Appetizers

December, 2009

MENU

Gorgonzola Crostini
Cheddar and Horseradish Crostini
Mushroom Puffs
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Cold Crab Mold

RECIPES

Gorgonzola Crostini:

1 cup gorgonzola, crumbled

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

1 good quality French baguette

Mix cheese, cranberries and pecans together. Slice bread on diagonal into 1/2" thick slices. Arrange slices on foil or parchment lined baking sheet. Top slices with cheese mixture (about 1 big Tbsp per slice is good) and bake at 400 until warm and melting, approximately 8 minutes. Cheddar Crostini:
1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese1 large (or 2 small) green onion, chopped1 Tbsp prepared horseradish (not cream style or horseradish sauce, you want the refrigerated kind)1/3 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise1 good quality French baguette Mix all ingredients together. Slice bread on diagonal into 1/2" thick slices. Arrange slices on foil or parchment lined baking sheet. Top slices with cheese mixture and bake in 400 degree oven until melted and bubbly. Let cool on baking sheet until cheese is no longer molten and serve warm.

Mushroom puffs:

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed per package directions

1 package sliced mushrooms, chopped

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup white vermouth

1/4 cup cream

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté mushrooms in butter over medium heat until they have released their liquid and it has evaporated. Add vermouth and cook until evaporated. Salt and pepper to taste. Add cream and cook just until cream is hot and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Cut sheets of puff pastry into approximately 1" 1/2 squares. Place squares on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place a small amount of filling in the center of each square. Bake at 400 degrees until pastry is puffed and golden, about 8-10 minutes.

Andy's Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus:

12 asparagus
6 slices prosciutto
“Boursin” herbed cheese (or other soft herbed goat cheese)

Snap ends of asparagus. Peel asparagus. Cut each slice of prosciutto in half width-wise to create two long strips. Spread a small amount of cheese the length of each piece of prosciutto. Lay prosciutto cheese side up. Starting at top of asparagus, just below the tip, wrap the prosciutto down the asparagus.

Cold Crab Mold:

Melt together until smooth:1 can cream of mushroom soup (must be regular, full fat or it tastes funny)1 package cream cheese (again must be full fat or funny taste and texture)Remove from heat.
Dissolve1 package Knox gelatin 3 Tbs cold water
Mix into warm cheese/soup. Let cool to room temperature.
Stir in:
1 Cup finely chopped celery3 green onions1 can (approx 1 lb) lump crab meatPour into mold and refrigerate until set (several hours or overnight.) To unmold, remove from fridge. Run knife around edge. Dip mold into hot water bath for approximately 30 sec - 1 min until just loosened. Put plate on top of mold, invert and (in theory) you have success. If not, dip in water a bit longer and try again with a little shake.

Chicken Pot Pie

November, 2009

MENU

Chicken Pot Pie

Sparkling Rum Apple punch

Apple Galette

RECIPES

Chicken Pot Pie:
(serves 6-8)

1½ lb chicken boneless chicken pieces or 1 purchased rotisserie chicken
1 onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ inch round slices
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
½ stick butter (4 Tbsp)
½ cup flour
2 cups whole milk
1 to 1 ½ cups chicken stock
2 tsp dried thyme or herb de provance (1 tbs fresh thyme chopped)
Salt and pepper
1 recipe biscuit dough (below)

If using boneless chicken: Cut chicken into bite size chunks. Place chicken in pot and cover with water. Simmer chicken until cooked through. Cooking time will vary depending on size of pieces but should be approximately 8 minutes. Drain chicken.

If using rotisserie chicken: Cut up breast and thigh meat into bite size pieces. Pull remaining chicken from carcass and chunk or shred until you have 1 ½ lbs.

Sautee onions in butter until soft and translucent. Wisk in flour to form a roux. Cook for several minutes over low heat until raw flour smell is gone. Wisk in milk and bring to a boil. Add stock until sauce reaches correct consistency (thick but not gloppy.) Add carrots and mushrooms and simmer in sauce until just fork tender. Add chicken, herbs salt and pepper to taste. Add peas. Pour into individual serving bowls or into a large casserole dish. Top with biscuit topping.

Place bowls/casserole on a baking sheet. Bake in 400 degree oven for 25 -30 minutes or until biscuits are cooked and golden brown.

Biscuit topping:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
2 egg
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. well-shaken buttermilk


Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Place flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor. Cut butter into pieces and bury in four. Pulse mixture until forms coarse meal. (Can be done with your fingers or a pastry cutter.) Mix in cheese and thyme with a quick pulse or two. Add in 1 beaten egg and buttermilk pulsing until rough dough forms. Lightly flour a counter, a rolling pin, and your hands. Divide dough into 2 balls. Roll out first ball to a 1/4-in. thickness, then use a 2 1/2-in. biscuit cutter (or a small glass) cut into rounds, scraping and rerolling dough as needed. Repeat with second ball.
Place 3 rounds of dough on each potpie, overlapping as necessary. For a full pie layer, round evenly across top of dish. Brush dough with 1 beaten egg.

Galette:
A galette is like a free form pie. Galettes can be assembled quickly and make a nice rustic presentation. Check the “notes” section for how to make a galette even faster by using a purchased crust.

2 medium granny smith apples (can use any good baking apple)
1 cup raisins
½ cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
Pinch nutmeg (less than 1/8th tsp.)
Brandy or amaretto
1 egg beaten

Preheat oven to 400. Roll dough out into approximately 11-inch circle on floured work surface. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer dough circle to parchment paper by folding over rolling pin. Put raisins in microwavable bowl or measuring cup. Cover with brandy or amaretto. Microwave for 1-2 minutes until liquid boils. Set aside. Peal and core the apples. Cut apples into approximately ½ inch cubes. Drain liquid from raisins which should now be soft and slightly plumped. Toss apples, almonds and raisins with sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Pile apple mixture in center of dough in an even layer leaving approximately a 1 ½ inch border all around. Fold edges of dough up over edge of apples. Brush dough with beaten egg. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until pastry is golden and crisp. Let galette cool on baking sheet set on cooling rack for at least 10 minutes. After that it can be transferred to a serving plate with a large spatula (or two.) Cut into pie shaped wedges with sharp knife.

Serve with cinnamon spiced whipped cream.

1 recipe Julia Child’s Galette dough.

3 Tbs sour cream
1/3 cup ice water
1 cup flour
1 tsp sugar
¼ cup corn meal
½ tsp salt
7 Tbs cold butter, cut into 8 pieces

Stir together sour cream and water. Put flour, corn meal, salt and sugar in bowl of food processor. Pulse to combine. Drop butter pieces into food processor. Pulse 8-10 times until butter is in small pieces the size of peas. With machine running add sour cream mixture. Process until dough forms soft moist curds. Remove from processor. Divide dough in half and press into disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Can be kept in fridge for day or two.)

Sparkling Rum Apple Punch:
(4 cocktails)

1-1/3 cups frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed but undiluted
8 oz dark rum
4 tsp lemon juice (fresh is best)
12 cloves
2 sticks cinnamon, broken in half
1 bottle sparkling cider
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Lemon wedges

Mix first 5 ingredients in a pitcher. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. (This allows the spices to infuse the syrup.)

Mix sugar and ground cinnamon in a small plate. Rub rim of glass with lemon wedge. Dip rim of glass in cinnamon sugar. Divide syrup between 4 glasses. Top each glass with equal amount of sparkling cider. Garnish with cinnamon sticks from syrup and lemon wedge. (For a less sweet version mix 1/3 syrup to 2/3 cider.)

*This drink is best served in a large wine glass.


NOTES FROM "CLASS"

There are many ways to make the chicken pot pie an “any-night” meal. Shortcuts will get this one on the table in no time at all. This turns out just as good when using a rotisserie or leftover chicken. Actually, it’s a great recipe to use up leftover chicken or turkey. For that matter, it’s also great for using up veggies. Feel free to experiment with different veggies. Just make sure they are all cut the same size and pre-cook in the sauce veggies that will need more time than the short baking to reach a soft but not mushy texture.

After the chicken the most time consuming part of pot pie is the topping. Several shortcut options are available:
· “Grands” biscuits: These make a great quick biscuit topping. Simply stretch them out to twice their size and top the “pie.” Then bake according to package directions.
· Puff pastry: Perfect for a flaky crust topping. Defrost purchased puff pastry according to package directions. Cut pastry to fit over top of pie with ½ an inch overhang on all sides. Place pastry on top of pie and press onto sides of container to secure in place. Cut a small “X” in the center to vent the pie. (You can also make decorative slits in the top.) Bake in 400 degree oven until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Cooking time will very depending on size of pie but, in any event, should not exceed more than 25-30 minutes for a full size pie.
· Pre-made pie crusts: My least favorite option. I just don’t think they lend a good taste to the pot pie. I’m informed, however, that some people actually like pie crust. So, if you actually like a pie crust and don’t believe me that the other two options are better…defrost crust according to package directions. Cut to fit over pot pie. This will be more challenging because pie crusts are specific round sizes and it will require you to select a casserole dish that can accommodate the pie crust. A pie plate will not be deep enough. Place crust on top of pie and press to sides of container to secure in place. You can also make a decorative edge. Cut an X to vent the pie. Brush top of crust with beaten egg or cream. Bake in 400 degree oven until crust is golden brown. Time will vary based on size and thickness of crust.

The Galette can be made using a purchased pastry crust. NOT A PIE CRUST. Lunardi’s sells a “French pastry crust” in the freezer section. This is a butter based crust. Simply follow the above instructions, substituting a thawed pastry circle for the galette dough. This will cut the prep time down to about 10 minutes, which makes this the perfect dessert for a weeknight dinner party or last minute guests.
The Rum Apple Punch is our version of the Indian Summer Apple-tini from Cuisine at Home. Christy made them for pot pie night and we all decided they were way too sweet without more cider, but a bit more cider and you had a fabulous easy cocktail. I made them again for Christmas and let the base syrup mix sit in the fridge for about 3 hours prior to serving and the flavors from the clove and cinnamon were much better and there was no excess water from dissolving ice. These have been a hit all around. They are a great fall/Christmas drink and can be made in large batches. If you want to leave the syrup out in a pitcher for guests to self-serve, strain the cloves and cinnamon first to make it easier to pour. One final warning on the cocktail front: make sure you get most of your cooking done before you start drinking or the food pays the price. (As in not quite seasoned right and forgotten ingredients.) Otherwise now known at cooking class as, less drinky, more cooky!