French Comfort...Coq Au Vin

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This could easily have been titled, "What to do when there's nothing to do" or "What I made last Sunday during an ice storm".  Yes, I know, it's been a tough month for those of us above and below the Mason Dixon Line.  The North has been buried in snow and the South has been a a toss up between snow and ice.  We are all sick of this weather and starting to get on each other's nerves. It's called cabin fever and it's time to cook up a storm!

I haven't made this dish since the late 1970's.  The reason I know is that, inside the page on the Julia Child cookbook, there is a notepad sheet of paper with my husband's name on top from a job he held when we were first married,  There are some notes in my handwriting that are so old I could barely read them.   In it I've made some slight substitutions to the order of the directions that cut down the time by about half an hour, It also eliminates having to wash two extra pans without affecting the flavor or the end result.  All my life I have tried to cut back on unnecessary pans and steps, even as a young cook. I could give a master class on this technique.

Coq Au Vin is one of those recipes every serious student of French cuisine should attempt to make early on in his or her career. From the browning of the chicken pieces in bacon and butter to the proper way of  thickening the sauce at the end, it is a master class in French country cooking. Be grateful someone came up with the beurre manie.  The alternative, in the olden days, was using the blood from your newly butchered rooster.  And yes, you are no longer required to chase and butcher the bird.  Chicken pieces are acceptable although a whole chicken cut into pieces would be more authentic.  I used chicken pieces, like thighs and legs.  If you must use breasts, split them in half.

You also learn about the term depth of flavor through a few easy techniques such as sauteing the pearl onions and the mushrooms in the drippings of the browned chicken, prior to adding them to the stew.  This is the step I moved up, using the same pan as the one I had previously used to saute the bacon in butter and brown the chicken pieces.

Following is the original recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1 with these slight changes.

Do try to make this recipe the day before you serve it, Once it cools, it can be placed in the refrigerator overnight.  When you bring it out the next day, if there is any fat, skim it.  Then slowly reheat at a very low temperature.  I made it early in the day and it was finger licking good.  It was even better the next day.

As to the wine, please use a decent and hearty French wine.  You can get a good one for less than $10 at Costco and, last I heard,  Two Buck Chuck is not being produced in Burgundy! What grows together goes together, I can't say that enough.  It applies to fats also and, in this case, butter and  bacon and not olive oil are the way to go.  One day is not going to make that big of a difference in your heart rate or your weight.

I suggest that before the next winter storm is announced, and I think you have a pretty good chance of this, you have all the ingredients on hand.

As I finish this post the snow is coming down hard in North Georgia.  Madame Mere will finally get her snow.  I hope my gardenias survive this winter.

Julia Child's Coq Au Vin

Ingredients

3 to 4 ounce chunk of lean bacon

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 1/2 to 3 pounds frying chicken, cut into pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional for seasoning

1/8 teaspoon pepper, plus additional for seasoning

1/4 cup cognac

3 cups young, full-bodied red wine, such as Burgundy, Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, or Chianti

1 to 2 cups brown chicken stock, brown stock or canned beef bouillon

1/2 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cloves mashed garlic

1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves

1 bay leaf

12 to 24 pearl onions

1/2 pound mushrooms, I used baby bellas

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons softened butter

Fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Remove the rind and cut the bacon into lardons (rectangles 1/4-inch across and 1-inch long). Simmer for 10 minutes in 2 quarts of water. Rinse in cold water. Dry.

In a heavy large heavy bottomed casserole or Dutch oven, saute the bacon slowly in hot butter until it is very lightly browned (temperature of 260 degrees F for an electric skillet). Remove to a side dish.

Now sautee the onions and the mushrooms separately until a slight amber color.  Remove to another plate, separate from the chicken.

Dry the chicken thoroughly. Brown it in the hot fat in the casserole. (360 degrees F for the electric skillet.) Remove to a plate.

Now sautee the onions and the mushrooms separately in the same fat as the chicken, until a slight amber color.  Remove to another plate, separate from the chicken.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Return the bacon to the casserole with the chicken. Cover and cook slowly (300 degrees F) for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once.

Uncover, and pour in the cognac. Averting your face, ignite the cognac with a lighted match. Shake the casserole back and forth for several seconds until the flames subside. MAKE SURE THE STOVE AIR VENT IS CLOSED OR YOU MIGHT HAVE AN UNHAPPY SURPRISE.

Pour the wine into the casserole. Add just enough stock or bouillon to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and its juices run a clear yellow when the meat is pricked with a fork. Remove the chicken to a side dish.

Simmer the chicken cooking liquid in the casserole for 1 to 2 minutes, skimming off fat. Then raise the heat and boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 1/4 cups. Correct seasoning. Remove from heat, and discard bay leaf.

Blend the butter and flour together into a smooth paste (beurre manie). Add a little of the hot liquid from the sauce to make it easier to blend. Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a wire whip. Bring to the simmer, stirring and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.

Arrange the chicken in a casserole, place the mushrooms and onions around it and baste with the sauce. If the dish is not to be served immediately, place the mushrooms and onions on top of the chicken (see photo above) film the top of the sauce with stock or dot with small pieces of butter. Set aside uncovered for no longer than 1 hour or cool, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Shortly before serving, bring the casserole to a simmer, basting the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is heated through.

Serve from the casserole, or arrange on a hot platter. Decorate with sprigs of parsley.

Slightly adapted from Mastering the Art Of French Cooking, by Julia Child

A Bittersweet Start To The New Year

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About the only thing that is showing any beauty or color in the garden are the ornamental kale and cabbage I planted last Fall.  They are putting on quite a show!

At the end of October 2014

Mid December 2014

Early January 2015 

Meantime, back at the house....a pipe burst during the freeze we had the last couple of days and it happened to be in Mother's new apartment.  A piece of the wall in the guest bedroom had to be removed together with all the molding around the floor.  Additionally,  the padding for the rug and some of the hardwood floor in the rest of the apartment have to be replaced.  We have six large and noisy fans drying the floors and MM is back upstairs.  After seven months of problems and delays, we got to enjoy the place for less than two months.  Now we are back to square eight and another big expense.

The nostalgia that engulfed me at the beginning of the year has now turned into a full fledged depression.  Madame Mere and I both agree that someone down there doesn't want us moving into their old space.  The time has come for some drastic measures and a serious cleansing!

My new cleaning crew

Back in a bit.

The Idle Hours...Barbecued Oven Braised Brisket

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Although I should be posting a recipe for Thanksgiving leftovers, I thought you might be feeling the same way we feel in this house by now.  Anything but!

In spite of the fact that Madame Mere's apartment IS FINISHED, I still spend my days waiting for FEDEX, UPS, or some other delivery service delivering merchandise she has ordered through the various catalogues

A corner of the great room where she sits in my daughter's big chair is now her designated office. Mail, new issues of Hola, Veranda and House and Garden, with dog eared pages of ideas for the future decor of her rooms, sit in neat stacks on a tv table.  Then there are the catalogues, including Ballards, which she insists on pronouncing "Ballarde" in spite of my corrections, to no avail.  At the bottom of the pile are her insurance statements and claims, her bills and checkbooks.  The world stops for her when her favorite telenovela, India, is rerun on Telemundo from 12 to 2 while she has lunch and her lady in waiting hems her curtains.  We should all be so lucky.

She has now roped me into watching this popular soap opera but I do so, upstairs in my study, while I check my emails, work on the blog and get dressed.   Three o'clock is the magic hour when I  get in the car and go, anywhere, to see what real people do with their lives.  Sometimes I take her with me to shop for her things; others I just wander, aimlessly.

Today we are waiting for her rug from "Ballarde" which is to be delivered between 11:30 and 3:30, another wasted day.  She has already announced we are going to get our nails done after that. but we don't.  The rug arrived, we both hated it and I spent the rest of the afternoon arranging to have it picked up and ordering a new one.

I have been using the idle hours to make something that needs to be in the oven for a long time and these days are perfect for that.  I can't stand to waste time and braising a piece of meat for three hours is my idea of justifying the time. This oven braised beef brisket was posted on My Kitchen By The Lake blog a long time ago and I have made it a couple of times to rave reviews from the family.  I think it is time it appears on Lindaraxa.

Brisket is a large flat cut that comes from the chest of a steer, just below the chuck.  Its a tough fatty piece that when cured in a brine is called corned beef.  Because it is impossible to overcook, brisket is a favorite of home cooks, particularly for Sunday family dinners.

What is known as the first cut, thin cut or flat cut is leaner than the less expensive second cut aka the point cut.  This is what is preferred for this recipe because its more flavorful, and succulent.

You don't need to be a great cook to make this, just lots of time on your hands or a Madame Mere in your life.  Mashed potatoes and my aunt's Caramelized Baked Apples will make you look like  a real Betty Crocker.
  

Barbecued Oven Braised Brisket

Ingredients

1.4 lbs beef brisket, preferably second cut
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
2 TB vegetable oil
1 large onion halved lengthwise and thinly sliced.
1 cup beef stock
1 cut tomato sauce or tomato juice
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 TB Worcestershire sauce
parchment paper

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Pat brisket dry and rub salt and pepper all over it.

In a hot skillet add brisket and brown on each side.

Place brisket in 13 in x 9 in baking dish.

Add onion to skillet and stir frequently until browned, 7 to 8 minutes.

Add beef stock, bring to a boil and deglace pan scraping bits for 1 minute.  Stir in remaining ingredients  and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Pour sauce over brisket ,cover with sheet of parchment paper and cover tightly with foil.  Braise in the oven , turning meat once, until fork tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Transfer to a cutting board, let rest for 20 minutes and slice across the grain.  Spoon sauce over it before serving.

The brisket is best if made the day before and up to 4 days before.  Reheat in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Photos Lindaraxa

Venetian Fish Soup Or Stew

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This is probably one of the best fish soups or stews you will ever eat.  It is a classic at Harry's Bar in Venice.

 Having lucked out on some fish this week, I decided to serve it as a stew by adding more fish and shrimp and serving it with white rice on the side. I also cut the pieces slightly larger than I would for a soup.  Either way, it is fish soup (or stew) at its best, but only if you follow it to a t and use good fresh fish.

I know I have just published a recipe from Harry's (the cannelloni) and you may be wondering what's up with me.  While looking for the pasta recipe I came across this and decided I must try it.  Heaven knows I have heard raves about it but never had enough room in me to have both this and a pasta when I visited the restaurant.    So I had to give it a go before this winter was over and here we are, March 1st.  The daffodils are about to pop.

Although I served it for dinner tonight, it would also make a fine main course for Sunday lunch with friends or family.

Make sure you make the fish broth from scratch.  A good stock can make or break a soup or stew like this and fish cubes don't cut the mustard here.  Trust me, the end result will more than reward you.

I used fresh mahi mahi and flash frozen cod.  Fresh shrimp would be great.

Don't skip anything, and that includes the anchovies and the parsley.  I know you are frowning at the former and consider the latter a waste of time.  They are not.
 

Make sure you accompany with a fresh baguette even if you serve with rice on the side.

The real color of the soup is a beautiful saffron or that of butternut squash.  Not being a great photographer, I had to touch up and it came out like this. 

  

 Venetian Fish Soup

Serves 6 to 8 as a first course or 6 if doubling the fish and shrimp and serving with rice as a stew.

Ingredients

• 2 stalks celery, cut into julienne strips
• 2 medium onions, julienned
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1/3 c. olive oil
• 1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded, julienned
• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 8 cups stock (brodo) -- fish or half fish and half vegetable
• 1/4 (or more) t. saffron threads (steep in tablespoon of hot stock for20 minutes)
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch cayenne
• salt and black pepper
• 1/2 lb. EACH of two kinds of boneless, skinless white fish (such as halibut, sea bass, monkfish) cut into 1/2 inch. pieces
• 1/2 lb. medium shrimp (shelled, deveined), cut into thirds
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1 clove garlic, minced                                                 
• 2 canned anchovy fillets, drained and chopped (or use anchovy paste)
• 3 flat leaf parsley sprigs, chopped
• fresh rosemary, leaves from 1 sprig chopped (or pinch dried)
• fresh thyme, leaves from 1 sprig chopped (or pinch dried)

Directions:                                                 

• First make the brodo or stock (See below). Set aside. 

• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add celery, onions and carrot and cook, stirring often for 5 minutes or until soft but not brown.
• Add tomato and cook for 1 minute
• Stir in 1/4 c. flour and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Stir in wine and bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes, until mixture has thickened.
• Stir in stock, saffron, bay leaf, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine remaining flour with 1/4 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper in plastic bag, and toss fish and shrimp until well coated.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook fish and shrimp, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until browned and just cooked. Don't overcook.
• Add brandy to skillet to warm it, then (standing back) ignite brandy. Swirl the skillet until flames die down, then add contents of skillet to soup.
• Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients, anchovies, rosemary, thyme, parsley and garlic and cook for a minute or two.  Pour the flavored oil through a strainer into the soup.   Let flavors blend a few minutes before serving.

Brodo (fish stock):

2 to 3 lbs bones of any white fish
1 medium onion cut in chunks
2 leeks, white part only, washed and sliced
1 celery rib cut in chunks
2 quarts cold water
1 cup dry white wine
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp salt
bouquet garni of
3 flat leaf parsley sprigs
1 thyme sprig
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns all tied in cheesecloth

Throw everything in a stock pot, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes on medium partially covered.  Let cool.  Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl


Recipe adapted from Harry's Bar Cookbook
All photos Lindaraxa

Winter Citrus Salad With Shrimp,Goat Cheese And Beets

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It seems everywhere I turn in the blogosphere, or in the world of printed media, there is yet another recipe for a citrus salad.  If it's January/February in the world of food, it is citrus.  Nothing else is as exciting as oranges, pomelos or grapefruit, or variations thereof.  No more soups...that is so January.   So here's Lindaraxa's take, and that's just because she found herself cleaning her refrigerator in the middle of a major ice storm, and a citrus salad in February is de rigeur.

I don't know about you, but I have this wonderful can opener, made by a German company, that opens a can and pretty much seal it at the same time.  Things stay fresher that way and, right now, I find myself with lots of sealed cans in the refrigerator that have to be dealt with... like mandarin oranges, Le Seur peas and beets.

It is freezing today, this is Georgia, and we have already two inches of snow on the ground where I live.  Nobody is going to work, and that includes my daughter.  Lunchtime is approaching and I want to make something special, for lunch, on a snowy day, for my daughter.   So here's killing two birds with one stone:

Citrus Salad With Shrimp, Goat Cheese And Beets

Lunch For Two

Ingredients:

1  large navel orange, mandarin or  tangelo
2 hard boiled eggs
6 steamed shrimp
8 black imported (kalamata) black olives, pitted

Vinaigrette

½ teaspoon finely minced garlic
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 heaping teaspoon freshly chopped fresh cilantro, or more

1 head, or more, Butter Lettuce
Thin slices of red onion
Pickled sliced red beets
1/2 cup goat cheese
thinly sliced red pepper
chick peas (optional)

Directions:

Trim off the ends of the orange, mandarin or tangelo. Peel them, then cut into quarter inch slices and put them in a mixing bowl. Add the olives and steamed shrimp.

To make the vinaigrette, place the garlic, vinegar and oil, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper in a small jar with a tight lid and shake well. Pour half the vinaigrette over the oranges, shrimp and olives and toss well.

In a big salad bowl, break the lettuce leaves in medium bites, add the red onion, beets, sliced red peppers and chick peas (if using) and toss well.  Add the shrimp, orange mix, the additional vinaigrette and toss again.  Correct for seasonings and dressing.  Sprinkle the goat cheese and the hard boiled eggs.

 Easily doubled or tripled. For a more formal lunch, add a hot soup to begin with and a crusty baguette.

Photos and recipe Lindaraxa

Meyer Lemon Pound Cake With Glaze

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Meyer Lemons are so good and so special they present a dilemma as far as what to make with them when they are in season.  They are a natural for desserts and can be substituted anytime lemons are called for, but you have to be careful how you use them to highlight the special qualities of this wonderful citrus.  To begin with, they are sweeter and juicier than regular lemons and intensely aromatic.  They are native to China and are said to be a cross between a lemon and a mandarin.

Meyer lemons were introduced to the United States in 1908 by Frank Nicholas Meyer, an employee of the United States Department of Agriculture who collected a sample of the plant on a trip to China.

The Meyer lemon is commonly grown in China in garden pots as an ornamental tree. It became popular as a food item in the United States after being rediscovered by chefs such as Alice Waters at Chez Panisse during the California Cuisine revolution. Popularity further climbed when Martha Stewart began featuring them in her recipes. 

In my opinion, the assertive floral-citrus of Meyer lemons  is best enjoyed in curds, whether by themselves or in a cake or pie, and in this delightful pound cake which is by far the best I have ever had.   Martha Stewart also has a recipe for linguine with a Meyer lemon and pistachio pesto which is high on my list of savory recipes to try. 

I have changed the recipe a bit by substituting Meyer lemon juice for some of the vanilla in the pound cake.  I also have to warn you that the original recipe calls for a cooking time of 1 1/2 hours.  I halved the recipe and only made one loaf which took only 50 minutes to bake, so watch the timing carefully.  Next time I may even triple the amounts, it was that good.

The season for Meyer lemons is November to April so hurry up and stock up.  I plan to freeze the juice and some of the zest to make lemonade and these Meyer Lemon Squares in the summer.  For my Meyer Lemon Curd recipe go here. 

You will adore this pound cake.  Make the full recipe and freeze a loaf for later on.  You won't be sorry.

 

Meyer Lemon Pound Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 4 cups sifted cake flour, plus more for pans
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 8 eggs room temperature
• 1 cup milk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp. Meyer lemon juice*      
• Zest of 1 Meyer lemon

For the glaze

• Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
• 2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more if needed
• 1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-by-5-by-3-inch (or larger) loaf pans and set aside.
Sift the flour with the salt and baking powder two times and set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Stir only until thoroughly blended. Gently fold in the zest.

Pour batter into the prepared pans, making sure to divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Level tops with an offset spatula.

Bake for about 1 1/2 hours**, until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan about 10 minutes; then remove to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.

Glaze

In a medium bowl, whisk all glaze ingredients to combine. If necessary, add additional confectioners' sugar to desired consistency.

Pour glaze on top of cakes and serve.

*I have added 2 tsps.Meyer lemon juice to the original recipe and changed the vanilla to 1 tsp
**Watch time carefully.  Mine was done after 50 minutes.. 

 

 Adapted from Martha Bakes, February 2011

Daube de Boeuf A La Provencal For A Cold Snowy Night

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I served this daube the night before I left for a visit to Madame Mere's. I made plenty so I could freeze a couple of dinners for my daughter, my excuse to ensure that she would have at least a couple of home cooked meals while I was gone.  The cooking didn't end there.  Once I got to the other end,  I began to cook and freeze like crazy so MM would have a few of her favorite meals  to enjoy when I left.  It is easy to cook for her these days.  She is so appreciative of everything I make her, particularly if it is one of her old recipes.  She doesn't cook anymore and her meals are very basic these days.  Nothing like the old Madame Mere and it makes me sad.  But more on that on another post.

One of the things I did not expect on my return was to find a container of beef daube still in the freezer.  I have been on a cooking strike since I returned so, instead of being hurt,  I was elated.  It is perfect for tonight after a winter storm that brought us snow and 20 degree weather.  Atlanta is paralyzed.  It seems everyone tried to get out of the city at the same time and there have been people stuck in their cars since early afternoon.  There was even a baby born in gridlock.    Not since Sherman burned the city during the Civil War has there been such pandemonium; and where is Rhett Butler and that old nag!

But back to the daube...

Daube de Boeuf Carottes on a bed of parsnip puree

A daube is basically a stew cooked at a fairly low temperature for a long period of time.  Daube a la Provencal is made with inexpensive beef braised in wine, vegetables, garlic, and herbes de Provence.  It is traditionally cooked in a daubière, or braising pan. A traditional daubière is a terracotta pot that resembles a pitcher, with a concave lid. Water is poured on the lid, which condenses the moisture inside, allowing for the long cooking required to tenderize lesser cuts of meat.

A traditional daubiere

 I inherited my daubiere from my aunt Julieta who, in turn, inherited it from her father.  He was not a gourmet cook but he loved to collect gadgets.  I am sure this was bought at Hammacher Schlemmer, one of his favorite stores.  Here, instead of filling the concave lid with water, you add a few ice cubes on top which will melt and condense inside, adding moisture to the stew through those tiny holes in the other side of the lid.  Or something like that... . 

The meat used in daube is cut from the shoulder and back of the bull, though some suggest they should be made from three cuts of meat: the "gelatinous shin for body, short ribs for flavor, and chuck for firmness." Although most modern recipes call for red wine a minority, such as the recipe below, call for white, as do the earliest recorded daube recipes.

Variations call for olives, prunes, and flavoring with duck fat.   Vinegar, brandy, lavender, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, juniper berries, or orange peel also appear in some recipes with the latter being the most popular.  For best flavor, it is cooked in several stages, and cooled for a day after each stage to allow the flavors to meld together. In the Camargue and Béarn area of France, bulls killed in bullfighting festivals are often used to make daube.

Traditionally this dish should be cooked for a long time and prepared the night before it is served.

The recipe I have used comes from La Cuisine by Francoise Bernard.  It is my Bible for traditional dishes such as this.  It calls for the white wine mentioned above but I have given you a choice of red or white.  I cooked mine with a red Cotes du Rhone which I reduced to half the volume before adding it to the marinade.  It's an old trick I leaned from Daniel Boulud that gives the illusion that the sauce has been cooking for hours.

You can cook the daube on top of the stove or in the oven.  I have given directions for both.   Frankly, daubiere or not, I prefer to cook it in the oven.  If you want to turn your pot into a daubiere, cover the top of your Le Creuset tightly with tin foil and place the lid on top.

As I am getting ready to publish this post, there are still people in gridlock due to the storm.  Some have been trapped over nine hours and many are abandoning their cars and walking.   Lots of children are being kept overnight at their schools.  What a mess.  

Ingredients

3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 TB butter

7 ounces thick sliced pancetta or bacon cut crosswise

   into 1/4 inch thick strips

4 onions quartered

1 long strip of orange zest

Salt and pepper

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

3/4 cups black olives (optional, I omitted this time)

Chopped parsley for sprinkling at the end

Marinade

3 cups dry white or red wine (previously reduced to half the amount)
3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 TB oil

1/4 Cup Cognag

Thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

Parsley sprigs

Directions

In a large bowl combine the beef with the marinade ingredients.  Cover and marinade overnight or at least a couple of hours.

In a flameproof casserole (or daubiere if you have one) melt the butter over medium heat.  Add pancetta or bacon and lightly brown.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl .

Scrape the marinade off the beef  (but save) and dry the meat with paper towels.  Add to the casserole and, in batches, brown on all sides.  Do not crowd the pan or the meat will steam instead of browning.  As they are done, transfer the pieces to a plate.

Add the onions to the pot and lightly brown.  Return the beef and the marinade to the pot, together with the orange strip.  Add salt and pepper to taste and cover.  If you do not have a daubiere (who does!) cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil and cover with the lid.  Cook for 2 hours on top of the stove or on a 300 degree oven.

Add the tomatoes, bacon and olives and cook for another 30 minutes.

Transfer the stew to a warm serving platter and sprinkle with parsley.  Serve over noodles of your choice.  That is very Provencal. 

Photos # 2, #3 Wikipedia
All others Lindaraxa

Apple Frangipane Tart

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With its layers of flaky pastry, nutty- sweet almond frangipane and thinly sliced apples, this tart makes a great last-minute dessert and is showstoppingly gorgeous. It’s even more delicious served with lightly whipped crème fraîche.


Ingredients:

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, about 10 by 14 inches, thawed

For the frangipane:

1 1/2 cups sliced almonds, lightly toasted

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted

2 large baking apples, such as Pink Lady or Gravenstein

1/2 lemon

1/4 cup apricot jam (optional)

Directions:

Position a rack in the upper third of an oven and preheat to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry into a 16-by-12-inch rectangle (it should just fit onto the baking sheet). Transfer to the prepared pan, fold over the edges of the pastry to form a rim and pinch the edges together. Refrigerate while you make the frangipane and prepare the apples.

To make the frangipane, in a food processor, combine the almonds, sugar and salt and process until the almonds are finely ground. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract and melted butter and process until the mixture comes together.

Peel and core each apple (or you can leave them unpeeled, if you like). Slice them very thinly crosswise (this is easiest on a mandoline, but you can use a sharp knife). In a bowl, toss the apple slices with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Prick the chilled puff pastry all over with a fork. Bake until it looks dried out and very lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Smear a thin, even layer of the frangipane on top of the pastry and then top evenly with the sliced apples. Bake until the tart is golden and the apples are crisp-tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.

If you want to make the tart fancy, heat the jam in a saucepan over low heat until it liquefies. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the top of the tart with a thin coating of jam. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes one 16-by-12-inch tart.

Baker’s note: The ideal way to slice the apples is with a mandoline, so you can be sure the slices are ultrathin and even. If you don’t have a mandoline, simply use a large, sharp knife to cut slices as thinly as possible.



Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Home Baked Comfort, by Kim Laidlaw (Weldon Owen, 2011).

Stuffed Quail With Chestnuts In A Red Wine Sauce

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One of the advantages of living in the South is that quail is readily available in most supermarkets and specialty stores.  Unfortunately, quail is something most people don't cook at home and only think of ordering when they see it on the menu at a fancy restaurant.  They are just as easy to cook as chicken and if you look for them or ask your grocer, you will be surprised to find them, usually in boxes, where the frozen turkeys and ducks are kept.  Remember, though, that they are tiny little things, usually smaller than you remember, so you will need at least 2 per person.

I am posting this recipe at this time because you might just be lucky enough to find bottled chestnuts on sale after the holidays.  It really beats having to shell and roast fresh ones.  I understand Trader Joe's carries them so check for them next time you visit the store.

Ingredients

Salt

4 cups roasted, shelled and skinned chestnuts (2 pounds in shell or about 4 (7½- ounce) jars peeled whole)

1 bay leaf

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 large shallots, thinly sliced

6 tablespoons port

5 tablespoons cognac

Freshly ground black pepper

12 semiboneless quail

1 small onion, quartered

1 medium carrot, cut into 4 pieces

1 celery stalk, cut into 4 pieces

5 sprigs fresh thyme

1 garlic clove, peeled

½ cup full-bodied red wine

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

kitchen string; wooden picks


Instructions

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil; add chestnuts and bay leaf; cook until chestnuts are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain chestnuts; discard bay leaf.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat; add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Add all but 18 chestnuts (reserve these for later); cook, stirring and mashing chestnuts in pan with a fork for 2 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons port and 3 tablespoons cognac. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until stuffing is fairly dry, about 2 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper, then spread on a plate to cool.

Discard any disposable metal skewers from cavity of each quail, then rinse quail inside and out and pat dry. Stuff 1 quail with 3 tablespoons stuffing, pressing and shaping it to fill out breast. Tie legs together with string and push legs up against body. Thread cavity closed with a wooden pick. Repeat with remaining quail.

Put oven rack in middle position and heat oven to 350°.

Season quail with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brown 6 quail on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer quail, breast side up, to a large shallow baking pan. Wipe skillet clean and brown remaining 6 quail in same manner in remaining tablespoon oil, transferring quail to baking pan once browned.

Add onion, carrot, celery, thyme, garlic and 1 tablespoon cognac to skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, for 2 minutes. Scatter reserved chestnuts, onion, carrot, celery, thyme and garlic around pan with quail.

Remove strings and picks from quail, then roast quail until just cooked through (cut into inner thigh; meat will be slightly pink), 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer quail to a serving dish. In a small saucepan, combine wine, remaining 2 tablespoons port and remaining tablespoon cognac; bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Dissolve cornstarch in water and stir into sauce; bring to a simmer, remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve quail with sauce.

You might also enjoy:

Roast Quail With Fresh Figs And Balsamic


Adapted from La Cucina Italiana

Winter Entertaining...Sunday Brunch In the City

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About two weeks ago Heather Clawson who publishes the immensely popular blog Habitually Chic mentioned in her blog that one of her New Year's resolutions was to have more brunches.  That got me thinking...

One of the things I enjoyed the most when I was living in the city was meeting up with friends on Sunday to have brunch at Luke's or anywhere else where I could get Eggs Benedict and a Bloody Mary.  To me, Sundays were all about the New York Times, the crossword puzzle, brunch afterwards and a good long nap.   Sometimes I would forgo my idyllic afternoon and invite friends for a casual Sunday dinner.

 
If you have lived in New York, you know weekends are all about casual clothes and casual dining.  Try visiting a neighborhood restaurant during the weekend and you will see the same people you saw all dressed up during the week in a most casual yet stylish attire.  People who live and work in town look forward to relaxing on the weekend and what they want is to dress down, walk the dog and rest up for the week ahead.  Going out for Sunday brunch is a popular diversion for New Yorkers but if you want to get in at your favorite restaurant or neighborhood cafe you better get there early.  You will find most places jammed packed!

So what could be simpler and more appreciated than offering friends an alternative to a restaurant brunch by entertaining them informally in the comfort of your home? It beats hosting a cocktail party or sit-down dinner, and it's a lovely and casual way to catch up with friends and family members.  Just make sure you set a civilized hour...like noon!

Now if you live in relatively small quarters, set up a buffet style table and let everyone serve themselves.  Do make sure you have enough seating though for all your guests. Even if you are lucky enough to have a separate dining room, you can use this type of arrangement to make things casual and more enjoyable. This is what makes New York city parties so much fun..

Everything in this brunch menu can at least be started the night before. The strata and the french toast just need to bake in the morning.  The fruit parfaits, Bloody Mary mix, salmon and accompaniments can also be prepared the day before, placed in the fridge wrapped with foil,  and brought out just before the guests arrive.  If you want to add muffins and scones, this is something you can buy ready made.  There is such a wonderful selection to choose from if you live in a major city such as New York. 

Now just because this is an informal party doesn't mean that you can't take out the silver,  crystal or the nice china.  That is what makes it extra special, even if you serve a simple menu.  It's done in English country houses all the time so why shouldn't you?

So Heather, here's to your New Year's resolution...you can cross it off the list!

SUNDAY BRUNCH

The Perfect Bloody Mary

Mimosas

Smoked Salmon

mini bagels, cream cheese, capers, lemon, chopped red onions

Papaya, Berries And Yogurt Parfaits

Ham And Cheese Strata

Baked French Toast

Coffee, Tea

 Make sure you check out the country brunch in My Kitchen By The Lake!


Photos:  (top)  Elegant Entertaining,  Henrietta Spencer Churchill
and Google

Papaya Berry Yogurt Parfaits

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Is there a more elegant, healthier or simpler way to start your day?

Ingredients

Serves 6

3 containers (5.3 ounces each) plain nonfat Greek yogurt

5 tablespoons honey

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice

1 piece fresh ginger (about 2 inches)

1 papaya (1 pound), peeled, halved lengthwise, seeds discarded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 package (6 ounces) fresh blackberries

1 package (6 ounces) fresh raspberries

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, plus sprigs for garnish

1/2 cup granola


Directions


1.In a small bowl combine yogurt, 3 tablespoons honey, and zest; set aside.

2.Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the ginger (no need to peel) into a small bowl. Squeeze ginger through a fine-meshed sieve or strainer placed over a medium bowl to get a total of 1 tablespoon ginger juice. Discard pulp. To the bowl with the juice, add remaining 2 tablespoons honey and lemon juice; whisk to combine. Add papaya, blackberries, and raspberries and toss gently to coat.

3.To serve: Spoon half the fruit and juices among six 8-ounce tall glasses. Sprinkle chopped mint over the fruit. Top with half the yogurt mixture and half the granola. Layer with the remaining fruit, yogurt, and granola. Garnish with mint sprigs.

.

Source: Martha Stewart.com

Simple Dinners...Minestrone Di Romagna

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Right about this time of the year I dig deep into my recipe box and pull out my recipe for Minestrone.  I also spend a good ten minutes searching inside my freezer for that old rind of Parmesan cheese I put away in the summer.  The soup really doesn' t need a recipe, I know well what goes into it, but at my age, I just don't trust myself to remember all the extra goodies that I have added in the past to make it my own.

There is no right or wrong minestrone...there is just good minestrone.  In the north of Italy you will find rice in your soup, in the south, beans, or pasta and tomatoes.  The only constants are staples like carrots, celery, onions and potatoes.  At the end what you want is a dense and mellow soup that recalls no vegetable in particular, but all of them at once.  Don't leave out the potato, it gives it depth and helps to thicken the soup to its right consistency.

I prefer to use beef broth rather than chicken.  I also encourage you to make your own broth out of flank or another inexpensive cut of beef.  It makes a tremendous difference and it doesn't take long.  I usually keep some in the freezer for making soups in the winter.

The things that will make this soup especial and not just good are:

Homemade beef stock
San Marzano tomatoes
Old rind of good Parmigiano Reggiano

This soup is better the next day so plan ahead. It's also a great way to clean your refrigerator after the holidays!  It will keep in your refrigerator for 1 week.  Although I have never done it, it should freeze well.


Serves 6

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

3 Tbs butter

1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

2 cups peeled, diced potatoes

1 1/2 cups canned cannellini beans.**

2 cups diced zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)

1 cup diced green beans

3 cups shredded cabbage, preferable Savoy cabbage

6 cups homemade meat broth or 2 cups canned beef broth mixed with 4 cups of water

The crust of a 2 to 4 inch long piece of Parmesan cheese scraped clean (optional, but well worth it!)

2/3 cup canned  San Marzano Italian tomatoes with their juice

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Handful of chopped fresh chopped basil leaves for garnish.(optional, best in summer)



Preparation

Choose a stockpot large enough for all ingredients. Put in oil, butter and the sliced onion and cook over medium-low heat until the onion wilts and is pale gold in color, but not browned. Add the diced carrots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes , stirring once or twice. Repeat this procedure in sequence with the celery, potatoes,  zucchini, and green beans, cooking each one a few minutes and stirring. Then add the shredded cabbage and cook for about 6 minutes giving pot the occasional stir.

Add the broth, the cheese crust, the tomatoes and their juice and a little bit of salt. (Careful with salt if using canned broth). Cover and cook at a very slow boil for at least 3 hours. If necessary, you can stop the cooking at any time and resume later. Minestrone must never be thin and watery, so cook until it is soupy thick.  

Fifteen minutes before the soup is done, add the canned or cooked dry beans. Just before turning off the heat, remove the cheese crust, swirl in the grated cheese, then taste and correct  for salt.
 
*I have added spinach at the end.

variation: sautéed 5-6 slices of bacon cut in 1 inch slices and 1 ham hock in olive oil.  Add 1 tb. Thyme fresh. Substitute the beef broth with 5 cups of water. Omit green beans. Omit cabbage and add Fresh baby spinach at the end.Shredded Parmesan when serving. 10/21/20 Excellent! 

***Goya, Cento and Progresso carry them


Recipe adapted from Marcella Hazan

Roast Duck Legs With Honey, Vinegar And Caramelized Apples

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I bought four duck legs with the best intentions of turning them into duck confit for pates and cassoulets in the future;  but I got lazy and decided instead to roast them and serve them with a sauce.  After glancing through a few cookbooks I came upon this recipe from Marie Blanche de Brouglie, Princess de Brouglie, and decided to give it a try.  Her cookbook, The Cuisine of Normandy, unfortunately, is out of print but I promise to post more of her fabulous recipes at a later date.. The original recipe is for Magrets de Canard Saint-Wandrille,  the latter being a Benedictine monastery founded by Count Wandrille in 649. 

I have substituted duck legs for duck breast, so feel free to use either.  The recipe has three parts, all of them terribly easy.  The first is making the sauce, then searing and roasting the duck and finally caramelizing the apples.  With all due to respect to Princess de Brouglie, after making the recipe, I think it makes more sense to do the apples first, then the sauce and finally roasting the duck, so this is what I would suggest for next time.

By the way, this is a strong candidate for this year's New Year's Eve dinner, so plan ahead.

...and, stay tuned, wait 'til you see what we are going to do with the leftover duck!

After searing and before they went into the oven

The sauce

Out of the oven

 Serves 4*

Ingredients

6 duck legs (whole with thighs) or 4 boneless duck breasts
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 Tb honey
2 Cups duck stock or rich brown chicken stock
6 TB butter
4 apples
Lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
about 1/3 cup tap water
3/4 cup ice water

Preheat oven 425.

Season duck with salt and pepper.  In a heavy iron skillet brown the legs or breasts over medium high heat starting with the skin side down to render fat.  The meat should be cooked rare, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.  Remove the duck to a heated plate and cover it with foil to keep warm.

Pour the fat out of the skillet (but save it for later use!) and deglaze pan with the vinegar.  Add the honey and stock and reduce the liquid to about 1 cup.  Whisk the butter into the sauce, a tablespoon at a time. Pour sauce into a bowl and wipe the pan with a paper towel.   You will be using the iron skillet later.

Peel, core and quarter the apples.  Trim the quarters into football shapes and rub them with the lemon juice.

In a saucepan,  combine the sugar with enough tap water to moisten it.  Cook over low heat until it reaches a deep golden color.  Quickly add the ice water, but be careful to stand back from the saucepan as it will spatter.  Add the apples and cook them in this caramel until tender.  (if you don't want to go through this, cook the apples in brown sugar and water...a little Calvados or brandy wouldn't hurt!)

Return duck legs to skillet and roast in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes.  (Her recipe doesn't call for this but I cannot stand rare duck, and roasting crisps up the skin.  You might want to do less time if you are using breasts)

To serve, arrange duck legs, or breasts, on platter, pour sauce over them and surround with caramelized apples.

Note

If you cannot buy individual legs or breasts, cut up a couple of ducks, cook what you want and save the rest for later use.  Don't forget to keep the liver for pate!

I suggest 6 legs for four people as they can sometimes be quite small.  The worst that can happen is you will have one or two for the leftovers I will be posting next!