About Last Night...

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While taking down some of the Christmas decorations today, my eyes lingered on this photo of my parents at a New Year's Eve party in Havana in the 1950's.  She must have been in her late twenties and my father in his early 30's.  It is one of many favorites of the two of them. The expression on my father's face is so typical and just the way I remember him.  And Madame Mere, so stylish in her black dress and pearls.   No wonder she has aged so well, just look at that skin.

I wish we still dressed up like that when it comes to New Year's Eve.  It was so civilized.  Somehow jeans and a sweater don't do it for me when it comes to opening a bottle of Champagne...or sitting down to caviar, Duck A l'Orange and a Grand Marnier souffle.  That's what we had last night, for MM had her heart set on a special dinner and I concurred! Today she's on chicken soup and soda crackers, but she insists it was not "the rich food".

It is interesting the time we spend decorating our houses for the holidays and yet we shun doing the same for ourselves.  It can't be about cost, since what you pay for some of the "casual clothes" I see advertised today can definitely buy you a cocktail dress or two. I think a bit of rebellion or a quest for individuality has a lot to do with this because "dressing up" doesn't take more time than "dressing down" and you'd be surprised how different people act in the former from the way they behave in the latter.  In my book, as far as New Year's Eve is concerned, clothes do make the man (or woman). It would be wonderful to see a little glamour back in our lives.

If you notice a tinge of nostalgia in this post, you are quite right.  Maybe the news and events of the past years have me yearning for the time of my childhood, or maybe I am just tired of the way people dress today,  I'm always a little down on the first day of the new year but I always bounce back,  I'll be chirpier in a couple of days and back in the saddle!

Have A Happy New Year!

But...I was all dressed up!

New Year's Eve...Lobster Thermidor

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Mother and I have been dreaming of lobster sice she arrived ten days ago. There is a wonderful recipe in Gourmet magazine circa the 1970's for a lobster in Pernod sauce that we both adore but somehow I have lost my recipe and hers is back in Miami, buried heaven knows where. As an alternative, we have decided to cook another old favorite for New Year's Eve, Lobster Thermidor...the long version. It will be served with a simple green salad and our favorite Veuve Cliquot Champagne. Nothing but a chocolate mousse for dessert will do on this ocassion!

So many steps are involved in the preparation of a really splendid lobster Thermidor, no wonder it costs a fortune in any restaurant.  For the recipe to be authentic, it must include mustard, preferrably powdered, Cognac,  and cheese at the end.  I have found no better recipe than the following one from Julia Child.

Lobster Thermidor is not a particularly difficult dish to execute,  though it is a bit time consumming but well worth the effort.  One major advantage is everything may be prepared in advance and heated up just before serving.

In this recipe the meat is stirred in hot butter before it is sauced, thus turning a rosy red. Buy lobsters weighing a good 2 pounds each, so the shells will be large enough to hold the filling.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting my blog and to extend to all of you my warmest wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!

Lobster Thermidor

Servings: Serves 6

Ingredients

• Covered, enameled or stainless steel kettle with tight-fitting cover or stainless steel saucepan
• enameled or 4-cup stainless steel saucepan
• 1/2-quart enameled
• Wooden spoon
• Wire whip
• 3-quart mixing bowl
• 12-inch enameled or stainless steel skillet
• Shallow roasting pan or fireproof serving platter

• 3 cups dry white wine or 2 cups dry white vermouth
• 2 cups water
• 1 large onion , thinly sliced
• 1 medium carrot , thinly sliced
• 1 stalk celery , thinly sliced
• 6 sprigs parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp. thyme
• 6 peppercorns
• 1 Tbsp. fresh or dried tarragon
• 3 live lobsters , 2 pounds each
• 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 5 Tbsp. butter
• 6 Tbsp. flour
• 1 Tbsp. cream
• 1 Tbsp. dry mustard
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 4 to 6 Tbsp. more whipping cream
• Pinch cayenne pepper

• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1/3 cup cognac

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Swiss cheese ( I use Gruyere, trust me)
• 2 Tbsp. butter , cut into bits

Directions:

Steaming the lobsters: Simmer wine, water, vegetables, herbs, and seasonings in the kettle for 15 minutes. Then bring to a rollingboil and add the live lobsters. Cover and boil for about 20 minutes. The lobsters are done when they are bright red and the long head-feelers can be pulled from the sockets fairly easily.

While the lobsters are steaming, stew the mushrooms slowly in the covered saucepan with the butter, lemon juice, and salt for 10 minutes.

The sauce: When the lobsters are done, remove them from the kettle. Pour the mushroom cooking juices into the lobster steaming juices in the kettle and boil down rapidly until liquid has reduced to about 2 1/4 cups. Strain into the 4-cup enameled or stainless steel saucepan and bring to the simmer.

Cook the butter and flour slowly together in the 1 1/2-quart saucepan for 2 minutes without browning. Off heat, beat in the simmering lobster-cooking liquid. Boil, stirring, for 1 minute. Set aside. Film top of sauce with the cream.

Split the lobsters in half lengthwise, keeping the shell halves intact. Discard sand sacks in the heads, and the intestinal tubes. Rub lobster coral and green matter through a fine sieve into the mixing bowl, and blend into it the mustard, egg yolks, cream, and pepper. Beat the sauce into this mixture by driblets.

Return the sauce to the pan, and stirring with a wooden spoon, bring it to the boil and boil slowly for 2 minutes. Thin out with tablespoons of cream. Sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon fairly heavily. Taste carefully for seasoning. Set aside, top filmed with a spoonful of cream.

Sautéing the lobster meat: Remove the meat from the lobster tails and claws, and cut it into 3/8-inch cubes. Set the skillet with the butter over moderate heat. When the butter foam begins to subside, stir in the lobster meat and sauté, stirring slowly, for about 5 minutes until the meat has turned a rosy color. Pour in the cognac and boil for a minute or two, shaking the skillet, until the liquid has reduced by half.

Final assembly: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Fold the cooked mushrooms and two thirds of the sauce into the skillet with the lobster meat. Arrange the split lobster shells in the roasting pan. Heap the lobster mixture into the shells; cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter. The recipe may be prepared ahead up to this point and refrigerated.

Place in upper third of 425-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until lobster is bubbling and the top of the sauce is nicely browned. Serve immediately on a platter or serving plates.

From Mastering The Art Of French Cooking by Julia Child
Table setting Carolyn Roehm
Photo Dorling Kindersley

Reprise...Lentil Soup With Chorizo And Sherry

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Now that you've eaten the grapes and thrown the bucket of water out the back door, you must eat some lentils today to ensure luck and success in the New Year.  After that, it's up to the gods!


Serves 4

Ingredients

2 carrots, sliced and chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ham or smoked pork bone

2 tablespoons olive oil (you will need extra to finish the soup)

2 cups dried lentils

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 chorizo

1/2 Cup Dry Sherry

Olive oil


Directions


Saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in hot olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add the ham or smoked pork bone and brown on both sides. Sort and remove any debris from lentils; rinse under cold running water. Add lentils and broth to vegetable mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Slice the chorizo in 1/2 inch rounds, add some olive oil to a small skillet, brown the chorizo. Add the sherry and reduce to half the amount. Add the chorizo and sherry reduction to the lentils. Cook for another 5 - 10 minutes. Serve. After you serve in the bowls, add a little olive oil on top.



Serve with a crusty baguette and a robust red wine.



Photo: Google Images

Happy New Year...And to All A Good Night!

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If you find yourself alone at the stroke of midnight tonight,  here's some entertainment.  I caution you though, the first will get you a bit misty eyed, but the second will snap you right out of it!  They are courtesy of two of the blogs I follow, An Eye for Detail (funny) and A Perfect Bite. (misty eyed)






If that gets you too teary eyed and unable to sleep, this one will snap you right out of it!

Champagne With Brandied Apricots

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I'm not one for mixed cocktails.  Vodka on the rocks with a twist is my drink and, ocassionally, (and when I can afford it) a glass of Veuve Clicquot.  Notice I didn't just say Champagne.... Sometimes, though, when I'm in a festive mood, this cocktail can be a lot of fun to serve your guests, particularly on New Year's Eve.  You don't need the best Champagne in the world but be reasonable!

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a large crowd.


Yield: about 6 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup apricot brandy

1/4 cup vodka

1 cup dried apricots

1 (750-milliliter) bottle Brüt Champagne, chilled

Directions


1.Mix sugar, brandy, and vodka in a large jar with a tight-fitting lid. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the dried apricots, making sure they are completely covered with the brandy mixture. Close lid tightly, turn jar over, and shake well; let stand overnight. Brandy mixture can be made ahead and chilled for up to a month.

2.To serve, place one apricot and 2 tablespoons brandy mixture in the bottom of each Champagne flute. Top with chilled Champagne. Serve immediately.


This is an old recipe from Southern Accents

Cuban New Year's Traditions...Champagne With Grapes

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Looking for ideas for a New Year's post, I came across this simple and beautiful way to toast the new year with family and friends. 

In Spain and Latin America  revelers mark the occasion by quickly eating a dozen grapes at the stroke of midnight. The fruit is said to be a predictor of the year ahead.  Each sweet grape represents a good month, each sour grape a less-than-lucky one. I personally detest the idea and refuse to eat them.  I always get nothing but sour grapes, or maybe they just taste that way when accompanied by Champagne.   Perhaps they would taste better with the sparkling dry Spanish cider which is the traditional drink of Spain for New Year's and slightly sweeter.

On the other hand, I love the Cuban tradition of throwing a bucket of water out the back door to clear the evil spirits that have accumulated over the year.  This is a lot of fun, particularly if there are young children around or American or foreign friends. It is symbolic of throwing out the bad things accumulated over the past year and starting fresh and clean.  It is said that in old Havana nobody dared take a stroll at midnight on New Year's Eve for fear of being hit with a splash of water coming out of doors and windows.

These are simple and fun traditions and it only takes a bucket of water and a bunch of grapes.  So, if you are having a party, even if you are not Cuban or Spanish, make them a part of the celebrations and give everyone a good laugh at the stroke of midnight.   All you need to do is thread 12 grapes onto each skewer and serve in a glass of Champagne just before the countdown.  You know what to do with the bucket of water....

Champagne/grape Idea courtesy of Martha Stewart Holidays
Bottom image Google

One Easy Cream Puff Dough Recipe...3 Delicious Appetizers

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This is one of the easiest and most versatile of all pastry dough recipes. To this recipe, you can make savory (add 1 teaspoon kosher/sea salt) puffs for appetizers or sweet (add 2 teaspoons sugar) for desserts. 

The following three appetizers are divine with Champagne!

Servings: 20 medium pastries



Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

1 cup all purpose flour

1 good pinch of salt

1 cup eggs (4 large eggs)


Directions:

Preheat oven 425F.

1. In a medium pot, bring the water and butter to a simmer on medium heat. Add the flour and with a wooden spoon or spatula, stir very quickly in one direction. Carefully watch and you'll see that the flour starts absorbing the liquid -- and a dough will form. Keep stirring to continue cooking the flour and cook off some of the water, another minute or two.

2. You can do the next step one of two ways:

•Transfer the paste to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or to a bowl if you're using a hand mixer.

•If you want to mix the eggs directly into the dough in the pot, let it cool slightly, 4 or 5 minutes, or cool off the pan itself by running cold water over its base if you will be mixing the eggs in that pot. You don’t want to cook the eggs too quickly.

3. Add the salt and the eggs one at a time mixing rapidly until each is combined into the paste. The paste will go from shiny to slippery to sticky as the egg is incorporated. The pâte a choux can be cooked immediately at this point or refrigerated for up to a day until ready to use.

4. Spoon the dough into a large gallon-sized plastic bag (or piping bag.) Use your hands to squeeze dough towards the bottom corner. With kitchen shears, snip off just the tippy tip of the bag, about 1/4" of the tip. Pipe onto a baking sheet into little puffs, keeping the puffs 2-inches apart. With your finger, press down the peaks (as they can burn.) Bake at 425F for 10 minutes, then 350F for 18-30 minutes, depending on the size of your puffs.

Here are three easy recipes!

To make gougeres


Stir in 1/2 cup finely grated gruyere cheese (or other grated hard cheese of your choice) + 1 teaspoon kosher/sea salt (1/2 teaspoon fine table salt) - I used a rasp/microplane grater to get ultra-light snowflakes of cheese so as not to weigh down the dough with heavy cheese. You can also sprinkle a bit of the cheese on top of the puffs after you've piped them.

To Make Mini Foie Gras Puffs

Blend 4 oz. foie gras with 6 TB heavy cream; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a piping bag and set aside in the refrigerator.

Once the puffs are cooked, remove them from the oven and let cool slightly, then slice them horizontally about two-thirds of the way up.

Place a little fig jam into the bottoms of the puffs, to taste, then fill with the foie gras cream; replace the tops.

Serve immediately.

To make the Easy Mushroom Pate click on the link

Last Post, Last Dance 2009...Happy New Year!

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Well here we are, another year and a new decade ahead.  Seems like 2000 was just a short time ago. 

When I was young, really young, years seemed to take an eternity.   Now that I'm not so young, they seem to fly by, ouch! I can't say that I'm sad to see this one over. It's been a tough year, financially and emotionally, for a lot of people, including me.  Just hang in there, this too shall pass....

Tomorrow I will celebrate New Year's with my four girls ( one two- legged and three four-legged) just like most people here in the United States.  We will cook a nice dinner, drink lots of champagne, and watch the crystal ball go down in Times Square.  That's the American side of the equation.  The other side of me, the Cuban side,  will fill a pail with water and throw it out the back door to bid farewell to all the bad things in the house.  I will not eat the twelve grapes that Cubans traditionally have at each stroke of midnight.  I have always hated that tradition and at my age, I'm entitled to skip it. 

On New Year's Day, I will make Eggs Benedict and Bloody Marys for brunch (my American side), but I will eat lentils for dinner for good luck, something which is observed not only in Spain, but throughout all of Latin America (very definitely my Cuban side). I will miss my bridge friends, and my beautiful dinner parties but I will be thankful and happy to have a wonderful family and friends who love and support me.  And ,oh yes, I will be thankful for this blog which has been so much fun and such a challenge at a time in my life when I thought I was done reinventing myself.

I leave you with one of the most beautiful tables I've seen decorated for New Years... by Carolyne Roehm, who else!

As I'm finishing this post, snow is beginning to fall in North Georgia...some things never cease to amaze me.  Happy New Year! 

Autumn Sonata...Brussel Sprouts With Bacon & Figs

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I have searched high and low for a good recipe for brussel sprouts and about a month ago I found it in the Minimalist column.  Mark Bitman is sheer genius when it comes to simplifying things and I am only sorry it took me so long to start reading him.  You see, I grew up with Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey and somehow Bittman's recipes just  looked too simple,and well, minimalistic.  I wanted more complicated dishes, for in my mind, that is the only way they would taste good...wrong!  Now when I pick one of the old cookbooks, I have to laugh at such titles as Simple and Quick Meals in an Hour!

I tried this recipe this past Christmas and my daughter and I just loved it.  It was a close second to our favorite chestnut soup and  it was a terrific compliment to the duck and wild rice.  Shredding the sprouts does wonders for the taste and texture of the dish and the balsamic vinegar is sheer genius.  I substituted dried cranberries for figs for a more festive look and can' t wait to try it with figs next time. If you like brussel sprouts, you will love this recipe!

Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

 4 to 8 ounces bacon, chopped

1 pound Brussels sprouts, stems trimmed

1 cup dried figs, stemmed and quartered

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, or more to taste.


Directions

1. Put a large skillet over medium heat and add oil, then bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to crisp, 5 to 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, put sprouts through feed tube of a food processor equipped with a slicing attachment and shred. (You can also do this with a mandoline or a knife.)

3. Add sprouts, figs and 1/4 cup water to pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper, turn heat to medium, and cook, undisturbed, until sprouts and figs are nearly tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Turn heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until any remaining water evaporates, another 5 to 10 minutes. Add vinegar, taste, adjust seasoning and serve.



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New Year's Eve Dinner Party with Close Friends

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People have such high expectations of New Year's Eve that it is hardly ever possible to meet them.  For that reason, I never go out on that night.  Instead, I have close friends over to my house for a nice dinner with lots of champagne and good wines.  To me, that's a sure winner since I am cooking the meal and I can always count on Veuve Cliquot and a good Bordeaux to see me through.  I learned long ago that a good time can never be planned...it just happens.

When I was much, much younger, my husband and I would either go sailing in the Caribbean or spend the night with close friends in Vermont where we rented a ski house. Those were the best New Year's I've ever had.  Later in life, when I became a party of one, it was much easier to count on a good evening if I hosted the dinner and didn't have to wait around to be asked to a party.  I knew how to cook...I collected great wines! You can't imagine how popular I soon became for, after all, nobody ever wants to host a New Years Party.

For some reason, to me, New Year's Eve is Duck A L'Orange and Chocolate Mousse.  Last year, Chestnut Soup was added to the list of must haves and just recently, I found a recipe for Brussel Sprouts from Marc Bittman that really complements the rest of the meal.  A 1990 Chateau Margaux accompanied the meal the last time we had it, but any Margaux should do the trick.  If friends volunteer to bring something, make it a good Champagne and serve it with cocktails.  Make sure you save some for midnight!

The wonderful thing about this menu is that it is versatile enough for a more formal dinner or a casual affair in the country or on the slopes...but definitely not on a sailboat!

New Year's Eve Menu

Gougeres

Pate de Foie Gras With Toast Points

Gravlax

Veuve Cliquot Champagne

*************

Chestnut Soup with Creme Fraiche

Duck A L'Orange

Wild and Brown Rice

Brussel Sprouts with Figs and Bacon

Chocolate Mousse

Chateau Margaux 1990 

Some of the recipes are already in the blog.  Others will come early in the week

Photo: My New Year's Table 2000

Note:  Silverware should never be placed on top of a napkin!  On this evening the napkin was on top of the plate service but I rearranged like this so I could show the service plates in the photo.

Alain Ducasse's Gougeres

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These French treats are crisp on the outside, airy on the inside, and light but loaded with flavor.  They are essentially  a savory choux pastry with cheese.  Traditionally, gougères are made with Gruyère, but other cheeses are sometimes used. They are a specialty of Burgundy.

Whenever I serve champagne, I make sure I have these around.


Makes about 28 gouyeres


Ingredients

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

Large pinch of coarse salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 large eggs

3 1/2 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling

Freshly ground pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, milk, butter and salt and bring to a boil. Add the flour and stir it in with a wooden spoon until a smooth dough forms; stir over low heat until it dries out and pulls away from the pan, about 2 minutes.

Scrape the dough into a bowl; let cool for 1 minute. Beat the eggs into the dough, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly between each one. Add the cheese and a pinch each of pepper and nutmeg.

Transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip and pipe tablespoon-size mounds onto the baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 22 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Serve hot, or let cool and refrigerate or freeze. Reheat in a 350° oven until piping hot.

Gouyeres the way they should look before baking

Notes

When making the choux pastry, it is important to be sure that each egg is fully incorporated into the batter before adding the next. Don't worry if the batter separates and looks curdled at first. Keep beating, and it will come together nicely.

Gougères freeze well so always try to bake extras  After baking, allow them to cool completely. Spread the gougères out on a baking sheet, cover the sheet with plastic wrap and freeze them until they are firm. Then store them in sturdy plastic bags for several months.

All fotos fxcuisine.com

Duck A L'Orange With Wild Rice

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This is my easy version of what can be a complicated dish.  The duck is first boiled to removed the excess fat and roasted at high heat to render a crisp skin.  The broth is saved to make the wild rice and for a future duck risotto.  Save any duck meat you have left over!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients


2 (5 to 5 1/2 pounds each) ducks, innards and wing tips removed

6 quarts chicken broth

Kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Unwrap the ducks and allow them to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. With a fork, prick the skin without piercing the meat. This will allow the fat to drain off while the ducks cook.

Meanwhile, in a very large stock pot which can hold the 2 ducks, heat the chicken broth with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt until it boils. Add the ducks very carefully and bring the stock back to a boil. If there isn't enough stock to cover the ducks, add the hottest tap water to cover. If the ducks float to the top, place a plate on top to keep them immersed. When the stock comes back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer the ducks in the stock for 45 minutes.

When the ducks are finished simmering, skim off enough duck fat from the top of the stock to pour a film on the bottom of a 14 by 18 by 3-inch roasting pan. This will keep the ducks from sticking when they roast. Carefully take the ducks out of the stock, holding them over the pot to drain. Place them in the roasting pan, pat the skin dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and the pepper. If you have time, allow the ducks to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the skin to dry.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. (Be sure your oven is very clean or it will smoke!) Roast the ducks for 30 minutes. You can glaze the duck with the sauce for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove from the oven and allow them to rest, covered with aluminum foil, for 20 minutes. If there is some liquid in the cavity, add some to the sauce. Serve warm.

Orange Sauce

14 oz orange marmalade
1 cup duck broth
1 cube chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet
1 TB cognac
1 tsp sherry vinegar
Salt and Pepper

After you boil the ducks, take 1 cup of the broth and set aside.  Add the neck and innards and 1 chicken cube and boil down until reduced by half. In another saucepan, add the orange marmalade and cook at medium low until it dissolves a little.  Add about 1/2 cup of the reduced duck broth bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add salt, pepper, the Kitchen Bouquet, the sherry vinegar and the cognac, stirring after each addition.  Set aside until ready to use.  Warm up on medium heat and if needed, add some leftover duck broth to soften consistency.

*You might want to add 1-2 TB of butter to the sauce and mix right before serving

Wild Rice

4 cups of duck broth, degreased
1 chicken bouillon
1/2 Cup chopped onions
1/2 Cup chopped celery
1 TB butter
2 Cups brown and wild rice
Salt and pepper

Saute the onion and celery in the butter.  Add the duck broth with 1 cube of chicken bouillon.  Bring to a boil.  Add the rice and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook in low heat until done, about 45 minutes.