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New Year's Day, 2019

1/2/2019

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S! Wishing all of you the best in 2019...

Yesterday was our 32nd (!) annual New Year's Day Brunch. Two of our regulars, unfortunately, were in France and not celebrating with us this year (unfortunate for us, not for them ;) We ended up being a group of eleven.

This year's menu took on somewhat of an Italian theme. I've been on a polenta kick recently, making pork ragu with polenta for Christmas dinner. Yesterday, I switched out the pork for a mushroom ragu with marsala. Of course, I hoped it would be good, but I was not expecting how good! Right now I cannot remember an entrée that I loved as much as this. If you're in need of a supreme, comforting meal anytime soon, make this!

The drinks table... Prosecco and orange juice, always.

To start off...

Four of my favorite attendees...

I used cremini, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms, a total of 3 pounds, for the ragu; enough to feed 12.

Dessert was an Italian Trifle with Marsala syrup. The sponge cake was baked with fresh orange zest ( recipe HERE )

MUSHROOM RAGU
recipe, adapted, from Giada De Laurentis
+ The recipe below will feed 4 persons, although the original recipe says 6 persons. For my brunch, I tripled this recipe to feed 12, using slightly less broth (4-4 3/4 cups) in the process.
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound mixed mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shiitake) chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Marsala
• 2 cups chicken broth (if tripling this recipe, use less than 6 cups. See above)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup grated Parmesan

In a large skillet heat the oil. When almost smoking, add the onions and garlic over medium-low heat until the onions have wilted, about 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to high and saute until mushrooms are tender and all the liquid has evaporated. Remove pan from heat and pour in Marsala. Return pan to stove and allow wine to evaporate, about 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer for 1/2 hour until the sauce has reduced by half. Add heavy cream and mix well. Take the pan off the heat and add the fresh parsley and Parmesan and mix thoroughly.

CREAMY POLENTA
+ adapted recipe from allrecipes.com
Serves 4-6
• 4 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup polenta
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Regianno cheese

1. Bring water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan; pour polenta slowly into boiling water, whisking constantly until all polenta is stirred in and there are no lumps.
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Polenta mixture should still be slightly loose. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes, whisking every 5 to 6 minutes. Polenta is done when texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender.
3. Turn off heat and gently stir butter into polenta until butter partially melts; mix 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into polenta until cheese has melted. Stir and taste for salt before transferring to bowls. Top with Mushroom Ragu and serve.

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New Year's Day Brunch... 2017

1/2/2017

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This is usually the way it goes...
Two, maybe three, or even four months before New Years Day, I start thinking about the brunch menu. I piece together the different courses, in my head, of what I'm going to prepare for the first day of the new year. I'm confident about all of the details, so... I stop thinking about it. That, however, never seems to be the New Year's Day brunch menu I end up preparing. At the last minute I usually change everything.

I hosted a time consuming luncheon plus a dinner the week between Christmas and New Years... I ended up taking a more relaxed approach to my brunch. Below are photos of New Year's Day and the recipe for our main course.

Bisous taking a break while the rest of us are eating our meal...

Smoked Salmon + Potato Breakfast Casserole

• an adapted recipe, Bon Appétit | December 2002
+ Double the ingredients below to serve 12-16 people, as I did

• 2 cups (lightly packed) 1/2-inch cubes of French baguette with crusts
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter + 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1/2 pound hot-smoked salmon fillets, skinned and flaked into bite-size pieces
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup half and half
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Additional sour cream
• Capers
• Fresh dill sprigs
1. Preheat oven to 400˚F. Arrange bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until pale golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375˚F.
2. Butter a baking dish. On a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, toss the potato cubes with the 2 T. butter and 2 T. olive oil. Roast, stirring often, until potatoes are golden and tender when pierced. Add the shallots and continue to roast a few more minutes, stirring often until soft. Remove from oven. In a large bowl gently combine potatoes with the bread, salmon, chives, and minced dill. Transfer mixture to prepared dish.
3. Whisk together the eggs and next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well. Pour custard over the ingredients in baking dish. Let stand 15 minutes, occasionally pressing bread into custard. Can also be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.
4. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Bake the casserole, uncovered, until the custard is set, about 30 minutes. Serve with additional sour cream, capers and dill sprigs. Serve hot.

Bisous' first New Year's Day brunch... and he was wiped after hosting family and friends.

Until next year...

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Blood Orange & Bittersweet Chocolate Sorbet

1/3/2016

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This is the last photo from our New Year's Day brunch menu. I am loving this sweet/tart sorbet. And with winter prime time for blood oranges, I suggest you make this as soon as possible. A new, huge favorite of mine!

RECIPE, adapted... Sunset | January 2016

• 6 to 7 pounds blood oranges
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup Campari
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60 percent cacao), chopped
1. Zest 2 oranges and set zest aside. Cut all oranges in half crosswise and juice enough to make 3 cups.
2. Heat 3/4 cup orange juice, the sugar, and corn syrup in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in zest, remaining juice, and the Campari. Nest pan in a bowl of ice water, stirring occasionally, until mixture is cold, about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate in a shallow metal bowl set over a saucepan with about 1 inch barely simmering water (or melt gently in a microwave). Set a sheet of parchment paper flat on a baking sheet. Spread chocolate on top in a 7-inch square. Freeze until firm, at least 20 minutes; keep in freezer.
4. Freeze juice mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a metal bowl, cover, and freeze 1 hour. Break up chocolate into pieces about 1/2-inch-by-1-inch. Stir sorbet to blend, then fold in chocolate with a flexible spatula until evenly distributed. Freeze until sorbet is firm enough to scoop, at least 3 more hours. Stir well one more time before serving.
MAKE AHEAD: Up to 1 week; before serving, let stand at room temperature about 15 minutes to soften.

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New Year's Day Brunch 2016

1/2/2016

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Our annual tradition... a pictorial

SMOKED HAM ROLLS | Saveur, October 2005

• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 7 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
•2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 10 ounces black forest ham, cut into small cubes

1. Dissolve yeast in 2 1⁄3 cups warm water in a small bowl; set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Grease a large bowl with oil and set aside. Combine flour, salt, and sugar in another large bowl, add yeast mixture, and stir until dough is stiff. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 15 minutes. Knead ham into dough, shape dough into a ball, and transfer to prepared bowl. Cover bowl with a clean damp dish towel and set aside, in a warm spot, to let rise until doubled in bulk, 1–1 1⁄2 hours.
2. Lightly dust 2 sheet pans with flour and set aside. Turn dough out onto a clean surface, divide into 24 equal pieces, and shape each into a ball. Put 12 dough balls on each pan, about 1" apart, cover with clean damp dish towels, and set aside, in a warm spot, to let rise until doubled in bulk, 1–1 1⁄2 hours.
3. Move one of the oven racks to center of oven and another oven rack to lower third of oven. Put a small pan of water on lower rack. Preheat oven to 400°. Bake rolls until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped, 25-30 minutes. Transfer rolls to a cooling rack to cool.

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Tartine's Banana Cream Pie

1/4/2015

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I served a Banana Cream Tart (recipe from bakery par excellence, Tartine, in San Francisco) at my New Year's Day Brunch. It was my favorite part of the meal. But as you probably know by now... I'm partial to desserts. As much as I love this tart, I was reluctant to share the recipe in my post of our New Year's Day Brunch. It's a lengthy recipe with several components. There's the tart dough, the pastry cream, the caramel sauce, and then... the assembly. But what you need to know is... you do not have to do this in one day. The caramel sauce will keep for many days in your refrigerator. The pastry cream can also be made ahead of time. I made mine the day before New Years, and just used the last bit of it today... three days later. And the tart dough... make it days or weeks ahead and freeze until needed... simple!

On my first date with my husband-to-be 44 years ago (geez... did I just say 44 years ago?!?), we went to the House of Pies (do those places even exist anymore?). I remember Bill ordering a slice of banana cream pie and saying banana cream was his favorite. Guess who's going to be eating this little banana cream tart tonight?

• recipe adapted from TARTINE by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Roberston

• Fully baked and cooled 10-inch tart dough pie shell, recipe below (I made Tartine's tart dough recipe for this tart, but I'm giving you a recipe for another favorite tart dough of mine)
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup very cold, heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup caramel, recipe below
• 2 1/2 cups cold pastry cream, recipe below
• 2 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 3 ounce bittersweet chocolate bar, for making curls (a thick piece of chocolate helps in making the curls)

ASSEMBLY:
1. Have the fully-baked pastry shell ready for filling. Melt the chopped bittersweet chocolate either by short bursts in a microwave oven or in a stainless steel bowl placed over a pot of simmering water. Do not let the stainless steel bowl touch the water. Stir until the chocolate has just melted; remove from heat. Using the back of a spoon, spread the melted chocolate over the base of the pastry shell. Transfer pastry to refrigerator to cool for 10 minutes.
2. While chocolate is chilling, pour the heavy cream into a mixing bowl and using either a hand-held whisk or an electric mixer, whisk cream until it begins to thicken. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until it holds medium-firm peaks.
3. Remove from the pastry crust from the refrigerator. Drizzle the caramel evenly over the chocolate. If the caramel has been stored in the refrigerator, warm in a microwave or by setting the container in a bowl of hot water until desired consistency.
4. Spoon the chilled pastry cream evenly over the chocolate and caramel. It is not necessary to stir the pastry cream when you remove it from the refrigerator. Take the sliced bananas and evenly cover the top of the pastry cream, gently pressing the bananas into the pastry cream.
5. Top the tart with the billowy whipped cream and finish with a sprinkling of chocolate curls. To make the chocolate curls, warm the bar of chocolate, but do not melt! I placed my bar briefly on the top of my oven while the tart shell was baking. Use a vegetable peeler or a chefs' knife and run it across the top of the chocolate to create the curls -- I prefer using a vegetable peeler.
6. Chill the tart for at least 3 hours after assembly and serve the pie cool. (I pull my tart from the refrigerator about 45 minutes before I plan to serve it.) It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

PASTRY CREAM:
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 vanilla bean
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1. Have at the ready a bowl for cooling the pastry cream with a fine-mesh sieve placed on top.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
3. Pour milk into a heavy saucepan. Split the vanilla bean half lengthwise and using the tip of a small knife, scrape the vanilla seeds from the bean and transfer to the milk. Add the salt and place the saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to just under a boil, stirring occasionally and making sure that the milk solids are not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
4. When the milk is ready, slowly ladle about one-third of the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the hot milk and and continue to whisk over medium heat until the mixture is as thick as lightly whipped cream. It must come just to a boil -- there is a fine line between thickened and curdled cream. Remove from the heat and immediately pour through the sieve into the bowl. (If left in the pan too long, the pastry cream will continue to cook.) Let cool for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to release heat.
5. When the pastry cream has cooled (about 140˚F), stir in the butter one piece at a time, whisking until smooth before adding the next piece.
6. To cool the cream, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and press the plastic onto the pastry cream. This will keep the pastry cream from developing a skin. Place in refrigerator to chill. Do not whisk the pastry cream once it is cold. Doing that will break down and thin the cream.

CARAMEL:
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 vanilla bean
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1. Pour the heavy cream into a small, heavy saucepan. Split the vanilla bean, and using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the bean and add to the milk. Place pan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to just under a boil. Reduce the heat to low to keep the milk warm.
2. In a medium , heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water, salt, and corn syrup (I used a deep sauté pan. When the hot cream is added, the caramel will boil at first and increase in volume.) Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Then cook, without stirring, until the mixture is amber colored, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Very carefully and slowly, add the cream to the sugar syrup. The mixture will boil furiously at first, but will then simmer down. Whisk until smooth. Add the lemon juice and let mixture cool for about 10 minutes.
4. Add the butter to the caramel, one piece at a time, whisking constantly after each addition. Whisk the caramel occasionally as it continues to cool.
• The caramel will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 month.

TART DOUGH:
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 10 tablespoons butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 egg

Combine salt, flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process briefly. Add butter and pulse until until the size of peas. Add egg and process just until the dough begins to come together. Press into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 2 hours before rolling dough. Bake the tart shell, lined with foil and weighted with dried beans, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until golden.

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New Years Day 2015... the brunch

1/2/2015

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We welcomed 2015 with our annual New Year's Day Brunch. And I must ask, how do so many people take such stunning photos of their elaborate meals? Documenting my brunch is usually an afterthought. There is just too much going on in my kitchen! Maybe next year I'll ask everyone attending to bring along their cameras (or phones) and click away. I did, however, get a few shots of the celebration, and here they are!
ABOVE... Gruyére Gougéres and Canelés de Bordeaux welcomed our guests, along with Pomegranate Champange Punch to wash it all down.

• Pomegranate-Champagne Punch (recipe HERE)
• Gougéres
• Canelés de Bordeaux (recipe HERE)
• Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Corn Pancakes
• Oranges with Vanilla and Rosemary (recipe HERE)
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Walnuts (recipe HERE)
• Tartine's Banana Cream Tart with Chocolate and Caramel

My friend Lynn arrived early to assist me in the kitchen. Without her help, we would have been eating hours later... a New Year's Day dinner instead of brunch.

I have to admit, everything on the menu was pretty delicious! I quadrupled the recipe for Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs. After braising the ribs, I was left with a huge pot of beer broth to reduce. I did that very slowly, and was rewarded with a thick, dark, flavorful sauce for the shredded beef.
I roasted enough of the Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Walnuts (recipe from Stacey Snacks) to have leftovers. The first thing I thought about this morning was heating up a bowl of the sprouts for breakfast. Unfortunately for me, my husband was thinking the same thing. I found the empty container in the sink...

• recipe from BREAKFAST for DINNER by Lindsay Landis & Taylor Hackbarth

Makes 4 servings

FOR THE SHORT RIBS
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds beef short ribs
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
• 1 (14.9-ounce) can beer, preferably a stout such as Guinness
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE PANCAKES
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (I used frozen corn)
• Olive oil, for cooking
• 1 Granny Smith apple, diced

1. Preheat oven to 300˚F. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ribs and sear for approximately 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly on all sides. Transfer ribs to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add the onions and jalapeños to the pot; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add beer and broth, and cook briefly, stirring to remove any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the brown sugar, tomato paste, honey, cinnamon, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add the short ribs and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pot and place on the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 2 1/2 hours, turning the ribs once, until the meat is very tender. Remove ribs from liquid and when cool enough to handle and shred the meat. Dispose of bones and any fat. Place the beef in an airtight container and refrigerate.
3. Transfer the liquid to a large bowl or pitcher and refrigerate until cold and the fat has solidified on top. (You can do this up to a couple of days ahead as I did). Remove as much fat as possible from the liquid.
4. When ready to proceed with the recipe, return the liquid to a large saucepan and over medium heat, reduce the liquid by at least one-third. I quadrupled my recipe and had a huge amount of liquid. I reserved about 4 cups to freeze for future use, and reduced the remaining beer-broth liquid over medium-low heat to about half of its original amount. I then stirred in the shredded beef, and simmered the mixture, until heated through.
5. While the broth was reducing, I mixed up the pancake batter. Preheat oven to 200˚F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the corn kernels.
6. Pour a small amount of olive oil into a large, non-stick skillet (I prefer to use cast iron). Heat over medium-high heat and when hot, drop batter into the skillet and spread into 3-inch rounds. Cook until golden brown, flip and brown the other side. Place the pancakes on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while making additional pancakes. To serve, top each pancake with the braised, shredded beef. Sprinkle with diced Granny Smith apples.

Tartine's Banana Cream Tart with Chocolate and Caramel

I always say, if anything happens to the main course... there's still dessert! And this Banana Cream Tart was as good as I remember it being when I sampled a piece at Tartine in San Francisco several years ago. After our brunch, there was one slice left. When all of our guests departed, I ran into the kitchen and downed that remaining slice; no sharing by me. It was probably pay-back when my husband left me with an empty brussels sprouts container.

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Brunch -- January 1, 2014

1/2/2014

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New Years Day Brunch is now just a memory. An hour of champagne toasts (of which I no longer partake -- too much of a risk factor in the success of the ensuing meal) were followed by 3 courses and 5 hours at the dining table. It is a tradition that we have celebrated with the same friends for 25+ years.

MIMOSAS with PROSECCO
                  SMOKED SALMON with LATKES and HARD-BOILED EGGS
                        POPOVERS
                      BRIOCHE with PROSCIUTTO, GRUYèRE, and EGG
                        CITRUS PAVLOVAS with GRAPEFRUIT and MINT

First course was the Smoked Salmon with Latkes and Hard-Boiled Eggs. This was an appetizer I had this past summer at a lodge in Glacier National Park and knew immediately I would be including it in my New Years Day Brunch. I made the latkes ahead and froze them, reheating them directly from the freezer to oven (350˚ for 15 minutes). They were delicious; tender on the inside with a crispy outside. Recipe for the latkes HERE.

Salmon balls were made by mincing Norwegian smoked salmon with a chef's knife, then formed by hand into balls (24 ounces for 8 servings). The potato latkes were placed upon a dollop of sour cream with additional sour cream to secure the salmon; another small spoonful on top was sprinkled with chives. Surround with sliced hard-boiled eggs and toss on chopped red onion and capers. Amazing!

Second course was Brioche with Prosciutto, Gruyère, and Egg; a recipe by Suzanne Goin. I chose to make my own brioche that was sliced thick, spread with salted European butter and placed under the broiler. The bread was then topped with Gruyère, melted under the broiler and finished off with an arugula salad (frisée was called for but what I found at the grocery was disappointing), prosciutto, and a fried egg -- my kind of salad! With purchased brioche, it would go together quite fast.

And for dessert...

Citrus Pavlovas with Grapefruit and Mint

Just the kind of dessert needed after the rich excesses of the holidays; baked meringues flavored with citrus beneath a cloud of orange marmalade whipped cream, and fresh grapefruit segments.

+ Citrus Pavlovas with Grapefruit and Mint
recipe from the Jewels of New York

• 4 large egg whites
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• juice of half a lime
• 1 cup fully whipped cream
• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 2 grapefruits, segmented for garnish
• mint sprigs, for garnish
• honey for drizzling

1. Preheat the oven to 225˚F. Whisk the egg whites and salt together until firm peaks form. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to whip th e egg whites. Add the cream of tartar, orange extract and lime juice. Mix together until well combined. On a piece of parchment paper, use a teacup to trace six circles, each 4 inches in diameter. Spoon the meringue onto the parchment paper, using the circles as a guide. Place in the oven and bake for about 2 hours, until crisp on the outside and soft in the center.
2. Fold the orange marmalade into the whipped cream. Place pavlovas on a serving dish and garnish with a generous dollop of the marmalade cream mixture, a few segments of grapefruit, mint sprigs and a drizzle of honey, if desired.

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Welcoming the New Year

1/2/2012

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Wow... it feels like I've been gone forever. December was filled with a string of events that allowed me little time for Passions to Pastry. Aside from the Christmas holiday with out-of-town family visiting, my husband and I left for several days (unheard of two weeks before Christmas!) and traveled to southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. Now that my husband is retired, I expect we will occasionally... just take off.

     We drove to Bentonville, Arkansas to tour the month-old Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. We were impressed by more than the amazing artwork that spans centuries, most of which was already in the possession of Alice Walton (daughter of Sam Walton) when she first proposed opening a museum in the hometown of retailer Walmart. The museum's building, designed by architect Moshe Safdie, is reason enough to make the pilgrimage to Arkansas.
     My eldest daughter also became engaged in December. I guess I am now going to find out anything and everything that's involved in planning a wedding.
     And, as I have done for over 20 years, I prepared for my annual New Year's Day brunch.

Appetizers to occupy my 13 guests -- Bar Nuts, Chocolate and Ginger Scones, and a Blue Cheese, Pecan, and Port Dip.

I just had to make the Cauliflower Soup with Parsley Oil, Almonds and Carrot-Ginger Sorbet that I ate in Paris last fall and recreated for a dinner party I hosted in October. The soup was followed by Steak au Poive, Shingled Potatoes, Seared Haricot Verts, and 2 Chocolate-Orange Rolls with Candied Orange Zest.

I found the recipe for this Chocolate Roll at Joy the Baker, and made it as she did, with a peppermint whipped cream filling for my Christmas Eve dinner. I changed it out for New Year's, flavoring the heavy cream with lots of orange zest and a good dose of Grand Marnier. I then diced candied orange peel I had made and sprinkled it onto the oozing chocolate ganache that topped the chocolate logs.

• Chocolate Cake (go here for the recipe)
Orange Cream Filling:
• 1 1/4 cup heavy cream, cold
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Scrapings from 1 big, moist, vanilla bean
• Finely grated zest from half of a large, organic orange
• 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier
1. Place all of the Orange Cream Filling ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until you have soft peaks.
2. Spread onto the chocolate cake and proceed with Joy the Baker's recipe.
3. Once the cake roll is drizzled with the chocolate ganache, top with diced Candied Orange Peel (recipe here).

Happy New Year!

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NEW YEARS DAY BRUNCH 2010 - and a great dessert

1/2/2010

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We just hosted our 23rd annual New Year's Day Brunch. Joined by good friends and family, we celebrated the first day of the New Year with food, champagne and very cold temperatures.

The menu consisted of (I'll start with dessert; always my favorite course) little, individual graham cracker tart shells filled with a rich chocolate ganache and topped with giant, torched homemade marshmallows. It's become somewhat of a tradition that I make a dessert that I can torch!

      I just loved these tarts and the good news is, you do not have to make your own marshmallows, as I did. You can use purchased, grocery store marshmallows. But what I found, long after brunch was over and all of the dishes had been washed and put away, and I pulled another little tart from the refrigerator as a bedtime snack -- it was extremely good without the marshmallow on top! You could easily serve this dessert unadorned as individual tarts, or easier yet, one large tart (a small shard of gold leaf would be beautiful... or a sprinkling of fleur de sel, maybe a drizzle of caramel; just make sure you use really good chocolate - it's key).

                ChocolateGanacheS'Mores
    adapted from Deep Dark Chocolate by Sara Perry

Crust
• 1 1/3 cups non-trans fat graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
Filling
• 5 ounces premium dark chocolate, chopped (I used Callebaut)
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• Pinch of salt (I used fleur de sel, and I used more than a large pinch, but I love it when used with chocolate)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping
• large, fresh homemade or purchased marshmallows (link to recipe below)

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter until well blended and crumbly. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch tart pan and lightly press onto the bottom of the pan; or use 10 individual, small tart pans as I did, approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Bake until set and fragrant, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature.
2. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk and butter until the butter is melted (I did this in a microwave); stir to combine and pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for several minutes, then stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the salt and vanilla and let cool completely. Pour into the crust and refrigerate until well-chilled, at least 4 hours.
3. Right before serving, top with a homemade or purchased marshmallows and brown with a butane torch. Serve while the marshmallows are still warm.

                            Make your own Marshmallows
                     (just delete peppermint candy from the recipe)

Blueberry scones, to nibble on while sipping Blueberry-Champagne Spritzers.

I feel as though I took the easy way out this time, making a Sherried Creamed Chicken Almondine (served on purchased Pepperidge Farm Puffed Pastry Shells) that I have made many times before and usually serve on mashed potatoes. It's delicious, my family is crazy about it, it's easy (even if you quadruple the recipe) and it's perfect comfort food, something everyone at the table was hungry for.

The best part, however, is just getting together with the same friends that have joined us for this annual event the past 23 years.

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NEW YEARS DAY BRUNCH 2009

1/2/2009

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Another holiday season has passed and life should finally return to a more predictable routine. We welcomed the new year yesterday with our annual New Years Day brunch. A brunch that I believe was the healthiest of the past 22 years.

We followed our celebratory Champagne and orange juice upon everyone's arrival, with a first course of Eggs With Serrano Ham And Manchego Cheese, Green Olive Relish, And Migas. My only criticism of this dish... there was only one serving per person. I could easily have eaten seconds. I loved this salad!

Our second course was Corn Cakes With Calabacitas and Queso Blanco Salsa. I liked it even more than I thought I would. I doubled the recipe to serve 12, but also cut the amount of cayenne and poblano chiles in half. I think there were others at the table who could have handled more heat, but for me, it was perfect.

Last course was White Chocolate Vanilla Mousse with Dark Chocolate Sauce. I normally like to be a bit more challenged with a dessert, but again, I liked it much more than I expected. The raspberries were sweet and delicious, great with the mousse.

WHITE CHOCOLATE VANILLA MOUSSE with DARK CHOCOLATE SAUCE
adapted from Your Guide to French Cuisine, About Inc.

• 7 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1 package Knox powdered gelatin
• 2/3 cup plain whole milk yogurt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
FOR THE SAUCE:
• 2 ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
TO FINISH:
• pistachios
• fresh raspberries

Line a terrine or loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang along edges. Melt the chocolate in a microwave in 30 second increments, or atop a double boiler. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until thick, then beat in the melted chocolate. Heat the cream until almost boiling and remove from the heat. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cream and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Make sure there are no clumps of gelatin remaining. Pour the cream onto the chocolate mixture and whisk vigorously until smooth. Whisk in the yogurt and vanilla. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared pan. Cover and chill until set. It is ideal to do this the day ahead of serving.
FOR THE SAUCE: Melt the chocolate with the brandy and cream in a microwave or atop a double boiler. Remove and cool completely.
TO SERVE: Turn the mousse out of the mold and slice into serving pieces. Spoon the dark chocolate over the mousse, sprinkle with pistachios and garnish with fresh raspberries.

... until next year

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Smoked Salmon + Potato Breakfast Casserole

Our annual tradition... a pictorial

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