Repost: Thanksgiving 2009

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's festive yet not as hectic as Christmas; it's predictable, since it always on a Thursday, thus I know I can actually rest after two days of cooking and baking; and it comes during my favorite time of year, autumn.

Every year, I have 6 people over for Thanksgiving, to complete a group of 8, including me and Bill. These are friends who, like myself, have no family in Atlanta and we have each other for family.

Thanksgiving preparation starts on Sunday before. I shop for the ingredients and order in my meat and turkey for pickup Wednesday. Wednesday night is when I make the pies, soak the cornmeal for the cornbread and brine the turkey & crown roast. Some of the Thanksgiving guests spends the night to help make the pies. I usually prepare a light dinner, but this year, Nikita took care of dinner and she prepared an authentic "Chinese Hot Pot" for us, yummy!!

Pan-seared Duck with Orange Sauce

Pan-seared duck breasts with orange sauce, roasted butternut squash puree and steamed haricot verts

"Seared duck breast isn't the first thing that jumps to mind when we think of fast food.  For us, duck is often thought of as a fancy restaurant dish; for the French, it is something that can be seared, sauced and served in under 30 minutes on a weeknight, which explains why there are so many simple duck dishes in every home cook's recipe box." - around my french table, Dorie Greenspan

Roasted Cornish Game Hen with Red Onion Marmalade and Mashed Rutabaga

I love the growing awareness of the importance of food in relation to culture, communities and their personal lives… the awesomeness of  Community Shared Agriculture (CSA), seasonal eating, local produce and farm-to-table eating and what it does to the  local economy and the well-being of people.  I tell you, if you want to see happy people and family very early in the weekends, visit one of your local farmers market!  You would think that the world was taken over by a mob of morning persons!  Caffeinated or not, they seem genuinely happy.

I love mashed rutabaga, it's like the outlandish cousin of the mashed potato.  The Irish did right to this vegetable.  To read more about this wonderful root vegetable, read The Advanced Rutabaga Studies Institute.

This red onion marmalade recipe is sooo good.  I can eat this s**t by the spoonful, I kid you not!  But then again, I restrain myself from doing that since the onion smell tends to stay with me for a couple of days.  I use it to garnish bratwursts, hotdogs or burgers; glaze for porkchops, porkloins, lamb or vegetables; great with cheese plates— goes  very well with creamed goat cheese and pickled tomatoes.  They keep for a week or two in the reefer.  Just reheat, stirring, to warm before using.

Roasted Cornish Chicken can be prepared in an hour (you can prepare the brine the night and brine the chicken before leaving work in the morning).  Served with Mashed Rutabaga, Red Onion Marmalade and Sauteed Mushrooms (I used Julia Child's recipe), you will bring work week dinner to a different level.

Roasted Cornish Game Hen

2 1 to 1¼ lbs cornish hen, rinsed


Brine:

2 quarts water

½ cup kosher salt

¼ cup brown sugar

½ t. freshly ground pepper

Zest of 1 lemon

2 bay leaves, crushed

Stuffing:
2 t. rendered bacon fat

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 sections preserved lemon, minced

1 t. fresh thyme, minced

½ sea salt

Bring all the ingredients to a boil, remove from heat. Cool to room temperature before adding the birds. Brine the bird for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Wash the hens and dry with paper towel. Place the hen in it back side up on a cutting board. Using poultry shears, cut closely along one side of the backbone. Repeat on the other side; discard backbone. Turn breast side up. Open the bird so the drumsticks point out. Press the breastbone firmly to flatten. This method is called spatchcock or butterfly.

Mix together onion, preserved lemon, thyme and salt. Massage bacon fat all over the hens and stuff each with the onion-lemon-thyme mixture. Place the hens on a baking pan skin side up with plenty of space between them. Roast the hens in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes to an or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear. Remove the hens from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Red Onion Marmalade (recipe from Food.com)

3 t butter

¼ cup sugar

1 ½ lbs. red onion, sliced thinly

1 cup dry red wine

¼ cup balsamic vinegar (3 year old is okay)

1/2 t. kosher salt


Halve onions lengthwise and cut into thin slices. Heat butter in large heavy skillet set over medium heat. When melted and hot, add onions and sugar and stir occasionally until onions are soft and start to caramelize. Add wine and vinegar and stir until mixture almost comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquids have evaporated and onion is shiny. Remove from heat and sprinkle in salt, adding more if needed.


The marmalade can be prepared 5 days ahead; cover and refrigerate. Reheat, stirring, just to warm before using. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Mashed Rutabaga

1 lb peeled rutabagas, cut in large chucks

Cold salted water

2 T butter

1 T milk

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Peel rutabagas, and cut them in large chunks. Put them in a pan of cold salted water, cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer until very tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer to the food processor and pulse until smooth with the butter, milk, salt and pepper.

Summer Grilling

Bone-in Rib Eye Steak

Grilling is very primal, yet sheer genius! I can imagine how our ancestors must have felt when they first bit into that grilled meat... must have been same time they came up with the word orgasmic! Everything tastes better grilled, and these days, just about anything can be grilled.

Chicken Curry

It's 6:30 PM. I am debating if I will make dinner or get take-out. I'm craving my mom's chicken curry just now, and I know that whatever I get for take-out, it wouldn't drive the cravings away. Curry is just an hour to make anyhow, same amount of time I will spend driving to a restaurant and waiting for them to cook my unsatisfying dinner.

The Jambalaya that bested Bobby Flay

Let me start by saying I looovvve Bobby Flay, and when I watch his show Throwdown!, I always secretly pray that he wins. This Jambalaya recipe won over his, so I just have to find out why oh why.

I met Chris through my friend Robbie in one of our night out; they play kickball together. He is originally from New Orleans, and oh boy, how he loves New Orleans. The week after our meeting, he went home for a Bachelor's Party, and came back with this book, Commanders Wild Side for me from the critically acclaimed, James Beard awardee restaurant Commander's Palace. Thanks, Chris G.!

I am fortunate to live near Cajun Meat Company, where one can get authentic Andouille Sausage in the Metro Atlanta area, and other equally good Cajun/Creole ingredients and food -- can you say Turducken? It's a deboned Turkey stuffed with sausage stuffed deboned duck stuffed with sausage stuffed deboned chicken stuffed with cornbread! Out of this world yumm-mey!

According to the authors, "Jambalaya is a true one-pot wonder: It has rice, meat and vegetables all in one. It's stick-to-your-ribs food that everyone in New Orleans cooks up for Mardi Gras parties". The original recipe called for smoked goose, but it's a work night, so cut me some slack here - I used a store bought rotisserie chicken.

Rotisserie Chicken and Andouille Jambalaya

from the Commander's Wild Side by Ti Adelaide Martin & Tory McPhail

4 t unsalted butter

One Rotisserie chicken, meat removed & cut into bite size pieces

1 lb andouille sausage, cut into 1/4 in thick slices

2 onions, chopped

2 green bell peppers, chooped

20 (yes, 20!) garlic cloves, minced

3 celery stalks, diced

2 bay leaves

3 1/2 T Creole seasoning

6 cups chicken stock

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Tabasco sauce to taste

3 cups long grain white rice, rinsed thoroughly

Chopped parsley for garnish

In a large Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the chicken, andouille, onions, bell peppers, garlic, celery, bay leaves and 1 1/2 T of the creole seasoning. Cook until the vegetables are caramelized and a brown crust has developed in the bottom of the pot, 10 minutes. Add the stock, tomatoes, remaining 2 T of the creole seasoning, salt, pepper and tabasco. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. This flavors the liquid, which is the key to a flavorful jambalaya. The liquid should taste well seasoned, but not overly salty ot too spicy. If seasoning is added later, after the rice is cooked, then the rice will taste flat, not deep and rich. The rice will not have had the opportunity to soak up the flavorful liquid as it cooks. Stir in the rice and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and cook, stirring halfway through, until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leave. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Verdict? Very good. Himself ate two plate-fulls, and that says it all.

Roasted Stuffed Cornish Game Hen Wrapped in Bacon

Cooking for one, or two, is challenging, especially if one is not a big fan of leftoverses (too much leftovers). That's why I love cornish game hens. Aside from the fact that they are tastier than a regular chicken, there is just enough left over for another meal or two; unlike with regular chicken, you can lay eggs by the time you are done finishing up the leftoverses, LOL!

I was craving roasted chicken and bacon earlier today, thus for dinner, chicken wrapped in bacon, yum! Heck, I feel guilty already. I feel guilty when I eat bacon or anything really good. The feeling of guilt about enjoying anything and everything extra good is the Catholic in me. I'll balance it out by making brussels sprouts (my penance, ha ha!). I got some brussels sprouts this weekend when I was at the market; I want to serve it as a side dish for Thanksgiving this year, so I am going to "test kitchen" the recipe I will be making of the brussels sprouts.

Wrapping bacon on the chicken for roasting lends it a dramatic smoky flavor, plus the chicken always comes out moist and juicy. I usually brine my chicken, to make it moist and flavorful, but in this recipe, the bacon does the trick.

Roasted Stuffed Cornish Game Hen Wrapped in Bacon

For the chicken:

1 cornish game hen

4 pcs bacon

For the stuffing:

1/2 cup herbed croutons

1 celery stalk, minced

1 carrot, minced

4-5 roasted french chestnut (optional), minced

1/2 of an apples, minced

3 T chicken stock

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wash chicken. Pat dry with paper towel inside and out, rub with salt inside and out. Set aside.

Put herbed croutons in a freezer bag and crush just to break it down but do not pulverized. Add chicken stock to moisten the croutons. Add all the other ingredients and shake in a bag to mix.

Stuff and truss the chicken. Transfer to a roasting pan breast side down. Bake for about 40 minutes (20 minutes per lbs as a rule), then crank the oven to 425 degrees and roast breast side up for another 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from oven and let it rest for about 5-7 minutes.

Charred Brussels Sprouts and Apples

225 grams brussels sprouts

1 1/2 Fuji apples, diced

2 T fat drippings (or olive oil)

2 T applesauce

2 T fried shallots

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

Bring 4 cups of water to boil, add salt, add brussels sprouts and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Drain into a strainer. You will notice that the brussels sprouts will still be medium cooked but the residual heat will cook it to perfect tenderness. Heat skillet, add 2 T of fat drippings, stir in brussels sprouts and apples, until charred and caramelized. Toss in fried shallots, apple sauce, add salt and freshly ground pepper, give a couple of stirs and remove from heat.

I save all my meat/fat drippings in a jar and keep it in the reefer. I learned early on in life by watching my family cook that it's the best way to flavor stir fry, fried rice and sauces.

Dinner tonight, Re`chauf`fe´ tomorrow....

I tended to my herbs this morning, and I have harvested more than enough herbs than I can use for the day, thus I sent "Himself" with 3 bags of herbs to share in his office and kept enough of the Thai Basil for us, since I have been craving for red curry lately.I cook at least twice a day on weekdays, breakfast and dinner, and leftovers from dinner is usually packed lunch the following day. Most people will say that this is economical but not really. Come to think about it, if you count the opportunity cost of preparing and cooking food, it really is less expensive to just eat out. But like most people who love to cook, I find pleasure in cooking, and more so, it's a way for me to indulge myself -- making breakfast gives me the satisfaction of doing something I love for myself before going through the hussle and bussle of everyday life, and cooking dinner is my way of unwinding from the junk and stress of the day.I love Thai Curry, may it be red, green, yellow or anything in between. Done right, the heat from the curry leaves my mouth refreshed, not screaming for water.

I like having my "ingredients" available (Himself calls it hoarding). When it comes to food, I almost always have most things available in my pantry or freezer and curry paste is no difference. I prepare them whenever I can (when I start running low on it) and then freeze them by tablespoon serving, then I can thaw however much I need when I am ready to make curry.

Chicken in Thai Red Curry (Gaeng Daeng)

2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp of Thai Red Curry Paste
1 medium size onion, sliced
1 lb skinless boneless chicken breast
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 can of coconut milk
1 can of young corn, cut 1 inch diagonally
1 cup green beans, cut 1 inch
1/2 of green bell pepper, diced 1 inch
1/2 of red bell pepper, diced 1 inch
12 pcs grape tomatoes
thai basil

Heat wok, add oil and saute the curry paste until fragrant, about a minute. Add onion and saute for another minute. Add chicken and stir fry until slightly browned on the edges. Remove chicken and set aside. Stir in fish sauce, give it a couple of stir in the pan and add the coconut milk. Simmer and reduce the coconut milk until thickened. Put the chicken back, add the vegetables and cook until vegetables are done. I like my vegetables half-cooked or crunchy, which I recommend, since the residual heat will continue to cook them even after you remove from heat. Add the tomatoes and thai basil, mix them in, then remove from heat. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

It's Restaurant Week in Atlanta, yet I am resisting the urge to go out and splurge on good food prepared by the loving hands of other people. I normally would give my support to the food/restaurant industry by going out every night with the girls, but, I just bought my plane ticket for the Philippines for my yearly holiday and that did put a serious dent on my financial freedom. I, however, encourage you guys to go and check out the different restaurants in Atlanta offering prix fixe dinner for a very affordable price of $25.00. It's a very good way to sample these restaurants' fare, and support Atlanta's food/restaurant industry. My personal choices, if you may ask --

4th & Swift sample some modern American comfort food prepared by veteran chef Jay Swift. He is very talented and a very sweet & charming person.Engine 11, sit in the patio, drink some American Craft Brews and prepare to be entertained by one of their quirky and cute managers, my fav is Quickie.Ri-ra, check out this newly opened Irish Pub and enjoy some traditional Irish Fare. If you love dirty martinis like myself, head to their Harbour Bar and ask for Cyril to make you the meanest, dirtiest Garden Martini in Atlanta. They usually have live entertainment, and if you visit this Sunday (September 7), you will catch Irish Baladeer Kathleen Donahue.Table 1280 at the Woodruff Arts Center is another choice. And since you will be in the vicinity, visit the High Museum of Arts. My recommendation, start with their organic green salad with watermelon radish, pickled onion and Vermont goat cheese, work your way to the grilled sword fish and for dessert, lemon panna cotta, DELISH!The Oceanaire -- for a chain, it's a very good Seafood Restaurant.

Not just another "Herb Garden"...

Brick Chicken with Herb Butter

I love summer for plenty of reasons -- longer days, flip flops, summer dresses, picnics, the weetle kids playing in the courtyard, frisbees & kites flying at the park, open air farmer's markets and the availability of lots & lots of head-spinningly beautiful fruits, veggies, flowers & herbs-- fresh herbs!

Growing organic herbs and living in a townhouse is not exactly the best combination. One year I planted them on my deck, for convenience and aesthetic reasons, and they did not thrive since it was partially shaded. The next year I tried it in my backyard, which is full shade, so obviously, no luck there. For a couple of years, I shared a garden with a friend where they thrived alright, but the garden was located almost 16 miles away, so that was not convenient. This year, I planted them in huge terra cotta pots in the front of my house where they can bathe in the sun's glory all they want, and viola!, perfect spot for happy herbies!! Plus, I'm kinda adhering to the permaculture design here, ahem. I also love that welcoming effect it has for people who come visit. I usually catch them running their hands over or sniffing the rosemary by my front door. It makes them smile, as with me, and it is always a great way to start a conversation.

Earlier this season, I declared war against the little buggers that were feasting on my sweet basil. I do not know where they got the idea that they can sample the best leaves of my basil plant without having to help me water or fertilized them! And yes, they do sample, they do not even have the decency to eat the whole leaf before moving on to another perfectly good one! Grrr... Thank the herb goddesses, the chile peppers-dishsoap-water combo I spray on the plant stopped them in their tracks. "Bwa-ha-ha!! Victory is mine!".

I have a good assortment going -- my rosemary, which I had for 3 years now, laurel (bay), savory, thyme, parsley, mint, oregano, chives, 'perilla' also known as japanese basil, sweet basil, thai basil and spicy globe basil.

Herbs are happiest when you use them. I have been cooking with them, adding them to my drinks (mojitos, caipirinha & tea), giving them away and cooking with them some more. I use them for pesto, salads, bouquet garni for sauces and stew, perilla for sushi, parsley and chives for garnishing & omelets to name a few. You can even use it as a baster when you grill to lend a mild hint of herb in the food.

Dinner tonight was Brick Chicken with Herb Butter. You see, chicken is my least favorite meat, and the breast part especially. It's too unforgiving when cooked incorrectly, either you get a dry piece of crap or a bloody one, yikes! I've learned a few tricks to flavor it and keep it from drying out. I always brine my chicken for at least an hour, using sea salt & herbs (in this case, the same herbs i added to the butter). I then pat dry it with paper towel and marinate it for another hour in sunflower oil.

I made the herb butter by mixing a cup of fresh herbs (basil, thyme, oregano, chives & savory), sea salt, freshly ground pepper and a cup of unsalted butter in the food processor for about a minute. The herb butter can keep for about a week in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

I slather herb butter over everything -- bread, fish, scallops, shrimp, mussels, clams, lamb, steak, pork chops, veggies, pasta or rice. For special occasions and holidays, I put them in molds or cut them with cookie cutters depending on the theme/occasion/table setting or roll into a log and cut them into medallions, fancy!

In this recipe, I used about 3 tsp. of herb butter over the chicken before grilling.

I would normally use a brick, but I want to try a little trick that I picked up from then finalist (now this Season's winner) Melissa d'Arabian of Food Network's "The Next Food Network Star". In place of the brick, I used a cast iron skillet, and it did work perfectly! Before slicing & plating, tent with foil & let the meat rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to run back. I served it with a side of couscous and caramelized veggies sauteed with some of the herb butter.

Towards the end of summer, I will prepare the herbs for my winter stash. I air dry most of them except for the basil, which I chop & freeze in ice trays. I will infuse some in oil or vinegar for flavorful salad dressings and dipping sauces. Thus, I will still have a little bit of summer when the winter chill sets in.