Make Ahead Appetizers for New Years Eve & A Birthday Ramble Tuesday, Dec 28 2010

I’m taking a break for the first time in a while and it feels wonderful. We’ve spent some time with Mama and my sister, Jona at Christmas. It was fantastic. Mama was a bit sick (please send healing thoughts and prayers), but we had a great time – watching movies, sleeping, cooking, sleeping, eating, and, yes, more sleeping.

We may have a new Christmas Eve tradition with a very untraditional Chicken and Matzoh Ball Soup. It was delicious, healing, and made with love. It warmed my not only my belly, but also my heart and soul. And, I know it did for Mama, too.

This time is so crazy for everyone, but I have an added bonus. My birthday is tomorrow! People are always so apologetic about the timing of my birthday. I don’t know any different, so it’s fine. (I established at a very early age that doubling up on Christmas/Birthday presents wasn’t acceptable.) Frankly, I’m excited about beginning a new year and beginning the New Year.

And, even though I am “on break” I wanted to share some recipes for some easy make ahead appetizers. I felt kind of slack in a way, thinking I “needed” to do this. Folks ask me for recipes all the time and during the holidays, my friends email, call, twitter, and Facebook me for easy make ahead hors d’oeuvres so I figured I should blog about it, too. Sometimes the “muse” strikes me more than others. Sometimes it just comes flowing out easy breezy, and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes I want to share my words and stories — and sometimes I just want to share recipes.

You know, it occurs to me I don’t take the prettiest photographs of my food. There are blogs out there with truly award-winning photography. Sometimes I use one that was taken by a “Real Photographer”. (By the way – speaking of – I am thrilled to announce Helene Dujardin aka Sweet Tartelette is the photographer for my next cookbook!!)

Sometimes I get lucky and take a good one myself, like the with the gougères below, and sometimes? Sometimes I post with a shot from my iPhone, like the picture of the shrimp I shot while shooting my TV pilot.

I can’t get hung up on everything not being perfect all the time. Wow. That was a big statement for me. It’s easy to get so lost in the proverbial forest it’s absolutely impossible to see the trees.

You know what I can promise? Something I believe in as strong as I believe in anything? I can cook. That in an of itself defines my existence. Pretty heavy stuff, but it’s true. No, it’s not just work defining me as a person. It’s all the little pieces that come together. It’s the cast iron skillet I inherited from my grandmother. It’s the pecan tassies I made over the holidays with my mama. It’s the smell of grating fresh coconut on Christmas Eve that reminded me of my grandfather. It’s the recipe for cheese puffs below I go to again and again that remind me of working with Anne Willan in France or the shrimp rillettes, using wild American shrimp, a result in my passion for Sustainable Seafood. It’s Matzoh Ball soup on Christmas Eve.

It seems to me as I reflect on where I am and where I want to go on the eve of my next birthday that almost everything that has meaning to me has meaning to me in relation to food.

I am more thankful than I could ever express that I get to do what I love. I work hard and I work a lot, but it’s what I love so I don’t really mind it at all. Sometimes lately, I’ve had an embarrassment of riches. And, if everything in terms of the writing, and TV, and all that “other” fell apart tomorrow? You know what? I can cook.

I’m okay with that. I’m better than okay with that, I am very, very thankful.

Thank you to all of you for your love and support.

Bon Appétit, Y’all!
VA

 

 

Coca-Cola Glazed Chicken Wings

Serves 4 to 6

1 cup Coca-Cola Classic

Juice of 2 limes

11/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

3 jalapeño chiles, finely chopped, plus 2 jalapeño chiles, sliced, for garnish

3 pounds chicken wings (12 to 14 whole wings)

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Position an oven rack 4 inches below the broiler element. Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place an ovenproof rack on the lined baking sheet.

To make the glaze, in a small saucepan, bring the soda, lime juice, brown sugar, and the chopped jalapeño chiles to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer until syrupy, about 30 minutes; keep warm over low heat.

To prepare the chicken wings, cut off the wing tips (reserve the tips to make stock), and halve the wings at the joint. Place the wing pieces in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour about half the glaze over the wings and toss to coat. Keep the remaining sauce warm over low heat.

To broil the wings, place the glazed wings on the rack set on the baking sheet. Broil for 10 minutes per side, brushing twice on each side with the reserved glaze.

Transfer to a warm platter, garnish with the sliced jalapeño chiles, and serve immediately.

making ahead: The glaze can be made ahead, cooled, and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before cooking the wings. The wings can be completely prepared ahead and reheated in a 350°F oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes.

La Varenne Gougères

Makes 20 medium puffs

This is a savory version of the classic French pastry dough pâte à choux used to make profiteroles and éclairs. Gougères are a classic Burgundian treat commonly served with apéritifs at parties, bistros, and wine bars. You can increase the recipe (see Variation, following), but do not double it, as it does not multiply well.

A note of encouragement: don’t panic when you are adding the eggs and the dough starts to look awful. Just keep stirring and it will come together.

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup unsalted butter

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

5 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup grated Gruyère cheese (about 21/2 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper.

To make the dough, in a medium saucepan, bring the water, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to a boil over high heat. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, add the flour all at once, and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and pulls away from the sides of the pan to form a ball, 30 to
60 seconds. (This mixture is called the panade.) Beat the mixture over low heat for an additional 30 to 60 seconds to dry the mixture.

To make the egg wash, whisk 1 of the eggs in a small bowl with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until well mixed; set aside. With a wooden spoon, beat the remaining 4 eggs into the dough, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. (It will come together, I promise.) Beat until the dough is shiny and slides from the spoon. Add the grated cheese.

If using parchment paper to line the baking sheet, “glue” down the paper at this point with a few dabs of the dough.

To form the gougères, use either a tablespoon for a rustic look, or for a more finished appearance, a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch
round tip. Spoon or pipe 12 mounds of dough about 2 inches in diameter onto the baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Brush the puffs with the reserved egg wash.

Bake until puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. To test for doneness, remove one puff from the baking sheet and let it cool for 45 to 60 seconds. If it remains crisp and doesn’t deflate, it is done. If not, return it to the oven and continue baking 5 to 10 minutes more. Remove to a rack to cool. Let the puffs cool slightly on the sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

making ahead: These are brilliantly resilient and freeze beautifully. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 weeks. Warm and re-crisp in a 350°F oven, 5 to 7 minutes.

variation: To make 30 to 35 medium puffs, adjust the ingredient amounts as follows: 11/4 cups flour, 1 cup water, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 61/2 tablespoons butter, 6 eggs (5 for the dough and 1 for the wash), and 1 cup cheese.

Shrimp Rillettes

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Rillettes are found throughout France, but they are a specialty of the Loire Valley, traditionally made with pork or duck, and are essentially pulverized confit. It’s shredded meat smashed with fat to produce a rich, rustic paste for spreading on bread. The meat is cooked slowly over low heat until very tender – this is the confit – then raked into small shreds and blended with the warm cooking fat to form a rustic paste. Rillettes, like confit were originally a means of preservation. The meat could be stored in crocks under a layer of fat in a cool place. The thing to remember is that pâtés and rillettes aren’t considered upscale delicacies in France; they are simple everyday food.

One afternoon I made this for a demonstration in a grocery store. There was a stampede. You could offer cotton balls on toothpicks in the grocery store and people would devour every last fluffy bite.

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 shallots, chopped

1 bay leaf, preferably fresh

1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup white wine

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 ounces Neufchatel or cream cheese softened

Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Belgian Endive, crackers, or croutons, for serving

Coarse salt and freshly ground white pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Add shallot and bay leaf. Cook until the shallots are clear and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and wine. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Place the mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.

Add the butter and cheese. Puree until smooth. Add lemon juice, chives, and salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a 1 1/2-cup crock, or to 3 small jars and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap directly onto surface of shrimp mixture. Refrigerate at least 8 hours to blend flavors or up to 3 days. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature before serving. Serve with Belgian Endive, crackers, or croutons.

 

Please be nice. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without permission is prohibited. Feel free to excerpt and link, just give credit where credit is due and send folks to my website, virginiawillis.com. Thanks so much.

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Give it Up! Gifts Cooks Love: Recipes for Giving Saturday, Dec 18 2010

 

Peace & Love. Christ is the Reason for the Season. I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing.

 
I know what you are actually thinking.

(Cue stressful shreiky Norman Bates music)

It’s Christmas week and I haven’t finished my Christmas shopping.

Does the thought of facing unruly, rude hordes at the mall make you want to stay home and get an early start on your taxes? Perhaps volunteer as a test subject down at the local CIA training facility? Listen to a continuous loop of a PBS-NPR fundraising remix? Maybe just spend the afternoon bathing the cats?

You don’t have to.

All you need to do is check out the recipes below from Gifts Cooks Love by my friend and colleague Diane Morgan, maybe make a quick run to the grocery store, and you are good to go.

Gifts Cooks Love was written by Diane, produced by the national kitchenware retailer Sur la Table, and published by the award-winning publisher Andrews McMeel. Quite the trio and it is a beautiful, beautiful book. The photographs by Sara Remington are exquisite. Seriously, this book is truly inspiring.

It’s one of the best culinary DIY manuals I’ve seen and offers something for every level of kitchen prowess. The recipes are easy and accessible with suggestions for wrapping and presenting. It’s chock full of helpful tips and techniques and even contains detailed ingredient notes for the gift tag. Diane practically is in the kitchen doing it for you. Don’t worry about having to bring out too much of your inner Martha, (I know, remember, I used to work for her.) These recipes and suggestions are practically foolproof.

Crotchety Aunt Gladys will be so enamored with her tasty treat she won’t remember to comment on how poorly your kids behave and that Billy needs a haircut. Uncle Bob will be too busy nibbling to ask you when are you getting married. And, the neighbors? Consider one of these delicious recipes from Dianne to be the ne plus ultra, the absolute ultimate olive branch.

Oh, and, if you’re just too lazy or busy washing those cats to make use of Diane’s great book, click on over to your favorite online retailer and order it for for your friends. Maybe they’ll have the sense to use it. It will be the gift that – at least for you – keeps on giving.

Happy Holidays!
Bon Appétit, Y’all!
VA

EIGHT-HOUR BUTTER-BRAISED ONIONS

Onions as a gift? Indeed. This is the perfect hostess gift when the invitation to a friend’s cabin for a ski weekend arrives. Bring along the makings for an après-ski lunch of French onion soup. Requiring only a slow cooker and a little attention from the cook, the preparation is nearly done before the trip. Thick slices of onion are simmered for hours in butter and fresh thyme until meltingly soft and savory. This becomes the base for the classic and hearty soup, served piping hot with melted Gruyère bubbling over toasted bread and oozing down the sides of a ceramic bowl. Pack an artisan loaf of bread, a hunk of cheese, and a bottle of Beaujolais, and you are in winter heaven.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 8 hours | Makes two (6-cup/1½-liter) jars of butter-braised onions; enough for two batches of French onion soup, six servings each

Ingredients
10 large (about 8½ pounds) sweet onions, such as Walla Walla, Vidalia, or Maui
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme

Implements
Onion Goggles, Cutting Board, Chef’s Knife, 6½-Quart Electric Slow Cooker, Measuring Spoon, Silicone Spatula, Two (6-Cup/ 1½-Liter) Glass, Canning Jars, Wide-Mouth Funnel, Ladle

To prep the onions, trim the stem end, cut in half lengthwise through the root, and peel each half. Leaving the root end intact, cut each half lengthwise into ¼-inch-thick slices. Trim to remove the root.

Scatter the butter in the bottom of a 6½-quart electric slow cooker. Add the onions and sprinkle the thyme over the top. Place the lid on the slow cooker, set the cooking mode to high, and set a timer for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, use a silicone spatula to stir the onion mixture. Set a timer for 6 hours, continuing to cook on high. (As tempting as it might be, there is no need to stir the onions during this long cooking period.)

Turn the power off, remove the cover, give the onions a stir, and let cool in the ceramic insert for 1 hour.

Ladle the onions into the jars through a wide-mouth funnel, dividing evenly. Cool completely, and then cover and refrigerate.

Storing: Refrigerate, covered, for up to 5 days.
Gift-Giving Tips: Tie each jar with raffia or ribbon and attach a recipe card. To turn this into a gift basket, consider including an artisan loaf of bread and a hunk of Gruyère cheese. To make the gift a bit more elaborate, include 6 French onion soup bowls.
Recipe Card: create a card to package with gift

Bistro-Style French Onion Soup
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1½ T. of unsalted butter. Add 1½ T. of all-purpose flour, and whisk until the flour is absorbed and begins to turn golden. Add 1 T. of sugar; whisk to dissolve. Add the onions and 4 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a simmer. Season to taste. Have ready 6 thick slices of toasted French bread and 6 thick slices of Gruyère cheese. Divide the soup among 6 heatproof bowls, and top with a slice of bread and cheese. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

JALAPEÑO AND CHEDDAR SKILLET CORNBREAD WITH HONEY BUTTER

This is a gift to bake and give immediately. Though the honey butter stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to a month, the cornbread is best when eaten within a day or two of being made, so plan your gift giving accordingly. For friends, family, or co-workers who enjoy cooking but might not have a kitchen full of equipment, they’ll receive a home-baked gift and a skillet to boot. The honey butter looks adorable and country-chic when formed into a log, rolled in waxed paper, and tied with raffia. Giving the honey butter packed into a butter bell is an alternative way to make the gift more elaborate.

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Bake Time: 30 to 35 minutes | Makes three (6½-inch) skillet cornbreads and three logs honey butter

Ingredients
1¾ cups medium-grind yellow cornmeal
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¹⁄³ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1¾ cups buttermilk
3 large eggs, beaten
1 (15-ounce) can creamed corn
½ cup canned diced jalapeños, drained
½ cup (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon bacon drippings or melted butter, for greasing pan

Honey Butter
1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup honey

Implements
Large and Medium Bowls, Measuring Cups and Spoons, Can Opener, Box Grater, Whisk, Rubber Spatula, Three (6½-Inch) Seasoned Cast-Iron Skillets, Ladle, Wire Rack, Food Processor, Waxed Paper, Scissors, Clear Cellophane

To make the cornbread, position one rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk and eggs. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring just to blend. Fold in the creamed corn, jalapeños, and cheese. Stir in the melted butter.

Coat the cast-iron skillets with the bacon drippings. Place the greased pans in the oven until hot, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately ladle the batter into the heated pans, dividing it evenly. Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool in the pans on a wire rack. Wrap tightly once the cornbread is completely cool.

To make the honey butter, place the butter and honey in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until completely blended and smooth, stopping the machine once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Cut three (8-inch-wide) sheets of waxed paper. Using a rubber spatula and table knife, transfer one-third of the honey butter to the center of each sheet of waxed paper. Form a log about 1½ inches in diameter and 4 inches long. Starting at the bottom edge, roll up the waxed paper, covering the butter and rolling it on the counter to form a smooth log. Twist the ends, tie with raffia or ribbon, and trim with scissors. Refrigerate the honey butter logs.

Storing: Keep the cornbread in the pans. Cut 3 large sheets of clear cellophane and three 14-inch lengths of ribbon or raffia. Place a skillet in the center of a cellophane sheet and bring up the edges to tightly wrap the skillet and the bread. Tie securely with ribbon or raffia. Repeat with the remaining skillets of cornbread.

Store at room temperature for up to 1 day. The honey butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Gift Card: This home-baked Jalapeño and Cheddar Skillet Cornbread was made on [give date] and should be eaten right away. Cut the cornbread into wedges and warm it before serving. The Honey Butter can be refrigerated and enjoyed for up to 1 month. Soften the butter at room temperature before serving.

Gift-Giving Tips: Since the cornbread is being given in a cast-iron skillet, consider writing the recipe on a fun gift card and attaching it so that the recipient can make the cornbread again. To make the gift more elaborate, pack the honey butter in a butter bell rather than forming it into a log and wrapping it in waxed paper. Arrange the wrapped skillet and butter bell in a decorative, towel-lined basket. See page 169 for a gift kit idea.

APRICOT-BOURBON MUSTARD

Do you have a Dagwood-style sandwich maker on your gift list, one of those friends or a family member who loves nothing more than raiding the refrigerator and making a mile-high sandwich layered with meats and cheese and smeared with mayonnaise and mustard? This is the perfect gift—a unique homemade mustard blending the sweetness of dried apricots steeped in bourbon with the bright bite of whole mustard seeds.
Soak Time: 12 to 24 hours | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Maturation Time: 2 weeks | Makes 2²⁄³ cups, enough to fill four (6-ounce) condiment jars

Ingredients
²⁄³ cup yellow mustard seeds
1 cup bourbon, such as Maker’s Mark
²⁄³ cup water
²⁄³ cup packed chopped dried apricots
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt

Implements
Measuring Cups and Spoons, Two Medium Bowls, Cutting Board, Chef’s Knife, Four (6-Ounce) Condiment Jars, Strainer, Rubber Spatula, Food Processor

Put the mustard seeds in a medium bowl and pour in ²⁄³ cup of the bourbon and the water. Soak the mustard seeds overnight or for up to 24 hours.

At least 1 hour before you plan to make the mustard, put the apricots in a bowl and pour in the remaining ¹⁄³ cup bourbon. Macerate the apricots until most of the bourbon is absorbed. (The apricots need to soak for a minimum of 1 hour, or you can start soaking them at the same time you prepare the mustard seeds.)

Before making the mustard, wash the jars and lids in hot, soapy water and dry thoroughly. Alternatively, run the jars through the regular cycle of your dishwasher.

To make the mustard, first strain the mustard seeds, reserving the soaking liquid. Set aside the mustard seeds.

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the apricots, any unabsorbed bourbon remaining in the bowl, cider vinegar, honey, and salt. Purée until almost smooth. Add the mustard seed soaking liquid and continue to purée until smooth. Add the mustard seeds and process until about half of the seeds are cracked and the others are incorporated but still whole.

Evenly divide the mustard among the prepared condiment jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean and secure the lids. Label and refrigerate for at least 2 weeks to allow the flavors to develop and mature.

Storing: Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 weeks and up to 3 months.
Gift Card: This Apricot-Bourbon Mustard was made on [give date] and can be enjoyed for up to 3 months, kept in the refrigerator. It makes a delightful sandwich spread and a great dip for hard or soft-baked pretzels, or use it as a condiment for cured meats and smoked or grilled sausages.
Gift-Giving Tips: Tie each jar with raffia or ribbon and attach a gift card. To turn this into a gift basket, consider including a bag of twisted hard pretzels, or smoked sausages, cured meats, crackers, and a jar of cornichons.

Please be nice. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without permission is prohibited. Feel free to excerpt and link, just give credit where credit is due and send folks to my website, virginiawillis.com. Thanks so much.

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Make Ahead: Make it Easy for the Holidays Tuesday, Nov 30 2010

 

I’m smiling here, teaching at Stonewall Kitchen. What’s not to smile about? Really, nice people, an incredible kitchen, and I adore Maine. It’s a very special place for me and holds very precious memories.

I smile a lot in the kitchen. I love, love, love what I do.

But, don’t get me wrong, I’ve scowled plenty. Plenty.

Sometimes cooking is hard back-breaking work. And, it’s dangerous – it’s hot and filled with things that can burn you and sharp things that can make you bleed. You think that’s bad? The worst part is adding disorganization. Not being organized and efficient just makes Hell worse.

I haven’t worked on a line in a while, but I have, and when you are “in the weeds” it can be absolutely insane. It becomes comedic at certain points, like a Lucille Ball skit, the orders piling in one after another seemingly one quick second after another. Line cooks rely on the (often scowling) expiditer to keep them on track. I’ve also scowled when facing plate up for 800 or so many people – the quantities just become absurd. A spoonful of grits for 800 people becomes 25 gallons of grits. Waking up at o-dark thirty for food television, unripe apricots for a prima donna celebrity chef’s margarita segment, getting the screamers on set from the cooking show host, and finding the “beauty” plate in the trash before it’s been shot does not bring a smile to my face.

No matter what the kitchen, the most important thing to consider is doing what can be done ahead — before you are slammed so bad you can’t see straight.

And, here, I point out to you that we are now in the holidays, a crazy time for everybody. There are parties, shopping, entertaining, lots of obligations we don’t normally have. Often the weather is bad and people’s driving skills become nonexistent.

My answer? Make it easy and make it ahead. It’s about spending time with friends and family – and smiling – not stressing in the kitchen. Here are some recipes I hope you will enjoy.

Bon Appétit, Y’all!
VA

PS There are a couple of additional hors d’oeuvres on my website, as well. See Holiday Recipes

 

 

Burgundian Honey Spice Bread

Makes two 9 x5 x 3-inch loaves

The wealthy and powerful Dukes of Burgundy controlled the spice trade in the Middle Ages. The windows of the shops and bakeries of Dijon are filed with tightly wrapped loaves of pain d’épice, the traditional honey spice bread of the region. It’s similar to American-style gingerbread only in that they both contain a variety of spices. The texture of the French bread, however, is denser, as it is traditionally baked at a low temperature for several hours, and the spice combination is slightly different. I’ve adapted this version to cook in less time at a higher temperature. The texture is not as traditional, but the flavor is still incredible. Ground fennel seed is not widely available; to order it, check out World Spice Market or simply grind your own in a spice grinder.

While at La Varenne, we served this bread for breakfast for special guests. It’s also wonderful with a hot cup of tea on a chilly afternoon.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, for the loaf pans
11/4 cups milk
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
11/2 cups honey (preferably tupelo, orange blossom, or sweet clover)
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons very finely chopped candied ginger
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush two 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans with butter. Cut four strips of parchment: two 15 x 5 inches, and two 14 x 8 inches. Lay the two long pieces of parchment the length of the buttered pan and press to adhere. Brush the parchment with butter. Lay the two wider pieces crosswise on top. Brush the parchment with butter. Everything must be very well buttered or the bread will stick.

Heat the milk, brown sugar, and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside until slightly cooled.

To make the batter, in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the flour, ground fennel, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and salt. In two batches, add the honey mixture and candied ginger. Scrape down the sides as needed, and blend on low speed until just combined.

In a small liquid measuring cup, combine the egg, egg yolk, and baking soda. Stir to combine. Add the egg mixture to the batter and beat until well blended.

To bake the loaves, pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans, dividing it evenly and not filling the pans more than halfway. Bake, rotating once, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil if the bread starts to become too dark.

Remove the loaves to a rack to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Turn them out of the pans and immediately remove the parchment paper. Store very tightly wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 1 week.

French Toast Casserole
Serves 8

When my sister and I were young, our favorite mornings were when Mama would prepare French toast for breakfast. The smell of butter, kissed with cinnamon, combined with the heady scent of sizzling egg was a most welcome greeting as we bounded down the stairs. This version is made the night before, so you won’t find yourself camped in front of a hot griddle in the early morning, groggy and in need of caffeine. The next morning, remove it from the fridge to take the chill off. Grab a cup of coffee and pop it in the oven. By the time the table is set, the family is assembled, and you’re ready for your second cup, breakfast is ready.

Brioche and challah are yeast breads, rich with egg and butter, and make superlative French toast. My friend Barb Pires tells me H & F Bread Company has weekly orders from their stand at the Peachtree Road Farmers Marketfor this make ahead breakfast casserole. It’s certainly one of the most popular recipes in Bon Appétit, Y’all

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 loaf brioche or challah, sliced
11/2 inches thick (about 11/2 pounds)
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Confectioners’ sugar, for accompaniment
Sorghum, cane, or maple syrup, for accompaniment

Combine the melted butter and brown sugar in a baking dish. Arrange the bread slices in the dish. Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a bowl. Pour over the bread, letting it soak in. Top with the pecans. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Let the chilled casserole stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Bake until browned and set, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool slightly. Sift over confectioners’ sugar. Serve hot or warm with sorghum, cane, or maple syrup.

Dede’s Cheese Straws
Makes about 6 dozen

When I was growing up, our nibbles were most often the cheese straws made by my grandfather, whom I called Dede. Dede was a tall, strapping man who knew the secret of a long, happy marriage to his iron-willed wife. As he put it, his blue eyes twinkling, he always got in the last word: “Yes, beloved.”

Dede would layer his cheese straws in a tin lined with sheets of butter-stained waxed paper smelling of sharp cheese and peppery cayenne. Everyone loves these cheese straws—I once caught a party guest stuffing his pockets with them.

A cookie press is needed to make these savory crackers. I prefer the version that resembles a caulking gun, although a turn-crank one will do. Some hard-core cheese straw makers invest in the electric version!

11/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/2 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, at room temperature, freshly grated
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Position the oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter 2 baking sheets.

To make the dough, in a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and cayenne. Set aside. In a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth and well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until smooth. (The dough can also be made in the bowl of a large food processor: grate the cheese with the grating blade, then transfer the cheese to a bowl and insert the metal blade. Pulse the dry ingredients to combine, then add the butter and cheese. Process until smooth.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for about 15 minutes.

To shape the dough, work it in your hands; it should be soft and pliable (like Play-Doh). Shape the dough into a cylinder and pack it into a cookie press fitted with the serrated ribbon disk.

Holding the cookie press at an angle to one of the prepared baking sheets, press the trigger twice, dragging the press away to make a long straw the length of the baking sheet. Repeat until you’ve covered the sheet, spacing the ribbons of dough 1 inch apart. Using a butter knife or offset spatula, cut each ribbon into 1- to 2-inch pieces. Repeat with the remaining dough and the other baking sheet. (If your cookie press extrudes the dough in fits and spurts, simply pick up the dough and reuse.)

Bake the cheese straws, rotating the baking sheets once, until lightly browned on the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove the baking sheets to a rack to cool slightly. Using an offset or slotted spatula, remove the individual cheese straws to cool completely.

making ahead: Store the cheese straws at room temperature in an airtight container between sheets of waxed paper. They will keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

Reprinted with permission from Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking by Virginia Willis, copyright © 2008. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House. Photo credit for food images: Ellen Silverman © 2008

Please be nice. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission is prohibited. Feel free to excerpt and link, just give credit where credit is due and send folks to my website, www.virginiawillis.com

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Recipes for Thanksgiving Weekend: Easy HDs Wednesday, Nov 24 2010

Here are a few recipes you can make over the next few days to nibble on. I have a lot to be thankful for – there’s a whole lot of good in my world. I am very grateful. Please consider taking a moment in these next few days and give thanks.

Drive safe and be careful.

Bon Appétit, Y’all!

VA

Thyme Toasted Pecans
Makes 4 cups

Southerners always seem to have candied and spiced pecans around to nibble on during the holidays. My grandmother always made sweet pecans crusted with egg whites and sugar, using the nuts she and my grandfather had collected in the fall. So this version, with extra-virgin olive oil and herbs, is a real departure for my family. Recipes such as this, with a short ingredients list, are completely determined by the quality of the ingredients. The shorter the list, the better the ingredients must be. I prefer to use Elliot pecans from Pearson Farm in Fort Valley, Georgia. Pecans are the star, but the choice of olive oil and salt is crucial to the success of the dish. Use the finest possible. This recipe is splendidly simple, just perfect with apéritifs and for cocktail parties.

4 cups pecan halves
2 teaspoons coarse salt or sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

In a large, dry skillet, toast the pecans over medium heat until golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the salt, pepper, thyme leaves, and olive oil.

Add the warm toasted pecans to the thyme-oil mixture. Stir well to combine and evenly coat the pecans. The fragrance is amazing! Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

making ahead: Once the seasoned nuts have cooled, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Bring them to room temperature before serving.

Belgian Endive with Gold Coast Shrimp Salad

Makes about 30 hors d’oeuvres

We sometimes vacation at Jekyll and St. Simons Islands, part of a region that Georgians call the “Golden Isles” or “Gold Coast.” For many years, it was the vacation retreat of very wealthy families from the Northeast. But it was another sort of gold that inspired the name: according to a local historian, it was named centuries ago by the first settlers, who were dazzled by the golden glow of the marshes at dusk. These marshes, the clear estuaries, and the surrounding waters are also home to sweet wild Atlantic shrimp.

With the endive leaves arranged in concentric circles on a platter, this is an especially attractive addition to the buffet table.

12 cups water
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 lemon, halved
1/2 onion, preferably Vidalia, peeled
2 bay leaves, preferably fresh
1 tablespoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
1 pound unshelled large shrimp (21/25 count)
4 to 6 heads Belgian endive
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Freshly ground black pepper
30 fresh tarragon leaves, for garnish

To poach the shrimp, combine the water, carrot, celery, lemon, onion, bay leaves, and 1 tablespoon of the salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to low. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes to make a flavorful court-bouillon.

Have ready a frozen freezer pack sealed in a heavy-duty plastic bag or a large heavy-duty sealable plastic bag filled with ice cubes. Make an ice bath to cool the shrimp: transfer several cups (or more, depending on the quantity of shrimp) of the broth to a large heatproof bowl. Place the ice pack in the bowl of broth; move the pack around until the broth is well chilled (drain and add more ice to the bag as needed). Return the heat to high and bring the remaining mixture to a rolling boil. Add the shrimp and boil until the shells are pink and the meat is white, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not overcook.

Drain the shrimp in a colander or remove with a slotted spoon, then immediately transfer to the chilled liquid to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

To prepare the endive, cut off and discard the root ends. Pull the heads apart one leaf at a time. Arrange the leaves in concentric circles like a flower on a large platter.

To prepare the salad, peel, devein, and coarsely chop the shrimp. Place in a bowl with the chopped tarragon and mayonnaise; stir to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

To assemble, place 1 generous teaspoon of shrimp salad near the trimmed bottom edge of each endive leaf. Garnish each with a tarragon leaf. Serve immediately.

making ahead: The shrimp salad can be prepared completely ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The leaves can be prepared and wrapped in damp paper towels in a sealable plastic bag overnight. Finally, up to 2 hours ahead, the filled endive leaves can be arranged on the platter, covered with a damp paper towel, and refrigerated. Serve chilled.

Pimento Cheese in Cherry Tomatoes

Makes about 32 nibbles, or 4 cups filling

The “pâté of the South,” pimento cheese is the epitome of a summer picnic delight. Everyone has a slightly different recipe, but the primary ingredients remain the same. Don’t be tempted to buy grated cheese, because the end result won’t be creamy enough. Try this stuffed in tomatoes, slathered on a celery stick, or (one of my favorites) straight from the bowl on a spoon.

11/2 pounds grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (about 4 cups)

1/2 onion, preferably Vidalia, grated

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 (4-ounce) jar pimentos, drained and finely chopped

Dash of hot sauce

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

32 bite-size cherry tomatoes

32 small fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

To make the pimento cheese, combine the cheese, onion, and mayonnaise in a bowl. Stir until well combined. Add the pimentos and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Meanwhile, using a serrated knife, slice off the top third of each cherry tomato. Using your index finger or a very small spoon, remove and discard the seeds and inside flesh of the tomatoes.

To fill the tomatoes, place the pimento cheese mixture in a piping bag fitted with a large round tip or use a medium sealable plastic bag with one of the corner tips snipped off. Fill each tomato with the mixture, allowing a little to rise above the tops. Garnish each tomato with a parsley leaf. Serve immediately.

making ahead: The prepared cheese filling can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. The cherry tomatoes can be prepared up to 24 hours before serving: prep the tomatoes and store them, cut side down, on a baking sheet lined with damp paper towels. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to fill.

variation: For real comfort food, try warm pimento-cheese toasts. Place slices of sourdough bread on a baking sheet and brown on one side under the broiler. Turn over and thickly spread with pimento cheese. Return to the broiler and toast until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Curl up on the sofa and enjoy.

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