Trends 2015

I am always interested in what the food magazines have to say about the coming trends in food for the year. Sometimes they get it right and sometimes not. Most seem to repeat a lot of the same things such as eat more veggies, grains and fruit. We all know to do that, but sometimes fall short. I rather liked what AARP had to say about our next SUPERFOODS!

Move over quinoa—farro is going to be huge. This is a nutty, nutritious, ancient grain related to wheat. It will be showing up more on restaurant menus. I see a lot of recipes for it already in the new magazines.

Instead of goji berries from Asia, dried cherries from the U.S. will be the homegrown super fruit. Dried cherries have been overlooked. But they are delicious and nutritious. Dried cranberries are in the same camp. I never even got to the goji berries, but I do eat dried cherries and cranberries.

Kale is going to be less hip and Brussels sprouts will be on your table. Chefs are even roasting their leaves so they will be crisp just like kale chips. We are still in the kale mode with a lot of it in the garden---young leaves for a salad and the bigger ones for the pot.

Instead of throwing away parts of the vegetable, we will be eating the whole plant, including the stems, leaves and roots. For example, we’ll learn to sauté beet greens and chard stems, and add celery leaves to salads.

Instead of hummus spread, everybody will be embracing avocado spread. It is showing up on menus instead of butter, with sweet and savory toppings. People are looking for more sources of healthy fats.

Sure enough my new issue of ‘Saveur’ addressed some of these predictions. A whole page was dedicated to “Don’t Toss the Trimmings.” Here are a few clever tips from chefs to use every scrap of a vegetable.

Fry tomato skins in olive oil until they are crisp, and then use them to garnish a soup or another tomato dish.

Save your herb stems and roast meat on them instead of a rack. It is a nice aromatic cushion for resting your meat, too.

Turnip leaves and steams can be sautéed with garlic butter and tossed with handmade pasta, walnuts, anchovies, lemon, and puréed turnip bulbs. We southerners have been eating turnip leaves i.e. turnip greens for generations.

Here is a recipe for pickled radish greens which according to Joshua McFadden is delicious and he uses it every day at his restaurant in Portland Oregon.

 

Pickled Radish Greens

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 5 oz. roughly chopped radish greens until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water until chilled. Drain greens and squeeze dry. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a 12” skillet over medium-high; cook greens until golden brown; 8-10 minutes, and transfer to a bowl. Stir in ¼ cup white wine vinegar, 4 sliced garlic cloves, 3 chiles de árbol, and kosher salt; let sit, covered, for 1 hour. Stir in 1/3 cup olive oil; chill in an airtight container up to 1 week. Makes about ¾ cup.

My new issue of ‘bon appétit’ for 2015 had some of the same trends but added more seeds and peppers to foods, like nigella seeds which have a flavor of cumin and caraway with a bitter edge. Veggies and flatbreads love them. Aleppo pepper is hot, literally, and is used as a crushed chile. It brings a warmth to everything it is sprinkled on.

This recipe in the latest issue of ‘bon appétit’ seems to signify the coming trends of the year. Use vegetables (every part) and use spices to enhance their flavor.

 

Crunchy Turnip, Apple, and Brussels Sprout Slaw

4 servings

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. finely grated peeled ginger

Kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper

2 small white turnips, peeled, cut into matchsticks

1 medium sweet-tart apple (such as Pink Lady), cut into matchsticks

4 oz. Brussels sprouts, leaves, separated (Core them with a paring knife and the leaves will pop right off).

1 tsp. poppy seeds, plus more

Whisk lemon juice, oil, and ginger in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add turnips, apple, Brussels sprouts, and 1 tsp. poppy seeds to coat. Serve slaw topped with more poppy seeds.

 

 

Black-eyed Pea, Collard, and Sweet Potato Stew

The end of the year has come and I always serve black-eyed peas and some greens on New Year’s Day. This recipe from ‘Southern Living’ December 2014 combines all the wonderful things you need, to have a good start to 2015. It has your peas, collards, and some sweet potatoes to boot! It is in a stew and you can make this ahead and reheat. Don’t be scared of the long list of ingredients, most of them are used to make a stock.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year!

 

Black-Eyed Pea, Collard, and Sweet Potato Stew

Serves 6-8

1 bunch fresh collard greens (1 lb.)

6 whole cloves

1 medium-size yellow onion, halved

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

10 parsley stems

10 cilantro stems

4 fresh thyme sprigs

4 celery ribs, peeled and coarse chopped

3 bay leaves

3 large carrots, peeled and coarse chopped

1 garlic bulb, halved

2 (2-inch) pieces fresh ginger, peeled and crushed

1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained

1 tsp. dried crushed red pepper

4 Tbsp. sugar

5 Tbsp. rice vinegar

4 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 smoked ham hocks

1 lb. chicken wings

1 lb. pork neck bones

1 (16-oz.) package dried black-eyed peas

2 medium-size sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tsp. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Hot sauce

¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves

¼ cup coarse chopped cilantro leaves

Remove and chop collard stems. Chop collard leaves. Insert 3 whole cloves in each onion half, and place onions, cut sides down, in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add parsley stems, next 9 ingredients, and collard stems. Cook, stirring gently, 10 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Add 4 qt. water, and whisk in sugar, rice vinegar, and soy sauce; cook 1 minute, stirring to blend. Add ham hocks, chicken wings, and pork necks. Bring to a boil, skimming off foam. Reduce heat to low; simmer 3 hours or until ham hocks are tender and potlikker is rich in flavor, skimming as necessary.

Meanwhile, rise and sort peas. Bring peas and water to cover to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Cook 2 minutes, skimming off foam. Drain peas.

Pour potlikker through a fine wire-mesh strainer into an 8-cup glass measuring cup, reserving hocks, chicken wings, and pork neck bones; discard remaining solids. Remove and chop meat from ham hocks, chicken wings, and pork neck bones; discard bones and skin.

Wipe Dutch oven clean, and return potlikker to Dutch oven. Add drained peas, chopped ham, chicken, pork, and collard leaves to potlikker. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes or until peas are just tender. Stir in sweet potatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until peas and sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in 2 tsp. kosher salt. Add freshly ground black pepper and hot sauce to taste. Adjust seasoning, if desired. Serve stew over hot cooked rice, and sprinkle with chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

Christmas Casserole and Muffins

It is always a good idea to have a casserole ready to pop in the oven on Christmas morning. Christmas Eve can be a late affair and it is best to be prepared. I found a new casserole dish for Christmas morning and a muffin recipe (not a sweet one but savory) which I think are very delicious. Who can resist pimento cheese muffins? We liked these muffins a lot. The casserole has lots of cheese, mushrooms, and ham. Now what is not to like about that?

So have a very Merry Christmas everyone!

 

 Taken from the December 2014 issue of ‘Food and Wine’ magazine.

Christmas Morning Casserole

Serves 8

Butter, for greasing

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oi1

½ cup finely diced pepperoni (2oz.)

½ lb. shitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps cut into ¾-inch pieces

1 medium onion, minced

1 red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

8 large eggs

3 cups whole milk

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

½ tsp. pepper

¾ lb. day-old challah, sliced 1 inch thick and cut into 1-inch dice (10 cups) (Challah is a Jewish egg bread that you can find in groceries.)

6 oz. Black Forest ham, thinly diced (1 ¼ cups)

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (1/4 lb.)

1 cup shredded aged white cheddar cheese (1/4 lb.)

½ cup finely chopped scallions, plus thinly sliced scallions for garnish

Hot sauce, for serving

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the pepperoni and cook over moderate heat until the fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Add the shitake and cook until lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally until softened and browned, about 7 minutes; let cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the milk, mustard, soy sauce, pepper and 2 teaspoons of salt. Add the cooled vegetable mixture, challah, ham, both cheeses and the chopped scallions and mix well. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Uncover the casserole and bake for about 50 minutes, until it’s just set and the top is browned. Let stand for 10 minutes, then top with thinly sliced scallions and serve with hot sauce.

 

These muffins look like Christmas with their red, green, and yellow ingredients.

Pimento Cheese Muffins

Makes 12

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 ½ cups buttermilk

2 large eggs

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled

½ Tbsp. jarred harissa paste (I found this hot chili pepper paste at Whole Foods.)

¼ cup finely chopped chives

½ small yellow onion, minced

3 Tbsp. sliced scallions

3 Tbsp. minced parsley

1 ½ Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

5 oz. shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

3 oz. drained jarred pimientos, chopped (1/2 cup)

Pimento cheese, for serving (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the paprika, salt, baking powder, baking soda and pepper. In a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the eggs, butter, harissa, chives, onion, scallions, parsley and Worcestershire until smooth. Whisk into the dry ingredients just until combined. Stir in the cheese and chopped pimentos.

Using a 1/3 cup measure, scoop the batter into 12 muffin cups. Bake for about 18 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cook for 5 minutes, then unmold and serve with pimento cheese.

 

Christmas Dinner Oysters and Toffee Pudding

It is crunch time again and I have to begin the planning of Christmas dinner. I am doing a prime rib roast with Yorkshire pudding and some greens on the side. I am starting with a new oyster appetizer that I found in the November 2014 issue of ‘Saveur’ magazine. Jane and Michel Stern travel around the world to out of the way places to find interesting things to eat. They can be heard on The Splendid Table on NPR and write for several food magazines. They were traveling around the Florida Panhandle and found some places to eat serving delicious shrimp and oysters. This oyster recipe is from Wakulla Springs Lodge in Wakulla Springs, Florida. I thought some of you might know this place since it is not that far from home.

In the December issue of’ Saveur’ Jane and Michel Stern were in England trying to find the best sticky toffee pudding recipe. Now I like sticky toffee pudding and try to find it whenever I am in England or Scotland. The Stern’s thought they had found the best at a café in northwestern England, but they were told this pudding had come from a big box restaurant, and were told that to find the best you had to go to Cartmel. There is none richer. They found Cartmel and the sign upon entering the town said, “The Home of Sticky Toffee.” This is dairy land and the pudding needs to be made with the best cream. This version I am giving is the closest to the classic English dessert, and is adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s cookbook called Rose’s Heavenly Cakes published in 2009. Notice the dates are soaked in stout beer!

So here are my appetizer and dessert for Christmas dinner….compliments from Jane and Michel Stern.

Oysters Dupont

Serves 2-4

1/3 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. minced herbs, such as basil, oregano, and rosemary

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Coarse rock salt, for baking sheet

12 oysters, preferably Apalachicola, on the half shell

6 oz. feta, crumbled

6 oz. lump crabmeat

1 ½ tbsp. capers

Chopped parsley and thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Hot sauce, lemon wedges, and toasted ciabatta, for serving (optional)

Heat oil and garlic in an 8” skillet over medium heat. Cook until garlic is golden, 4-5 minutes. Stir in herbs and pepper; let cool. Heat oven broiler. Line a baking sheet with rock salt about ¼ “deep. Nestle oysters onto bed of rock salt. Spoon reserved garlic oil over oysters and sprinkle with feta, crabmeat, and capers. Broil until feta is golden brown and the oysters begin curing at the edges, 2-4 minutes. Garnish with parsley and scallions; serve with hot sauce, lemon wedges, and roasted ciabatta, if you like.

 

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Serves 8-10

For the pudding:

1 cup stout beer, preferably Guinness Extra Stout

1 tsp. baking soda

10 large pitted dates

2 cups flour

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

½ tsp. kosher salt

1 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar

6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, plus more

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

3 eggs

For the toffee sauce:

1 cup packed light brown sugar

16 tbsp. unsalted butter, preferably Plugrá (can be found at Whole Foods) (It is a European style butter with higher fat content but made in America. I prefer Kerrygold which is made from grassfed cows.)

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped and reserved

½ cup heavy cream

1 tbsp. lemon juice

¼ tsp. kosher salt

Make the pudding: Heat oven to 350°. Boil beer in a 1-qt. saucepan. Stir in baking soda and dates; let cool. Transfer to a food processor; purée until smooth. Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl. Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat sugar, butter, and vanilla until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the motor running, slowly add dry ingredients, alternating with reserved date mixture, until a smooth batter forms; pour into a greased 9”x13” baking dish. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the pudding comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Make the sauce: Simmer sugar, butter, and vanilla bean and seeds in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cream, lemon juice, and salt. Strain sauce; let cool. Cut pudding into squares; drizzle with sauce.

 

Reveillon

We spent a few days in New Orleans last week and I thought about how much I think about food when I am there. Where do I get my next meal! But one does have to say that the Crescent City identity is based on its food traditions.

The Christmas celebration, known as Réveillon is a perfect example. From the French word réveil or “awakening,” the Réveillon tradition of holding lavish, late-night feasts on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve is celebrated around the world. In New Orleans, the practice began during the 1800’s when the city’s Catholic Creole population, many French immigrants among them, began breaking their Christmas Eve fast as they do in France, with a post-Midnight Mass family fete.

After days of cooking, a lavish buffet of traditional Creole dishes was laid out: oyster stew, turtle soup, or rich gumbos; savory soufflés; cold beef daube glacé; roasted game and game birds and bread puddings. Wines and cordials flowed to heighten the revelry, which lasted until the sun rose on Christmas Day.

At the turn of the century, American holiday traditions began supplanting these Réveillon gatherings and by the 1940’s, Réveillon was all but extinct.

In the late 1980’s Ralph Brennan partnered with some French Quarter business owners to resurrect Réveillon in the restaurants in order to stimulate the local economy at an otherwise slow time of the year. It was a huge success and now Réveillon is celebrated nightly at many fine restaurants during the Christmas season, showcasing menus that are both traditional and contemporary.

I think this is a wonderful idea to do at home if you cannot go to a fine restaurant in New Orleans. The recipes given by Mr. Brennan for ‘Fine Cooking Magazine’ are truly delicious. The starter is a wonderful crab-cauliflower bisque followed by oysters patties; a creamy potato-artichoke gratin, garlicky green beans and a stuffed pork tenderloin. There is always the classic breading pudding for dessert.

I decided to try the green beans and the gratin to add to one of my Christmas meals and I would give them a heads up. Very nice dishes! Give these a try and have your own Réveillon.

Recipes from the 2014 ‘Fine Cooking Magazine’

Garlicky Green Bean with Almonds

Serves 8 to 10

Kosher salt

2 lb. green beans, trimmed (No green beans in the garden but I did freeze some last summer.)

1 Tbs. olive oil

½ cup sliced almonds

5 medium cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (Our lemon trees have ripe fruit now.)

Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook, stirring once, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and refrigerate until ready to use. (The green beans can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.)

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over low heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring, until golden, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 10 seconds; transfer to a plate.

Add the butter and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown, 3 minutes. Add the beans and toss to coat. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 4 minutes. Add the lemon juice, season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the beans topped with the almonds.

Potato-Artichoke Gratin

Serves 8

2 Tbs. unsalted butter; more for the pan

1 ½ lbs. onions, thinly sliced (5 cups)

Kosher salt

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick

1 tsp. minced fresh oregano

1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and patted dry

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup half-and-half

4 oz. (1/2 tsp.) mascarpone

Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, sprinkle with ½ tsp. salt, and cook, stirring often, until wilted, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium low, add the garlic, and cook, stirring every few minutes and adding water 1 Tbs. at a time if the bottom of the skillet gets too dark, until the onions are caramel brown, about 20 minutes. Add 2 Tbs. water and scrape the pan well. Spread the onions on a baking sheet and let cool to room temperature. (You can refrigerate the onions in an airtight container for up to 1 week.)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread the onions on the bottom of the dish. Top with half of the potatoes, shingling them in an even layer. Sprinkle with ½ tsp. of each herb, a heaping ½ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper. Arrange half of the artichokes over the potatoes. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, herbs, salt, pepper and artichokes. Whisk together the cream, half-and-half, and mascarpone; pour over the potatoes. (You can refrigerate the gratin at this point for up to 4 hours.)

Bake until tender when pierced with a fork and golden brown in spots, 1 to 1½ hours. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

 

 

Thanksgiving Leftovers '14

Every year I wonder what to do with those leftovers. What about a good turkey soup and of course the turkey sandwich. I found a good soup recipe in the November issue of ‘Food and Wine’ and a really mile-high sandwich in the Williams-Sonoma holiday catalogue. Of course they wanted to sell you the Panini press! These recipes were good and easy and that is just what you need after all the Thanksgiving activities.

 

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Serves 8

4 Tbsp. butter

3 celery ribs, cut into ½ -inch pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ tsp. finely chopped thyme

Salt and pepper

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup wild rice (5oz.)

2 quarts chicken stock or low-sodium broth

2 cups water

4 cups bite-size pieces of roasted turkey

1 cup heavy cream

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic, thyme and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables just start to soften, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, until evenly coated and lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

Add the wild rice to the saucepan and gradually stir in the stock and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Add the turkey and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the wild rice is tender, 10-15 minutes longer. Stir in the cream and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Make ahead: The chicken soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat gently before serving.

 

Turkey Panini with Thanksgiving Leftovers (This is a whopper!)

1 sandwich:

2 slices rye bread

Olive oil for brushing

2 Tbs. cranberry fig chutney

2 slices leftover roast turkey

1 slice Swiss cheese

¼ cup leftover cooked stuffing (dressing)

¼ cup leftover mashed potatoes

¼ cup leftover Brussels sprouts (You did do Brussels sprouts, didn’t you?)

¼ cup turkey gravy, warmed

Preheat Panini press on “sear” setting.

Brush one side of each bread slice with olive oil. Turn one slice over, spread with chutney and top with turkey. Swill cheese, stuffing, mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Cover with remaining bread slice, oiled side up.

Cook sandwich in Panini press until bread is golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove top slice of bread and pour gravy on top of sandwich. Return top slice, cut sandwich in half and serve.