Now, let’s face it. Brussel Sprouts – you either LOVE them or you HATE them. Before you get carried away and dismiss this recipe….give it a trial run and I bet you use it at your Festive Table.
- 2 lbs. fresh Brussel Sprouts, trimmed and washed
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- pinch of salt
- 6 oz. unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, coarsely diced and toasted
In a large saucepan with water, bring the brussel sprouts to the boil and cook until tender. Drain, cut in half and put 1 tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan and put all the sprouts on a medium heat to lightly brown.
In your blender add the butter, olive oil and hazelnuts and grind until smooth. Add the butter to the brussel sprouts and serve.
I bet you love them now. Really!
Gnocchi With Browned Butter
I have to admit it took me awhile to like gnocchi. We were in Maui at one of the Hotels for a dinner out and they had pumpkin gnocchi. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. It was out of this world.
This recipe, although not pumpkin, is just as good, provided you cook them until they are browned.
- 1 1/2 lbs. gnocchi (simple, buy ready made)
- 1/4 cup butter or more (do not use margarine)
- 7 fresh sage leaves
- 1 whole lemon, juiced
In a larage saucepot, boil water. Add the gnocchi and cook for about 4 minutes – until they float to the top. Strain.
In a fry pan, melt the butter (add more as you wish) and add the gnocchi and toss. Add the sage leaves. Cook, turning often until lightly browned and the sage leaves are crispy.
When the butter is nicely browned (not burned), add the lemon juice.
OMG this is good. If you wish, serve with a chilled Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio.
My mouth is watering…..supper is hours away.
Roasted Corn and Butter Bean Succotash
A few weeks back, I mentioned the dinner-cooking classes we attended at Hester Creek Estate Winery https://hestercreek.com/. The Chef, Roger, is an outstanding Chef and gave me permission to pass this recipe along to you.
This will serve 8-10 people, I think. He served 11 and it was enough. Mind you, if offered, I think 22 hands would have risen to get more on their plate. THIS is outstanding.
- 2 t sp. olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cans good quality cherry tomatoes or 3 cups fresh heirloom tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup fresh roasted corn from the cob or frozen, if out of season
- 2 cans Greek butter beans
- 2 cups fresh heirloom tomatoes
- fresh basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Lightly saute onions and garlic in olive oil for 3 – 4 minutes or until slightly translucent and add a cup of wine. Reduce by half and add cans of tomatoes and fresh tomatoes, simmering for half an hour.
Add the corn and simmer for another half hour.
Add the butter beans and basil and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season to taste.
This takes a little while to finished product, but, let me assure you…..you will be wowed. We were….
Crusted Potato Gratin
As part of the entree from the Hester Creek Cooking Class Dinner, these were prepared and served. These are yummy, yummy, yummy.
- 6 medium red flesh potatoes, peeled
- quart of half and half
- 1 cup Swiss Gruyere cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- Fresh Thyme/Italian Parsley/ Sage
- 1 tbsp. nutmeg
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 4 slices of bacon, diced and fried crisp
Peel potatoes, tie the thyme, parsley and sage in cheesecloth and tie up, placing in the pot with the potatoes and cook in cream until almost cooked. Drain and add the crisp bacon.
In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, slice the potatoes and layer them out, add the cheese and sprinkle the Parmigiano over the top. Bake in the oven until the cheese melts and a light golden crust appears on top.
When preparing to serve, use a wide mouth dessert bowl or 3 inch round cookie cutter. What we saw was almost like a salmon can size and cut out circles. Carefully transfer to the plates. Looks so cool!
Thanks Chef Gillespie.
Faux Cauliflower Souffle
This is yet another recipe for a tasty vegetable to serve even the most critical foodie. I know………
- 1 medium cauliflower, cut into small pieces
- 3 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 1/2 cups cream
- 2 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
- dash of dry mustard and Worchestershire sauce
- 2 eggs, well beaten
Grease a 10 x 6 inch dish and set aside. In a saucepan, cook the cauliflower for about 12 minutes or until tender and drain well. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and gradually whisk in the cream. Cook, stirring constantly until it thickens and begins to boil.
Immediately remove from the heat.
Stir in the mustard and Worchestershire sauce. Add the cauliflower and beaten eggs. Pour into the prepared dish.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until the centre is firm to the touch. Serve immediately with your favourite meat and potatoes or noodles or rice.
This is yummy.
Broccoli With Creamy Lime Sauce
Have to keep eating our greens and this is a nicer way to bribe the kids. Right? Of course…..
- 1 bunch broccoli, well trimmed and cut into small stalks
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 cup heavy cream (but of course)
- 1 egg yolk
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp. lime juice (fresh, if possible)
- 1 tsp. grated lime peel
Cook broccoli in boiling water or steamer until tender-crisp. Drain well and keep warm.
To make the sauce, melt the butter and gradually stir in the cream. Bring this to a boil, stirring constantly and allow to boil gently for about 5 minutes to reduce the cream.
Stir in a small amount of cream to the egg yolk. Now return the egg mixture to the saucepan. Stir in the salt, pepper and lime juice. Cook, stirring constantly for about 2 – 2 1/2 minutes over very low heat.
Pour over the broccoli.
Now I ask you…..did everyone lick their plate? Of course, you won’t tell.
Baked Mushrooms in Cheese Sauce
I love mushrooms ….cooked, raw, baked…it doesn’t matter.
- 8 large white button mushrooms
- 2 slices bacon, diced
- 1 recipe of white sauce
- 1 cup grated Romano cheese
- 1 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs
Remove stems and coarsely chop. Fry the bacon until crisp. Remove. Add the chopped mushrooms – cook over medium heat until all the fat has been absorbed.
Combine the white sauce and 3/4 cup of cheese. Stir until melted. Stir in the chopped mushrooms.
Arrange caps in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with the crumbs.
Pour sauce on, sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes until the topping is brown.
**parmesan or any hard cheese can be used.
This will yield 4 servings.
Roasted Swedish Spuds
Potatoes seem to fall into the “same old, same old” way of doing things. Try this and see if it doesn’t wake up the taste buds just a little.
- 6 baking potatoes small enough to fit into a large serving spoon
- 3 tbsp. butter, melted (not margarine)
- grated clove of garlic
- pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp. panko crumbs
- 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese
Peel potatoes and place in cold water. Put potato in a spoon, slice 1/8″ apart, just to edge of spoon -do not cut completely through, return to water. Remove each potato and drain. Pat dry. Put cut side up in baking dish. Baste with the melted butterand garlic.
Cook 30 mins at 425 degrees, baste again. Cook another 15 minutes or until they are golden in colour. Add the cheese and panko crumbs during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
What can I say? YUMMY.
Don’s Tomato Sauce From Scratch
We are blessed to live in such an area of bounty, both in fruit and vegetables. Okay, wine too! Don makes this, freezes some, and all throughout the winter we can enjoy this in so many different dishes.
- 10 lbs of tomatoes (this time Heritage tomatoes)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- coarse salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp. tomato sauce
- small bunch each of :
- fresh oregano, basil, tarragon, thyme and italian parsley, all finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. oil
Cut an X in the bottom of the tomato. In a big pot with boiling water, add the tomatoes and boil for 30 seconds. Remove and plunge in an ice bath. Peel the skin from the tomatoes and chop to a medium consistency.
Heat oil and add the onions, cooking until transparent. Add the garlic and cook for a moment but be careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the tomato paste, cooking for another 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and herbs, bring to the boil and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
Add the salt and pepper. Cool completely and store in freezer bags as much as you will need for each time you make a recipe up. eg. 1 cup or 2 cups .
When making spaghetti sauce, simply cook 1 lb ground beef and then add to the sauce. Voila!!!
West Texas Baked Beans
Don says to tell you this is “our” style. They are good…just not as good as mine. Now, how’s that for competition? No, truly, they are really tasty. I am only teasing him.
- 3 cups navy beans
- 1/2 lb. bacon
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 tsp. chile powder
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 can beer (your choice)
- 1/8 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tbsp. worchestershire sauce
- pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
Soak beans overnight. Bring to a boil for 30 minutes, let stand and then drain.
Cook bacon until crisp and set aside, reserving 3 tbsp. of fat. Add the onion, chile powder and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes until the onions are soft and set aside. Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of beer.
Return the beans to the stockpot, adding water at least 2 inches higher than the beans. Add the sauteed onions and deglazing liquid. Add the remainder of the beer (I hope you didn’t drink it already) and the remaining ingredients.
Simmer on the stove for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Finish in a 250 degree oven for a further 1 1/2 – 2 hours until the beans are nice and thick).
Now, add your own steak, pulled pork sandwich, hot dog….you get the picture.
Last Moment Pickles
Company’s coming in the hour, table set, dinner under control……almost. You need pickles and the fridge is bare. Try this recipe…takes only a couple of minutes. It is fresh! It is different! Everyone will want the recipe.
- 6 large radishes, very thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 cucumber, very thinly sliced, crosswise
- 1 sweet onion, peeled, thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 tsp. dried pink peppercorns
- 1 tsp. grated ginger
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp. sugar
In a medium bowl, combine the radishes, cucumber, onion and peppercorns. Place the ginger in a small piece of cheesecloth and squeeze the juice into the vegetables, discard all the flesh.
Combine vinegar, salt and sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved and it just comes to the boil.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables, toss well. Remove the veggies from the liquid and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve right away.
Did I just hear you mutter “damn I did this?”
Broccoli Casserole
This is definitely a different way to serve broccoli and might be super good for children to eat their vegetables.
- 1 1/2 lbs. chopped broccoli
- 1 slice of bread, torn into pieces
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 cup cubed cheese
- 2 tbsp. flour
- pinch of salt
- 1/8 tsp dry mustard
- pinch of pepper
- 2 hard cooked eggs, chopped coarsely
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
Steam broccoli until tender, and drain well. Set aside
Place bread in a blender and blend until coarse crumbs and set aside. In the blender now combine the milk, cheese, flour, mustard and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Combine this with the broccoli and hard cooked eggs. Turn this into a greased casserole dish. Combine the reserved bread crumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle over the casserole.
Bake for 35-40 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Tastes pretty good when served with ham.