Winter Comfort Menu
Cocktail: Spiced Apple Hot Toddy
Smoked Duck & Mixed Green Salad with Honey Dijon
Velouté de Champignons
Roasted Zucchini Boats
Roast Beef Persillade
Apple Crostata w/Ice Cream
Smoked Duck & Mixed Green Salad
Spiced Apple Hot Toddy
INGREDIENTS 6 Servings
2 ½ cups apple cider or unfiltered apple juice
3 TB light-colored raw honey
4 cinnamon sticks, plus more to garnish
2 tsp whole cloves
1 cup plus 2 TB of bourbon
3 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice
Apple slices, to garnish
DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan, combine the apple cider, honey, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and steep, covered, for 15 minutes. Strain out the solids, then stir in the bourbon and lemon juice. Divide among six mugs and garnish each mug with an apple slice and a cinnamon stick.
From Celebrations by Danielle Walker
INGREDIENTS 4 Servings
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½ pound ready-to-eat smoked duck breast (D’Artagnan makes a wonderful hickory-smoked duck breast)
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4 cups mixed salad greens, washed and spun dry
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½ cup dried cranberries, rehydrated in a splash of sherry or marsala
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2 TB chopped walnuts
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2 TB sherry vinegar
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3 tsp Honey Dijon Mustard
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1 small shallot, finely minced
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4 TB olive oil
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Salt and fresh cracked black pepper
This recipe is satisfying and SO EASY!
In a large bowl, mix the vinegar with the mustard and shallot. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add the mixed lettuce and walnuts and toss to coat. Top the salad with the cranberries, sliced duck breast, a few cracks of fresh pepper and flakes of salt, and serve.
Velouté de Champignons (Wild Mushroom Soup)
INGREDIENTS 6 Servings
1 oz. dried mushrooms, morel or porcini
6 cups chicken broth
2 TB butter
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 lbs button mushrooms, trimmed & sliced
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
2-3 TB flour
½ cup Madeira or dry Sherry
½ cup crème fraiche or sour cream
Salt and pepper
Snipped chives, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Rinse the dried mushrooms gently in running water to remove all grit. Then place in a saucepan with 1 cup of hot broth and let sit for 30-40 minutes to soak.
Melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot, add onions, and cook until softened and starting to turn golden.
Stir in the garlic and fresh mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes until they begin to soften. Add salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg, mix well. Then sprinkle the flour over the mixture, and mix well, stirring continuously until well blended.
Add the Madeira or Sherry, the remaining chicken broth, the dried mushrooms, and their soaking liquid (pass this through a fine mesh sieve to be sure there’s no additional grit). Cooked, covered, over medium heat for 30-40 minutes until the mushrooms are very tender.
Purée the soup in a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender until the soup is completely smooth. Strain back into the pot, pressing firmly to force the purée through the sieve. Stir in the crème fraiche or sour cream and sprinkle with the snipped chives to serve.
For a nicer presentation, you can roast a few sliced mushrooms in butter, then dollop some crème fraiche in the center of the bowl, then top with a couple mushrooms, and finish with the chives.
Roasted Stuffed Zucchini Boats
INGREDIENTS 6 servings
3 large zucchini, halved and seeds scooped out
Splash of Olive Oil
2 red onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 TB butter
4 TB sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
3 TB slivered almonds, lightly toasted in a pan until just fragrant
2 tsp fresh herbs, chopped
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Cut the zucchini in half and scoop out the seeds. Line the boats facing up on a cooking sheet and drizzle with some olive oil, rub all over the cut surfaces, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then turn facing down flat on the cooking sheet.
Roast in the hot oven laying flat for 10-15 minutes. Check partway through that the cut surfaces are starting to turn brown, then remove from oven and reduce temperature to 375°F.
Flip the zucchini boats facing up and let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, sauté the diced red onion and garlic in butter until softened. Add in the toasted almonds, the chopped sundried tomatoes and herbs and mix well.
Scoop this filling into the zucchini boats and gently press down. Top with the crumbled feta and return the boats to the oven to warm the filling through and melt the cheese.
You can serve this with any sauce you like (marinara or pesto on the bottom of the plate, or a lemon tahini sauce squeezed over the top)
Roast Beef Persillade with Potatoes, Brussels & Parsnips
INGREDIENTS 6 Servings
1 Beef Sirloin Tip roast (3-4 pounds)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
½ cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon salt
Small potatoes
Brussels Sprouts
Parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat oven to 325°F. Combine seasoning ingredients and moisten with olive oil until it just comes together; press onto the beef roast to adhere.
Place roast on large sheet pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is centered in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat. Do not add water or cover. Roast in 325°F oven 1-3/4 to 2 hours for medium rare; 2 to 2-1/4 hours for medium doneness.
Remove roast when meat thermometer registers 140°F for medium rare; 150°F for medium. Transfer to board; tent with foil. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 5°-10°F to reach 145°F for medium rare; 160°F for medium.)
Increase oven temperature to 425°F. Roast potatoes, Brussels and Parsnips additional 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Carve roast; serve with vegetables. Season with salt as desired.
Apple Crostata
INGREDIENTS 6 Servings
For the pastry:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated or superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 pound (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
1 1/2 pounds McIntosh, Macoun, or Empire apples (3 large)
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn the dough onto a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Flour a rolling pin and roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a baking sheet.
For the filling, peel, core, and cut the apples into thin slices. Toss with the orange zest. Cover the tart dough with the apple slices, mounding in the center and leaving a 1 1/2-inch border.
Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle.
Bake the crostata for 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Can be served with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream on top.
DIRECTIONS 6 Servings
For the pastry, place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas.
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