November 12, 2005

Appetizers

Morel Mushroom and Goat Cheese Toasts - Serves 6

 
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons butter
2 shallots, thinly sliced into rounds
4 cups fresh morel mushrooms, quartered lengthwise and carefully cleaned  (I used 1/2 shitake and 1/2 portobello mushrooms since morel's weren't in season)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup Calvados, Madeira or Cognac
1/4 pound fresh goat cheese
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream or half and half
6 slices rustic country bread, each 1/2 inch thick
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
 
Heat the olive oil and 2 teaspoons of the butter in a saute pan over medium heat.  Add the shallots and cook, stirring for 3-5 minutes, until they begin to caramelize.  (It actually takes much, much longer than 3-5 minutes to carmelize onions.)  Add the morels and saute, stirring occasionally for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender.  Sprinkle to taste with salt and pepper. When the mushrooms start to carmelize and give off their juices, add the thyme and saute for 1 minute more.  Then stir in the Calvados and the remaining 2 teaspoons butter and keep warm over low heat until you are ready to serve.
 
In a bowl, mix the goat cheese together with the whipping cream to make it spreadable.  Toast or grill the bread, smear each slice with a nice layer of the creamy goat cheese and place on serving plates.  Pour the mushroom sauce over, sprinkle with parsley and serve at once.

Ginger Meatballs

This recipe was done "on the fly" (by Linda) and hasn't been written down yet....

Salad/Soup

Celery Soup

 

Main Course

CORNISH GAME HENS

 Ingredients for game hens:

            4 Cornish game hens

            Juice of an orange

            3 tbsp. kosher salt

            2 tbsp. fresh ground black pepper

 

 Ingredients for Glaze:

            2 cups apple cider

            1 cup white wine

            1 tbsp shallots

            2 tbsp. honey

            1 tbsp all-purpose seasoning blend

 Hens:

  1. Wash game hens and dry them with paper towel. 
  2. Coat the inside and outside of the game hen with the fresh squeezed orange juice. 
  3. Fold the wing tips under.
  4. Season the hens inside and out with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper. 
  5. Place the birds in a shallow roasting pan.  Be sure to lay them breast-side up. 
  6. Roast in 350º oven for one hour, or until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced.

 Glaze:

  1. Pour apple cider and white wine into a one-quart sauce pan.
  2. Add the shallots; whisk
  3. Add the all-purpose seasoning blend, then whisk in the honey.
  4. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. 
  5. Allow to reduce by 2/3 its volume.
  6. When the game hens are done, brush them with the glaze and put them back in the oven for 2 minutes.
  7. Remove the hens from the oven and let them set for 10 – 15 minutes before serving.

 

BAKED SWEET POTATOES (I used yams)

 Ingredients:

            6 medium sweet potatoes (I used yams)

            1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

            3 tbsp. kosher salt

            2 tbsp. brown sugar

            1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

            2 tsp. vanilla

            Olive oil

 

 Directions for preparing the sweet potatoes (yams):

  1. Wash and dry yam

  2. Cut the ends off just a little bit so you’ll be able to stand the yams on end.  (This will give them a unique and distinctive presentation).

  3. Brush each yam with olive oil.

  4. Coat with kosher salt.  (Kosher salt bakes to a perfect texture, making it preferable to table salt). 

  5. Bake yams in a 350º oven for about 45 minutes or until soft to the touch.

  6. When done, cut an X on the pointed end of each potato, then press the sides to expose the center.

  7. Place a dollop of the topping on each yam.

Directions for sweet potato (yam) topping:

  1. In a bowl, combine the unsalted butter (room temperature), brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla.

  2. Stir well.

Put a dollop of topping on each yam.  I did not refrigerate my topping and it worked fine.   The original directions said to refrigerate it.   If you refrigerate the topping, you might try using a melon scoop to dig out the cold topping.  This would make a nice presentation of the yam.

 

GREEN BEANS ALMANDINE

 Ingredients:

½ pound fresh green beans

2 tbsp. slivered almonds

1 tbsp. butter

1 tsp. lemon juice

 

 Directions:

  1. Simmer beans in unsalted water.  Don’t cook to long. 

  2. Cook and stir almonds in butter over medium heat until golden brown.
  3. Remove almonds from heat.
  4. Stir in lemon juice.
  5. When beans are ready, stir almond mixture into beans.

 Makes 3 servings

 

Wine

California 2003 Sauvignon Blanc

Beaulieu Vineyard, BV Coastal Estates

(light and very drinkable, grapefruit and kiwi flavor)

....and not only that, it was $3.00 off per bottle!!!

 

Dessert

  Apple-of-Your-Eye Cheesecake

Crust Filling
1 c. graham cracker crumbs 3 pkg (8 oz. ea.) softened cream cheese
3 T. sugar 3/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. ground cinnamon 3 eggs
1/4 c. butter, melted 3/4 t. vanilla extract
2 T. finely chopped pecans  
============================= =============================
Topping  
2 1/2 c. chopped peeled apples sweetened whipped cream
1 T. lemon juice 2 T chopped pecans
1/4 c. sugar  
1/2 t. ground cinnamon  
6 T. caramel ice cream topping, divided (see Caramel Sauce recipe below)
   

Combine the first 5 ingredients; press into the bottom of lightly greased 9" spring form pan.  Bake @ 350° for 7-10 min.  Cool.  In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add eggs; beat on low just until combined.  Stir in Vanilla.  Pour over crust.  Toss apples with lemon juice, sugar, & cinnamon; spoon over filling.  Bake at 350° for 55-60 min. until center is almost set.  Cool on wire rack pan to loosen.  Drizzle with 4 T. caramel topping.  Cool for 1 hour.  Chill overnight.  Remove sides of pan.  Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream.  Drizzle with remaining caramel sauce and sprinkle with pecans.  Store in refrig.  Yield = 12 servings.

Caramel Sauce

1 15 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 c. white sugar
3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. white syrup
pinch of salt

Mix all together and cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 6 minutes at a full rolling boil.  Use for "caramel ice cream topping" in "Apple-of-Your-Eye" cheesecake above.  Makes more than enough to "drizzle with remaining caramel sauce" so use to taste and save the rest!