When it comes to simple desserts, there are few things as comforting and satisfying as warm pears. Don’t be deceived by the simplicity of this recipe; treated to a simple roasting, this is an elegant and flavorful way to enjoy them. Fragrant sprigs of sweet rosemary add a wonderful, yet unusually aromatic and peppery flavor to an otherwise ordinary dessert. This is also a perfect dessert for effortless entertaining — just prepare ahead of time and pop into the oven to roast while enjoying your main course. Buy firm pears, as they maintain their shape best with heat.

6 servings

Ingredients

For the roasted pears:
3 large firm Bosc pears, peeled, quartered and cored
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup good quality honey, such as Wildflower, Orange Blossom or even Rosemary Blossom honey
2 large sprigs of rosemary, cut in half
1 cinnamon stick
Strips of lemon zest from 1/2 lemon

For the whipped crème fraîche:
1 6-ounce container of crème fraîche
1 teaspoon honey

Good quality aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Equipment

Handheld or electric mixer
Melon baller
Vegetable peeler
Zester

Preparation

Prepare the roasted pears:
Preheat oven to 450° F. Place the pears in a baking dish at least 8 x 8-inch in size. Add the rest of the ingredients and roast in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the pears are just tender and caramelized, basting occasionally with the honey juices.

Prepare the whipped crème fraîche:
Beat the crème fraîche and honey together with a mixer until fluffy and a soft whipped texture. Do not over-whip. Refrigerate until needed.

Remove from the oven and serve warm with the whipped crème fraîche.

[Chef's Note: If you enjoy the pear skins, feel free to leave them on, as they take on a beautiful deep-amber glaze when roasted.]

Service

Place two pear quarters on each plate, spoon a dollop or a quenelle of the whipped crème fraîche on top and drizzle with the extra honey syrup from the roasting dish and balsamic vinegar. Enjoy warm!

Variation

Replace the pears with apples for another delicious late-summer or fall dessert.

Recipe and photo by Monica Glass

Rosemary, named ‘dew of the sea’ by Pliny the Elder, symbolized love, loyalty, friendship and remembrance. Its forest-like scent seduces even the mythical elves, and forms the heart of this elixir. Orange blossom honey and matcha (Japanese green tea powder) are woven into this understated tapestry, while the classic peach bitters and smoothest vodka complete the encounter. Fall in love with “Ever After”.

1 serving

Ingredients

3 ounces of rosemary green tea mix (see recipe below)
1/2 ounce of orange blossom honey
1 ounce of premium vodka (recommended: wheat-based vodka)
5 dashes of peach bitters
Tray of spring water ice cubes

For the rosemary green tea mix:
1/4 teaspoon of matcha (Japanese green tea powder)
1 cup of spring water
1 sprig of organic fresh rosemary

For the spring water ice cubes:
At least 17 ounces (a small bottle) of spring water for a tray of large ice cubes

Total: about 5 ounces per serving (guide for glassware)

Equipment

Kettle
Clear film for food wrap
Teacup
Fine sieve
Teaspoon
3-piece Cobbler shaker
Glass bottle (at least 7 ounces in capacity)
Cocktail glass (6 ounces), for service

Preparation

Chill the glassware and vodka until ready for use, preferably storing the vodka in the freezer. Wrap the spring water ice cubes with a clear film before placing in the freezer (this minimizes absorption of other aromas from the fridge).

Prepare the rosemary green tea mix:
Select a long (about 4 inches) sprig of rosemary, ensuring that it is in good condition and free from blemishes. Wash rosemary thoroughly, and gently crush it with your hands before placing it into the bottom of the teacup. Sift the required amount of matcha (using a teaspoon to push the powder through) into the teacup to remove any lumps.

Boil the spring water and put aside the required amount in a measuring cup. While still quite hot, though not boiling, pour into the teacup. Stir well using the teaspoon (bamboo whisks specially designed for this purpose are available — they are mainly used in the Japanese tea ceremony), and infuse rosemary in the teacup for 7-9 minutes. Discard the herb, and leave the rosemary green tea mix aside to cool. Refrigerate until ready for use.

Prepare the cocktail:
Measure the required amount of the various ingredients into the Cobbler shaker.

Top up the Cobbler shaker (about 3/4 full) with the spring water ice cubes. Attach the top half with the built-in strainer, followed by the cap/lid (sequence prevents too much trapped air inside). Shake & chill cocktail shaker with firm, concise and vigorous strokes until your hands can’t take the cold.

Strain into the glassware, straight up.

[Flavor Impressionist’s notes: 1 ounce is equivalent to 30 milliliter (ml), 1/2 ounce is equivalent to 15 milliliter (ml), 3 ounces is equivalent to 90 milliliter (ml), 1/4 teaspoon is equivalent to 1.25 milliliter (ml), 1 dash is equivalent to 1.875 milliliter (ml) or 1/8 teaspoon, 5 dashes is equivalent to 9.375 milliliter (ml) or 5/8 teaspoon.]

Serve immediately.

Variation

Try it as a mocktail simply by removing the vodka element in the recipe design.

One might also use Japanese green tea in sachets if the matcha is unavailable, though the former is recommended.

Recipe and photo by Damian Sim
INSPIRATION FOR EVER AFTER
BY DAMIAN SIM

With the focus on a single ingredient this month, we present the herb rosemary, or “Rosmarinus.” Derived from the Latin name for “dew of the sea” And named by the ancient Roman Pliny ‘the Elder’ (23-79AD), rosemary originally thrived along the coastal regions of France and Spain, where the salty winds and the sea slapped the rock face. This southern European herb symbolized love, loyalty and friendship in ancient Greece and Egypt, and was even believed to drive away evil spirits. Another tale reveals its allure to the mythical elves.

Since antiquity, rosemary was used in aid of memory, beginning with the ancient Greeks when they were studying for their exams. From the late 16th century, it began to be used as a form of remembrance in Europe (e.g. in funerals). Even the Bard mentions this traditional belief; in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Ophelia says to Laertes: “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” (Act IV, Scene 5)

The enigmatic herb possess a pungent aroma somewhat akin to pine, and somehow evocative of both the forest and the sea. This ‘turquoise feel’ inspired a companion in the premium Japanese green tea powder, matcha. Revered since the 12th century among the Japanese elite, including the Samurai warriors, matcha exudes restraint, power and elegance.

This understated quality requires the sweet elements in the recipe to be softer so as not to be lost. Orange blossom honey, with its gentle citrus sheen, was chosen with this in mind. Held as an elixir since days of old, this nature’s treasure was actually made with only the nectar of the orange blossom, which reveals itself in a subtle glimpse on the palate. Just like the orange blossom, peach has a personality somehow sensuous and pure at the same time. This powerful touch, in the form of peach bitters, completes the heart of this cocktail, fortified with the smoothest vodka.

The use of bitters actually forms the original definition of what constitutes a cocktail, though rarely seen since the Prohibition period of the 1920s-30s in the United States. This recipe design hopes to stir further passion in the renaissance of the classics, while also remembering the delicate treasures of Mother Nature.

The overall sensation of subtlety, natural and restrained yet powerful like a deep memory, offers a flavor design you could slowly fall in love with. We present a lingering tale of the woods in “Ever After.”

This simple and rustic dish uses honey to sweeten the sauce and bring together the dish. The lemon zest, cinnamon and cumin are all flavors that evoke Morocco. The pièce de résistance would be the addition of Moroccan preserved lemons, which you can find in Middle Eastern specialty stores or make yourself with our preserved lemon recipe. This authentic ingredient offers the perfect tanginess to balance the sweetness of the honey.

4 servings

Ingredients

4 split chicken breasts, bone in
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika

[Chef's Note: If desired, you may substitute boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin before dredging in the flour. Shorten the cooking time accordingly.]

For the sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus juice
½ Moroccan-style preserved lemon, sliced (optional)
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 cups strong chicken broth
1 cup Spanish green olives, pitted and sliced
4 tablespoons honey
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

[Chef's Note: Preserved lemons have been brined in a salted mixture with saffron, olive oil and other spices. They can easily be made at home, but require pickling over the course of two weeks, so you may need to plan ahead to make them for this recipe!]

Preparation

Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry. Dredge chicken in flour seasoned with salt, pepper and paprika. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken breasts until nicely browned on both sides. Remove chicken and keep warm.

Lower heat to medium-low and add diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally to remove browned bits, until onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the grated lemon zest and juice, the sliced preserved lemon, then stir in the cumin, paprika and cinnamon. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and sliced olives. Return chicken to the pan, bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan, keeping warm. Add honey, chickpeas and cilantro to the sauce, stirring to dissolve honey and pull together the sauce.

Service

Place chicken on warmed serving plate and spoon sauce over. You may spoon some of the chickpeas on the side, and garnish the dish with more cilantro leaves.

Recipe and photo by Mark Tafoya

Ethereally delicate, soufflés carry a dramatic mystique that marvels and captivates just about any diner. As temperamental as they seem, soufflés are actually quite a simple, forgiving and playful pursuit. Consisting of only two components – a base (most often a pastry cream, purée or béchamel) suspended in a stiff meringue – a soufflé rises into an impossibly light, fluffy custard with a melting texture as it bakes. Warm and uniquely comforting, this honey soufflé alone is breathtaking, but the Earl Gray anglaise is a charming match for it. Contrary to the popular assumption that soufflés are an à la minute affair, the mystifying dessert can actually be prepared fully in advance, refrigerated and just baked to order.

4-8 servings, depending on the size of the ramekins

Ingredients

For the Earl Gray anglaise:
1 cup heavy cream
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
1 tablespoon loose leaf Earl Gray tea leaves
Pinch salt
3 egg yolks, room temperature
¼ cup sugar

For the honey soufflé:
About 2 tablespoons butter, softened, for greasing the ramekins
About ¼ cup sugar, for the ramekins
1 cup whole milk
½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 egg yolks
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
4 egg whites, room temperature
¼ cup sugar

Equipment

Candy thermometer
Handheld or standing electric mixer
Handheld whisk
Pastry brush
Ramekins or ceramic mugs – we prefer individual (eight 2-ounce, four 4-ounce, three 6-ounce or two 8-ounce) ramekins for presentation, but any size can be used

Preparation

Prepare the Earl Gray anglaise:
Combine the cream, vanilla bean, tea and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let steep for 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Temper the yolks with the warm cream by slowly pouring a small amount of the cream into the yolks while whisking constantly. Add the rest of the cream to the tempered yolks and return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and the temperature on a candy thermometer reads 180 F. Be careful not to overcook it by heating above 180 F or the anglaise will curdle and separate. To check if it is the right consistency, the custard should coat the back of a wooden spoon and a streak should remain when you run your finger through the cream.

Remove from the heat and strain again through a fine mesh sieve to ensure smoothness. The anglaise can either be served now while warm or chilled by placing the bowl in an ice bath to cool. To store, cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 1-2 hours. To serve the anglaise warm after refrigerating, slowly reheat in a microwave at 15 second intervals, stirring after each interval.

[Chef’s Note: The anglaise can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.]

Prepare the honey soufflé:
Prepare the molds by buttering the insides with a pastry brush in upward brush strokes making sure to cover every inch of the mold. Pour a small amount of sugar into the bottom of each mold and carefully swirl the ramekin, dumping out the excess, to completely coat with a light dusting of sugar. Place the molds in the refrigerator or freezer until the soufflé mixture is prepared.

[Chef’s Note: Inadequately buttered ramekins will produce an uneven rise or prevent it completely. The light dusting of sugar also helps to give the souffle a lattice to climb while baking. The molds can be prepared up to 1 week in advance.]

Place the milk, vanilla bean and zest in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat; remove from the heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Whisk together the egg yolks, honey, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Strain the milk mixture using a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup with a spout and carefully temper the egg yolk mixture by slowly pouring the milk into the eggs while whisking constantly. Pour everything back into the pot and cook over medium heat while whisking until the mixture thickens, pulls away from the sides of the pan and no longer tastes of cornstarch. Transfer to another bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

[Chef’s Note: The pastry cream base can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated until ready for use.]

Place the egg whites into a clean, dry non-reactive bowl and whisk on low speed using a handheld or standing electric mixer. Once the eggs become foamy and frothy, begin adding the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until all the sugar has been incorporated. Continue whipping, slowly increasing the speed, until the egg whites become very stiff. Immediately fold the egg whites into the cooled pastry cream in three additions until thoroughly combined, being careful to use a fluid motion and not deflate the egg whites.

Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator. Fill each ramekin to the top, and then flatten the tops with an offset metal spatula or the back of a knife. Clean off any excess batter that may have dripped onto the sides of the ramekins. The soufflés can now either be baked, stored for later in the refrigerator for up to 4 hours or stored in the freezer for up to 5 days.

To bake the soufflés: Preheat the oven to 350 F. If using frozen soufflés, make sure to remove them from the freezer one hour before baking. Place the soufflés on a flat baking sheet and bake on the bottom rack of the oven. The baking time will be significantly less, 7-10 minutes, if using smaller sized ramekins and about 15-20 minutes if using larger 8-ounce ramekins. Rotate the baking sheet half-way through the baking time to ensure even cooking. The soufflés are finished when they have risen 1-2 inches above the tops of the ramekins, the top has light color and they appear sturdy. Remove from the oven and sprinkle a light dusting of powdered sugar over the surface of the soufflé for a finished look. Serve immediately with Earl Gray crème anglaise.
Recipe and photo by Monica Glass

This recipe comes to us courtesy of our friend Chef Ming Tsai. Delicate Citrus Herbal Tea Rub and mild sautéed halibut were made for each other. Here, the fish is served with a refreshing salad of raw fennel, orzo, and orange segments. Of his tea rub, Ming writes: “I can never get enough of tea rubs, so I keep inventing new ones. This green tea and citrus example is particularly fresh and appealing: The tea is beautifully complemented by lemon, lime, and orange zest while mint and ginger add more invigorating flavor. This tea rub does wonders for lighter protein, like chicken and fish.

4 servings

Ingredients

½ cup Citrus Herbal Tea Rub (recipe below)
Four 6-ounce halibut fillets, skin off
2 cups blanched orzo pasta
3 oranges (2 segmented, 1 juiced)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 medium fenne bulb, top cut off, split in half, cored and sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
Grapeseed or Canola oil to cook
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Citrus Herbal Tea Rub (makes 4 cups):
1 cup green tea leaves
½ cup dried peppermint, spearmint or mint
1 cup lemongrass powder or flakes
2 tablespoons sea salt or kosher salt
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar or raw sugar
½ cup dried orange zest, crushed
½ cup dried lime zest
¼ cup dried lemon zest
¼ cup ground ginger

[Chef’s Note: To make dried zest, zest the fruit, spread the zests on a baking sheet and bake at 200° F until dried. (It takes about 2 hours.) The rub keeps for up to 3 weeks refrigerated in a tightly sealed container.]

Preparation

Prepare the Citrus Herbal Tea Rub:
In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Set aside ½ cup for the recipe and store the remainder in a sealed container.

Prepare the halibut and orzo:
Place the tea rub on a plate and press both sides of the halibut in the rub. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add halibut and saute, turning once, until the halibut is cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the orzo, orange segments and juice, lemon juice, fennel and olive oil and toss to coat. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide the salad among 4 serving plates, top with the halibut, drizzle olive oil over, and serve.

Copyright © 2003 Ming Tsai. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. www.ming.com

Recipe and photo from the Simply Ming cookbook

How simple and frugal a thing is happiness: a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched little brazier, the sound of the sea.
–Zorba the Greek

Foodstuff: Chestnuts

Etymology: From chesten (Old English) to chesten nut (Middle English)

Area of Origin: Asia Minor, modern day Turkey

Description
We may be able to eat strawberries and asparagus in December, but they will always be a pale shadow of their spring and summertime selves. Thankfully, eating seasonally doesn’t have to be about deprivation — instead, savor the winter delicacies that are not only at their peak, but are also perfectly suited to cold weather, hearty appetites and holiday leisure.

Tightly encased in layers of thorns and shiny, hard shells, chestnuts do not make for instant satisfaction; but the reward is well worth the effort. After all, chestnuts are not only a delicious foodstuff, they are an activity unto themselves. What could be more decadent than an afternoon spent lingering in front of the fire, drinking a bottle of fruity red wine, peeling and nibbling a bowl of chestnuts fresh from the oven?

Whether you dream of a Dickensian Christmas, or an Italian autumn festival, chestnuts are the stuff of cold-weather fantasies and ruminations.

History
We may associate chestnuts with frosty weather and Dickens novels, but these unique nuts first grew in Asia Minor (today Turkey) where they have been eaten since prehistoric times. The Greeks probably discovered the tree during the Persian wars, when their routed armies survived on stores of chestnuts while retreating home. The Greeks spread the trees throughout Europe, and different varieties are now are so deeply entrenched from England to Istanbul that they are considered native species almost everywhere they grow. Still more species of chestnuts are considered native to Japan and Korea, but it is unclear whether all of these types of chestnuts originally descended from one type.

Chestnut trees earned the nickname “bread tree” during the Middle Ages, when small forest communities in Southern Europe used chestnuts rather than wheat as bread flour because they had no access to mills. Throughout Europe chestnuts were commonly eaten by the poor, either as a substitute for bread or potatoes. Many northern European countries celebrate the beginning of winter with St. Simon’s feast day; this feast is often said to begin on the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, because it symbolizes the beginning of winter.

Native Americans commonly ate a variety of chestnuts unique to North America, but in the early 20th Century, chestnut trees imported from Asia infected American trees with a fungus that devastated the North American species. Today chestnut growers are slowly bringing American chestnuts back to the market.

Forms of Chestnuts

Whole, fresh
Available from October to March, but most commonly found in December, fresh chestnuts should be firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, glossy shells. Chestnuts are extremely starchy, and will keep for a few days in the refrigerator or in the freezer for a few months. The most prized chestnuts for roasting are typically imported from Italy, and fall into two categories: marroni and castagne. Marroni are larger and sweeter and should be saved for roasting. Castagne are typically boiled and made into a purée or ground for chestnut flour.

Preserved
Canned, preserved chestnuts are available year-round. Most are imported from France and are available sweetened or unsweetened.

Preparing Fresh Chestnuts

Boiling
Slit the shell of the chestnuts (traditionally they are cut with an X to prevent them from exploding). Drop in boiling water for 10 minutes. Let cool in the water, then shell as soon as possible.

Roasting
The best way to roast chestnuts is over hot coals, but since that’s not practical for most people, you can also roast them in the oven on a cookie sheet. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Make an X in each chestnut so they won’t explode and place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Don’t pack them too tightly. Roast until the chestnuts have softened, at least 15-20 minutes. The skin will have begun to peel back. Be careful, they will be very hot! Place the nuts on a kitchen towel, wrap them up, and squeeze them hard — they will make a pleasant crackling noise. Let them sit for a few minutes. As soon as they are cool enough to touch, peel and enjoy.

You can also roast chestnuts in special pans directly over a gas flame. Holes in the pan allow direct contact of the flame but are small enough that the chestnuts don’t drop out. These pans replicate some of the effect of coal roasting.

Recipes

Chestnut Caramel Pound Cake
Chestnut Hot Chocolate
Love & Honor Cocktail

Sources
A Modern Herbal by M. Grieve
Roasting Chestnuts

Dossier by China Millman

Since traveling to Switzerland some years ago, I find myself craving hot spiced wine whenever I come in from the cold. (Or maybe I’m just a wino.) The soothing fragrance of the cinnamon and its mulling companions is like a cozy blanket for my chilled bones, and now that we’re in the thick of the holidays, I’m up for any reason at all to get that pot of wine on the stove!

There are many variations of mulled wine, from Glühwein in Switzerland and Germany to Glögg in Nordic countries and hõõgvein in Estonia. Whatever the name and combination of ingredients, this comfort-laden beverage is sure to be a hit for your holiday entertaining. I found some variations online and came up with my own potion, so I encourage you to use the recipes below as a starting point and experiment to suit your tastes.

Glühwein (this is what we sipped in Switzerland)
Glögg (this one’s interactive!)
Mulled wine (including historical information and oodles of variations)

I love to share sumptuous treats and a glass (or three) of something very special with my friends and loved ones for the holidays; if I’ve crafted the goodies myself, it elevates the experience for me. Such things are the very alchemy of love. I suppose that’s also why I’ve got dishpan hands from days of cooking, baking and candy-making, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Whatever holiday you celebrate — or if you don’t celebrate anything in particular, just celebrate celebrating! — I hope you’ll take the time to share a glass, a bite, and a toast with the ones you love. To those who celebrate my holiday, Merry Christmas, Buon natale, Joyeux Noël, Happy Christmas, and all the others I can’t pronounce or spell!

From my chaotic, love-filled house to yours, I wish you the happiest of holiday seasons.

Cocktail party: A gathering held to enable forty people to talk about themselves at the same time. The man who remains after the liquor is gone is the host.
- Fred Allen

Origin
The origin of the term “cocktail” itself is rife with rumor and speculation, so we’ll leave that to the drink historians. We are far more concerned with putting the cocktail into practice. However, for reference, the term was included in the magazine The Balance in May 1806: “Cocktail is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters – it is vulgarly called bittered sling and is supposed to be an excellent electioneering potion.”

Description
Ah, the cocktail. It is the introduction to “happy hour,” the ice-breaker, the way to finish a long day and start a magnificent evening. Cocktails can be as simple as scotch on the rocks or as complex as one’s imagination will allow, so it is the one type of beverage that allows for utter creativity.

Some cocktails have fallen strictly under the umbrella of “girlie,” i.e. the Cosmopolitan, sweet martinis (chocolate et. al.) and fruit-laced concoctions, while others are very “masculine.” Think of the dry martini, gin and tonics or any kind of strong spirit. We tend to stay away from lines of gender demarcation and bring all varieties of cocktails together for our favorite type of gathering: the cocktail party.

The Cocktail Party
Here’s where we get to the good stuff. Cocktails are so popular that entire parties have been crafted around them, and we are partial to such gatherings this time of year. Cocktail parties are easiest on the schedule of the holiday cook; they do not require the critical timing of service or individual plating, and most dishes can be made in advance. We thus prefer to set up a bar, put out some hors d’oeuvres and let our guests help themselves to the bounty.

If your party is scheduled to take place around the dinner hour, understand that people will probably arrive hungry for dinner. This doesn’t mean you need to feed them dinner, of course, but you should be prepared to serve hors d’oeuvres that are substantial enough to get them through the next couple of hours. There is nothing worse than leaving a party with a hunger pain.

We have an entire collection of Appetizers to fuel your inspiration, and those can be served along with the crudités and/or cheese boards. Use your imagination and have fun with the creative process.

You can estimate recipe quantities by assuming 4 portions per person for light dishes and 3 portions for heartier fare, provided you also serve other nibbles like crudités and a cheese board. (There really is no reason why you shouldn’t, as they are a snap to put together.) However, if you are truly reluctant to do so, double the portions of hors d’oeuvres per person to be safe. Also, if you have vegetarian guests, be sure to include enough portions to compensate for the other dishes they will not be eating, and/or add more to the crudités and cheese board.

The flow of your cocktail party menu should be as follows:

Crudités/Light Hors d’Oeuvres
Hearty Hors d’Oeuvres
Cheese Board/Dessert Items

Here is an example:

Light hors d’oeuvres:
Crudités with Aoili Garni
Smoked Trout with Horseradish Crème Fraîche on Toast Points
Eggs with Caviar and Salmon Rosettes

Hearty hors d’oeuvres:
Lobster Bisque Shooters
Mini Savory Bites
Grilled Lemongrass Shrimp
Grilled Beef with Spicy Satay Dip
Cheese Board (optional)

Dessert items:
Cheese Board
and/or
Thai Curry Truffles
Olive Oil Brownies with Toasted Walnuts
Pecan Shortbread
Lavender Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze

The flow of dishes above accounts for two important considerations: (1) early guests have something to nibble until the bulk of the crowd arrives; and (2) hot food can be presented when you have the maximum crowd there, so it can be enjoyed at its peak of temperature and freshness.

We recommend serving the light hors d’oeuvres for the first 20-30 minutes, as most people tend to be “fashionably” late — this is a judgment call you will have to make according to the size of the crowd at that time.

In case you have not yet perused our Entertaining section, our article The Magic of Ambience is full of tips and tricks to set the right mood for your gathering, including lighting, music and table displays.

Bar Setup
This is the critical component. For a cocktail party, you will need to decide whether there will be a bartender or self-serve setup. If it is the former, and the barman is a professional, he will likely have a repertoire he prefers to serve. For our purposes here, however, we will assume a self-serve setup.

At its most basic, your bar should include the following items:

Liquors
Gin
Vodka
Rum
Whiskey (at least Bourbon and Scotch)
Vermouth
Tequila (Reposado)

Accompaniments/Mixers
Tonic water
Club soda
Coke
7-Up
Sour mix
Common fruit juices – fresh, or those not from concentrates (i.e. lime, cranberry, grapefruit, etc.)
Lime wedges
Lemon wedges
Cocktail olives (you may want to keep the juice in a small glass container for dirty martinis)
Ice (app. 1 pound per guest per hour (for about 3 servings)

[Mixologist's Notes: Though troublesome, buying a bunch of fun ice molds and making your own ice with mineral water would also be a nice touch. Also, carbonated mixers in cans are easier to chill and manage.]

Accessories
Wine glasses (champagne, red, white)
Cocktail glasses
Cocktail shaker(s)
Stirrers
Cocktail napkins

[Mixologist's Note: You may also wish to consider disposable plasticware shaped just like the cocktail and wine glassware and/or champagne flutes.]

For those who might prefer wine to cocktails, it is best to include an assortment of red, white, and sparkling wines (see Alder’s favorite $10 wines for some suggestions).

Alternative Approaches

Pre-mixes
An alternative to the basic setup suggested above would be to offer about five of the most popular types of cocktails in your city, and simply set up the bar according to that (or if you are serving a crowd of close friends, you might already know which types they prefer.)

In this instance, the alcoholic components could be premixed in a bottle, while the rest of the ingredients could be prepared in another (except for carbonated items). This way, the alcoholic pre-mixes that are not consumed could be used for another occasion, as the more perishable non-alcoholic portions are mixed separately.

For example, in our Lychee Martini recipe, each serving requires about 1¾ ounces of the alcoholic pre-mix (lychee liqueur, vanilla flavored vodka and Cointreau), and about 2 ounces of the non-alcoholic pre-mix (lychee brine blended with fresh lychees). For a self-serve bar, label each bottle with simple instructions and the amount required per serving, and color-code those that are used for the same recipe.

3-Course Cocktails
Another possibility to explore is to match the cocktails with the flow of the food. Just like aperitifs are traditionally used as liquid appetizers, one might explore refreshing and/or tart cocktail recipes in the first course (i.e. Lychee Martini, Mojito, Cosmopolitan), followed by stronger & heavier styles (i.e. Pina Colada, Godmother, Manhattan).

For the first course cocktail, start experimenting with tart ingredients such as raspberries, pomegranate or cranberries, and refreshing items such as mint, grapefruit, lemongrass and lychee.

The third course would be great with champagne-based cocktails (i.e. Clove Spiced Champagne, Bellini) with sharp, distinctive notes to add a celebratory note, perhaps for a Christmas or New Year’s countdown toast.

Home-made
If you have the time and are feeling creative, you can even prepare your own flavored vodkas, i.e. Granny Smith apple and cinnamon. From these bases, you could have a wild adventure of exotic martinis.

Recipes
Our Cocktails section has a full listing of recipes, including non-alcoholic (virgin) options, so go and explore!

This podcast was originally published on December 14, 2007.

OK folks, we’re down to the home stretch here. This episode contains some holiday entertaining tips to help make it all go a bit more smoothly. Work with me.

Podsafe Christmas Song:

A Thousand Miles by Matthew Ebel

http://www.matthewebel.com/

Music:
Beau Hall (http://www.beaurocks.com/)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (http://www.culinarymedianetwork.com/).

food, food podcast, sensuality, Food Philosophy, Culinary Media Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo, Hamilton Beach, Christmas, holiday entertaining, recipes

a test kitchen dossier

I have learned
To spell hors d’oeuvres,
Which still grates on
Some people’s n’oeuvres.
- Warren Knox

Origin
The French phrase hors d’oeuvre (often pluralized as hors d’oeuvres in English) literally means “outside of the work,” and originally referred to an outbuilding not incorporated into the architect’s main design of a house or building. The phrase eventually found its way into the culinary lexicon, meaning appetizers served apart from the main course of a dinner.

Description
Hors d’oeuvres can encompass a wide variety of foods, and range from casual finger foods to elegant nibbles. Their versatility makes them ideal for any kind of event, either as snacks taken at the cocktail hour prior to a seated meal, or as the main menu for a party where the guests won’t be seated. Tapas, dim sum, antipasti, antojitos and appetizers all can fit into the theme of hors d’oeuvres, leaving the menu open to your imagination.

Serving Hors d’Oeuvres
If you read our Cocktail dossier, you know that we prefer to go with hors d’oeuvres parties for the hectic holiday season, and it’s our favorite way to celebrate for New Year’s Eve. We’ve recapped our menu suggestions here so you can craft your menu with the right progression of light to heavy hors d’oeuvres for each “course,” as well as appropriate serving sizes.

If your party is scheduled to take place around the dinner hour, understand that people will probably arrive hungry for dinner. This doesn’t mean you need to feed them dinner, of course, but you should be prepared to serve hors d’oeuvres that are substantial enough to get them through the next couple of hours. There is nothing worse than leaving a party with a hunger pain.

We have an entire collection of recipes to fuel your inspiration (see the links at the end of this dossier), and those can be served along with the crudités and/or a cheese board. Use your imagination and have fun with the creative process.

You can estimate recipe quantities by assuming 4 portions per person for light dishes and 3 portions for heartier fare, provided you also serve other nibbles like crudités and a cheese board. (There really is no reason why you shouldn’t, as they are a snap to put together.) However, if you are truly reluctant to do so, double the portions of hors d’oeuvres per person to be safe. Also, if you have vegetarian guests, be sure to include enough portions to compensate for the other dishes they will not be eating, and/or add more to the crudités and cheese board.

The flow of your cocktail party menu should be as follows:

Crudités/Light Hors d’Oeuvres
Hearty Hors d’Oeuvres
Cheese Board/Dessert Items

Here is an example:

Light hors d’oeuvres:
Crudités with Aoili Garni
Smoked Trout with Horseradish Crème Fraîche on Toast Points
Eggs with Caviar and Salmon Rosettes

Hearty hors d’oeuvres:
Lobster Bisque Shooters
Mini Savory Bites
Grilled Lemongrass Shrimp
Grilled Beef with Spicy Satay Dip
Cheese Board (optional)

Dessert items:
Cheese Board
and/or
Thai Curry Truffles
Olive Oil Brownies with Toasted Walnuts
Pecan Shortbread
Lavender Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze

The flow of dishes above accounts for two important considerations: (1) early guests have something to nibble until the bulk of the crowd arrives; and (2) hot food can be presented when you have the maximum crowd there, so it can be enjoyed at its peak of temperature and freshness.

We recommend serving the light hors d’oeuvres for the first 20-30 minutes, as most people tend to be “fashionably” late — this is a judgment call you will have to make according to the size of the crowd at that time.

In case you have not yet perused our Entertaining section, our article The Magic of Ambience is full of tips and tricks to set the right mood for your gathering, including lighting, music and table displays.

Recipes

Food:
There are far too many to list here, so simply click through to our full recipe listing. Remember that many of these recipes can be featured as individual servings, so get creative!

Don’t forget to see our Cheese Course dossier for serving your selection of cheeses.

Drinks:
You can serve a variety of beverages for your gathering, so see our Cocktails, Anyone? dossier for your bar setup and our cocktail recipes for drinks. The following articles will also help you in the area of wines:

Champagne
Sparkling Wines
Wine Selections

Autumn rarely goes by without at least one meal that contains a freshly prepared cranberry relish. Chicken, turkey, or chops adore being dressed with this relish, and the spices will add a wonderful scent to your home as the cranberries simmer.

4 servings

Ingredients

1 pound fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups water
5 whole cloves
5 whole allspice berries
2 cinnamon sticks
2 large navel oranges, peeled and chopped
3 cups sugar

Preparation

Place the cleaned cranberries into a 3-quart saucepan. Add the water and bring to a boil. Place the spices in a small cheesecloth bag tied with string. [Chef's Note: A coffee filter tied with string can also be used.] Add the spice package to the cranberries and simmer over medium heat until the cranberries pop, about 10 minutes.

Remove the cranberries from the heat and remove the spice package. Stir in the sugar and chopped oranges. Place in a container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Service

Serve cold with your favorite meats or fish.

Recipe by Lia Soscia

There are as many ways to roast a turkey as there are grandmothers to teach us their cooking secrets. Everyone seems to have their favorite method for turkey, and while we do not zealously advocate one over another, we are partial to the high-heat roasting method, which produces a crisp and brown exterior without cooking the bird so long it dries out. To ensure a moist bird, buy a kosher turkey, which has been salted to draw out the blood. Otherwise, use a brining technique to ensure a moist bird. Below is one of our favorite brine mixes, which you can use for any kind of meat.

Fruit and Spice Brine Mix

Ingredients

For the fruit and spice brining mix (makes about 3 cups):
1 cup sea salt
¾ cup sugar
3 or 4 star anise
1 tablespoon whole black or pink peppercorns
6-8 cardamom pods
1 tablespoon dried orange peel
1 tablespoon dried lemon peel
2 tablespoons dried rosemary

8 cups water
8 cups apple cider or water

Combine all dry ingredients and mix well. This brine mix will keep indefinitely in a plastic bag. To brine a 15 lb. turkey, use the whole recipe above. Add the brine mixture to 8 cups water in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve completely. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. It should be cold before you immerse the turkey.

In a tub or bucket large enough to hold your turkey and copious amounts of liquid, combine the brine solution with 8 cups of water or apple cider. Carefully submerge the turkey in the brining solution, making sure not to spillover. (Chef Mark has learned the hard way that large birds displace a lot of liquid).

Cover and refrigerate for 6-12 hours, turning the turkey halfway through the brining time.

Before roasting the bird, remove it from the solution and rinse it thoroughly with cold water. A chef friend of ours says “I don’t mean a little spritz! Wash that bird thoroughly for a couple of minutes and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels.”

[Chef’s Note: For brining smaller amounts of meat, up to 5 lbs., use only ¾ cup of the dry mix and reduce the proportions of water and apple cider by half. If you’re short on time, you can make a very simple brine with just salt, sugar and water. The salt opens the pores of the bird and allows the moisture to be drawn in. The sugar is hydrophilic and helps to keep the moisture in the bird.]

High-Heat Roasting Method

Ingredients

1 turkey, 8-12 lbs.
Salt (if not using the brining method above)
4-5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (or compound butter – see variations below)
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 orange, cut into wedges

[Chef’s Note: This method is great for achieving a nicely browned bird with a crisp skin and moist breast meat. You should use a relatively small bird, since it requires flipping the bird. Well, you know what we mean…

As much as we love stuffing, we generally don’t cook the stuffing inside the bird. In addition to the food safety concerns, it’s just too much trouble for us. We prefer to stuff the cavity with onions and orange wedges, which help to keep in moisture and flavor.]

Equipment

Heavy-bottomed non-stick roasting pan

Preparation

Place a rack on the lowest level of the oven and preheat the oven to 425° F. Thoroughly dry the turkey with paper towels, and if you haven’t brined it, or you’re not using a kosher turkey, generously rub the body and interior cavities with salt, then brush with the melted butter. Place the chopped onions and orange wedges inside the cavity.

Place the turkey on one side, with the drumstick sticking up. If necessary, use onions or balls of aluminum foil to help keep the bird on its side. Roast it at 425° for 30 minutes, then remove and carefully turn on its other side. You can use bunched up paper towels to help you grasp the hot bird, and keep your potholders clean.

Baste the newly exposed side with the butter and pan drippings, then return to the oven and roast for 30 minutes more. Repeat this process so that the bird roasts on each side twice, for a total of 2 hours. Turn the bird with the breast facing up and baste once more, roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165° F.

[Chef’s Note: Food safety requires that the bird reach 165° F for a couple of minutes to be sure that any harmful bacteria is killed, but if you leave the turkey in the oven until it reaches this point, the carryover cooking time may take it well above this temperature, and dry out the breast meat. You can remove the bird when it has reached 155-160° F.

Important note! The pop-up timers that come with most turkeys will cook the meat to oblivion to ensure no one is going to file a lawsuit for an undercooked bird, resulting in cardboard-flavored turkey. Trust your instant-read thermometer above all!]

Remove the turkey from the oven, loosely tent with foil, and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving. You can prepare your favorite gravy with the pan drippings.

Variations

Sage Butter

1 stick of unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, finely minced

Finely mince the fresh sage leaves and combine with the softened butter until thoroughly combined. Lay a sheet of cling wrap on the counter, and scrape out the sage butter onto it. Wrapping the cling wrap around the butter mixture, gently shape it into a log shape. Twist the ends of the cling wrap in opposite directions to enclose the log like a sausage. Place in the refrigerator until service to firm up.

[Chef’s Note: You may double or triple this recipe, and store the compound butter wrapped in plastic in the fridge or freezer for anytime you may want a tasty, buttery topping. You may also experiment with other variations, such as rosemary, thyme, or other herbs, or even blend the butter with blue cheese for another great steak topping.]

You can use any fresh herbs, alone or in combination, mixed into a compound butter, and rubbed over the skin, or even placed underneath the skin before roasting. As you know, we are also partial to truffles, and if your budget allows, you can go all out and make a turkey “in mourning” by placing a veil of sliced black truffles underneath the skin. See how we did it with hens for this recipe.

Recipes by Mark Tafoya

Gumbo is a traditional dish served in the South. There are many variations of the dish, but this one uses dark meat turkey instead of the traditional sausage and shrimp. To spice it up, we’ve added andouille sausage to accompany the standard okra, onion, celery and green pepper. This is an easy and delicious one-pot meal, and great way to take advantage of your leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup water
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes (with juices)
1 (10.5 ounce) can chicken stock
2 bay leaves
½ lb dried andouille sausage, sliced into ¼-inch pieces
2 cups cooked dark meat turkey, diced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen okra, thawed
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
3 cups hot cooked rice

Equipment

Large Dutch oven

Preparation

Prepare the browned flour:
Place the flour in the Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat for about 7, minutes or until the flour is very brown. Stir constantly with a wire whisk to keep the flour from sticking to the bottom. When the flour is completely browned, remove from the Dutch oven and set aside.

[Chef’s Note: The browning of the flour takes patience but is an important step in achieving the gumbo’s classic rich flavor].

Prepare the gumbo:
Heat the oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, green bell pepper and garlic. Sauté for about 8 minutes or until the onion is translucent. Sprinkle the vegetables with the browned flour and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the water, the tomatoes and their juice, the chicken stock and bay leaves. Bring the gumbo to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the andouille sausage and simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the cooked turkey, okra and Cajun spice seasoning and cook for another few minutes.

[Chef’s Note: Andouille sausage is a spicy, smoked Cajun pork sausage. There are two varieties: fresh and dried. This recipe calls for the dried version, which is typically found near the gourmet cheese and deli meat area of your grocery store. If you can only find the fresh sausage, you will need to precook it in a separate skillet before adding it to the gumbo.]

Service

Serve the turkey gumbo over fluffy white rice.

Variations

If dark turkey meat is not readily available, turkey breast meat or chicken are both adequate substitutes. Traditional gumbo also contains about ½ lb of medium-sized, peeled, deveined shrimp. If you choose to include the shrimp in your recipe, add them in at the very end with the turkey and okra. Cook them just until they turn pink.
Recipe and photo by Lia Soscia

If you are hosting the Thanksgiving festivities this year, perhaps you’re feeling the need for a little twist on tradition. (Let’s face it: the same old menu gets boring after a few decades.) Chef Mark has featured Southwestern flavors for our version, imparting the tastes and aromas he savored as a young lad. (P.S. If you have a smaller gathering than, say, Jennifer’s twenty-five-ish guests, this is an ideal alternative to cooking a full turkey.)

A dash of chipotle, a touch of Hatch chile, and a whole lot of flavor accent Chef Mark’s twist on Thanksgiving dinner.

TURKEY

Southwestern Stuffed Turkey Breast
Suggested pairing: Pinot Noir
(see Pairing Notes below for further details)

TRIMMINGS

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Suggested wine pairing: Off-Dry Riesling

Calabacitas

DESSERT

Apple and Cinnamon Empanadas
Suggested wine pairing: Moscato d’Asti

WINE PAIRING NOTES

Since you might decide to use the entire menu above, or incorporate one or two of the recipes into your traditional menu, our wine pairing expert Lenn Thompson has offered several options for you below.  For more notes about Lenn’s other wine explorations, visit his LENNDEVOURS blog.

Southwestern Stuffed Turkey Breast

Pairing: Pinot Noir

Reasoning: Pinot Noir is a classic pairing with Thanksgiving dinner and it still works here. The red berry flavors and slightly tart acidity mimic the cranberry sauce that is so popular with turkey, while the light body won’t overpower the delicate turkey. Because of the chiles and spices, a plush, fruity style of Pinot Noir works best, so look to California or Oregon rather than Burgundy.

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Varietal: Off-Dry Riesling

Reasoning: Riesling is another tried and true Thanksgiving accompaniment. The balanced acidity of well-made off-dry riesling will balance the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, while the wine’s sweetness tames the flames of the fiery chiles. Top U.S. rieslings come from the Finger Lakes region of New York and the Pacific Northwest.

Calabacitas

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Reasoning: If you are using the recommended autumn squash in this dish, the off-dry Riesling from above will pair nicely. However, for the summer squash version, the citrus fruit flavors will go well with the combination of summer squash, corn, beans, cilantro and tomatoes. A ripe, fruity Californian will work (as long as you avoid those that have been aged in oak) but an herbaceous bottle from New Zealand would work as well. Note: Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorite foils for vegetable dishes.

Apple and Cinnamon Empanadas

Varietal: Moscato d’Asti

Reasoning: At the end of a long, filling Thanksgiving meal, steer clear of high alcohol, heavy dessert wines. Instead, pick up an always-affordable, slightly fizzy Moscato d’Asti. The light effervescence will balance the fried crust while significant fruit and floral flavors enhance the delicious filling. And, most Moscato is around 5% alcohol, so you’ll be able to enjoy the rest of your day.

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.

This menu was originally published in 2006.

This sauce is a great way to use the small leftover bits from the bottom of the turkey platter. Chop up any additional breast meat or the dark meat that clings to the bone around the drumsticks, as well as any bits of skin. The wild mushroom and tomato sauce thickens nicely, and is ideal over whole wheat pasta or brown and wild rice. This sauce freezes well, so you can make it right after Thanksgiving to use your leftovers, then defrost it in the middle of winter when you’re hankering for a little quick comfort food.

8 servings

Ingredients

1 cup very hot water
½ ounce dried Porcini mushrooms
½ pound fresh wild mushrooms, sliced
½ pound button mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pound chopped leftover roasted turkey (or 1 pound ground fresh turkey)
2 medium onions, diced
6 cups chicken broth
2 medium carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup cold water

Equipment

Strainer lined with cheesecloth
Dutch oven

Preparation

Reconstitute the dried Porcini in the hot water and allow them to soak for 15 minutes. Drain through several layers of cheesecloth in a strainer, reserving the soaking liquid. Gently rub the remaining fresh mushrooms with a paper towel to remove any grit or dirt. Chop the fresh mushrooms roughly and set aside.

[Chef’s Note: While others may recommend washing mushrooms in water, we prefer not to let them absorb additional water, as this requires longer cooking. Using a paper towel will get all the dirt off the surface.]

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. If using fresh ground turkey, sauté the turkey together with the onions, stirring until the turkey is very browned and beginning to caramelize on the bottom of the pan. Add ½ cup of the chicken stock and continue cooking over high heat until the liquid has evaporated.

[Chef’s Note: If using leftover chopped turkey, omit this first step, and begin the recipe by sautéing the onions until softened, then continue with the next steps below.]

Add the fresh mushrooms, diced carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 5 more minutes. Add the remaining 5 ½ cups of chicken broth, the tomato paste, half of the rosemary, half of the oregano, the reconstituted and chopped Porcini mushrooms and the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. [Chef’s Note: If using leftover chopped turkey, add it at this point.] Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the tomato paste. Lower the heat and simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until reduced by half.

Mix the cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water. Add the cornstarch slurry to the sauce along with the remaining fresh herbs and simmer 2 minutes more or until thickened.

Service

Serve the sauce hot over whole wheat pasta or a wild and brown rice mixture.

Recipe by Mark Tafoya ]]> http://gildedfork.com/turkey-and-wild-mushroom-sauce/feed/ 0 http://gildedfork.com/beets-just-beet-it/ http://gildedfork.com/beets-just-beet-it/#comments Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:30:56 +0000 Kalle Guinn http://gildedfork.com/?p=8716

Nobody likes beets Dwight! Why don’t you grow something that everybody does like? You should grow candy! I’d love a piece of candy right now…not a beet.
-Michael Scott, The Office

Etymology
Beta vulgaris (Latin)

Origin
Beets have been farmed for at least 5,000 years. Ancient growers in the Mediterranean region used them as a storage vegetable to provide sustenance during the winter months. Migration moved them north into Europe, and they were subsequently brought to the United States by European settlers.

The sugar beet, which is cultivated for its sucrose, was originally discovered by a German scientist and developed as a sugarcane substitute during the late 18th Century, when sugarcane sources from the West Indies were cut off in Europe. Thankfully for us and all beet lovers, our garden variety table beet has flourished.

Description
Beets are a root vegetable consisting of leaves which attach to a root bulb. The bulb can vary greatly in size, with table beets being smaller than sugar beets. Despite their high sugar content (table beets contain 10% sugar and sugar beets 20%), they are, much to our delight, a low-calorie food. And if high levels of Vitamin B, C, calcium and folic acid aren’t enough motivation for you to indulge and treat your body to some super-nutrition, their antioxidants called betalain have been studied for their cancer-fighting qualities. Healthy and delicious, beets are arguably one of the most underrated vegetables in the garden.

Speaking of gardening, what better place to get to the root of beets than the Black Dirt region of New York’s Hudson Valley? Listen to our tour of Rogowski Organic Farms , where we get our shoes all muddy, pick our dinner right from the ground, and connect with five beet varieties and their veggie friends. We totally dig the farm sounds in that podcast.

Types
The beet was originally grown for its leafy greens. Leaf beet (more commonly known as Swiss chard) is used mostly for its leaves, and table beets are grown mostly for their roots, though the leaves are also edible. There are several varieties and colors of table beets: Italian heirloom Chioggas are known for their candy cane-like striped appearance, and we think they are absolutely gorgeous. Golden and albino beets are similar to red beets in all aspects except for their red pigment. Bonus: They will not turn your hands purple, but are equally delicious.

Smaller beets are more tender; once they grow larger than 3 inches in diameter, they can be too fibrous and tough. For the freshest beets, chose firm ones that still have their tops.

Our Approach
Our test kitchen is blushing with beet juice, and we like to approach these little beauties in a way that embraces their color, texture and sweetness. Even if you’re a beet-hater, we challenge you to give this earthy root another go. Though they may be viewed as an old-fashioned food, found on salad bars and as cans of pickled, sliced magenta discs of something that may have once been a fresh vegetable, the inherent earthy, pungent flavors of fresh beets evoke the romantic food-lover in us. Yes, you read that correctly. There is something so pure about that flavor — and it’s one people tend to love or hate — that we find beets to be the closest thing to the taste of earth itself.

When cooking beets, clean the skins with a soft vegetable brush, but leave the skin and a portion of the stalk intact. Roasted beets are as simple as heating your oven to 350 F, then adding olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped fresh rosemary and some love for 45-60 minutes (depending on their size). You can also peel, chop, and saute beets with balsamic vinegar to give them caramelized color or GBD (golden brown & delicious).

And while cooked beets are scrumptious, they can also be savored raw in salad or slaw; just shred them like carrots and dress with a tangy vinaigrette. Be careful though, as the red variety will give color to anything they touch — including hands, clothing or light-colored countertops.

If you’re not yet convinced of their deliciousness, try Herbed Mascarpone Beet Napoleons with Walnut Oil and you might be singing the praises of beets all the way to your farmer’s market. There are also many variations of colorful eastern European soup made with beets called Borscht; give our Silky Spring Beet Soup a try, which can be served hot or cold. Get your beet on.   

Recipes
Herbed Mascarpone & Beet Napoleons with Walnut Oil
Silky Spring Beet Soup

Sources
BEETS- Well Blog- NYTimes.com
National Gardening Association
The Story of Borshch- The Guardian
Health Benefits of Beet- Organic Facts
The Worldwide Gourmet

Photo: Kalle Guinn

A simple dessert to warm you up on chilly nights, there is no better way to celebrate the comforting flavors of fall than with this bread pudding. Sweet caramelized apples and toasted bread cubes sing in a warm cinnamon-laced custard. The cider caramel sauce itself is divine, but particularly so when generously poured over the voluptuous pudding.

Find this recipe in our Gilded Fork Cookbook!

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

For the bread pudding:
4 apples (Braeburn, Gala, Fuji or Empire recommended), peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
pinch of salt
1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 loaf of Brioche or Challah bread, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla (increase to 1 tablespoon if omitting the vanilla bean)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
4 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted

For the cider caramel sauce:
1 cup apple cider
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup heavy cream, warmed
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt

Equipment

8×8 baking dish
Large saucepan
Non-stick baking spray
Pastry brush
Rubber spatula
Tall non-reactive metal pot
Whisk
Wooden spoon

Preparation

For the bread pudding:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toast the bread cubes in the oven until they are crispy, but not burnt, about 10-15 minutes. Place in a large bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add the vanilla bean, brown sugar and salt, stir until the sugar is dissolved and then add the apples. Sauté the apples until caramelized and the sugar becomes a thick syrup consistency. Set aside to cool.

Combine the heavy cream, milk, vanilla and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the eggs, yolks and sugar. Remove the milk from the heat and slowly temper the eggs with the hot milk, whisking as you combine the two. Whisk in the cinnamon and nutmeg and remove the vanilla bean. Pour the liquid over the bread cubes in a large bowl; add the caramelized apples, walnuts or pecans and mix to combine. Let sit for about 1 hour to completely soak all of the bread with the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking dish with either non-stick baking spray or butter. Place the soaked bread cubes into the prepared baking dish and gently press to create and even layer on the top. Bake in the preheated oven until the custard is set and bread is puffed and golden brown on top, about 45 minutes.

For the cider caramel:
Place the apple cider in a small saucepan. Bring to a low boil over a medium flame and simmer until the liquid has reached a dense syrup-like consistency and has reduced to approximately 1/4 cup. Set aside to cool slightly.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and lemon juice in a tall non-reactive metal saucepan. With one hand work these two ingredients together until it feels like wet sand. With a wooden spoon, stir the sugar constantly over low heat only until the sugar is completely dissolved. This step prevents the caramel from becoming grainy. Remove from heat and using either a pastry brush or your hand, clean the insides of the pan so that there are no stray granules of sugar on the sides. Do not stir.

Return the pot to the stove and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Cook, without stirring but swirling the pan occasionally, until a golden caramel color is reached. In a separate pan or in the microwave, heat the cream to slighlty warmer than room temperature. Remove the caramelized sugar from the heat and carefully whisk in the warmed cream. It will spatter and boil up, so it is best to stand back when adding the cream. Place back on the heat and whisk to remove any remaining lumps of sugar. Quickly pour into a clean glass or metal bowl to cool. Whisk in the butter, salt and reduced apple cider. Let cool to room temperature.

[Chef's Note: We use the "wet method", which when just enough water is added to sugar to make it a sandy texture, to make caramel in this recipe. During the boiling process, any excess liquid evaporates, causing the syrup to thicken, the sugar concentration to increase, and eventually the color to change from opaque to a rich, golden brown. This method takes longer than the "dry method", cooking sugar without the addition of water, but is easier to control and does not burn as easily.

When making caramel, there is always a danger of crystallization, which can give the finished caramel a grainy texture and cause it to cook unevenly. If the pan or spoon is not completely clean, if the syrup is stirred once it boils, or if the sugar is not properly dissolved, you are bound to get lumps of sugar that will agitate and crystallize in the caramel. However, this is easy to avoid by using a clean pot, adding a pinch of an acidic ingredient such as cream of tartar or lemon juice, and taking caution not to stir the sugar once it boils. Swirling the pan during cooking also helps to evenly distribute heat and color to the sugar without stirring.]

Service

Serve the bread pudding warm, drizzled with caramel sauce. Bread pudding is delicious eaten cold, too. For easier slicing, refrigerate the bread pudding for a few hours and then reheat before serving.

Variations

Bread pudding adapts well to improvisation. Try using a variety of breads, if available, and other flavorings such as grated lemon zest, cardamom or star anise. Pears and other fruits can also be substituted for the apples.

Recipe by Monica Glass
Photo by Andrea Meyers

At last, the season of entertaining and gathering indoors is upon us. I like to think of it as the modern version of gathering round the hearth; a shared table gives us common ground, and humans, after all, like to be nurtured.

Now, there are some who can entertain at the drop of a hat. My huge Scottish-Italian family, which includes 25 people for an intimate dinner, is fully stocked with catering equipment and an industrial slicer. But I realize that for some, a dinner party for 8 can cause hives, so I’m here for you.

My favorite menus at this time of year have to include pumpkin, so this Harvest Celebration Dinner Party, from our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook, is resplendent with my beloved orange squash and other autumnal goodness. Easy easy to prepare, this menu is perfect for welcoming the new season.

I pulled together some of our best resources to help ease some of the angst, because our goal is to do as much of the work for you as possible. We’d rather you spend most of your time enjoying yourself and the company you’ve invited into your home. Below you’ll even find beverage pairings to make things supremely easy for you.

If you’re looking for help with some of the broader details, here are a few how-to articles:

Planning 101: The Power of the List — A little Type-A goes a long way
The Magic of Ambience — A how-to for decor, from table displays to music and lighting
The Good Host: Grace Under Fire — How to pull it all together without tearing your hair out

Now all you need to do is get to it! If you want to riff on the menu a bit, feel free to peruse the full list of Gilded Fork recipes for ideas, which includes a great list of cocktails.

If you have questions, please feel free to post them below and I’ll do my best to answer you quickly. This is a great starter kit to get you moving, so get into the kitchen!

FIRST COURSE

Pumpkin Bisque
Suggested pairing: Hard Apple Cider
(see Pairing Notes below for further details)

SECOND COURSE

Red and White Salad with Candied Pecans, Figs and Chèvre
Suggested wine pairing: Pinot Gris

MAIN COURSE

Seared Duck Breast with Figged Port Demi-Glace
Suggested wine pairing:

DESSERT COURSE

Pumpkin Flan with Ancho Chile Brittle
Suggested wine pairing: Late Harvest or Ice Wine

BEVERAGE PAIRING NOTES

Below you’ll find the explanations for beverage suggestions, which have been crafted for our cookbook by Lenn Thompson from LENNDEVOURS.

Pumpkin Bisque
Pairing: Hard Apple Cider

Reasoning: There are a ton of options here, but why not do something a little different at your next dinner party? Nothing says fall like apple cider, and hard cider’s tart apple flavor and bubbles will complement this rich bisque. Shun the supermarket brands and look to local orchards. Many produce hard sparkling cider. Plus, these are lower in alcohol than most wines, making them the perfect opening drink.

Red and White Salad with Candied Pecans, Figs and Chèvre Varietal: Oregon Pinot Gris

Reasoning: Clean, refreshing fruit flavors — think pears, apples and citrus — with hints of vanilla and almond make Pinot Gris a great choice for this salad, which features a variety of flavors and textures. Italian Pinot Grigio is made with the same grape, but they tend to be one dimensional and uninspired. Look for Pinot Gris made in Oregon, which tend to be good values as well.

Seared Duck Breast with Figged Port Demi-Glace
Varietal: Merlot

Reasoning: When we say Merlot, we don’t mean the over-blown California renditions. Look for a balanced Merlot — maybe one that has some Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Cabernet France blended in. That means Bordeaux — or, if you want to drink closer to home — Long Island.

Pumpkin Flan with Ancho Chile Brittle
Varietal: Late Harvest or Ice Wine

Reasoning: A decadent custard desert like this deserves an equally decadent, luscious wine. Late harvest (or ice wines) can be made from any grape, but most often you’ll see them made with Riesling, Semillon or Vidal Blanc in the northeastern U.S. You want one that has intense fruit, decided sweetness but also a zing of acidity. Many of our favorites come out of the Finger Lakes region of New York and these wines tend to be more affordable than those made in Canada.

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.

It’s been awhile since you’ve heard from me here on the show. I’ve been out in the real world building teams of chefs for real life dinner party extravaganzas and working with medical professionals to provide quality nutritional diets for special needs patients. It’s a new calling for me, and I beg your leave for my long absence, and as an offering, I’m sharing with you this lovely conversation I had with my old friend Barrie Lynn Krich, the Cheese Impresario. Barrie Lynn shares with us some fine artisanal cheeses, and we pair them with a cognac she’s fallen in love with, brought to you by a surprising music star! This one has been aging in the cheese cave, and it’s ready for tasting!

The Cheese Impresario

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Gilded Fork. www.gildedfork.com