RECIPE: I'm looking for interesting and different sides. Some I'm considering- REC: Balsamic Roasted Onions.

RECIPE:
C

charlie

Well-known member
Balsamic Roasted Onions

Recipe By :Bon Appétit/December 1999

Serving Size : 10

4 pounds Red Onions -- (medium-size)

1/4 cup olive oil

6 tablespoons butter -- (3/4 stick)

3 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Position 1 rack in center and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 500°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with foil. Cut onions through root end into 3/4-inch-thick wedges. Place in medium bowl; toss with oil. Arrange onions, cut side down, on baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until onions are brown and tender, rotating pans in oven and turning onions once, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Add vinegar. Return to heat. Simmer until mixture thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. (Onions and balsamic glaze can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. Cover separately and chill. Rewarm onions in 375°F oven about 15 minutes. Stir glaze over low heat to rewarm.)

Arrange onions on platter. Drizzle glaze over. Sprinkle with parsley.

Source:

"Gail's"

S(Forum Member):

"Evelyn/Athens"

 
Chiffonade of Brussel Sprouts

I made this for myself the other night minus the nuts (didn't have any in the house) delicious!

Chiffonade of Brussels Sprouts
2 lb. Brussels sprouts
3 slices of bacon, finely diced
1/2 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper


Trim the stem end of the sprouts and remove any yellow or spotted leaves. Put the sprouts through your food processor shredding disk using the coarse shredding disk - OR - you can slice them in 1/16" slices (chiffonade) with a knife.(I cut with a knife)

Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp, then remove and drain on paper toweling. Reserve. Just before serving, reheat the bacon fat in the pan and add the sprouts. Sauté until crisp-tender and bright green, about 3-5 minutes. Add the bacon, hazelnuts, salt and pepper and stir to mix thoroughly. Taste and adjust the seasonings, then serve.

Source of recipe: The Thanksgiving Table, by Diane Morgan

 
Here's a good side. Rec: Sauteed Green Beans with Pancetta and Mushrooms

Sauteed Green Beans with Pancetta and Mushrooms

Serves: 4 to 6 servings

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds green beans, stem end removed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 pound pancetta thinly sliced
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 to 5 small white button mushrooms, wiped of grit and sliced
2 tablespoons sour cream

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add a big pinch of salt and add the green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes, the beans should still be crisp as they will be cooked more in the pan with the pancetta and mushrooms. Drain them and set aside.

Heat the oil up in a saute pan and add the garlic and pancetta and cook until slightly crispy. Remove the pancetta from the pan and set aside. Add the butter to the fat that has rendered from the pancetta and saute the mushrooms until golden and crispy. Season with salt and pepper. Return the pancetta to the pan and add the blanched beans. Finish with the sour cream and bring to a gentle simmer to reduce and thicken a little and allow the flavours to marry. Give it a final taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary, before serving.

Source: www.foodnetwork.com

Pat’s notes: Great with or without the sour cream.

 
Jerry Traunfeld's Celery, Pear and Hazelnut Salad

I've had this and it's fantastic. Nice light flavors.

Recipe, courtesy of Food & Wine

Celery, Pear and Hazelnut Salad
Recipe by Jerry Traunfeld
Jerry Traunfeld makes this refreshing salad with a trio of crunchy ingredients—celery, Asian pear and toasted hazelnuts—then dresses it with a tangy vinaigrette. “Celery is underappreciated as a salad ingredient,” he says. “And Asian pears also have that great crunch.” Traunfeld prefers the sweet, oval-shaped DuChilly hazelnut over the rounder, more common variety. A good source for DuChilly nuts is Holmquist Hazelnut Orchards (holmquisthazelnuts.com).TOTAL TIME: 20 MIN
SERVINGS: 6

Ingredients
1/2 cup hazelnuts
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup hazelnut oil
6 celery ribs, thinly sliced on the bias
1 medium Asian pear, cut into
1 1/2-by-3/8-inch matchsticks
1/4 cup chopped dill

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the hazelnuts in a pie plate and toast for about 8 minutes, until lightly golden and fragrant. Let cool, then transfer to kitchen towel and rub them together to remove the skins. Coarsely chop the hazelnuts.

In a large bowl, whisk the cider vinegar with the mustard and salt. Gradually whisk in the hazelnut oil. Add the celery, Asian pear, dill and hazelnuts and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

 
Lidia Bastianich's Baked Fennel with Proscuitto

This was a raging hit at the Cookbook Group, January 2008! From Lidia's Italy. Definitely would make again. Easy, easy, easy and you can have everything done in advance and just pop it in the oven. This gratin of fennel wedges and strips of prosciutto drizzled with butter and topped with Parmesan, then baked until golden is rich, aromatic and irresistible.

Baked Fennel with Proscuitto
Serves 6 (ha! Not if I'm around!)
2 1/2 pounds fresh fennel, trimmed and cut into wedges (don't trim the bottom--it is used as an anchor to keep the pieces together. Trim the top and then cut in 1 1/2 in wide slices)
3 oz. thinly sliced Prosciutto
1/3 cup melted butter
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Bake in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish

Bake at 350. Bring about 4 quarts of water to the boil in a large pot. Drop in fennel wedges and cook at a gentle boil for 10 -15 minutes, just until you pierce them easily with a sharp knife tip. Lift out the wedges and drain well. Use scissors and cut the prosciutto slices into strips about 1/4" wide.

Set rack in the middle of the oven, preheat to 350 Degrees.

Coat the bottom of the baking dish with a tablespoon or two of the melted butter. Lay the drained fennel wedges in one layer, filling the dish. Scatter the prosciutto slices over and in between the wedges. Add salt & pepper. Drizzle the remaining butter all over. Finally, add a sprinkle of the grated cheese, covering the whole dish evenly.

Bake the dish for 25 minutes or until the top is crusty and golden and the edges of the prosciutto and fennel are also colored and crisp.* *I ran it under the broiler towards the end to color the top.

 
Joyce Goldstein's Gorgonzola Custards with Hazelnut & Pear Salad

Traca's note: These custards rock! Made originally with a bit of goat cheese instead of gorgonzola. YUM. I liked these room temperature too. Note, they can be made 1 day in advance and reheated for service. ****

Gorgonzola Custards with Hazelnut & Pear Salad from Antipasti by Joyce Goldstein

The custards are creamy and mildly salty, a perfect match for a small salad of peppery greens accented with toasted nuts and slivers of ripe pears.

For the Custards

Unsalted butter for molds, plus 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups half and half, heated
2 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 pounds Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled, or to taste
Salt

For the Vinaigrette
7 tablespoons walnut or hazelnut oil
2 tablespoons mild extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Salt & freshly ground pepper

For the Salad
1/2 cup walnuts or hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 bunches watercress, tough stems removed, or 3 cups arugula
2 flavorful pears such as Anjour or Comice, unpeeled, halved, cored and thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally butter eight 3/4 cup custard cups or ramekins and place in a baking pan. In a saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the flour, stir well, and cook, stirring, for a minute or so to cook away the raw taste of the flour. Slowly add the half and half while whisking constantly, and then cook, continuing to whisk, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the whole eggs and yolks. Then whisk in the cheese until the mixture is smooth. Taste and add salt, if needed (the cheese will add salt).

If you like, transfer the mixture to a small pitcher for easy pouring. Pour the custard into the prepared cups. Carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to reach halfway up the sides of the molds. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake the custards until a knife inserted into the center of a custard emerges clean, 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together all the oils and vinegars and then whisk in salt & pepper to taste. You will have about 3/4 cup. Ready the remaining salad ingredients at the same time.

When the custards are ready, carefully remove the cups from the water bath and let rest for 5 minutes. While the custards are resting, in a small bowl, toss the nuts with about 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, set aside.

Working with 1 custard at a time, run a knife blade around the inside of each mold to loosen the custard, then invert the custard onto a plate. When all the custards are unmolded, in a bowl, toss the watercress with all but about 1/4 cup of the remaining vinaigrette and divide among the plates. Top with the pear slices, again dividing evenly and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the nuts. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

Note: You can bake these custards up to 1 day ahead of time, let cook, cover and refrigerate. To warm for serving, return the cups to the bain marie, and heat in a 350 degree oven until the custards are warm in the center (10 minutes.)

 
Maria Hines' Porcini Creme Brule with Salad Frisse

Maria Hines' Porcini Crème Brûleé
Serves 8 to 10

- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 whole egg
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 3 heads baby frisée, broken into leaves, washed and spun dry
- 1 tablespoon minced chives
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley

1. In a saucepan, combine the mushrooms, cream and salt, and heat slowly to a simmer. Turn off heat and steep for 30 minutes. Let cool, then process in a food processor or blender until mushrooms are finely pureed. Add egg and egg yolks, and pulse in to combine well. Strain mixture through a fine sieve; you should have about 2-½ cups.

2. Adjust oven rack to the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place 8 to 10 (1-½ — to 2-ounce) ramekins in a baking pan large enough to hold them without touching. Divide the mushroom mixture between the ramekins. (Pour the mixture from a pitcher or measuring cup or ladle it in carefully.)

3. Very carefully, pour cold water into the pan until the water is a third of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan with foil and carefully push into oven.4. The custards will take about 30 to 45 minutes to cook, depending on the size of your ramekins and what they are made of. The custard is done as soon as they are just set around edge and the centers are barely set. Using a timer, start checking after 20 minutes, then check every 5 to 10 minutes. Some may be done before others, so check the ones in front and back. Pull them out individually if necessary. Do not overcook. When done, let ramekins cool on a rack. If made ahead, cover tightly when cool and refrigerate.)

5. Right before serving, blot any moisture off the custard tops with paper towels then sprinkle about ¾ to 1 teaspoon sugar evenly over the top of each custard. Moving a kitchen blowtorch evenly back and forth about 2 inches from the surface, melt and caramelize the sugar. Let the ramekins stand for 3 to 5 minutes for the sugar to harden while you toss the greens.

6. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the oil and vinegar. Add frisée and herbs and toss well. Set the ramekins on dinner plates, and place a pouf of the salad beside each ramekin.

 
Jason Wilson's Gorgonzola-Stuffed Seckle Pears

Jason Wilson's Gorgonzola-Stuffed Seckel Pears Makes 24 pieces

- 1 ¼ teaspoons white truffle honey or substitute another light honey
- ¼ cup brandy
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
- 12 ripe Seckel pears (¾ to 1 pound)*
- ½ cup (3 ounces) Gorgonzola cheese

Garnish:
- Thyme sprigs
- Pomegranate seeds, optional1.

In an 8-inch square glass baking dish, combine honey, brandy, salt, pepper and herbs, and microwave to melt the honey, about 10 seconds. Let cool.

2. Meanwhile, cut pears in half lengthwise. Using a small melon-ball scoop or ¼-teaspoon measuring spoon, scoop dime-size pieces out of the center core of the pears. Add pears to cooled mixture and mix gently to coat well, then turn pears cut-side-down in dish and let sit for 10 minutes to marinate.

3. Turn pears over and fill centers with ½ teaspoon of Gorgonzola, shaped into a ball. (Pears can be prepared to this point, covered and refrigerated for up to 6 hours in advance.)

4. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 450 degrees and let pears come to room temperature if refrigerated. Bake pears for about 5 minutes, or transfer to a broiling pan and broil for about 3 minutes or until warmed through and cheese is just starting to color.

5. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with thyme sprigs and pomegranate seeds.* Seckel pears are a tiny variety of pear available at well-stocked produce departments, such as Whole Foods or PCC.

 
Foie Gras Creme Brulee

Qube’s Foie Gras Crème Brulee

2 cups heavy whipping cream
5 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
5 oz Foie Gras

1.) Simmer heavy Cream
2.) Beat egg yolks until very light yellow.
3.) In blender, add all ingredients and mix.
4.) Pour into ceramic molds in warm water bath. Water bath should come halfway up sides of ramekins.
5.) Bake 20-30 minutes until stiff in 300-degree oven.
6.) Immediately before serving, sprinkle sugar over brulee and torch until carmelized.

 
REC: Carrot Confit

CARROT CONFIT

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt
1 pound medium carrots
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Garnish: 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro, optional

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°. In a medium skillet, combine the orange juice with 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the orange zest, cumin seeds, garlic and a generous pinch of salt and simmer over moderate heat for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the carrots, then cover and cook until the carrots are very tender but still hold their shape, about 45 minutes. Transfer the carrots to a plate and keep warm. Increase the heat to high and simmer the sauce until reduced to a syrupy glaze, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the orange sauce.

From RED SNAPPER WITH CARROT CONFIT AND BAKED LEMON
By Jean-Georges Vongerichten

 
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