Choose a centerpiece, then roast it to a turn

By Russ Parsons
Los Angeles Times

These recipes from the Los Angeles Times test kitchen will serve you well when you're planning a special-occasion dinner.

But you can go a much simpler route:

Basic roast technique: Pat beef or pork roast dry. Rub with butter or olive oil and whatever flavorings you like (garlic, fresh or dried herbs, spice blends, salt and pepper). Roast on rack at 300 degrees, until internal temperature reaches 125 for beef, 145 for pork; remove, cover with foil tent for 15 minutes, slice and serve.

Or try these:

• Rib Roast with Tapenade
• 6 ounces pitted black olives
• 3 cloves garlic, divided
• 4 anchovy filets
• 3 sprigs rosemary, leaves removed
• About 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) standing rib roast
• Freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• Olive oil, optional
• 12 baguette slices, toasted

Pulse the olives, 2 cloves of garlic, the anchovies and rosemary leaves in a food processor. Add just enough red wine to allow the mixture to form a fairly smooth paste.

Score the fatty sides of the rib roast in a diamond pattern, using a sharp knife to cut through the fat but not into the meat. Smear the top and both sides of the roast with the olive mixture, season generously with pepper and let it stand at room temperature 30 to 45 minutes to marinate. Reserve any leftover olive mixture.

Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Carefully transfer the rib roast to a shallow roasting pan, bone-side down. Disturb the olive smear as little as possible. Roast to an internal temperature of about 115 degrees. This will take about 2 hours.

In a food processor, pulse the bread crumbs, remaining clove of garlic and the 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary until the garlic is minced fine. Remove the roast from the oven and pat the seasoned bread crumbs over top. Spoon over some of the fat from the bottom of the pan and return the roast to the oven. (If there is very little fat, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the crumbs.) Continue roasting to an internal temperature of 125 degrees, about 20 minutes more.

Remove the roast from the oven, cover it loosely with foil and let it stand an additional 15 minutes before carving. Smear the remaining tapenade on the toasted baguette slices and serve them alongside the carved roast, dipped in the juices.

Total time: 2 1/2 hours.

Servings: 8.

Each serving: 558 calories; 532 mg. sodium; 97 mg. cholesterol; 36 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 30 grams protein; 1.89 grams fiber.

Crown Roast of Pork Stuffed with Wild Rice and Dried Fruit

• 1 (8-pound) crown pork roast
• Salt, pepper
• 1 pound wild rice
• 10 cups water
• 2 shallots, minced
• cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup slivered dried pears (about 6 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper and place it upside-down in a roasting pan, so it is supported by the rib bones. Roast 30 minutes, then turn the meat over and continue cooking to an internal temperature of about 140 degrees, about 2 hours.

While the roast is cooking, combine the wild rice, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and the water in a large saucepan and cook uncovered over medium-high heat until the rice is tender, about 45 minutes. Drain the rice and return to the pan. Add the shallots, cranberries, pears and rosemary, cover the pan and let stand until the roast is ready.

When the roast is ready, add the walnuts to the wild rice, season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the red wine vinegar. Spoon as much of the rice filling as possible into the center of the crown roast, spoon some of the fat from the bottom of the roasting pan over the stuffing, and return the meat to the oven. (Place the remaining wild rice stuffing in a baking dish alongside the roast.) Cook the roast to an internal temperature of 145 degrees, an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

Total time: 3 1/2 hours.

Servings: 12.

Each serving: 446 calories; 60 mg. sodium; 105 mg. cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 34 grams protein; 2.71 grams fiber.

Roast Capon with Wild Mushroom Stuffing

• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 shallot, peeled
• 1/2 pound white mushrooms
• Juice and minced zest of 1/2 lemon
• 3 tablespoons butter
• Salt
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup cognac or other brandy (not fruit-based)
• 1 (8- to 10-pound) capon or roasting chicken

Cover the dried mushrooms with the warm water; set aside to soften, about 10 minutes.

In a food processor with the motor running, drop the shallot through the feed tube and chop until finely minced, 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl, add the white mushrooms and the lemon zest and pulse to mince them as well. Drain the dried mushrooms and squeeze dry, reserving the liquid to add to stock or soup. Add the softened mushrooms to the food processor; pulse to mince.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is sizzling, add the minced mushroom mixture. The mushrooms will almost instantly absorb all of the butter. Let them continue to cook, stirring frequently, and after 2 or 3 minutes, they will begin to release their moisture. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt, thyme, rosemary and a generous grinding of pepper and continue cooking until the moisture from the mushrooms has been reabsorbed and the bottom of the pan is completely dry when you drag a spoon across it, about 5 minutes. Add the cognac and lemon juice and cook until the mushrooms are completely dry again, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool. (The recipe can be prepared to this point as much as a day ahead and refrigerated, tightly sealed.)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Using your fingers, separate the skin covering the breast from the meat at the main cavity. Work your hand way underneath the skin until you have completely separated it from the breast meat up to the wishbone.

Carefully spoon the mushroom mixture into the pocket between the skin and the meat. As you work, press the skin with your hand to push the mushrooms all the way to the wishbone end of the breast. The mushrooms should completely cover the breast, forming a layer about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick.

Truss the chicken: Cut a piece of kitchen twine 18 to 24 inches long. In the center of the twine, form a loop and wrap it around the knob of one drumstick. Pull the other drumstick tightly alongside, secure it with another loop and pull it tight. Take the 2 loose ends of the twine and wrap them snugly around the outside of the chicken so that they hold the wing tips to the breast meat. The twine should not be so tight it cuts into the meat. Tie off the ends and cut any excess twine.

Generously salt and pepper the outside of the chicken and place it breast-side up on a rack in a low-sided roasting pan. Roast until a thermometer inserted in the deepest part of the thigh registers 160 degrees, 70 to 80 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and cover loosely with foil. Set aside for 10 minutes before carving. Carve as you would a turkey.

Note: When you remove this bird from the oven, you may be dismayed. The skin over the breast will be dark, almost scorched-looking. Not to worry, that's the mushroom stuffing showing through. You'll find that the breast meat is incredibly moist and delicately scented with the flavor of the stuffing.

Total time: 2 hours.

Servings: 6.

Each serving: 345 calories; 203 mg. sodium; 115 mg. cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 32 grams protein; 0.63 gram fiber.