STARTERS and SALADS
SOUPS
SAUCES and DIPS
SIDE DISHES
PASTAS and STARCHES
MAIN DISHES
DESSERTS
BRUNCH
Ham Saupiquet
Friday, December 24, 2004
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Almond Stuffed with Dates and Bacon
recreated by Judy Gray
makes about 60 hors d'oeuvres
1 pound pitted dates
1 4-ounce package blanched whole almonds
1 1/4 pounds very thinly sliced lean bacon
Put the dates on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until the bacon is crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. The cooking time is approximate, and the bacon should be watched carefully. Drain on a rack or on paper towels. Serve warm.
Prepared dates can be frozen in advance and baked unthawed in a 400 degree oven until crisp. Regular packaged dates can be used, but Medjool dates become very creamy when cooked. Yummy!
Beet Salad with Horseradish and Fried Capers
adapted by Isabel Wade and Jan Chernoff
serves 4
1 1/2 pounds small beets, trimmed and scrubbed but not peeled
1/4 cup olive oil, plus additional for beets and frying capers
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons horseradish, or more to taste
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon sour cream
sea salt to taste
1 clove garlic, crushed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place beets on half of a large piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Fold the foil and seal the edges. Lay package on a baking sheet and place it in the oven. Roast beets until tender, around one hour. Remove from oven and while warm peel. When cool enough, slice into wedges.
Drain capers on a paper towel. Pour 1/2 inch of olive oil into a small saucepan over medium high heat. When oil is hot, fry capers for about 30 seconds. Dry on paper towel.
In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, horseradish and vinegar. Whisk in 1/4 cup oil, followed by sour cream. Pour half of the dressing over beets and mix. If serving as a buffet dish, put beets on a platter that has been rubbed with the crushed garlic clove, add more dressing and sprinkle with capers.
For individual servings, layer as described above on individual plates. Garnish with a sprig of watercress.
Golden Caviar in Potato Baskets
serves 8 at a drink party
16 same sized small potatoes
1 100-gram (3 l/2-ounce)jar of golden caviar (lojrom)
2 to 3 tablespoons of canola oil
1 small jar of whole, natural sour cream (8 ounces or so)
This is a very easy dish. Select the potatoes so that you can either cut an elongated potato into two halves, or use one small potato. Scoop out the center with a small melon ball cutter, or a potato peeler. Cut a small piece from the base of the potato, so it will stand steady. As you scoop out the potatoes put them in a bowl with the canola oil and roll them in the oil to prevent oxidation. Now, please don't buy big potatoes. You want these to be European mouthfuls, not donut sized savories.
Put the potatoes on foil on a baking sheet, with the scooped out section, down. Bake at 400 degrees until done. Test for doneness with toothpick. If you have a lot of goodies that will go into the oven for a party, you can prepare these potatoes the day ahead, and reheat them for five minutes to freshen them up. Half-fill the potatoes with the sour cream, and add a heap of caviar.
Decorate with a thin, thin slice of lemon peel, small sticks of chives, or onion blossoms.
Keep some golden caviar in your freezer. It comes in very handy as decoration on scrambled eggs, a fish dish, or even a hard boiled egg. If you want to watch TV, you can make a full meal of a baked potato topped with golden caviar.
Thanks to Mats and Dafne Engstrom we can now get this wonderful caviar in the United States. Call 415 543-3007 to place your order. They will ship all over the U.S., or go to their shop in the San Francisco Ferry Building. Check them out at their web site www.tsarnicoulai.com. You will find all sorts of alternatives. This dish can also be made with trout caviar or salmon caviar.
Gravlax with Mustard Sauce
this is Maud Hallin 's take on it
serves at least 8 as afirst course
must be prepared at least 48 hours ahead
2 pounds boned salmon filets with skin remaining
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 very large bunches of dill branches (not flowers or seeds)
heavy weights, cutting board, cans or bricks
Mustard Sauce
1/4 cup canola or safflower oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped dill (about 1 large bunch)
The best is to get a chunk of the center piece of a salmon. Check salmon filets for bones. Rub your hand from fish head towards tail to locate bones. Yes, I know, you don't have that head in your lap, but just look at the form of the filet and try to figure out where the head and the tail have been. Remove bones with pliers or tweezers. Spread the kosher salt, sugar, pepper and a chopped bunch of dill (about 1/2 cup) on both sides of the filet surface.
Locate a storage container a little larger than the piece of fish. An alternative is to put the fish in a sealed plastic bag. If you have gotten a center cut, then you can put one piece on top of the other. If you could only get a tail piece, turn the top portion in the opposite direction, so that you create a flat surface. You want to prepare the pieces so that you can put a leveled weight on top. I normally use a Pyrex dish and put some plastic on top. Then a plate or cutting board. Now, you start looking for weights in the kitchen - marble mortar, heavy canned goods. Actually bricks are the best. Store this architectural composition in the refrigerator.
The following day, switch so that the bottom side becomes the top, and before closing the two sides, baste the filets with the solution that has drained from the fish. Put the plastic and bricks back on.
Mustard Sauce: Stir the mustard, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper together. Drizzle in the oil while you are stirring. Add a large bunch of finely chopped dill. Let sit for at least an hour before serving.
If you serve this as a first course, cut thin narrow slices on a diagonal from the skin. Small, boiled potatoes are lovely with this dish. If I use this dish for a drink party, I cut the salmon in cubes that are easy to pick up with a toothpick, and put a bowl of the sauce in the middle for dunking the salmon. If you made too much salmon, the next day you can put strips on skewers and barbecue. Consider slicing the skin into thin strips and frying them, use for decoration, and as part of the dish. People afraid of sushi freeze the salmon for 48 hours before preparing this dish.
Mini Crêpes with Smoked Salmon,
Dill and Crème Fraîche
Dill and Crème Fraîche
recreated by Judy Gray
makes 40 3-inch crepes
Crepes:
1 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup cold water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a blender or food processor, mix all ingredients at high speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and blend 30 seconds more. Pour batter into a mixing bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.
To make 3-inch crêpes, spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into a hot, buttered crêpe pan or griddle. Cook over medium-high heat until the surface is bubbly. Flip the crêpe and cook until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat, and stack until ready to use. If you want uniform circles, you can cut crêpes with a 3-inch biscuit cutter.
6 ounces or so smoked salmon
about 3/4 cup crème fraîche
fresh dill
Put a small teaspoonful of crème fraîche on bottom of crêpe; place a small amount of salmon on top and then a few pieces of dill, with some sticking outside of the rolled crepe. Roll the crêpe like a triangle (into a flat cone shape) and seal by using a dab of crème fraîche as glue.
Unfilled crêpes can be made ahead and stored in the freezer between waxed paper in an air-tight container. Warm them quickly on a griddle or in a microwave.
Pancetta-Wrapped Peach and Arugula Salad
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| Photo by George Whiteside |
recommended by Jeanne Milligan
serves 8 as a first course
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt (preferably sea salt)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 firm-ripe peaches (1 1/2 pounds total)
24 thin slices (1 1/2 pounds) pancetta
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces baby arugula (6 cups)
2 1/2 ounces finely crumbled ricotta salata (1/2 cup)
coarsely ground black pepper to taste
For the dressing, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, and salt, then add extra-virgin oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified.
Cut an X in the bottom of each peach and immerse in boiling water for 15 seconds, then transfer to a bowl of ice water. Peel peaches and cut each into 6 wedges; then unroll pancetta slices and wrap one slice around each wedge, overlapping ends of pancetta. Heat remaining oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Cook wrapped peaches in 2 batches, turning over occasionally with tongs, until pancetta is browned on all sides and cooked through, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate and keep warm, covered loosely with foil.
Divide arugula and warm pancetta-wrapped peaches among 8 salad plates. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with ricotta salata and pepper. Serve immediately.
Dressing can be made 1 hour ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature. Peaches can be peeled, tossed with a teaspoon of lemon juice, and wrapped with pancetta 1 hour ahead. Keep chilled, covered with plastic wrap.
The wrapped pancetta and peach slices can also be broiled; brush each with olive oil, and turn several times during broiling. If you prefer, you may use a light goat cheese in place of the ricotta salata.
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