This year Chinese all over the world will be celebrating Chinese New Year or Spring Festival on February 14th, which coincides with Valentine’s Day. This year’s New Year will mark the year of the Tiger. As per prediction via Chinese Astrology, it will be the year of the Metal Tiger, a tumultuous year to say the least. To find out more regarding the year of the Tiger and which Chinese Animal zodiac you belong to, go to: www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/2010/2010Zodiac.htm.
As tomorrow is the eve of New Year, majority of Chinese people will have a reunion dinner with their families. I remember growing up in Malaysia and how important this dinner was. My mother would have started preparation for this special dinner several days in advance. Before then, the house had to be cleaned from top to bottom. Spring cleaning symbolizes sweeping out the old to usher in the new. Cleaning is not allowed on the first day of New Year as Chinese believe the act of sweeping will sweep out any good luck and fortune.
There is symbolism in everything performed. This include the the type of food we eat throughout the 15 days of New Year. To learn more regarding food symbolism, go to: http://www.chiff.com/a/chinese-new-year-foods.htm. It is believed that the dishes we eat during New Year will bring us good fortune, luck, health, and longevity. My family is just as superstitious when it comes to eating symbolic food during the New Year. It is common for my mother to prepare shrimp as the word shrimp (Ha) in Cantonese sound like laughter; thereby, eating shrimp will bring laughter to the household. The word fish (yu) in Chinese sounds like rich or abundance. Eating fish will bring you abundance of wealth. Fish and fowl are always cooked and presented whole, head to toe. It is considered bad luck to cut the food up as this will mean your luck and good fortune will be short lived. Same applies to noodles, which are served in long strands, never to be cut, to symbolize longevity. Common familiar dishes such as steamed fish, stir-fried shrimp, white-cooked chicken, eight precious vegetable platter and many other delicious and savory dishes are prepared on the Eve. I usually eat until I can’t breath! On the first day of New Year, my grandmother usually serves a vegetarian meal to purify our bodies from the previous day of gluttony.
My fondest memory of the New Year is visiting friends and family. During these visits, we bring gifts to our host/hostess. The gifts again are symbolitic. Tangerine is a common gift exchange between guest and host. The word tangerine (kum) in Chinese sounds like gold in Cantonese. Therefore we bear gifts of good fortune and prosperity to your host/hostess. Red symbolizes good luck; hence, red letter writings and decorations will be adorn throughout the house to bring luck. Little red packets (hoong pau) of money are given to children to bring them luck. Wearing red is also very common. Avoid wearing white or black as these colors symbolizes death and Chinese people are very superstitious when it comes to symbolism.
I may not be able to celebrate the New Year like I did back in Malaysia; however, I try to recreate some of the dishes that my mother used to prepare with very fond memories of New Year’s past. The 15 days of New Year represent a very happy time in my life as my entire family, on both my Mom’s and Dad’s side, tend to usher the New Year with gusto. The family gatherings are very boisterous, noisy, and full of laughter while catching up with one another. Each day brings a new celebration, according to the Chinese customs, with lots of food.
These are a couple of dishes that I still do prepare during the New Year.
Stir-fried Spicy-sweet Shrimp with Preserved Black Beans (Har Loke)
One pound large shrimp (preferably with head and shells on), washed and trimmed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon grated gingerroot
4 teaspoon Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon fermented black beans, rinsed and lightly mashed
6 tablespoon Ketchup
4 teaspoon Oyster sauce
2 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
2 green onion, halved, julienne lengthwise
1 teaspoon gingerroot, julienne
Method
Combine the shirmp, garlic, ginger, and wine and let mainate for 20 mins. Mix mashed fermented black beans with ketchup, oyster sauce, sugar and salt.
Heat wok over high heat. Add oil and stir-fry shrimp when wok starts to smoke. Continue to cook until shrimp turns pink. Add grated ginger and bean mixture to shrimp. Stir to combine and coat shrimp. Add green onions and stir. Serve immediately.
Serves 4
Longevity and Prosperity Noodles
1/2 pound wantan noodles or lo mein noodles, deep fried in hot oil
2 cups rotisserie chicken, lightly shredded
3 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked and cut into thin slices, strain and reserved soaking liquid
1 cup napa cabbage, cut into 1-inch slices
1/2 cup squid, sliced
1/2 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined
1 large carrot, sliced on the bias and blanched
Seasoning
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce (not low sodium)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Ginger Wine
1 tablespoon ginger juice
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry Sherry
1/2 cup reserved mushroom liquid
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoon water
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 red chili pepper, sliced (opt)
Method
Put deep-fried noodles on a serving plate. Heat 2 tablespoon oil in a wok; add in ginger wine to fry with mushrooms, shrimp, squid and cabbage. Add in seasoning and stock. Bring to a boil. Add a little more oil to glaze. Mix in thickening and add carrots. Pour sauce over noodles and add the roast chicken meat. Serve garnished with sliced green onions and chilli strips.
Valentine’s Day is only a few days away. Still trying to figure what to do? My suggestion is to stay home and cook a lovely meal to impress him or her. What says “I love you” more than feeding your loved one. Besides it is most probably too late to make dinner reservations at a decent restaurant, and knocking elbows with the rest of the other couples in a crowded, noisy restaurant does not sound very romantic. A home dinner is more appealing with great ambiance.
It is not too late to come up with a menu (simple but delicious) to wow him or her. If you are on a budget and still want to make an impression, splurge on one expensive ingredient and balance the rest of the menu with lesser cost items but still delicious. Look out for specials that are currently running in the grocery store. You will be surprise at what is available, during this time, that is within your budget .
How to achieve a balance? Say you would like to serve lobster but it is a little out of your price range, then again maybe not… Instead of serving lobster as the main course, why not serve it as an appetizer? By serving it as a starter, portions are smaller and therefore less costly. For example, purchase a couple of lobster tails, roast it in the oven with wine, shallots, herbs, and butter and strew it on top of mixed greens with vinaigrette or use the meat to make risotto. So you see you can have lobster, eat it and still make an impression. It is all of a matter of careful planning and spending your money wisely.
Now that you only have a few (or two) days before Valentine’s, how are you going to come up with a simple and easy menu? First cook ingredients that you are familiar with. This is not the time to experiment unless you know what you are doing. Steak is always popular. Can’t go wrong with steak. Even a picky eaters would eat steak (unless they are vegetarians). The cut of steak, again, is totally up to you. I recommend, if cooking steak, to buy the best cut you can afford. This is where you splurge. Yes it is still winter outside; however, pan-seared steak on the stove is just as good. Just make sure you do not use a nonstick skillet and crank the heat up on high! Give the steak an initial good sear to get a nice brown coloring and turn the heat down a little when you flip the steak over. A good cut of steak does not need much fuss. It just need a good seasoning of salt and pepper. You can make a sauce by rendering some red wine in the same pan the steak was seared in with some fresh herbs, a little broth, and finish it off with butter to give the sauce a smooth finish.
Instead of serving baked potato with the steak, why not serve potato gratin instead. Gratin has a rich luxurious feel that envelopes your mouth with creamy, silky richness. Gratin also pairs well with lamb or pork. Roasted asparagus with balsamic vinegar is another wonderful side as the slightly sweet and acidic balsamic vinegar adds freshness and helps cut the richness of the steak and potatoes.
To end the meal on a high note, do not make some low-fat, low calorie dessert. It is Valentine’s day for heaven’s sake! If you are not a baker, it is no shame to go out and purchase dessert from your favorite local bakery. If you are talented in the baking department, let loose, make something orgasmic and close the meal with a bang!
Here’s a quick and tasty filet Mignon recipe.
Pan-Seared Filet Mignon with Cabernet Sauce
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 (5-6) ounces filet Mignon steaks
salt and pepper
2/3 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other full bodied red wine
1/2 cup beef broth
1/3 cup chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup chopped parsley
Method
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Season both sides of steaks with salt and generous amount of ground black pepper. Add steaks to skillet (do not crowd. Cook in batches if necessary) and cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to plates and tent with foil.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté 1 minute. Next add wine and bring to a boil until rendered in half (about 1 minute). Add in beef broth, thyme, rosemary, and mustard; simmer until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in parsley. Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Spoon over steaks.
Serves 4
Chocolate Molten Cakes(recipe taken from Epicurious with my own added touch)
An old favorite that is popular in restaurants everywhere (except Fayetteville). If you never had one or had one and always wanted to know how to make it, here it is. The show stopper of this dessert is when you cut into the soft center of the cake, thick luscious warm chocolate oozes out, flowing like lava (hence molten cake).
4 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 60% cacao)
1 tablespoon instant espresso
10 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Method
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Generously butter six 3/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Sprinkle inside of each dish with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Stir chocolate, espresso and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted. Cool slightly. Whisk eggs, egg yolks and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Whisk in sugar then chocolate mixture and flour. Pour batter into dishes, dividing equally. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
Bake cakes until sides are set but center remains soft and runny, about 11 minutes or up to 14 minutes for batter that was refrigerated. Run small knife around cakes to loosen. Immediately turn cakes out onto plates. Serve with ice cream.
I can’t believe it is February already!! January was a busy month. My engine is still revving for the next couple of weeks with Valentine’s Day and also Chinese New Year (catch these articles in the upcoming blogs). Superbowl!! Not a fan of football. I love sports, especially if I am participating in the game, but not a fan of watching on the sidelines. What I do enjoy about Superbowl is, the food, of course!
The list of game food is endless. I like to make simple stuff that does not require utensils if possible. Wings is always on the list along with super Nachos, Chili, bread boules stuffed with creamy, cheesy dips that comes out hot and bubbly from the oven….I am salivating….
This year’s Superbowl team will be the Saints vs the Colts. You can prepare food representing your favorite team’s state such as Shrimp and Grits, Gumbo, Po Boys from Louisiana and Breaded Pork Tenderloin from Indianapolis. You can borrow a little of Chicago by adding a deep dish pizza too. Just remember, keep the menu simple and prep ahead if possible to save time….
This year I am going to just prepare classic football fare; pull pork sandwiches, wings my way, super Nachos, all the good stuff that is not good for you, hee, hee…
Super Nachos
This is my take on Emeril’s Nacho recipe.
1 pound Chorizo or hot Italian Sausage
1 1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 15-ounce canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon Ancho Chili powder
1 16-ounce bag blue corn chips or regular
1 1/2 cups Mexican Cheese mix or Jack Cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 tablespoon sliced pickled jalapeno
1 8-ounce sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Method
In a large skillet, cook the Chorizo or Italian sausage, garlic, and cumin, stirring, over medium-high heat until the sausage is browned and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
2. To the fat in the pan, add the pinto beans, Ancho chili powder, salt and pinch of sugar; cook over medium heat until warmed through, smashing slightly with the back of a heavy wooden spoon and adding water a teaspoon at a time if the beans get too dry. Remove from the heat.
3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. On a large ovenproof platter or in a large baking dish, spread 1 layer of chips. Top with a layer of 1/2 of the beans, then 1/2 of the sausage, cheeses, onion rings, and sliced jalapenos. Repeat with another layer of chips, beans, sausage, cheese, onions and jalapenos. Bake until the cheeses are melted and the mixture is hot, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and lime juice, with a pinch of salt and sugar. Drizzle over the nachos, garnish with cilantro, and serve immediately.
This is my musings of the past year. Can’t believe it is already end of 2009. I actually am glad as it has been helluva year, business-wise. I am so looking forward to 2010. I told myself if I can ride out 2009, with business intact, I think I can tackle the upcoming years. It has been a roller-coaster with days of uncertainty for a small potato business woman like me. Nevertheless I think perseverance, patience, and continue to do what I do best has allowed me to survive one of the worst economy hit to my business. I do feel bless as I still do have people who want to use my service and people who do believe in what I do.
The success I achieve this year is not dictated by dollar amount, instead it is how I manage to stay in business by thinking outside the box, be flexible, and move with the flailing economy by diversifying my business to meet clients’ smaller budgets. Most important of all sticking to what I know best, cooking good food, and maintaining good customer service with personal touches will always be my trademark.
Marketing my service has always been a challenge–people either know about me or they don’t. I have done all forms of marketing–media, radio, networking, etc. Referrals, word of mouth, and my website are my best marketing tool. The rest have not brought much success. Again this clues me in that it is always the personal touch, the one-on-one contact that people crave for. They need to know me, who I am and what I can do for them either by meeting me personally or have a friend or family vouch my service. So my goal in 2010 is to get out there even more until people are sick of seeing and hearing from me. Any of you out there who have upcoming conferences, exhibition, needing guest speakers, etc., call me!
2010 is also going to be the year where I do more research and educating myself about the food industry. I am constantly doing this; however, I need to start getting back to my roots, the core basics and complicated cooking techniques. Watching the movie Julie and Julia reminded me so much of myself when I first started out and how much I have forgotten to apply the basics. I have been toying with taking further professional courses with the CIA this year but finances will not allow me to. Nevertheless there are other ways for me to gain knowledge and I am going to pursue them.
So to all of you out there, if this small potato Asian business woman can do it, you can also. Dream it and make it happen. Mistakes are good. It helps us learn and improve. Find solutions to problems. Don’t give up easily. Remember your cup is always half full and not half empty. There’s always rough patches in life. Stay the course and you will come out stronger if not better in whatever you pursue. Most important of all–believe in yourself when no one else believes in you. You are the maker of your destiny.With all that is happening around us, no one can change the situation other than ourselves. We must help ourselves in order to help others. We dictate the journey we set our lives on. We can change the path of our destinies.
This is the last part of my Turkey Talk series. To round out the meal in a sweet note, I have listed a few slightly different Thanksgiving desserts to try. Sweet Potato Pecan PieThere just too many choices to make during Thanksgiving. So why not combine two favorite in one and get the best of both worlds.Pie Crust
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ c (1 ½ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoon sugar
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ cup frozen vegetable shortening, cut into large pieces
1 large egg
3 tablespoon (about) ice water
Filling
1 1-pound sweet potato, pierced with fork
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup dark molasses
2 large eggs
1 cup (about 4 ounces) pecan halves
Method
Pie Crust: Blend first 4 ingredients in processor for about 10 seconds. Add shortening; process just until very coarse meal forms. Beat egg with 2 tablespoons water and add to processor. With on/off button, pulse until large moist clumps form, adding more water if dry. Gather dough into ball and divide in half. Flatten each piece into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly before rolling out.). Save one disk for another recipe or freeze for about 1 month.
Makes two crustsFilling: Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake crust until pale golden, about 8 minutes; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Microwave sweet potato on high until tender, about 6 minutes per side. Cut potato in half; scoop flesh into medium bowl and mash. Measure 1 cup mashed potato; place in large bowl. Whisk sugar and next 6 ingredients into mashed potato; spread mixture in prepared crust. Whisk corn syrup, molasses, and eggs in bowl to blend. Stir in pecans. Pour syrup mixture over potato mixture.
Bake pie until filling is set, puffed and brown, about 45 minutes. Cool pie completely. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate up to 1 day and serve cold.
Serves 8
Spiced Pumpkin PieWhy used canned pumpkin pie filling when you can make easy from-scratch recipe with a purchased frozen pie crust.
2/3 cup golden brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoon all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 ½ cups canned solid pack pumpkin
2 tablespoon dark molasses
4 large eggs
1 cup whipping cream
1 purchased frozen 9-inch pie crust
Method
Place baking sheet in oven and preheat to 450°F. Place all ingredients except pie crust together in food processor and process until mixture is well blended. Pour mixture into frozen crust. Place pie on preheated baking sheet in oven. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F and bake until sides puff and center is just set, about 40 minutes. Cool.
Note: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature.
Serves 6
Apple Spice Cake with Cream Cheese FrostingNeed a cake for the day? Try this.Taken from Bon Appetit with few adjustments madeCake
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon rum or brandy
1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
2 medium
Fuji apples, peeled, halved, cored, cut into ¼ inch cubes
1 ½ cups finely chopped pecans (about 6 ounces)
Frosting
1 8-ounce cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
3 cups powdered sugar, measured then sifted
Coarsely chopped toasted pecans, garnish
Special equipment: 2 9-inch cake pans with 2-inch high sides
Method
For cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of each pan with parchment paper round. Whisk first 7 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add both sugars and beat until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla, then rum or brandy, if desired (mixture may look curdled). Add flour mixture to egg mixture in 3 additions alternately with applesauce in 2 additions, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in apples and pecans. Divide batter between cake pans; smooth tops.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center of each comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer cakes to racks and cool in pans 15 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Invert cakes onto racks; peel off parchment paper. Place another rack atop 1 cake and invert again so that cake is rounded side up. Repeat with second cake. Cool completely.
Note: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap each cake in plastic and store at room temperature.
For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla extract and pinch of salt. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until frosting is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Using long serrated knife, trim off rounded tops of cakes to make level; brush off any loose crumbs. Transfer 1 cake to platter, trimmed side up. Drop half of frosting (about 11/2 cups) by spoonfuls atop cake. Spread frosting evenly to edges of cake. Top with second cake, trimmed side down. Drop remaining frosting by spoonfuls onto top of cake, leaving sides of cake plain. Spread frosting to top edges of cake, swirling and creating peaks, if desired. Sprinkle with pecans. Let cake stand at room temperature 1 hour to allow frosting to set slightly.
Note:Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature at least 2 hours before serving.
Serves 12
Rum Poached PearsIf you are watching or girlish figure after the feast or prefer a light desert, poached pears would be the way to go.
3/4 cups rum plus 1 tablespoon dark rum
3 large firm-ripe Bosc or
Anjou pears, peeled, cored and each cut into 8 wedges
1 cup water plus 1 tablespoon water
½ cup raisins or dried cranberries
4 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter
Method
Combine 3/4 cup rum with rest of ingredients in a 10-inch heavy skillet and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until pears are just tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove lid and boil mixture, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a syrup, 4 to 8 minutes. Stir in remaining tablespoon rum and serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: For a little decadence, serve with vanilla ice cream.
With the last of my dessert offerings, I hope some of the ideas and recipes have inspired you to try or add a different dish to the table. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It marks the beginning of the holiday season to be enjoyed before we start on a New Year.
With the end of this series, I wish you Happy Thanksgiving from my kitchen to yours.
Finally the turkey! The main entrée of a Thanksgiving feast (unless you are a vegetarian or a non-turkey eater). I am sure by now you have been inundated by various cookbooks, TV shows, and magazine on what type of turkey to buy and how big a turkey to get. So I will not be covering that. However, if you do have questions check this website out: http://www.holidayfoodsafety.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=59 .
I do believe preference in the kind of turkey (organic, fresh, frozen, heritage, etc.) is totally up to you. I used to think there is a difference between fresh and frozen, but I have been told, not. Only difference is one is fresh the other is—frozen. There is no difference in taste or texture unless it is a self-basting turkey. Frozen turkeys need to thaw for several days while fresh is ready for use but can only be kept refrigerated no more than one to two days. So that said, let’s move on.
There are many ways to add moisture to a turkey. I am partial to brining as I like how moist it gets after roasting, and if I occasionally forget the time, a brined turkey is a little more forgiving where dryness is concern. Rubbing the entire turkey with butter also helps to keep the turkey moist. To make it more flavorful mix in some fresh herbs to the butter before rubbing. Rub and massage unsalted butter over the entire surface of the turkey to include in between the skin and meat. Gently loosen the skin, by breaking through the fine membrane that connects the skin to the flesh, and rub in butter softened at room temperature all over the turkey. Flavor injectors are also great for adding more moisture and flavor to the turkey. I prefer to make my own flavor injector by mixing chicken broth, ground up herbs and spices, and melted butter.
Apricot Glazed
Turkey
Turkey
One 16-pound turkey
3 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 lemon, halved
5 garlic cloves, crushed
1 medium onion, quartered
8 fresh thyme sprigs
4 large fresh rosemary sprigs
4 fresh sage sprigs
1 bay leaf
Glaze
¾ cup apricot jam
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 ½ tablespoon finely chopped sage
1 tablespoon finely chopped thyme
½ tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Clean and pat dry turkey. If refrigerated, bring to room temperature 1 hour before roasting.
Rub turkey all over with olive oil. Season inside out with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the lemon halves, crushed garlic, onion, thyme, rosemary, sage and bay leaf. Roast the turkey for about 2 1/2 hours, until golden all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted between the leg and thigh registers 165°.
Glaze: In a small bowl, mix the apricot jam, lemon juice, lemon zest and sage, thyme, rosemary and season with salt and pepper. Microwave the glaze until thinned slightly, about 20 seconds.
Brush the turkey with half of the glaze and roast for about 15 minutes. Brush the turkey with the remaining glaze and roast for another 15 minutes longer, until the skin is deep mahogany and an instant-read thermometer inserted between the leg and thigh registers 175°. Tilt the turkey to drain all the juices from the cavity into the roasting pan. Reserve the pan juices to make the gravy. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and let rest for 45 minutes.
Serves 12
Brined Herb-Roasted
Turkey
Brining
8 quarts cold water
2 cups coarse kosher salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
8 large fresh or dried bay leaves
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons whole allspice
Brining turkey:Combine 1 quart water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns, allspice, thyme and rosemary sprigs in saucepan. Bring liquid to simmer; stirring until sugar and salt dissolves. Remove from heat and add 1 quart cold water to cool to lukewarm.Place turkey in ice chest and pour mixture over turkey to submerged, adding ice to keep turkey chilled. Marinate turkey in brine for at least 8-12 hours. Remove turkey from brine and give it a quick rinse and drain well. Discard brine. Place turkey in prepared pan and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Herb butter: Mix herbs and spices into softened butter in small bowl.
To roast the turkey: Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 450°F. Remove turkey from roasting pan; drain any accumulated juices from main cavity. Rub herb butter between skin and meat and all over the surface of the turkey. Place quartered onion, orange, lemon rosemary and sage sprigs in the main cavity. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together loosely to hold shape Place turkey in roasting pan. Pour ½ cup chicken broth at the bottom of the pan, adding more if bottom of pan gets dry.
Roast turkey 30 minutes and turn oven temperature down to 350ºF. Roast turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 160°F, basting turkey every 30 minutes with pan juices and covering breast loosely with foil if browning too quickly, about 2 hours longer (2-1/2 to 3 hours total). Transfer turkey to platter; let stand at least 30 minutes before carving (internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees).
Part III will concentrate on the turkey dressing/stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce.
DRESSING/STUFFING
Is there a difference between stuffing and dressing? It all comes down to inside the bird versus outside. Most people use the term stuffing when it is stuffed inside the bird and dressing when it is served alongside the bird. Again, it is just a matter of preference. Whether it is stuffing or dressing, it really does not matter as I can’t imagine a turkey meal without it. I use the term stuffing and dressing interchangeably. Southerners prefer the term dressing.
Whether it is stuffing or dressing, the ingredients used varies from coast to coast.The ingredients ranges from the kind of filling used to make the bulk of the stuffing to the aromatics for flavor. In the south cornbread dressing is especially popular. Oysters are popular in the coastal plains along with sausages. In the
Midwest such as Chicago, rye bread may be used. In
New England white bread along with onions, celery, herbs, and cranberries are noticeable. Wild rice is also a popular ingredient. In California sourdough bread is often used along with wild mushrooms, artichokes, and chestnuts. In New Mexico, a more spicy variation using Poblano chiles, pork and even raisin are found in the stuffing.
When it comes to stuffing/dressing, I have done quite a few improvisations over the years.I love wild rice dressing with cranberries and nuts, oyster dressing with sausages, cornbread with Andouille sausage. Basically I love them all! However the picky eaters of my family are traditionalist; well Steve is the traditionalist as Nick does not care for dressing at all! I usually end up making a sage dressing as that is Steve’s all time favorite.
I used to stuff the dressing in the bird but as the turkey gets bigger each year, I find it much faster to just bake it separately; however, I will at least stuff the neck cavity. Baking the stuffing/dressing in and out of the bird does make a difference as I find stuffing baked in the bird more moist and flavorful as it absorbs all the flavors from the turkey. I just make sure I add more butter and broth to the dressing if I bake it outside of the bird.
Mei’s Thanksgiving Sage Dressing
2 loaves Italian or French bread, remove crust, cut into ½-inch cubes. “Air dry” for two days in unheated oven or toast in preheated 325ºF oven for 30 minutes
1 cup milk plus a little more
3 cups yellow onions, finely chopped
2 cups celery, ½-inch dice
3 cups button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 cups chestnuts, boiled, remove skin and roughly chopped
5 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter plus 6 tablespoon, divided
6 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon savory, dried or fresh
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth, to moisten
Method
Place milk in large bowl and add in the bread cubes to soak. If cubes are still too dry, add several tablespoons at a time until bread cubes are sufficiently moistened.
In large heavy skillet, heat olive oil over medium high-heat. Sauté mushroom until lightly golden brown and liquid from mushrooms have evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. In the same skillet melt butter and sauté onions until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the celery and continue to sauté for about 3 minutes or until vegetables are beginning to soften. Next add in the parsley, chestnuts, sage, thyme, and savory. Continue to sauté for another 3 minutes until vegetables are tender. Stir in soften bread cubes and season to taste with salt and pepper. If dressing is too dry, add in some chicken broth to moisten. If planning to stuff bird, cool stuffing completely before stuffing.
If baking in oven, place dressing in casserole dish, dot with 6 tablespoon butter. Bake covered in preheated oven at 375ºF for 30 minutes and another 15 minutes uncovered until top is golden brown.
Serves about 8
Note: Dressing can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to stuff or baked in the oven.
Herbed Oyster Stuffing
Taken from Gourmet
2 loaves Italian or French bread (1 lb total), cut into ¾-inch cubes (12 cups)
½ pound sliced bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces
2-3 tablespoon olive oil (if needed)
2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
1-½ cups chopped celery
3 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried, crumbled
18 oysters, shucked, drained and chopped (3/4 cup)
Method
Preheat oven to 325ºF.
Spread bread cubes in 2 shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden, 25 to 30 minutes total. Cool bread in pans on racks, and then transfer to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving fat in skillet. If bacon renders less than 1/4 cup fat, add enough oil to skillet to total 1/4 cup fat.
Cook onions, celery, thyme, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper in fat in skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with bread cubes, then stir in bacon, parsley, butter, and oysters. Drizzle with stock, then season with salt and pepper and toss well. Transfer stuffing to a buttered 3- to 3 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, in middle of oven 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more. Note: Stuffing can be assembled (without oysters and not baked) 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature and stir in oysters before baking.
Serves 8
Cornbread Dressing with Cranberries and Sausage
8 cups cubed homemade or store bought corn bread
2 cups pecans
6 leeks (white and pale green parts only)
4 celery ribs, diced
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
½ pound sweet Italian sausage
2 cups fresh cranberries
¼ cup sugar
½ cup packed chopped Italian parsley leaves
2 cups chicken broth
Method
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Place cubed corn bread on 2 large baking sheet pans and bake in middle of oven until just dry, about 20 minutes. Transfer corn bread from 1 pan to a large bowl and set the second pan aside. In emptied pan toast pecans in oven until insides are golden about 10 -15 minutes.
Remove first outer leaf off leeks. Halve lengthwise and cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces. Wash leeks well in cold water and lift from water into a sieve to drain. Heat a large heavy skillet on medium heat; cook leeks and celery in butter with salt and pepper to taste until leeks are tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Remove sausage from casings and break into small pieces. Add sausage to leek mixture and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until sausage is cooked through.
Meanwhile cook cranberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes or until cranberries begin to burst.
To bowl of corn bread add remaining corn bread cubes, pecans, sausage mixture, cranberries, parsley, broth, salt and pepper to taste; toss together. Cool stuffing completely if planning to stuff turkey.
If planning to bake, place stuffing in shallow baking dish, bake stuffing covered in preheated 350ºF oven for 45 minutes for moist stuffing. If prefer to have a slightly crusty top of stuffing, bake stuffing covered for 30 minutes, uncover and continue to bake for another 15 minutes or until top is brown.
Note: Stuffing may be made one day ahead, chilled and covered.
Serves 8
TURKEY GRAVY
Gravy adds extra oomph to a perfectly roasted turkey. Gravy is also like the cherry on top of an ice cream in mashed potatoes. Nothing beats homemade gravy. It starts with the drippings of roasted meats, in this case turkey, thicken with added butter and flour and then combined with wine or broth (homemade best)produces a sinfully delicious gravy. I do recommend making your own broth to get a richer flavor. I have included a quick turkey stock recipe if you do not have time.
Quick Turkey Stock
2 tablespoon butter
8 cups chicken broth
3 unpeeled carrots, washed and cut into three
3 celery stalks, cut into chunks
1 peeled large onion, washed and quartered
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley, stems and all, rinsed
Reserved turkey neck, heart and gizzard
Method
In a large saucepan, sauté turkey neck, heart, and gizzard over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, and parsley, bring ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for about 1 ½ -2 hours. Transfer neck, heart, and gizzard to plate. Strain stock and cool. If planning to add giblet to gravy, pull meat from turkey neck. Chop up the meat, heart and gizzard. Store in container separately from broth.
Note: Stock can be made 3 days in advance.
Makes about 3 ½ cups
Thyme Giblet Gravy
1 cup dry white wine
6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 ½ cups turkey stock, homemade or store bought
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Reserved cooked chopped turkey neck meat, giblets and heart
Method
Skim all of the fat from the roasting pan juices, reserving 1/3 cup of the fat, and add the wine to the pan. Deglaze the pan over moderately high heat, scraping up the brown bits, and boil the mixture until it is reduced by half. In a saucepan combine the reserved fat and the flour and cook the roux over moderately low heat, whisking, for 3 minutes. Add the stock and the wine mixture in a stream, whisking, and simmer the gravy, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in chopped thyme and the reserved cooked giblets and neck meat, chopped, and salt and pepper to taste, simmer the gravy for 2 minutes, and transfer it to a heated sauceboat.
CRANBERRY SAUCE
There is absolutely no reason or excuse to buy canned cranberry sauce. It is so easy to make your own cranberry sauce; just add water, sugar, and cranberries to a saucepan, bring to a boil and you know it is ready when the cranberries starts to pop and the sauce thickens. To make cranberry sauce more interesting, try adding some juice, spices, and even alcohol such as bourbon or orange flavored liqueur. Fresh cranberry relish is just as delicious with addition of fruits, either dry or fresh, with some nuts, and spices.
Orange-Flavored Cranberry Sauce
Here is a simple cranberry sauce.
1 12-ounce bag cranberries, rinsed
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup orange juice
4 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange flavored liqueur
Method
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Place cranberries in a glass 8×8 baking dish. Mix in sugar and orange juice. Cover mixture tightly with foil. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour. Uncover and stir in liqueur. Cool sauce and refrigerate.
Note: Sauce can be made up to one week ahead.
Makes 2 cups
Grandma Kieser’s Cranberry Relish
This is Steve’s grandmother cranberry recipe. I have taken a few liberties with this recipe to come up with my own version.
1 12 ounce bag cranberries
2 teaspoon orange zest
1 large orange, peeled, pith, and segmented
2 cups sugar
1 Fuji apple, pared and cut into ½-inch dice
½ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup raisins
Method
Place cranberries, orange zest and sugar in food processor and roughly chop using on/off button. Transfer chopped mixture to a bowl and mix in apples, orange, walnuts and raisins. Cover and refrigerate.
In this series, I will concentrate on appetizers, salads, root and leafy vegetables. I will also include notes, where possible, if recipes can be prepared ahead of time.
APPETIZER
A snack before the main meal is usually out of the question with family as they want to save room for the main event. Nevertheless I have been known to make a couple of items especially if we have guests joining us. I like to prepare small bites that will temporary stave off hunger pangs while waiting for the feast. These small bites have to be easy, preferably able to be prepared in advance and if possible eaten at room temperature.
Mango Pomegranate Guacamole
A different take on regular guacamole
4 ripe avocados
1 cup finely chopped red onions
1-2 fresh jalapeno chiles, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
¼ cup fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup pomegranate seeds from 1 pomegranate
¾ cup peeled and diced ripe mango
½ cup chopped cilantro
Lime wedges for garnish
Accompaniment: Tortilla chips
Method
Halve, pit and peel avocados. Coarsely mash in a bowl. Stir in onions, garlic, chiles, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add pinch of sugar. Fold in pomegranate seeds, mango and cilantro. Adjust seasonings if necessary and serve with lime wedges.
Note: Guacamole can be made 4 hours ahead and chilled. Cover surface with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Ring to room temperature and stir before serving.
Peel-and-Eat Shrimp with Barbecue Spice
Recipe by Bobby Flay
1 ½ tablespoon sweet Pimenton de la Vera (Spanish Smoked Paprika)
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 pound large shrimp, deveined but not shelled
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Method
In a large bowl, mix the paprika with the ancho chile powder, brown sugar, cumin, salt, pepper and garlic. Add the shrimp and toss to coat in the spices. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in 2 large skillets until shimmering. Add the shrimp to the skillets and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until curled and white throughout, about 4 minutes. Add half of the butter and scallions to each skillet and swirl them in. Transfer the shrimp to a platter and serve.
Serves 6
SIDES
When selecting your side dishes, remember to use your kitchen efficiency to the maximum. Find recipes that enable the use of the oven, stove, and even the microwave. If there are too many dishes that require the use of one appliance, see which dishes can be cooked in advance and reheated later. I think I love the sides more than the turkey, and I do tend to go overboard even when there are just the three of us for dinner. Whatever the case may be, here are a variety of sides that you can prepare in addition to your regular repertoire.
SOUPS AND SALADS
I seldom or never serve soup for Thanksgiving; however, if you plan to have a formal or even informal dinner, a warm bowl of soup makes a great start to the feast. I am apt to serve seasonal salad (as I prefer to have lots of greens to convince myself that I am also serving something light and healthy). For soups I love using root vegetables such as winter squashes that have such a smooth earthy flavor when combine with cream and herbs. Root vegetables are great in salads too, especially roasted, cooled and later tossed with the salad. Fruits such as pomegranate add a refreshing burst of flavor and crunch along with Clementine and apples. Use a variety of ingredients to perk up your salad. There should be a balance of sweet, salty, tangy, and texture from the nuts and greens.
1 pound parsnips, peeled, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces, cut thick end pieces lengthwise in half
8 whole garlic cloves, unpeeled, lightly smashed.
5 shallots, peeled and left whole
¼ cup water
1 onion, halved, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced or 1 teaspoon dried
4 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
½ cup half and half
Method
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Butter large roasting pan with 1 tablespoon butter. Arrange squash pieces skin side up in prepared roasting pan. Add parsnips, garlic cloves, shallots and ¼ cup water to pan. Cover pan with foil; bake until vegetables are very tender, about 50 minuets. Cool vegetables.
Melt remaining butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and thyme. Sauté until onion is tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Scrape squash from pulp into food processor (discard peel). Add parsnips and onions mixture. Puree until smooth. Transfer mixture to heavy large saucepan and mix in broth and cider vinegar. Whisk in half and half and bring mixture to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Note: Soup can be prepared 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.
Serves 6
Mixed Greens and Apple Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
Crunchy, refreshing and colorful salad. Can substitute pomegranate juice for the cranberry juice.
4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon frozen cranberry juice concentrate, thawed
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces Spring Mix
2 heads Belgian endive, sliced thinly crosswise
1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored and chopped
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
¼ cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
Method
Whisk oil, cranberry juice, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper in small bowl to blend. Combine Spring Mix, endive, and apples in large bowl. Pour dressing over; toss to coat. Sprinkle cranberries, green onions, and walnuts on top and serve.
Serves 4
VEGETABLES
Root and winter squashes pair well together. I love the variety of root vegetables, which have a distinct earthiness of their own. Parsnips, which is slightly starchy and sweet, resembles a carrot in shape and texture with a hint of nuttiness. Seasonings used for carrots such as dill, nutmeg, orange are also great for parsnips. Winter squash, albeit its name, is actually a summer vegetable that keeps well into winter. Winter squash belongs to the gourd family. Each variety of squash has a distinct flavor, density, and sweetness that pairs well with other vegetables. Don’t be intimated by its shape and variety. Thanksgiving is a perfect time to showcase these wonderful fall bounty. To learn more about winter squashes, go to: www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t–830/all-about-winter-squash-asp
Parsnip Puree
This recipe came from Chef Traci Jardins of Jardiniere, San Francisco. I did a little tweaking by cutting down on the amount of butter and added a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
10 medium parsnips (about 4 pound total) peeled, chopped into ½ inch thick slices
1 stick (8 tablespoon) unsalted butter
½ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
Method
Combine parsnips and enough cold water to cover in a heavy large pot over medium high heat; cover, bring to a boil.Continue to boil until tender; about 30-45 minutes. Drain parsnips. Working in 2 batches, puree hot parsnips, butter and chicken broth until smooth. Transfer to a large serving dish, stir in salt, pepper, and pinch of nutmeg. Serve immediately.
Serves 10
Sweet Potato with Crunchy Streusel Topping
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 tablespoon (3/4) stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
4 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon allspice
Pinch of salt
Topping
1 ½ cups cornflakes, crushed
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup chopped pecans
6 tablespoon (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Method
Sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Cook sweet potatoes in large pot of boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes and drain. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl and add butter. Using electric mixer beat until smooth. Next add egg, sugar, spice, and salt and beat to blend. Transfer mixture to 8×8 inch baking dish (can be made 1 day ahead). Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing. Bake potato until beginning to brown around the edges and slightly puffed, about 25 minutes.
Topping: Mix together all ingredients in medium bowl. Spoon topping evenly over potatoes. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes more.
Serves 6
Roasted Autumn Vegetables
1 ½ pounds butternut squash, peeled, cut into 3-inch wedges
1 ½ pounds rutabagas, peeled, cut into ½-inch thick wedges
1 ¼ pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes, cut into 3-inch wedges
3 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¾ cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Method
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray large baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine squash, rutabagas, and sweet potatoes in large bowl. Next add oil and cayenne; toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Spread vegetable mixture in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Roast until vegetables are tender, stirring and turning occasionally for about 1 hour. (Vegetables can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Let stand on baking sheet at room temperature. Rewarm in 350ºF oven until heated through, about 15-20 minuets). Transfer vegetable mixture to bowl. Add red onion, chives, vinegar; toss to blend. Season with salt, pepper and pinch of sugar.
Serves 10
Fall’s leafy greens such as cabbages, kale, turnip greens, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are a welcome sight during Thanksgiving. My sentiment is not often shared by everyone due to these vegetables’ nature to be somewhat bitter tasting and even having gaseous odors when cooked. Beside its obvious health benefits, leafy greens are a welcome break to the other rich and heavy dishes. Unless of course if you live in the South, like I do, it is not uncommon to see these vegetables hidden under globs of cream, butter, gravy, and topped with some kind of crunchy streusel or crackers to make it more appetizing. Nevertheless, there are many other healthy and delicious ways of cooking themthat everyone will be asking for seconds.
Roasted Brussels sprouts with Cranberry Brown ButterRecipe by Dean FearingEven Brussels sprouts haters will ask for seconds.4 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise6 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oilSalt and pepper to taste
½ pound fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
3 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 ½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Method
Preheat oven to 400ºF. On 2 large rimmed baking sheets, toss Brussels sprouts with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the sprouts are tender and brown in spots. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, maple syrup, ginger and orange zest. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring until the cranberries break down and thicken, about 10 minutes. In a medium skillet, cook the butter over moderately high heat until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add shallot and thyme; stir into the cranberry sauce. Transfer the butter to a bowl, add the Brussels sprouts and toss. Season with salt and serve.
Note: The cranberry butter can be refrigerated up to 3 day. Gently reheat the butter before tossing with the Brussels sprouts. Serves 12Spicy Kale and Green Beans with Parmesan
4 tablespoon olive oil1 yellow onion, sliced
½ pound button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 ½ pound green beans, trimmed, sliced into 1-inch pieces½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper½ cup white wine¾ teaspoon (or less) red pepper flakes
½ pound kale, rinsed, stemmed and roughly chopped
½ of a lemon, juiced
4 tablespoon parmesan cheese
MethodBlanch kale in hot boiling water with a little salt and 1 teaspoon vinegar for 3 minutes; shock in bowl of ice water; drain, dry, and set aside. Warm olive oil in a large, heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms in single layer. Do not stir until mushrooms are lightly brown and exude some of its liquid, 2-3 minutes; stir and add onions. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Next add the green beans, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and cook until green beans are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, lemon juice and kale; continue to cook until all vegetables are tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat and serve.Serves 6
Braised beef short ribs on a bed of root vegetable puree.
Weather turning cool just the way I like it. I love this time of the year. I wish we can have Spring and Autumn all year long. I am not a fan of the heat. I know, I know, I grew up in the tropics with 100% humidity and therefore I should be accustom to the heat, right? Not! Well anyway, cool weather makes me crave comfort food. I felt like having some short ribs lately. Since I had some in the freezer, I decided to do some experimenting. I can just picture Steve sighing, rolling his eyes, and going “not again”. He hates being made a guinea pig and food critic.
So as I was saying, I had some beef short ribs and quite a bit of produce left in my refrigerator. My pantry was brimming with odds and ends that needed to be utilize. I had some dried porcini mushrooms and a bunch of herbs and spices. I thought I would grind up some of the porcini mushroom along with the spices to make a rub. I had half a bottle of Merlot, some veal demi glace and cartons of beef and chicken broth. Hmm.. perfect for making the sauce along with some fresh herbs. I had tons of root vegetables in the fridge; butternut squash, rutabaga, parsnips, carrots, and some other funky looking vege that needs to be tossed. I used these vegetables to make a root vegetable puree to compliment the ribs. I started out by making a rub for the ribs. I then brown the meaty ribs. I gathered some aromatics such as onions, leeks, garlic, carrots to add to the sauce for more depth of flavors. I simmered two cups of Merlot on the stove until rendered to about 1 1/4 cups just enough to concentrate it a little bit. Once I got everything seared and sauteed, I braised the rib mixture in the oven for about 4 hours. Final results, fall off the bone, tender and juicy ribs.
Beef Short Ribs with Red Wine Sauce
Beef Rub
2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon each salt, pepper, and sugar.
1/3 cup all purpose flour
Place ingredients except all purpose flour in coffee grinder and pulse until fine. Mix flour and grounded spices together. Reserve 1 tablespoon of spice mixture. Massage the rest of the mixture onto ribs.
8-12 pieces beef short ribs
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 whole leek, outer layer removed, rinsed and thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, pared, cut in 2-inch pieces
4 celery stalks, cut in 2-inch pieces
2 cups whole mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/4 cup rendered red wine such as Merlot
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon veal demi glace
2 tablespoon tomato paste
2/3 cup pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon spice mixture
Ingredients for beef short ribs demi glace
Porcini mushroom and smoked paprika
Method
Brown seasoned ribs in large dutch oven on high heat with 2 tablespoon olive oil. Remove ribs. In same pot, saute mushrooms until lightly golden brown and all liquid has evaoprated; remove. Next saute onions, garlic, leeks until soft, about 5 minutes on medium high heat. Add carrots and celery and continue to saute for another 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, parsley, thyme and 1 tablespoon reserved spice blend. Add in the rendered wine, beef broth, demi glace, and pomegranate juice. Bring liquid to boil and return meat to pot.
Brown meat Vegetables and spice mix added add meat back into pot
Bring sauce back up to a boil and turn heat off. Cover pot and place dutch oven in preheated 325 degree F oven for 4 hours or until ribs are fork tender and sauce is slightly thicken.
Place pot in oven for 4 hours
Remove all meat and vegetables from dutch oven. Place pot on stove and simmer sauce for another ten minutes to thicken sauce further. Arrange meat and vegetables on platter and pour sauce over. Serve with root vegetable puree.
Makes 4 servings
Root Vegetable Puree
1/2 of medium butternut squash
1 whole medium rutabaga
2 medium parsnips
1 medium sweet potato
2 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 fresh thyme sprigs, remove leaves from stem, roughly chopped
Method
Pare butternut squash with a vegetable peeler. Cut squash into 1-inch cubes. Prep the rest of the vegetables in similar fashion. Place root vegetables and smashed garlic in large sauce pan with water, , and season with salt. Bring vegetables to boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Drain liquid. Place vegetables back on stove to dry residual liquid.
Place the root vegetables in a food processor along with the thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Process vegetables until smooth. If puree is too thick, add a little chicken stock to thin out. Place puree in a bowl and stir in butter. Serve.
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