A Soggy Thanksgiving

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Ann Lovejoy
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Slim Yet Sumptuous Holiday Feasts

This year, instead of snow, Thanksgiving week featured lengthy power outages and heavy rains that flooded the garage, and for the first time, the basement. Dang! Happily, we found the leakage early and my lovely housemates filled a bucket with runoff before getting it dried out. We all spent a lovely rainy afternoon with pickaxe and shovel enlarging our curtain drain, which had clogged somewhere along the line causing the unfortunate overflow.

We all like playing with water, even in the rain, so that part was rather merry. The next step was to create a marvelous meal together. We also all prefer to eat lovely food that does not make us feel ill afterward. Thus, we made dishes that were extraordinary without unwholesome excess.

Start With The Starters

To slim down traditional holiday foods, we swapped out fatty appetizers for creamy Italian bean dip and pear slices and a lush mushroom tart. Our meal began with a sparkling salad of Honeycrisp apples and shredded turnips, dressed with a citrusy vinaigrette. Instead of overcooked vegetable casseroles, we enjoyed lightly steamed green beans topped with toasted hazelnuts, lemon rind, and roasted garlic “butter.” We roast halved onions with the turkey to make gluten-free gravy, and mixed our mashed potatoes with Greek yogurt, sea salt, and fresh chives. Subtly sweetened cranberry-orange relish made a delightful counterpoint to all the richness, adding phytonutrients galore. Result? A meal to savor and fully enjoy with a discerning palate and a clear conscience!

Creamy Italian White Bean Spread

1-3/4 cups cooked Cannelloni beans
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 organic lemon, juiced, rind grated
1/2 teaspoon rosemary, stemmed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

In a food processor, combine beans, garlic, lemon rind, rosemary, salt, and pepper and puree to a fairly smooth paste. Open feed tube and add oil while processor is running. Add lemon juice to taste, starting with 1 tablespoon. Makes about 1-1/2 cups. Refrigerate leftovers, but serve at room temperature.

A Lovely Tart Treat

We had lots of local, apricot-scented chanterelles to play with, but you can use any favorite mushrooms in this savory entree.

Mushroom Tart

1 pie crust
4 ounces gruyere cheese, thinly sliced
1 red onion, sliced in wheels
6 ounces chanterelle mushrooms, sliced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line pie dish with crust, crimp edges. Line crust with cheese slices, then layer in onions and mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and paprika, dot with butter and bake until crust is golden (35-40 minutes). Serves 4-6.

Holiday Super Salad

2 cups small turnips, finely chopped
2 cups Napa cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup Florence fennel, finely chopped
2 Honeycrisp apples, finely diced
1/2 cup Italian parsley or cilantro, stemmed
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette

Toss all ingredients and serve. Serves 4-6.

Raw Cranberry Orange Relish

2 cups cranberries, washed and picked over
1 organic orange, quartered
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon shoyu or soy sauce

In a food processor, combine cranberries and orange wedges and grind to a fine slurry. Season to taste with maple syrup and soy sauce and chill until serving time. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

Gluten-Free Gravy

Roast onions along with the turkey, then use an immersion blender to create gluten-free gravy with exceptional flavor.

Lemon Rosemary Turkey With Gluten-Free Gravy

1 14-16 pound turkey
1 organic lemon, rind grated, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups rosemary sprigs
3 onion, peeled and halved

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Rub turkey with cut lemons. Mix salt with lemon rind, set aside. Loosely stuff turkey with rosemary and lemons and rub skin with salt mixture. Place turkey in roasting pan on rack and place onions underneath bird. Bake breast side up at 425 degrees F for 2 hours or until internal temperature of the leg reaches 170 degrees. When done, remove bird to serving platter, tent with foil and let stand for 30 minutes before serving. While bird rests, remove excess fat from roasting pan with a turkey baster, then puree onions with drippings for gluten-free gravy.

This sumptuous vegan sauce makes an excellent side dish for roasted roots, cooked grains, or mushroom risotto.

Vegan Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Gravy

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
4 cups crimini or any mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup red wine or broth

Heat oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium high until foamy. Add onions, sprinkle with sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown (4-6 minutes). Lower heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add wine, reduce heat to low, cover pan and simmer until mushrooms are wilted and reduced in volume (8-10 minutes). Serve hot over rice, baked potatoes, roasted vegetables, chicken or fish. Makes about 2 cups.

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Waste Free Holiday Meals

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Ann Lovejoy
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Good To The Very Last Bite?

I am a huge fan of waste-free holidays, whether this involves decorating from the garden, wrapping gifts in pillowcases or making enormous meals that recycle inventively. There is an art to determining what is a useful leftover and what really ought to go right into the worm bin (anything involving jello, for example). I came to this art slowly, because for years, I routinely overcooked on holidays. Yes, there can be soups and sandwiches and so on, but too often we ended up with a truly depressing amount of food that nobody really wanted to appreciate again.

One grand way to avoid this is to send each guest home with a hefty selection of entrees and side dishes. I ask each person or family to bring an assortment of take away containers and let them select what they know they can use later. This enormously reduces the overflow of food. Another good technique is to skillfully transform the remains of the day into dishes that are eaten with alacrity. Here are a few advance notions that might help to steer your holiday menu towards the Next Step.

Many Layered Splendor

My family’s favorite aftermath, Seven Layer Casserole is pre-seasoned and a snap to make. Vary the layers freely (including any cooked vegetables, raw mushrooms, and/or cranberry sauce); it all smells and tastes wonderful. This is the one dish everybody asks for so I make it in individual casserole dishes they can take home.

Seven Layer Casserole

1-2 cups gravy
1-2 cups merlot or any red wine
2-3 cups stuffing, chopped if chunky
2-3 cups cooked turkey, chopped
2-3 cups cooked sweet potatoes or yams, chopped
2-3 cups cooked carrots, broccoli, or green beans, chopped
1 white or yellow onion, chopped
4 cups fresh spinach or kale, trimmed and shredded
3-4 cups garlic mashed potatoes (or any)

Combine gravy and wine to make 3 cups total and cover the bottom of a large baking dish with 1/2 cup gravy mix. Layer on the stuffing, then the turkey and drizzle with 1 cup gravy. Add the sweet potatoes and the cooked vegetables and drizzle with 1/2 cup gravy. Top with onion and kale and pour on remaining gravy. Cover completely with potatoes and  bake at 350 degrees F. until hot through (35-40 minutes). Serve hot. Serves 4-6.

Sweet Hot Chili

Green Chili Turkey Casserole is a splendid meal for blustery winter nights. Hot and sweet peppers, green chili sauce, and crunchy corn chips give yesterdays’ turkey a fresh new twist.

Green Chili Turkey Casserole

3-4 cups cooked turkey, chopped
1 white or yellow onion, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, chopped
2 cups corn, drained or thawed
4 cups fresh spinach or kale, shredded
6-7 ounces green chili sauce
28-30 ounces fire roasted, crushed tomatoes
2-3 cups corn chips
1 cup jack or cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

Combine all ingredients except chips and cheese in a baking dish and stir to blend. Top with chips and cheese and bake at 350 degrees F. until hot through, 35-40 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 4-6.

Sumptuous If Sloppy

Hot Browns are glorified hot turkey sandwiches invented in Louisville long ago. Here is a quick and easy version that looks elegant and tastes delicious.

Speedy Hot Browns

4 slices pepper-backed bacon, cut in half
4 slices onion, 1/4 inch thick, cut in half
4 slices sour dough or whole grain bread, cut in half diagonally
2-3 cups cooked turkey, chopped
1/2 cup gravy
2-3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

Preheat broiler. In a heavy frying pan, cook bacon and onions over medium high heat, turning once (3-4 minutes per side). Arrange bread in four individual baking dishes, spread each with 1 teaspoon gravy, then top with onion, bacon, and turkey. Drizzle with remaining gravy, top with cheese and broil until bubbly (3-4 minutes). Serve hot. Serves four.

Impressive When Pressed

Italians make especially flavorful sandwiches by pressing them firmly to marry the ingredients thoroughly. Use sourdough or any favorite bread for Pressed Turkey Hero (garlic bread is fabulous).

Pressed Turkey Hero

1 sourdough baguette, sliced lengthwise
2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette or any dressing
1/2 cup fresh cilantro or basil, shredded
2-3 cups cooked turkey, chopped
1 cup roasted sweet red peppers, chopped
1/2 cup pickled Italian hot peppers, chopped
3-4 ounces provolone cheese, thinly sliced

Brush both inner sides of bread with dressing and sprinkle with cilantro. Layer on turkey, peppers, and cheese. Wrap bread in waxed paper and put it in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes beneath heavy cans or a carton of milk to press the layers together. Serve in thick slices. Serves 3-4.

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The Frost Is On The Grafted Tomatoes

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Ann Lovejoy
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Wonder Plants Won’t Quit

I know I’ve been going on about tomatoes a lot lately, but I am just fascinated with these grafted plants. With night temperatures plunging into the 30s and frost on the roof, I thought for sure the tomatoes would be goners. Well, the ungrafted plants have indeed collapsed and any tomatoes left on those vines are squashy and nasty. However, the grafted vines are still plump and sturdy, the foliage is still healthy looking, and wonder of wonders, the tomatoes remain firm and plump.

They even taste good! Today at lunch a friend and I enjoyed a salad with fresh basil and Indigo Rose and Black Sea Man tomatoes that was utterly delicious. She said “Wow, they taste like REAL tomatoes!” and indeed they do; sweet-tart, lively and richly flavorful. I’m really curious to see when they will finally give up the ghost.

Basil In Bloom

I brought two big pots of basil indoors a month ago and put them in a sunny window, where they are booming with new growth. I’ve cut these particular basil plants back for pesto four times now and they are still coming back strong. Right now, they are over two feet high, bushy and blooming, and the florets smell lovely, soft and sweet.

I also picked a handful of tiny wild strawberries and splashed them with a little balsamic dressing. I am always amazed at how they pack so much favor into such an itty bitty package. Even just a few add sparkle to a salad and taste dreamy with vanilla ice cream, and it’s such a treat to find them in chilly November.

Sage Pesto

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I decided to try my hand at a few herb pestos. The sage-based pesto is marvelous and I plan to spread it under the skin of our turkey before roasting (this is fabulous with basil pesto). Here it is:

Sage Pesto

1/4 cup raw almonds
3 large cloves red skinned garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sage leaves, rinsed, dried, stemmed
1/2 cup grated asiago cheese
1/4 cup fruity olive oil

In a food processor, grind almonds to a medium paste. Add garlic, salt, and pepper and grind to a fine paste. Add sage 1/4 cup at a time, grinding each addition well. Blend in cheese, adding olive oil as needed to make paste smooth. Spoon into glass jars, top with olive oil and refrigerate, tightly sealed. Makes about 1 cup.

Roast Turkey With Sage Pesto

1 turkey (any size)
1 cup sage pesto
2 teaspoons virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Rinse turkey and pat dry. With a sharp boning knife, slash skin at base of breast on both sides. With a turkey baster, blow air into skin and loosen it, then pat pesto under the skin to cover bird. Rub turkey skin lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff turkey with whatever you want (or stick in a quartered onion and an orange, sliced). Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook until juices run clear and internal temperature of the leg reaches 170 degrees (about 15 minutes per pound). Baste with pan juices two or three times each hour to glaze the skin. When done, tent with foil and let sit for 10 minutes before carving.

Here’s an even easier way that’s totally delicious:

Lemon Rosemary Turkey

1 14-16 pound turkey
1 organic lemon, rind grated, cut in half
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups rosemary sprigs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Rub turkey with cut lemons. Mix salt with lemon rind, set aside. Loosely stuff turkey with rosemary an lemons and rub skin with salt mixture. Bake breast side up at 425 degrees F for 2 hours or until internal temperature of the leg reaches 170 degrees. When done, tent with foil and let stand for up to an hour before carving to make meat more evenly moist. Serves about 20.

I’m not wild about stuffing, but I love bread pudding and often make savory versions to serve with roasted birds. Here’s a particularly pleasing one:

Apple Herb Bread Pudding

4 cups day-old wholegrain bread, cubed
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon thyme, stemmed and minced
1 teaspoon sage leaves, minced
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup onion, chopped
2 ripe apples, cored and diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
1 cup walnuts or pecans

Place bread in a baking dish. In a large pan, heat oil, garlic, paprika, thyme, sage and salt over medium high heat until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add onion, apple, and celery and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Combine eggs and milk, add to onion mixture and let stand 10 minutes. Pour over bread and mix well. Let stand 30 minutes (or overnight), then top with nuts and bake at 350 degrees F. until set (45-50 minutes). Serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 6-8.

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Jamming With Fall Fruits And Vegetables

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Ann Lovejoy
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Sweet And Savory Condiments

Though lovely, the prolonged autumn wasn’t all that warm, and the abbreviated summer left a lot of not-quite-ripe fruits and vegetables lingering in the garden. Happily, slightly unripe produce is perfect for making jams and chutneys. In my busy kitchen, apples, plums and pears join green and red tomatoes and peppers in an assortment of condiments that will carry a taste of summer well into winter.

French Green Tomato Jam is a traditional “slow food”, cooked and rested over several days. Beautifully thick and almost creamy in quality, it has a vivid, complex flavor that complements both sweet and savory dishes. Add this versatile stuff to a garlic vinaigrette or spoon it over ice cream, serve it with grilled salmon or toss it with chopped apples and raisins. It’s so good, especially when made with unripe Indigo Rose tomatoes, some of which are still hard as little black rocks, but oh so flavorful.

 

French Green Tomato Jam

8 cups green tomatoes, chopped
4 cups sugar
2 organic lemons, juiced, rind grated
1/2 teaspoon dried lavender

Combine tomatoes, sugar, lemon juice and rind in a bowl, cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Pour into a deep saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return to refrigerator, covered, for 8 hours or overnight. Again, bring to a boil in a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim foam (if any) Spoon into sterilized jars and seal. Makes about 6 cups.

Sweet-hot Green Pepper Jam can be used in similar ways and makes an intriguing sandwich spread when mixed with canned tuna or soft tofu. It’s also lovely on crackers with green apples and goat cheese. You can also use red, orange, or yellow peppers, all of which are rather sweeter and need less sugar to balance the bite. If you prefer a tarter taste, cut the sugar back to as little as 1/3 cup. The jam will have a softer set but will taste more complex.

Hot Green Pepper Jam

4 green peppers, seeded and chopped
2 white or yellow onions, chopped
2 organic lemons, juiced, rind grated
1 inch fresh ginger root, coarsely grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups sugar

In a saucepan, combine peppers, onion, lemon juice and rind, ginger, salt and pepper with water to cover. Bring to a simmer, stir in sugar and cook gently until soft (25-30 minutes). ÌSpoon into sterilized jars and seal. Makes about 4 cups.

Savory and spicy, Autumn Chutney can be made with peaches as well as pears, and there’s plenty of latitude in the seasoning (try a little garam masala, for instance). Serve this lush chutney with fish or chicken or brush over roasted root vegetables and broil for a few seconds.

Autumn Chutney

2 white or yellow onions, chopped
2 green apples, cored, chopped
2 firm pears, cored and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1/3 cup sugar

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to∞ low and simmer until thick (25- 30 minutes), stirring occasionally. Spoon into sterilized jars and seal. Makes about 4 cups.

Spunky Pear Chutney makes a lively partner for pork or chicken and tastes wonderful spread on rye bread and toasted till bubbly. Chopped finely into sour cream or plain yogurt, it makes a delicious Creamy Chutney Dressing for greens or fruit salads.

Pear Chutney

8 cups pears, cored and chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1 cup dried tart cherries or cranberries
1/2 cup candied ginger, chopped
2 inches fresh ginger, coarsely grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon fennel seed
2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick (60-90 minutes), stirring occasionally. Spoon into sterilized jars and seal. Makes about 6 cups.

Creamy Chutney Dressing

1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream (nonfat works fine)
1/2 cup chutney, finely chopped
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, stemmed

Combine all ingredients and let stand for 15-30 minutes. Serve at room temperature. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

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