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Yes… Nontraditional holidays are here. How are we going to cook this year?
Can’t do a 20 lb bird for two. Or maybe a roast? Not to mention all the trimmings on top.
Might be time to think a little different … So here are a few foods for thought.
Happy Holidays.
Dairy-less celery root soup with chicken livers, granny smith apples and thyme..
1/4 cup diced bacon lardons
6 sprigs thyme
3 cup diced (small) celery root (peeled)
2 quarts chicken stock
Juice from 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Soup
Cook the bacon in a medium saucepan until fat is rendered, add 6 sprigs of thyme along with the celery root, add stock and simmer for 20 minutes, remove and discard thyme sprigs, puree soup until smooth, strain and season with lemon juice and salt and pepper, set aside and reheat before serving.
Apples
4 tiny Granny Smith apples (peeled and sliced into 1 inch rounds)
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Brush the apples with the melted butter, and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for approx. 20 minutes or until caramelized and tender.
Remove from the pan and deglaze with the apple cider.
Chicken livers
4 chicken livers
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Sauté the livers approx. 2 minutes on each side, season, set aside, cut into quarters.
Assembly
Place apple slices and livers in 4 soup bowls, ladle the heated soup over the “garnish” sprinkle a little chopped parsley and serve.
Braised Lamb shank with Lemon scented Mashed Potatoes
4 lamb shanks
2 onions
2 leeks
2 carrots
4 bay leaves
Fresh thyme
8 cloves of garlic
Whole black pepper
Olive oil
2 cups of veal stock
2 cups of white wine
Brown shanks in a roasting pot… the root vegetables (cut into 1 inch pieces) are browned in the pot as well… add thyme, garlic, black pepper, bay leaves, white wine and veal stock… cover and cook in a preheated 325 degree oven for about 2 – 2 1/2 hrs or until meat is done.
Remove lamb shanks, strain sauce and bring to a boil, clean sauce from fat and foam, salt and pepper to taste.
Pour sauce over lamb shanks and serve family style.
Lemon scented mashed potatoes.
Make regular mashed potatoes using sour cream and milk, season with fresh lemon zest and chopped fresh garlic.
“Braised red cabbage with prunes and a splash of brandy”
(Serves 10)
1 head of red cabbage (sliced as thinly as your knife skills allow)
2 cups of dry prunes (no pits)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
2 clove
1 cup chestnuts (chopped roughly)
Salt and pepper to taste
A generous splash of your best brandy (added in the end)
Simply add all ingredients to the pot and simmer for about 1 hour, stir occasionally.
Season with salt and fresh peppermill, and finish with a generous splash of brandy.
Cook for another 10 minutes, serve family style.
Black Cherry Clafouti
(Serves 6)
“Clafoutis” is one of my favorites, anything berry and custard consistency is good in my book.
For the crust
1 stick unsalted butter (1/4 lbs)
2/3 confectioners sugar
1 large egg yolk
coarse salt
For the filling
2 large eggs
2/3 cup crème fraiche
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
table salt
1 1/4 cups of black cherries, halved and pitted.
1/4 cup granulated sugar for glazing
Make the crust:
Beat butter and confectioners sugar with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add egg yolk, and mix until combined. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
Set 6 4-inch tart rings on a parchment – lined baking sheet. Roll dough to 1/8 – inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out 6 x 5 1/2 inch circles. Press dough into bottoms and up sides of tart rings. Trim excess dough flush with edges of rings using a knife.
Prick bottoms of tart shells all over with a fork, refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Bake until pale golden, pressing down dough if puffing, about 20 minutes. Let cool.
Make the filling:
Raise oven temperature to 375 degrees. Gently whisk together eggs, crème fraiche, sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of table salt. Divide mixture evenly among tart shells, and carefully drop cherry halves, cut side down, into each.
Transfer to oven, and bake until just set 17 – 20 minutes. Let cool.
Sprinkle with granulated sugar, and with a torch caramelize the top of the “Clafoutis.”
Maybe serve with above mentioned Tahitian Vanilla Chantilly Cream, or your favorite ice cream.
Clafoutis originates from the Limousin region of France, and while black cherries are traditional there are numerous variations available, should you desire a different fruit, including plums, apples, pears, cranberries, blackberries or peaches.
Some recipes encourage leaving the pit inside some of the cherries. The pits contain “Amygdalin” the active chemical found in almond extract, adding a complimentary note to the flavor of the Clafoutis.
Enjoy.
Jan Jorgensen
TWOCHEFS
For information visit www.twochefsrestaurant.com
