Cranberry Sauce

Making your own cranberry sauce is so easy and with few ingredients, I am amazed why one would ever want to buy the commercial stuff.  Cranberries are a good source of vitamin C and dietary fiber.  They have been used to treat UTI's (urinary tract infection) which blocks adhesion of bacteria to the urinary tract lining.  Commercial branded cranberry drinks won't do the job and may irritate or make the infection worse due to a high concentration of sugar.  Drink natural cranberry juice.

Christmas is quietly knocking at our door and this will be my last posting of the year.  For all of you who read my blog, I hope you found the recipes and tidbits of information helpful.  It's been an interesting year for The Culinary Chase and another year of learning is about to unfold.  May the Christmas spirit of generosity, kindness, and charity linger with you for the remainder of the year and well into 2012.

Makes 2 cups

500g fresh cranberries (or frozen)
3/4 cup sugar
a splash of triple sec (optional)
1 cinnamon stick (can also use ground cinnamon)
finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add sugar and cranberries. Stir and then add triple sec, cinnamon stick, zest and juice of the orange. Gently stir to combine and let simmer over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. When the berries become soft, taste and add more sugar if needed. It should be a jam-like consistency...not too thick and not too runny. 

The Culinary Chase's Note: Cranberry sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a month. Use it as a condiment, sauces for poultry or pork, in sandwiches, in muffin batter, fold into plain yogurt, or on a crostini with brie.  Enjoy!

Stilton and Rosemary Shortbread

Instead of cookies and milk for Santa, how about these cute little treats?

Christmas certainly has its share of traditions from all over the world but have you ever stopped to think who invented Christmas?   The answer can be found in a book: How Charles Dickens's a Christmas Carol rescued his career and revived our holiday spirits.

Dickens was on the verge of bankruptcy and almost gave up writing but took one last leap of faith and penned A Christmas Carol.  It was a best-seller, put Dickens back in the public limelight and changed what was then a mediocre holiday into the most celebrated day in the Christian calendar.  A book that is sure to capture the hearts of anyone who reads it and its message is clear: to help the poor and the less fortunate and that it's never too late to change.

Alexander Green said this about the book, "More than a century and half later, A Christmas Carol is still a tonic for our spirits - and an annual reminder of the benefits of friendship, charity and celebration".

Amen.

Makes 18 to 36
adapted from Closet Cooking

1 cup Stilton, room temperature and crumbled
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse grain pepper
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped

Cream the cheese and butter. Mix in the flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients followed by the rosemary. Shape the cookies as you like an place them on a parchment lined baking sheet with an inch of space between them. Place the baking sheet in the fridge and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Bake in a preheated 180c (350f) oven until they just start to turn a light golden brown, about 8-14 minutes, remove and let cool. (Note: The shortbread will still be rather soft when it is done but it with crisp up as it cools).

The Culinary Chase's Note: These savory shortbreads are delicious especially served with onion-fig jam, port jelly or your favorite condiment. To bake at a later time,  form dough into 2 rolls and roll up using wax paper. Twist waxed paper shut at ends. Refrigerated dough will keep well for up to 1 week or place in a baggie and freeze. When ready to bake, slice about 1/4 inch thick and place on ungreased sheet.

Mince Pie Cookies

Mincemeat originally had meat in it  (in Medieval times) along with fruit and beef suet.  The meat was finely minced and was a way of using up leftover meat.  The word may sound like an odd concoction as a dessert and evoke an unpleasant visual, but fondly enough the mince does have a sweet flavor to it.  The English recipes for mincemeat during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries consisted of meat and fruit and by the 20th century, the beef was omitted.   Mincemeat pie was always a regular during the Christmas holidays in our home.  Mom used to make her own mincemeat that included beef and later on she used only the fruit version to make her pies.  It is an acquired taste and you either like it or you don't!  That said, put away those preconceived notions and try this recipe...you just might be pleasantly surprised.

Makes 20 to 30 cookies (amounts will vary according to size)
adapted from Jamie magazine

250g unsalted butter, softened
140g sugar
1 egg yolk
grated zest of 1 clementine or orange
300g flour
1 x 411g jar fruit mincemeat

Preheat the oven to 180C (350f) and line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until creamy. Add the egg yolk and clementine zest and beat again to combine. Sift in the flour then fold through most of the mincemeat and stir until the mixture starts to come together – use your hands to make a dough, if needed.

Pull off little biscuit-sized clumps of dough, space them evenly over the trays and gently press down slightly to shape into cookies. Dot a little of your saved mince on top of each cookie to make them look extra delicious. Pop them in the oven for 10 minutes, or till golden but still a bit doughy in the middle. Serve warm, or turn onto a wire rack to cool, then store in an airtight container.

The Culinary Chase's Note: These cookies are soft and so scrumptious. Depending on the size of the cookie, you may need to bake longer than 10 minutes. I found I needed an extra 5 minutes.  Enjoy!

Chipotle and Rosemary Spiced Nuts

This has to be the best holiday snack I've tasted! I was just thinking that other than the holidays, I really don't go out of my way to buy nuts unless it's called for in a recipe. Funny that! Nuts contain proteins, folic acid, vitamin E, vitamin B, flavonoids, folic acid, potassium, magnesium, selenium, zinc, manganese, and copper.  The Mayo Health Clinic staff say those who eat nuts as part of a heart-healthy diet can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of developing blood clots. Click here for more details. A handful of nuts a day can keep hunger at bay and beat belly fat, according to scientists.  For me, eating in moderation is key.

Serves 6 to 8
adapted from Ina Garten

3 cups whole roasted unsalted cashews (14 oz.)
2 cups whole walnut halves (7 oz.)
2 cups whole pecan halves (7 oz.)
1/2 cup whole almonds (3 oz.)
1⁄3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons ground chipotle powder
4 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
sea salt
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180c (350f). Brush a cookie sheet with vegetable oil. Combine the cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder on the cookie sheet. Toss to coat the nuts evenly. Add 2 tablespoons of the rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again.

Spread the nuts in one layer. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring twice until the nuts are glazed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 1 more teaspoon of salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons of rosemary. Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or cool completely.

The Culinary Chase's Note: These are addictive, so eater beware! Easy to make and the flavors of maple syrup combined with the salt and smoky heat from the chipotle will have your guests wanting more! Chipotle chile powder is different from chili powder. It's made from dried smoked jalapeños which are ground and has a distinctive hot, smoky, sweet flavor.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature and will keep for about a week...if they last that long!  Enjoy.

Sheila's Ginger Snaps

Holiday baking in my family goes back a few generations. I come from a line of women who enjoyed cooking and the holidays were no exception...hours of food preparation went into each Christmas season. This recipe is one that my mother gave to her mother back in the 1960's and now I have it. It seems odd that my grandmother wouldn't have had her own ginger snap recipe especially since Nanny Ryan was a very good cook and her mother was also. My great grandmother was so passionate about food that she opened a bakery in Saint John to help supplement their income and feed nine kids!

Gladys Ryan (nee May) was a spirited, 5-foot tall, entrepreneur and in her day, if you weren't married by the age of 20 you were considered a spinster. My grandmother had other plans to pursue and being a wife wasn't one of them! Born in 1901, she left Saint John when she finished high school to work in the art department for Jordan Marsh (later converted to Macy's) in Boston.  The artist in her blossomed at Jordan Marsh but after five years she returned home because her father was ill. Driving back must have given Nanny plenty to think about (imagine, she had her own car!).  Full of ideas and experience from Jordan Marsh, she opened her own art studio in the wharf (now known as Market Square) where local businesses would commission her to design art work for them.  Her biggest client was Scovil Brothers (a department store) where she created drawings of people wearing the latest outfits for their brochures as well as large (2 to 3 feet long) silhouettes of people atop banks of built-in drawers within the store.  My grandmother married at the age of 35...well ahead of her time!  The wooden recipe box that is now in my possession was my grandmother's and oh the stories it could tell!

I love stories of the past and wonder how many of you have similar ones that come to life when you cook.  Bake and keep those memories alive!


Makes 52 cookies (amount will vary depending on size)

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup molasses
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 1/2 cups flour

Beat shortening and add brown sugar, cream well. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Gently shape into a ball, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate overnight. Remove from fridge and make into small balls using a teaspoon to ensure uniformity. Arrange balls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 180c (350f) for 15 minutes.

The Culinary Chase's Note: Easy to make and delicious with a cup of tea or hot milk!

Thai Sweet Potato Soup with Coriander Pesto

We had friends, Lawrence and MJ over for dinner on Saturday.  MJ is a vegetarian and although I could  have cooked a meal and remove the non-vegetarian pieces for her, I decided to search my food blog archives for vegetarian recipes - I have a few - and went from there.

We started the evening with bubbly and an assortment of homemade dips, roasted red pepper and artichoke on Belgium endive and homemade bread that I made in the afternoon.  Once everyone had a few nibbles and liquid refreshments, we headed to the dinging room.  Next on the list was the soup.  I had tasted the soup earlier and after heating it up I did another taste test and this time the heat from the curry paste had increased and it was then that I had a bit of a panic attack - what if they didn't like it?  Not to worry I said to appease myself.  If the soup wasn't a hit I would go with plan B and serve a micro salad with roasted tomatoes (yes, these were made earlier...just in case) dressed with meyer lemon infused olive oil and pear balsamic vinegar.  The soup was velvety smooth and the hint of spice was calmed by the coriander pesto.  They liked it!  The main course was a pasta dish with wide noodles (fresh lasagna sheets which I cut into wide strips) tossed in a rich mushroom sauce highlighted with freshly chopped herbs.  Feeling very full, we ended with fruit and chocolate.  My first all-vegetarian dinner party and it felt good! 

Serves 4
adapted from Taste

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 brown onion, halved, finely chopped
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 liter (4 cups) vegetable stock
1 kg. sweet potatoes, peeled, coarsely chopped
160ml (2/3 cup) coconut milk
fresh coriander leaves, to serve

Coriander Pesto:
1 bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked, washed, dried
45g (1/4 cup) roasted cashews
60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
60ml (1/4 cup) coconut milk

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the stock to the pan. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Add the sweet potato and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.

To make the pesto, place the coriander and cashews in a food processor and process until finely chopped. While the motor is running, gradually add the oil in a thin, steady stream until combined. Add the coconut milk and process until combined.

Place half the sweet potato mixture in the jug of a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan. Repeat with remaining mixture. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Add the coconut milk and combine. Ladle the soup among serving bowls. Top with coriander pesto and coriander leaves and serve immediately.

The Culinary Chase's Note:  I used a hand blender and the same pot (anything to save time and dishes!).  If you are a bit timid to use the curry paste, add a teaspoon at a time and do a taste test.  Sweet potatoes are a very good source of vitamin A, C and manganese.  Click here for more health benefits of the sweet potato.  Enjoy!

Cathedral Mountain Lodge - French Onion Soup

As I was flipping through the magazine and spotted this recipe, I was thinking to myself is there another recipe out there that can really improve on French onion soup? Onions, water, broth, bread, cheese,  yada yada yada! Onion soup has been around for centuries (ancient Greek and Roman times) and was seen as food for the poor because onions were easy to grow and inexpensive.  According to French Onion Soup, a typical onion soup recipe from the mid seventeenth century would have involved cutting onions thinly, frying them with butter, and then boiling them in water with bread and capers. This soup would have been served with vinegar. In the nineteenth century, flour, salt, and pepper were added to the recipe and grated cheese featured as a garnish for French onion soup recipes in the early 1900s.  French onion soup became more popular in the US in the 1960's.

It's a soup we've all grown up with or at least heard about and in my family this soup has been made more than once.  Onions are a good source of vitamin C, dietary fiber and evidence showing that sulfur compounds in an onion can lower blood levels of cholesterol.  Happy slurping!

Serves 4
adapted from Cathedral Mountain Lodge

4 large yellow onions
4 strips applewood smoked bacon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 355 ml cans honey ale
1 cup demi-glace (reduced beef stock)
2 cups (16 oz.) Monterey Jack cheese, grated
sourdough bread, cut into 1" cubes

Peel onions, cut in half and thinly slice. Cut bacon into small pieces. Place butter and bacon into a large pot over medium heat. Cook bacon slowly until it is almost crispy, stirring as you go so it doesn't burn. Don't drain bacon grease. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add beer and cook for 10 more minutes. Add the demi-glace and continue cooking until soup is reduced by one quarter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight (up to 3 days if need be). Leave breab cubes sit on counter overnight, uncovered.

The next day, warm up soup. Place 7 bread cubes each in 4 oven-safe soup bowls set on a cookie sheet and pour soup over top (the cubes will float). Add 1/2 cup of cheese to each bowl and broil until cheese starts to brown and soup bubbles up through the cheese.


The Culinary Chase's Note: Ok, so I guess I'm eating my words (literally and figuratively). This soup was scrumptious! Choose your favorite beer to guarantee the best taste. The only thing I would do differently would be to add some fresh thyme and change the cheese to Gruyère.  I used beef consommé in lieu of the demi-glace (too labor-intensive for me!).

Cognac and Pistachio Chicken Liver Pâté

Pâté (pronounced pah-TAY) is French for pie. It's simply a mixture of ground meat such as beef, pork, wild game, poultry, liver, or seafood and often combined with some form of fat, vegetables, herbs, or seasonings. The grind can be smooth and creamy or on the chunky side. It may be served hot or cold. If you're not a fan of liver, there are other pâté  recipes...click here to view all.  Choose one that suits your palate and show it off this holiday season to your family and friends. It's a special appetizer and one that gets the attention at a party.  Cheers!

Serves 6
adapted from Canadian House & Home magazine

3/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped red onion
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
a couple of grinds of black pepper
1 lb. chicken livers, trimmed of fat and connective tissue
1/4 cup cognac (Brandy is also acceptable)
1/4 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
toasted baguette slices

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat until it froths then calms. Add onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until onion is just soft. Add thyme, salt, pepper and chicken livers; cook 10 minutes. During the last minute, remove from heat and stir in cognac. Let mixture cool for 5 minutes, then pour into a food processor and blend until smooth. Fold in pistachios, then transfer to a terrine, small ramekins or your favorite dish and smooth the top with a butter knife.

Over medium heat, melt remaining 1/4 butter, remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Using a spoon, skim the milk solids (froth) from top of butter and discard, then pour clarified butter over terrine or ramekins to seal it. Make sure milk solids from bottom of pan don't mix with clarified butter. Chill for at least 3 hours. Serve with baguette slices.

The Culinary Chase's Note: The pâté was out of this world and I loved the odd crunch here and there from the pistachios. Very easy to make and your guests will be asking for the recipe before the pâté is finished.  Serve this with a nice bottle of Beaujolais.

Chicken Lollipops

The holiday party season is in full swing and these savory lollipops are easy to make and look stunning on any hors d'oeuvre table.  They are the perfect size for your guests to nibble on and if you want to serve a sweet lollipop version as well, click here.  While I was in Halifax, NS my girlfriend, Jennifer (party stylist diva), handed me a glossy 11" x 14" magazine, FRED. Celebrate In The City.  On the back cover are her thoughts for kids party time.  The periodical hails from the stylish and imaginative duo team of Fred Connors and Joel Flewelling. This issue will inspire you for the holiday season...only 8 pages but loaded with great ideas and it's free from their cafe on 2606 Agricola Street!

Dear Santa, I wish their magazine was available in digital format so I could view it here in NYC.

Makes 16 - 20
adapted from FRED.

1 lb.  minced chicken
2 finely chopped shallots
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup black sesame seeds
1/4 cup honey

Mix all ingredients EXCEPT sesame seeds and honey. Form chicken mixture into 1-inch balls. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 180c (350f) for 20 minutes. Allow chicken balls to cool slightly then dip in honey and roll in black sesame seeds

The Culinary Chase's Note: Heat honey in the microwave to achieve a runny consistency as this will be easier to coat the chicken balls. Let excess honey drip off before sprinkling black sesame seeds on. For added flavor, use 1 teaspoon of sesame oil to the meat mixture. Insert lollipop sticks when balls are still warm and before coating with honey. Do a taste test of the meat mixture by taking a small piece and microwave for 10 seconds. Adjust seasoning accordingly and then pop into the oven. Enjoy!

Elements on Hollis - A Restaurant Make-Over

John and I were in Halifax last weekend. It was a jam-packed 3 days and on Monday night we had dinner at Elements. It was the perfect ending to our weekend as we were heading back to NYC on Tuesday. Elements on Hollis is located within the Westin Hotel in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia.

A few years ago it seemed implausible to dine at a restaurant within a hotel if you wanted to experience a delicious and imaginative meal with the ambiance to match. It seems, though, that restaurants in hotels are making a comeback. Not only are the restaurants evolving but so are the lobby spaces (places where people can enjoy a snack or drink).

Elements recently underwent a makeover...from dark and boring to light, fun and inviting. Oh, and they didn't stop there!  A push for all things local by Haligonians caught the attention of the restaurant. We've all heard and hopefully read about the 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating by Alicia Smith and J.B. MacKinnon.  Elements menu focuses on local ingredients within a 50-mile radius of the restaurant. A wonderful way to truly experience all that Nova Scotia farms and fishermen have to offer. 

When we arrived, Chef Jon Ganeau wanted to know if we were going to order from the seasonal menu or would we like him to present us with a tasting menu?  The obvious answer was to let him run wild and go with the tasting menu.  What better way to show off the local food and the talents of the chefs?

We started with Jost sparkling wine followed by a micro salad with shaved Old Growler cheese from That Dutchman's Farm which was tossed with Blomidom chardonnay dressing - simply delicious!  The Old Growler has a consistency that would remind you of Parmesan.

Next came Lunenburg cod fish cake on a bed of caramelized sweet onion chutney topped with pea shoots.  This was complimented by a glass of Jost chardonnay.   John said this was one of the best fish cakes he'd ever eaten and he's not fond of cod!

I chose the oven roasted chicken with a herb spätzle and braised rabbit with gnocchi and roasted apple slices for John.  We are still thinking about these dishes - so good!

Just when we thought we couldn't eat another morsel, Dave our waiter brought out beef cheek lasagne with quark cheese.  Fresh layers with parsley rolled into each pasta square.  The beef was fork-tender and easily consumed! Another glass of vino and this time it was Jost Trilogy which paired well with the beef.

A cranberry lime sorbet easily cleansed our palate to make way for a decadent Garrison beer nut brownie with whipped cream and caramel sauce.  We were VERY satiated!

Chef Jon Ganeau and Chef Jonathan Arsenault

N.B. - To try their tasting menu, just phone ahead! 

The Culinary Chase's Note:  While Chef Jon was busy getting our food ready, Chef Jonathan came by our table on various times to speak about the food and the direction the restaurant was taking with regard to their 50-mile theme.  His enthusiasm was well received as we enjoy chatting to people who have a passion for what they do.  Dave easily guided us through each tasting as well as detailed information about the wine.  Four hours later and the evening came to a close.  Need I say more?  Cheers!