Victus Vinum Vita

Mexican Wedding Cakes

I have to admit, I’ve never before made Mexican Wedding Cakes, which doesn’t make much sense because I’ve been collecting holiday cooking magazines for years, and I’m sure I tagged this recipe somewhere.  Rather than digging through this pile, I decided to ask my mother, sister and family friends to share some of their favorite holiday cookie recipes.  This is Gail’s all time favorite, and I’m adding this recipe to my collection.  There is not much to it, but these tiny, butter packed, sugar coated morsels put a little sparkle in everyone’s eye after taking a bite.   

I made this recipe a couple times.  The first time I made the cookies without adding the almonds or almond extract.  It was delicious, but the Mexican Wedding Cakes are typically made with nuts.  So, the second time around I added the almonds and almond extract.  Usually, the recipe calls for pecans, but I thought I would try something different.  The buttery cookie tasted like shortbread, with a nutty texture and sugary finish.  They were quite a hit with my coworkers.  Mexican Wedding Cakes are a delicious treat alone or with a cup of coffee.



Mexican Wedding Cakes
Adapted from The Wisconsin Electric Company Cookbook

Yields: about 3 dozen

1 cup softened unsalted butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. almond extract
2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 cup coarsely ground roasted almonds
powdered sugar for coating

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Roast the almonds for about 5 minutes, or until they become fragrant.  Remove from the oven and cool.  Using a food processor, grind the almonds to a coarse texture.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until it is light and fluffy.  Gradually add the sugar.  Add the salt, vanilla, almond extract, flour and almonds.  Mix until just blended (it will be a little stiff).

Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until the dough is cold. 

Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll into 1 inch balls.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment.  Bake at 400° for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes ( I just take the piece of parchment off the cookie sheet and put it on a cookie rack).  After 5 minutes, roll the cookies in powdered sugar.  Once the cookies have cooled, sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar before storing.

Store cookies in an airtight container up to 2 days.

PSST:

You can make this recipe plain, just eliminate the almonds and almond extract.  Don’t try to skip the chilling time, otherwise you will end up with cookies that look flat as pancakes. 

Lemon Rosemary Rolled Shortbread

Before I reached the wretched and too cool for Santa junior high years, Christmas Eve was a night of gleeful anticipation. I would lie awake in my little pink room surround by my menagerie of stuffed animals and Barbie paraphernalia, dreaming of Santa’s spoils. The thrill of anticipation overtook all my senses. By the time the clock struck 5:00 am, the blankets were on the ground and I was off with cheetah-like speed toward the living room. In seconds, I savaged the simmering wrapping paper like a grizzly bear devouring its first meal after winter hibernation. The unwrapping frenzy continued unabated until Santa’s last gift lay strewn on the floor. For a child, Christmas induces a drug-like euphoria.

 

Now that I’m older and Santa is a distant memory, Christmas loot no longer generates sensory overdrive. Once Thanksgiving passes and my stuffing jubilation subsides, my cravings turn to the Christmas cookie kind. I still get the warm fuzzies recalling the spritz cookies of my childhood. The nuanced almond flavor is magical. It was Ali versus Frazier when my sister and I duked it out over the dough bowl.

 

Because I turn into a gorging lunatic around sweets, I limit my baking to special occasions. With a hectic work schedule, I usually manage to squeeze in one round of Christmas cookie baking. This year, I created an adult Christmas cookie. My lemon rosemary shortbread will not induce a sugar high, but the uplifting lemon and stimulating rosemary flavors bring on a wonderful satisfying contentment that mimics my Christmas spirit.

 

True Scottish shortbread is simply flour, sugar, and butter. The dough is not pliable enough to roll out. Because I wanted to celebrate the season and use holiday cookie cutters, I broke with tradition and added egg yolks to the recipe. I also added cornstarch to produce a sandy texture.

 

Wishing everyone a safe and blessed holiday season!

 

Lemon Rosemary Rolled Shortbread

 

INGREDIENTS

8 oz. granulated sugar

½ cup fresh lemon zest (about 5 lemons)

1 lb. all purpose flour

1 oz. cornstarch

¾ tsp. salt

12 oz. unsalted butter

4 egg yolks

1 ½ Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

 

Yield: 3 ½ dozen cookies

 

Bring all ingredients to room temperature.

 

Process the sugar and lemon zest in a food processor until the zest is finely ground. Set aside.

 

Sift together the flour, cornstarch and salt in a work bowl. Set aside.

 

Place the sugar/lemon zest mixture and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, cream the ingredients together at low speed until a smooth paste forms; scrape the bowl at least once with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs and blend at low speed; scrape the bowl once with a rubber spatula.  Add the flour mixture and rosemary. Mix until just combined. 

 

Place dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Form dough into a disk and wrap securely with the plastic wrap. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, at least several hours or overnight.

 

Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

 

Let the dough sit at room temperature until it is pliable enough to roll with a rolling pin. Roll the dough out ¼ inch thick on a lightly floured surface.

 

Use as little flour as possible; flour may toughen the cookies. Cut out cookies with cookie or biscuit cutters; cut them as close together as possible to minimize scraps. Rolls scraps into fresh dough to minimize toughness.

 

Place cookies on prepared baking sheets. Bake until cookies start to turn a light golden brown around the edges, about 15 minutes.

 

Remove cookies from baking sheets. Let cool slightly on a wire rack.

 

Store in airtight containers.

 

PSST:

I apologize for not including a photograph in this post; I’m functionally illiterate when it comes to photography.

 

Dried lemon zest will not substitute for the fresh version.

 

These are best eaten slightly warm but they are good enough to freeze and eat at a later date.

 

 

---Authored by Wendy

 

Raspberry Meringue Kisses

Most of my memories include food, particularly cookies.  As a child, the first thing I would look for on my Aunt Lillian’s countertop was her cookie jar full of windmill cookies.  The thin, crisp, spicy cookie is still a favorite of mine.  Don and Dolly, my pseudo grandparents, had a cookie stash filled with Keebler chocolate covered graham crackers.  My hand was in that jar within 5 minutes of entering their house!  Then, there’s my mother’s raspberry meringue kisses.

The raspberry meringue kiss is one of my favorite cookies that came out of the annual baking marathon.  Every year, before the holiday season, my mother and 2 great aunts would take cover in the kitchen, cocktails in hand, and bake dozens of holiday cookies.  I would hide in the family room, listen to the laughter and sneak as many samples my mouth could hold.  The crisp outside and airy raspberry flavored middle immediately melt.  The batch I made this past weekend tasted just like I remember. 

The kiss is meant to be bite size, so a teaspoon drop is just enough.

Raspberry Meringue Kisses
From the Wisconsin Gas Company Cookbook

Yields: about 5 dozen

3 egg whites
1/8 tsp. salt
3 1/2 Tbsp. raspberry gelatin
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vinegar
1 cup miniature chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 250°.

Beat the egg whites and salt until foamy.  Gradually add the raspberry gelatin and sugar.  Beat the mixture until stiff peaks form and the sugar is dissolved.

Mix the vinegar into the egg white mixture and then remove the bowl from the mixture.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Using a teaspoon, drop the meringue onto an ungreased cookie sheet covered with parchment.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Then, turn the oven off and leave the cookies in the oven 20 minutes longer.

Store cookies in an air tight container for up to 5 days.

Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Wontons

Asian cuisine is my comfort food.  On most Friday nights, after the long work week, I am often found sitting on the couch, eating peanut curry stir-fry and cream cheese wontons.  I leave work joyfully skipping not only because of the upcoming weekend, but also knowing my favorite meal is only a short morsel away. 

Recently, a friend told me about eating cranberry jalapeño cream cheese wontons at a local Asian fusion restaurant.  I was immediately intrigued with this flavor combination.  What can be wrong with mixing cream cheese with tart cranberries and jalapeño heat?  Absolutely nothing!  The cream cheese balances the tangy cranberries, while the warmth of the jalapeño finishes each bite.  Each nibble is completely gratifying. 

Thinking about the upcoming holiday gluttony, I thought this wonton recipe would add some zip to an appetizer menu.  This recipe is simple to make and can be made ahead of time, or with all the dinner guests hanging out in the kitchen.  

Cranberry Jalapeño Cream Cheese Wontons

Serves: About 37 wontons

1 package of cream cheese
1 cup cranberry sauce (recipe follows)
2 T. flour
40 wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten
Canola Oil for frying
Leftover cranberry sauce for dipping

In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, cranberry sauce and flour.  In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg.

Place 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center of the wonton wrapper.  Don’t try to add more cream cheese mixture, otherwise the filling will ooze out when frying.  Brush the edges of the wonton with the egg mixture.  Then, fold the wrapper over to form a triangle, pressing the edges together to tightly seal the wonton.  Continue this process with the remaining cream cheese mixture and wonton wrappers.

Heat the oil to 350° in a large, heavy bottomed pan.  Fry the wontons until golden brown, turning once, or for about 1 minute on each side.  Do not fry too many wontons at once, otherwise the oil temperature will lower too much.  Remove the wontons with tongs and drain on a plate covered with paper towels.  Serve hot.  Dip in leftover cranberry sauce.

Cranberry Sauce

Yields: 1 1/2 cups

1-12 oz. bag of cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 -1 inch chunks of fresh ginger, peeled
2 Tbsp. minced jalapeños
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 orange
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon juice

Rinse and pick over the cranberries.  Place cranberries, ginger, and water in a pot and simmer about 5 minutes, mashing the cranberries while simmering (the cranberries will pop once heated).  After 5 minutes, add the sugar, lemon zest, orange zest and jalapeños.  Simmer another 2-3 minutes or until the mixture thickens.  Take off the heat and remove the ginger pieces.

Add the salt and lemon juice to the cranberry mixture.  Place in the refrigerator and cool.

PSST:

If you like a stronger ginger flavor, add 2 tsp. of chopped crystallized ginger to the cream cheese mixture, or grated 1 tsp. of fresh ginger into the cranberry sauce.  The wontons can be made a day ahead of time.  Make sure to cover the unfried wontons to prevent the wonton wrapper from drying out.

Another Appetizer Combination: baguette + goat cheese + cranberry sauce

Crostini Appetizers

   
The Coliseum, Parthenon, Duomo, Mona Lisa, David, Sistine Chapel, Trevi fountain, The Birth of Venus and pasta. The Italians blessed the world with some of the greatest artistic achievements known to man. Although I am about as close to being Italian as I am to being Japanese, I feel a kinship with Italian culture that I’ve never felt with any another one except the British.

My love affair with Italy began when I stumbled off an overnight train at Rome’s Termini station, a weary, bleary-eyed mess. I spent a sleepless night being bounced around the couchette like a ping pong ball on steroids and keeping vigilant watch over my luggage like a soldier at Fort Knox. However, I instantly forgot my cares when I spied a blanket of purple wisteria hanging over a wall. The stunning floral visual was enough to lift my spirits but its life-sustaining perfume was so intense I could smell it over the stench of an urban train station. I knew I was someplace special. The whole trip was a feast for the senses-the art, the architecture, the Roman traffic, the Mediterranean coastline, the passion of its people, and the food. Who knew one could feast like a king on a college student budget? Ah...bliss.

Since I became a serious cook, Italian-inspired food with its produce centricity is never far from my table. One of the simplest appetizers to make for holiday entertaining or special meals is crostini (“little toasts” in Italian), thinly sliced toasted bread brushed with olive oil. Like Greek phyllo or Asian wonton cups, you can top it with just about anything and it tastes divine.

Puréed Cannellini Bean Crostini with Sautéed Fennel, Leeks & Arugula

 

INGREDIENTS
1 cup dried white beans
Crostini:
1 artisan baguette
Olive oil
Cooking Liquid:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 ½ Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 bay leaf
Purée:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Garnish (recipes follow):
Sautéed Fennel, Leeks, & Arugula
toasted pine nuts

Yield: 2 ½ cups puree; 35-40 crostini

Pick over the beans and discard any stones.  Place beans in a work bowl or wide pot and cover with water by at least 3 inches. Soak for 8 hours or overnight (the longer the beans soak, the less cooking time). Drain beans in a colander and rinse well.

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Slice bread into ½” slices and place in a large work bowl. Drizzle olive oil over the bread and gently toss. Place bread in a single layer on a sheet pan. Bake until golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. Let cool. Crostini may be made 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container.

Preheat a wide, heavy-bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil. Add onion, celery and rosemary. Cook until vegetables soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; stir for 30 seconds. Add beans and enough water to cover beans by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam (protein, caused by the agitation of the water) that rises to the surface, then turn heat down to medium low. Add bay leaf. Simmer gently until the beans are tender and melting, about 1 ½ - 2 hours. All the water should be nearly evaporated. (The older and drier the beans, the longer the cooking time)

Remove the bay leaf. Add the parsley and thyme. Using an immersion blender, stand blender or food processor, purée the bean mixture into a smooth paste, adding the olive oil as it purées. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread a layer of bean purée over crostini. Top with sautéed fennel, leeks & arugula and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.

Crostini can be served warm or at room temperature.

Note: Two cups canned beans may be substituted for dried beans. If using canned beans, drain and rinse. Make the following modifications: Preheat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onion, celery and rosemary. Cook until vegetables soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; stir for 30 seconds. Add beans and cook until just heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and thyme. Proceed to pureeing and finish the recipe as indicated above.

Sautéed Fennel, Leeks & Arugula
Make a vegetarian or vegan version by substituting 2 tablespoons of olive oil for the pancetta. Use as a side dish and garnish with some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

INGREDIENTS
¼ lb. pancetta, diced
3 leeks, white and light green parts only, thoroughly cleaned and thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
5 oz. baby arugula leaves
1 Tbsp. fresh chopped Italian parsley
1 Tbsp. fresh chopped thyme
zest of 1 lemon

Cook the pancetta in a large sauté pan over medium high heat until crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

Add fennel, leeks and shallot to pan. Cook until vegetables soften and turn golden brown, about 6-9 minutes. Stir in arugula, parsley and thyme. Cook until arugula is just wilted. Turn off heat and stir in lemon zest.

Toasted Pine Nuts: Preheat oven to 350° F. Place pine nuts on a baking sheet. Bake until nuts smell nutty and turn golden brown, about 6-9 minutes.

PSST:
Here are two simple crostini appetizer ideas:

Spread crostini with quince (tart fruit related to apples and pears) paste Top with a paper-thin slice of Serrano ham (Spanish version of prosciutto) and shredded or thinly sliced Manchego (to-die-for Spanish sheep’s milk cheese). Place under oven broiler until cheese melts and begins to turn golden brown. Garnish with chopped Marcona almonds (almonds lightly fried in oil). Find these products in grocery retailers’ gourmet cheese departments or at specialty cheese purveyors.

Spread crostini with a plain creamy goat cheese (let sit out at room temperature to reach spreadable consistency). Garnish with a mixture of pomegranate seeds, orange zest, a little freshly squeezed orange juice and some toasted walnut pieces.

---Authored by Wendy

 

Holiday Stuffings

An ordinarily demure tow-headed little me with pigtails sticking out on both sides of my head squats “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” style behind the kitchen counter. It’s Thanksgiving morning, the turkey sizzles in the oven and my mom stands at the counter making stuffing. The celery, onion, and carrot aromatics waft through the room like a fragrant bouquet; the aroma envelops me like my beloved security blankie. Although mom was not exactly Martha Stewart growing up, ours was not a Stove Top household. She made her home made stuffing once a year and it is my fondest Thanksgiving food memory.

My mom’s stuffing was special. In the prehistoric, pre-Food Network culinary conservative Midwest she added exotic ingredients like mushrooms, black olives, and sherry. It was my first exposure to how much depth of flavor wine and spirits could add to cooking. Picture a hungry lioness ravaging a helpless baby gazelle. That is how I gobbled down the stuffing when my blessed mother allowed me to sneak a few tasty morsels.

Thanksgiving is the most traditional of American holidays when it comes to food. There would be a Rikers Island riot at most tables if turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing were not on the menu. By using a little culinary creativity without reinventing the wheel, the home cook can revitalize the Thanksgiving table with unique flavor combinations. It is in this spirit that I hope you enjoy the following stuffing recipes.

Viva Italia Stuffing

INGREDIENTS
1 cup pine nuts
12 oz. frozen artichoke hearts
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced
1 cup finely diced peeled carrots
1 cup finely chopped celery stalks including leaves
1 cup finely chopped onion
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 lb. hot mild or hot bulk Italian sausage
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 lb. day-old crusty artisan Italian bread, cut into 1” cubes
1 ½ cups freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 cup unsalted or low sodium chicken stock
2/3 cup chopped black olives
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
unsalted butter, for greasing pan

Serves: 8 -10 servings

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Place pine nuts on a baking sheet and roast until they smell nutty, about 6-9 minutes. Set aside.

Prepare artichoke hearts according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

Preheat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add bell pepper, carrot, celery, onion, a healthy pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Cook until vegetables soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add Italian sausage and dried oregano. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Add garlic and another pinch of salt and pepper; stir for about 30 seconds. Add wine; cook until wine evaporates. Turn off heat. Add parsley and thyme. Stir until well combined.

In large work bowl, combine bread cubes and cheese. Add pine nuts, sausage mixture, chicken stock, olives and butter. Stir gently until well combined. Taste and adjust for seasonings.

Grease a large baking dish or Dutch oven with butter. Transfer stuffing mixture to pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 45 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Wild Rice Stuffing with Mushrooms and Dried Fruit
This recipe is perfect for vegetarians, vegans or those with gluten sensitivities. For carnivores, add a pound of shredded cooked duck.

INGREDIENTS
Salad:
1 cup walnut pieces
2 cups wild rice
6 cups unsalted or low sodium vegetable or chicken stock (if gluten sensitive, use only stock that is home made or labeled gluten free) 
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup unsalted butter or olive oil
1 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
1 cup finely chopped celery stalks including leaves
1 cup finely chopped shallots
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
20 oz. assorted mushrooms (cremini, stemmed shiitake, oyster, chanterelle, porcini, portobello, etc.), thinly sliced
½ cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage leaves
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 cup dried fruit (blueberries, tart cherries, cranberries, or pomegranate seeds)
unsalted butter or olive oil, for greasing pan

Serves: 12 -14 servings

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Place walnuts on a baking sheet and roast until they smell nutty, about 7-10 minutes. Set aside.

Wash and drain rice. Bring stock to a boil. Add rice and salt. Return to a boil and stir. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook until kernels puff open, about 55-60 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Drain off any excess liquid. Set aside in a large work bowl. If you prefer a chewier texture, shorten the cooking time.

Preheat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add carrot, celery, shallot, a healthy pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Cook until vegetables soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and another pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add wine and cook until wine evaporates. Turn off heat. Add parsley, sage and thyme. Stir until well combined.

Add vegetable mixture to wild rice. Stir gently until well combined. Taste and adjust for seasonings.

Grease a large baking dish or Dutch oven with butter. Transfer stuffing mixture to pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until heated through, about 45 minutes.

Serve immediately.

PSST:
Avoid freezing the Viva Italia stuffing. The freezing process makes the bread too mushy. Wild rice freezes well so the wild rice stuffing can be made ahead, frozen, thawed and reheated.

For those without the time, inclination or space to make home made cooking stocks, search out local butcher or specialty food stores. Cooking stocks are perishable by nature. For preservation purposes, manufacturers must either freeze them or add sodium to make them shelf stable. Many specialty shops opt for the freezing process. Purchase a frozen stock for more control over your food’s sodium content. However, whether for convenience or expense the frozen stock may not be an option. Read the nutritional label on the mass market shelf stable stocks and search out those with the lowest sodium content. Kitchen Basics unsalted chicken and beef stock and Pacific Natural Foods low sodium chicken and vegetable broths are some good choices.

---Authored by Wendy

Cornbread Stuffing with Jalapeno and Ham

This recipe can be made with or without jalapeno peppers.

Thanksgiving is all tradition and last year, I started my very own!  The meal was well planned, or so I thought.  I was in charge of the turkey, which I hate to admit, was bone dry.  My mother tried a new recipe (an example of what not to do on a holiday) for scalloped sweet potatoes, which ended up being sliced sweet potatoes swimming in a pool of liquid.  Honestly, I don’t remember what we ate for dessert because we were still ravenous and completely unsatisfied from the main course.  It was the most appalling meal ever!  My goal this year is simple: not repeat last year’s meal.  I'm confident the flavor of this cornbread stuffing will help restore holiday tradition. 

Serves: 8-10 servings

2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup chopped onions (2 small onions)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms (I used baby bella)
1 Tbsp. finely chopped jalapeno pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup dry white wine
1-1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
8 oz. ham links, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
day old cornbread (a 7x11 pan), cut into 1” cubes
1-1/2 cups corn
1/2 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Preheat a large saute pan over medium high heat.  Add butter and melt.  Add onions, mushrooms, a healthy pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, thyme, jalapeno peppers, and another pinch of salt and pepper.  Stir and cook 2 minutes.  Add wine and cook until the wine evaporates.  Turn off the heat.  Add ham links and rosemary to the vegetable mixture.  Stir until well combined.

In a large bowl, combine cornbread, ham/vegetable mixture, corn and chicken stock.  Stir gently until well combined.  Taste and adjust for seasonings.

Grease a 9x13 baking dish.  Transfer the stuffing mixture to the pan.  Bake for 30 minutes (the top should be lightly browned).

Serve immediately.

PSST:

Two boxes of Jiffy corn bread mix fits into a 7x11 pyrex pan.  This would also pair well with chicken.

Ode to the Pear

November 10, 2009 was a perfect end to Indian summer. Bare foot and bedecked in Ray Bans, I basked in the sun’s benevolent rays. I greedily relished it because Mother Nature probably would withhold another warm day until next March. As my mind drifted, it turned its attention toward thoughts of food.

 

I have two “Charlie Brown Christmas Tree” green patches in my back yard that still manage to bless me with luscious heirloom tomatoes, vegetables and herbs. I spied my sprightly rosemary bush and ambled over to inhale a whiff of its intensely invigorating pine-tree like aroma. How could I use it before the ruthless hard frost shriveled its bright green jaunty spikes into limpness and lifelessness?

 

Eureka! I struck gold! I decided to pair it with the fragrant sweet pear, one of my favorite fall fruits. Pears are not for the impatient and uninitiated. Unlike their cousins the easy going apples (both are members of the rose family), pears arrive at the market unripe and hard as a rock. The devotee must allow it to ripen at a relatively cool room temperature and store it loosely in the refrigerator. Never store pears in plastic bags; they are extremely sensitive to carbon dioxide. The pear with its woman-like sensitivity rewards those who treat it with love and respect. She is a luscious, curvaceous creature with dense, juicy flesh and sweet rose-like aroma. Pears pair well with sparkling and white wines, cheese–particularly the blues, and shine in simple to decadent desserts.

 

Roasted Pear & Rosemary Bellini

 

INGREDIENTS

Rosemary Simple Syrup:

1 cup water

1 cup superfine sugar

4 rosemary sprigs

Roasted Pear Purée:

2 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and sliced lengthwise into ½” wedges

1 Tbsp. honey

¼ cup unsweetened pear juice

Bellini:

½ cup roasted pear purée

3 tsp. rosemary simple syrup

1-750 ml chilled bottle dry sparkling wine

 

Serves: 4 servings

 

Simple Syrup: In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil. Simmer until sugar is completely dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add rosemary sprigs. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Strain the syrup into a jar. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 weeks.

 

Pear Puree: Place oven rack at uppermost position. Preheat oven to 450° F.

 

In a small work bowl, toss pear slices with honey. Transfer pears to a baking sheet. Roast pears for 5-7 minutes. Turn pears over and bake until golden brown and tender, about 5-7 more minutes. Cool and cut into small chunks.

 

Puree pears and pear juice in a blender until smooth.

 

Bellini:

Place 2 tablespoons pear puree in a champagne flute. Add ¾ teaspoon rosemary simple syrup. Top off with sparkling wine. Repeat with remaining drinks. Serve immediately.

 

 

 

Roasted Pear, Hazelnut, & Stilton Salad

 

INGREDIENTS

Salad:

2 Bosc pears, peeled, cored and sliced lengthwise into ½” wedges

1 Tbsp. honey

1/3 cup shelled hazelnuts

¼ thinly sliced shallots

6 oz. Stilton, crumbled

5 oz. mixed greens

Dressing:

1 Bosc pear, peeled, cored, and cut into small cubes

¼ cup hazelnut oil

2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar

2 Tbsp. shallot, minced

salt, to taste

freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

Serves: 6 first course servings

 

Place oven rack at uppermost position. Preheat oven to 450° F.

 

In a small work bowl, toss pear slices with honey. Transfer pears to a baking sheet. Roast pears for 5-7 minutes. Turn pears over and bake until golden brown and tender, about 5-7 more minutes.

 

Lower oven temperature to 350° F. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast until they smell nutty, about 8-10 minutes. While still warm, rub nuts with a lint-free towel to remove skins. Coarsely chop nuts.

 

To prepare dressing: purée all the ingredients in a blender. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

Toss greens in large work bowl with enough dressing to coat. Divide greens among 6 plates. Top with pear slices, dividing equally. Sprinkle with hazelnuts, sliced onion, and blue cheese. Drizzle lightly with remaining dressing and serve.

 

Pear, Dulce de Leche, Gorgonzola & Roasted Walnuts

 

Cut pears (use Anjou, Bartlett, or Comice variety) into thin slices. Smear with dulce de leche (I used the jarred La Salamandra brand). Spread with gorgonzola. Top with chopped roasted walnuts. If you want to get fancy, use the ingredients as a crepe filling.

 

PSST:

Sweet, juicy Anjou, Bartlett, and Comice pear varieties are fabulous eating right out of hand. The Bosc variety with its firmer flesh and mild spicy flavor is the better choice for cooking.

 

Refrigerate fragile nut oils after opening. They turn rancid faster than vegetable oils.

 

Dulce de leche is a rich and decadent milky caramel-like sauce. Latin Americans revere it as a dessert topping, over fresh fruit, or spread on toast.

 

 

---Authored by Wendy

Viennese Sauerkraut Strudel

Sacher Torte.  Wiener Schnitzel.  Apfelstrudel.  These are the foods that come to mind when I think of Vienna, Austria.  Now I include Sauerkraut Strudel.

Immediately following the new year in January 2007, my sister and I took a girls trip to Vienna.  On our second day in the city, we spent the morning at the Schonnbrunn Palace and were looking for a scrumptious lunch to warm us up.  We found our most prized meal of the trip, a sauerkraut strudel, at the organic, vegetarian cafe called St. Josef.  Being from Minnesota, my usual experience with sauerkraut is usually on a bratwurst, and although I love it, I’ve never experimented with the kraut more than eating it with sausage dishes.  Not anymore.

St. Josef is a humble, intimate, cafeteria style cafe.  The tables were close together, almost making an expectation for the patrons to become friends.  The air smelled like sauerkraut, which to me, is a very soothing aroma, especially on a frigid day.  The cafe looked like a small cafeteria, nothing memorable, but I immediately felt at home.

We got our grub, dug in, and didn’t talk again until our plates were empty and almost licked clean.  My first thought was I FOUND THE SAVORY VERSION OF APPLE STRUDEL!  The sauerkraut mixture tasted like candy, the perfect balance of sweet and sour, with a hint of caraway. The crisp dough, the firm, yet tender sauerkraut, the subtle mix of spices, and the dollop of dairy on top gave this strudel a place at the top of my comfort food list.  It was so simple and tasty.  We both seriously contemplated getting another serving, but there was much more eating to be done.

I’ve made this recipe several times over the past couple of years.  When I tell my dinner companions our meal selection, I often get many questionable expressions.  Don’t worry.  That will change quickly.

Sauerkraut Strudel with Potato Sauce
Serves 4

2 Tbsp. butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
14 oz. (400 g) sauerkraut
4 strips of bacon, chopped
4 oz. beef stock
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds (add another 1/4 tsp. if you like a stronger flavor)
1 tsp. pepper
8 sheets of phyllo dough
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

Melt the butter on medium-high heat in a medium sized saute pan.  Then, add the bacon and cook until slightly crisp, about 7 minutes.  Remove the bacon from the pan, reserving the bacon fat.

Add the onions to the bacon fat and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.  Then, add the bacon and sauerkraut to the onions and mix together.  Finally, add the beef stock, caraway seeds, and sugar and stir well.  Continue cooking uncovered for 15-20 minutes, allowing all the liquid to evaporate.  Turn off the heat and let the sauerkraut mixture to cool about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll out the phyllo dough.  Place 1 sheet of dough on a cutting board, brush with melted butter, then layer it with another piece of phyllo dough and press down on the dough.  Repeat this process until you have 8 layers.

Spread the sauerkraut mixture along one long edge of the dough, leaving about an inch at each end.  Roll up the dough and brush the ends with butter and press the edges down.  Brush the top with the remaining melted butter and make four slices on the top to let the moisture out.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned.  Serve hot with the potato sauce.  Store leftovers in the fridge, for up to 2 days.  Makes a great lunch.

This recipe can easily be doubled.

Potato Sauce
Serves enough for 2 strudels

12 oz. potatoes (yukon gold), peeled and quartered
2/3 cup milk
1/3-1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. + 1/8 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes in a medium pot until soft.  Strain the potatoes and add back to the pot.  Then, mash the potatoes with a potato masher or hand mixer.  Add the butter and mix with the potatoes.  The mixture should be smooth.

Add the milk and 1/3 water to the potato mixture.  Use more or less water, depending on how thick or thin you like the sauce.

Heat the sauce over low-medium heat.  Add the paprika, salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot over the strudel.  Store leftovers in the fridge, for up to 2 days.

Pairing Suggestions: I recently served this with a variety of bratwurst and dunkel bier.

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