Holiday Wines
Ingredients
1 can sliced tomatoes with juice -- (15 oz)
2 large carrots -- sliced
1 1/2 tbsps italian seasoning .
2 c washed spinach leaves -- stems removed (2 to 3)
1 c water (if needed)
salt
1 large onion -- finely sliced
1 red bell pepper -- sliced
1/2 c barley
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil (2 to 3)
2 medium zucchini -- sliced
4 cans chicken broth (about 7-8 cups) -- (15 oz)
1/2 c dry white wine
freshly grated parmesan cheese or romano cheese
3 garlic cloves -- minced
fresh ground black pepper
2 large celery ribs -- sliced
Turkey Meatballs
1 small onion -- grated
3 garlic cloves -- minced
1 large egg
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
3 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound ground dark turkey meat (to lower fat content,
use ground white turkey meat)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Meatballs
Add the onion, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, ketchup, parsley, Parmesan,
Pecorino, salt and pepper to a large bowl and blend. Mix in the turkey. Shape
the turkey mixture into 1 1/4-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a large plate or
baking sheet.
Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the
meatballs and sauté until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat.
Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Pour off any excess oil.
Soup
Step #1 In a large soup pot, sauté the onion in oil for a couple of mins,
carrots, celery, then add garlic, & red bell pepper.
Step #2 Cook for about 15 mins, stirring every once in awhile.
Step #3 Add zucchini & cook another 5 mins.
Step #4 Add Italian Spice uping & cook for another few mins.
Step #5 Add canned tomatoes, wine, chicken broth, barley & freshly ground black
pepper.
Step #6 Simmer for 30 mins.
Step #7 If too thick, add about a cup of water.
Step #8 Add turkey meatballs; bring back to a boil & let simmer another 20
mins.
Step #9 Add spinach; simmer 5 more mins.
Step #10 Taste & add salt, if necessary, & let simmer another few mins.
Step #11 Top each bowl with cheese & serve this with salad & freshly baked bread
or dinner rolls.
Ingredients
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 shallot -- minced
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel -- (packed)
1 large fresh fennel bulb -- trimmed, halved, very thinly sliced
1 8 ounce Fuji apple -- halved, cored, cut into matchstick-size strips
6 cups trimmed arugula leaves (from two 4-ounce packages)
2 mandarin oranges or tangerines -- peeled, each cut crosswise into 3 slices
Pomegranate seeds
Directions
Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
Combine fennel and apple in medium bowl; mix in 3 tablespoons dressing.
Place arugula in large bowl. Add fennel-apple mixture. Toss, adding more
dressing to taste. Divide salad among 6 plates. Garnish each with 1 mandarin
orange slice and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.
Ingredients
2 cups rinsed cannelini beans -- picked over and rinsed
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion -- peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 large cloves garlic -- peeled, split, germ removed, and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tomatoes -- 1 peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice, the other just cut
in half
7 cups unsalted Vegetable Stock (page 348) or store-bought low-sodium vegetable
broth
6 stalks celery -- peeled, trimmed, and cut into 3-inch lengths
3 medium carrots -- peeled, trimmed, and cut into 3-inch lengths
2 large turnips -- peeled, trimmed, and quartered
1 medium fennel bulb -- trimmed and quartered
Bouquet garni (3 sprigs Italian parsley -- 2 sprigs sage, and 2 sprigs thyme,
tied together with kitchen twine)
The Crust:
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 large cloves garlic -- peeled, split, germ removed, and very finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped Italian parlsey leaves
3 tablespoons unsalted butter -- melted
Directions
1. The night before you want to make the cassoulet, put the dried beans in a pot
with enough cold water to cover them by at least an inch. Let the beans soak
overnight in the refrigerator, then rinse and drain them. (Or, if you're in a
rush--or you haven't planned far enough in advance--bring the water with the
beans to a boil, boil for 2 minutes, pull the pot from the heat, and soak the
beans for an hour. Rinse the beans under cold water and drain.)
2. Warm 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a small saute pan or skillet over
medium heat. When it's hot, add the onion and garlic and season with salt and
pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onion and garlic are tender but not colored,
about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and, when it's incorporated evenly,
add the diced tomato; pull the pan from the heat and set aside.
3.Put the beans in a Dutch oven or large casserole. Pour in the stock and bring
to the boil. Add the celery, carrots, turnips, fennel, split tomato, and the
bouquet garni. Cut a parchment paper circle to fit inside the pot (see Glossary,
page 369) and press the paper gently against the ingredients. Lower the heat so
that the liquid bubbles at a steady simmer, and cook, stirring now and then,
until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Season the casserole with salt and
pepper shortly before the beans are cooked through. When the beans are done,
pull the pot from the heat and remove and discard the bouquet garni and whatever
is left of the tomato. Drain the liquid from the pot into a pitcher and keep
close at hand. Working gently, transfer the vegetables to a bowl.
4. Spoon the beans into a baking dish--a pottery casserole would be perfect--and
stir in the onion-tomato paste mixture along with the remaining 2 tablespoons
olive oil. Add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to just cover the beans.
Top with the vegetables and moisten with more of the cooking liquid. Reserve the
remaining liquid if you are going to reheat the cassoulet. (The cassoulet can be
made up to this point a day in advance, cooled, and stored tightly covered in
the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature, then reheat it for about 1 hour
in a 350 degree F. oven, adding some of the reserved cooking liquid if the
casserole seems dry. Fifteen minutes before the cassoulet's ready, put on the
crust and turn up the oven temperature, as directed below.)
The Crust: 1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400
degrees F. 2. Toss together the bread crumbs, garlic, and parsley and stir in
the melted butter. Spread the mixture evenly over the cassoulet and slide the
casserole into the oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the crumbs are
golden brown and crusty.
Ingredients
Mousse
2 Boneless turkey breasts
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon sage
5 Eggs
1 pt Whipping cream
1 Handful flour
Salt and pepper
Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
2 cups heavy cream
2 ounces creamy Gorgonzola cheese
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and white pepper -- to taste
1 package dry rigatoni noodles
Directions
Prepare rigatoni noodles el dente, following package directions, put aside.
Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
Place the cream in a medium-sized saucepan and bring it to a simmer over
medium heat (be careful, as it can boil over easily). Simmer the cream until it
is reduced by half and thickened, stirring occasionally.
Mousse
Grind meat in meat grinder and pound until white. Add eggs, one at a time, and
beat well. Add whipping cream gradually. Mix in flour, salt and pepper.
Assembly
Using pastry bag, pipe turkey mousse into each end of rigatoni and braise in
gorgonzola cream sauce for 10 minutes or until meat is cooked.
Top with chopped parsley, serve immediately
Ingredients
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup rum
1/2 cup hazelnuts
8 amaretti -- crumbled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter -- cubed
4 Golden Delicious apples
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate -- (8 ounces) chopped
2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
4 mint sprigs
4 cinnamon sticks
Directions
Soak the raisins in the rum for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the
hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake 12 minutes, or until aromatic and golden.
Rub in a kitchen towel to dislodge the skins, then chop coarsely.
Mix the raisins and their liquid, the hazelnuts, amaretti, and butter in a bowl.
Cut the tops off the apples, reserve them, and scoop out half of the pulp.
Finely chop the pulp and add it to the ingredients in the bowl. Fill the apples
with the mixture, cover each with one of the reserved tops, and arrange in a 10"
x 7" roasting pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the apples are just soft but
still hold their shape.
Meanwhile, bring the cream to a boil in a 1-quart pan. Add the chocolate and
remove from the heat; stir constantly until smooth and melted. Serve the apples
on a pool of chocolate sauce, dusted with the confectioner's sugar and garnished
with the mint and cinnamon sticks.
Description:
"Any dry cookie will do in the easy stuffing for these baked apples, but
almond-scented macaroons called amaretti are most traditional. In a pinch, you
could use butter cookies or ladyfingers."
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