Lions and Lambs

March 23, 2013

easterMarch came in as a lamb this year after a long row of week-end snowstorms in February. I guess Two Rivers Wildlife Park’s Groundhog is still hiding under ground, a little ashamed with his prediction of an early Spring this year! So how many more weeks of winter storms can we expect this winter? I’ve never experienced such a roller coaster of extreme winter in my years on the island. It doesn’t really lift my spirit when I call Denmark and my family and friends tell me that the winter aconite and crocuses have mostly come and gone. I tell them, that there’s tulips on my table!

Speaking of lamb, there are many different dishes from around the world to consider for Easter this year. You’ll find the texture, lightness and quality of the meat differs, depending on the country, its pastures and the time of the year. In between all the pork and beef dishes it is nice to savour lamb at this time of the year.

Greeks like their lamb marinated in a mixture of olive oil, black peppercorns, garlic and lemon juice. The French have a wonderful leg of lamb smothered in Dijon mustard, garlic and rosemary, then placed on a bed of sliced potatoes and roasted slowly in the oven.

The most famous and desired dish is the rack of lamb, either served as a crown or as a “six-pack-rack”, often crusted with a blend of Dijon mustard and walnuts. It is also the most expensive cut of the lamb since you get both the sirloin and the tenderloin. However there isn’t a lot of meat on these racks. I often describe it to my friends as “Much Ado About Nothing.” My apologies to Shakespeare.

If you are a lamb connoisseur, Cape Breton produces an exquisite product with deep rich flavours in the meat. When it comes to lamb, foreign isn’t necessarily better! On my travels I have sampled lamb dishes in many countries including Iceland, Portugal, Spain and Denmark. They all taste different, again depending on the quality of the pasture and the time of the year. Because good lamb depends on good soil and grazing, I have always been leery of lamb that is harvested from regions that use pesticides.

I’ll never forget when they shot the film “The Widow of Saint Pierre” at the Fortress of Louisbourg. The French lead actress, Juliette Binoche, stayed at the Cranberry Cove Inn in Louisbourg, and as her private chef during her stay, she asked me to serve only organic and local produce. This was back in 1998 and it was during February and March. I did my best. Her favourite dishes included my free-range country chicken from Margaree, stuffed with fresh herbs (from the windowsill) and of course the Cape Breton leg of lamb. Believe it or not, I even found some early sprouting rhubarb that year, which was mild (they had to import snow for the winter scenes) and protected under a cold frame and prepared a lovely compote.

The dessert I served for Juliette became an instant hit and was served almost every week-end for friends and the film’s director. It was my Danish celebration cake which is served for birthdays in Denmark.

I’m determined that March will go out as a lamb this year and I’ll enjoy the aromas from the oven, regardless of what is happening outside.

 

Lamb Portuguese Style

Ingredients:

12 lamb chops (3 per serving)

1 lb. green beans

1 cauliflower

4 slices of goat cheese

fresh mint

1 cup couscous

one and a half cup boiling water

1 tsp. cumin seeds

half a tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. curry paste (mild)

1 clove garlic

1 tbs. olive oil

fresh baby spinach

half a cup chanterelle mushrooms, rinsed and cut in halves.

Preparation:

This is a very easy meal to prepare. Lamb chops take about 5 minutes to cook, therefore I suggest you start with the vegetables. In a pot (large enough to hold the beans and the cauliflower) place the rinsed and trimmed beans in the bottom and add just enough water to cover the beans. On top of the beans place your cauliflower, broken into small florets. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Leave beans in the hot water and remove the cauliflower and place in a colander to drip dry. Take another pot and heat up olive oil and curry paste. Now toss and turn the cauliflower until covered with the curry/oil. Turn the burner off and let the cauliflower sit in the covered pot to keep warm.

To prepare the couscous, first rinse it in cold water a couple of times, drain and mix in the cummin seeds, cinnamon and cardamom. Poor the boiling water over and let it sit for 5 minutes under lid. Do not cook!

Brush the lamb chops with a mix of olive oil and crushed garlic. The frying pan should be very hot before you cook your lamb chops. Give them 2 minutes on each side. Remove from frying pan, cover with tinfoil to keep warm. Take the chanterelle mushrooms and quickly saute them in the pan, until juices are absorbed.

When ready to serve use the baby spinach ( rinsed and dried) as a bed on the plate. Place the lamb chops on the sides and decorate with a slice of goat cheese and fresh mint on top. Arrange the beans, cauliflower and chanterelle mushrooms on the plate.Just before serving the couscous give it a stir to loosen it.

 

Danish Celebration Cake

Ingredients:

1 sponge cake, cut in three layers (you can buy this at your local supermarket)

1 cup fresh/frozen raspberries

half a cup raspberry jam

half a litre whipping cream

2 whole eggs

2 tbs. sugar

1 tbs. corn starch

three quarter cup milk

1 vanilla bean

Preparation:

First you make the custard. Take a pot and add the milk and the seeds from the vanilla bean.

To get the seeds out from the been, flatten it on a cutting board with a sharp peeling knife then cut the bean flat in two halves. Scrape the seeds out from the beans, one side at a time and add them to the milk. Let it simmer. This will separate the seeds and give flavour to the milk.

In a heavy bottomed pot whisk eggs, sugar and corn starch. Add the milk and over medium heat, while constantly whisking to avoid custard sticking to the bottom, let it come to a boil for 2 minutes while thickening. Remove pot and stir now and then while cooling off. You can sprinkle a little sugar on top to avoid the surface getting hard. When complete cold mix in 1 cup of whipped cream and keep the custard in the fridge.

Mix fresh berries with jam.

To cut sponge cake I find it is easier when it is half frozen. Take a nice serving dish and place the bottom piece of the sponge cake in the centre. Spread the custard generously on top. Place the middle piece of the sponge cake and press gently down to make sure the custard is out to the edge of the cake. Spread the berry/jam on the sponge cake and place the top piece on, again press gently to make spread reach the edges. As a top decoration cut a pattern in a piece of paper, place it on top of the cake and sprinkle icing sugar over. Remove your pattern and decorate with leftover berries.

Cake must be stored in the fridge because of the egg custard. I find that this cake tastes better if it is prepared at least 6 hours before serving. If you want you can serve whipped cream on the side.

 

 

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Artichokes

February 3, 2013

artichokesIn the 16th century, the eating of artichokes was reserved for men. Women were denied the pleasure because the artichoke was considered an aphrodisiac and too powerful for the sensibilities of women. In a stroke of irony it is interesting to note that Marilyn Monroe was the first official California Artichoke Queen in 1949! The artichoke is a perennial plant in the thistle group of the sunflower family and is believed to be a native of the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands. In full growth, the plant spreads to cover an area about six feet in diameter and reaches a height of three to four feet. The artichoke vegetable that we eat is actually the plant’s flower bud. If allowed to blossom, the flowers can measure up to seven inches in diameter and are a beautiful violet-blue colour. You can compare Cape Breton’s purple thistle that blossoms in September with a miniature flowering artichoke. The yellow finches love the small seeds and a flowering artichoke is quite an impressive centrepiece on your dining room table.

The globe artichoke, also called the “French artichoke” or the “green artichoke,” gets its common name from the northern Italian word “articiocco” which means pine cone. Since artichokes have a passing resemblance to pine cones, it was a good choice for a name.

The artichoke has been cultivated for a long time. Around 800 AD., North African Moors began growing artichokes in the area of Granada, Spain, and another Arab group, the Saracens, became identified with artichokes in Sicily. Artichokes were first cultivated at Naples around the middle of the 15th century and gradually spread to other sections of Europe. French immigrants brought artichokes to the United States in 1806 when they settled in the Louisiana Territory but it disappeared from the dinner table in that region and didn’t become popular again until about the 1940s.

Today most artichokes for the world market are cultivated in France, Italy, and Spain, while California provides nearly all of the crop in the United States.

When you are preparing an entire artichoke for your guests, cut away the outermost leaves and snip the tops of the remaining outer leaves. This removes the more fibrous parts of the leaves which are too chewy to enjoy eating. Cut into the artichoke (as you would a bell pepper to get rid of the seeds) with a sharp knife. Artichokes darken quickly as you cut them during your preparation, so use some lemon juice to seal the cuts and they won’t turn dark. Another important thing to remember is to get rid of all the threads (they look like the strings on an ear of corn that hasn’t been husked) because they are not edible, in fact they can make your guest sick.

If you’re lucky enough to be served an entire artichoke for dinner, eating it can be quite a challenge. It is perfectly acceptable to use your fingers to pluck the outer leaves with your fingers. Pull off a leaf, holding it by the pointed end. Put the other end in your mouth and pull it between your teeth, scraping the length of the leaf for its meat. As you get closer to the centre of the artichoke, almost the entire leaf becomes edible. Just before you get to the centre, the leaves will become almost white with purple tips. Be careful of these leaves because their purple ends are prickly. When the leaves are pulled, you will be left with the base, or the heart, crowned with a fuzzy patch. You’ve now reached the best part of all, the very reason for eating artichokes: the heart. Carefully scoop away the fuzzy stuff with your knife or spoon (though a properly prepared artichoke will already have the choke removed). With knife and fork, cut bites from the heart like pieces of prime fillet.

If you’re provided with a dip such as a vinaigrette or mayonnaise, put a small part of the edible portion of the leaf in the dip and scrape with your teeth as directed above. Don’t overdo it on the dip or you won’t taste the artichoke.

How to cook a whole artichoke

Ingredients:

2 tbs. light mayonnaise
1 tsp. prepared mustard
2 large artichokes
1 tbs. lemon juice
Preparation:
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and mustard. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Wash artichokes under cold, running water. Pull off lower petals and cut off bottom stems (cut flush with the base). Cut off about ½ inch of the pointed top of the artichoke and scoop out all of the threads! Trim tips of leaves with scissors to remove thorns. Dip in lemon juice to preserve colour. Always use a stainless-steel knife and a stainless-steel or glass pot. Iron or aluminum will turn artichokes an unappetizing blue or black. For the same reason, never let aluminum foil come in contact with artichokes.

In a large pot (big enough to hold the artichokes in a single layer), add approximately 2 cups of water and the remaining lemon juice; bring to a boil. Place the prepared artichokes in the boiling water, cover with lid, reduce heat to simmer, and let cook for approximately 20 to 40 minutes (depending on size). The artichokes are done when the leaves pull away easily. Remove artichokes from the boiling water with tongs and drain them upside down in a colander (after cooking, artichokes can be stored in an airtight container for a maximum of 3 days). Bring to room temperature before serving. Serve warm or cool with mayonnaise/mustard dip.

Makes 2 servings.

Microwave

Wash. Cut off the stem. Cut off top third of the artichoke and remove threads. Peel off the smallest outer leaves. Put a few ounces of seasoning, like garlic, salt, dill, lemon juice and a few drops of olive oil in a microwave container. Place the artichoke upside down in the bowl and cover with Saran wrap or lid. Cook for seven minutes on high. Leave the cover on and let stand for five minutes.

Artichoke with smoked salmon

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tbs. minced fresh chives
1 tbs. capers
½ tsp. coarse sea salt
Juice of ½ lemon
6 to 8 ounces smoked salmon, cut into small pieces
2 large artichokes cooked, choke removed, and chilled
Lemon wedges
Preparation:
In a medium bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, parsley, chives, capers, salt, and lemon juice. Stir in smoked salmon. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, gently spread the leaves of the cooked artichokes. Place smoked salmon salad in the centre of each artichoke. Serve with lemon wedges.

Makes 2 servings

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Fond of Fondue

January 1, 2013

fondueAccording to Roman mythology, Janus was a god who could look both forward and backward at the same time. He was also the god of new beginnings. So it only seems fitting that the first month of a new year, January, is named after Janus. Looking forward, there are dozens of new recipes and styles of cooking I want to create from around the world in the coming months. And looking back, I thought I would revisit an old favourite that was very popular during the 1970s. Fondue.

Fondue has made quite a comeback in recent years. The word fondue comes from the French and means “to melt.” It’s a fairly simple style of cooking that only requires a pot warmed by burning oil or an electrical pad directly below. What goes in the pot is what makes it so interesting: small pieces of meat, toast, breads, fruits, vegetables, cheese and chocolate are favourites for dipping, depending on the menu. What made and makes fondue so popular is that it is a very social meal, with the pot placed in the centre of the table and everyone is given skewers and a selection of meats, fruits or cakes to dip in the fondue. In this way guests can control what and how much they eat and as it is known as a “slow meal” there is plenty of time for conversation.

Fondue was created in Switzerland, a country known for its fine cheeses like Emmentaler and Gruyere, not to mention its famous chocolates. The Swiss consider fondue a winter dish to be shared among friends. Normally, for a cheese fondue, you are served cubes of bread which are usually a day-old to give it some “weight” and soak up the fondue sauce. The best breads for dipping are either a sourdough or baguette. The cubes are then speared with a long fork and swirled through the cheese. Among the Swiss there is a tradition. If you enjoying fondue in a restaurant and lose your cube in the pot, the drinks are on you! Cheese fondues are considered an appetizer, but Swiss cheese is rich, so don’t eat too much or you will become full and miss out on enjoying the next course, which is usually a meat fondue. Different courses are served in different fondue pots.

Meats are prepared in hot oil and require a watchful eye. Guests should be aware that some splashing can occur and the pot must be placed on a flat surface to avoid any possibility of tipping. In fact, I would leave meat fondues as a summer dish, best prepared out-of-doors. In this way, you also avoid filling your dining room with the aroma of cooking oils and fumes.

Naturally, the Swiss gave a name to each of their fondues. Fondue chinoise involves dipping slivers of meat into spicy bouillon. Fondue bourguignonne is only for the stoutest of constitutions since it involves dousing hefty chunks of red meat into hot spitting oil. Fondue restaurants have popped up all over the world. In Switzerland, fondue is never eaten alone and are never priced for one person.

Fish fondues have also become popular in recent years. But for many people, chocolate fondue is at the top of the list. There is nothing like chunks of pound cake and fresh strawberries to whet the appetite.

With most fondue (except those for dessert) you can serve a mixed green salad or potato salad as a side dish. Fondue is usually served with either white wine or strong black tea. Sometimes, pickled gherkins and onions are also served. It is not recommended to drink cold water or fizzy drinks alongside a fondue, because this can lead to congealing of the cheese, forming a lump in the stomach. Remember to always use fresh ingredients and if serving a mix of raw meat, seafood and chicken – keep them in separate containers and chilled. And remember one important piece of fondue etiquette. Never lick your fork as you are dipping it into a sauce that other people are sharing. In fondue restaurants, forks are usually colour-coded so your dining guest doesn’t end up with your fork in their mouth.

 

Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue

Ingredients:

14 oz grated Gruyere cheese

1 – 10 cloves of garlic

14 oz grated Emmenthaler cheese

5 cups white wine

1tbs. cornstarch

2 oz of kirsch liqueur

freshly ground pepper to taste

freshly ground nutmeg to taste

Preparation:

Cut a garlic clove in half and rub the inside of the fondue pot with it. Cut the rest of the garlic cloves coarsely. Mix the cornstarch in a bit of the cold wine and set aside. Add the rest of the wine and grated cheese to the fondue pot. Start to heat it slowly and stir it constantly. Now pour in the cornstarch mixture and continue to heat. It is extremely important to keep stirring all the time or you won’t get a creamy fondue. When the cheese fondue is creamy and has completely melted, add the Kirsch and season with nutmeg and pepper. At the table use the long fondue forks. Dip cubes of bread into the cheese. Continue the stirring at the table otherwise the fondue will turn lumpy. If the fondue gets too runny, add another handful of cheese and let it cook on high heat, or add a little more diluted cornstarch. If it gets too thick, add a little more wine, lemon juice or Kirsch. If it starts to separate, then place it quickly back on the stove on high heat, stir briskly with a whisk and add a little more diluted cornstarch.

Variations. Mushroom fondue: any type of fresh mushrooms are added to the basic fondue recipe above. Tomato fondue: tomato puree and diced tomato flesh (no seeds or peel) are added. Tuna fondue: drain a can of flaked tuna and add the basic fondue recipe. Shallot fondue: replace the garlic with shallots. Non-alcoholic version: replace the white wine with sour apple cider and the kirsch with lemon juice.

(Serves 4 to 6)

 

Chocolate fondue

Ingredients:

2 cups whipping cream

12 oz best quality dark chocolate 40-70%, chopped

1 tsp. rum – brandy or kirsch

Preparation:

Heat the cream in a medium-sized saucepan over a low heat for two to three minutes. Add the chocolate a

nd stir until it has completely melted in with the cream. Stir in the alcohol. Transfer to a warm fondue pot. Serve the fondue with a plate of fresh strawberries, raspberries, bananas, marshmallows and almond biscotti.

(Serves six to eight people)

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My Danish Christmas

December 4, 2012

advent1The Danish Christmas season commences on the first Sunday of Advent. On the first Sunday of Advent, a centrepiece is created for the table with dried berries, evergreen branches, and ribbons. Four candles are placed in the middle of the display. One candle is lit the first Sunday, two the second, until all four are burning on the last Sunday before Christmas.

Some years the first week of Advent falls in late November, which makes for an early start to the holidays. But it isn’t unusual for some Danes to start their preparations in late August when a special pickled squash is bottled and set aside for December. In early autumn, orders are placed with local farmers for a freshly slaughtered goose or spiced rolled pork to be picked up on Christmas Eve morning.  Other Danes get a head-start on their Christmas baking in the weeks leading up to Advent in early November, especially the Danish specialties that can be stored for several weeks ahead of time.

Advent is also a time to meet with friends as the Christmas holidays themselves are usually reserved for family reunions. A selection of Danish cakes are presented to guests invited for the four Advent afternoons and the most popular treats are puffed apple dumplings sprinkled with icing sugar and served with a selection of homemade jams. There is always a tray of pepper nut cookies and a braided pastry called Klejner. The proud host or hostess will also offer guests a slice or two of St. Thomas Cake, which is flavoured with cinnamon and almond slivers. A hot mulled wine called gløgg is brewed with raisons and cinnamon sticks and served from a pot on the stove that has been simmering in the kitchen before guests arrive at the door.

During December, the aroma of gløgg fills the streets of Denmark as many shopkeepers offer a mug to customers while they shop. Many of the streets in the old towns and cities are narrow and store vendors hang strings of white lights between the buildings. Darkness comes early in the December afternoons and windows throughout the cities – even the busy offices – are filled with candles.

As you wander along the canals and harbours, you will also notice that small evergreen trees adorn the masts of the ships tied to the piers in the week leading up to Christmas. It is estimated that sixty percent of the entire Danish population is on the move in the two days before Christmas Eve. Children return to the homes of their parents or grandparents in the smaller towns and villages and country folk visit relatives in the larger cities. Extra trains are added (the preferred mode of travel in Denmark) and the conductors walk the aisles with a sprig of holly in their caps. Christmas is celebrated on the 24th in Denmark and everything closes down (including most of the trains and buses) by noon.

At three o’clock sharp, afternoon tea is served, again with a variety of cakes and pastries and this is usually when Christmas cards are opened and read to those gathered. Christmas cards usually contain letters relating the events of the year past and the afternoon reading is a time to catch up with those you haven’t seen for a while. Everything to be served for the meal to follow has been prepared in advance. The pork roast or goose is popped in the oven around four o’clock.

As the afternoon winds down the house fills with the flavours of the kitchen and everyone sits down to dinner around seven in the evening. We start with hot rice porridge made with whole milk and served with cinnamon sugar and a dollop of butter on top. The rice porridge is accompanied with a sweet malted beer that contains very little alcohol. The large bowl of porridge is placed in the centre of the table together with small serving bowls to match. Servings are modest and no-one raises a spoon until everyone is served. Before the porridge is scooped into the bowls, the hostess places one almond in the big bowl and stirs it into the porridge. The one who finds the almond gets a special gift. It is always the youngest person at the table who finds the almond in the porridge. How this happens is a mystery but it never fails. Usually the gift is marzipan in the shape of a pig. Then the couples around the table choose a word and whoever is the first to utter the chosen word six months hence, on Mid-Summer’s Eve, is taken out to dinner by their partner.

One bowl of porridge is always reserved for the Christmas elf which is called a nisse. It is bad luck to forget to leave a bowl of porridge for the nisse in the attic or on the doorstep as nisses protect the home throughout the year. After dinner, when plates are cleared, the youngest child will check on the bowl of porridge left for the nisse and is delighted, as always, to discover that the bowl has been licked clean. Another mystery. The main meal is usually roast pork or goose. Although turkey is available in Denmark it has never caught on as a meal for the holidays. The meat is served with baked dried fruit, potatoes and braised red cabbage.

When the leisurely dinner is finished (and in Denmark meals are leisurely) and the dishes have been washed it is time to gather around the Christmas tree which has been kept out-of-view in one of the rooms of the house. Each year one member of the household is assigned the privilege of decorating the year’s tree. The door is opened and guests are greeted with the festive tree adorned in twinkling candles. There is always agreement among those gathered that this year’s tree is the most beautiful which makes the year’s decorator blush with pride. Or wine. Gifts are exchanged in a rotating fashion so that everyone has the chance to see what everyone else has received. Gift-giving is modest in the Danish home at Christmas, three or four gifts at most for each person. The real pleasure is all the preparation leading up to the holiday and the company of loved ones. Gift-giving is usually followed by cards, conversation and brandies among the adults. Younger children are finally put to bed and around midnight it isn’t unusual for the table to be laid with a snack (several choices of cut meats, breads, fruit, cheeses, nuts and cakes.)

On Christmas Day, many people enjoy a long walk or attend Christmas Mass followed by- you guessed it- more food. This is the biggest buffet of the year and the meal will last most of the afternoon. Neighbours will come and go during the day and join the feast. Although I miss the tradition of the Danish Christmas I enjoy celebrating two Christmases each year – Danish on the 24th and Canadian on the 25th. And the buffet? That’s moved to the 26th.

 

Danish Rice Pudding (Dessert)

Ingredients:

1/2 a cup short grain rice

3 cups whole milk

seeds from one vanilla bean

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1 ½ cups whipping cream, whipped together with 1 tbs. sugar

cherry sauce, heated.

Preparation:

Boil rice with milk, vanilla and almonds. Takes about 45 minutes and be careful to stir the bottom now and then, so it does not burn. Let the porridge cool completely. Mix the cold porridge with the whipped cream and keep it in the fridge. Heat the cherry sauce. Serve in glass dishes.

 

Pork in Aspic (Recipe from South Jutland, Denmark)

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs. pork (ribs with all the meat on or loin)

3 medium onions

2 tbs. salt

2 tbs. sugar

8-10 bay leaves

1 tbs. black pepper corn

two third water & one third white vinegar (see under preparation)

Gelatine powder

Preparation:

Place the pork, cut in serving portions, in a large pot. Add one third vinegar and two third water, just enough to cover the meat. Add sugar, salt, pepper corn and bay leaves and let come to a boil. Then simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until meat is tender. Don’t remove the fat! Remove meat from liquid and place in a flat container. Dissolve your gelatine powder in cold water or as described on the package. Balance the flavour of your stock with sugar or more vinegar to your taste. Measure your liquid and add the amount of gelatine required. Pour over the meat, cover and refrigerate immediately. When cold the fat will form a film over the meat and you can keep this dish in the fridge for a week. In Denmark it is served with braised red cabbage or pickled red beets and rye bread.

Roasted Christmas Goose

Ingredients:

6-8 lbs. Goose (6-8 servings)

6 apples

1 lb. dried prunes, soaked overnight in orange-juice

4 medium onions ( cut in quarters)

½ lb. of butter

1 litre whipping cream

salt & pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Peel and core apples. Cut in cubes and mix with the prunes. Clean the goose outside and inside. Remove the loose fat and save, it will make a great tasting spread. See for instructions at the end of this recipe. Butter the inside and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff with the apple and prunes and sew the opening together with kitchen string. Butter the skin and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place either directly in the roasting pan or on a rack in the roasting pan. Add one cup hot water and place in the oven. Baste the goose every twenty minutes to ensure a crispy skin surface. Roast for two and a half hour. Transfer all the juices into a pot and return the goose into the oven for another half hour. Run the juices through a strainer. Add the whipping cream and boil down until half the portion. Thicken with cornstarch and balance with salt and pepper to taste. Now you are ready to dress up# the goose, making paper cuffs for the legs. Place a spruce branch on top. Place the goose on a large serving platter and do the carving at the table. Serve with boiled potatoes, braised red cabbage, which you can buy already made and greens like beans or broccoli or brussels sprouts.

The fat that you removed should be washed and then stored in cold salty water in the fridge overnight. Next day, dry the fat and melt it in a pot together with shredded apples and onions. Remove the pot, just when the onions and apples start turning golden brown and store in the fridge. Use as a spread on your bread together with cheese, salami or shaved ham.

 

Klejner

Ingredients:

4 cups flour

1 cup butter

¼ cup cream #

½ cup sugar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

3 eggs

¼ tsp. vanilla extract

Canola oil for deep frying

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients into a dough. Let rest for an hour. Roll into a 1/8 inch. thick sheet. Cut into long 1 inch wide strips. Cut diagonally across the strips to get longish diamonds. Make a longitudinal slash. Pull one end of the diamond through the slash to form a half knot. Deep fry until golden brown and let drain on absorbent paper. Do not forget that when they are golden they are finished, but they are bugged up if they are black.

 

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Beef Wellington

November 1, 2012

Often when I am asked to cater a small event, Beef Wellington is usually one of the most popular requests. It is a rather famous dish with quite a unique story. It goes like this: the Duke of Wellington, who won the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, was indifferent to food, so much so that his cooks often quit because they felt that their culinary talents were wasted in the Duke’s kitchens. In spite of this, his name honors a fillet of beef wrapped in puff pasty. An avid rider, legend has it that a large Beef Wellington looked like the Duke’s highly polished riding boot.

The reason why I am often asked to prepare this dish is because many people think it is a complicated meal to prepare. On the contrary, Beef Wellington is an easy and tasty entree to create. Best of all, you can prepare it the day before your dinner party, leaving you time to concentrate on other preparations.

When choosing the meat, make sure your butcher guarantees you the most tender tenderloin of beef. You can either serve it whole, or in individual servings. The beef is seared and then oven-roasted for twenty minutes. Let it cool completely, then spread a generous layer of Foie Gras (a rich creamy duck liver pate) or a standard liver pate. Next, you spread a mix of very fine diced mushrooms, also called Duxelles, over the pate. Wrap all of it in puff pastry and finish it in the oven for another twenty minutes. Sauces Bearnaise, red wine sauce or port wine reduction is always good with this dish.

Another popular request for catering is Surf and Turf. Traditionally, it is prepared with half a lobster served with a T-bone steak. An expensive request! My own favourite version of Surf and Turf is to substitute the steak and lobster with an oven-roasted breast of chicken and tiger shrimp. The hot shrimps are layered on top of the chicken together with a hot and spicy red bell pepper sauce. Variety, as we know, is the spice of life, and this especially applies to food. Take the potato as an example. A cook actually recorded over a thousand recipes for the potato, including one prepared with chocolate.

To accompany a tasty Beef Wellington I often suggest my favourite chocolate dessert, Wiener Sacher Torte. At a large catering event last week I prepared twelve cakes for the event. Like the Wellington, it is a fairly easy dessert to prepare despite its haughty name. There is, however, one golden rule when preparing Sacher Torte. Only use the best quality chocolate. The remaining ingredients include butter, eggs, a touch of flour, and a creamy apricot jam filling. You will not be disappointed if you make this dessert.

One special tip to make this cake as good as it tasted when it became popular 300 years ago, which is to say moist, is to keep the oven door slightly ajar (a finger crack, no more) the first fifteen minutes of baking since the ovens use today are more efficient and air-tight than the open hearths of ages past.

 

BEEF WELLINGTON

Ingredients:

4 individual portion-size fillets tenderloin beef or one whole tenderloin (5 lbs.)
1 can/tube liver pate (stir in one or two tbs. Brandy)
1 clove garlic, cut before using
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
salt & pepper
3 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. mixed herbs (Italian seasoning is good)
2 tbsp. brandy
1 pkg. puff pastry (Tender flake)
1 beaten egg

Preparation:

Rub cut piece of garlic over beef, season with salt and pepper. Broil until medium rare and let cool. Do not overcook. Can be done ahead and refrigerated. Mix liver pate with some brandy. Spread small amount of liver pate on each fillet, fry mushrooms and garlic in butter. Add brandy and herbs, simmer 1 minute, let cool.

Roll pastry thinly on floured board to size that will completely cover each piece of meat. Lay cooled meat in centre. Spoon mushroom mixture over top. Brush pastry edges with water (to help seal.) Fold pastry carefully over ends to seal.

Decorate with leaves made from leftover pastry. Brush entire surface with beaten egg wash (to glaze.) At this point you can store the ready product in your fridge until ready to serve.

Bake in a 425F until pastry is browned. 10-15-20 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve each as an individual serving. Serves 4.

Wiener Sacher Torte

Ingredients:

Batter:

130 grams (4.59 ounces) butter

130 grams (4.59 ounces) dark chocolate (70% is best)

100 grams (3.53 ounces) powdered sugar

6 eggs

80 grams (2.82 ounces) white sugar

130 grams (4.59 ounces) flour

apricot marmalade (pureed)

Icing:

150 grams (5.29 ounces) chocolate

75 grams (2.65 ounces) coconut shortening/butter

Preparation:

The batter:

Preheat the oven to 180-200EC.

Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler over hot water (Bain Marie). If you do not have a double boiler you can also use a normal pan filled with water and a smaller pan in it. Remove from heat and let the mass cool. Add the powdered sugar and the egg yolks little by little while carefully stirring. Beat the egg whites and add the white sugar. Mix into the batter and add the flour gradually while constantly stirring. Pour batter into a greased spring form pan. Bake at 165EC for 50 to 60 minutes. Leave the oven door open a crack for the first fifteen minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from pan and before icing. Once cool remove the cake from pan then slice horizontally. Spread a filling of pureed apricot marmalade between the layers.

The icing:

Melt chocolate and coconut shortening/butter in a double boiler over hot water and cover the top and sides of the cake with the chocolate, cooled enough to become spreadable.

Makes 12 servings

The original Sacher Torte is at its best when served with unsweetened whipped cream and a cup of original Sacher Café or Tea.

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Posted by larswillumcuisine

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