Christmas in Vienna II

Since we love food and drink, we had a great time in Vienna. They are known for their café culture. “In Vienna the living room is down the street at the neighborhood coffeehouse. This tradition is just another example of the Viennese expertise in good living. Each of Vienna’s many long-established (and sometimes even legendary) coffeehouses has its individual character and characters….famously grumpy waiters [we didn’t find this particularly so]…these spaces somehow also feel welcoming, offering newspapers, pastries, sofas, quick and light [or not so light], workers’ lunches, elegant ambience….”

The story of coffee in legend involves the siege of Vienna by the Ottoman Turks, their defeat, and the left coffee beans. “In the 18^th century, coffee boomed as an aristocratic drink. In the 19^th century….coffee became a hit with the working class, too.”

We strolled the shopping streets each day and were impressed with the fashion in the windows----not your local mall, but Vienna is Austria’s largest city with 2.6 million. The old Habsburg Empire was Europe’s most powerful and Vienna rivaled Paris and London. The old city is eminently walkable, decorated for Christmas all over and especially colorful at night. The old city wall circling the city is now a broad boulevard and easily traveled with the trams. We entered one of the many churches in the old city and sat to listen to the choir that was practicing for a concert that evening. The Cathedral, St. Stephens dates from 1300. It did lose its roof to fire during the bombing of WWII. Vienna is a very Catholic city. Mass was being said when we were at the Cathedral and heavily attended.

We searched out all the old cafés that we could. Our German son-in-law had suggested some new Michelin stared restaurants but we opted for the old traditional cafés and traditional food.

Heuriger are unique to Vienna, dating back to the 1780’s. These serve new wines in the vineyards on the outskirts of the city---best visited in warmer weather where one can sit outside, so we deferred on these.

Our first night we sought something close. Café Tirolerhof was just about 2 blocks up the street. We learned that we were not to wait to be seated but find our own table, usually a marble-topped one and a banquette plus chairs for seating. It was cozy and looked like a lot of locals reading their papers and eating or drinking. We wanted something to eat and chose Gulasch (Hungary is just a short distance away and where I usually think of goulash) and some Wurst (sausages). I had the Debreziner, a spicy one with paprika. And some red local wine. The Zweigelt seems to be on all the café menus. The guide book warned us of smoking, still very prevalent in Austria. But they had a separate enclosed room at the Tirolerhof for smokers. Beginning in 2018 all smoking in eating places is to be bared. We actually only ran into one place with nearby smokers---the American Bar. The Wurst we ordered was served with Senf (mustard) and fresh grated Kren (horseradish) which we really liked. Wurst is ubiquitous, found in the cafés as well as stalls on the street and certainly in the Christmas markets.

One of our favorite cafés was the Café Landtmann which was just across from the Rathaus (city hall) Christmas Market. We visited a couple times and by then had learned the art of finding a table in a busy café. Perhaps our favorite local food was Wiener Schnitzel, huge portions usually served with a side of potato salad or a green salad. I like white wine and often ordered Grüner Veltliner, another local favorite. I did try another local specialty, Tafelspitz (boiled beef, Emperor Franz Josef’s favorite) which was the worst dish I had. It needed to be kicked up several notches for me.

One of the cafés I wanted to try was the Trześniewski, an institution started by a Polish cook over a century ago, famous for its open-face finger sandwiches. We peeked in and it was standing only. The sandwiches really looked good, but we wanted a seat.

We had dinner twice in another café near our hotel (a 300 year old town house that has been a hotel for over 100 years, Schlosshotel Römischer Kaiser), the Plachuttas Gasthaus zur Oper with a contemporary, classy interior. They actually hand out a little souvenir recipe titled ‘the art of the perfect Wiener Schnitzel.’ I checked out their cookbook and then bought it. And we enjoyed their classic meals.

I chose to make a chicken schnitzel using the recipe when I got home, since good veal is hard to fine.

Recipe for Weiner Schnitzel from Plachuttas Gasthaus zur Oper.

Serves 4

4 thin slices of veal or 4 chicken breasts

2 eggs

Kosher salt

All-purpose flour, about 1 cup

Breadcrumbs, about 2 cups

Vegetable oil or clarified butter for frying

Directions:

Beat the eggs with a fork and not a mixer.

Gently pound the schnitzel or chicken breast.

Season each side evenly with salt.

Lay the schnitzel in the flour.

Cover both sides with flour.

Coat first with the beaten eggs, and then with the breadcrumbs, on both sides, pressing lightly.

Fry in hot oil for 3-5 minutes till brown, and drain.

Garnish with lemon.

Guten Appetit!!

Christmas in Vienna

We decided to spend my husband’s December birthday (St. Nicholas Tag) in a cold, wintery climate. While it snowed here in the Deep South while we were gone, we had no snow in Austria. But Vienna was definitely cold and Christmassy. The Christmas markets are a must in the German speaking world and Vienna has one of the best. They are, it seems, in all the plazas, but the big one is at the grounds in front of the city hall. It is full of stalls selling hand blown glass ornaments (we bought a couple), everything for Christmas and loads of food and drink stalls. The thing to get is Glühwein (a spiced mulled wine). We used to get them while skiing in the Alps and we had a couple in Vienna with their souvenir cups to boot. Besides the stalls there is a skating rink and a carnival for the kids. So many people every night I could hardly move.

Glühwein

¾ cup water (or orange juice)

¾ cup white sugar (or less to taste)

1 cinnamon stick

1 orange

10 whole cloves

1 (750 ml) bottle red wine

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer. Cut the orange in half, and squeeze the juice into the simmering water. Push the cloves into the outside of the orange peel and place peel in the simmering water. Continue simmering for 30 minutes until thick and syrupy.

Pour in the wine, and heat until steaming but not simmering. Remove the clove-studded orange halves. Serve hot in mugs or glasses that have been preheated in warm water (cold glasses will break.)

We did tour the opera for which Vienna is world famous. Opera ticket costs are very expensive (though standing room can be had for a few Euros) and I don’t particularly like opera, so I thought the tour sufficient. It was quite informative and we saw the public spaces as well as back stage and the Emperor’s lounge. We also took in the Spanish Riding School. The Lipizzaner horses are quite a show. The show takes place in the stately 300 year old Baroque hall at the Hofburg Palace.

We also searched out the art of Gustav Klimt. You may remember a recent film (2015), ‘The Woman in Gold,’ about the famous Klimt portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer, a wealthy Jewish lady in fin de siècle Vienna. The portrait was stolen by the Nazis and wound up in the Austrian government’s art collection. Maria Altmann, Adele’s niece, had fled Vienna 60 years earlier and lives in the US. She sued the Austrian government to get what some called the Mona Lisa of Austria----and won. The painting was transferred to the United States and Mrs. Altmann sold it at auction. It brought a then record price for a painting, $135 million, and is now on display in New York at the Neue Gallery. See the movie if you haven’t. It is a good story. We saw perhaps Klimt’s most famous work, ‘The Kiss’, at the Belvedere Palace where it is on display along with many of his other works. The portrait of Bloch-Bauer was previously at the Belvedere.

Klimt was one of several architects and artists that made Vienna an avant garde city for the Jugendstil (the German term for Art Nouveau). We searched the old city for some of the architecture of the Jugendstil and found a jewel box---Loos’ American Bar. It is tiny and serves an amazing number of American cocktails. I even found my favorite on the menu---the Vieux Carrè.

Another iconic place that did not disappoint was the Sacher Stube. The Sacher Café had a longer line but the Stube was just as elegant. There we had to have the famous Sacher Torte (invented in 1832 by Franz Sacher, dessert chef to Prince Metternich). It is reported to be a dry chocolate cake, but had with Slagobers (whipped cream), it goes down well. My husband had a strudel with Slagobers which he thought was even better.

Sacher Torte

There are many recipes for Sacher Torte since the real recipe is a secret. I thought it rather dry but some recipes add jam to make it moist. Here is a recipe from King Arthur flour which I would like to try when I have time. But it is a beautiful cake any way you try it.

Sacher cake:

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

8 large eggs, separated

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

¾ cup sugar, superfine preferred

1 cup King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour Blend

½ cup apricot jam

Chocolate Glaze

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

½ cup boiling water

1 cup sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray one 9” by 2” round cake pan with cooking spray and line with parchment. Spritz the parchment lightly as well. If your pan isn’t at least 2” deep, use two pans instead of one.

Over low heat or in the microwave melt the chocolate slowly, stirring well.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks. Add the melted chocolate, melted butter, and vanilla. Blend until smooth and satiny, with no lumps or unincorporated yolks.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they begin to foam. Slowly add the sugar, then beat on high speed until the whites hold a stiff peak but are still glossy.

Using a wide rubber spatula, mix about 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate/yolk mixture to lighten it. Now, pour the lightened chocolate mixture over the rest of the whites in the bowl. Fold gently, using about 20 to 30 strokes.

Sprinkle the cake flour over the chocolate batter and continue to fold gently until there are no traces of egg white remaining.

Pour the batter into the pan(s). Bake until the cake is puffed and dry looking on top, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean: 40 to 45 minutes for a single pan, 20 to 25 minutes for two pans. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Be sure to peel off the parchment circle while the cake is still warm.

While the cake is cooling, strain the apricot jam through a fine sieve to remove any bits of fruit and make a smooth filling.

Filling the cake: If you used one cake pan, you will need to split the layer before filling. Use a long, sharp serrated knife to split the cake into two even layers. If you used two pans, simply spread the apricot jam between the layers, leaving ½ inch around the border so that the jam does not squeeze out over the sides of the cake.

For the chocolate Glaze: Place the filled cake on a wire rack over a parchment lined baking sheet.

Place the chocolate, water and sugar in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently until the glaze is smooth, shiny and slightly thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes.

As soon as the glaze is smooth, immediately pour over the cake. The excess glaze will drip off of the cake onto the parchment paper. You can scoop up the excess glaze to cover any bare spots on the cake. Use a flexible spatula to help spread the glaze on the top and sides of the cake, but do not overwork or the glaze will not remain smooth and sleek.

Allow the glaze to set up at room temperature for a few hours before serving. This cake is best served the day it is made. Store any leftovers at room temperature for 1 day.

Don’t forget the Slagobers!

Collards

While reading the new issue of ‘Southern Living’ this week I found that according to a 2014 study of the nutritional density of powerhouse fruits and vegetables conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, collards ranked number 10 in nutritional value and kale number 15. Kale was the hot new thing for several years and restaurant menus featured the vegetable in the form of snacks, salads, smoothies and soups. Kale was sexy; kale was the beauty queen of brassicas.

Why haven’t collards greens gotten kale’s celebrity? We in the south know that collards are good, but the rest of America doesn’t recognize them except as a green drowned in pork fat. As Southerners moved away from their native region or improved their financial situations, many left behind down-home cooking style.

Researchers believe the greens descended from wild cabbages grown in Asia in prehistoric times, then spread throughout Europe; the Greeks and Romans were big fans. Nonetheless, Southerners claim them as their own. The West Africans, Native Americans, and Europeans living throughout the South in the seventeenth century shared an appetite for the greens and collards grew easily here, in gardens high and low, from Monticello to the quarters of the enslaved peoples providing essential nutrients like iron and vitamins A and C in the region’s mild winter.

In thinking of my sides for Thanksgiving, collards were high on my list. They are at their best after a frost which comes around Thanksgiving. So kale move over. Anything you can do, collards can do better!!

This dish is easy to prepare and delicious. We made several meals out of it and I even cut the recipe in half. Serve it up for Thanksgiving.

 

From ‘The Local Palate’ November 2017.

Creamed Collard Greens with Breadcrumbs and Benne Seeds

Serves 8

½ pound slab bacon, diced

1 large Spanish onion, minced

4 pounds collard greens, washed, de-stemmed, and thinly sliced

4 cups chicken stock

½ pound butter, plus 4 tablespoons

1 cup flour

2 cups whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup panko

½ cup benne seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crispy. Drain fat and return to pan. Add onion and sweat until translucent. Add collard greens and sauté until bright green. Pour in stock and reduce to a simmer.

While greens are cooking, melt ½ pound butter in a saucepot over medium-high heat until frothy, then whisk in flour to make a roux. Whisk in milk, cream, nutmeg, and cayenne and bring to a boil (the mixture will be quite thick). Add the béchamel to the greens and incorporate fully. Continue to simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes.

In sauté pan over high heat, melt remaining butter. Add panko and benne seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until evenly golden brown. Season with salt to taste. When the greens are tender, season with salt and pepper to taste, transfer to a serving dish, and top with the breadcrumb mixture. Serve immediately.

 

You can easily buy collards here in the deep South, but you can easily grow your own to harvest when the leaves are smaller and tenderer. Buy plants and start about mid to late October. I started some with an earlier cool snap and they were shredded by tiny caterpillars. The ones started later have had less of a problem. They should provide us with greens through the winter and on into the spring. Starting plants in the spring I think is too late. You can easily start plants even now. Use compost when setting out and water in. You should be good to go. I had a great crop last year and the deer got in the garden and mowed all the fall garden to the ground. (I’ve fixed the fence.)

I also plant kale. You can easily mix kale, collards, turnip greens and/or mustard greens in the pot. I even throw in some leaves from the broccoli plants.

The 'Local Palate' Cheeseball

Everyone probably has their favorite cheese ball recipe for Christmas but since I do not, I thought I would try one that would be easy and tasty.

The ‘Local Palate’ magazine had one that they said would please everyone and it did look good. This was a stress-free appetizer which you can prep the night before. It uses roasted garlic (which of course has to be done ahead) with soft cream cheese and gruyere so you do not even have to get out the mixer. If pressed for time you can get a guest to dress the ball with the salted almonds.

I did this cheese ball the night before and took it to church for coffee hour since my husband and I could not eat all that cheese. It was good and added to the table a little something that was not sweet (since that seems to be all that is at coffee hour these days). But children do love their sweets!!

So if you need a quick appetizer to take to that holiday party this is for you.

 

From the ‘Local Palate’ Dec. / Jan. 2018

Holiday Cheese Ball

8 ounces cream cheese

8 ounces shredded gruyere

4-5 roasted garlic cloves (I just did the whole pod since it was easier)

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme

1 teaspoon dry mustard

Kosher salt

2 (6-ounce) cans smoked almonds

Soften Cream Cheese

In the bowl of a stand mixture fitted with paddle attachment, or by hand, beat cheese until softened. It is easy to do my hand.

Crush Garlic

Using a fork, mash roasted garlic cloves until they resemble a paste and you have 2 tablespoons.

Mix Together

Add all ingredients except salt and almonds to softened cream cheese and mix well until combined. Check seasoning and add salt is needed.

Turn It Out

Turn out the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Pull ends of plastic wrap around mixture and twist closed, forming into a ball.

Refrigerate

Once the mixture is formed into a ball, refrigerate in the plastic wrap for at least 2 hours. Preferably overnight to let the flavors meld.

Top and Serve

Remove cheese ball from plastic and arrange almonds over surface, starting at the top and working downward in staggered rings to resemble a pinecone. Serve with crackers or toasted baguette. I put extra roasted almonds on the side so even if your pat of cheese didn’t have one, you could add an almond.

 

Leftovers

The big day has passed but there may be some turkey left. I always try to give some ideas about how to use your leftover turkey and this year found a great soup that I think will please.

As for using the leftover turkey, you can usually use the white and dark meat for all the leftover recipes. Try to be thorough when picking the turkey carcass of meat, and don’t forget to turn the bird over. Securely wrap and refrigerate leftover turkey, since it will keep up to four days. If your turkey was brined or is kosher, the meat will already be quite salty. Go easy when adding salt to dishes using leftovers. And just remember that any recipe using turkey would also work well with chicken, or use thick-cut turkey breast from the deli. (This is what I did since I didn’t do a turkey this year.)

This soup is a cross between a white bean soup and a French onion soup. It is hearty and makes a really good meal.

 

From ‘Fine Cooking Magazine’ Oct/Nov 2017.

Turkey, Escarole, and White Bean soup with Cheesy Crouton

Kosher salt

1 cup small pasta, I used small shell pasta

2 Tbs. olive oil, more as needed

1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped (about 1 ½ cups)

5 medium clove garlic; 4 minced and 1 halved lengthwise

1 ½ qt. unsalted chicken stock

2 Tbs. Dijon mustard; more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large head escarole (about 1 lb.), cut crosswise into 1/2-iinch-thick ribbons about 6 cups) I could not find this so used collards from the garden and they were fine

2 cups diced (1/2 inch) cooked turkey

1 15.5-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 baguette

8 slices Swiss cheese

Fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Bring a medium pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool.

Heat the oil in a 4-to-5-quart Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the stock, bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to a simmer. Add the mustard, ½ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper, and stir to combine. Add the escarole (collards) in batches, waiting until it begins to wilt before adding more. Stir in the turkey, pasta, beans, and pepper flakes. Season to taste with mustard, salt, and pepper. Cover and keep warm.

Position a rack 6 to 8 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Cut four ½-inch-thick slices of baguette on a sharp diagonal. Brush lightly with olive oil, then rub each slice with the garlic hales. Cover each slice of bread with the cheese (2 pieces each), cutting the cheese to fit. Broil until the cheese melts and browns slightly about 2 minutes.

Divide the soup among four bowls and season to taste with lemon juice. Float a crouton on top, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Don’t leave out the croutons. They really make this memorable.

Xochi and One Fifth

I cannot finish my writing on Houston until I tell you about two new restaurants that we visited over Thanksgiving.

One Fifth is the follow-up to the James Beard Award winner’s highly successful Underbelly a few blocks away. I have written about Underbelly and thought it was very good. Chris Shepherd is the creative chef behind these restaurants. His idea was to change the concept of the restaurant every year for five years and therefore the name One Fifth. He is on his second year, the first year was a steakhouse, and the second is Romantic languages, therefore French, Italian and Spanish cuisine.

The restaurant is housed in a 1927 brick church, formerly Mark’s American Cuisine, the design of the 158-seat space has been tweaked for Romance languages though the set-up is the same with seating in the main dining room area, upstairs in the choir loft, and at both the main and raw bars.

As for the food? There are some good and bad I think.

The a la carte menu is separated into courses. There were appetizers such as a Spain-inspired potato tortilla graced with caviar, charred octopus with chickpeas, and a beyond rich snail pot pie. We did order the octopus (which I thought was rather chewy, but my husband liked it) and I really liked the snail pot pie and decided to come home and do some Escargot en Croute. I had not done escargot in years. Next comes the pasta course and we chose duck heart bolognese with whipped ricotta. We did not order the entrees since I thought $55.00 for small bites of venison was a little overpriced and the Suckling Pig Presse did not appeal to me.

It is one of those restaurants which you can say I am glad I went but do not plan on going back. There are too many great ones in Houston

The next restaurant which I think is outstanding is Xochi. We went for lunch on Friday after Thanksgiving and it is also owned by a James Beard Award winner, named Hugo Ortego. He is the owner of Hugo’s which I have also talked about and thought was delicious. This restaurant has been opened for 11 months and is called Houston’s finest new restaurant.

Xochi pronounced so-chee, comes from Xochitl meaning flower, to catch fire, to bloom or blossom, from the Aztec language Nahuatl. This is Oaxacan cuisine at its best. There are tlayudas (Mexican pizza), moles, wood roasted oysters and best all desserts that will make you swoon.

We wanted to try everything and thought we ordered so much food---but we ate it all. We had little black-masa tacos, one with goat on it and another with pork belly. They are small but just beautifully presented. We had a tlayuda but the masa disk is toasted, Oaxaca style rather than fried. The pizza is covered with the stretchy white Oaxacan cheese, quesillo, which is made in-house. My husband had a grilled shrimp with corn pudding (kinda like shrimp and grits). We had wood-fired oysters which were some of the best I have had.

Hugo’s brother Ruben Ortega is the pastry chef. He uses chocolate in all its forms, it is roasted and ground on the premises. Perhaps the tour de force of the meal is Ruben Ortega’s big white chocolate cocoa pod lavished with many-textured chocolate foams and crumbles. It is a huge dessert and goes for $18.00 but beautiful and delicious.

 

You will not be disappointed with this restaurant. It is located inside the Marriott Marquis Hotel on Walker Street and you can have valet parking for $6.00. The prices are very reasonable and I felt like I had one of the best meals I had had in a long time, and I eat out a lot!!

I did get inspired to do the Escargot en Croute and found it interesting that is was hard to find snails in some of the stores. I was in Wilmington and could not find any at the Harris Teeter (now Kroger) nor Whole Foods. They had stopped carrying them because of low sales. I did find some frozen at the Saigon Market but later found some cans at the Fresh Market and they also carry them frozen. I guess they are just not as popular as they once were. Anyway, they were good and we enjoyed eating them and they were very cheap eating compared to One Fifth.

 

Escargot en Croute

Servings for 2

2 tablespoons butter

12 snails (one can)

¼ cup diced onion

3 tablespoons dry white wine

1 puff pastry sheet

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

Butter Mixture

½ cup butter

¼ cup finely chopped parsley

4 garlic cloves

½ shallot, chopped

1 tablespoon dry white wine

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 anchovy fillet, minced

1 teaspoon Pernod

¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Butter Mixture: Whip butter in mixing bowl. Add the next 9 ingredients with salt and pepper, and mix well. Set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium skillet. Add snails, onion and wine and sauté until liquid evaporates. Set aside.

Place 6 snails in each oven proof dish with their liquid, and cover with two or three tablespoons of the butter mixture. Place a sheet of the puff pastry over each dish. Trim dough and seal around edge of dish. Beat egg with water and use to brush dough. Chill until ready to bake, at least 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake until pastry rises and is golden, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remaining butter can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks and used when garlic butter is needed.

This is a lot of butter but I use grass-fed and I saw on the can of snails that they are 20% protein. I guess that makes me feel somewhat better!

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving in Houston

We did our Thanksgiving in Houston this year and let our daughter do most of the cooking. Some of you remember her doing articles when she traveled to some interesting places in the past. She is still a good cook and what a treat for my husband and me to let a child finally do the Thanksgiving meal. I guess we are getting somewhat older and thought it was about time.

Tinsley did not do a turkey, and knowing her I did not expect her to, but she did a roast duck with orange and ginger. This duck was delicious, but she realized how much fat a duck gives off (I could have told her that) and they are somewhat intensive in cooking. We did have to open the door to let out the smoke. The duck was marinated in grated ginger, orange zest, and garlic overnight. The glaze was honey, orange juice, Demerara sugar, ginger, and star anise. I would recommend doing the duck again since it really was tastier than a turkey. All her recipes came from the ‘New York Times’ except the one I am giving below if you are interested in the complete recipes.

Her sides included Hasselback Potato Gratin, (delicious since you cannot go wrong with cheese, cream and butter), Choriza dressing with leeks (also outstanding) and Ludo Lefebre’s Roasted-Carrot Salad. Now I know roasted carrots are good for you but this was the least tasty dish on the table. It looked fancy with a blood-orange vinaigrette and a cumin crème fraîche dip but I believe the carrots were the problem. They were from Whole Foods but rather large and probably not so fresh. I probably said way too much about how tasteless the dish was, since I found out later her husband had chosen the dish and helped prepare it. Oh well! Can’t win them all.

My contribution to the table was my famous scalloped oysters (done for 42 years) and I did Vivian Howard’s Pumpkin Chai Cheesecake for dessert. My son-in-law loves cheesecake so maybe that made up for my talking badly about his carrots. The cheesecake was good and I probably would do it again, but will save the recipe for next Thanksgiving. My husband likes cheesecake but he said he was through with pumpkin for Thanksgiving, as well as sweet-sweetpotatoes and  there are better meats than turkey he said.

The one dish that I thought was exceptional was not from the ‘New York Times’ but from the cookbook ‘Garden and Gun’ published last year, with a collection of the recipes from their magazine. I gave Tinsley the cookbook for her birthday in August and she did this recipe from the book for Thanksgiving.  It is worth repeating any time of the year. It is greens with bacon jam. Now, I just did not want her to forget her Southern roots.

From the Southerner’s Cookbook, ‘Garden and Gun’ recipes.

Kil’t Greens with Bacon Jam

Ingredients:

2 pounds mixed greens, such as mustard, chard, kale, and spinach, and to be sure collards.

¼ cup Bacon Jam (recipe follows)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnishes (optional) hot pepper vinegar, red onion, sliced hard-boiled egg

Preparation:

Submerge the greens in a large container of water to rinse, remove any large stems, and rip leaves into bite-size pieces if necessary. Drain the greens and blot any excess moisture with a clean kitchen towel. Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, add the Bacon Jam and cook until melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the greens, increase the heat to high, and toss frequently with tongs until the greens just start to wilt and before they release too much liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish as desired and serve immediately.

Bacon Jam:   Bacon, Bourbon. Need I say more?

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients

 1 pound applewood-smoked bacon, diced (I bet it would be better with Benton’s)

1 ½ cups diced onion

1/3 cup bourbon (Do you have any Connecuh Ridge? It is the Alabama state whiskey [2004] and now to be distilled and bottled in Troy.)

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup grainy mustard

Preparation

Cook the bacon in a cast iron skillet over medium–high heat, turning occasionally, until the fat has rendered, and the bacon just starts to turn golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the onion is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the bourbon, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to use.

This makes a lot of bacon jam so you could reduce this by cutting the recipe in half.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Sides

I have always done mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving and am always looking for ways to enhance them. I found an article about an Indian flavoring called tarka, which loosely translates to something like “tempering.” In tarka, flavorful spices and herbs, often in the form of seeds or chilies but sometimes including garlic and ginger, are added to hot oil or butter. The temperature makes them pop with heat and quickly blooms their flavor into the fat. The seasonings are often strained from the butter, leaving behind a liquid that retains the aroma and flavor of the seasonings. This recipe would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving table. It would only take a little extra effort to blend the mustard and caraway seeds with the butter and add over the top of the mashed potatoes. The infusion of some horseradish with the mashed potatoes also really gives this dish a kick.

 

From ‘Milk Street’ November/December 2017.

Mashed Potatoes with Caraway-Mustard Butter

Serves 8

4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered

Kosher salt

5 bay leaves

8 garlic cloves, smashed

10 tablespoons salted butter, divided

1 ¾ cups half-and-half, warmed

½ cup drained prepared white horseradish, liquid reserved

1 tablespoon caraway seeds, lightly crushed

1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds

2 tablespoons minced chives

In a Dutch oven, combine the potatoes, 1 tablespoon salt, the bay leaves and the garlic. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches then bring to a boil over high. Reduce to medium, then cook until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Discard the bay and drain the potatoes, then return to the pot.

In a small saucepan over medium-low, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter. Add the melted butter to the potatoes. Using a potato masher, mash until smooth. Stir in the half-and-half, horseradish and 3 tablespoons of the reserved horseradish liquid. Taste, then season with salt. Cover and set over low to keep warm.

Return the saucepan to medium and add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the caraway and mustard seeds. Cook, gently swirling the pan, until the butter is browned and the seeds are fragrant and toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain into a small grass measuring cup, discarding the solids. Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish, then drizzle with the flavored butter and sprinkle with the chives.

 

This cauliflower dish is also Indian inspired. It would be a great way to use less fast in the Thanksgiving meal and it was also delicious.

From David Tanis’ Market Cooking but found on the Splendid Table website.

Cauliflower “Couscous” with Spiced Butter

The idea is to cut the cauliflower into the tiniest florets possible. They are not quite as small as couscous, but they are small enough to cook very quickly.

Salt

1 large cauliflower (about 3 pounds)

4 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

Pinch of cayenne

¼ teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, or ½ teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons snipped chives

1 tablespoon lime juice, or to taste

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, with a paring knife, cut the cauliflower into tiny florets, as small as possible. (Save the stems and other trimmings for making soup.) You should have about 8 cups.

Working in batches, cook the florets in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, until just tender but still firm. Scoop them from the pot with a small strainer or a spider, blot on kitchen towels, and let cool.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the turmeric, cayenne, black pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Put the cauliflower in a large bowl and season lightly with salt. Drizzle the butter over it and toss gently. (The seasoned cauliflower can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 hours or covered and refrigerated overnight.)

Transfer the cauliflower to an ovenproof serving dish. Put in the oven and heat through, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the chives and lime juice and serve.

Highlands Oct '17

At the doctor’s office today I was telling the nurse about my big night in Birmingham eating at Frank Stitt’s Highlands Bar and Grill. She took down the name and said she would have to try and go since she loved good food. Then as I was looking through ‘People’ magazine, waiting to see the doctor, I came across ‘People’s’ best restaurant in every state. Well, you guessed it, Highlands was the best in Alabama and I immediately showed it to the nurse. She believed me for sure then!

 

I had waited almost a year to have a Highland’s martini, and yes, it was worth the wait. I am not a martini fan usually, but I do love the ones they serve there. It’s shaken and brought to the table in its shaker; the glass is filled, sparkling with ice slivers; have a sip or two; and the shaker is still there for a topping off. My husband had raw oysters and I chose a shrimp cocktail which I had not tried before; the shrimp were so sweet and the sauce a little spicy; the combination was great. 

 

 We chose a venison tart for our appetizer and I cannot describe how flaky and tasty this tart was. It was filled with delicious venison, turnips, and sweet potatoes with a maple and black truffle glaze. YUM! My husband chose a grass-fed beef tenderloin with an onion pudding for his main course which he said was divine. I chose the duck served with spinach and vegetables. It was the best duck breast I have ever had. Our glass of Spanish Rioja was a great accompaniment.

 

The cornbread served at Highlands is also the best anywhere--yummy. I have tried to duplicate it, but even using his recipe; it is not the same. I know he uses Benton’s bacon, which I don’t have on hand all the time. (I need to place a new order.) I need the recipe for the venison tart and the onion pudding. Something to go back for.

Mr. Stitt was not at the restaurant while we there, but probably came in later to check on everything. Next time I am getting a picture with him. It’s about time!

I came home and immediately got out his cookbooks and chose a recipe to do. Since it is oyster season once again I chose the oyster pan roast. So simple and so good!!!

Alabama you can be proud of this fine restaurant!

 

From Frank Stitt’s Southern Table

Oyster Pan Roast with Crawfish and Buttery Croutons

Serves 4 as an appetizer

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 shallots, finely minced

2 to 3 garlic cloves, crushed and finely minced

¼ cup dry white vermouth

16-20 oysters, shucked and every bit of their liquor reserved and strained, or ½ pint shucked oysters, drained, liquor strained and reserved

¼ pound fresh crawfish tail meat (You can substitute lump crabmeat or boiled and chopped shrimp.)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

Hot Sauce such as Tabasco or Cholula, to taste

8 slices crustless French baguette, toasted and buttered

Scant 1 tablespoon sliced chives

1 heaping tablespoon flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 heaping tablespoon chervil leaves

In a large nonreactive saucepan, melt a scant tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallots and garlic and cook over medium-low heat until aromatic and soft, about 1 minute. Add the vermouth and bring to a hard boil. Add the oysters, their liquor, and the crawfish, lower the heat to medium, and cook for about 2 minutes, turning the oysters over as they firm and curl.

Add the salt and pepper, raise the heat, and swirl in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter bit by bit. Add the lemon juice. Add the hot sauce and remove from the heat. Place the croutons in shallow bowls and immediately spoon the pan roast over, dividing the oysters evenly. Garnish with the fresh herbs leaves and serve. 

So easy and delicious!

Frank Stitt has the best chef’s cookbooks that I have ever cooked from. His recipes work. It is not just a pretty book.