side, each menu comes with an array of side dishes and desserts that can be prepared for as few as 8 to 10. Yes, in “Taming the Feast,” that qualifies as nearly effortless.

The recipes cover the current California restaurant flavor spectrum, bridging Spain, Italy, France, the “Mediterranean” and regional America. And they sound good: grilled whole eggplant with tahini, fried garlic and mint; grilled little gem salad with cherry tomatoes, bacon and buttermilk-blue cheese dressing; and deviled eggs with smoked lake trout.

And should you be seduced into joining the world of feasting, the book is actually very practical, as Ford carefully explains almost every step of planning and executing the meal (including suggestions for using up leftovers, should there be any).

So if you’re the kind of person who is tempted by the idea of roasting a whole hog, there are detailed directions for preparing and injecting the pig with the 14 gallons of brine you’ll need, instructions for rigging a vertical spit with 5-foot-long racks, estimated cooking times for beasts weighing from 100 to 150 pounds, and suggestions for carving and presenting the finished product.

The final chapter is devoted to even more extreme DIY projects – how to build a roasting shed, a Caja China-style roasting box, a cinder block barbecue pit and a clambake barrel. (Hint: start with a 59-gallon wine barrel, one with a bung plug, and a circular saw.)

Griddled squid with pearl barley, soft herbs and aioli

From Ben Ford’s “Taming the Feast” (This recipe was not tested.)

Vinaigrette

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Stir together the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. If making head, cover and refrigerate.

Pearl barley salad

2 cups pearl barley

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 cups small cherry tomatoes, cut in half

4 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about 2 cups

1 heaping cup chopped fresh herbs: any combination of mint, cilantro, parsley and chives

1 1/2 pounds whole fresh squid, cleaned, or thawed frozen squid

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the barley in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Bring a saucepan of salted water (about 1 tablespoon salt for every quarter of water) to a boil over high heat. Add the toasted barley and cook until just al dente, about 12 minutes. Drain, transfer to a large bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Add the tomatoes, shallots and herbs. Cover and set aside.

Heat a cast-iron griddle or skillet over high heat until it’s smoking hot. Rinse the squid under cool water and remove the quills, if there are any. Pat the squid dry with paper towels, and season them all over with salt and pepper. Cook the squid on the griddle or in the skillet until tender and browned in places, about 5 minutes, turning them occasionally. Transfer the squid to a plate and set aside to cool slightly.

Drizzle the salad with the vinaigrette and toss gently to combine. Add the squid and toss again. Serve while the squid are still slightly warm or at room temperature, with aioli on the side.

Aioli

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons safflower oil (or another neutral-flavored oil) or as needed

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, or as needed

2 garlic cloves, minced or grated

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1 large egg yolk

1/2 lemon for squeezing

Warm water

To make the aioli in a mortar, combine the safflower and olive oils in a measuring cup with a spout. Place the garlic in the mortar, sprinkle with the salt and use the pestle to mash the garlic to a creamy paste.

While continuing to grind with the pestle, incorporate the egg yolk and a few drops of the mixed oils. Do this very slowly. (This is the key moment of the whole aioli operation, as it is at this point that you have to achieve an emulsion, and if you don’t get it now, you never will.) As you add the oil, continue mixing with the pestle, always in the same direction. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a small spoonful of warm water, which will help to keep the emulsion from breaking.

Still mixing with the pestle, gradually and slowly blend the remaining oil in the emulsion. The emulsion will steadily increase in volume and become stiffer, and the edges will come away from the sides, rolling toward the center. Add more oil until the aioli is shiny and stiff enough that you can stand up the pestle in it; you may not need all of the oil. Taste the aioli and add more lemon juice or salt if desired.

The aioli is best within hours of being made but it will keep, refrigerated, for two to three days. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

To make aioli using a mini food processor, combine the safflower and olive oils in a measuring cup. Put the garlic and the salt in the processor and pulse a few times. Add the egg yolk and pulse a few times to incorporate. Add a few drops of the mixed oils and pulse to incorporate. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a small spoonful of warm water and pulse to incorporate. With the machine running, continue to add the oil in a very slow, steady stream, adding enough oil until the aioli is shiny and has a stiff but spoonable consistency; you may not need all of the oil. Spoon the aioli into a bowl, taste and add more lemon juice or salt if desired.