New Year 2011

New Year 2011

Today is the beginning of a new year. Full of promise and probably some disappointments along the way.

I wanted to report that my Christmas dinner was just wonderful, or everyone said so. I enjoyed doing all the recipes and they all turned out so well. Maybe a good dinner to repeat for next Christmas, but then there is always something new to try.

I know we all think of black-eyed peas and greens for New Year. I found a great recipe that combines all the above in one big gumbo.  It is from Chef Donald Link of Herbsaint and Cochon, two very good restaurants in New Orleans. The weather is just right for gumbo and with the additions of black-eyed peas and greens, you are ready to start the New Year off right.

Shredded Pork Gumbo with Black-eyed Peas

Makes 6 servings

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or bacon grease, in all

2 cups finely diced yellow onion

1 cup finely diced green pepper

½ cup finely diced celery

(We talked about the Holy Trinity of desserts on Christmas.  Onion, bell pepper and celery is the Holy Trinity of vegetables.)

3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic

1 ½ gallons pork or chicken stock, unsalted and preferably fresh

4 pieces bacon

2 cups cooked collard greens or mustard greens

1 white onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon white vinegar

Louisiana hot sauce, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 ½ pounds fresh okra, sliced crosswise into ½ inch pieces (Last year I froze extra okra just for these winter gumbos.)

1 cup cooked black-eyed peas, or 2 (15-1/2-ounce) cans

1 ½ pounds smoked pork, shredded

Seasoning Mix, (recipe follows)

Combine the flour and 1 cup vegetable oil or bacon grease in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until a mahogany-colored roux is achieved, about 20-25 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium and carefully add the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are withered, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the stock and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring frequently.

Skim off any fat that rises to the top. If the gumbo is thicker than desired, add additional stock until desired texture is achieved.

Cook the greens while the gumbo is simmering.  In a skillet set over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet. Reheat the rendered fat and add the collard or mustard greens and onions and sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes. Crumble the bacon and add it to the greens. Add sugar, vinegar, hot sauce, salt, pepper, to taste. Set aside.

Add the remaining two tablespoons oil or bacon fat to a skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the okra and fry until lightly browned to reduce the okra’s natural stringy consistency, about 4 minutes.

Add the okra, black-eyed peas, greens, shredded pork, and Seasoning Mix to the gumbo base. Return to a simmer and adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve over cooked rice or with a side dish of potato salad.

Seasoning Mix:

2 tablespoons gumbo filé

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon white pepper

2 tablespoons black pepper

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

3 whole bay leaves

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

If you read the recipe you see that the gumbo can be served with a side of potato salad. This was new to me, but after asking around this is a common thing to have with gumbo. Actually it is not a bad addition, but it is something you would not normally think to use.  But the Cajuns always eat gumbo with rice.  And I set out a bottle of Tabasco—my favorite hot sauce—to add just before eating.

This is a good hearty family meal for New Years or cook more to serve a crowd that may be coming by on New Years Day.

Happy New Year!!   And good luck.

 

While Both Orange, They're not Your Average Sweet

As I was driving a week or so ago, there was a truck on the side of the road with just sweet potatoes and satsumas. Eat local, eat seasonal. We can grow both in this part of the world and now is the harvest time for both.

Satsumas tolerate more cold than most citrus, and they can also be grown in pots and taken into the garage for the real cold snaps. I am growing mine outside in the ground these days. It wasn’t the cold last year that got them, but the deer. The best rootstock is trifoliate. Owari is probably the best variety for this area. Fertilize in January, February or March. Harvest begins in November. The fruit will hold better on the tree than picked, if you have a lot and need to space your harvest.

Sweet potatoes, we know better. Foodways calls sweet potatoes one of the great triumvirate of Southern vegetables along with turnips and cowpeas. The sweet potato requires a sandy soil and a warm, moist climate. The latter two we have in abundance. My Covington County garden had sandier soil than I now have, but sweet potatoes can be grown in clay, as I can attest. (I am working to improve my soil.) Sweet potatoes are put out as slips in April. Several varieties are available. There is even a white one. I go to the co-op and buy my slips – Beauregard this year. It was developed at Louisiana State University in 1987. Since the vines are attractive, this is another vegetable that can be used in the flower garden. It vines, so trailing down a wall is a good place. Most gardeners these days grow the more decorative red and chartreuse plants but why not get a little to eat to boot.

The sweet potato was taken back to Spain around 1500 from the Americas by Columbus and quickly spread. In the U.S., North Carolina is the leading producer, but all Southern states produce them commercially. So they are readily available this time of year, if you haven’t grown your own. They are fiber rich, fat and cholesterol free, with large amounts of vitamin C and a respectable dose of Vitamin E, as well as vitamin A and folic acid, iron, copper, calcium and beta-carotene. Researchers have shown that the sweet potato has anti-tumor, anti-HIV, anti-muscular dystrophy, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-hypertensive and anti-diabetic effects. Sounds like the promises of a snake-oil salesman. Suffice it to say, they are good for you.

You can add sliced oranges to any of your favorite sweet potato recipes or try the one below.

Sweet Potato and Orange Casserole

Cook 2 pounds sweet potatoes; drain. Set aside. Peel and cut the orange rinds into ¼ inch slices. Grate orange rinds to 2 teaspoons. Set aside. Peel then slice three oranges into ¼ inch slices. (If you are using Satsumas, they peel easily and then divide into sections.) Mix with potato. Coat a 9×13 inch pan with butter. Add potatoes and orange.

In saucepan mix orange peel, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 cup orange juice, 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. Stir until thick, pour over potatoes, bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Sweet Potato Pecan Casserole

(Pecans are another seasonal product of our area and I have been pickling up lots this year.)

3 egg whites

½ tsp. salt

¼ cup sugar

1 can (1lb.8oz.) sweet potatoes, drained, (Why on earth use canned this time of year?) or 2 cups mashed yams or sweet potatoes (Yams and sweet potatoes are different species but are the same for cooking purposes.)

¼ cup sugar

1 egg yolk

¼ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. mace

1 Tbsp. orange peel

½ cup light cream

½ cup coarsely chopped pecans

Whole pecans for garnish

In large bowl, let egg whites warm to room temperature about 1 hour, and also preheat oven to 375 degrees.

With electric mixer at high speed, beat egg whites with salt just until soft peaks form when the beater is slowly raised. Gradually add ¼ cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks when the beater is slowly raised.

In another bowl, using same beater, combine sweet potatoes, ¼ cup sugar, egg yolk, cinnamon, mace and orange peel. Beat at high speed for two minutes until mixture is smooth.

Meanwhile, in small saucepan, heat cream to boiling, slowly add to sweet potato mixture, beating until combined.

With wire whisk or rubber spatula, using and under and over motion, fold sweet potato mixture and chopped pecans into egg whites just until combined.

Gently turn into 1 quart straight soufflé dish. Bake 45 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. (Ten minutes before end of baking time, arrange whole pecans on top.)

Serve at once, with butter, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Christmas 2010, part 2

Christmas Dinner Part 2

The main course of my meal for eight on the 23^rd consisted of a roasted pork loin stuffed with rosemary, bacon, and onions. With the pork I served a savory leek bread pudding and some wilted greens from the garden.

Dessert was one of the trinity, floating islands: meringues, covered with a crème anglaise, or custard sauce. This is one of my favorite desserts.  I prefer crème caramel of the trinity but my husband loves the isle flotante (floating islands). I have used this recipe before in another column but I will repeat the custard part, since most people can do meringues. You can really impress by doing caramel-thread decorations, but usually I am so tired at the end of the meal I just forget it! It is just sugar caramelized and using the threads to decorate the meringues.  My friend Alice is more artsy than I am and does the caramelized threads well.

The main recipe you should have is the pork roast and savory leek bread pudding. Most of you can cook some greens. These greens can be anything from collards, mustard greens, or even use broccoli or green beans if you want something besides wilted greens.

These recipes are from my favorite Alabama chef, Frank Stitt, in his book, Southern Table.

Roast Pork Loin Stuffed with Rosemary, Bacon, and Onions

Serves 8

½ pound slab bacon, cut into 1-inch cubes

4 medium onions, cut into 1-inch dice

2 cups 1-inch cubes crustless day-old French bread

2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped

2 rosemary sprigs, leaves removed and finely chopped

1 small bunch flat-leafed parsley, leaves removed and finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil or chicken broth, if necessary

1 center-cut boneless pork loin roast (about 4 pounds)

Place the bacon and onions in a roasting pan and roast stirring once or twice, until the onions are slightly golden and the bacon in semi-crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer the onions and bacon, with all the drippings, to a bowl and set the pan aside. (Leave the oven on.) Add the bread cubes, garlic, rosemary, and parsley to the bowl and season with salt and pepper. You may need to moisten the mixture with a little olive oil or a splash of chicken broth. Let cool.

Meanwhile, prepare the pork: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Insert a sharp boning knife or other long thin knife into the center of one end of the roast and turn it in a circular motion to create a hole, then insert a clean sharpening steel or the handle of a wooden spoon and push against the meat to create a larger space in the center of the pork loin. Continue until you have created a 1½ -inch-diameter tunnel all the way through the pork.

Place the stuffing in a pastry bag without a tip and pipe the stuffing into the pork loin. Tie the pork into an even roll with kitchen twine. Season with salt and pepper and place in the roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes.

Turn the oven down to 325°F and continue roasting for another 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145° to 150°F on an instant-read thermometer. Allow the pork to rest on a rack set over a platter for 5 to 10 minutes.

Slice the pork 1 inch thick and arrange a couple of slices on each plate.

Savory Leek Bread Pudding

Serves 6

1½ tablespoons melted butter

1 leek, trimmed, cleaned, and cut into ½ -inch pieces

1 onion, cut into ½ -inch dice

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 ½ cups ½-inch cubes day-old bread (crusts removed)

2 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1 marjoram sprig, leaves removed and chopped

Tiny pinch of grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Butter six 6-ounce ramekins with ½ tablespoons of the butter.

In a large sauté pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat until the foam subsides. Add the leek and onion until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes more. Transfer to a large bowl, add the bread, and toss well.

Break the eggs into a small bowl and beat thoroughly. Whisk in the cream. Add to the bread mixture, stirring to moisten. Season with the marjoram, nutmeg, and salt and white pepper, mixing well.

Fill the ramekins with the bread mixture. Arrange the ramekins in a shallow baking dish lined with a kitchen towel and pour enough hot water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Carefully place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake until the bread pudding

tops are golden, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Crème Anglaise--Custard Sauce

For about 2 cups:

6 egg yolks

2/3 cups sugar

1 ½ cups hot milk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

2 tablespoons Cognac or other liqueur, optional

Whisk the egg yolks in a saucepan, adding the sugar by fairly rapid spoonfuls—if it goes in all at once the yolks can turn grainy. Continue beating 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is pale yellow and thick. By dribbles, stir in the hot milk—stirring not beating. Because you do not want the sauce to foam.

Set the saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring rather slowly with the wooden spoon, and reaching all over the bottom and sides of the pan. The sauce should come near to simmer. You must be careful not to overheat it and scramble the yolks, but you must have the courage to heat it enough to thicken it. The sauce is done when it coats the wooden spoon with a light creamy layer thick enough to hold when you draw your finger across it. Beat in the vanilla, and the optional butter and rum. Serve warm, tepid, or cold.

After dinner we had a little of the Glenfiddich liqueur that we bought this past summer in Scotland---we had been waiting for the special meal to serve this treat.

And have a Merry Christmas whatever or wherever you eat but do eat with family and friends.

Christmas 2010, part 1

Christmas Dinner Part 1

My main Christmas dinner will be on the 23^rd of December when I will be entertaining my daughter-in-law’s parents and her brother and my children. I have thought about what to serve for quite some time and have decided to do a 5-course meal, some of which can be done ahead and some last minute.  I like serving in courses if there are not too many people. I will be serving my radishes (from the recent appetizer column) with drinks and some pecans roasted with a little brown sugar and rosemary. One does not need much in the way of appetizers when a big dinner is to come.

The first three courses will be in this column and next week will have the last two courses. You should try some of these recipes for your Christmas dinner. I have done all of these recipes and know them to be good, impressive, and something for the relatives to talk about.

The soup has a lot of good ingredients, but it is not hard to make. You will have much left over. My husband saw it in a book about a New Orleans Christmas and thought it looked good.  I went back to the bookstore and copied the recipe, tried it out for a luncheon and the people there wanted the recipe. What can I say? It is good!!

Bisque of Curried Pumpkin, Crawfish and Corn

Serves 12

1 cup olive oil

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped bell peppers

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped garlic

1 cup flour

1 cup Steen’s cane syrup

¼ tsp. curry powder

2 quarts crawfish stock (can use seafood stock)

2 cups fresh corn kernels

1 lb. peeled crawfish tails

1 14 oz. can pure pumpkin puree unsweetened (got any pumpkins left to make your own puree?)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat, add onions, bell peppers, celery and garlic. Cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in cane sugar, curry powder, crawfish stock, corn kernels, and crawfish tails. Whisk in pumpkin puree and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add heavy whipping cream and season soup with salt and pepper.

My second course will be a fish course topped with a tomato sauce.  I first ate this dish in Venice at Harry’s Bar. I bought some special coin silver fish forks to use with my fish knives. Any excuse to buy silver!

Fish with Spicy Tomato Sauce

For the fish:

2 pounds of any white fish (flounder, grouper or snapper)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the sauce:

2 cans diced tomatoes (14 ounces)

1 onion chopped

4 cloves minced garlic

1 can of anchovies in oil (with or without capers)

4 tablespoons of caper berries

5 green olives, chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Red pepper flakes

Olive oil (about ¼ cup)

Put the fish in an oven proof dish and sprinkle the olive oil and salt and pepper over the fish and bake for 20 minutes in a 350°F. Let rest and covered while you make the sauce.

In a heavy saucepan heat ¼ cup olive oil and cook the onions for about 5 minutes, and then add the garlic, anchovies, caper berries, olives, and tomatoes. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add red pepper flakes to suit your taste. When the sauce is somewhat thick, purée in a blender. Pour about ¼ cup sauce over each portion of fish served to each person. This should serve 8 people. The sauce can be made in advance and just reheated. Serves 8.

My salad will be a simple beet salad, red for the Christmas season. This can all be done ahead and just reheated for melting the goat cheese.  The idea of this salad came from a favorite spot for lunch on Magazine Street, Lillette.

Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese

Serves 8

4 large beets

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 oz. goat cheese

Toasted pecans (about ½ cup) or you could use toasted walnuts

Salt and pepper to taste

Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and sprinkle the olive oil over them. Bake at 400°F. for about 1 hour. Let cool and peel the outer skin.

When ready to serve, slice the beets into thin slices, about 3 slices per person and add the goat cheese on top and place in the oven for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Remove from the oven and place three beets with cheese on each of the 8 plates. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and olive oil. Sprinkle the pecans around the plate and serve.