WINTER 2006 By Sheilah Kaufman

Here are some recipes to see you through the winter holidays or make for a morning after Brunch.

CHOCOLATE GRAPES

While waiting for the holiday meal put these out to pop in your mouth. Don’t tell your guests what’s in them. I had the pleasure of eating these at Citronelle recently and thought they were truffles until something squirted out of the centers into my mouth and surprised me. This is from my favorite chef, Michel Richard of Michel Richard Citronelle (and his newest book Happy In the Kitchen), a marvelous book for reading, entertaining with, and astonishing your friends and family

1 lb. cold firm seedless red grapes, stems removed
4 oz. 60% semisweet chocolate, melted, cooled to room temperature (see hint)
1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Dry the grapes well and place them in a bowl large enough to toss them easily. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the chocolate to the rapes about 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring well with a spatula, carefully scraping the sides of the bowl and folding through the center of the grapes to coat all of them evenly.

When the chocolate begins to set, using a small strainer, sprinkle the cocoa powder little by little over the surface. Gently toss or stir the grapes as you sift, continuing to ad the cocoa until all the grapes are well coated and separated. Spread on the prepared sheet.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the chocolate is set, or for up to 1 day. Makes 3 ups.

Hint: Melted chocolate temperature can be checked by dabbing a small amount on your lower kip. When it is “lip temperature” (or body temperature) it is ready to use.

BASIL AND RICOTTA TART

This very flavorful and unique tart, reminiscent of Italy, is a great addition to your appetizer repartee. This is a great recipe to double, freezing the extra tart for another use. The recipe is from Carol Dearth’s fabulous new book COOKING CLASS which besides being chock full of great recipes is loaded with marvelous hints and tips. Her pastry recipe is by far the easiest to work that I have ever found because it does not require chilling before it is rolled. And the result is flaky and tasty as ever.

pastry for two 8-inch tarts:

1 1/ 3 cups flour
1/ 2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons butter, CHILLED, cut in small cubes
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Sift flour and salt. Add butter cubes to flour, cut in until pieces are about half the size of a pea. By hand add 3 tablespoons ice water; bring mixture together with scraper. Add more water very slowly as necessary, taking care not to add too much. The dough should not be sticky or too soft to handle. Divide dough into two equal portions; shape into two balls, flatten into disks. If the dough is reasonably cool, you may work it immediately, or wrap and chill at 15 minutes. If you are preparing only one tart, freeze remaining pastry up to 2 months for another use.

On a lightly floured surface flatten and roll pastry, each time ROLL, SLIDE and TURN. Add flour as necessary. Check thickness; roll to 1/ 8 inch. Roll pastry around rolling pin; transfer to lightly greased tart pan. Cut off bit of excess, roll in flour, and use as a “pusher” to press edges to side of pan. Trim top with rolling pin. Go around top edge of pastry with thumb pushing up “thumbing up.” Chill on tray in the freezer 30 minutes. Prick bottom and sides of pastry shell with fork.

**To blind bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line pastry shell with baking parchment circle (cartouche). Fill with pie weights, pressing out to edge of pastry. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove pie weights and cartouche. Return to oven; continue baking 3 to 4 minutes longer. Pastry is done when bottom is dry. Cool on rack.

Filling for one 8” pastry shell:

2/ 3 cup fresh basil, or combination of basil and fresh spinach
2 teaspoons fresh parsley
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1 egg
salt and pepper

Process basil and parsley in food processor until coarsely chopped. Add oil, ricotta, Parmesan, process just until mixed. Add egg, salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into cooled pastry shell, distributing evenly. Bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cut into wedges, serve at room temperature. May be prepared one day in advance and refrigerated or frozen for 2 months.

Serves 4 to 6.

TECHNIQUE For Rolling Pastry

If you struggle to roll pastry because it sticks to the rolling surface or rolling pin, or if you just can’t get it into the pan here are a few tips from the pros:

Although the recipe on the right does not require chilling most others recommend it. So, if you are using another recipe, make sure the dough has been well chilled before attempting to roll it. The hardened butter will be much less sticky, and the dough will hold together more easily.

After kneading the dough to even out the temperature, roll it into a ball and then flatten into a disk. Smooth the edges, then begin rolling with the pin.

Your rolling surface should be DRY and lightly dusted with flour. Rub a bit of flour on the rolling pin as well.

Place the flattened pastry disk in the center of your surface. Begin to roll from the center out. Roll toward you, then away. Lift the dough, slide and rotate it 90°. Then roll toward yourself, and away. Continue rolling, sliding and turning. You may need to occasionally add a bit of flour to the rolling surface.

When dough is desired size and thickness hold the rolling pin near one edge. Fold the edge of the pastry over the rolling pin. Hold the pin above the pastry and carefully roll the pastry onto the rolling pin. Transfer to the pan unrolling the pastry sheet from one side to the other. Shape and chill in the freezer at least 15 minutes.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice, Cranberries, Walnuts, and Hickory-Baked Tofu

Diane Morgan, DELICIOUS DIPS, (Chronicle Books) told me this is an adaptation of a recipe given to her by Stephanie Rosenbaum, a San Francisco based food writer. Stephanie is a vegetarian, and this is her favorite Thanksgiving entrée. The festive combination of wild rice with sautéed vegetables, fresh herbs, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries tastes great and looks pretty on the plate. The addition of hickory-baked tofu adds a rich depth of flavor that complements the wild rice perfectly. I suspect you’ll have your turkey-eating guests asking for samples. . Cook’s Note: look for hickory-baked tofu in the refrigerator case of natural food stores.

4 acorn or dumpling squash
Freshly ground pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ cups wild rice
1¾ cups canned vegetable broth
¼ teaspoon salt, plus extra to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion (about 12 ounces), finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large ribs celery, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
½ cup minced fresh parsley
1 package (6 ounces) hickory-baked tofu, cut into ¼-inch dice (see Cook’s Note)
¾ cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see Cook’s Note, page XX)
¾ cup sweetened dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Cut each squash in half crosswise. Scoop out and discard the seeds and strings. If necessary, trim the top and bottom so that the squash will sit level, and place on a rimmed baking sheet, cut side up. Sprinkle each half with a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg, to taste. Using 2 tablespoons of the butter, dot each half with some butter. Cover the pan with foil and bake the squash just until moist and tender, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the rice, vegetable broth, ¼ teaspoon salt, and 2 cups of water, in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes.

In a 10-inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Swirl to coat the pan and sauté the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Cover the pan, adjust the heat to medium-low, and cook the vegetables until crisp-tender, 5 minutes longer. Add the sage, thyme, and parsley and sauté 1 more minute. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, sautéed vegetables, tofu, walnuts, and dried cranberries. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Mound the rice mixture into the squash halves, dividing it evenly. Cut the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into small pieces. Dot each stuffed squash with butter. Cover with foil. Bake at 350ºF until heated through, about 20 minutes.

Serves 8

GRATIN OF FENNEL AND TOMATO

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard guests say, ‘Fennel? I’ve never tasted fennel. This is delicious.’ Whether sautéed, braised, or sliced raw for salads, fennel is always a surprise and a delight to serve. Sometimes labeled sweet anise, fennel has a texture similar to celery and a lovely, mild licorice flavor, which is a perfect foil for a rich meal. This gratin dish has been a part of my Thanksgiving buffet for at least 15 years—it’s now a tradition for us, and my family would be disappointed to do without it.” Diane Morgan Thanksgiving Table (Chronicle Books)

¾ cup dried bread crumbs
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion (about 12 ounces), halved, and cut into ¼-inch slices
6 fennel bulbs, trimmed of stalks, halved, cored, and cut into ¼-inch slices
1 can (28 ounces) dice tomatoes, drained
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
¾ cup (3 ounces) grated Parmesan cheese, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
Minced zest of 1 lemon

In an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat, toast the bread crumbs, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In a 12-inch sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat, and swirl to coat the pan. Sauté the garlic and onion until soft, but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the fennel and continue sautéing, stirring frequently, until the fennel has softened and is beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper to taste. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a shallow oven-to-table casserole or gratin dish.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and lemon zest. Sprinkle evenly over the fennel mixture. (The gratin can be made up to this point 6 to 8 hours ahead. Cover, and set aside at room temperature.)

Bake the gratin until heated through and the topping is crisp, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 10

CILANTRO-ONION RELISH

This tangy relish is a terrific condiment for steak, chicken or fajitas. Or stir the relish into 2 cups of sour cream to make a delicious sauce for chicken, shrimp, salmon, or beef or a dip for chips! This recipe is from Happy Holidays From the Diva of Do-Ahead A Year of Feasts to Celebrate with Family and Friends by Diane Phillips (Harvard Common Press).

1 cup packed fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1/ 2 cup finely chopped sweet yellow onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/ 2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. Makes about 2 cups.

CRAZY CRUST PIE

A great recipe for those who love pies but who hate to make pie crusts - or, like me, eat the inside and discard the crust! In the summer I use peaches instead of apples.

5 to 6 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced or peaches
3 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
l 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 Tablespoons butter or margarine
l cup sugar
2 large eggs
l cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place the apple slices in a 9-inch or 10-inch pie pan.
Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle half over the apples.
In a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed, cream together the margarine and the sugar.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the flour, mixing only until ingredients are blended.
Spread the batter over the fruit, being careful to leave a l” rim of fruit showing at the edge. Sprinkle the remaining sugar-cinnamon mixture over the batter.
Bake the pie for one hour at 350 F.Cool on a wire rack for one hour.
Serve the pie at room temperature or chilled.

Serves 6 to 8.

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