Here it is, the twelfth day! The grand finale! What am I going to do with myself after this? Go shopping! For food. Yeah. That’s it. Food. It’s been an interesting week and a half and I can honestly say, I’ll never do it again! At least not until next Christmas. I have a year to work it out. If I do decide to do it, I’ll try and make it more festive. Maybe. I’ll think about it.
Actually I’m more worried about what happens on the first day after Christmas. Few know (besides a few choir geeks) that there is an aftermath. There is a song that tells about what happens when she has a fight with her ‘true love’ :
On the first day after Christmas
My true love and I had a fight
And so I chopped the pear tree down
And burned it just for spite
And with a single ca-a-a-a-artridge
I shot that blasted pa-a-a-artridge
My true love gave to me
On the second day after Christmas
I pulled on the old rubber gloves
And very gently rung the necks
Of both the turtledoves
My true love gave to me
On the third day after Christmas
My mother caught the coup
I had to use the three French hens
To make some chicken soup (there’s my soup!)
The four calling birds were completely fake
For their language was obscene
The five golden rings were completely fake
For they turned my fingers green
On the sixth day after Christmas
The six laying geese wouldn’t lay
I gave the whole darn gaggle to
The ASPCA
On the seventh day what a mess I found
All seven of the swimming swans had drowned
My true love, my true love, my true love gave to me
On the eighth day after Christmas
Before they could suspect
I bundled up the -
Eight maids a’miling
Nine ladies dancing
Ten lords a’ leaping
Eleven pipers piping
Twelve drummers drumming
(Well, actually she kept one of the drummers. It has to be a drummer. It’s always the drummer…never the bass player)
And sent them back collect
I wrote my true love
“We are through, love”
And I said in so many words
“Further more your Christmas gifts were for the…birds!” (I knew it! Too much fowl!)
Funny song. Anyway. So what made me think of twelve drummers drumming? Meat Pies. Biscuits. Crumpets! Actually I thought of Crème Brule. It’s a delightful light baked custard topped with caramelized sugar. Totally reminds me of a drum. It is usually baked in small (about ½ - 1 cup) round white porcelain cups called ramekins (ram-uh-kin) in a hot water bath in the oven. They can also be baked in a square tin but then they wouldn’t be round, although I suppose you could cut rounds with a biscuit cutter but you’d have some waste. Awww…well waste not want not!
This is another Southwestern version of a French classic. Agave is a relative of the Yucca and is the main ingredient in tequila. Agave syrup is becoming increasingly more available as a healthy alternative to sugar and corn syrup. You should be able to find it in your local grocery store. If not, try a health food store like Sunflower Market or The Good Earth.
For the drumsticks I thought of tuile. Tuile is French for ‘tile’. They are thin cookies that are either laid over the bottom of an upturned glass while it’s still warm and pliable, to make a little cup, or over a rolling pin to make curved cookies that go great with ice cream. You could always use Pepperidge Farms Pirouettes.
Twelve Drummers Drumming
Agave Crème Brule with Pine Nut Tuile Drumsticks
Crème Brule :
½ C whole milk
1 pint heavy cream
½ C Agave Syrup
2 oz tequila (optional)
3 eggs, separated
In a saucepan, bring the liquids just to a boil on medium high heat. Remove from the heat and let sit until at least room temperature.
Place four round ramekins in a large casserole dish. Pour water into the casserole dish until about ¾ from the top of the ramekins. Remove the ramekins and place the water dish in the oven. Preheat the oven to 300°.
Beat the 3 egg yolks and whisk into the cooled custard mix. Pour into the ramekins and place them in the hot water bath in the oven and back until set or a toothpick in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove carefully onto a towel on the countertop. Sprinkle a little sugar even on the top of each on. A pastry chef will have a small butane torch to caramelize the sugar and you can buy one online, but one of those lighter wands should do the trick. The sugar will bubble and turn brown when it is done.
Pine Nut Tuile Drumsticks :
1/3 C flour
½ C plus 2 T granulated sugar
Dash salt
3 egg whites (reserved from Crème Brule)
2 ½ T melted unsalted butter
½ cup toasted pine nuts, chopped fine
Milk
Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a small mixing bowl. Add the egg whites and melted butter chopped pine nuts and whisk until just combined. Don’t over mix. Set aside and let rest for about 1 - 1 ½ hours.
Preheat oven to 350°. Place some parchment paper on a cookie sheet and grease well with butter or cooking spray. Spoon about 1 tsp of the mix onto the cookie sheet. You’ll need at least 8 drumsticks. Place them about 2 inches apart. Pour a little milk into a bowl. Dipping your finger into the milk, gently spread the batter until thin and even, about 1 inch round or so.
Bake for 5-8 minutes or until the edges are golden and the centers are beginning to brown. Remove the cookies. As soon as they are cool enough to touch, but still warm, carefully roll them into sticks. They will harden as they cool. If they start to get hard, just put them in the oven for a minute or so and they will soften up.
So there you have it. Twelve days of culinary delight! I Hope. If I’m feeling up to it, my next post just might be my Christmas menu.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Eleven Pipers Piping
Ah, finally an obvious day. I had no problem at all coming up with something piping, although cake decorating is out. It’s fun but not much I can do in the way of writing about it. I could’ve done cannelloni or manicotti or perhaps some stuffed giant seashell pasta. I could’ve done something more festive, like éclairs perhaps, but those are easy to mess up as my friend Lexy found out a couple months ago.
Honestly, though, I didn’t think twice about it. None of those ideas ever crossed my mind. It was always going to be cannoli. There’s only one problem. Well, two actually. I have yet to find a cannoli recipe that doesn’t require cannoli pipes to wrap the dough around. The other is the fact that I have never made cannoli before. I’ve seen it done but that’s about it.
But should that stop me? Nope. I found this recipe by Mario Batali online and I‘ve adapted it to give it my own personal Southwestern touch. Normally I’m leery of TV chefs. It’s all about keeping up appearances with them, and that can get very annoying. But anyone who roams around Spain with Gwyneth Paltrow is aces in my book!
Eleven Pipers Piping
Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit Crème Stuffed Cannoli
Shells :
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons Marsala wine (or substitute 4 T apple juice and 2 T grape juice)
Filling :
1 lbs ricotta cheese
¼ c lemon juice
1 5 oz jar Cactus Jelly
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 quarts canola oil, for frying
Powdered sugar, for dusting
To make the shells: Mix together the dry ingredients and cut in butter with 2 knives. Add the Marsala (or fruit juices) and shape the dough into a ball. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate.
Heat 2 quarts canola oil in 3 ½ quart pot to 360° - 375° F.
To make the filling : In a mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, lemon juice and jelly until well combined. Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with an open tip, and place the bag in the refrigerator.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide into 4 equal pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll 1 piece onto flat surface until it measures 1/16-inch thick. Using a cookie cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 4-inch circles. Using a rolling pin, elongate the circles into ovals.
Wrap the ovals lengthwise around the metal cannoli tubes (or anything similar that is sanitary and won’t melt in the oil). Using your fingertips, seal the edges shut with egg whites. Use your fingertips to flare the ends open.
Working in small batches, carefully lift the cannoli shells and place them in the hot oil. Fry the shells until golden brown on both sides, about 2 -3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the finished shells to a plate lined with paper towels. Drain on paper towels as they cook.
When the shells are cool enough to touch, carefully twist the molds away from the shells. Shells may be made 1 day in advance and rest unfilled and uncovered. When ready to eat, stuff cannoli with cactus fruit crème, dust with powdered sugar.
Honestly, though, I didn’t think twice about it. None of those ideas ever crossed my mind. It was always going to be cannoli. There’s only one problem. Well, two actually. I have yet to find a cannoli recipe that doesn’t require cannoli pipes to wrap the dough around. The other is the fact that I have never made cannoli before. I’ve seen it done but that’s about it.
But should that stop me? Nope. I found this recipe by Mario Batali online and I‘ve adapted it to give it my own personal Southwestern touch. Normally I’m leery of TV chefs. It’s all about keeping up appearances with them, and that can get very annoying. But anyone who roams around Spain with Gwyneth Paltrow is aces in my book!
Eleven Pipers Piping
Prickly Pear Cactus Fruit Crème Stuffed Cannoli
Shells :
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons Marsala wine (or substitute 4 T apple juice and 2 T grape juice)
Filling :
1 lbs ricotta cheese
¼ c lemon juice
1 5 oz jar Cactus Jelly
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 quarts canola oil, for frying
Powdered sugar, for dusting
To make the shells: Mix together the dry ingredients and cut in butter with 2 knives. Add the Marsala (or fruit juices) and shape the dough into a ball. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate.
Heat 2 quarts canola oil in 3 ½ quart pot to 360° - 375° F.
To make the filling : In a mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, lemon juice and jelly until well combined. Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with an open tip, and place the bag in the refrigerator.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide into 4 equal pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll 1 piece onto flat surface until it measures 1/16-inch thick. Using a cookie cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 4-inch circles. Using a rolling pin, elongate the circles into ovals.
Wrap the ovals lengthwise around the metal cannoli tubes (or anything similar that is sanitary and won’t melt in the oil). Using your fingertips, seal the edges shut with egg whites. Use your fingertips to flare the ends open.
Working in small batches, carefully lift the cannoli shells and place them in the hot oil. Fry the shells until golden brown on both sides, about 2 -3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove the finished shells to a plate lined with paper towels. Drain on paper towels as they cook.
When the shells are cool enough to touch, carefully twist the molds away from the shells. Shells may be made 1 day in advance and rest unfilled and uncovered. When ready to eat, stuff cannoli with cactus fruit crème, dust with powdered sugar.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Ten Lords a' Leaping
This was another brain tenderizer. For the life of me I couldn’t think of anything that could represent leaping Lords. My mom thought of venison and Bambi. I thought, How cruel! No I didn’t. Actually, I thought that was a good idea. But, seeing as how many of my recipes so far have had ingredients that have proven difficult to find unless you are a hunter.
Then I saw a show on PBS and it gave me an idea. I don’t remember what kind of show it was, but I think it was a nature show about bears. The idea came to me when I saw a huge Grizzly sitting in the middle of a water fall trying to catch salmon. He just sat there waiting and a salmon jumped right into his mouth. No wonder they’re towards the bottom of the food chain. The fish, that is. Migrating logistics aside, salmon are majestic fish. It’s flavor is unique and powerful and not for the novice fish eater.
Reading (I believe it’s pronounced Red-ing) sauce is something I came across while reading Around the World in 80 Days. It’s another book full of good English cuisine. However, I had to ask my English neighbor about this sauce and another in the same book called Royal British Sauce. She had never heard of either before. It’s possible it was made up by Jules Verne but highly unlikely as his expertise was science fiction and futuristic engineering, not the culinary arts. More than likely, they are sauces that were known by other names 150 years ago and has evolved into something entirely different today.
As far as I can tell, Reading Sauce is the precursor to today’s Worcestershire sauce and was the inspiration to our American A1® Sauce. I was able to find only one product online called Cock’s Reading Sauce. Unfortunately, they don’t ship to the US. My English neighbor told me that I could buy something in our neighborhood grocer called English Pub Sauce and that it’s similar to A1®. I tried it and it was excellent! I can’t imagine A1® on fish, let alone salmon, but that English Pub Sauce goes on just about anything, including a big basket of fish and chips.
A few months ago, while I was still trying to think of what do for this tenth day, a customer came in and ordered our salmon, but wanted it a little different. He wanted the salmon plain, but topped with garlic and Worcestershire sauce. I figured he had to be English.
Ten Lords a’ Leaping
Poached Salmon with Reading Sauce
4 8 oz skinless Salmon filets
1 can vegetable stock
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup white wine or ½ cup white grape juice and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 whole dry bay leaves
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
Or
¼ cup A1® sauce
Preheat oven to 350°. Mix the vegetable stock, the lemon juice and white wine or grape juice together. Place the salmon filets in a casserole dish and cover with the liquids. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
Place the Worcestershire sauce and garlic, or the A1® sauce, in a small metal bowl. When the salmon is done, leave the salmon in the oven, turn the oven off and place the sauce in the oven to warm, about 10 minutes.
Plate the salmon with your favorite vegetables and some rice, perhaps, and gently drizzle the sauce over the salmon.
Then I saw a show on PBS and it gave me an idea. I don’t remember what kind of show it was, but I think it was a nature show about bears. The idea came to me when I saw a huge Grizzly sitting in the middle of a water fall trying to catch salmon. He just sat there waiting and a salmon jumped right into his mouth. No wonder they’re towards the bottom of the food chain. The fish, that is. Migrating logistics aside, salmon are majestic fish. It’s flavor is unique and powerful and not for the novice fish eater.
Reading (I believe it’s pronounced Red-ing) sauce is something I came across while reading Around the World in 80 Days. It’s another book full of good English cuisine. However, I had to ask my English neighbor about this sauce and another in the same book called Royal British Sauce. She had never heard of either before. It’s possible it was made up by Jules Verne but highly unlikely as his expertise was science fiction and futuristic engineering, not the culinary arts. More than likely, they are sauces that were known by other names 150 years ago and has evolved into something entirely different today.
As far as I can tell, Reading Sauce is the precursor to today’s Worcestershire sauce and was the inspiration to our American A1® Sauce. I was able to find only one product online called Cock’s Reading Sauce. Unfortunately, they don’t ship to the US. My English neighbor told me that I could buy something in our neighborhood grocer called English Pub Sauce and that it’s similar to A1®. I tried it and it was excellent! I can’t imagine A1® on fish, let alone salmon, but that English Pub Sauce goes on just about anything, including a big basket of fish and chips.
A few months ago, while I was still trying to think of what do for this tenth day, a customer came in and ordered our salmon, but wanted it a little different. He wanted the salmon plain, but topped with garlic and Worcestershire sauce. I figured he had to be English.
Ten Lords a’ Leaping
Poached Salmon with Reading Sauce
4 8 oz skinless Salmon filets
1 can vegetable stock
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup white wine or ½ cup white grape juice and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 whole dry bay leaves
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
Or
¼ cup A1® sauce
Preheat oven to 350°. Mix the vegetable stock, the lemon juice and white wine or grape juice together. Place the salmon filets in a casserole dish and cover with the liquids. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
Place the Worcestershire sauce and garlic, or the A1® sauce, in a small metal bowl. When the salmon is done, leave the salmon in the oven, turn the oven off and place the sauce in the oven to warm, about 10 minutes.
Plate the salmon with your favorite vegetables and some rice, perhaps, and gently drizzle the sauce over the salmon.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Nine Ladies Dancing
“The house-elf had come dashing back into the room carrying a tray of little cakes, which she set at her mistress‘s elbow.” Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince pg. 434
It took me a long time to figure this one out. In fact, it was the last of the 12 days that I finished. I had thought of doing another salad with Green Goddess Dressing, but then I remembered this bit of Harry Potter.
If you were to see my copies of the series you would notice that I had underlined certain passages. It had nothing to do with trying to solve any mysteries of Harry’s past. It was all about the food. J.K. Rowling was excellent in her use and description of food in her books. The best part, though is the fact that about 90% of the foods she mentions are real British dishes, including this one.
I had a hard time trying to think of what kind of little cakes she was talking about until I asked an English friend of mine that lives in our neighborhood. She told me about fairy cakes which she described as something like tiny muffins. Those English have such funny names for their food!
Nine Ladies Dancing
Assorted Fairy Cakes
1 ½ C flour
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 beaten egg
¾ C milk
¼ vegetable oil
Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a mini-muffin tin, or use mini muffin paper cups. In one bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Combine the egg, milk and oil in another bowl. Gently whisk together by hand, being careful not to over-mix. The batter should be lumpy. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin tin up to about half to two-thirds full. Bake 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
There are endless variations to muffins. There’s cranberry, blueberry, chocolate, banana nut, oatmeal, lemon poppy, gummy worms…ok, sort of endless.
Banana Nut :
Reduce the milk to ½ C. Add ¾ cup mashed banana, the riper and browner the better, and ½ C chopped nuts to the eggs, milk and oil.
Blueberry :
Add 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries and 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Cranberry :
Add 1 cup chopped cranberries and an extra 2 tablespoons sugar
Double Chocolate:
Add 1 cup chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and an extra 2 tablespoons sugar
Don't forget the gummy worms!
It took me a long time to figure this one out. In fact, it was the last of the 12 days that I finished. I had thought of doing another salad with Green Goddess Dressing, but then I remembered this bit of Harry Potter.
If you were to see my copies of the series you would notice that I had underlined certain passages. It had nothing to do with trying to solve any mysteries of Harry’s past. It was all about the food. J.K. Rowling was excellent in her use and description of food in her books. The best part, though is the fact that about 90% of the foods she mentions are real British dishes, including this one.
I had a hard time trying to think of what kind of little cakes she was talking about until I asked an English friend of mine that lives in our neighborhood. She told me about fairy cakes which she described as something like tiny muffins. Those English have such funny names for their food!
Nine Ladies Dancing
Assorted Fairy Cakes
1 ½ C flour
¼ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 beaten egg
¾ C milk
¼ vegetable oil
Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a mini-muffin tin, or use mini muffin paper cups. In one bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Combine the egg, milk and oil in another bowl. Gently whisk together by hand, being careful not to over-mix. The batter should be lumpy. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin tin up to about half to two-thirds full. Bake 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
There are endless variations to muffins. There’s cranberry, blueberry, chocolate, banana nut, oatmeal, lemon poppy, gummy worms…ok, sort of endless.
Banana Nut :
Reduce the milk to ½ C. Add ¾ cup mashed banana, the riper and browner the better, and ½ C chopped nuts to the eggs, milk and oil.
Blueberry :
Add 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries and 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Cranberry :
Add 1 cup chopped cranberries and an extra 2 tablespoons sugar
Double Chocolate:
Add 1 cup chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and an extra 2 tablespoons sugar
Don't forget the gummy worms!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Eight Maids a' Milking
Yeah! No more fowl! I’ve done enough fowl to last me until next Christmas! It’s time for some good ol’ fashioned beef. I love beef. Who doesn’t? Oh yeah, vegetarians. Well, no ‘teef’ here. That’s ‘tofu-beef’. No tofu at all. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Just pure unadulterated beef, just the way I like it. I’m sure you noticed what the Grinch served on Christmas day. Not Who-goose. Not Who-turkey. Who-beaat. (I’ll just pretend he meant Who-beef). And it’s roasted, of course. Not grilled. Not broiled. Not stewed. Not ground and squashed into balls. Not even smoked, although some smoked prime rib sounds good about now. I’m not even talking about pot roast. I’m talking about roast beef. Medium rare, nice and red, shaved thin and piled high on some rye bread with some nice hot mustard, muenster and provolone and…got a little side-tracked, there.
Anywho. Back to beef. My family hails from Normandy where we were known for our apple orchards which still stand today…I think. I suppose I should’ve researched that out. Oh well, too late. At any rate, even today, Normandy cuisine is known for it’s use of apples and the four C’s. - Cider, Calvados (an apple brandy), Cream and Cheese, specifically Camembert which is a soft cheese relative to brie. Get them maids milkin! I need some cheese!
Eight Maids a’ Milking
Roast Beef Normandie with Apple Compote and Camembert Crème Sauce
Roast Beef
1 3-4 lbs top round roast
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 325° F. In a heavy skillet with a little olive oil, sear the roast on all sides until nice and brown, about 3-5 minutes each side. Place on an oven broiler pan and roast for 1 ½ hours or until a meat thermometer reads 120-125° F. Remove from the oven and let it rest, tented with foil. While the roast is in the oven you can work on the compote and Crème sauce.
Apple Compote
3 apples, cored, peeled and chopped
2 cups apple sauce
1 cup apple cider
1 T brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup Calvados or cup water and 1 tsp rum extract
Combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat and let simmer until apples are soft and sauce is thick.
Camembert Crème Sauce
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 quart heavy cream
1 8 oz round Camembert, shredded
Dash nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
In a small sauté pan, gently melt the butter. Whisk in the flour until smooth and let simmer for a minute. Set aside. This is the roux (as in Kanga and Little Roo) to thicken the sauce. In a sauce pan, combine the cream and nutmeg and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cheese. Stir continuously until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Whisk in the roux and simmer just until the sauce is thick like a gravy.
To serve, slice the hot roast beef as thin as you can. Shaved, we call it. Top with the apple compote and then the Camembert Crème Sauce. Serve with some roasted red potatoes and carrots. Bleu cheese, while a very different in flavor from the Camembert, is a good substitute that goes great with apples.
Anywho. Back to beef. My family hails from Normandy where we were known for our apple orchards which still stand today…I think. I suppose I should’ve researched that out. Oh well, too late. At any rate, even today, Normandy cuisine is known for it’s use of apples and the four C’s. - Cider, Calvados (an apple brandy), Cream and Cheese, specifically Camembert which is a soft cheese relative to brie. Get them maids milkin! I need some cheese!
Eight Maids a’ Milking
Roast Beef Normandie with Apple Compote and Camembert Crème Sauce
Roast Beef
1 3-4 lbs top round roast
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 325° F. In a heavy skillet with a little olive oil, sear the roast on all sides until nice and brown, about 3-5 minutes each side. Place on an oven broiler pan and roast for 1 ½ hours or until a meat thermometer reads 120-125° F. Remove from the oven and let it rest, tented with foil. While the roast is in the oven you can work on the compote and Crème sauce.
Apple Compote
3 apples, cored, peeled and chopped
2 cups apple sauce
1 cup apple cider
1 T brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup Calvados or cup water and 1 tsp rum extract
Combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat and let simmer until apples are soft and sauce is thick.
Camembert Crème Sauce
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 quart heavy cream
1 8 oz round Camembert, shredded
Dash nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
In a small sauté pan, gently melt the butter. Whisk in the flour until smooth and let simmer for a minute. Set aside. This is the roux (as in Kanga and Little Roo) to thicken the sauce. In a sauce pan, combine the cream and nutmeg and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cheese. Stir continuously until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Whisk in the roux and simmer just until the sauce is thick like a gravy.
To serve, slice the hot roast beef as thin as you can. Shaved, we call it. Top with the apple compote and then the Camembert Crème Sauce. Serve with some roasted red potatoes and carrots. Bleu cheese, while a very different in flavor from the Camembert, is a good substitute that goes great with apples.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Seven Swans a' Swimming
Yesterday I realized just how difficult some of these recipes are. Actually, it’s not that they are difficult to make, just difficult to write. It’s one thing to make it up as I go along, adding this here and that there, tasting it at each step, but it’s another to put it down on paper (or virtual paper) for someone who doesn’t work in a professional kitchen. We have our own lexicon, code, and short-hand way of communicating that makes it simple for us and saves us time, but can be confusing for the amateur hobby chef.
I recently purchased Auguste Escoffier’s French Cookbook. He’s the Johann Sebastian Bach, the Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Ludwig van Beethoven of chefs. He is the Master of Masters. Almost all the techniques and basic recipes we use today can be traced back to him, but you wouldn’t know it if you read his book. There’s no list of ingredients and no list of measurements. Many of the descriptions are vague because a lot of it is implied.
It’s not just Escoffier, either. I’ve read recipes from 100-200 years ago meant for the average housewife and they’re just as vague. Chefs today have nothing on Ma Ingalls.
So, today is the seventh day of Christmas. My neighbors have a little pond with some swans (real swans, Sarah…not Farmville swans!). I don’t think swans were meant to be eaten. I’d say their on the ‘list’ along with dolphins and monkeys. I’m sure her true love gave them to her as lawn ornaments (and no, not like the plastic pink flamingo kind!). So, I’ve used the next obvious choice for a substitute: duck. Some grocery stores sell duck whole in the freezer next to the turkeys. Not as fun to use for turkey bowling, but frozen duck football on the other hand….just kidding! I’m sure my Uncle Bill and his boys could bag me a wild one. Of course, you could just use chicken….of course!
Seven Swans a’ Swimming
Smoked Duck Breast with Chanterelles and Wild Berry Jus
4 boneless duck breasts, skin on (or chicken…of course)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
¼ tablespoon dried granulated garlic
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
½ cup white grape juice
1 orange, squeezed
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 ¼ cup frozen raspberry, blackberry, blueberry mix
1 ½ cup beef stock/broth
½ cup chicken stock/broth
1 cup chopped chanterelle mushrooms
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Combine the salt, pepper, and garlic and season the duck. Prepare your grill, smoker or oven smoking bag. Your grill or smoker should not be more than 250° with plenty of smoke. Use water soaked wood chips if you have to. Smoke the duck 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 140°. For the smoking bag, follow the instructions on the bag.
In a sauté pan, cook the mushrooms in a little olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a sauce pan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the white grape juice, orange juice and cider vinegar. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the berries and broths, bring it back to a boil and simmer for about 25 minutes on medium low until the sauce is thick and reduced by about half. Strain through a fine wire-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids. Discard the solids. Stir in the mushrooms, rum and maple syrup and let simmer for 5 more minutes.
I’d serve this with some fresh steamed vegetables, (asparagus maybe?) and roasted red potatoes and plenty of the wild berry juice to make it ‘swimming’. You could try a whole combination of wild mushrooms, like shitake, oyster, morel, woodear, just to name a few. If you can’t find any fresh wild mushrooms at your local grocery store or specialty store, just use a Portobello, cleaned of it’s gills, cut in half and sliced thin. Remember, Duck is game so don’t overcook it! It’s ok to cook duck breasts medium. Especially if it’s wild duck. Mmm buckshot.
I recently purchased Auguste Escoffier’s French Cookbook. He’s the Johann Sebastian Bach, the Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the Ludwig van Beethoven of chefs. He is the Master of Masters. Almost all the techniques and basic recipes we use today can be traced back to him, but you wouldn’t know it if you read his book. There’s no list of ingredients and no list of measurements. Many of the descriptions are vague because a lot of it is implied.
It’s not just Escoffier, either. I’ve read recipes from 100-200 years ago meant for the average housewife and they’re just as vague. Chefs today have nothing on Ma Ingalls.
So, today is the seventh day of Christmas. My neighbors have a little pond with some swans (real swans, Sarah…not Farmville swans!). I don’t think swans were meant to be eaten. I’d say their on the ‘list’ along with dolphins and monkeys. I’m sure her true love gave them to her as lawn ornaments (and no, not like the plastic pink flamingo kind!). So, I’ve used the next obvious choice for a substitute: duck. Some grocery stores sell duck whole in the freezer next to the turkeys. Not as fun to use for turkey bowling, but frozen duck football on the other hand….just kidding! I’m sure my Uncle Bill and his boys could bag me a wild one. Of course, you could just use chicken….of course!
Seven Swans a’ Swimming
Smoked Duck Breast with Chanterelles and Wild Berry Jus
4 boneless duck breasts, skin on (or chicken…of course)
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
¼ tablespoon dried granulated garlic
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
½ cup white grape juice
1 orange, squeezed
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 ¼ cup frozen raspberry, blackberry, blueberry mix
1 ½ cup beef stock/broth
½ cup chicken stock/broth
1 cup chopped chanterelle mushrooms
1 teaspoon rum extract
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Combine the salt, pepper, and garlic and season the duck. Prepare your grill, smoker or oven smoking bag. Your grill or smoker should not be more than 250° with plenty of smoke. Use water soaked wood chips if you have to. Smoke the duck 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches at least 140°. For the smoking bag, follow the instructions on the bag.
In a sauté pan, cook the mushrooms in a little olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a sauce pan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the white grape juice, orange juice and cider vinegar. Return to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the berries and broths, bring it back to a boil and simmer for about 25 minutes on medium low until the sauce is thick and reduced by about half. Strain through a fine wire-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids. Discard the solids. Stir in the mushrooms, rum and maple syrup and let simmer for 5 more minutes.
I’d serve this with some fresh steamed vegetables, (asparagus maybe?) and roasted red potatoes and plenty of the wild berry juice to make it ‘swimming’. You could try a whole combination of wild mushrooms, like shitake, oyster, morel, woodear, just to name a few. If you can’t find any fresh wild mushrooms at your local grocery store or specialty store, just use a Portobello, cleaned of it’s gills, cut in half and sliced thin. Remember, Duck is game so don’t overcook it! It’s ok to cook duck breasts medium. Especially if it’s wild duck. Mmm buckshot.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Six Geese a'Laying
Whew! Half-way there! Only one more day of fowl then it really gets interesting. With this one, it was obvious what I was going to do. Eggnog! Just kidding. Actually, that was my mom’s idea and it’s not half bad. Her Eggnog rocks. Maybe I’ll save that for New Years.
There are at least 1000 ways an egg can be cooked. There is no way I’m going to mention all of them. I don’t think I could remember them all. I don’t think I know them all! But to me, it doesn’t matter. I love eggs. I’ll eat them anyway I can get them. I’ve even drunk one raw in a glass of milk. Ah, those were the days. Don’t think my body could handle that again, though. Kind of reminded me of an oyster shooter. (And no, it’s not someone who shoots oysters.! It’s a raw oyster in a shot glass with a dollop of cocktail sauce)
I can’t stay in France all Christmas. I think Ron Weasley was right. Muggles who slide down the side of a mountain with wooden sticks strapped to their feet, have got to be insane. So, I’m heading South of the Border or as far South as I can get without needing a passport. Phoenix will do nicely, but I’ll settle for San Diego or even as far North as Santa Barbara. But let’s not do something ordinary and ‘gringo’. It’s Christmas. Make it special!
Six Geese a’ Laying
Huevos Ranchero with Goose Sausage, Refried Navy Beans and Roasted Salsa Verde
Goose Sausage
Sausage is not particularly difficult to make. If you don’t have access to goose, chicken is fine, of course. You should be able to find some goose sausage online. There’s no shame in Maybe later we’ll talk about making sausages. For this dish, cut the sausages in half and fry them up in a skillet until brown and juicy!
Salsa Verde (Green Chili Sauce)
Before we start, there are several things you should know. It’s best to use the canned green chilies. Roasting chilies involves rubbing them with oil, putting them on a hot grill until completely black, putting them in a bowl and covering them with plastic to let them steam in their own heat for an hour and then rubbing off the burnt skin. Way too much effort. However, if you want to go through all that trouble, the taste is totally worth it. Also, using canned tomatillos is totally acceptable because blanching them involves peeling off the paper-like skin, cooking them in hot boiling salted water for one minute and immediately cooling them in an ice water bath. Again, if you want to do that it is totally worth the effort. If you have a tomato garden and you have some nice green tomatoes, those work just fine instead of tomatillos. They are not related in any way (even though they look the same), but the flavors are very similar. You don’t even have to blanch them. Finally, you don’t have to clean the seeds out of the Poblano chilies because they aren’t all that hot. If you want some heat, add a jalapeño or two. If you are feeling brave, you don’t have to clean the seeds out of that one either. Of course, there is no shame in buying a bottle of ready made Salsa Verde.
1 T Olive Oil
1 Small Onion, chopped
2 fresh Poblano chilies, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 8oz can green chilies or 10 - 12 roasted fresh Anaheim chilies
1 7 oz can tomatillos or ½ lb fresh tomatillos cleaned, blanched and cut in quarters, or
1 14 oz can chicken or vegetable broth
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1 T lime juice
salt and pepper
In a medium-sized sauce pan, heat the olive oil just a little. Sauté the onions, Poblanos, garlic, cumin and oregano until the onions get soft and the garlic and spices start to sweat. Put this mixture in a food processor with the roasted chilies, tomatillos and half of the broth and blend until smooth. Put all this back into the same sauce pan with the rest of the broth and bring the sauce to a simmer. Let the sauce cook for about five minutes. Add the cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper. Taste it and add a little more salt and pepper if needed.
Refried Navy Beans
Canned refried beans aren’t as good as the real thing. However, if you want to use canned beans and mash them or put them in the food processor, that works just as good as cooking the beans all day yourself. Just rinse two cans of Navy beans, and mash them in your food processor with ½ cup of the salsa verde.
To plate this fine dish, start with cooked white rice topped with a little salsa verde. Top with a tostada shell (those come ready made too! How convenient!), spread with plenty of refried Navy beans. Top with an egg, fried however you like it (or scrambled if you want…I don’t care!), topped with melted shredded cheese. Top this with some more salsa verde, the sausages on the side and there ya go!
I’d say, “Bon Appetit” but no one in Mexico would understand.
There are at least 1000 ways an egg can be cooked. There is no way I’m going to mention all of them. I don’t think I could remember them all. I don’t think I know them all! But to me, it doesn’t matter. I love eggs. I’ll eat them anyway I can get them. I’ve even drunk one raw in a glass of milk. Ah, those were the days. Don’t think my body could handle that again, though. Kind of reminded me of an oyster shooter. (And no, it’s not someone who shoots oysters.! It’s a raw oyster in a shot glass with a dollop of cocktail sauce)
I can’t stay in France all Christmas. I think Ron Weasley was right. Muggles who slide down the side of a mountain with wooden sticks strapped to their feet, have got to be insane. So, I’m heading South of the Border or as far South as I can get without needing a passport. Phoenix will do nicely, but I’ll settle for San Diego or even as far North as Santa Barbara. But let’s not do something ordinary and ‘gringo’. It’s Christmas. Make it special!
Six Geese a’ Laying
Huevos Ranchero with Goose Sausage, Refried Navy Beans and Roasted Salsa Verde
Goose Sausage
Sausage is not particularly difficult to make. If you don’t have access to goose, chicken is fine, of course. You should be able to find some goose sausage online. There’s no shame in Maybe later we’ll talk about making sausages. For this dish, cut the sausages in half and fry them up in a skillet until brown and juicy!
Salsa Verde (Green Chili Sauce)
Before we start, there are several things you should know. It’s best to use the canned green chilies. Roasting chilies involves rubbing them with oil, putting them on a hot grill until completely black, putting them in a bowl and covering them with plastic to let them steam in their own heat for an hour and then rubbing off the burnt skin. Way too much effort. However, if you want to go through all that trouble, the taste is totally worth it. Also, using canned tomatillos is totally acceptable because blanching them involves peeling off the paper-like skin, cooking them in hot boiling salted water for one minute and immediately cooling them in an ice water bath. Again, if you want to do that it is totally worth the effort. If you have a tomato garden and you have some nice green tomatoes, those work just fine instead of tomatillos. They are not related in any way (even though they look the same), but the flavors are very similar. You don’t even have to blanch them. Finally, you don’t have to clean the seeds out of the Poblano chilies because they aren’t all that hot. If you want some heat, add a jalapeño or two. If you are feeling brave, you don’t have to clean the seeds out of that one either. Of course, there is no shame in buying a bottle of ready made Salsa Verde.
1 T Olive Oil
1 Small Onion, chopped
2 fresh Poblano chilies, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 8oz can green chilies or 10 - 12 roasted fresh Anaheim chilies
1 7 oz can tomatillos or ½ lb fresh tomatillos cleaned, blanched and cut in quarters, or
1 14 oz can chicken or vegetable broth
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1 T lime juice
salt and pepper
In a medium-sized sauce pan, heat the olive oil just a little. Sauté the onions, Poblanos, garlic, cumin and oregano until the onions get soft and the garlic and spices start to sweat. Put this mixture in a food processor with the roasted chilies, tomatillos and half of the broth and blend until smooth. Put all this back into the same sauce pan with the rest of the broth and bring the sauce to a simmer. Let the sauce cook for about five minutes. Add the cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper. Taste it and add a little more salt and pepper if needed.
Refried Navy Beans
Canned refried beans aren’t as good as the real thing. However, if you want to use canned beans and mash them or put them in the food processor, that works just as good as cooking the beans all day yourself. Just rinse two cans of Navy beans, and mash them in your food processor with ½ cup of the salsa verde.
To plate this fine dish, start with cooked white rice topped with a little salsa verde. Top with a tostada shell (those come ready made too! How convenient!), spread with plenty of refried Navy beans. Top with an egg, fried however you like it (or scrambled if you want…I don’t care!), topped with melted shredded cheese. Top this with some more salsa verde, the sausages on the side and there ya go!
I’d say, “Bon Appetit” but no one in Mexico would understand.
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