HOLIDAY SISDES: ROASTED BEETS, PUMPKIN GRATIN AND LATKES

 

            Holiday sides: roasted beets, pumpkin gratin and latkes

          It is that time of the year when CC Moore’s poem Visit from St. Nicholas paints the relaxed scene of children asleep with ‘visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads’. In reality it is the time when the home cook is desperately racking his or her brain about which recipes to feature at the variety of celebrations starting with Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza as well as many friendly parties, all squeezed in the busiest month of the year – December!

          Most large dinners are likely to feature roast beef, turkey or ham, but smaller families or dietary preferences have come up with ingenious variations from roast chicken to a vegetarian feast featuring squash, beans, tofu, nuts and a myriad of spices. There are family traditions that require a corn pudding for great-aunt Tilda and blackened onions for Uncle Horace, but a good cook will always try to come up with something a bit different to surprise and add color to the table.

                                       Latkes/potato pancakes

          Potato pancakes come in slightly different variations from Northern Europe but is a traditional food for Hanukkah and are served with sour cream or applesauce. Their crisp texture makes them a wonderful accompaniment to meat or any vegetarian dish.

          Shred in a food processor or on a box grater 2 large, peeled russet potatoes and 1 small onion. Squeeze as much moisture as possible, using cheesecloth or double paper towels, from the shredded vegetables. In a bowl beat 1 large egg with 1 tsp. kosher salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper and 2-3 tbsp. flour or unseasoned breadcrumbs. Thoroughly mix in the drained potatoes in the egg mix and fry small 4-inch pancakes in vegetable oil 3-4 minutes on each side. Sprinkle sour cream with chopped chives or scallions for garnish.

                                                  Pumpkin Gratin

          This unusual and delicious gratin recipe was adapted from Marlena Spieler’s Vegetarian Bistro, authentic French regional recipes and is worth the amount of chopping to please not only you vegetarian friends but will please and surprise everyone else.

          Seed and peel a small 1 ½ lb. fresh pie pumpkin and cut it in ½ inch dice. Clean and slice 1 leek, white and light green parts. Dice ½ of seeded and deribbed red pepper and 3-4 Roma tomatoes. Mince 3 large garlic cloves and julienne 6-7 sundried tomatoes.

          Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter in a large pan and sauté the pumpkin and leek on medium heat for 15 minutes with occasional stirring to golden. Stir in tomatoes, red pepper and sundried tomatoes and continue to cook until the tomatoes become saucy. Add ½ cup dry white wine and cook to reduce to ½. Stir in ½ cup heavy cream, 2 tbs. tomato paste, 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. lemon pepper, half of the chopped garlic and 1 generous teaspoon herbes de Provence. Pour the mixture in a shallow baking or gratin dish.

          In a small bowl mix 3 tbsp. unseasoned breadcrumbs, 3 tbsp. each grated Parmesan and Gruyêre cheese, rest of the garlic and toss with 2 tsp. olive oil. Spread crumbs over the pumpkin mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve warm. 

                                       Roasted beets with onions and pinenuts

          Roast in oven 4-5 medium sized beets wrapped in aluminum for 1 hour at 400 degrees. Peel when slightly cooled and slice or cut in thin wedges. While beets are roasting, cook 3 medium onions peeled and thickly sliced in 2 tbsp. olive oil, stirring occasionally for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

          In a medium bowl stir together 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. chopped capers, ¾ tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, 2 tbsp. cider vinegar and 3 tbsp. olive oil. Toss beets and onion in the dressing and garnish with pine nuts. Serve warm or at room temperature.

          December also entertains Boxing Day, the day after Christmas which is celebrated in the UK as well as Canada and Australia. It was originally the day with cold leftovers after Christmas, since it was the day off for servants.  Gifts were distributed to them and other unfortunates in the community as vividly described by Dickens at the end of “Christmas Carol”.  Boxing Day unfortunately has become the great shopping day not only in UK but elsewhere as well in modern times.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

 

 

APPETIZERS FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

 

                        Appetizers for the holiday season

 

          Each year we find the days after Thanksgiving until the New Year filled with anticipation and joy of seeing family, friends, coworkers and neighbors in friendly gatherings with good cheer. Tradition and good taste demands that they include good food and libations of choice. Catering services flourish in December but the thrifty home cook can come up with delicious home alternatives that don’t break the bank and are relatively easy to prepare.

A vegetable tray with dip, cheese and crackers or a shrimp ring with cocktail sauce immediately come to mind. Equally easy are open-faced mini sandwich treats with smoked salmon or shrimp. 

                                               Smoked salmon on cocktail rye

Spread cocktail rye (or crostini, or thin slices of a French baguette) with cream cheese. Arrange on top a thin piece of smoked salmon, small red onion rings and capers. Decorate with small segments of a dill pickle. For shrimp mini sandwiches omit the onion and top with slivers of pimento and capers.

 

                                       Magical garlic-herb Boursin

Herbed Boursin, originally developed by François Boursin, a Normandy cheesemaker in 1957, is the miracle ingredient that makes a variety of delectable appetizers for any time of the year, and is especially useful because of its versatility during the holidays. Cows milk Boursin is a fresh cheese blended with cream, herbs and garlic, slightly crumbly in texture and still spreadable on crackers, vegetables or even grapes with tasty results. The assortment in the picture shows mini-pepper halves stuffed with Boursin and crackers topped with Boursin and a dab of tomato jam. My old Craig Clairborne cookbook had appetizers made of grapes stuffed with cream cheese. Updating the recipe with Boursin and very large green grapes yielded a tasty bite with complex flavors that sent everyone for seconds.

There are of course many other intricate baked appetizers. Recently I noticed that many food magazines have re-discovered Gougère. They are French Choux pastry or French cheese puffs that make wonderful light appetizers. They are relatively easy to make with crusty outside and a bit hollow and soft on the inside. This is my recipe from Craig Clairborne, NY Times Cookbook that I have made for many years.

                                                                   Gougère

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line your pans with parchment. Finely grate 1 and ½ cup Gruyère cheese (do not use pre-grated cheese because of coarseness and additives).  Pour 1 cup water in a medium saucepan, add 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, 1 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. peeper. Bring to boil and add 1 cup of sifted flour all at once with stirring. Set heat to medium and continue stirring until the dough forms a ball and leaves sides of the saucepan. Set aside from stove for 2 minutes and then beat in 4 eggs, one at a time and ¼ tsp. nutmeg. Set aside 2 tbsp. of the cheese and stir the rest into the dough mixing thoroughly.

Place rounded tablespoons of the dough on prepared pans, sprinkle with the reserved cheese and bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes and serve warm. Gougère can be reheated at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. 

These would be wonderful for New Years Eve served with Kir Royale (chilled champagne with a dash of crème de cassis).                           

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

 

 

MEATLOAF, VEGETABLE MELANGE AND FRUIT FOR RESCUE

 

            Meatloaf, vegetable mélange and fruit for rescue

           As we enter the holiday season, it is tempting to focus on preparations to the celebrated star events. We plan to make our table shine with traditional and inventive dishes while juggling myriads of shopping, baking, socializing and regular everyday chores as well as work. Somewhere in all this activity, everyday proper nutrition gets a short shrift. However, a little foresight can prevent us living on cheese and crackers during these weeks from November through December, by cooking dishes that can serve a variety of purposes and are easily reheated.

          The simple meatloaf can easily come to rescue by virtue of stress-free preparation and multiple subsequent uses with tomato or mushroom gravy, crumbled as meatballs for spaghetti, or as an excellent sandwich filling in a fluffy roll. Here is my infinitely versatile updated version.

                                      Not your grandmother’s meatloaf

          In a large bowl reconstitute 1/3 cup fine breadcrumbs (use GF crumbs for GF meatloaf) with 1/3 cup milk. Stir in 1 beaten egg, 1 medium finely chopped onion, 1 tsp. garlic powder, ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes, 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 2 tsp. double strength tomato paste, 1 ½ tsp. Provençal seasoning and ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley. Crumble and mix in by hand 1 lb. fresh 85% ground beef and ¼ to ½ lb. ground pork.

          Line a loaf pan with 2-3 strips of bacon and fill with the blended meat mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 1 ¼ hours. Serve warm sliced with tomato sauce and boiled potatoes sprinkled with fresh parsley or dill.

          Cheesy vegetable casseroles make wonderful side dishes. They complement everything from turkey to roast beef, are equally welcome as a vegetarian luncheon dish and reheat well in the microwave.

                           Mediterranean 3 cheese vegetable mélange

          Slice in ½ inch slices: 1 medium eggplant, 1 medium zucchini and 1 medium onion. Seed and quarter 1 orange or red pepper. Toss all with olive oil mixed with 2 cloves of chopped garlic. Spread all on a baking sheet and broil to brown turning once. When slightly cooled, cut the pepper in ½ inch strips.

          Beat together the following for a flavorful sauce: 1 cup marinara sauce, ½ tsp. chopped garlic, 1 tsp. oregano, 1 tsp. fresh chopped basil, ½ tsp, lemon pepper and 3 eggs.

          Assemble the mélange in an 8x8x2 baking dish. A layer of 1/3 sauce, a layer of ½ vegetables, ½ cup shredded Mozzarella, ½ cup shredded Provolone, another 1/3 sauce, ½ vegetables, 1/3 cup sauce and ½ cup coarsely shredded Parmesan cheese.

          Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes. Serve warm as a side dish or for luncheon with a green salad.

                                                     Peach-cranberry compote

          Place 16 oz. frozen peaches in an enameled pot with ½ cup sweetened dried cranberries, 1 cup orange juice, 6 cloves, 6 allspice, 1 star anise, 3 thin strips of lemon peel and 1 tbsp. lime juice. Bring to boil, lower heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in ½ cup sugar and cook for 5-7 minutes until the liquid starts to thicken. Chill and serve plain or with a dab of whipped cream.

          The daylight may be getting shorter at this time of the year, but the subtle excitement of the coming holidays makes us look forward to our annual gatherings with friends and family, with food as an important partner in all celebrations.

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day…”and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)