How to Battle the Bland Turkey Blues!

Let's face it, turkey isn't the most flavorful of meats! So, I like to serve it with homemade "Cranberry Chutney with Orange and Ginger." This ruby red cranberry sauce is flavored with fresh orange juice and grated ginger, which brightens the tartness of the cranberries, makes a perfect accompaniment to any holiday turkey. Not only is this lovely chutney super simple to make, you can make it a few days ahead of time, always a bonus when planning a Thanksgiving meal. So, skip the gelatinous sauce from a can, and serve this instead! Your guests will thank you!

Cranberry Chutney with Orange and Ginger

Makes 3 cups

Ingredients:

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 tablespoon peeled, minced or grated, fresh ginger (I use my microplane.)

1, 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries

Squeeze of fresh lemon, to taste

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, add the orange juice, sugar, salt, and ginger. Bring to a boil and dissolve the sugar. When the sugar is dissolved, add the cranberries and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and partially cover the pan. (This prevents spatters as the cranberries begin to pop open!) Simmer until the sauce has thickened and all the berries have popped, about 5 minutes. Add a squeeze of lemon and refrigerate until ready to use. (This sauce looks particularly lovely when served in a clear crystal or glass serving dish!)

Fungi-Fanatic!

If you are not aware, I am crazy about mushrooms! I love their earthy flavor, tender flesh, and down right adorable appearance! I eagerly make any recipe with mushrooms as the star ingredient! I am such a fungi-fanatic that my kitchen is nicknamed "Mushroom's Cafe!" I am aware that there are a lot of people who claim they don't like mushrooms; however, I have changed a lot of minds by serving them Beef Bourguignon! 

Another absolutely stellar recipe featuring mushrooms, comes from The Inn at Little Washington Cookbook, by Patrick O'Connell. (If you missed my previous post regarding this magical place, please refer to Dreaming in Dalmation.) This recipe for "Fettuccine with Morel Mushrooms and Country Ham" exemplifies the rich indulgences offered at The Inn at Little Washington. Unfortunately, morel mushrooms are not available now, so I used Shiitake (stems discarded), but any fresh wild mushrooms will produce excellent results! One more thing, NEVER wash your mushrooms! Clean them with a soft brush or gently wipe them off with paper towels.

Fettuccine with Morel Mushrooms and Country Ham

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon salt

9 ounces fresh fettuccine (or 5 ounces dried)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup fresh morel mushrooms (or another wild variety)

1/2 teaspoon minced shallot

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

3 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste (I used white pepper)

1 cup very thin slices well-trimmed country ham, cut into ribbons the same width as the fettuccine

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (Don't skip the chives, they are essential!)

Directions:

Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil and add the 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the fettuccine until just barely al dente. Drain in a colander and toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Keep warm.

In a 10" saute pan, melt the butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add the morels just as the butter begins to color. Saute rapidly until the mushrooms begin to crisp around the edges. Add the shallot and garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat.

In a 4-quart saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Reduce the heat and add half of the sauteed mushrooms/shallot/garlic mixture. Reserve the other half for garnish. Cook until the cream thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Add the fettuccine to the sauce and toss well to combine.

To serve: Using tongs, place a mound of fettuccine in each of four warm serving bowls and pour a bit of the remaining sauce over the noodles. Place the reserved mushrooms on top of the fettuccine and divide the ham evenly among the bowls. Garnish with the chives. You'll love it!

Recipe adapted from The Inn at Little Washington Cookbook, by Patrick O'Connell.

Life's a Peach!

I was browsing a bookstore recently and saw Judith Jones' book The Pleasures of Cooking for One.  I don't know why, but it made me feel sorry for her.  If you're as lucky as I am, you should appreciate the fact that you can cook for people you love.  You're lucky to have them! Why don't you make them this Texas classic, Texas Hill-Country Peach Cobbler. It is so easy, so creamy, so crusty, and with a scoop of vanilla ice cream - Divine! My kids love to watch it cook in the oven, you'll see why! This is the last recipe in my trilogy of favorite recipes that are easy, most requested, and travel well.  If you're going to a Labor Day cookout, why not bring this?  If you missed the other two recipes, check them out: Salsa Mexicana and Corn Souffle.

Texas Hill-Country Peach Cobbler

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups sugar (separated into 1 cup plus 1/2 cup)

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup butter (melted)

3 cups fresh sliced peaches

9x13 baking dish (this makes a thinner cobbler with lots of crusty bits - this is what I use) or an 8x8x2 (this makes a thicker cobbler with less crusty bits)

Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pour the melted butter in the dish.  Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, 1 cup of sugar, and milk together and pour into the pan.  Do not stir!  Lay the peaches evenly over the batter.  Top evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar.  Bake for an hour. Bonus: Your house will smell great!