Wishing you a delicious Christmas dinner with your family and friends. I hope you enjoy the recipes listed below.
Champagne Punch - This ones for my son-in-law Derek
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 tsp. almond extract
4 lemons, zested and juiced
2 cups Cognac
1 cup cherry liqueur
1 cup dark rum
1/3 cup superfine sugar
2 (750 ml) bottles cold sparkling water
2 (750 ml) bottles chilled Champagne (good quality)
In large saucepan, combine 3 cups water with sugar and corn syrup. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil until the liquid reaches on candy thermometer 220 degrees. Cool the syrup to room temp. Stir in the almond extract. Cover syrup and store overnight. Mix the lemon zest and superfine sugar in a 2 1/2 gallon punch bowl. Mash the zest into the sugar with a wooden spoon. Pour in the lemon juice and stir to dissolve sugar. Whisk in the sugary syrup. Stir in the Cognac, cherry liqueur and rum. Let mixture stand at room temperature 30 minutes. At serving time, slowly pour in the sparkling water and Champagne. Stir gently and add ice.
Bibb Lettuce with Pears and Blue Cheese Salad
Vinaigrette
1/2 cup whole cranberry sauce
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp. Dijon
3 Tbl. canola oil
2 Tbl. Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced finely
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad
2 heads Bibb lettuce
2 large firm, but ripe pears, thinly sliced
2 Tbl. fresh orange juice
1 medium red onion, julienned thin slices
1/2 cup blue cheese (I like Maytag) crumbled
1/2 cup Hazelnuts, lightly toasted and chopped
In a container place vinaigrette ingredients and shake well to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings.
For salad, wash and spin dry lettuce leaves, tear into large pieces onto a platter. In a bowl, add sliced pears and orange juice, gently mix. Remove pears and arrange around lettuce on platter, add onion slices, blue cheese and hazelnuts over top. Drizzle on dressing, serving extra on the side.
Stuffed Christmas Goose with Cumberland Sauce (I love this sauce)
1 (12 lb.) goose
Stuffing
2 oranges
3 cups bread cubes, good quality (toasted)
1 large crisp apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and lightly toasted
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp. orange zest
2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
chicken stock, warmed (good quality)
In a saute pan, add some butter and saute onions until softened. Peel oranges and section, saving about 2 Tbl. of juice. Dice oranges. In a bowl, add bread, sauteed onions, diced oranges, chopped apples, raisins, pecans, 2 Tbl. orange juice, orange zest, salt, pepper, nutmeg and thyme. Our over a little chicken stock to moisten, you don't want it too wet, just enough to hold together.
Clean your goose (wash with cold water) and pat dry. Stuff goose with stuffing and with a sharp fork or paring knife prick goose legs and wings all over. Place goose on rack in shallow roasting pan and roast at 325 for about 4 hours. Periodically spoon of excess fat. Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before carving. Place meat and stuffing on serving platter and garnish with orange slices and sprigs of fresh parsley.
Cumberland Sauce
1 Tbl. orange zest
1/2 Tbl. lemon zest
1 cup red currant jelly
1/3 cup Cabernet wine
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbl. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
pinch of cayenne
pinch of ground ginger
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Herbed Roasted Potatoes
3 lbs. small red potatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
zest of one lemon
1 Tbl. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Tbl. fresh thyme, chopped
4 Tbl. fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place potatoes into a large bowl, add other ingredients except parsley and toss gently. Place potatoes onto a baking sheet and bake for about 40 to 55 minutes or until tender. Turn potatoes occasionally while cooking. Remove and sprinke with parsley and toss. Place on serving platter.
Haricot Verts with Shallots and Pancetta
2 lbs. Harcoit Verts
6 oz. Pancetta, diced
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
3 Tbl. butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place beans into pan of boiling water and cook for about 4 minutes to crisp/tender. Remove to colander and drain then place in bowl full of ice water to stop cooking. Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, add pancetta and cook until crispy, remove to paper towels. Remove beans from cold water and pat dry. Add shallots to pan and cook until caramelized. Add butter to pan, beans, and stir until heated through with shallots. Season with salt and pepper. Remove to serving platter and sprinkle on pancetta.
Orange Whipped Cream Cake - Something light and fresh for dessert
Cake
1 cup plus 2 Tbl. cake flour, sifted
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, separated (2 of the yolks are for the filling)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbl. freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 tsp. cream of tarter (be sure it's fresh)
Filling
1 cup sugar
2 Tbl. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 Tbl. orange zest
2 Tbl. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbl. unsalted butter
Frosting
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 Tbl. powdered sugar
2 Tbl. buttermilk
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Have two 7 1/2 inch spring form pans ready (do not use non stick)
Sift the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in bowl of electric mixer. Add oil, 2 of the egg yolks and the orange juice. Beat on high for 1 minute or until smooth. Wash the beaters.
In large bowl of the mixer, on high beat the egg whites and cream of tarter until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted. With large rubber spatula, fold in the orange juice batter into the beaten whites. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and gently smooth tops.
Bake for 40 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert and completely cool the cake upside down by resting each on the rims of three empty pans.
Run a metal spatula around the edges to loosen cakes and remove the pans sides. Lift cakes from the pan bottoms with the spatula. With a long serrated knife, slice each cake in half horizontally.
For the orange filling; In small saucepan, stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in the orange juice and the remaining 2 egg yolks. Cover over medium high whisking constantly the mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat and add orange zest, lemon juice and butter, stirring until butter is melted.
Pour into a bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until cooled.
For frosting; in chilled bowl of mixer bowl on high beat the cream and vanilla to soft peaks. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating to stiff, then stir in buttermilk.
Fold 1 cup of the frosting into the chilled filling, cover and refrigerate remaining frosting.
Place on cake layer on serving plate. Spread on some filling, add second and third cake layers spreading each with orange filling. Top with last cake layer. Frost the top and sides of cake with frosting making it look luscious and fluffy like snow. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Bon Appetit
A gentle, humble couple had traveled long and far to a little town called Bethlehem and a stable beneath a star. There among the cattle, God sent His Son to earth with only an angel chorus to celebrate His birth. Yet shepherds heard their message, and knelt there in the straw, amazed and filled with wonder at the Baby whom they saw. Then wise men came to worship, with precious gifts to bring, knowing that before them, was their Savior and their King. Christ came to us from heaven and did not count the cost, yet behind His humble manger stood a waiting rugged cross. - Author R. Fogle
Also see Luke 2:1-20 in the bible
No comments:
Post a Comment