As Ebenezer Scrooge finally learns in Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, the holiday is about generosity. Dinner reflects the spirit--for most people, a feast of particularly special, familiar foods, eaten with family and good friends.
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This year, our entire food department collaborated on a Christmas menu, collecting and devising dishes that express the goodwill and happy times we'd like to share. Our first course and finale are traditional dishes revised with fresh flavors: crunchy salt crystals on little gougeres, and poached cranberries, rich toffee sauce, and rum-flavored whipped cream in a festive trifle. The main course--a showy prime rib roast, creamed spinach, and parsley potatoes--echoes the spirit of Christmas past in the best way.
Salt-and-Pepper Cheese Puffs (Gougeres)
PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 hour
NOTES: These easy puffs are especially good made with strongly flavored, aged white English, Irish, or Canadian cheddar. We like to use an imported sea salt with pretty, crunchy crystals, such as fleur de sel, Halen Mon, or Maldon, but any coarse sea salt will work. The puffs can be made up to 1 month ahead and frozen; cool, then freeze airtight. Reheat thawed puffs, uncovered, in a 375[degrees] oven until crisp and hot, about 5 minutes.
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MAKES: 48 puffs; 12 to 14 servings
1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter, cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 1/4 cups shredded sharp cheddar
cheese (see notes)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh-ground pepper
Coarse sea salt (see notes)
1. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over high heat, bring 1 1/2 cups water and the butter to a full rolling boil. Remove from heat, add flour all at once, and stir until mixture is a smooth, thick paste with no lumps. Add a quarter of the beaten eggs at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition until dough is no longer slippery. Stir in cheese and pepper.
2. Spoon dough into a large pastry bag fitted with a plain 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe in 48 equal mounds on two cooking parchment--lined or buttered 12- by 15-inch baking sheets. (Alternatively, drop dough on sheets in slightly rounded tablespoon--size portions.) Sprinkle each mound with a few grains of coarse sea salt.
3. Bake in a 400[degrees] regular or convection oven until dry and well browned, about 30 minutes. Serve warm (see notes).
Per puff: 53 cal., 61% (32 cal.) from fat; 1.9 g protein; 3.6 g fat (2 g sat.); 3.1 g carbo (0.1 g fiber); 87 mg sodium; 35 mg chol.
Butter Lettuce Salad with Walnuts and Grapes
PREP AND COOK TIME: About 50 minutes
NOTES: You can toast the walnuts (step 1) up to 2 days ahead; when cool, wrap airtight and store at room temperature.
MAKES: 12 to 14 servings
3 cups walnut halves (9 oz.)
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon walnut oil
2 tablespoons sugar
About 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
About 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground
pepper
1 pound butter lettuce, rinsed, crisped,
and torn into bite-size pieces
3 cups rinsed and stemmed red
seedless grapes, halved
1 cup finely slivered red onion,
rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon
1. In a 10- by 15-inch baking pan, mix walnuts with 1 tablespoon oil, the sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; spread level. Bake in a 350[degrees] oven, stirring occasionally, until nuts are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool.
2. In a large bowl, mix vinegar, shallots, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Slowly whisk in 1/3 cup oil until vinaigrette is emulsified. Add lettuce, grapes, red onion, tarragon, and sugared walnuts; mix gently to coat, adding more salt and pepper to taste.
Per serving: 217 cal., 75% (162 cal.) from fat; 3.5 g protein; 18 g fat (1.6 g sat.); 14 g carbo (2 g fiber); 224 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.
Standing Rib Roast
PREP AND COOK TIME: About 2 3/4 hours, plus at least 10 minutes for meat to rest
NOTES: For easy carving, have the butcher cut the rib-eye muscle from the bones, then tie the meat and bones back together for roasting. After cooking, the roast may stand in a warm place up to 30 minutes. To serve, snip off the string, lift the roast off the bones, and slice the meat. Cut between the bones to serve them. Accompany the beef with prepared horseradish.
MAKES: 12 servings (without bone section; 14 with bones)
1 fat-trimmed, 4-bone beef rib-eye roast
(about 8 1/2 lb.; see notes)
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh-ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups fat-skimmed beef broth
1/4 cup brandy or tawny port
1. Rinse meat and pat dry. In a small bowl, mix thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub mixture evenly all over roast. Set on a rack, bones down, in 10- by 15-inch roasting pan.
2. Roast beef in a 375[degrees] regular or convection oven until a thermometer inserted in the center of the narrow end reaches 135[degrees] for medium (the wide end should be about 125[degrees] for rare), about 2 1/2 hours. As fat accumulates in pan, ladle it out and discard.
3. Transfer roast to a platter and let stand in a warm place at least 10 minutes (see notes).
4. Meanwhile, skim off and discard remaining fat from pan drippings. Add beef broth to pan and stir to scrape up browned bits. Add brandy. Set pan over high heat and stir until mixture is boiling vigorously. Stir in juices accumulated from roast on platter. Pour sauce through a fine strainer into a small pitcher.
5. Carve roast (see notes) and serve with sauce.
Per serving: 332 cal., 46% (153 cal.) from fat; 41 g protein; 17 g fat (6.9 g sat.); 0.4 g carbo (0.1 g fiber); 359 mg sodium; 119 mg chol.
Creamed Spinach
PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes
NOTES: You can prepare through step 4 up to 1 day ahead; cool, cover airtight, and chill. Uncover and bake in a 375[degrees] oven until spinach is hot in the center and bubbling at the edges, about 25 minutes. Add the cheese and bake until melted, about 5 minutes longer.
MAKES: 12 to 14 servings
4 pounds spinach leaves, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 onion (12 oz.), peeled and finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
1. Fill a 6- to 8-quart pan over high heat with spinach and turn frequently with a wide spatula; add more spinach as leaves wilt and shrink. When all the spinach is added and wilted, in 8 to 10 minutes, cook and stir leaves about 1 minute longer. Pour spinach into a colander to drain. Rinse and dry pan.
2. Melt butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion; stir often until limp, about 5 minutes. Add flour, nutmeg, and thyme. Stir until flour is golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in broth, cream, and salt until mixture is smooth. Return to heat; stir until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring often, to blend flavors, 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whirl spinach in a food processor or use a knife to chop coarsely.
4. Add chopped spinach to the cream sauce. Stir until bubbling. Pour into a shallow 3-quart casserole.
5. Bake in a 375[degrees] regular or convection oven until bubbling at edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until melted, about 5 minutes longer. Serve hot.
Per serving: 167 cal., 65% (108 cal.) from fat; 7.9 g protein; 12 g fat (7.4 g sat.); 8.6 g carbo (3.8 g fiber); 409 mg sodium; 41 mg chol.
Parsley Potatoes
PREP AND COOK TIME: About 45 minutes
NOTES: If potatoes are done before the rest of the main course, return them to pan after step 1; cover and let stand up to 15 minutes.
MAKES: 12 to 14 servings
1. Scrub 4 pounds red thin-skinned potatoes (1 1/2 in. wide; cut in half if larger). Place in a 6-to 8-quart pan and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Set over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat so water barely simmers and cook, uncovered, just until potatoes are tender when pierced, about 30 minutes. Drain.
2. Pour potatoes into a bowl and add 1/3 cup chopped parsley, 1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse-ground pepper. Mix gently to coat.
Per serving: 123 cal., 26% (32 cal.) from fat; 2.5 g protein; 3.5 g fat (2.1 g sat.); 21 g carbo (2.3 g fiber); 208 mg sodium; 8.9 mg chol.
Sticky Toffee Trifle with Cranberries
PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 1/2 hours, plus 1 hour to cool and 8 hours to chill
NOTES: We've designed this gorgeous, gooey dessert to serve more than the other dishes in the menu, for the sake of filling a large trifle dish and having leftovers. The trifle has several components, all of which can be made ahead of time (see "Prep Plan," page 93). You'll find plump, moist Medjool dates in the produce section of many supermarkets; if they're unavailable, use drier packaged dates.
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MAKES: 16 to 20 servings
1 quart whipping cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup dark rum
Date cake (recipe follows)
Toffee sauce (recipe follows)
Poached cranberries (recipe follows)
1/4 cup slivered pitted Medjool dates
(see notes)
1. In a bowl, with a mixer on high speed, whip 2 cups cream with 2 tablespoons each granulated sugar and rum until soft peaks form.
2. In the bottom of a 4- to 5-quart trifle dish or straight-sided glass bowl, spread a third of the date cake cubes level. Drizzle 1/3 cup toffee sauce evenly over cake. Spoon about 1 cup poached cranberries (including juices) over sauce. Spread about half the whipped cream evenly over cranberries. Repeat with another layer of cake, sauce, cranberries, and whipped cream. Layer remaining third of the cake cubes over the whipped cream, drizzle with 1/3 cup toffee sauce, and spoon remaining cranberries over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 8 hours.
3. In a bowl, with a mixer on high speed, whip remaining 2 cups cream with remaining 2 tablespoons each granulated sugar and rum until soft peaks form. Spread over trifle and garnish with slivered dates.
4. To serve, scoop portions onto plates. Pass remaining toffee sauce to add to taste.
Per serving: 484 cal., 50% (241 cal.) from fat; 4.4 g protein; 27 g fat (16 g sat.); 58 g carbo (2.2 g fiber); 234 mg sodium; 127 mg chol.
Date Cake
1. Put 3/4 cup chopped pitted Medjool dates (see notes above left) in a blender or food processor. Pour in 1/2 cup boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes. Whirl until smooth.
2. In a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed (use paddle attachment with standing mixer), beat 3/4 cup (3/8 lb.) room-temperature butter, 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, and the date puree until well blended and smooth. Add 4 large eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. In another bowl, stir together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; stir into butter mixture until well blended. Scrape batter into a buttered and floured 9-inch square baking pan.
4. Bake in a 350[degrees] oven until a wooden skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto rack; remove pan and let cake cool completely.
5. Trim off dark edges of cake; reserve for another use or discard. Cut remaining cake into 1-inch cubes.
Toffee sauce. In a 1- to 2-quart pan over medium heat, stir 1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice until sugar is dissolved and mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 2 tablespoons vanilla and cook 1 minute longer. Whisk in 1 1/2 cups whipping cream and remove from heat. Makes 2 cups.
Poached cranberries. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over medium-high heat, stir 1 1/2 cups orange juice, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until sugar is dissolved. Add 12 ounces rinsed and sorted fresh cranberries or thawed frozen ones; simmer gently just until skins begin to split, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and chill until cool, at least 30 minutes.
RELATED ARTICLE: Prep plan
Up to 1 month ahead: Make and freeze cheese puffs.
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Up to 1 week ahead: Cook cranberries and toffee sauce for trifle; cover separately and chill.
Up to 2 days ahead: Toast walnuts for salad; make cake for trifle and wrap in plastic wrap to store.
Up to 1 day ahead: Make creamed spinach; assemble trifle.
About 3 1/4 hours before dinner: Prepare beef.
About 3 hours before dinner: Get roast into the oven; garnish trifle with last layer of cream and slivered dates (chill, uncovered, until ready to serve).
As guests arrive: Reheat thawed cheese puffs.
About 45 minutes before dinner: Cook potatoes.About 30 minutes before dinner: Reheat creamed spinach while beef rests; finish pan juices for roast.
About 20 minutes before dinner: Mix salad.
By Sunset's Food Staff
COPYRIGHT 2003 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group
