A salad that's heavy on the bitter greens. Giada De Laurentiis dares readers to be more adventurous, saying, "Italians aren't afraid of using spicy and slightly bitter greens in their salads, and you shouldn't be either." But for my American palate, the combination of endive and frisée was too unrelentingly bitter. After I substituted some mild green butter lettuce, I liked this flavor combination a lot better.

If you've got a taste for the bitterness of frisée, by all means make the salad as originally written. But if you're like me, and prefer bitterness to be just an accent, try the substitution I've suggested.

Blood oranges look lovely in the salad, but if they're not available, regular oranges would work just as well. You could also try satsuma mandarins, or clementines, for a variation.

The dressing, nuts, orange segments, and greens can all be prepared in advance. Toss the salad together with the dressing just before serving.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 to 7 minutes for the hazelnuts
Yield: 6 side-dish servings

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp finely chopped shallots
1 Tbsp honey
1/3 cup olive oil or hazelnut oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 heads Belgian endive, trimmed and cut crosswise into thin slices
2 heads frisée lettuce, center leaves only, torn into pieces, OR 1 large head butter, Boston, Bibb, or other mild green lettuce, torn into pieces
2 blood oranges, segmented
1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted and chopped (see note, below)

In a medium bowl, whisk the balsamic vinegar, shallots, and honey. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss the endive and frisée or other lettuce in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mound the greens on plates and surround with orange segments. Sprinkle with hazelnuts. Drizzle any remaining vinaigrette around the salads and serve immediately.

To toast hazelnuts: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the nuts on a large heavy baking sheet and toast in the oven, stirring once or twice, until they are fragrant and light golden brown in the middle, about 7 minutes. Let cool completely, then rub them between your palms to remove the brown skins (don't worry if you can't get the skins off completely. Remove as much as you can.) Chop the hazelnuts roughly. If made ahead, store at room temperature until ready to serve.

Posted by Colleen at 06:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've had a pretty high degree of success with Giada De Laurentiis so far; mainly, the problems I've encountered in her recipes have to do with technique. And with this recipe, we come to the sloppiest chapter in the book: Everyday Cutlets. While the dish itself is tasty and quick to make, I had quite a bit of frustration trying to figure out exactly how thin I was supposed to pound the chicken, or indeed if it even should be pounded at all.

The introductory page to the cutlet chapter describes cutlet as "any thin, boneless, skinless piece of veal, pork, or chicken." De Laurentiis then goes on to say that veal usually already comes in cutlets; for pork, she uses boneless chops pounded thin; and for chicken, boneless breasts pounded thin. No definition is given of what "thin" means -- 1/2 inch? 1/4 inch? And then in the Chicken Parmesan recipe, the ingredients list calls for "4 chicken cutlets (about 3 oz. each)." So I assume I'm supposed to pound out some chicken breasts, but that's definitely an assumption, because De Laurentiis doesn't give any other clues.

I searched through the rest of the cutlet recipes for hints. De Laurentiiis specifies that the chicken cutlets for Chicken Saltimbocca should be "pounded to flatten evenly," which made me wonder if the chicken cutlets for the Chicken Parmesan didn't need to be pounded, since it wasn't specified. And again, the term "evenly" isn't terribly helpful. Finally, on the page with the Pork Milanese recipe, there was a sidebar about pounding meat, with instructions to pound the meat between 2 pieces of plastic wrap until "approximately 1/2 inch thick."

Which is only sort of helpful, frankly. Because there's no indication in any of the other recipes that the cook should check page 159 for helpful hints on pounding meat, so if you haven't read every single page of the book, you won't know that the sidebar exists. And also because 1/2 inch thick is pretty damn thick. For chicken breasts, if you slice them in half crosswise, they'll already be 1/2 inch thick. Is further pounding necessary? In the end, the decision is up to you, because De Laurentiis? Ain't saying.

I ended up pounding out my chicken breasts to a thickness of 1/4 inch. To get 4 cutlets that were 3 oz. each, I started with 2 chicken breasts that were approximately 6 oz. each. First, slice each breast in half straight down through the middle, then slice each half crosswise through the thickest part. Place the meat between sheets of plastic and pound gently with a flat mallet. Four cutlets of this size will fit in a large skillet; if you use larger pieces of chicken, they won't fit.

The flavors were good, although I take issue with De Laurentiis' introductory paragraph, in which she states that in some restaurant versions of Chicken Parmesan, "if you can locate the actual 'Parmesan', you should win a huge prize." Because her version isn't terribly strong in Parmesan flavor either. In my revised version, below, I've increased the amount of Parmesan from 2 tsp per cutlet to 4 tsp per cutlet, for a stronger flavor. I've also made the butter topping optional, since I don't think it adds much to the finished dish.

De Laurentiis doesn't give serving recommendations; I served this chicken alongside the vegetable lasagna. It would also pair well with spaghetti or linguini.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: about 7 to 8 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 chicken cutlets, about 3 oz. each (see note, above)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup Marinara Sauce (use purchased sauce if desired)
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, in pieces (optional)

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add the cutlets and cook just until brown, about 1 minute per side. Remove from heat.

Spoon the marinara sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of mozzarella over each cutlet, then sprinkle about 4 tsp of Parmesan over each. Dot the tops with butter, if desired, and bake until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.

Posted by Colleen at 09:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As Giada De Laurentiis notes in her introduction to this recipe, traditional zabaglione doesn't include chocolate. But its addition turns the light, frothy custard into something truly delectable. Served with fresh berries, this makes a sophisticated dessert.

The list of ingredients is short, and the zabaglione doesn't take a whole lot of time to make, but it's a completely hands-on cooking process. You've got to continuously whisk the eggs yolks, sugar, and Marsala over simmering water until they become thick and creamy. Have all your ingredients ready before you get started. An instant-read thermometer is useful, but not essential. You can estimate doneness by the texture and consistency of the custard.

De Laurentiis serves the zabaglione with strawberries, but it would also be delicious as a topping for pound cake, or to dip cookies into. Serve it either warm or cold, but don't try to rewarm it once it's been refrigerated, as it will curdle. When warm, its consistency is very soft and creamy. Once chilled, it sets up and has a texture more like chocolate mousse. The Marsala flavor is very strong; this isn't a dessert for kids!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: about 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup dry Marsala wine
Pinch salt
8 large egg yolks
1 pound fresh hulled and quartered strawberries, or 6 slices of pound cake, or assorted cookies (amaretti, biscotti, ladyfingers, or any cookies that strike your fancy)

In a small heavy saucepan, bring the cream just to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, add chocolate chips, and stir until melted and completely smooth. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, bring about 2 inches of water to a simmer. In a large metal mixing bowl, combine the sugar, Marsala, salt, and egg yolks. Set the bowl over the saucepan of simmering water, being careful that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk the egg mixture constantly until it is thick and creamy, about 4 to 5 minutes. (The mixture should register 160 degrees on the thermometer. If you're not using a thermometer, make sure that the zabaglione has lost all of its foamy bubbles and is a uniformly thick, light yellow custard.)

Remove from heat and fold the chocolate mixture into the custard with a large rubber spatula. If using warm, place strawberries or cake into coupe dishes or other dessert plates, and spoon the zabaglione over the top. If serving cold, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 1 day, before serving alongside berries, cake, or cookies.

Posted by Colleen at 05:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Frankly, this isn't the best vegetable lasagna I've ever had. While the flavors are good, the texture is way too dry, and some of the technique is unnecessarily fussy. With a couple of simple changes to the recipe, the lasagna was much tastier, as well as easier to make, and to eat.

The main problem with the recipe is in the layering. Giada De Laurentiis layers the vegetables and pasta together without using any sauce or cheese until the very top. This means that the bottom and middle layers don't have any liquid ingredients to help bind them together, so they turn out somewhat dry. In my modified recipe, I've increased the amount of marinara sauce by a full cup, and added some additional cheese in between all the layers of the lasagna. This made for a much creamier texture.

As is obvious from the recipe title, this lasagna is meant to be cooked in individual dishes. After testing, however, I've decided that it's more trouble than it's worth to make 6 gratin dishes of lasagna. The novelty of the individual presentation doesn't trump the fact that it's a lot more work to prepare the dish this way. I advise you to scrap the idividual dish idea altogether and make this lasagna in one 9-by-13-inch pan.

De Laurentiis uses fresh lasagna sheets in this recipe, and has the cook boil them for 4 minutes before layering the lasagnas. I thought this might be problematic, and indeed, the cooked fresh pasta stuck together even though it was cooked with oil in the boiling water, and rinsed after draining. The only way to be absolutely certain that your pasta won't stick together is to cook it just before you're ready to assemble the lasagnas, and to quickly pull the sheets away from each other and lay them in one layer on a work surface as soon as you drain them. If the lasagna sheets spend any time sitting and waiting in the colander, their starch will cause them to stick together.

Some recipes that use fresh lasagna don't require that it be par-cooked before assembly, but I don't believe that this recipe has enough sauce to ensure that the lasagna will cook thoroughly in the oven. And even though the fresh pasta tastes great, it's a bit of a pain in the neck to use, since you have to be so careful with it. As an alternative, you could easily substitute dried lasagna noodles. These also have to be precooked, but they are much less likely to stick irrevocably together after draining, making them much easier to use. I don't recommend no-boil lasagna noodles, since the lack of a lot of sauce is just as problematic for them as it is for fresh pasta. A caveat, however: if you're going to go ahead and make individual lasagnas, you won't have the right-sized pasta to make 6-inch diameter circles if you use dry noodles. You can either fiddle with the pasta (slicing it to get pieces that you can fit into the gratin dishes for even coverage), or if the individual-serving presentation is really important to you, go ahead and use fresh pasta. Just be sure to follow my modified instructions about how to handle the pasta so the sheets don't stick together.

I made short work of the onion, carrots, squash, and zucchini by chopping them in a mini-chopper. If you chop them by hand, make sure that they are uniform and very fine, since large chunks of veggies can cause the lasagna not to cohere properly.

You can prepare the lasagna up to 1 day ahead. Once it is completely assembled and ready for the oven, cover and refrigerate. Remove the plastic wrap before baking.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes for individual dishes, 35 minutes for one large lasagna
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Salt
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 pound fresh lasagna sheets, OR 9 dry lasagna noodles (about 8 oz.)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 large zucchini, finely chopped
1 large yellow summer squash, finely chopped
1 bunch of asparagus, steamed and cut into 1/4-inch slices
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups Marinara Sauce (substitute purchased marinara sauce if desired)
15-oz. can white beans (cannellini, Great Northern, etc.), drained and rinsed
2 packages (10-oz. each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the vegetable oil. If using fresh pasta, do this step after you have all your other ingredients prepped and ready to assemble: add the pasta sheets and cook about 4 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water. Place the pasta sheets in an individual layer on your work surface and cut into 6-inch-diameter circles immediately.

If using dry pasta, cook the lasagna noodles until nearly al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain and reserve.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add the carrot and cook another 5 minutes, then add the zucchini and squash and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the asparagus, season with 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make individual lasagnas: Using a 6-inch diameter cookie cutter, cut the lasagna sheets into 18 circles. Coat the bottom of each of six 6-inch diameter gratin dishes with 1 tsp marinara sauce. Place 1 pasta circle in the bottom of each dish. In a medium bowl, toss the beans with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper, then arrange the beans and then the spinach over the pasta circles in the dishes, dividing equally. Top each with about 2 Tbsp marinara sauce and sprinkle with about 2 Tbsp mozzarella. Top with another pasta circle, then spoon the sautéed vegetables over, dividing equally. Top with about 2 Tbsp marinara sauce and 2 Tbsp cheese. Place a third pasta circle atop each dish and spread equally with the remaining marinara sauce and cheese. Dot each dish with the butter. Place the dishes on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the filling is bubbling and the cheese is golden, about 20 minutes.

To make 1 large lasagna: Spread about 1/2 cup of marinara sauce over the bottom of the pan. Place 3 of the cooked lasagna noodles in the bottom. In a medium bowl, toss the beans with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper, then arrange the beans and then the spinach over the pasta. Top with about 1/2 cup of marinara sauce and 1/2 cup of mozzarella. Place 3 more noodles over the top, then spread the sautéed vegetables evenly over the noodles. Top with about 1/2 cup of marinara sauce and 1/2 cup of mozzarella. Place the remaining 3 noodles on top, and spread the remaining 1 cup of marinara sauce over them. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella, and the Parmesan. Dot with butter if desired (this step isn't really necessary), and bake until the filling is bubbling and the cheese is golden, about 35 minutes.

Posted by Colleen at 05:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A somewhat dense, coarse-textured, intensely almond-flavored cake. It's tasty just as it is, and would also pair well with fresh berries.

You'll need a stand mixer for this recipe, as there's quite a bit of creaming and mixing. De Laurentiis notes that it's very important to cream the almond paste and butter together until they are completely smooth, otherwise the texture will suffer. To measure the almond paste, cut slices off (almond paste comes in a log) and press them into the measuring cup so that there are no air pockets. Fill the measuring cup so that the almond paste is even with the top edge, using a knife to trim off the excess, if necessary.

I've added the instruction to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixer bowl a couple of times, since De Laurentiis neglects this step even though it's clearly necessary. You want to make sure that all of the ingredients are completely integrated into the cake batter, otherwise you'll have weird pockets in the finished cake.

The cake would look particularly pretty topped with fresh raspberries that have been tossed in a bit of sugar and Amaretto. By itself, it's a nice companion to a cup of coffee or tea, or a glass of Sauternes.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: about 30 to 35 minutes
Yield: One 8-inch cake, about 8 to 10 servings

1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup almond paste, cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar, plus more for dusting
4 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, and baking powder. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and almond paste on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the vanilla extract. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups of confectioner's sugar, beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Increase the speed to high and beat in the egg yolks and whole eggs, adding them one at a time. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again. Reduce the speed to medium and add the sour cream and dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake until the cake is golden and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool. Invert the cake onto a plate or cake dish and dust with confectioner's sugar. Cut into wedges, and serve with berries, if desired.

The cake can be made 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Posted by Colleen at 01:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The "Italian version of hummus," according to Giada De Laurentiis. It's an easy dip to make, and would make a nice addition to a buffet table or holiday dinner. Both the dip and the chips can be made ahead of time. The flavor of the white beans is a bit less assertive than hummus, and the oregano-coated pita chips make a good accompaniment.

The only question I had about this recipe was the discrepancy between the instruction to halve the pita breads horizontally, and the photo of the finished dish, which clearly shows pita chips that have not been halved. I simply cut the pita into wedges, without opening them up horizontally. I'm not sure that the cooking instructions would work for thinner chips, to be honest. My intact chips were golden and crisp in less time than the recipe called for. If the pitas were even thinner, I think they might burn if you cooked them for the full time that the recipe says. Use your best judgment; if you want to make really thin chips, then go ahead and slice the pita pockets apart through the middle before cutting them into wedges. But watch them carefully, as they will almost certainly cook more quickly than intact pita chips will.

I suggest that you line your baking sheet with foil, for easier clean-up. And if you make thinner pita chips, you'll need to use 2 baking sheets (that's not specified in Everyday Italian, but I don't see any way to cook that many wedges of pita bread in one layer on 1 standard-sized baking sheet. Even the un-halved pita wedges barely fit in a single layer on 1 sheet).

You could also serve this dip with other chips, crackers, or bread, if you don't want to bake your own pita chips.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: about 12 to 15 minutes
Yield: about 1 cup of dip, and about 2 cups of chips (approximately 6 appetizer servings)

4 pita breads, cut into 8 wedges each
2 Tbsp plus 1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
1 garlic clove

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the pita wedges on a foil-lined baking sheet, and brush with 2 Tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with the oregano, and 1 tsp each salt and pepper. Bake for 8 minutes, then turn the wedges over and bake until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, combine the beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, and the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of pepper in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped, then add the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil through the feed tube with the machine running. Process until the mixture is creamy. Season the purée with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve the dip at room temperature, with warm or room-temperature pita chips.

If making 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate the bean dip. Store the pita chips in an airtight container at room temperature.

Posted by Colleen at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Everyday Italian has a few quick "from the pantry" pasta ideas, including this light, fresh-tasting spaghetti. The book recommends it as a side-dish for fish, and it also makes a lovely light lunch all by itself. All you need is dried pasta, a couple of lemons, some Parmesan cheese, and you're on your way to a quick and zesty meal.

De Laurentiis calls for fresh basil in the recipe, but if you're looking to make this dish one afternoon or evening when you've got very little time, and/or no fresh ingredients in the house, don't worry. The spaghetti tastes great even without the basil.

The recipe calls for the cook to save some of the pasta-cooking water, for use in thinning out the sauce. I found it unnecessary to use any of the reserved water, as the sauce coated the pasta just fine without it.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: about 10 minutes for the pasta
Yield: 4 main-course or 6 side-dish servings

2/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
3/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 pound dried spaghetti (linguini would also work well)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil, optional
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest (from about 2 lemons)

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.

In a large bowl, whisk the oil, cheese, lemon juice, 3/4 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of pepper to blend. Set the lemon sauce aside. (The sauce can be made up to 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

When water boils, add the spaghetti and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Add the spaghetti to the lemon sauce, and toss with the basil and lemon zest. If necessary, add the reserved cooking water, 1/4 cup at a time, to moisten. Season the pasta with more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to bowls and serve.

Posted by Colleen at 12:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As Giada De Laurentiis notes in her introductory paragraph to this recipe, braciola can mean different dishes depending on which region of Italy you're in. This version uses flank steak wrapped around a cheese-and-bread-crumb filling. The meat is tasty and tender, and the filled slices look lovely. I did have a few issues with the technique, however.

De Laurentiis instructs the cook to cover the flank steak with the filling, and then "roll it up like a jelly roll, enclosing the filling completely." Flank steaks don't vary greatly in their dimensions, so I was surprised when I had too much filling. It didn't all fit when I rolled the steak up; about 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup ended up back on the work surface, squeezed out by the rolling-up process. I did the best I could to get all of the filling into the roll, but it didn't all fit.

Be extremely careful to get all of the filling completely contained within the flank steak. Some of my filling came out while I was browning the roll in the sauté pan, and it burned. I had to scrape the burnt stuff out of the pan before deglazing with the white wine, so that the bitter flavors wouldn't ruin the sauce. If you get some burnt crumbs and cheese in the pan despite your best efforts to be careful, make sure you remove it completely before adding the wine and marinara sauce.

This dish can be made a day ahead and reheated. I found that the flavors melded together nicely, and the braciola tasted even better the second day. Feel free to vary the cheeses -- mozzarella, fontina, Gorgonzola, or Parmesan would all work well.

De Laurentiis doesn't suggest accompaniments for the dish; I served it with buttered-and-parsleyed orzo. Any pasta would work well as a bed for the braciola slices. The recipe says to spoon the sauce over the top of the slices, but that covers up the attractive look of the filled steak. I suggest spooning the sauce around the edge of each slice.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: about 2 hours
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

2/3 cup grated Pecorino-Romano cheese
1/3 cup grated Provolone cheese
1/2 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 flank steak (1 1/2 pounds)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
3 1/4 cups Marinara Sauce (use your favorite store-bought marinara if you don't want to make your own from scratch)

In a medium bowl, stir the cheeses, bread crumbs, parsley, and garlic to blend. Stir in 2 Tbsp olive oil, and set aside.

Lay the flank steak flat on the work surface, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Sprinkle the bread-crumb mixture evenly over the steak, leaving about a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Starting at a short end, roll the steak up around the filling, as for a jelly roll. Enclose the filling completely. If necessary, remove excess filling so that it doesn't leak out. Tie the roll with 2 or 3 lengths of kitchen string to secure. Sprinkle the roll with the remaining 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet or sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the braciola and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine or vermouth and bring to a boil. Stir in the 3 1/4 cups Marinara Sauce. Cover partially with foil and bake, turning the roll and basting with the sauce every 30 minutes, until the meat is almost tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and continue baking until tender, about 30 minutes longer. (The braciola can be made up to this point 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover with foil and refrigerate. Reheat in a 350-degree oven until warmed through, about 30 minutes.)

Remove the roll from the sauce. Cut the kitchen string with a knife and remove. Slice the braciola crosswise into 4 or 6 slices, approximately 1/2-inch thick (a serrated knife works well for this). Transfer the slices to plates, and spoon the sauce around each slice. If desired, serve the slices atop a bed of pasta, such as orzo or mini-penne.

Posted by Colleen at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Giada De Laurentiis has a chapter of recipes for the backbone of her cuisine: sauces. This is the classic Italian "red sauce," and it's a nice, fresh, flavorful rendition. It can be made in a large batch and frozen in bags for use whenever you need it. It's also a crucial ingredient in many of De Laurentiis' recipes, and I couldn't get started on her book without it.

De Laurentiis recommends San Marzano tomatoes. These imported tomatoes really do have an outstanding flavor, but they're not available everywhere. If you can't find them, try to find Muir Glen tomatoes, which are also excellent. The recipe calls for 32-oz. cans of tomatoes, but domestic tomatoes usually come in 28-oz. cans, so add another 8-oz. can of crushed or diced tomatoes, or tomato sauce, if you're using domestic tomatoes.

The flavor is nicely balanced between the sweetness of the carrots and the acidity of the tomatoes. The texture is slightly chunky; if you prefer a smooth sauce, give it a whirl in the blender or food processor after cooking.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: about 1 1/2 hours
Yield: about 2 quarts

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 (32-oz.) cans crushed tomatoes (or 2 cans domestic tomatoes, 28-oz. each, plus 1 8-oz. can tomatoes or tomato sauce, see note above)
2 dried bay leaves

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Cook until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste, and adjust seasonings.

If making ahead, cool, then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Or transfer the cooled sauce to freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.

Posted by Colleen at 04:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Another new recipe from the current issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine. These green beans are fantastic: the roasting process brings out their natural sweetness and converts tough, boring old supermarket beans into something special.

A caveat, however: if you have traditionalists at your Thanksgiving table, you may get some remarks about the look of this dish. The beans shrivel up and turn deep golden brown in the oven. They look nothing like the bright emerald-color green beans that you might be used to. But if you're willing to try something new, you won't be disappointed in the flavor. I ate nearly a half-pound of the beans straight out of the oven, all by myself, because their roasty goodness was so addictive.

As the Cook's Illustrated writer notes, sometimes grocery store green beans can be less than wonderful at this time of year. They can be tough and not very flavorful. With this roasting technique, you can reverse the aging process that green beans undergo as they mature. The high oven heat helps turn starches into sugars, making the beans sweeter. And the browning (known as the Maillard reaction) adds flavor to the beans that you just can't get by steaming or boiling. I highly recommend giving this technique a try. Even if you don't do it for Thanksgiving, try it another time. You won't be disappointed with the results.

The recipe below is for 1 pound of beans, enough for about 4 servings. If you need more beans, you can double or triple the recipe. Don't try to cook more than one pound of beans per baking sheet, however. They need to be spread out in a single layer to cook properly. Cook additional beans on additional baking sheets.

The magazine gives a couple of variations for the beans. I've listed one below, but didn't try it. I thought the beans were tasty enough straight out of the oven.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

1 pound green beans, stem ends snapped off
1 Tbsp olive oil
Table salt and ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread the beans on the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Toss with your hands to coat. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt, toss again to coat evenly, and distribute the beans in an even layer. Roast for 10 minutes.

Using tongs, redistribute the beans on the baking sheet, and continue roasting another 5 to 10 minutes, until beans are beginning to shrivel and turn dark golden brown in spots. Grind some fresh black pepper over the top of the beans, transfer to a serving bowl, and enjoy.

Roasted Green Beans with Red Onion and Walnuts
Combine 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves, and 2 medium thinly-sliced garlic cloves in a small bowl; set aside. Follow recipe for Roasted Green Beans through the first 10 minutes of roasting, cooking 1/2 of a medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges, alongside the beans. Remove baking sheet from oven. Using tongs, coat beans and onion evenly with vinegar/honey mixture; redistribute in an even layer. Continue roasting until onions and beans are dark golden brown and beans have started to shrivel, about 8 to 10 minutes longer. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and toss well to combine. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with 1/3 cup toasted and chopped walnuts, and serve.

Posted by Colleen at 11:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

This is my favorite dressing for Thanksgiving. Take dressing mix from the store, fancy it up with some mushrooms and some fruit, and voilà-- it's a classic holiday side dish.

I use Mrs. Cubbison's seasoned dressing. My preference is to use fresh exotic mushrooms like chanterelles, lobster mushrooms, or chicken-of-the-woods, but these aren't always available. In that case, I make do with a combination of exotic dried mushrooms and fresh button mushrooms. This recipe is easily adaptable: try raisins, prunes, or dates in place of the apricots, and add walnuts or almonds if you desire.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: about 10 to 12 servings

2 bags (6 oz. each) seasoned dressing mix
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 ribs celery, finely sliced
1 pound fresh exotic mushrooms, such as chanterelle, porcini, or lobster (if not available, substitute 1 pound white button mushrooms and 1/2 to 3/4 oz. dried lobster, morel, or porcini mushrooms, reconstituted in hot water according to package directions)
1 large apple (Jonagold, Macintosh, Gala, etc.)
1/2 cup finely diced dried apricots
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp dried sage leaves
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chicken stock

Pour the dressing mix into a large bowl.

Melt one stick of the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and celery and cook over medium-low heat until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, brush the mushrooms clean and chop into 1/2-inch dice (or slice the white button mushrooms and finely chop the drained reconstituted dried mushrooms). Add the mushrooms to the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, and cook until the mushrooms have given off their liquid and it is starting to evaporate, about 10 minutes.

Dice the apple into 1/4-inch dice. Add the apple, apricots, poultry seasoning, sage, and pepper to the dressing mix. Melt the remaining stick of butter; add it to the dressing mix. Transfer the vegetables in the skillet to the dressing mixture and stir to combine well. Pour in the chicken stock. Stir well, then spoon the dressing into a buttered baking dish, about 3 1/2- to 4-quart capacity. (If you don't have a big enough baking dish, it may be necessary to put the dressing into 2 smaller dishes.)

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, removing cover for last 15 minutes of baking time if you want a crisp top.

Posted by Colleen at 09:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A very tasty new sweet potato recipe from the current issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine. Roasted sweet potatoes are puréed, then baked under a crunchy pecan streusel topping.

The streusel sounded awfully close to dessert territory to me, but it works. The dish is not cloyingly sweet, which is often a problem with sweet potato recipes. And the nutty topping adds a fun flavor.

Cook's Illustrated gives the yield for this recipe as 10 to 12 servings, but I think that for Thanksgiving dinner, it will probably serve as many as 16 people. It's quite rich, and a little will go a long way.

The sweet potatoes can be roasted up to 2 days ahead. And the casserole itself can be made the day before Thanksgiving. Reheat it in a 400-degree oven for about 25 minutes before serving.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 to 1 1/2 hours for the potatoes; 45 minutes for the casserole
Yield: 12 to 16 servings

Sweet Potatoes
7 pounds sweet potatoes (6 to 8 medium)

Streusel
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened, plus additional for greasing pan
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup pecans

Filling
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp found nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
4 tsp fresh lemon juice
Granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups half-and-half

For the potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Poke sweet potatoes several times with a knife and space them evenly on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until very tender and easily squeezed with tongs, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove potatoes from oven and cut in half lengthwise to let steam escape; cool at least 10 minutes. Scrape the flesh away from the skins into a large bowl; you should have about 8 cups. (If making ahead, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.)

For the streusel: Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pulse flour, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor until blended. Sprinkle butter pieces over the flour mixture and pulse until a crumbly mass forms, about 6 to 8 one-second pulses. Sprinkle nuts over the mixture and pulse until combined but some large nut pieces remain, 4 to 6 one-second pulses. Transfer streusel to a medium bowl and return the work bowl to the food processor.

Place half of the potato flesh into the food processor. With a rubber spatula, break the remaining flesh in the bowl into 1-inch chunks.

For the filling: Add melted butter, salt, nutmeg, pepper, vanilla, and lemon juice to the potatoes in the food processor. Process until smooth, about 20 seconds. Taste for sweetness, and add up to 4 Tbsp granulated sugar if desired. Add egg yolks and process about 15 seconds. With processor running, pour half-and-half through the feed tube and process until blended, about 30 seconds. Transfer the puréed mixture to the large bowl with the potato chunks. Stir gently until combined.

Pour filling into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the streusel over the top, breaking up any large pieces with your fingers. Bake until topping is well browned and filling is puffy around the edges, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly before serving (or cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. To reheat, bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.)

Posted by Colleen at 08:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you like your Thanksgiving pecan pie with some chocolate in it, you'll like this recipe. Semisweet chocolate chips are stirred into the filling, and the pie is topped with a drizzle of melted chocolate. This recipe comes from the Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Baking magazine.

I didn't love the Butter Pastry crust recipe for this pie; the texture was a bit sandy and it wasn't terribly easy to work with. if you have a favorite pie crust recipe, feel free to use it. Or you can use a premade crust from the store. Some specialty markets sell frozen or refrigerated crusts that bake up nice and flaky (Trader Joe's markets have a very nice one in the refrigerator case), and if you only make pies for special occasions and hate to fuss around with the pastry, it's a good alternative.

You can make this pie with pecans for the classic Thanksgiving dessert, or you could use salted mixed nuts, for an interesting variation on the old classic.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Yield: about 12 servings

Butter Pastry (recipe below, or substitute your favorite single-crust recipe, or use a premade crust from the market, see note above)

4 eggs
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
Dash salt
1 1/4 cups pecan halves, or mixed salted nuts
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided
1 Tbsp vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled Butter Pastry into a circle about 13 inches in diameter. Line a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan with the pastry. Trim the pastry even with the edge of the pan and flute the edges.

For the filling: In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Whisk in corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the nuts and 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips. Pour filling into the pan. Place the pan on a foil-lined baking sheet, and transfer to the oven. Bake pie for 25 minutes. If edges of pastry are getting too brown, cover with foil. Bake 30 to 40 minutes more, or until center quivers slightly when shaken. Cool on a wire rack, and refrigerate within 2 hours. Pie can be made one day ahead.

When ready to serve, melt shortening and remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a small saucepan, stirring until smooth. Cut pie into wedges and transfer to dessert plates. Transfer melted chocolate to a small plastic bag; cut off the tip of one of the bag's corners and drizzle the chocolate over the pie wedges. If desired, serve with sweetened whipped cream. (Melted chocolate can also be drizzled over the pie before it is sliced into wedges. Once it hardens, however, it becomes somewhat difficult to slice through, so I recommend drizzling the pie shortly before serving.)

Butter Pastry
1 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter
1 egg
1 Tbsp cold water

I a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until pieces are pea-sized.

In a small bowl, beat together egg and cold water. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and knead gently with your fingers just until dough comes together (if necessary, add another 1 Tbsp of cold water). Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 1 hour. Proceed with recipe, above.

Posted by Colleen at 08:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Over the years I've tried many different ways of roasting turkey. Marinades, glazes, brining solutions that contain weird ingredients like juniper berries -- I've done it all. And I've determined that my favorite turkey is a simple turkey. There are so many other elements to Thanksgiving dinner that I prefer the turkey to be itself, in all its turkey glory, without a lot of embellishment.

This is my simplest, easiest method for making tasty, moist turkey. I've adapted this technique from an article in the San Francisco Chronicle food section in 1999. Brine the turkey for 24 hours to ensure that the meat is seasoned and won't dry out, then roast it at 400 degrees for about 2 to 3 hours. No all-day cooking, no basting, just pop it in the oven and out comes golden, yummy turkey.

To brine the turkey, you need a lot of room in the refrigerator and a really big stockpot, or you need a cooler, some ice, and some big plastic bags. It may sound like a pain in the neck, but the brining process is worth the extra effort. The meat will be seasoned throughout, and brining also helps to ensure that the breast meat won't dry out.

I usually cook a turkey that's about 14 to 16 pounds, which will serve about 8 people and leave leftovers. Any bigger than 18 pounds, and the roasting time starts to get really long, plus the brining becomes a bit trickier, since you'll need a really big cooler. If you need a bigger turkey, you may want to stick to a more traditional method of roasting.

I highly recommend getting a fresh turkey. You may need to order one from a specialty market; in my area, Wild Oats markets sell antibiotic- and hormone-free turkeys that are very tasty. Even a fresh turkey will seem somewhat frozen when you first bring it home, so get your turkey on Monday or Tuesday of Thanksgiving week so that you have enough time to defrost and brine it.

A note about stuffing the turkey: I don't do it anymore. I've decided that it's not worth the extra effort, and the food safety issues mean that oftentimes, you've got to cook the hell out of a small turkey just to get the stuffing up to a safe 165 degrees. I don't recommend it, especially with a brined turkey, since the stuffing will get too salty. I cook the turkey by itself, and make dressing in a separate pan.

Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus 24 hours for brining
Cook Time: 2 to 3 hours
Yield: about 8 to 10 servings, plus some leftovers

Brining Solution
2 1/2 gallons cold water
2 cups kosher salt
1 cup sugar

1 fresh turkey, about 14 to 16 pounds, giblets and neck removed (reserve them for the gravy)
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1 to 2 cups chicken stock

Combine the water, salt, and sugar in a large pot. Stir to combine and dissolve the salt and sugar. If you're brining in a large stockpot, put the brining solution and the turkey into the pot and transfer it to the refrigerator. If you're brining in a cooler, pour the solution into a plastic bag or brining bag and add the turkey. Secure the neck of the bag with plastic ties, and put the bag into a large cooler. Pack ice around the turkey and keep the cooler in a cool place.

After 24 hours, remove the turkey from the brine, rinse under cold water, then drain and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the turkey breast-side up in a V-shaped roasting rack that fits in a roasting pan. Rub the skin with 2 Tbsp of softened butter and sprinkle with about 1 1/2 tsp of freshly-ground black pepper. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey, tie the legs together, and cover the breast tightly with aluminum foil. Place the pan in the oven.

Roast the turkey for about 1 hour, then remove the foil from the breast. Pour about 1 cup of chicken stock over the breast. This helps to deglaze the drippings in the bottom of the pan. If the liquid in the bottom of the pan cooks off completely, add more chicken stock so that there are always some liquid drippings in the pan. Continue to cook until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 to 170 degrees. Start checking the temperature after about 1 1/2 hours of cooking time. A 14- to 16-pound turkey will cook in about 2 to 3 hours. If the legs begin to get too dark, tent them loosely with foil. When done, remove the V-rack from the roasting pan and let the turkey rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

Pour the pan drippings from the roasting pan into a measuring cup or gravy separator. Skim off the fat, or pour off the defatted drippings. Use the defatted pan drippings to season the gravy.

Carve the turkey at the table, or in the kitchen. Put the meat on a platter and serve. Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted by Colleen at 09:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This is a wonderful way to take some of the last-minute pressure of Thanksgiving off your head: make the gravy ahead of time. When you're rushing around your kitchen trying to pull together all of the last-minute elements of Thanksgiving dinner, you won't have to be whisking up a roux and hoping not to get lumps in the gravy. Instead, you can simply bring the premade gravy up to a simmer on the stovetop, and season it with a bit of the pan drippings from the turkey roasting pan.

This recipe is adapted from Cook's Illustrated magazine, November/December 2001 edition. Since I usually brine my turkey, the only use I have for the very salty pan drippings is as flavoring for this make-ahead gravy, which can be refrigerated for up to 3 days before the holiday. You'll need to roast some bones and vegetables to make turkey stock, and the process is a bit time-consuming. But it's worth it, in my opinion. And most of the cooking time is the stock simmering on the stove, which doesn't require your hands-on attention.

Make sure your turkey is well defrosted (I recommend getting a fresh, not frozen, turkey) so that you can add the neck and giblets to the bones. Well-stocked meat departments carry turkey necks and backs. If you can't find them, you can substitute turkey legs. Don't try to use turkey wings; they are much too fatty and make the broth greasy.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: about 3 hours
Yield: approximately 1 quart

Turkey giblets (discard the liver, as it will make the stock cloudy) and neck, from your Thanksgiving turkey
About 2 to 3 pounds additional turkey necks and backs, purchased at the market
1 medium carrrot, coarsely chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 small onions, coarsely chopped into 1-inch pieces
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups dry white wine
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Place turkey giblets, necks, backs, carrot, celery, onions, and garlic into a large flameproof roasting pan. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray and toss to combine. Roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until well-browned, about 1 hour.

Remove roasting pan from oven, and place over 1 or 2 burners set at high heat. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Transfer contents of the roasting pan to a large stockpot or saucepan. Add wine, 3 cups of water, and thyme sprigs; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced by half, about 1 1/2 hours. Strain stock into a large measuring cup or container. Cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until fat congeals, about 1 hour.

Skim fat from the stock and reserve. Pour the stock through a fine-mesh strainer to remove remaining bits of fat; discard bits in strainer. Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. In a second medium saucepan, heat 4 Tbsp of the reserved turkey fat over medium-high heat until bubbling (if you don't have 4 Tbsp of fat, make up the difference with butter). Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until combined and honey-colored, about 2 minutes. Continuing to whisk constantly, gradually add the hot stock; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To serve: bring the gravy to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add about 1/4 cup of defatted turkey pan drippings (from the turkey recipe), a few grinds of black pepper, and then stir well to combine. Taste the gravy carefully, and add more pan drippings if needed. Adjust seasonings with more salt and pepper if necessary, then transfer the gravy to a boat or other container and serve.

Posted by Colleen at 08:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I've noted before that I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin pie, usually preferring to make pumpkin cheesecake for my quota of pumpkin-themed Thanksgiving desserts. This delicious recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Baking magazine might make me change my mind, however. The combination of apple butter and a nutty streusel topping makes this an excellent variation of the standard, boring pumpkin pie.

The presentation is especially lovely; the recipe calls for the cook to cut out small leaf or star shapes and place them around the edge of the pie plate, atop the edge of the bottom crust. I have a set of small (about 1- to 2-inch) leaf cutters, and thought that this would be an excellent chance to use them. The finished pie, with its wreath of glazed golden pastry leaves, looked perfect for fall. If you don't have leaf cutters, stars or hearts would also look nice.

The Nut Pastry was easy to work with and baked up nice and flaky. The only change I've made to the recipe is in the use of foil to protect the edges of the pie from overbrowning. The original recipe calls for the cook to cover the pastry before putting it in the oven, and then to remove the foil after about 20 minutes. If you do this, your raw pastry shapes could stick to the foil. I've reversed the order: first, bake the pie for about 20 minutes so that the pastry firms up; then cover the edge with foil to protect it from further browning. If the pastry shapes don't get golden in the first 35 to 40 minutes of baking, remove the foil when you add the streusel topping so that they get nicely browned.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 50 to 60 minutes
Yield: about 12 servings

Nut Pastry (recipe below)
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
Granulated sugar

15-oz. can pumpkin
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup apple butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 egg yolk, slightly beaten
1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 Tbsp butter, softened
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9-inch pie plate with a Nut Pastry circle. Trim pastry to edge of pie plate. Roll the other half of the Nut Pastry dough out to 1/8-inch thickness. Use small (about 1- to 2-inch size) cookie cutters or a sharp knife to make leaves or other shapes. In a small bowl, beat the 1 egg with the 1 Tbsp of water. Brush the edge of the pastry in the pie plate. Arrange the pastry shapes around the edge of the pie, overlapping slightly (pastry will shrink as it bakes). Brush shapes with egg mixture, and sprinkle with sugar. Set aside.

For the filling: In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, the 1/2 cup brown sugar, the apple butter, the spices, and the salt. Add the 2 eggs and the egg yolk and beat until just combined. Gradually add the whipping cream; stir until combined. Pour the filling into the pie plate.

Bake the pie for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and wrap foil around the edge of the pan to protect the pastry shapes from overbrowning. Return the pan to the oven and bake for about 15 more minutes. Meanwhile, make the streusel: combine the nuts, butter, flour, and the 2 Tbsp brown sugar. Sprinkle this mixture over the pie, and bake for about 10 to 15 more minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center of the pie comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack. Serve, or cover and chill within 2 hours. The pie can be made the day before Thanksgiving. If it's been refrigerated, let the pie sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Delicious with sweetened whipped cream.

Nut Pastry
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup finely-ground pecans or walnuts
8 to 10 Tbsp cold water

In a large bowl, stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-sized. Stir in the ground nuts. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of the cold water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough aside in the bowl. Repeat, using 1 Tbsp of water at a time, until all of the flour mixture is moistened. Form dough into a ball with your hands, and divide the ball in half. Form each half into a disk.

Roll one disk into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Wrap the circle gently over the rolling pin, and then unroll it into the 9-inch pie plate. Use the remaining dough as directed in the pie recipe, above.

Posted by Colleen at 01:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A delicious dressing that can be made vegetarian-style, if you're looking for versatile side dishes for Thanksgiving.

Chestnuts give the dressing a creamy, nutty flavor, and dried cranberries add a touch of sweetness.

This recipe comes from the Williams-Sonoma catalog, circa 2001 or so. I've modified the recipe slightly to create the vegetarian option, and I've also omitted a chopped carrot that was originally cooked with the onion and celery, because I didn't like the way the carrot competed with the cranberries.

You can make the bread cubes a few days ahead of time. Use a hearty, artisanal bread, like a country-style boule. Trim the bottom crust off the loaf, then slice it into 1/2-inch pieces, spread them on a baking sheet, and let sit out until dry and stale. Then put them in a plastic bag until you're ready to make the dressing. If you don't make the cubes ahead, then simply toast them in a low oven (about 250 degrees) until they're dry, about 30 minutes.

To make the dressing vegetarian-style, use vegetable stock and omit the pork sausage. I make the dressing with chicken stock, but I prefer it without sausage, so I usually leave it out.

If you can't find chestnuts at your regular grocery store, try a specialty food store, or Cost Plus World Market.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 to 50 minutes
Yield: 10 to 12 servings

3 cups low-sodium chicken stock, or vegetable stock
1 cup dried cranberries
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 pound bulk pork sausage, optional
1 egg, lightly beaten
1-pound loaf country-style bread, bottom crust trimmed off, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces (discard any pieces that are mostly crust) and toasted (or set out in advance; see note, above)
15-oz. jar peeled, roasted chestnuts, quartered
2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the stock until steam begins to rise, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add cranberries; set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a bowl. (If using the sausage, cook it in the same pan, stirring to crumble, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add to the vegetables.)

In a large bowl, stir egg while slowly pouring in the stock and cranberries. Add bread and stir well. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until stock is absorbed, about 8 minutes. Add vegetables, chestnuts, sage, thyme, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and stir to mix well. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake until browned and crispy on top, about 45 minutes.

Posted by Colleen at 01:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sweet and simple, this is a tasty way to serve sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving. No marshmallows here, just cider and maple syrup to accentuate the natural sweetness of the apples and potatoes. And it can be made the day before Thanksgiving, which is always a plus.

This recipe originated in the Food & Wine magazine 1997 recipe compilation book. I've modified it substantially, both for quantities and for technique.

If you have a mandoline or vegetable slicer, this is a good time to use it, for nice, even slices.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: about 1 hour
Yield: 8 to 10 servings

6 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 1/2 to 3 pounds sweet potatoes (Ruby, Garnet, or Jewel are all good choices)
2 pounds Granny Smith apples
1 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup apple cider
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using 2 Tbsp of the butter, grease an 8-by-12 or 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Peel and slice the sweet potatoes 1/4-inch thick. Peel, core, and halve the apples, then slice them 1/4-inch thick. Alternating sweet potatoes and apples, layer the slices in the baking dish, overlapping and packing in as tightly as necessary to make them fit.

In a medium saucepan, combine the maple syrup, apple cider, the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter, and the salt. Simmer over moderate heat for 5 minutes.

Pour the syrup mixture over the potatoes and apples. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, until the apples release their juices. Uncover the dish and baste the slices with the pan juices. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Continue baking for about 30 more minutes, basting 2 or 3 more times, until the potatoes are tender and nicely glazed.

If you make the casserole 1 day ahead: Cool, cover, and refrigerate. To serve, cover with foil and reheat in a 400-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes.

Posted by Colleen at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

An easy recipe for soft rolls. The dough is formed in the food processor, and the rolls are baked in muffin tins. A cross is cut into the dough to form the cloverleaf shape, making these rolls a pretty addition to your Thanksgiving table.

I believe this recipe comes from the food section of the Los Angeles Times, circa 1993 or so. I've made it numerous times, and even if I've allowed the dough to sit out a bit too long, the rolls still come out of the oven light, fluffy, and tasty. If you need more than 12 rolls, make 2 batches. Do not try to double the recipe.

Prep Time: 15 minutes, plus about 2 hours rising time
Cook Time: 12 to 15 minutes
Yield: 12 rolls

1/4 cup warm water
1 package active dry yeast (1.25 oz.)
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
1 egg

Combine water and yeast. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes.

Combine butter, 1/2 of the flour, the sugar, and the salt in a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yeast mixture, milk, and egg and blend well. With processor running, add remaining flour through the feed tube, just until dough forms a ball on top of the processor blade.

Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to grease sides. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (1 to 1 1/2 hours). Punch dough down and let rise until doubled again (about 30 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Form dough into 12 balls. Place balls in a greased standard-sized muffin pan. Using kitchen shears, cut each dough ball across almost all the way through, to form a cross on top of the ball (cut once, rotate 90 degrees, and cut again). Cover and set the pan aside for 15 minutes. Bake until the rolls are golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Posted by Colleen at 11:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When I was a kid, we always had canned jellied cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. And I loved it -- so sweet, so Jello-like...mmm. Tasty.

Now that my palate is a bit more sophisticated, I prefer a whole-berry cranberry sauce. This one has a fantastic orange and spice flavor.

I've been making this recipe for years. I believe it originated in the food section of the San Francisco Chronicle in the mid-90s, if memory serves. The sauce is best when made at least 3 days ahead, and will keep in the fridge for up to a week before Thanksgiving.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 1/2 cups

12-oz. bag fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
3 whole cloves
3 whole allspice berries
2 cinnamon sticks
Grated peel of 1 orange

Put cranberries in a colander and pick over them, discarding any that are soft or yucky.

Bring sugar, water, cloves, allspice, and cinnamon to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until syrup is clear, about 3 minutes. Remove spices and discard. Add cranberries and cook until they begin to pop, about 6 to 8 minutes. The sauce will look thin at this point; don't worry. It thickens as it cools.

Remove from heat and stir in orange peel. Cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 3 days and up to 7 days. Allow the cranberry sauce to sit out at room temperature for at least an hour before serving.

Posted by Colleen at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I'm taking a week off from cookbook reviews to focus on Thanksgiving. All next week, I'll be posting recipes for Thanksgiving dishes, from the turkey to the dressing to the pumpkin pie. I'll be testing some recipes that are new to me, and also posting old favorites that I've been making for years.

Have you seen any interesting Thanksgiving ideas? In cookbooks, or magazines, or the Williams-Sonoma catalog, or your local newspaper? If you'd like to see something tested before you commit to it for your Thanksgiving table this year, drop me a line at Colleen@thecookbookcritic.com. I'll give the recipe a whirl before the big day, so you'll know if it's worthy of your holiday.

Posted by Colleen at 03:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)

A very tasty offering from the Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Baking magazine. It tastes a bit like eggnog, but mostly like nutmeg and almonds. Either way, it's yummy and looks pretty as a hostess gift or buffet table dessert.

You can bake it in one 9-by-5 inch loaf pan, or in two smaller loaf pans (approximately 7- to 7 1/2-by-3- to 4-inches). Smaller loaves will bake quicker than larger ones, so begin checking them for doneness after about 25 minutes.

Once the icing is set, it will stay put on the bread, so don't worry about wrapping it up as a gift or for transport.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 to 50 minutes, depending on pan size
Yield: 1 or 2 loaves, about 12 servings

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup eggnog
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp rum extract, optional
1 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
Eggnog Icing (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan, or two 7-by-4-by-2-inch loaf pans (sizes of smaller pans vary; use whatever pans you have that approximate these dimensions).

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, eggnog, melted butter, vanilla, and rum extract (if using). Add egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened (batter will be lumpy). Fold in the toasted almonds.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake a 9-by-5-inch loaf for about 45 to 50 minutes; bake 7-by-4-inch pans about 25 to 30 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaf -- it should come out clean. Cool in the pan(s) on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan(s) and cool completely on a rack. Drizzle with icing, then let icing set completely before wrapping loaves.

Eggnog Icing
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Dash freshly grated nutmeg
2 to 3 tsp eggnog

Combine sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg. Stir in enough eggnog to reach drizzling consistency.

Posted by Colleen at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

Another quick bread from the Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Baking magazine. This one is drizzled with chocolate and sprinkled with chopped cashews; it looks lovely and tastes delicious.

The recipe can also be made with hazelnuts. A quibble with the magazine: the recipe doesn't specify what type of cashews to use. Roasted-salted? Unsalted? No hints are given, so I assumed that roasted-salted nuts would be fine. They tasted good in the bread, but I'm curious about the recipe's "cashews or hazelnuts" choice. If we're to assume that roasted cashews are what's called for, then should the hazelnuts also be roasted? It sounds logical to me, but this is a call you'll have to make for yourself, because the editors of Holiday Baking aren't saying. If you decide to use hazelnuts, toast them in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes, or until they start to turn golden.

A note about cooking times: the magazine's cooking times were slightly longer than mine for both this loaf and the Eggnog Quick Bread. I've reduced the times from what the magazine indicates, but you may need to cook the loaves for slightly longer than I've indicated. Just keep checking every couple of minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 to 50 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf, about 12 servings

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup oil (vegetable, safflower, canola, etc.)
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped cashews or hazelnuts
1/2 tsp shortening
Coarsely chopped cashews or hazelnuts, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of an 8-by-4-by-2-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the egg, milk, and oil. Stir well to combine. Add egg mixture to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter will be lumpy). Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chips and the 1 cup of cashews.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and continue to cool on the rack. Before serving, combine remaining 1/3 cup of chocolate chips and the 1/2 tsp of shortening in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until smooth. Drizzle the chocolate mixture over the loaf, and if desired, sprinkle with additional chopped nuts. Let stand until chocolate is set.

Posted by Colleen at 12:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (1)