all you need is love

Deborah
Transitioning between two cooking zones- from brisk, sunny Florida to icy-grey New York.
Our delayed flight gave me ample time to finish the book I was glued to Just Kids, the memoir by Patti Smith about her early days as a young struggling artist in NY City and her creative partnership with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. I am a huge Patti fan so I was presold on her message, but the book is truly great. Smith really captures the creative experience from inspiration to realization. The struggle for young artists to break through with their art and gain recognition is huge. Her book is a moving tribute to her late friend Mapplethorpe who shared with her his passionate commitment to their artistic pursuits. And at times it seems they lived on nothing but that loving commitment.

Why am I going on about this? I guess it got me thinking about inspiration and love. I came upon this little comment on a facebook post yesterday. It is a recipe by cookbook writer Denise Landis.

Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Sherry-Butter Glaze, by Denise Landis: Trim sprouts but otherwise leave whole. (If they are large, cut a shallow X in the bottom of each one.) Melt a generous amount butter, add brussels sprouts, stir until lightly browned all over. Add chopped toasted pecans and toss for a minute, then throw in a generous splash of sherry (dry or cream...I like the sweetness of cream sherry). Immediately cover, turn heat to low, and cook just until sprouts are tender in the center but not overcooked (don't let them turn gray!). Serve hot. But honestly, I eat them straight from the fridge, cold, the next day...


Denise and I attended the same High School. I just love the way she wrote this recipe, so simple and so obviously filled with love for cooking. Maybe I am still coming off a Valentine's day high, but I am feeling all gooey for passion and the commitment to doing things we care about deeply.


My lovely and brilliant friend Ali sent me a photo today of her weekend spent in the kitchen with her husband and a group of friends cooking up a storm. They included my pumpkin ravioli and a few other recipes I have made with Ali. Her joy at trying something new was infectious  and I asked her to allow me to share the photo:

The beautiful Ali in red.

As I am writing this I am stuffing my face with Brussels Sprouts. As usual I strayed a bit from the instructions. I happened to have the oven on at 425 degrees so the sprouts cooked in there rather than pan roasting. The pecans were left whole rather than chopped and I didn't have any sherry so cognac was substituted. The sprouts cooked up in about 15 minutes and are DELICIOUS!!! Denise is really on to something here. So good and there will be none left for me to eat cold tomorrow!

Amanda
I LOVE Brussel Sprouts! And I am going to make this one tomorrow. It is right up my alley! Though I have to admit, the wine pairing had me stumped. Brussel Sprouts are extremely hard to pair with wine and I really couldn't come up with anything that seemed appealing to me. So I thought, and I thought, and came up with what I think would be a wonderful idea for an impromptu get-together with friends!
Tapas restaurants are "in" these days, popping up all over the place. And, Sherry is of course an obvious staple at these establishments. I envision a night of tapas at my home - olives, cheese, almonds, Denise's Brussel Sprouts, among other delicacies - paired with a variety of Sherries. Especially this time of year. A lit fireplace, friends, and delicious, simple fare, and of course Sherry, sounds like the perfect night to me.
A Sherry would be the natural match to the Sherry and pecans in this recipe. Right now, I have an open bottle of Alvear Carlos VII Amontillado Sherry which I have enjoyed sipping these cold winter nights. This is what I'll use for the Brussel Sprouts tomorrow night, and sip it alongside the dish! I am predicting a winning match!
For those of you unfamiliar with Sherry, Amontillado is an aged Fino, and can be dry or off-dry (a little sweet). The Carlos VII is dry, and is light chestnut in color. It has a wonderful bouquet, and a nutty flavor with hints of fig.  A 500ml bottle will run around $20. 


note from Deb- Sherry seems like the obvious and excellent choice as it is 
called for in the recipe. I really want to make this one again (and again!)
and I  will use sherry next time (although the cognac was fantastic). 
Amanda you will LOVE the sprouts. I went to bed last night craving more!

getting ready

Deborah
The countdown has begun for what many consider to be the biggest cooking holiday of the year. Everyone is thinking about food right now, from what to cook to what to eat (and what not to eat), how to organize everything and to how to afford it all.  Here are a few finds I would love to share with you to keep your holiday smooth and happy.

Michael Natkin has done it again. I came across his recipe for Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Candied Pepitas and Cider Vinegar and I think it is perfect for the holiday. I featured Michael's recipe for leek fritters a while back. He is a regular contributer to the web site Serious Eats and he has his own blog Herbivoracious. His Brussels sprouts recipe looks easy and delish and I think it is worth a try.

Katie at Party in my Pantry offers up a great cranberry sauce (she is calling her recipe chutney) that is also simple and delicious. Cranberry sauce is really so easy to make. I urge you, if you have any doubts, to try making it yourself rather than from a can. You will NEVER go back, I promise you.

I am stocking up on all sorts of ingredients right now:

Patel Brothers supermarket in Jackson Heights, Queens sells nuts by the pound at VERY reasonable prices. Can you see the price tag on these pecans? $5.99 per pound!! My local supermarket is selling them for $9. I will be making pecan pies with them. I made the dough today, rolled it out and put it in a pie tin and stuck it in the freezer till I am ready to bake.

Butternut squash will store in a cool dry place for weeks. I am going to braise them with apple cider . Don't get discouraged with the peeling. Cut the squash into smaller chunks before you peel,  they will be easier to handle that way.

Speaking of peeling. My family insists on mass quantities of mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. Normally I would leave the skin on the potato for a rough mash with herbs, but that would be rejected by the familial purists on this occasion. SO, I peel and quarter the potatoes the day before and store them covered in water in the fridge overnight. Drain and refresh with clean water on the day of and cook as you would. I put my cooked potatoes through a hand cranked food mill for a really nice texture.

Small pearl onions baked in cream look especially pretty in three colors. Don't be afraid to mix things up a bit. I got these as a trio at B.J.s. I use the same mustard cream sauce for them as I use on my baked leeks.

Don't forget to combine varieties of apples when making a pie or apple sauce for a more complex apple flavor. These are macs and granny smith, a classic combo.

For a really pretty garnish I love to use pomegranate seeds. These were 2 for $5, not exactly a bargain, but a nice treat. Put the seeds in salads, or over rice pilaf, squash gratin, mixed with green vegetables or even piled up on the turkey platter. They are as colorful as gems and give a wonderful tart burst of juice.

These pistachio nuts were a reasonable buy at both B.J.s and my local supermarket at $10 for a two pound bag. I use them in my green bean dish as follows:

Green Beans with Pistachio Nuts
Blanch one pound of trimmed green beans in boiling salted water for 5 minutes or until the beans are tender. Drain beans and wrap in a damp paper towel and store in a plastic bag in the fridge overnight.

Before serving remove beans from fridge and allow to come to room temp (or use beans right after blanching), heat olive oil in a pan and saute a finely minced shallot. Cook about 10 minutes till shallot is soft and golden and a little crispy, then add 1/2 cup chopped pistachio nuts and the beans to the pan and toss to coat until beans are warmed through and the nuts are lightly toasted.
serves 6-8 as a side dish

Happy happy happy Thanksgiving !!!

no one can resist

Deborah
Alright children, listen up. I'm going to get tough with you now. If you don't eat this next dish, well, honey, you just don't know what's good. Yes, it's Brussels sprouts. Yeah they are smelly when you boil them. But we are going to saute them! In butter! and lemon zest! What do you mean "what is zest?"
It's the skin of a citrus fruit grated up small. You love it! You loved it in that apple crumble I made. And those cranberry muffins. Come on, try the Brussels sprouts. please. please. They are good. really.

Amanda, YOU talk to them. please.

Brussels Sprouts with Lemon Zest and Pecans
2 Tbs. Butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 garlic clove minced
2 pounds of Brussels sprouts, rinsed trimmed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Zest from one lemon

Melt butter and oil in pan, add garlic and cook till it starts to turn golden, about 2 minutes. Add sprouts and saute for about 5 minutes, till sprouts start to wilt. Lower heat and cover for five minutes to let sprouts soften completely. Uncover and add pecans and lemon zest and s & p to taste. Cook another minute before serving. Allow dish to come to room temp if you are planning on freezing.

Amanda
I am a HUGE fan of Brussels sprouts! I will do all I can to get my kid to try this one! Sounds great. I love the idea that it is "freezable". Maybe I'll get a jump start this weekend and start prepping for the holiday!


Just to recap my thoughts on wine for Thanksgiving that I touched on earlier in the week:  Riesling is a perennial favorite Thanksgiving white. A great accompaniment to turkey and all the sides. White Burgundy (which is always Chardonnay) works beautifully as well. As for red, Pinot Noir is always a safe bet, as is Beaujolais. For the latter, the Beaujolais Nouveau is always a Thanksgiving staple. But, for something a little more sophisticated and complex, go for a Cru Beaujolais. You can't go wrong with any of these suggestions!