Persimmon Pudding

Catering during the holidays brings some particular responsibilities. It's a time for tradition, and everyone seems to have their own take on which traditions most need to be followed. Christmas Ham? The Feast of 7 Fishes? Latkes? Buche de Noel? Hallacas? Goose???

Sometimes a client will ask us to prepare an old family recipe. This can often be a recipe for disaster as one never knows how much of the recipe Aunt Jimmy had in her head and how much really made it to the paper... But several years ago we were handed this recipe for Persimmon Pudding with the caveat that "Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without it". It has since become one of our favorites. It's simple enough to tweak as you wish. Maybe some orange zest, this year with added cinnamon and nutmeg, maybe a generous douse of brandy set afire as it comes to the table.

If you haven't cooked with persimmons very much, here's some info for you. There are two basic types on the market. Hachiya and Fuyu. The Hachiya are slightly elongated and the bottom comes to a tip. These needs to be squishy soft with a slightly translucent skin in order to be edible. Anything less than mush is inedible and will provide more astringent pucker than any person could handle. The Fuyu variety look like an orange tomato and are best when firm to the touch. For this recipe, use the Hachiya variety. You can make the persimmon pulp by peeling and seeding the persimmon and pureeing it in a blender or processor.
Here's the basic recipe:

Persimmon Pudding

butter and flour for lining mold
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Hachiya persimmon pulp, overripe
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
2/3 cup dried fruit (we suggest dried tart cherries and raisins, 1/3 cup each)

Lightly coat the interior of a lidded mold (or heatproof bowl) with butter and flour. Set aside.

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together persimmon pulp, butter and sugar until blended. Add vanilla. Alternately mix the dry ingredients and milk into the persimmon mix. Stir in dried fruit.

Pour the pudding mix into the prepared mold, filling it 3/4 full . Attach the lid and tie in place with string. (If using a bowl, cover the bowl with parchment paper and then cover with a clean towel and enclose in aluminum foil.)
Place mold in a large steamer, or on a raised rack in the pan, add an inch or so of boiling water and steam over low heat for 5 hours. Keep an eye on the pot and add more hot water as needed to keep a steady supply of steam.

Remove from steamer and let cool completely. Unmold carefully and serve with spiced whipped cream.

Late for Latkes

Well Hanukkah 2010 has passed and we are clearly late with our Latke post. But we feel they are just way to delicious to let that stop us, so here's to all things fried, especially potato pancakes.

Lots of cultures have some form of a potato pancake. Many of them are tasty too. But the classic Jewish potato latke, with a generous dollop of sour cream and a garnish of chunky applesauce is the stuff of many a Hanukkah craving and a good many goyisha daydreams as well.

For this you want to stay simple: potatoes, onion, egg and a dash of flour. And don't skimp on the oil when you fry them. The crispy crust is the key to their soul warming goodness.

Potato Latkes

You'll want to make sure you don't crowd the skillet. Fry these latkes in batches. Keep them warm in a low oven, single layer, on a paper towel lined baking sheet. unless of course you've got an appreciative crowd around the stove, eating them as quickly as you can make them.

This should make 12 - 14 latkes, 1 1/2 - 2 inches diameter

1 1/2 pounds Idaho russet potatoes, peeled
1 large onion, peeled

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg, whisked in a small bowl
vegetable oil, approximately 1/2 cup, divided


Lay a clean kitchen towel on your work surface. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the potatoes onto the kitchen towel. Then grate the onion onto the shredded potatoes. When finished, gather up the ends of the towel and tighten the towel to enclose the shredded potato mix in a "ball". Over the sink, squeeze the towel with the potato mix, until all the liquid has dripped from the mix. Transfer the potato mix into a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup flour, egg, salt and pepper, and combine well. Squeeze the mixture in your hand. If it holds together fairly well, you are good to go. If it is too loose to hold together add another Tablespoon or 2 of flour, then proceed.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1/3 cup oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Spoon 1/4 cup potato mixture loosely into a dry measuring cup. Pour mixture into pan, and flatten slightly. Repeat until pan is full but not crowded. Probably about 6 latkes. Sauté a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove latkes from pan, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with the remaining oil and potato mixture.

One of our former chefs David Bonom, now a big time food writer, has an inspiring article all about latkes in the December 2010 Cooking Light magazine that we are recommending highly. He puts fresh thyme in his latkes which I think sounds like the perfect amount of tinkering with a classic. Moving further afield he also includes recipes for a Southwestern inspired and jalapeno spike latke and a Curried Butternut Squash version that I'd like to garnish with an Indian Raita. Check them out.

Once you have the classic latke under your belt, feel free to substitute a portion of the potato with carrots, yams, celery root, parsnips, any starchy vegetable will do. Or you can try adding chopped mushroom, shredded spinach or fresh herbs for extra pizazz.

Ginger, Vanilla and Pine Nut Biscotti

Now that we've satisfied all those Thanksgiving cravings of stuffing and pumpkin and such, our yearnings are now focusing on Holiday Cookies. While DM always supplies a few sweet bites at the end of our catered meals, and even our cocktail parties from time to time; it's also a tradition to toss some specific holiday sweets into the mix during December. Hand Decorated Sugar Cookies, Miniature Gingerbread Men, Chocolate Peppermint Stick Marshmallows, and those Pecan Snowballs covered with powdered sugar. We also always include some biscotti. Especially after dinner, this not-too-sweet cookie is a perfect garnish to a meal. Try one dipped into the last bit of wine in your glass.


Ginger, Vanilla and Pine Nut Biscotti
1 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, very cold and diced 1/4" pieces
3/4 cup pine nuts
1 cup Crystalized Ginger, roughly chopped
2 large eggs
2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped

Preheat oven to 350*
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground ginger. Put flour mixture into the bowl of a food processor and add cold butter. Pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add pine nuts and crystalized ginger.
Return work bowl to the processor and add eggs, sugar and vanilla bean. Process briefly until very well mixed. Add egg mixture to the flour mixture and work it together by hand until a dough forms. Divide in half and roll into logs
Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Form each log of dough into a rectangle on the parchment approximately 13" X 2 1/2" x 3/4".
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 250*. Remove baking sheet from the oven and cool for five minutes. Slice the biscotti crosswise about 1/4" thick. Rearrange biscotti, laying flat, on the baking sheet. Return to oven and bake until cookies are dry, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Store in an air tight container.
Makes at least 5 dozen.

Jello Shots for Thanksgiving

We saw these recipes on Saveur.com, one of our favorite websites for inspiration, motivation and up to date, "must know" developments in the food world, and thought "WOW", brilliant concept! So we're passing them on to you in hopes that your Thanksgiving might be oh so much better with a little jiggle.

Michelle Palm, from the blog Jelly Shot Test Kitchen (rough gig!) has developed three wiggly cocktails that are just sophisticated enough to counter-balance the giggle factor. They're also perfectly seasonal and totally in synch with all the other flavors of the holiday meal: The Pear Sour has an aromatic balance of lemon, pear liqueur, and gin, with a dash of Angostura bitters; the Bourbon Smash is a mix of fresh raspberries and mint, with just a touch of bourbon, and Apple Pie delivers as promised with apple juice, Apfelkorn, and Tuaca, a creamsicle-flavored liqueur.




Pear Sour

1/4 cup frozen lemonade
concentrate, thawed
and strained to remove
solids
1/4 cup water
3 envelopes Knox gelatin
1/2 cup Lillet blonde
1/2 cup gin
1/2 cup pear liqueur (we use Belle
de Brillet)
3 dashes Angostura bitters
2 tsp. agave nectar or simple syrup,
if desired
Fresh pear, for garnish (optional)

Recommended pan: molds or 1-lb. loaf pan (approximately 8" x 4")

1. Pour lemonade concentrate and water into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Mixture will initially be very thick. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in the Lillet, gin, pear liqueur, and bitters. Taste; add the agave nectar/simple syrup if desired.

3. Pour mixture into pan or molds and refrigerate until fully set, several hours or overnight.

4. To serve, cut into desired shapes or unmold. Garnish with slivers of fresh pear, if you like.

MAKES ABOUT 15 JELLY SHOTS




Bourbon Smash

1 6-oz. package fresh
raspberries, plus
additional for garnish
(optional)
3 large sprigs fresh mint
(about 25 mint leaves)
2/3 cup bourbon
2/3 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1/3 cup limeade concentrate, thawed
and strained to remove solids
1/3 cup water
3 envelopes Knox gelatin
2 tsp. agave nectar or simple syrup,
if desired

Recommended pan: molds or 1-lb. loaf pan (approximately 8" x 4")
Implements: cocktail muddler, bowls, fine mesh strainer

1. Muddle raspberries and mint leaves in small bowl. Stir in bourbon and set aside.

2. Pour cranberry juice, limeade concentrate, and water into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Strain the raspberry–bourbon mixture, making sure to press out all the liquid (you should have about a cup of liquid). Stir into the gelatin mixture. Taste; add the agave nectar/simple syrup if desired.

4. Pour mixture into pan or molds and refrigerate until fully set, several hours or overnight.

5. To serve, cut into desired shapes or unmold. Garnish with slivers of fresh raspberry and mint, if you like.

MAKES ABOUT 15 JELLY SHOTS




Apple Pie Jelly Shot

1 cup unsweetened apple
juice
3 envelopes Knox gelatin
3/4 cup Tuaca liqueur
1/4 cup Berentzen
Apfel Korn liqueur
(or apple schnapps)

Recommended pan: molds or 1-lb. loaf pan (approximately 8" x 4")

1. Pour apple juice into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Mixture will initially be very thick. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in the Tuaca and Apfel Korn.

3. Pour mixture into pan or molds and refrigerate until fully set, several hours or overnight.

4. To serve, cut into desired shapes or unmold.

MAKES ABOUT 15 JELLY SHOTS


All photos by Michelle Palm

Stuffin' Time

One of the cornerstones of "poverty cuisine" is the stack of recipes using left over bread. There's stuffing, bread pudding, french toast, croutons, stratas, pasta with bread crumbs, soups and on and on. Sadly with today's low carb sensibilities, it's hard enough to find a fresh crumb, let alone any stale bread. Of all of these carbohydrate motherloads, stuffing is the hands down winner this time of year. And with Thanksgiving approaching, we've already begun to think about sourcing out our stash of bread.

Please take the time to cut up your own bread cubes and dry them out. It's maybe a little more expensive than buying the pre-packaged bread cubes, but it's so worth the little bit of time and money invested to make it yourself. Plus there's all the possibility for variations that Pepperidge Farm will deny you!

With the wide variety of breads available it's worthwhile to think outside of the box. For example one combination we love is sliced sourdough and 7 grain. We mix about 65% sourdough with 35% 7 grain and love the combination of tang and earthiness. Rye bread is another interesting possibility, I remember one event where we made a rye, mushroom and sauerkraut stuffing to serve along roast pork for an Austrian dinner. There's a delicious rosemary bread in our market that could really make a killer stuffing too. Pretty much any great bread will add the character you want. The only bread I'd stay away from is pumpernickel, but even that, used judiciously, well, might be interesting. especially if tempered by a big bunch of white bread or maybe challah. We'd advise to always include a generous portion of a simple white or whole wheat bread in the mix to prevent the stuffing from becoming more leaden that necessary.

Cornbread is another favorite stuffing and is also much enhanced by prepping the cornbread cubes yourself. Even more so if you can bake the corn bread yourself! If your recipe is on the sweet side, consider halving the sugar. It usually makes a tastier stuffing.

So you've got your bread, what next? If you're not using sliced bread, slice it about 1/2" -3/4" thick. Leave the crust on, it adds texture. Stack the slices and cut into cubes, again 1/2" - 3/4" big. Scatter them on sheet pans and let them dry out for at least 3 days, until tough and completely dry. They might never become as hard as store bought, but you want to make sure they are dried out. If there's not enough counter space you can dry them out in a large bowl or pot, but you'll need to toss them several times a day. It might take an extra day to dry them out, depending on volume.

So your bread cubes are ready, what's next? Just follow your family recipe, or your instincts, your inspiration, or some combination therein. The basic procedure is to saute vegetables (onions, celery, garlic, carrots, etc) in a very generous amount of oil, butter or chicken fat. Add herbs and other seasonings. Add to the bread cubes and combine well. If you are using sausage, ham, or other meats/shellfish, cook it briefly and add to the bread cubes as well, mixing completely. Moisten the stuffing now with a generous amount of stock (veg or poultry usually) and mix. Keep adding stock until the cubes are saturated but not falling apart. Place in a well buttered casserole and bake until cooked through and crispy on top. Alternately use it to stuff inside your bird, remembering to leave a little room for the stuffing to expand.

And just in case your imagination is failing you.... here are some flavor combinations we've had success with:

Sourdough, 7 Grain, Sausage, Mushroom, Carrot and Celery
Cornbread, Leeks, Pecans and Dried Cranberries
Herb Bread, Olives, Red Onions, Swiss Chard and Raisins
Challah, Wild Rice, Apples, Red Peppers, and Walnuts
Raisin Bread, Baguette, Prosciutto, Celery Root, Parsnip, Onion, Herbs
Corn Bread, Chorizo, Red and Yellow Peppers, Onions
Foccacia, Rye, Pancetta, Leeks, Fennel, Porcini, Chestnuts

Autumn's Bounty Aflame

While we are up to our ears in a sea of the yellows, oranges, reds and greens of the season, it's fun to post some ideas that aren't about cooking. We are in the thick of squash season and they are so beautiful we can't help but pile them up on the counter top, bringing in a tsunami of color to the otherwise bland kitchen.

This got us thinking about other possibilities for decorating with this "end of season bounty". Happily many of these colorful squash and pumpkins are so hard shelled they have a long shell life when unrefrigerated. Additionally there are many that have no real purpose beyond decoration.




The first idea we had was to use them as candleholders. Smaller delicata or acorn squash can hold either a single short taper or a tea candle. Make sure the squash sits securely level and then using an apple corer, remove a small plug of the squash where a candle can fit snugly. Use a biscuit cutter if trying to carve out space for a tea candle. Consider laying a crookneck or large butternut squash on it's side and create a "natural" candelabra with 3 or 5 tapers grouped over the gourd.




Another idea we had was to slice open a small sweet dumpling or acorn squash, add some water and make small posey arrangements of fall dahlias. Carefully hollow out the squash and fill halfway with water. Arrange the flowers in a tight grouping and the squash tops look great leaning against the arrangement. Group several of them together, using a mix of varieties, as a centerpiece.

And then finally we are thinking that the very small mini pumpkins and squash could look great atop a napkin on a charger at a more formal autumn dinner. It would be easy to attach a place card or even a menu card if you wanted. There's only a few months to take advantage of these gorgous squash and gourds, so have fun.

Brussels Sprouts

Sometimes it seems we must be on a One Caterer Campaign to repair the damage done to the reputation of Brussels Sprouts. We're not sure how and when they came to be remembered as heavy, bitter and sulphurous, but we ARE sure they can be light, fresh, bright and delicious. At least that's what we hear from surprised clients when they come back for seconds.

Brussels Sprouts are some of the craziest looking vegetables around when they are growing in the garden. It's no stretch to imagine them in Fred and Wilma's Bedrock garden. Pretty prehistoric looking stuff.

But we're all more accustomed to seeing them cut from the stalk and packed in little cardboard cups, or loose in the farmer's market. Look for small to medium sprouts with tight heads of vibrant green. Any yellowing means they are not fresh. Whenever possible choose brussles sprouts that are all of similar size. Overcooking is the prime enemy of brussles sprouts so you want evenly sized sprouts that will cook at the same rate.

Part of DM Cuisine's success at winning over former detesters is by thinking of new ways to approach cooking and serving Brussels Sprouts. Our preferred methods are Roasting, Shredding and Separating.

Roasted Brussles Sprouts
This couldn't be easier. Trim stem ends and any discolored or loose leaves from the sprouts. If larger than 1 1/2 inches cut them in half or even quarters. What's important is that all pieces are roughly the same size. You may need to leave tiny ones whole, medium ones cut in half and large ones quartered. Preheat oven to 425*.
Place brussels sprouts into a large bowl, drizzle lightly with olive oil or herb infused oil. Season well with salt & pepper. Place sprouts on a baking sheet allowing plenty of room around the pieces. Don't crowd them or they will steam instead of roasting. Place baking sheet in oven and cook until JUST tender. This will vary depending on your oven and how small you cut the sprouts. Check them after 6 minutes. They should be tender to the bite but not soft.
Serve warm, just as they are.

Alternate Version with Pancetta
Brussels Sprouts have a natural affinity for bacon. Even more so with pancetta in our opinion. Pancetta is an unsmoked Italian bacon. We like to cut large pieces of pancetta about 1/4" x 1" and saute them until browned and almost crisp. Drain the pancetta and reserve the fat.
Proceed with roasting the brussels sprouts as described above, but combine a few spoonfuls of this pancetta fat with the olive oil needed to roast the brussles sprouts. When the sprouts come out of the oven, toss them with the pancetta. Enjoy and don't mention to your cardiologist.

Sauteed Shredded Brussels Sprouts
What you'll need:
Brussles sprouts, shallots, chopped toasted walnuts, olive oil, walnut oil.
Using a mandolin or V-Slicer, hold the brussels sprouts by the stem end and finely shred (carefully). Obviously this is a great use for large brussels sprouts the brussels sprouts. Stop as you get to the stem and discard. Once the sprouts are shredded set aside. Finely chop a few shallots.
Warm a saute pan over medium heat. Add a small amount of olive oil, the shallots, and cook a few minutes until translucent. Add shredded brussels sprout and toss to coat lightly with shallots. Saute briefly until the shredded sprouts just begin to wilt. Season well with salt & pepper. Add a few spoonfuls of walnut oil and the toasted walnuts. Toss well and serve immediately.

Stir Fried Brussels Sprouts Leaves
We usually make this presentation with an added vegetable (corn, green beans, carrots & parsnips) partially because it's a bit labor intensive to prep the sprouts. If you decide to do this, just stir fry the other vegetables however you wish and add the brussels sprouts leaves in for the last minute or two of cooking.
Trim the stem end of the brussels sprouts and carefully separate the leaves individually. It's slow going, but worth it, at least for a small group!
When you get to the tiny center, stop and use those for another recipe. Once the sprouts are prepped set them aside in a bowl.
Slice a small red onion into thin slivers. Warm olive oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Cook onion slivers until tender, just a few minutes. Add brussels sprouts leaves and salt & pepper. Stir fry until the leaves wilt. Don't worry if some leaves get e little charred edge. It adds great character.
Serve immediately.