Holiday Smorgasbord
Today I’m serving up a smorgasbord of what I hope are tasty little bites…recipes and recipe ideas that have come my way recently. You’ll find something to suit all cravings on this buffet.
As I often do when I write, I’ve got a cup of CDM coffee by my side, and today, a nibble of glazed almond-flavored butter cookies that we made yesterday. Makes me think of Scott’s Swedish grandmother’s beloved Mazariner, that I might make this week.
The almond cookies. Gosh, cats do love Christmas!
The Oregonian recently published my photo and an article about my eating and exercising program (well, “program” sounds far more defined and scheduled than it actually is). I think Nancy Dow did a nice job, although she didn’t include the part about my dietary weakness for animal fat. Anyway, having that photo shoot behind me sent me on a pork jag. Really. The first thing I did was make toffee, and topped it with dark chocolate and bacon. I’ll be making another batch to serve at our winery staff holiday party this weekend. The original recipe came from Springbrook Hazelnut Farm, a wonderful B&B in Newberg OR. The inspiration to add the valrhona and bacon came late at night.
A few days later, I cooked a big pot of meaty pork chops with assorted root vegetables. Love. At the same time I cooked the chops, I threw a ham hock in a pot of split peas. If I’m going to be in the kitchen for 2 hours or more, there’s no reason not to have a pot of beans on – beans, water, onions, bay leaf, ham hock, done. This is high on my list right now of big flavor, low effort dishes. (For one pound split peas, picked through and rinsed, add 5 cups water or stock, 1 medium onion chopped, one ham hock, one bay leaf if you like. Boil, scoop any foam, and simmer 1 ½ hours. You can add diced carrot to the pot for the last twenty minutes. Remove ham. When cool enough to handle, pick and chop the meat and stir back in. Add salt to taste. This will serve 4-6. Might as well do two pots and double it). It’s a great time of year to have this in the fridge or freezer to eat before or after a party, or just for a great winter lunch to warm you up.
Portland’s Food Dude (restaurant reviewer and blogger) says he is throwing himself on the grenade of bad food, to save you. Well, let’s just say that I clip and source a LOT of recipes. And, no big surprise, they are not all good. I can’t think of any disasters of late, but I certainly will spare you everything that was underwhelming. I look at it a little like photos, pre-digital. If one photo out of the whole roll of film is a gorgeous keeper, I’m pleased. Here are two recent recipe hits that will make it into the Wright Family Favorites:
Maple Cream. A Betty Rosbottom revelation (cooking teacher, author). I made her apple crumble with cranberries for Thanksgiving and it was quite good and worthy of a repeat. Especially so for the versatile maple cream. I just might not ever make plain whipped cream again. It would be exceptional on a flourless chocolate cake, or a pumpkin or pecan pie, and especially on berries in the summer. It would kick up morning pancakes to the level of 5 star hotel brunch, as it did here, atop my father’s recipe for orange pancakes. I topped them with maple cream and chopped pecans and a few dried cranberries.
My father's pancake recipe, topped with maple cream and chopped pecans
Apple Cranberry Crisp, recipe from Betty Rosbottom
And here’s a great one from someone Scott has toured through a few of the most famous vineyards in Burgundy. What does Rajat Parr, sommelier/owner of red-hot RN74 restaurant in San Francisco cook for friends, late-night, from mere pantry staples? Cheesy Farro and Tomato Risotto (based on recipe printed in Nov Food & Wine Magazine). In the spirit of the recipe (using what’s on hand), I substituted barley for the farro. I also used some fresh vegetable stock instead of water, because I had the pot of root vegetables cooking. It went over big with my taste-testers. I love the idea of serving this alone as a simple supper, or before or after a holiday party, or even as a side dish, as a creamy and comforting but healthier alternative to pasta or mac ‘n cheese.
Scott snapped this shot at the Paulée de Meursault of wine writer/author Jordan Mackay, left, and Raj Parr, the man who drinks perhaps more outstanding Burgundy on a daily basis than anyone else (yes, more than Scott).
