New Year's Cooking Resolutions

As the New Year is here, we probably are thinking about eating healthier. I cooked the goose on Christmas Day and I do not have to repeat that. It was expensive as I knew, but there was little meat so it was only good for two meals. I did the tenderloin and the potato dish for Christmas Eve and it was all good, but I need to let go of some of the fatty stuff!! One of my resolutions for the New Year is to try different dishes from other countries. We seem to try ethnic dishes only when we eat out, and I know I can do these dishes at home just like I do Indian. So I am trying to expand my cooking with some new cuisines this year. I am planning on attending a cooking school somewhere in the world this year. Have not decided where just yet. I’m leaning toward Ireland and go when it gets hot here. These are just two of my resolutions this year, and yes I may fail in fulfilling them, but one must start somewhere.

Thai cooking is just not something I do very often although I really like the flavors of this cuisine. In the new issue of ‘bon appétit’ there was a whole section on techniques for Thai cooking and some really good looking recipes and I thought, “I can do this”. Thai food is simple, but I think we worry about the ingredients and the fiery flavors or the spices. There is more to Thai cuisine than green coconut curry. So put down that Thai take-out menu and prepare this food at home. I am sure that it will be tastier, healthier, and much easier than you think.

The simplest of all Thai dishes are stir-fries. In stir fries you can increase or decrease the amount of spiciness by controlling the amount of chilies. A secret of stir-frying is to blanch your vegetables before stir frying, so this will decrease your frying time and make them fresher. Start out with medium heat to sauté the aromatics (like garlic) that you want to use to infuse the oil with flavor. Set the garlic aside and never let it burn. Let the oil get hot before putting in the vegetables. This helps caramelize the veggies and sauce alike, giving the dish a complex flavor.

Stir-Fried Brussels sprouts with Garlic and Chili

4-6 servings

4 cups halved Brussels sprouts

Kosher salt

2 Tbsp. thinly sliced garlic

¼ cup oyster sauce

4 tsp. Thai fish sauce (nam pla) It can be found in most grocery stores.

2 tsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. sugar

½ tsp. (or more) 1/8” thick slices of red Thai chilies. Thai chilies are quite hot.  You can substitute other hot chilies or some less hot chilies if you prefer.  I think I will try and grow some Thai chilies this year in the garden.

Pinch of ground white pepper

½ cup low-salt chicken broth

Blanch Brussels sprouts in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green, about 15 seconds. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a wok (A flat bottom wok works great and if you do or plan to do a lot of stir-frying you might want to invest in one.) or large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and stir until light golden brown, about 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to a small bowl.

Increase heat to high; add the Brussels sprouts. Stir fry until they begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add oyster sauce and next 5 ingredients. Stir-fry for 30 seconds; add chicken broth. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced slightly, about 2 minutes; add more chilies, if desired. Stir in garlic.

There are two types of entrées in Thailand, dishes served with rice or dishes served with noodles. Some of these noodle dishes are served as one-pot meals and are often eaten on the go. Rice noodles generally come dried and need a presoak in warm water. Once pliable, they need only to cook for a few minutes. Cooking the rice noodles with the sauce gives them the flavor of the dish. Noodle dishes are often served with garnishes, including chilies, fish sauce, peanuts, and herbs like garlic chives.

Pad Thai

2 servings

5 oz. pad Thai rice noodles

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 large egg, room temperature

6 medium shrimp, peeled, deveined (optional)

2 Tbsp. 1x1/2 x1/8 “ slices pressed tofu (bean curd)

1 Tbsp. sweet preserved shredded radish, rinsed, chopped into 1’ pieces

1 cup bean sprouts

5 Tbsp. tamarind water, or 2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. water

1 ½ Tbsp. (or more) Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

1 ½ Tbsp. simple syrup

4 garlic chives, 2 cut into 1” pieces

½ tsp. ground dried Thai chilies, divided

2 Tbsp. crushed roasted, unsalted peanuts, divided

2 lime wedges

Place noodles in a large bowl; pour hot water over to cover. Let soak until tender but not mushy, 5-10 minutes. Drain; set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add egg; stir until barely set, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp, if using. Cook, stirring, until shrimp and egg are almost cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Add tofu and radish; cook for 30 seconds. Add noodles and cook for 1 minute. Stir in sprouts. Add tamarind water, fish sauce, and simple syrup and stir-fry until sauce is absorbed by noodles and noodles are well coated, about 1 minute. Stir in chopped garlic chives. Add ¼ tsp. ground chilies and 1 Tbsp. peanuts and toss well. Transfer to serving plates.

Garnish with remaining ¼ tsp. ground chilies, 1 Tbsp. peanuts, and lime wedges.

Rice the other entrée, is perhaps the soul of the Thai table. I could not finish this article without giving a recipe for coconut rice. You can now buy coconut milk in containers (in the section with the chicken broth) in the grocery store. If you cannot find coconut cream, use 2 cans of coconut milk and use the cream that floats at the top. It will caramelize during cooking, leaving sweet brown flecks in the rice

Coconut Rice

6 servings

2 cups jasmine rice

1 cup coconut cream

1 ½ Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

Rinse rice in a large bowl with cool water until water runs clear. Drain rice.

Combine rice, coconut cream, sugar, salt, and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, 40-45 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork; cover and let set for 20 minutes.

New Year's 2012

Southerners make their resolutions like anybody else, and probably don’t keep them like everybody else, but they are sure to have their bowl black-eyed peas and a mess of greens for New Years.  My peas will be hoppin’ John and the greens done my favorite way.  Folklore varies about the origins of hoppin’ John. This is a West African dish, a pork-flavored stew pot of rice and black-eyed peas, but the symbolism stays the same. The beans represent coins, and the pork conveys optimism, because pigs forage forward and don’t look back.

We have always had black-eyed peas and greens (usually collards) for New Year’s Day. I love the smell of the ham hock or whatever pork you use for seasoning, cooking with the peas. We could all use some good luck this year, a better economy, better health, and better relationships with family members. I had better eat a lot of peas and greens.

Taken from ‘Garden and Gun’, December and January Issue. The recipe is from the chef Stephen Stryjewski of Cochon Restaurant in New Orleans. (He learned to cook and love this dish in the Carolina lowlands where he lived for a time as an army brat.)

Hoppin’ John

(about 6 servings)

Ingredients (Stage 1)

1 lb. dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked over

¾  lb. Tasso ham, diced

1 onion, halved

3 cloves garlic

3 bay leaves

Preparation:

In a large Dutch oven or kettle, combine ingredients with 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until beans are tender but not mushy, 2 to 2 ½  hours. Drain the black-eyed peas and ham, saving cooking liquid separately. Remove and discard the onion pieces, garlic, and bay leaves.

Ingredients (Stage 2)

½ lb. bacon, diced

3 ribs celery, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

½ tsp. fresh thyme

1 cup Cajun Grain rice or a good quality long grain rice

6 green onions, sliced

½ bunch parsley, chopped

1 tsp. coarse salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation:

Wipe out the pot and return to stove over moderately high heat. Add bacon and render until golden (8 to 10 minutes). Then add the onions, celery, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Using a wooden spoon, stir occasionally, cooking until onions look translucent (8-12 minutes). Add the thyme and 2 ½ cups water, and bring to a boil. Lower heat, stir in the rice, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 17 to 22 minutes.

Stir in the green onions, parsley, and black eyed-peas and ham, season with salt and pepper, and adjust the consistency with the reserved cooking liquid. The hoppin’ John should be moist but not soupy.

My greens will be done with my favorite greens recipe. I forget where I got this recipe several years ago.  I try other ways to do greens occasionally but I come back to this one.  We eat greens in the winter several days each week since all I have to do is go to the garden to get mustard or collards.

My Favorite Greens Recipe

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

½ cup onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups chicken broth

1 or two bunches of collards or other greens such as mustard or chard

2 tbsps. red wine vinegar

In a large pot, add the olive oil and butter and melt. Add the onion for 1 minute and then add the garlic but do not burn. Add a sprinkle of salt over this. Add the washed and chopped greens to the mixture and stir together for 1 or 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and cook with a covered top for 20-30 minutes on low heat. In the last two minutes of cooking add the red wine vinegar. Season to taste with the pepper and salt.

Happy New Year and good luck!

Southerners make their resolutions like anybody else, and probably don’t keep them like everybody else, but they are sure to have their bowl black-eyed peas and a mess of greens for New Years.  My peas will be hoppin’ John and the greens done my favorite way.  Folklore varies about the origins of hoppin’ John. This is a West African dish, a pork-flavored stew pot of rice and black-eyed peas, but the symbolism stays the same. The beans represent coins, and the pork conveys optimism, because pigs forage forward and don’t look back.

We have always had black-eyed peas and greens (usually collards) for New Year’s Day. I love the smell of the ham hock or whatever pork you use for seasoning, cooking with the peas. We could all use some good luck this year, a better economy, better health, and better relationships with family members. I had better eat a lot of peas and greens.

Taken from ‘Garden and Gun’, December and January Issue. The recipe is from the chef Stephen Stryjewski of Cochon Restaurant in New Orleans. (He learned to cook and love this dish in the Carolina lowlands where he lived for a time as an army brat.)

Hoppin’ John

(about 6 servings)

Ingredients (Stage 1)

1 lb. dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked over

¾  lb. Tasso ham, diced

1 onion, halved

3 cloves garlic

3 bay leaves

Preparation:

In a large Dutch oven or kettle, combine ingredients with 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until beans are tender but not mushy, 2 to 2 ½  hours. Drain the black-eyed peas and ham, saving cooking liquid separately. Remove and discard the onion pieces, garlic, and bay leaves.

Ingredients (Stage 2)

½ lb. bacon, diced

3 ribs celery, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

½ tsp. fresh thyme

1 cup Cajun Grain rice or a good quality long grain rice

6 green onions, sliced

½ bunch parsley, chopped

1 tsp. coarse salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation:

Wipe out the pot and return to stove over moderately high heat. Add bacon and render until golden (8 to 10 minutes). Then add the onions, celery, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Using a wooden spoon, stir occasionally, cooking until onions look translucent (8-12 minutes). Add the thyme and 2 ½ cups water, and bring to a boil. Lower heat, stir in the rice, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, about 17 to 22 minutes.

Stir in the green onions, parsley, and black eyed-peas and ham, season with salt and pepper, and adjust the consistency with the reserved cooking liquid. The hoppin’ John should be moist but not soupy.

My greens will be done with my favorite greens recipe. I forget where I got this recipe several years ago.  I try other ways to do greens occasionally but I come back to this one.  We eat greens in the winter several days each week since all I have to do is go to the garden to get mustard or collards.

My Favorite Greens Recipe

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

½ cup onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups chicken broth

1 or two bunches of collards or other greens such as mustard or chard

2 tbsps. red wine vinegar

In a large pot, add the olive oil and butter and melt. Add the onion for 1 minute and then add the garlic but do not burn. Add a sprinkle of salt over this. Add the washed and chopped greens to the mixture and stir together for 1 or 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and cook with a covered top for 20-30 minutes on low heat. In the last two minutes of cooking add the red wine vinegar. Season to taste with the pepper and salt.

Happy New Year and good luck!

Christmas Eve 2011

Tonight is Christmas Eve when we all go to church to sing carols and await the coming of the baby Jesus. A very special night indeed! I will be singing in the choir, and we are doing Ava Maria, which is 9 pages long but only two words to sing, but the trick is knowing when to sing those words. HA!! But it is a beautiful song and I feel lucky to get to take part.

Tonight is also my 36^th wedding anniversary. Who would marry on Christmas Eve? It was the only time my husband had in his residency so we went for it. The service was in Nashville, Tennessee, with candle light and red velvet dresses for the attendants! We spent the honeymoon night in a hotel in Nashville (cannot remember the name) where the country stars went to have some privacy. All I remember about the night was that we had steak. Now, what does that say? I guess it was always the food for me. After church tonight I am doing a special meal with steak, but it has to be simple since we will not eat until after 10PM. The potato dish will be done ahead, so all I have to do is cook the tenderloin and some simple green like broccoli. No dessert this late.

So, Merry Christmas to you and Happy Anniversary to me!

From ‘Saveur’ magazine, October 2011.

Rosemary-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin

1 2-lb. beef tenderloin, trimmed of sinew and excess fat, and tied with kitchen twine

¼ cup canola oil

3 tbsp. finely chopped rosemary (If you don’t have rosemary in the garden put it on your New Year’s list.)

3 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Place beef tenderloin on a sheet of aluminum foil, and rub all over with 2 tbsp. oil, the rosemary, and the garlic. Season the tenderloin generously with salt and pepper, and then let the beef sit at room temperature for 1 hour, to allow the seasonings to penetrate the meat and form a flavorful crust on the exterior of the roast. (This resting period also takes the chill off the meat, which allows it to cook more evenly in the oven.)

Heat oven to 425⁰. Heat the remaining oil and the butter in a 12” skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add the tenderloin to the skillet and cook, turning as needed until the beef is browned on all sides, about 7 minutes.

Transfer the skillet to the oven, and cook the tenderloin until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the beef reads 125⁰ for medium rare.

Remove the tenderloin from the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes. (During the resting period, the tenderloin will continue to rise in temperature to produce a perfect medium-rare interior, and the tenderloin’s juices will have enough time to distribute evenly throughout the meat.)

When you’re ready to serve the tenderloin, remove the twine, and use a long slicing knife to cut the beef into ½’-thick slices. Transfer slices to a large serving platter, and pour any accumulated juices from the cutting board over the meat to moisten it. Serve immediately or at room temperature with the potato dish given below, and with a green salad or broccoli.

Potato, Mushroom, and Gruyère Gratin

Served 6

2 tablespoons butter, divided

4 ounces wild mushrooms, stems discarded, cut into ¼ -inch slices

4 ounces cremini mushrooms, cut into ¼-inch slices

¾ cup heavy cream

¾ cup whole milk

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

½ teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 ½ pounds starchy potatoes (such as russets)

1 cup freshly grated aged Gruyère cheese

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400⁰F. Butter the bottom of a shallow 2-or 2 ½ -quart baking dish.

Melt 1 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the wild mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they soften and any liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Work in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding the mushrooms in the pan so that they can brown well and stay firm instead of getting slimy and lost in lots of liquid. Pour the cooked mushrooms onto a plate and set aside.

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet and cook the cremini mushrooms the same way. Transfer them to the plate and set aside.

Stir together the cream, milk, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, and nutmeg in a large saucepan.

Working with one potato at a time,  peel the potatoes and cut into even slices that are no more than 1/8-inch thick and stir them into the cream mixture. A vegetable slicer is ideal, although the slicing can be done with a sharp knife. To make the process easier and safer when using a knife, cut a thin slice off one of the long sides of the potato so that is sits flat and does not wobble on the cutting board.

Bring the potatoes just to a simmer over medium-high heat, then remove the pan from the heat. Use a slotted spoon to transfer half of the potatoes to the prepared dish, spreading them evenly. Top with the cooked mushrooms but leave any accumulated mushroom liquid behind. Spoon the remaining potatoes over the mushrooms, spreading evenly. Pour the potato cooking liquid evenly over the top and sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake until the top is browned and the potatoes are very tender and bubbling around the edges, 45-55 minutes. If the top gets too brown before the potatoes are done, lay a flat sheet of aluminum foil over the top. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving.

Goose for Christmas

I have read several articles lately about cooking a goose for Christmas and decided this was the year for me. I have never eaten or cooked a goose, so why not give it a try? A goose is an expensive item, as I have priced one at Whole Foods for $85.00 for a 12 pound goose. So I do not want to mess it up!

In Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, on the Cratchit family’s holiday table are potatoes, gravy, applesauce, a pudding “like a speckled cannon-ball” blazing with ignited brandy, but at the center of the meal is a glorious goose. Dickens writes that the Cratchits rush to take their places at the table with their spoons crammed in their mouths, “less they should skriek for goose before their turn came to be helped.” Mr. Crarchit said he didn’t believe there ever was such a goose cooked. Its tenderness and flavor, size and cheapness, were the themes of universal admiration. Mrs. Cratchit saw one small bone left upon the dish, yet everyone had had enough.  These are such great lines from this famous story.

Goose has played an exalted role in food history. Among French and German Jewish communities, beginning in the early Middle Ages, geese were fattened through the autumn and butchered around the time of Hanukkah, before the coming of winter. The Pilgrims brought the domesticated goose to this country, where it was a popular holiday dish until the 19^th century, when it was gradually supplanted by the turkey, a bird now farmed on an industrial scale as the goose has never been.

I keep reading that the goose is hard to cook and that it is greasy. The goose fat can be used for frying potatoes, root vegetables, peppers, onions, eggs and even making goose liver terrines. I plan on putting the goose fat to work for me. Use the leftover goose to make stock for soups.

When I bring to the table my “beautiful roasted goose” I would like to remember Tiny Tim’s grateful voice, “God bless us, everyone.”

This goose recipe is from executive chef Brian Alberg of the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Christmas Goose with Gravy and Roasted Vegetables

Serves 8

For the Goose and Gravy:

1 12-lb. goose, wing tips, neck, and giblets reserved

Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste

1 lemon, halved

8 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs sage

8 cups chicken stock

2 ribs celery, roughly chopped

2 small yellow onions, chopped

1 large carrot, roughly chopped

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 oz. baby carrots, peeled

1 lb. baby beets, peeled

1 lb. small potatoes, halved

6 cipolline onions, peeled

2 large parsnips, peeled and cut diagonally into 1” slices

1 celery root, peeled, halved, and cut into 1” slices

1 head garlic, cloves peeled

1 sprig rosemary

¼ cup flour

Roast the goose. Prick skin all over with a fork; season with salt and pepper; squeeze lemon juice over the skin. Place spent lemon haves in cavity along with 3 sprigs each thyme and sage. Place goose on a rack in the roasting pan; heat pan on stove over high heat. Add stock; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover with foil, and steam (to render goose fat) for 1 hour. Discard lemon and herbs. Heat oven to 325⁰. Uncover goose; remove it with rack. Pour pan liquid into a measuring cup; let sit until fat rises to top. Skim off fat; reserve for another use. Add 2 cups pan liquid to roasting pan along with celery, onion, and large carrot; reserve remaining pan liquid. Return goose and rack to pan. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Place goose breast side down; cover with foil. Roast for 1 hour.

Begin the gravy: Heat butter in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat; add wing tips, neck, giblets, and 2 sprigs thyme; cook until browned, about 15 minutes. Add reserved pan liquid; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until reduced by half, about 1 hour, Strain goose stock; set aside.

Increase the oven temperature to 475⁰. Uncover goose; turn breast side up. Roast until golden about 70 minutes.

Meanwhile, roast the vegetables: Toss remaining thyme and sage, oil, carrots, beets, potatoes, onions, parsnips, celery root, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper on two baking sheets. Roast, stirring, until golden brown, about 45 minutes; keep warm.

Transfer goose to a cutting board; let rest for 15 minutes. Strain pan liquid into a measuring cup; let sit until fat rises to the top. Skim off fat (about ¼ cup), and return to pan with the celery, onion, and carrot. Heat over medium-high heat; brown vegetables for 8 minutes. Add flour; cook for 4 minutes. Add strained pan juices and goose stock; boil. Cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Strain gravy; season with salt and pepper. Serve goose with gravy and roasted vegetables.

Merry Christmas

A Late Autumn Meal

A few years ago I bought a cookbook, The Cook and the Gardener.  The recipes are arranged seasonally and were originally done in a chateau in Burgundy where the author, Amanda Hesser, was cooking for Anne Willan, a cookbook author and owner of Ecole de Cusine La Varenne.  So many recipes mix ingredients from different seasons.  These recipes are of the season.

One late fall recipe (although this week’s temperatures seem more like winter) called for mustard greens and I have lots of them in our fall garden.  Amanda suggested paring it with pork with red wine, orange peel and apple-thyme chutney.  It is ‘hog killing time’ as well although I am not personally killing any.  Neighbors are shooting wild boar, however.  We have oranges in the garden as well; apples as you know do not do well here in the deep South but they are in the stores as they are now seasonal in slightly cooler climes.

Wilted Mustard Greens with Shallots and Sherry Vinegar

Serves 4

¼ cup olive oil

2 pounds mustard greens, stems removed and washed

Coarse or kosher salt

3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

3 shallot lobes, chopped fine

1/3 cup sherry vinegar

Cook the greens in three batches. Heat the wok over medium-high heat. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil around the sides of the wok so it spreads to the base of the wok. Add a third of the greens in handfuls, tossing with a large fork or tongs so they wilt. They will darken to a glossy, forest-green color. Season with salt and pepper and add a third of the garlic and shallot, tossing to mix evenly, 1 to 2 minutes. (This prevents the greens from clumping while the garlic and shallot soften.) Add 1 tablespoon of the vinegar and cook off all the liquid, about 1 minute. Transfer to a serving dish.

Repeat for the next two batches. Season to taste, adding more salt and the remaining vinegar to taste. Using a large fork, fluff up the greens before serving.  Leftovers, rare as they are, make for a good addition to a quiche or omelet. Squeeze the greens in your fists before using to remove any excess liquid.

Pork with Red Wine, Orange Peel, and Apple-Thyme Chutney

Serves 4-6

2 ½ pounds pork loin

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil

Marinade

1 strip orange peel

8 sprigs thyme

2 bay leaves

1 carrot, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch dice

2 onions, roughly chopped

1 bottle full-bodied red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon

Apple-Thyme Chutney

3 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes

3 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoons Calvados or apple brandy

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Coarse or kosher salt

Marinate the pork: Tie up the pork with kitchen twine. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. In a shallow dish large enough to fit the pork, spread the orange peel, thyme, bay leaves, carrot, and onion over the base. Lay the pork on top and pour over the wine. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours, turning the pork from time to time.

Sometime while the pork marinates, make the chutney: In a small, heavy-based saucepan, combine the apple, thyme, bay leaf, sugar, Calvados, and apple cider vinegar. Simmer over low heat with the lid set slightly askew, stirring occasionally, for 1-1 ½ hours. Toward the end, the chutney will begin sticking easily to the pan. Stir often, so it doesn’t burn. The apples should have collapsed, and the chutney should become thick as the liquids evaporate. It should be delicately sweet, with a sharp edge provided by the vinegar. Season to taste, adding a pinch of salt if desired. Discard the thyme stems, and leave the chutney in the pan until needed. The chutney can be made up to 3 days ahead, stored in the refrigerator, and rewarmed before serving.

Heat the oven to 450⁰F.

Remove the pork from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Season the pork with salt and again with pepper. Spread the oil in the base of a heavy roasting pan large enough to fit the pork without too much spare room. Lay the pork on top and roast it for 15 minutes, turning the pork often to color it well on all sides. Pour in 1 cup of the marinade, reduce the oven temperature to 350⁰F, and continue roasting for another 35 to 45 minutes. Baste the roast often, adding more marinade if necessary. When a skewer inserted in the center of the roast 30 seconds is hot to the touch, or an instant-read thermometer registers 150⁰F, the pork is almost done. Remove the roasting pan from the oven, lift the pork to a cutting board (where it will continue cooking to its done temperature of 160⁰F), and let it rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, reheat the apple chutney and make a jus: Add 1-2 tablespoons of water to the chutney and warm over medium heat, stirring often to disperse the heat, for 5 to 7 minutes. The chutney should be warm to the touch but not piping hot; apples hold heat well. Pile into a small bowl. You can leave the bay leaf in for color, but warn people not to eat it. For the jus, pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the roasting pan. Then pour the remaining marinade into the roasting pan and place over high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any pan drippings. Reduce to a condensed jus, about ½ cup. Taste and adjust seasoning. Strain into a small bowl.

Carve the pork into ¼ -inch slices and arrange them on a shallow serving platter. Pour over any juices that have accumulated on the cutting board. Serve, passing the jus and warm chutney separately. This dish is also great served cold, without the jus, for lunch.

Food Gifts for Christmas

It is that time of year when I begin to think of what to give friends and neighbors for Christmas. I usually send fruit from Pittman & Davis to friends out of state. Their fruit is really good and shipping is included. Their e-mail address is fruit@pittmandavis.com. Locally one can give gifts of pecans and peanuts. I received a bag of peanuts from Sumblin Farms in Kinston, Alabama, and thought that was such a great gift that can be used in the weeks to come.  Thank you Anne for sending me those peanuts! (She included the recipe for roasting: preheat oven to 500 degrees, place full baking sheet of peanuts in oven, turn off after 4 minutes.  Do not open oven until cooled.) Priester’s Pecans in Fort Deposit, Alabama, have a great selection of pecan gifts. I love going into their store and it is only an hours drive from Andalusia. Their e-mail is priesters.com if you cannot get to their store. Or pick pecans locally.  Shelling the pecans gives added value to the gift. For gifts of honey try the Savannah Bee Co. Tupelo Honey, Georgia, for simple fresh honey. Their e-mail is savannahbee.com. The list can go on and on as I am sure you are aware, but perhaps the best gifts would be from your own kitchen.

Recently as I showed some official guests around town and we had a tour of a local entrepreneur’s gourmet products kitchen.  They make their products using local honey and have an array of jellies, jams, sauces and even just honey. www.magnoliahoney.com I particularly liked their Jezebel Sauce.  This is a southern sauce (maybe having its origin on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.)  Recipes vary but a jar of pineapple or apricot preserves, a jar of apple jelly, ½ cup horseradish, 3 Tbs dry mustard, 2 tsp course ground black pepper is typical.  Serve over pork or chicken, as a dip for eggrolls or over cream cheese.  Horseradish is the key.  Mix the ingredients to your taste.  Or buy some from Magnolia Honey which of course adds honey to the mix.

All the December magazines have edible gifts to give. Probably you have your own edible gifts that you do every Christmas. Perhaps you have that perfect fruitcake recipe or cookie recipe. I read that fruit cakes were coming back into favor since William and Katherine had one inside their wedding cake! The New Orleans paper is giving out praline recipes (which are fun to make and give). They use your local pecans which makes them somewhat cheaper to make.  Food Network Magazine for December had 50 edible gifts to give. I liked them because they were simple and not time consuming. Just put these gifts in a jar or tin and put a ribbon on the container and you have a great gift for friends or as a hostess gift.

White Chocolate-Peppermint Bark (I love this stuff.)

Melt 12 ounces finely chopped white chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. Sir in 1 tablespoon melted shortening and 4 ounces chopped white chocolate until smooth. Spread on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 cup chopped peppermint candies. Let harden; break into pieces.

Holiday Party Mix

Melt 1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread with ½ stick butter in a large bowl in the microwave at 50 percent power. Stir in 8 cups Chex cereal. Transfer to a large re-sealable plastic bag; add a 1-pound box confectioners’ sugar and shake to coat. Add ¼ cup colored sprinkles and ½ cup each yogurt-covered raisins and red and green M&M’s; toss to combine.

Turtles

Arrange small clusters of pecans on a baking sheet. Melt unwrapped soft caramels in the microwave and drizzle over each cluster. Top with melted chocolate. Let harden.

Spiced Rum Balls

Mix 3 ½ cups crushed vanilla wafer cookies, 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, ¾ teaspoon each nutmeg and cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon ground ginger. Stir in 3 tablespoons light corn syrup and 1/3 cup each brandy and rum. Roll into balls and chill until firm. Roll in confectioners’ sugar.

Sugar Plums

Finely chop 1 ¼ cups toasted almonds in a food processor with 1 ½ cups each prune and dried apricots, 3 tablespoons honey,  1 teaspoon orange zest, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Roll into balls, then roll in coarse sugar.

Chocolate Haystacks

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in the microwave. Stir in 2 ½ cups chow mein noodles until coated. Drop spoonfulls on an oiled parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Let harden.

Chocolate Orange Peels

Peel 3 oranges. Cut the rind into strips and boil in water 15 minutes; then drain and rinse. Simmer 3 sups each sugar and water. Add the peel and cook until soft, 45 minutes. Drain and toss in sugar. Transfer to a rack to dry, 8 hours. Dip in bittersweet chocolate; let harden.

Chocolate Fudge

Melt ½ stick butter, 4 cups marshmallows, 1 cup cream, 2 cups sugar and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Simmer, stirring, 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 3 cups chocolate chips until smooth. Spread in a foil-lined 9-by13-inch pan. Let cool and cut into squares.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Simmer 1 ½ cups sugar and ½ cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan but not stirring until dark amber, about 12 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in 1 cup cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and ½  teaspoon sea salt. Let cool, then divide among jars and chill.

I have had this recipe since summer and have been trying to find a place to use it. My daughter-in-law came back from a week at the beach and had this recipe which she said was just wonderful. I think it would be something new and great to do over the holidays and I am putting it on my list to do. I have heard that you cannot stop eating these!

Chocolate Balls

(Do not know exactly how many these make)
Crush to powder 1 package of Oreos and mix 8oz. package cream cheese (let cream cheese warm up on the counter first). Roll into balls and refrigerate for 1 hour. Then dip in melted white and milk chocolate. (The original recipe called for using tubs of dipping chocolate (in the baking isle made by Baker’s). You will need 1-2 tubs of each white and milk. For decoration drizzle the opposite chocolate over the top. Refrigerate overnight. You can use chocolate chips melted with some cream. This will be a little more difficult and messy compared to the tubs.

YUM!

It is that time of year when I begin to think of what to give friends and neighbors for Christmas. I usually send fruit from Pittman & Davis to friends out of state. Their fruit is really good and shipping is included. Their e-mail address is fruit@pittmandavis.com. Locally one can give gifts of pecans and peanuts. I received a bag of peanuts from Sumblin Farms in Kinston, Alabama, and thought that was such a great gift that can be used in the weeks to come.  Thank you Anne for sending me those peanuts! (She included the recipe for roasting: preheat oven to 500 degrees, place full baking sheet of peanuts in oven, turn off after 4 minutes.  Do not open oven until cooled.) Priester’s Pecans in Fort Deposit, Alabama, have a great selection of pecan gifts. I love going into their store and it is only an hours drive from Andalusia. Their e-mail is priesters.com if you cannot get to their store. Or pick pecans locally.  Shelling the pecans gives added value to the gift. For gifts of honey try the Savannah Bee Co. Tupelo Honey, Georgia, for simple fresh honey. Their e-mail is savannahbee.com. The list can go on and on as I am sure you are aware, but perhaps the best gifts would be from your own kitchen.

Recently as I showed some official guests around town and we had a tour of a local entrepreneur’s gourmet products kitchen.  They make their products using local honey and have an array of jellies, jams, sauces and even just honey. www.magnoliahoney.com I particularly liked their Jezebel Sauce.  This is a southern sauce (maybe having its origin on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.)  Recipes vary but a jar of pineapple or apricot preserves, a jar of apple jelly, ½ cup horseradish, 3 Tbs dry mustard, 2 tsp course ground black pepper is typical.  Serve over pork or chicken, as a dip for eggrolls or over cream cheese.  Horseradish is the key.  Mix the ingredients to your taste.  Or buy some from Magnolia Honey which of course adds honey to the mix.

All the December magazines have edible gifts to give. Probably you have your own edible gifts that you do every Christmas. Perhaps you have that perfect fruitcake recipe or cookie recipe. I read that fruit cakes were coming back into favor since William and Katherine had one inside their wedding cake! The New Orleans paper is giving out praline recipes (which are fun to make and give). They use your local pecans which makes them somewhat cheaper to make.  Food Network Magazine for December had 50 edible gifts to give. I liked them because they were simple and not time consuming. Just put these gifts in a jar or tin and put a ribbon on the container and you have a great gift for friends or as a hostess gift.

White Chocolate-Peppermint Bark (I love this stuff.)

Melt 12 ounces finely chopped white chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. Sir in 1 tablespoon melted shortening and 4 ounces chopped white chocolate until smooth. Spread on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with 1 cup chopped peppermint candies. Let harden; break into pieces.

Holiday Party Mix

Melt 1 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread with ½ stick butter in a large bowl in the microwave at 50 percent power. Stir in 8 cups Chex cereal. Transfer to a large re-sealable plastic bag; add a 1-pound box confectioners’ sugar and shake to coat. Add ¼ cup colored sprinkles and ½ cup each yogurt-covered raisins and red and green M&M’s; toss to combine.

Turtles

Arrange small clusters of pecans on a baking sheet. Melt unwrapped soft caramels in the microwave and drizzle over each cluster. Top with melted chocolate. Let harden.

Spiced Rum Balls

Mix 3 ½ cups crushed vanilla wafer cookies, 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar, ¾ teaspoon each nutmeg and cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon ground ginger. Stir in 3 tablespoons light corn syrup and 1/3 cup each brandy and rum. Roll into balls and chill until firm. Roll in confectioners’ sugar.

Sugar Plums

Finely chop 1 ¼ cups toasted almonds in a food processor with 1 ½ cups each prune and dried apricots, 3 tablespoons honey,  1 teaspoon orange zest, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Roll into balls, then roll in coarse sugar.

Chocolate Haystacks

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in the microwave. Stir in 2 ½ cups chow mein noodles until coated. Drop spoonfulls on an oiled parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Let harden.

Chocolate Orange Peels

Peel 3 oranges. Cut the rind into strips and boil in water 15 minutes; then drain and rinse. Simmer 3 sups each sugar and water. Add the peel and cook until soft, 45 minutes. Drain and toss in sugar. Transfer to a rack to dry, 8 hours. Dip in bittersweet chocolate; let harden.

Chocolate Fudge

Melt ½ stick butter, 4 cups marshmallows, 1 cup cream, 2 cups sugar and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Simmer, stirring, 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in 3 cups chocolate chips until smooth. Spread in a foil-lined 9-by13-inch pan. Let cool and cut into squares.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Simmer 1 ½ cups sugar and ½ cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan but not stirring until dark amber, about 12 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in 1 cup cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and ½  teaspoon sea salt. Let cool, then divide among jars and chill.

I have had this recipe since summer and have been trying to find a place to use it. My daughter-in-law came back from a week at the beach and had this recipe which she said was just wonderful. I think it would be something new and great to do over the holidays and I am putting it on my list to do. I have heard that you cannot stop eating these!

Chocolate Balls

(Do not know exactly how many these make)
Crush to powder 1 package of Oreos and mix 8oz. package cream cheese (let cream cheese warm up on the counter first). Roll into balls and refrigerate for 1 hour. Then dip in melted white and milk chocolate. (The original recipe called for using tubs of dipping chocolate (in the baking isle made by Baker’s). You will need 1-2 tubs of each white and milk. For decoration drizzle the opposite chocolate over the top. Refrigerate overnight. You can use chocolate chips melted with some cream. This will be a little more difficult and messy compared to the tubs.

YUM!

Mirliton

It is the Saturday after Thanksgiving and I know there are leftovers at every home, but I decided not to do all the ways to use leftover turkey.  My husband brought in some wonderful mirlitons (he has never produced such lovely ones).  Frost has held off so far, so there are more to come. So I decided to check out a few recipes for use over the next couple weeks.

Mirliton is perhaps more commonly called chayote in the US but in Louisiana it is a mirliton.  It is native to Mexico but has been naturalized throughout Central America and the Caribbean.  It was raised as chocho in Jamaica during the 18^th century and exported to North American markets along the eastern seaboard.  It was also grown along the coast of the US as far north as Charleston well into the 1850’s but the Civil War interrupted production and its was not until the 1890’s that it was reintroduced as a truck-farm product under the name Vegetable Pear.  But in Louisiana the mirliton has been widely used locally since the 1700’s.  Custard marrow and christophines are other names for the vegetable. 

Buy some to eat and if you like them you might buy some more and grow your own.  Take the mirliton you purchase in the grocery and leave them out on a shelf.  They will at some point begin to sprout.  Plant the whole thing in a pot, sprout end up.  When danger of frost is over, plant in the ground with a strong trellis for support.  They can be dug up and stored over the winter like dahlias but mine comes back well here each year.  The season is now, so you should be able to find them in the store.

Mirliton are members of the cucurbit family (cucumbers, watermelons) and are typically pale green and pear shaped.  They can be used like squash.  Frequently they are stuffed, usually shrimp and/or crab.

Taken from Poppy Tooker’s great-grandmother’s recipe. Poppy is the main person behind the Slow Food Movement in New Orleans.

Stuffed Mirlitons

Makes 8 servings

4 mirlitons

½ cup (1 stick butter)

 1 onion, finely chopped

½ pound shrimp, shelled, deveined and chopped

½ pound claw crab meat (cheaper and with a bit more flavor)

1 bunch scallions, thinly diced

½ cup seasoned dried bread crumbs

2 tablespoons diced ham (I used prosciutto but if you have some ham left over from Thanksgiving you could use that.)

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350⁰. Halve the mirlitons  lengthwise. Cook them until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes, in a large pot of boiling water, Remove seed and discard. Carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon, preserving the shell. Coarsely chop the flesh.

Measure out and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt remaining butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, 8-10 minutes. Add mirliton and toss to coat. Stir in the shrimp and cook until just pink, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the crab meat, scallions, ¼ cup of the bread crumbs and the ham. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Put the mirlitons on a baking sheet and sprinkle the remaining ¼ bread crumbs over all the mirlitons and pour the melted butter over the bread crumbs and bake for about 20 minutes in the oven, or until the bread crumbs are somewhat brown.

This recipe is taken from Chef Paul Prudhomme’s, Louisiana Kitchen.

Fried Mirliton

Makes 1-2 side-dish servings

Seasoning mix:

1 1/8 teaspoons  salt

¾ teaspoon sweet paprika

½ teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon onion pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/8 dried sweet basil leaves (I still have fresh)

1 cup peeled and coarsely chopped cooked mirliton

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup very fine dry bread crumbs

½ cup milk

1 egg

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl, mixing thoroughly. Sprinkle the vegetables evenly with about ½ teaspoon of the mix. Place the flour in a small bowl and the bread crumbs in another. Add 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mix to the flour and 1 teaspoon to the bread crumbs, mixing each well. In a separate small bowl combine the milk and egg until well blended.

Heat 1 inch oil in a 2-quart saucepan or deep fryer to 350⁰. Just before frying, dredge the chopped mirilton in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Then coat well with the milk mixture, and then quickly with the bread crumbs, shaking off excess. Cook vegetables in the hot oil until dark golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, making sure to separate vegetable pieces as you drop them into the oil. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

It is the Saturday after Thanksgiving and I know there are leftovers at every home, but I decided not to do all the ways to use leftover turkey.  My husband brought in some wonderful mirlitons (he has never produced such lovely ones).  Frost has held off so far, so there are more to come. So I decided to check out a few recipes for use over the next couple weeks.

Mirliton is perhaps more commonly called chayote in the US but in Louisiana it is a mirliton.  It is native to Mexico but has been naturalized throughout Central America and the Caribbean.  It was raised as chocho in Jamaica during the 18^th century and exported to North American markets along the eastern seaboard.  It was also grown along the coast of the US as far north as Charleston well into the 1850’s but the Civil War interrupted production and its was not until the 1890’s that it was reintroduced as a truck-farm product under the name Vegetable Pear.  But in Louisiana the mirliton has been widely used locally since the 1700’s.  Custard marrow and christophines are other names for the vegetable. 

Buy some to eat and if you like them you might buy some more and grow your own.  Take the mirliton you purchase in the grocery and leave them out on a shelf.  They will at some point begin to sprout.  Plant the whole thing in a pot, sprout end up.  When danger of frost is over, plant in the ground with a strong trellis for support.  They can be dug up and stored over the winter like dahlias but mine comes back well here each year.  The season is now, so you should be able to find them in the store.

Mirliton are members of the cucurbit family (cucumbers, watermelons) and are typically pale green and pear shaped.  They can be used like squash.  Frequently they are stuffed, usually shrimp and/or crab.

Taken from Poppy Tooker’s great-grandmother’s recipe. Poppy is the main person behind the Slow Food Movement in New Orleans.

Stuffed Mirlitons

Makes 8 servings

4 mirlitons

½ cup (1 stick butter)

 1 onion, finely chopped

½ pound shrimp, shelled, deveined and chopped

½ pound claw crab meat (cheaper and with a bit more flavor)

1 bunch scallions, thinly diced

½ cup seasoned dried bread crumbs

2 tablespoons diced ham (I used prosciutto but if you have some ham left over from Thanksgiving you could use that.)

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350⁰. Halve the mirlitons  lengthwise. Cook them until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes, in a large pot of boiling water, Remove seed and discard. Carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon, preserving the shell. Coarsely chop the flesh.

Measure out and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and set aside.

In a large skillet, melt remaining butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, 8-10 minutes. Add mirliton and toss to coat. Stir in the shrimp and cook until just pink, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the crab meat, scallions, ¼ cup of the bread crumbs and the ham. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Put the mirlitons on a baking sheet and sprinkle the remaining ¼ bread crumbs over all the mirlitons and pour the melted butter over the bread crumbs and bake for about 20 minutes in the oven, or until the bread crumbs are somewhat brown.

This recipe is taken from Chef Paul Prudhomme’s, Louisiana Kitchen.

Fried Mirliton

Makes 1-2 side-dish servings

Seasoning mix:

1 1/8 teaspoons  salt

¾ teaspoon sweet paprika

½ teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon onion pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/8 dried sweet basil leaves (I still have fresh)

1 cup peeled and coarsely chopped cooked mirliton

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup very fine dry bread crumbs

½ cup milk

1 egg

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl, mixing thoroughly. Sprinkle the vegetables evenly with about ½ teaspoon of the mix. Place the flour in a small bowl and the bread crumbs in another. Add 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mix to the flour and 1 teaspoon to the bread crumbs, mixing each well. In a separate small bowl combine the milk and egg until well blended.

Heat 1 inch oil in a 2-quart saucepan or deep fryer to 350⁰. Just before frying, dredge the chopped mirilton in the seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Then coat well with the milk mixture, and then quickly with the bread crumbs, shaking off excess. Cook vegetables in the hot oil until dark golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, making sure to separate vegetable pieces as you drop them into the oil. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.