Category Archives: CHRISTMAS RECIPES

HERB SALTED TURKEY WITH COGNAC GRAVY

OK, you got to know that I have roasted a lot of turkeys in my day. From my first days of roasting turkeys until about 15 years ago I baked my Thanksgiving and Christmas turkeys in a brown paper bag. Many a great turkey was roasted this way, by-the-way.  (I even tried this method one year at our cabin. Suffice it to say that it is not a good idea to use a brown PAPER bag in the oven of a wood burning stove! Duh!) But that’s a story for another time…………

Then a few years ago brining turkeys became the rage. And of course I had to give that method a try. And yes indeed, brining a turkey creates a flavorful, tender and succulent bird. Absolutely no doubt about it. And that’s how I prepared my turkeys for the next several years. But brining a turkey is a pain in the bucket. So when I found this recipe in the November 2008 issue of Bon Appétit, I decided what the heck, if it’s good enough for Bon Appétit, it should be good enough for me and mine!

Well boy howdy, I about flipped when I tasted the melt-in-your-mouth meat. And the gravy! Now I pride myself on being able to make good gravy (my friend Jim says it’s because of the grandma gene), but my old standby recipe went into overdrive when I used the juices and fat from the herb salted bird. It simply was the best turkey gravy I had ever prepared, let alone tasted!

And salting a bird, rather than surrounding it in brine is so very easy. And the effect is the same – juicy, flavorful meat. Can you ask for more than that? Well yes you can. Gravy from heaven! And I am here to help you with just that very thing.

So fasten your seat belts and prepare to read about making sensational and easy turkey and gravy for your family and friends. And if you decide to give it a try, I am confident you will not be disappointed. Happy Thanksgiving.

Herbed Salt Ingredients:

  • 1/3 c. + 1 T. kosher salt
  • 1 ½ tsp. dried rosemary
  • 1 ½ tsp. dried sage
  • 1 ½ tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. black peppercorns, crushed
  • 3 bay leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 lemon

Turkey Ingredients:

  • 14-16 lb. fresh turkey (there really is a difference)
  • 1 lg. onion, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 1 tsp. dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp. dried sage
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • ½ c. melted butter
  • 2 c. chicken stock
  • 3 c. turkey stock, or more if needed (recipe below)

Turkey Stock Ingredients:

  • 1 turkey drumstick or 2 to 3 turkey thighs (get yours early and freeze, because it’s darn near impossible to find these just before Thanksgiving)
  • reserved neck and giblets
  • 2 qt. chicken stock
  • 2 qt. water
  • 1 onion, rough chopped
  • 2 carrots, cut into large chunks
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 stalks celery, cut into big chunks (don’t use the leaves – you want them for the dressing)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 T. dried parsley
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 6 peppercorns
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt

Herbed Salt Directions: Combine salt, rosemary, sage, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaves, and zest from lemon. (Chop the rest of the lemon and refrigerate until ready to bake the turkey.) Rinse the turkey but don’t pat dry. (Save the neck and giblets for the Turkey Stock you are going to make Thanksgiving morning.)  Sprinkle herbed salt on the inside and outside of the turkey. Place in two small garbage bags, set inside a container and refrigerate 18-20 hours.

Roasting the Turkey Directions: Just before baking, wash the bird and pat dry. In a small bowl, combine the onion, celery, rosemary, sage, thyme, and reserved chopped lemon and stuff into the cavity of the bird. Place the turkey on a rack inside a large roasting pan. Slather with some of the butter. Pour 2 cups of chicken stock in the bottom of the pan and bake for 45 minutes in a pre-heated 325 degree oven. Baste the bird with more butter and add turkey stock (by this time you can use your own homemade stock) to the bottom of the pan. (The pan should not be allowed to go completely dry.) Continue basting the bird and adding stock to the pan every 30-45 minutes or so until the turkey thigh reaches an internal temperature of about 170 degrees. This should take about 4-4 ½ hours. (If the bird gets too brown after a couple of hours, cover with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.) Carefully remove the turkey from oven when done, remove to a platter, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to cool at least 45 minutes before slicing. Make gravy (see below) while the bird is resting.

Turkey Stock Directions: If you have a second oven, or make your stock ahead of time, spread the turkey parts out on a rimmed baking pan. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 1 hour or until the meat is well browned. (If you don’t have a 2nd oven, place the raw turkey parts in the bottom of a large soup pot.) When the bones are out of the oven, place them in the bottom of a large soup pot. Pour a little water onto the baking pan, and allow to sit and cool for a few minutes. Then carefully pour the water and as much of the brown stuff that was stuck to the bottom of the pan on top of the meat. Add all the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan and let simmer gently while your turkey bakes. Use as needed for baking the turkey. Use remaining turkey stock for gravy.

TURKEY COGNAC GRAVY:

All is fair when it comes to making gravy. And truly great gravy starts with the pan drippings left in the bottom of the roasting pan after the turkey has been removed to cool. (And yes, we are talking cholesterol city here, but once or twice a year, leave your worries behind and travel to the dark side!)

  • pan drippings from roasted turkey
  • flour
  • turkey or chicken stock
  • 2 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2-3 turkey gravy mixes (just in case)
  • 2-3 tsp. cognac

Place the roasting pan on the stove after the turkey has been removed. Turn the heat to very low and begin making your gravy immediately. (Good gravy flavor and consistency require time to develop.) Do not remove any fat from the pan, do not strain the liquid, do not do any of the things most cook book writers tell you to do to make good gravy (except me, that is!).

Whisk in enough flour to absorb the fat. Let burble for a couple of minutes. (This process takes time, so be patient.) Slowly whisk in turkey or chicken stock until the gravy reaches the desired thickness you like. Add the Kitchen Bouquet (gives the gravy great color) and some freshly ground black pepper. No salt! Taste the gravy. If you think it needs more depth of flavor, begin by adding one of the gravy mixes and a small amount of turkey stock. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes and taste again. Repeat if needed.

Turn heat as low as possible and let the gravy simmer away for the next 30 minutes or so, whisking periodically. (You will probably need to add more stock during this time.) Also, after the turkey is sliced and plated, don’t forget to add the juices that have accumulated to the gravy.

Just before serving (and gravy should be the last item plated), taste the gravy and make any final adjustments to the seasoning. Stir in the cognac and serve piping hot.

Note: if the gravy seems a little salty, you might try adding a teaspoon or two of fresh lemon juice.

 

 

BRANDIED CRANBERRIES

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

  • ¼ c. water
  • 1 lb. fresh cranberries
  • 1 c. sugar plus more to taste
  • ¾ c. brandy

Combine water, cranberries, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook on low heat until cranberries begin to pop and sugar is completely melted. Check for sweetness. Remember: the brandy will add sweetness too. If you need to add sugar, continue cooking until 2nd addition of sugar is also completely melted. Remove from heat. When cool, stir in brandy. Let stand for a couple of hours. Store in glass container in refrigerator. Can be made days, even weeks ahead.

A small jar of these cranberries make a lovely hostess gift if you are invited out for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

 

PUMPKIN PIE BARS WITH BOURBON-CARAMEL WHIPPED CREAM

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Because I am lazy and want to spend my time doing something besides working in the kitchen on Thanksgiving (I know that surprises some of you), I devised this recipe for a make ahead and easy to prepare dessert. No pie crust to roll out and best made a day or two ahead. Even the bourbon caramel for the whipped cream can be made several days ahead. (Just don’t tell your family it’s in the refrigerator or there will be none left. I speak from experience.)

Crust:

  • 2 c. flour
  • 1 c. butter, room temperature
  • ½ c. powdered sugar

Mix flour, butter, and powdered sugar together and pat into a 10×15-inch pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 16 minutes or until light brown. Remove from oven. Meanwhile prepare filling.

Filling:

  • ¾ tsp. salt
  • ¾ c. sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • ¼ rounded tsp. ground ginger
  • ¼ rounded tsp. nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 12 oz. evaporated milk
  • 1 T. melted butter
  • 2 c. solid pack pumpkin

Whisk together all of the filling ingredients and pour into prepared crust. Return pan to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the filling has just set. Filling is set when you can insert a table knife into the middle of the filling and it comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Bourbon Caramel Whipped Cream:

  • ¼ c. butter
  • ½ c. brown sugar
  • ¼ c. + 2 c. heavy whipping cream
  • 2 T. good bourbon
  • ground nutmeg, opt.

Whisk butter and brown sugar constantly over medium heat in a small heavy saucepan until brown sugar has dissolved completely. (This happens after the mixture comes to a boil and is allowed to burble for a couple of minutes or until it turns kind of shiny. Continue whisking the whole time the mixture is on the heat.) Remove from heat and gently whisk in the quarter cup heavy cream and bourbon. Allow caramel to come to room temperature and then refrigerate. Beat the remaining 2 cups of whipping cream to stiff peaks. Add the cold caramel sauce and whip just until well blended. (This can be made ahead of time.) To serve Pumpkin Bars, cut to desired size, place on dessert plate and dollop with whipped cream. For an extra special touch, lightly sprinkle with nutmeg.

BREAKFAST ROLLS

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

One of the joys of traveling in Italy is the continental breakfast that is almost always provided as part of the cost of your hotel or B&B room. And as can reasonably be expected, the size and amount of dishes offered depend almost entirely on the size of the hotel or B&B. So in a small B&B you might just get cold cereal, yogurt, individually wrapped croissants, fresh fruit, juice, and coffee. While in a larger hotel, the variety and choices can be almost endless.

In a medium sized hotel (we didn’t stay in any large hotels) you are almost always presented with a cheese and sausage platter or two, wonderful chewy baguette slices, plastic wrapped biscuits and Melba toast, various pastries including croissants, hard boiled eggs (or sometimes scrambled eggs), fresh fruit, yogurt, cereal (both corn flakes and cocoa puffs), juice (often fresh squeezed), and espresso drink(s) of your choice.

But by far the best breakfast bread I tasted was in our first hotel in Rome. It was a not too sweet, hollow brioche type roll made I’m sure by forming several small balls of dough and placing them together in some sort of a large cupcake shaped pan to bake. So when you broke them open, you had several lovely little concave pockets on which to spread your butter and contain the honey. I’m tellin’ you, these babies were enough to make a grown woman swoon. OMG they were good.

So of course when I arrived home, one of the first things I wanted to duplicate were these wonderful rolls. The difficult part of finding a recipe for a one of a kind roll is, well duh, they’re one of a kind! I have spent hours looking, believe me. But when I do figure it out, you, my faithful readers will be the first to know!

In the meantime I’m going to share the recipe for my first attempt. This recipe is easy to make and produces an absolutely divine tasting roll. And when spread with butter and honey, well it’s just a heavenly experience. These would also be fabulous served at Thanksgiving. So give them a try.  But keep posted (so to speak). I have only begun to search for the roll of my dreams.

  • 1/2 c. milk
  • 1/4 c. butter
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 2 T. sugar
  • 1 pkg. or 1 T. active dry yeast
  • 2 T. warm water
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  • small amount of vegetable oil
  • melted butter

Scald milk; stir in butter, salt, and sugar. Cool to lukewarm. Sprinkle yeast on warm water in the bowl of your heavy duty mixer; stir to dissolve. Add the lukewarm milk mixture along with the eggs. Beat in flour a little at a time, to make a soft dough. Knead with your mixer or turn onto a floured surface and knead lightly until dough is smooth and satiny. Pour a small amount of oil over the dough in your mixing bowl and turn dough to coat all of the surfaces. Cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place free from drafts until doubled, about 90 minutes.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Punch down and turn out on a floured surface. Butter 12 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces using a bench scraper; cut each piece into thirds.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Roll each small piece into a ball. Place 3 balls in each prepared cup (dough will fill cup).

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Place muffin pan in a warm draft-free area; lay sheet of waxed paper over the rolls. Let dough rise until almost doubled (dough will rise 1/2 inch to 1 inch above top rim of muffin cups) about 45 minutes.

Melt about a tablespoon of butter in your microwave. Gently brush melted butter over each roll. Bake rolls in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. (Check after the first 10 minutes. If rolls are already golden brown, cover with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time.) Allow rolls to cool for a few minutes in the baking pan then transfer to cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

DUCK BREASTS WITH ORANGE MARMALADE SAUCE

1 Reply

I do believe summer has come early to the Pacific NW. Usually the month of June is wet or in the case of the last few years, very wet. But so far this June the weather has been splendid. Which means – I am outside and not turning my attention to the kitchen (or this blog for that matter). And then when I do come inside, I’m not much inclined to spend a great deal of time on my computer or fussing over a meal. A small piece of meat, a salad, and a veggie is just about all the effort I am willing to make after a day of activity. That and of course a nice adult beverage of some kind to sip on while I slog away at preparing our evening repast. (Must keep the cook happy, at least that’s what I tell Mr. C!)

With relatively little effort in mind, one of my favorite quick and easy meats to prepare is duck. (And I know what you are thinking. Patti, has the sun fried a few too many of your ever diminishing brain cells? Duck is neither quick nor easy to prepare!) To which I reply – nonsense! Now granted some recipes for duck are elaborate and take culinary expertise. (You will not be finding those recipes on this site.) But this recipe and my previously posted recipe for Duck Ragu with Fettuccine are both easy and quick enough for me to usually garner enough energy to prepare even after spending a grueling couple of hours harvesting weeds to donate to our local yard waste sub-station.

So don’t be afraid of cooking duck, especially duck breasts. Give this simple recipe a try. And while you’re at it, cook up a couple extra breasts. (I usually find frozen duck breasts in packages of 4 anyway, which is the perfect amount for two meals for the two of us.) Then freeze the extra cooked breasts or save them for a couple of days in your refrigerator and prepare the Duck Ragu with Fettuccine recipe. It is truly one of the best and easiest pasta dishes you will ever taste. Quack!

  • boneless Muskovy or Moulard duck breasts (1 duck breast per person)
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • zest of half a large orange
  • 3/4 c. fresh orange juice or 1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate & 3/4 cup water)
  • 3/4 c. chicken broth or stock
  • 1 c. orange marmalade
  • pinch kosher salt
  • 1 T. water
  • 1 T. cornstarch

Trim some of the skin from around the edges of each duck breast. (You want some skin, but not too much. I usually cut enough off so that when I lay the breast flat, skin side up, I can see some meat around the edge of the breast.) Using a very sharp thin bladed knife, score the skin in a crisscross pattern (just through the top of skin) at ¼-inch intervals. Pat the meat dry and lightly season both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.  Place duck breasts skin side down in a pre-heated pan heated to medium low. Fry for about 10 minutes or until fat is a deep golden brown. Turn and cook for  another couple of minutes. Transfer to a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 4-6 minutes or until interior temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from oven, tent with aluminum foil, and allow meat to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into thin slices. Serve immediately with Orange Marmalade Sauce.

To prepare the sauce combine the orange zest, orange juice, chicken broth, and marmalade in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Combine the water and cornstarch. Add mixture to the sauce and return sauce to a boil. If using the sauce within a few minutes, cover the pan and remove from heat. If making ahead, remove sauce from heat and cool completely before placing in refrigerator. Warm before serving. (Extra sauce freezes beautifully!)

Side Dish Suggestion: oven roasted veggies including potatoes, simple green salad

Wine Suggestion: Pinot Noir

 

GRUYÈRE SOUP

Maybe it’s because I am sitting inside our trailer in Bandon, Oregon while the rain is beating down on us that posting a recipe for one of my favorite soups seems so appropriate.  Could be, don’t you think? It’s not really cold outside, but it is wet! So even though it is just after breakfast, my mind just naturally drifted off to something warm and delicious, and the first thing I thought about was this James Beard classic.

I found this recipe many years ago when I was looking for a perfect first course soup. And “perfect” is the one word that describes this soup to a tee. I didn’t change a thing from Mr. Beard’s recipe. Why would I want to mess with perfection? So do yourself a favor and make this soup next time it is raining and you are in need of a little comfort. This will do the trick.

  • 4 T. butter
  • 4 T. flour
  • 2 c. milk
  • 2 c. chicken stock
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 2 ½ c. grated Swiss Gruyère cheese (do not use domestic “Gruyère”)
  • dash or 2 hot sauce (Tabasco or Frank’s)
  • kosher salt
  • Garlic Croutons, opt (recipe provided)
  • fresh chopped parsley, opt.

Melt butter in a heavy medium sized saucepan. Add flour and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Whisk in milk and stir until mixture slightly thickened. Add chicken stock and mustard. Heat through. Remove from heat and add cheese and hot sauce. Add salt if necessary. Serve immediately garnished with Garlic Croutons and chopped parsley.

Garlic Croutons:

  • 1 T. butter
  • 2 c. cubed crusty, chewy bread
  • granulated garlic

Melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add bread cubes and slowly sauté until crunchy and browned. (This takes upward of 45 minutes, so plan to make croutons when you are working on other dishes and are close at hand.) Stir frequently. When the bread cubes are golden brown and crunchy, lightly sprinkle with granulated garlic. Cool and store in an airtight container. Use on soups or salads.

 

FLOURLESS ORANGE CHOCOLATE CAKE (GÂTEAU AU CHOCOLAT)

As promised, this is another one of my favorite gluten free recipes. I make this cake every time I want an easy and absolutely decadent dessert. And I have yet to make it without someone (usually one of the guys) following me around like a puppy begging for more. They’ll usually even clean the bottom of the pan and the cake plate for me just to be able to scrape off the last few morsels. (I love it when someone else does the cleanup.) So if you want an easy and gluten free dessert, give this little darling a try. You will not be disappointed.

Speaking of disappointed, I know there are those of you out there that begin or end each day by reading my blog. (Don’t be ashamed, we all have our guilty little secrets.) So it is with mixed feelings that I tell you that this is the time of year I begin enjoying outdoor adventures and travel time with Mr. C. (Mixed feelings because I love to travel and spend quality time with Mr. C. and family, and I love to write on a daily basis. Sometimes they are just mutually exclusive.)

In other words, during late spring, summer and early fall, I won’t be writing up sparkling introductions and fantastic recipes for your edification as frequently as I have been these past 4 months. But don’t panic! Sit down, take a deep breath and get yourself under control! (And by-the-way, the old paper bag trick to stop simple hyperventilation actually does work!) Instead of almost daily, I will be posting entries when time and WiFi permit. (Sometimes we take our trailer way off grid. And when we go to Italy this fall, you can bet your best bottle of Chianti that I won’t be thinking about the blog at all!)

But come late fall and winter, when you too are back from vacations and have more time to read and digest (literally and figuratively) more recipes, we will once again begin our daily double routine. Me behind the computer, you in front!

But for now, I wish each and every one of you a happy late spring and a fantastic summer. And special thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I love writing it and hope it brings you cooking inspiration and every once in awhile a little chuckle to brighten your day. Now, where did I leave the keys to the trailer?

  • 1 lb. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 c. butter
  • ¼ c. + 2 tsp. Cointreau or other orange flavored liqueur
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 7 lg. eggs, room temperature
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1 pint whipping cream
  • ¼ c. powdered sugar
  • zest of 1 orange

Combine chocolate chips and butter in a heavy saucepan and heat until chocolate melted. Remove from heat and add the ¼ cup Cointreau and vanilla. Set aside and cool to lukewarm. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar together for about 6 minutes or until mixture is thick and pale yellow. Ribbons should form when beaters are lifted. Slowly pour the melted chocolate mixture into the beaten eggs and pour into a buttered 9-inch spring-form pan that has been fitted with an aluminum foil leakage guard bottom. (I usually cut a circle of aluminum foil about an inch in circumference larger than my pan. Then I place the pan on the foil and fold the foil up the sides to prevent batter leakage. As further protection from run away melted butter escaping to the floor of my oven, I place the whole thing on a rimmed baking sheet.) Place in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes (don’t use convection if at all possible) or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool for 5 minutes. Gently press down edges of cake with your fingers. Cool completely in pan. Then, run knife down edges to loosen cake. Remove sides of pan and set cake, bottom of pan and all, on cake plate. When ready to serve, whip cream to stiff peaks. Whip in powdered sugar and remaining 2 teaspoons of Cointreau. Dollop whipped cream on each thin slice serving and sprinkle with a tad bit of orange zest.

 

OLIVE STUFFED CHEESE BALLS

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Back in the first half of the 20th century, cocktail parties were much more prevalent than they are today. I don’t know exactly why that is, except that in general people today are much more aware of driving under the influence, which is a very good thing. (Not driving under the influence – heightened awareness! Just making sure you’re paying attention.) For sure there is the driving under the influence factor, but at least in our part of the country, there is the life in the west reality (people here tend to dress and entertain much more casually than back east, for example). But I personally believe the number one reason adult cocktail parties are not as popular as they once were is because starting at about the time my children were very small (late 60s and 70s), all the couples I knew were beginning to take their children with them wherever they went. I think (and I’m not a sociologist so none of what I’m espousing is grounded in fact) with the onset of more mommies working outside the home, we ladies wanted and needed to be with our children as much as possible evenings and weekends. I know that was how I felt, and I certainly wasn’t alone. But prior to that, when the majority of women were still stay at home moms, I’m sure they desperately needed to get away from their children once in awhile. (I know I would have had to, or I’d have gone mad!) So a late evening cocktail party for adults only was a perfect solution.

At the same time many women were starting to work outside the home, men were beginning to play a much more active part in their children’s lives too. So spending time with your own family and your friend’s families was becoming de rigueur.  And if it meant only being able to see friends with children in tow, so be it! And because there were children present who needed to be fed at a reasonable hour, our party style gradually changed from adult only cocktail parties to early evening family dinner gatherings. (Spaghetti was big in those days.) Now granted, we still managed to imbibe our share of adult beverages, but sophisticated affairs these were not. Just great friends, happy children with spaghetti sauce smiles and noise levels in the 120 decibels range.

And as our party style changed, so did the types of food we served. We quickly learned that one of the best ways to combat alcohol over-indulgence at a party, or at any kind of a function for that matter, was to serve so much fabulous food that booze became almost incidental. I know that sounds difficult to believe, but if you serve a variety of incredible tasting horse d’oeuvres at a party, including this recipe for Olive Stuffed Cheese Balls, people are going to continue nibbling all evening long. Sure they are still going to drink, but with enough truly wonderful food available, drinking becomes almost secondary.

I mean really, even at my ripe old age, I still remember going to parties in my twenties where the only food was a big old bag of potato chips and a couple store bought dips. Who in their right mind would have chosen chips and mediocre dip over keg beer? Not anyone I knew. But today, if presented with a beautiful table full of a variety of delicious dishes that include plenty of protein and as little salt as humanly possible (party food is intrinsically salty), people will simply eat more and drink less.

So plan your parties heavy on the food, lighter on the booze, and speak slowly and distinctly to your older guests. Some of us are still suffering the effects of all those 120 decibel evenings!

  • scant ½ lb. (2 cups) finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • ½ c. butter, room temperature
  • 1 c. flour (not sifted)
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • ¼ tsp. hot sauce
  • approximately 45 small stuffed green olives that have been drained and patted dry (I use the 5-oz. jar of Lindsay brand Spanish Manzanilla Olives)

Combine cheese, butter, flour, paprika, and hot sauce in a medium mixing bowl. (Best prepared with a powerful mixer such as a KitchenAid). Using a very small scoop or your fingers, remove about a heaping teaspoon of dough and form it around each olive. Place wrapped olives on an ungreased baking sheet. Freeze firm. Place still frozen balls in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

Note: People will eat these like popcorn. I would advise a double batch!

 

STUFFED BONELESS LEG OF LAMB

Once upon a time (I have always wanted to start a preface to a recipe or story with this ever so rarely used story opener) there was a really good Italian restaurant in Redmond, Washington that offered cooking classes. For the life of me I can’t remember the name of the restaurant and in my defense, I did take the class along with my dear friend Jim 16 or 17 years ago. Anyway, the restaurant is long gone! What remains is this fabulous recipe. Now I am a lamb lover. I love grilled ground lamb patties served with Tzatziki, lamb curry, rack of lamb, marinated and grilled lamb chops; basically all things lamb. But my favorite all time way to cook lamb is this stuffed leg recipe.

The first time I made it for guests was for a cooking club that has been going, more off than on unfortunately, for over a decade. The thing that stands out most about serving this dish was the reaction I received from my 2 cooking buddies Ken and Paul. (And yes it does seem like all my best cooking pals are male. My mom never raised no dummy!) But back to my story. The leg of lamb was happily resting under its aluminum foil blanket and it was time to make the sauce. The first thing you need to know about this lamb preparation is that it produces just about the best sauce you will ever taste. And this evening’s sauce was no exception. I actually invited the guys to try the sauce/gravy as it was reducing. I wanted to demonstrate the difference a touch of lemon juice could make to the overall flavor of the sauce when it was added just before serving. Well, that was one of the worst mistakes I ever made! The guys were eating spoonfuls of the sauce before it ever got to the table. They even asked if I had any straws! They wanted to suck it up right out of the pan!

Now I have to be honest with you. This recipe is easy once you build the demi-glace. But making demi-glace is a pain in the bucket. It’s not hard to make, it’s just time consuming. So when I make it, I make about 4 cups and that usually lasts me for an entire year, if not longer. But making your own demi-glace beats the heck out of buying it. You want to experience sticker shock, go on line and figure out what a cup of demi-glace costs.  Of course, if you’re super rich, no problem. But if you are ordinary folk like Mr. C. and me, well suffice it to say, I build my own. I usually make it when I know I am going to be futzing around the kitchen for several hours anyway. That way I can periodically give it a check while I perform whatever other cooking projects happen to be in the works. (It also helps that I have an outdoor kitchen. I can put my pot of bones, meat, veggies and water on to boil outside and not have to worry about messing up my kitchen.) So next time you want to prepare a dish that will knock the socks off your guests, give this baby a try. You will not be disappointed. Well maybe just a little. Leftovers for next evening’s meal are simply not going to happen.

  • 1 medium sized boneless leg of lamb
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 T. finely chopped fresh sage
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 7-8 slices prosciutto
  • 2 T. vegetable oil
  • 1 c. Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris, your choice (Both come from the same grape, but are made differently.  Italian style Pinot Grigio is typically lighter-bodied, crisp, fresh tasting, with a vibrant stone fruit flavor, floral aroma, and a touch of spice. Pinot Gris, from the Alsace region in France, is more full-bodied, richer, spicier, and has a higher viscosity.)
  • 1 c. demi-glace (see recipe under This & That Recipes)
  • ½ c. heavy cream
  • additional wine, if necessary (so don’t drink the rest of the bottle while the lamb is cooking)
  • ¼ tsp. fresh lemon juice

If the leg of lamb came in a sweet little mesh blanket bag, carefully slide the lamb out of the netting and set aside. Open lamb out on a cutting board and taking a sharp meat knife carefully slice the boned side of the meat here and there to achieve an even thickness. (I used to pound the meat with a mallet, but I have found slicing the meat here and there works better. Doesn’t leave the meat kind of mushy.) Rub the meat with a moderate amount of salt and pepper and sprinkle with the garlic, sage, and rosemary. Lay prosciutto on top. Roll the meat to approximately the same shape it was before you started messing with it. Tie with string so it keeps its shape while braising, or carefully stuff it back into the wire mesh bag. Heat oil in a heavy lidded roasting pan or Dutch oven. Brown the meat on all sides in the hot oil. Remove from heat and add the wine and demi-glace. Cover and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes. Remove lid, reduce heat to 325 degrees, insert instant read thermometer and continue roasting until meat reaches an internal temperature of 140-145 for medium rare. Remove meat from oven, transfer to a cutting board, remove string or mesh bag, and tent gently with aluminum foil. Let rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing into ½-inch pieces. Meanwhile, add an additional fourth to half cup of wine to roasting pan if there is less than a half cup of liquid remaining after the roast was removed. Add the heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer a few minutes or until the sauce has reduced to a medium thick consistency. Adjust seasoning and add lemon juice. Remove from heat. Arrange 1 or 2 slices of meat on each plate. Spoon a small amount of sauce over each slice. (Don’t be too generous. The sauce is really, really rich. I usually serve whatever sauce is left in a small gravy boat and place it on the dining table for guests to help themselves.)

Side Dish Suggestions: Oven Roasted Fingerling Potatoes (recipe below), a steamed veggie like green beans or broccoli, a salad such as Winter Fruit Salad or Coleslaw, and a nice homemade Beer Bread. And for dessert – how about Cherries Jubilee or French vanilla ice cream with Spiced Rum Sauce (recipe found under Bread Pudding with Spiced Rum Sauce)

Wine Suggestion: Let’s see, how about starting with the left over Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris that has been happily waiting for you in the refrigerator? Or if that’s already gone, open another of the same!

Oven Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

  • 2 lbs. fingerling potatoes
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • seasoned or kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced

Place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour on just enough olive oil to coat the potatoes lightly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and add rosemary, and garlic. Mix with your hands. Bake in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. (Your potatoes can be roasting while your leg of lamb is resting.)

 

 

 

 

 

CREAMY GREEN BEANS WITH MUSHROOMS

For holiday dinners a plain veggie is almost always ignored especially if the meat and other side dishes are also fairly simple. After all, it’s a holiday meal. And inherent with holiday dinners is the absolute need for something rich on your plate that you might not otherwise eat. And if that lovely mouth feel that comes from a dish containing butter and half and half happens to also include a vegetable, it’s a win-win situation! For example, this recipe would be perfect if you were planning to serve Maple Syrup Glazed Spiral Ham and Refrigerator Mashed Potatoes. Neither recipe has so high a fat content that creamy green beans would be too rich served as an accompaniment. However, if you were planning to serve Stuffed Leg of Lamb (recipe to be posted in a day or two) and Baked Red Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Sauce, a simple dish of steamed green beans would be a much better choice. Taste buds are picky and they are easily overwhelmed. They seem to be particularly happy when they have a variety of plain and rich flavors to visit and revisit at leisure. So when planning a dinner party, think about variety in both taste and texture, plain preparations versus rich, and color presentation. Color is all too often neglected when choosing what dishes to serve together. And I’m not saying that you have to obey the rules of the color wheel. But who doesn’t prefer to see a pop of bright green, red, or yellow on their otherwise mono-chromatic plate of food? Remember, parsley wasn’t invented to provide a last minute burst of fresh flavor to almost any savory dish, or because of its high vitamin content. It was invented for the sole purpose of bringing a splash of color to an otherwise dreary plate! A little story:  I will never forget one of the dinners we were served when my former husband and I took our 3 youngest children to Europe for 5 weeks in 1978. One of the places we stayed in England actually served us poached white fish, boiled peeled potatoes and way over cooked plain cauliflower. And on a white plate, of course! Now, in the world of home decoration white on white is terribly sophisticated. On a plate placed before three children ages 10, 11, and 12, who were used to a very eclectic assortment of food at home, this all white presentation was not well received. In retrospect it was really quite funny to watch all three little faces turn to me at the same time with expressions that clearly read “mom, do I have to eat this”? And truly, who could expect them, or anyone for that matter to eat something so unappealing. If I remember correctly, none of us ate that dinner. Instead I think we found the nearest Indian restaurant. (We ate quite a bit of Indian food for the two weeks we travelled around England, Scotland, and Wales and were never disappointed!) So, moral of the story; have fun planning your Easter dinner. Just remember – too much of a good thing is not appealing, crunch is your friend, and white on white is stunning in the home of a “dazzling urbanite” (to quote Jim (Gene Wilder) in Blazing Saddles), but on a plate, not so much!

  • 2 T. butter
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 8-oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 c. half and half
  • ½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 lb. fresh green beans, cut in bite size pieces and steamed until crisp tender

Melt butter in a medium sized fry pan over medium low heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sauté for about a minute or until garlic releases its aroma. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they start to turn a light golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. (This dish can be prepared up to this point ahead of time and set aside. Just before ready to serve, place back over heat and follow instruction as written.) Add the half and half and Parmesan cheese. Simmer until the sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Adjust seasoning. Gently stir in the green beans and parsley. Serve immediately. This green bean dish is based on a recipe from the blog entitled Closet Cooking; a great source of fun recipes, by the way.