Lamb from new-fangled Joy recipe

I reworked my lamb recipe for Christmas Eve 2018 in the Madison kitchen.  I wanted to avoid the two-shift oven treatment.  This recipe is a blend of the "new" JOY (which has no coating, not even breadcrumbs) and my old one:

Mash 1 clove garlic with 1/2 tsp salt.  Mash in 1/2 t. dried thyme, then beat in 2 - 3 T. dijon mustard and 3-4 T. olive oil.  Whisk together.

Pre heat oven to 400 (same as for Yorkshire pudding, but Joy calls for 425). Have skillet on med hi with 3 T butter, hot. Brown on 3 sides, 2 min each. Coat top and sides with mustard mixture and put in oven, maybe 20 min. 15 min (rare) to 21 (med. well) minutes. Rare is 125 degrees.  Wait a few minutes, loosely covered with foil, before carving.

The Yorkshire pudding went into the 400 degree oven before I browned the lamb and did ok at that temp for the 30 min that the lamb needed.  Before I started any of that, I'd slow-cooked sweet onions, first on hi, then low, and added brussel sprouts. 

Favorite muffins

these are my FAVORITE muffins of all time. They are prettt healthy- so, if you favor a sugary,cakey muffin, these probably aren’t for you. I like that they are nice and filling, so they make a nice breakfast or snack. The recipe is adapted from the Hodgson Mill Flax seed box. I prefer blueberry muffins, but the recipe works nicely with apples or other fruit.

Preheat oven to 400
Whisk together:
 1 egg
2/3 cup milk
3T walnut oil (or vegetable oil)
1.5 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup milledor ground flax seed
2.5t baking powder
Pinch of salt
A few sprinkles cinnamon

Stir the dry ingredients together well (stay near the surface so that you’re mostly working in the dry ingredients), then stir into the wet ingredients. Alternatively, you can mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then combine, but I prefer to dirty just one bowl.

Gently stir in about 1/2 cup slivered almonds and 1 cup fresh blueberries.

Bake for 18-20 minutes. Enjoy!

BISCOTTI!
I needed to memorialize the biscotti recipe that I thought I knew by heart.  It's amazing how many ingredients and steps fall by the wayside with recipies that you "thought you knew by heart."  So I went back to Julia Child's The Way to Cook, p. 493, which I've inscribed as given to me by Janet for Christmas, 2000.  Here's enough text to put it back in my memory:
In a 2 c. measure, mix 3/4 c white and 3/4 c brown sugar (too much for me, and even for Reeves), 1 t. vanilla, 2 eggs, 1/3 c almond oil, and 2 T. water (or coffee, or grand marnier).
In a big bowl, mix 2 1/2 c flour (or use 1/2 c flax and 2 c. flour), 1 t. salt, 1 t cardamom, 2 t. cinnamon, 2 t. baking powder, and 2 c. toasted almonds.
Add liquid to dry.  Add more water if necessary.  Don't  beat any more than you have to.
Spread mixture on parchment-covered cookie sheet.  Bake at 325 for 20 minutes.  Cut, then bake again at 300 convection.

2 simple fish recipes

I've become a big fan of Costco frozen fish: reasonably priced, and delicious - none of that fishy taste that you get with lower quality frozen fish. These two recipes are for sauce/dressings for mahi mahi. Both were inspired by my CSA. Rhubarb is plentiful in the upper midwest in the spring, and after getting it two weeks in a row from my farm box and some from a friend at work, I realized I needed to branch out from pie. Mom kindly posted a halibut-fennel recipe at my request, and after glancing at it I realized I needed to figure out how to work the same flavors with much less effort.... so, I figured out the below preparation instead. It's different from mom's version - hers is more of a sauce, mine is more of a solid dressing, but I liked it just as much. The caramelizing softens the anise/licorice flavor of the fennel quite a bit - for me this is a plus, but if you love anise/licorice, perhaps it wouldn't be.

The first important step is thawing the fish:

• Place a filet per person in a large bowl of cool water (leave it in the wrapper for  now). Leave it at room temperature for 30 minutes.

I emphasize this because I find that fish thawed in this way tastes much fresher than fish left at room temperature or in the fridge for a longer period of time.

To cook the fish:

• Heat heavy bottomed pan (we have a le cruiset skillet) over medium-high heat.
• Put 1-2T of vegetable oil in the bottom
• Rinse and pat dry your fillets
• Pat with EVOO or vegetable oil and season with black pepper, light salt
• Cook fish for 4" on each side

Grilling also works nicely.

CARAMELIZED FENNEL DRESSING - serves 2- 3:

• Heat 1-2T of EVOO in a saute pan on medium heat.
• Thinly slice one fennel bulb and place in pan
• Lightly salt
• Once fennel has warmed up (you can hear the gentle sizzle sound again), turn down the temperature to medium-low
• Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 30", or until the fennel is caramelized (soft and brown at parts)
• If the fennel sticks to the bottom, or all the liquid dries up, deglaze the pan (add a splash of white wine) - I have to do this 1-2 times while cooking
• Top your fish with the fennel and serve

Probably not quite as amazing as mom's recipe, but a little simpler

RHUBARB SAUCE (adapted from https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7846-sauteed-red-snapper-with-rhubarb-sauce):

• wash and trim 1 lb of rhubarb. Cut into ~1" pieces.
• Place rhubarb,  1/3 c sugar, a pinch of saffron, and a little water into a small sauce pan
• Simmer for about 30", stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb partially melts into a sauce
• Taste and add more sugar if needed
• Serve over your fish and brown rice

Also works well over chicken.

Halibut & fennel

2 lbs halibut, sliced into 6 pieces
3 fennel
3 garlic
1/2 c white wine
tarragon or white wine vinegar
veg stock

Pre-heat oven to 375.  Slice 3 large fennel into 6ths.  Heat 2 T oil in roasting pan until smoking.  Add fennel and cook until it starts to brown, 2 - 3 minutes. Put pan in oven and cook about 40 min.  (If you use a skillet, have one of those handle covers ready and pop it on as soon as you take the skillet out of the oven.)

About 10 min. before fennel comes out, heat a large saute pan with 1 T oil until smoking hot.  Season filets with salt and pepper and dredge in 1/2 c. flour.  Saute the fish, searing 2 - 3 min on each side, then put the skillet in the oven (get another handle cover ready).  Remove the fennel from the oven.  Leave the fish in oven for 5-6 min or until cooked through.

Remove the fennel pieces, then use the roasting pan to make the sauce, on medium heat.  Add 3 cloves chopt garlic and saute.  Add 1 T chopt fennel greens and 1/2 cup wine and cook 2 minutes. n Add 1 T tarragon vinegar, 1/4 c. veg stock, 1 T butter and coil.  Plate the fish, topped with fennel and sauce.

IZARRA!

This made an astounding cocktail.  Produced in
Bayonne; Pyreneal herbs, prunes and walnut shells
soaked in armanac. This recipe produces a lemony
looking drink.  Reeves's was mauve.

Biper-sazerac

by Thibault Poëlvilain

INGRÉDIENTS :
4 cl d'IZARRA Jaune
1,5 cl Lillet blanc
1 spray d´absinthe
1 pincée de piment d´Espelette
Cocktail réalisé directement dans une coupe de champagne marquée d´une trace de rouge à lèvres.
Remplir la coupe de glace, la rincer avec le spray d´absinthe.
Verser le Lillet blanc puis l´IZARRA jaune.
Remuer avec une cuiller de bar de façon à diluer légèrement.
Ajouter de la glace jusqu´en haut de la coupe.
Déposer délicatement une pincée de piment d'Espelette.

This one looks red, from the porto:

Pimms à la Basque

by Arnaud Grosset

INGRÉDIENTS :
4 cl d'IZARRA Vert
2 cl de porto rouge (Niepoort)
3 traits d'Angostura Bitters
Compléter au Fever Tree Ginger Ale

Here's another.  It had no photo, but could be mauve
from the red vermouth and Bombay saphire gin.

4 cl d' Izarra Verte

4 cl de Vermouth rosé

4 cl de Gin

I had a magical fig-apple sauce at Hostel L'Eveche, Alet-les-bains, Languedoc.  I asked the owner to explain, and she listed most of what I later found in an online recipe.  They also had some of the best coffee I'd ever had.  I haven't tried it yet.

Compote pommes - figues au miel, citron et vanille, maison

• Temps de préparation: 10 min
• Temps de cuisson: 15 min
• Temps total: 25 min

Ingrédients:

• 4 pommes
• 8 figues fraîches
• jus d'un citron
• 1/2 gousse (pod) de vanille, coupée en deux graines (seeds) grattées
• 1 càc (cuillière à café, or teaspoon) de miel (type lune de miel) (translates as "honeymoon", but all I can find in a search for that is a French brand with typical flavors)
  
  The waiters also referenced pain du miel d'épices.   The recipes I found for honey bread contained anis vert (evidently anise seed tastes similar to but is different from fennel seed), ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon, so I plan to use these.

Préparation:

Retires la peau des figues, ôtes la queue, coupes les en quartiers.
Epluches les pommes, retires le coeur et les pépins, puis coupes les en morceaux.

Verses le tout dans une casserole, ajoutes le jus de citron, le miel, les graines et la gousse de vanille.

Fais cuire à couvert 15 min à feu doux.

Ecrases le tout à la fourchette, au moulin à légumes ou au robot, blinder.
Si nécessaire, passes au tamis fin pour éliminer les pépins de la figue.

Sers frais.

YORKSHIRE PUDDING

from Joy of Cooking – says 6 servings

Suzanne's notes in my recipe notebook double the recipe.  This served 4 adults adequately, not generously.

Have ingredients at room temp.

Put 7/8 c flour and 1/2 tsp. salt, in a bowl. Make a well in the center, and pour in 1/2 c milk. Stir it in. Beat 2 eggs until fluffy, then beat them into the batter. Add 1/2 c water. Beat the batter well until large bubbles rise to the survice. Can cover and put into frig for 1 hour and then beat again (I don't do this). Heat your dish (~9x12”) and melt maybe 4 Tbsp. Butter in it, enough for 1/4 “ pool. Pour in the batter. Bake at 400 for 20 min, reduce heat to 350 & bake 10 – 15 min more.

Christmas eve 2018:   did not reduce to 350, since I was roasting the lamb at the same time.

Spinach sformata

Originally from WaPo. I cook it in a 1.5 liter Corningware bowl. If you are going to unmold and present it, you can oil it and sprinkle it with breadcrumbs. I tried lining it with vertical slices of red pepper resembling outlined hearts. The red bled during cooking, and the hearts didn't lie flat against the wall of the bowl after I filled it. A row of thin slices of summer squash around the bottom might look good, or it may be that the ricotta seeps around them, so I'm not sure what will work. One key thing is draining or pressing as much of the water from the spinach as possible to avoid runniness. Our B&B hostess Ruth at Kealakakua adds half-cooked quinoa to to her morning fritatas to absorb liquid released by the cooking spinach.

Ingredients:

• 24 oz fresh spinach, long stems removed
• 1/2 t. each of ground cinnamon and nutmeg
• oil to saute 1 small onion, finely chopt, and 1 clove garlic
• 3 eggs, whites separately beaten, or 6 whites
• 1/2 cup + grated Parmigiano and/or pecorino)
• An ounce (25 g) of raisins, soaked in warm water, then drained and minced (optional)
• 24 oz ricotta; can use skim; can sub in 8 oz. Cottage cheese
• up to 3/4 c. quinoa (can use brown kind) half-cooked in 1 1/2 c water; strain
• Salt and pepper
  

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 and boil ~ 1” water in a skillet. Drain the well-washed spinach and heat it in a pot with the water that remained on the leaves; when it wilts and is pretty done drain it again, cut it pretty fine, press in a strainer, and season it with the cinnamon/nutmeg, pepper, and salt. Combine the spinach with the onion & garlic, cheese, egg yolks if used, quinoa and raisins. Fold in the egg whites and pour the mixture into the mold. Put the skillet into the oven and add the mold. Bake it for 15 min at 375, then for another 40, or until it sets, at 325 and serve it hot, sliced.

Eggnog - again, by Not Suzanne
for 96 oz., or lots for 12 people
9 eggs, 2 pt. cream, 4 c. brandy, bourbon or rum
1/4 t. salt & 1/2 t. cream of tartar & 1 T. cornstarch
cooking thermometer and 2 very large cannisters or mixing bowls

Yolk mixture:  beat yolks until light.  Add 1 T. cornstarch (avoids curdling).  Add 2 pts. + 1 c. cream.  Cook in microwave, stirring frequently, until it reaches 175 degrees.  Add liquor and refrigerate. 

Whites:  beat to foam them, then add 1/4 t. salt & 1/2 t. cream of tartar.  Then beat until they make stiff shiny peaks.  On stovetop cook 1 1/2 c. water and 4 c. sugar.  Do not stir until it is clear.  Then cover pan and boil rapidly.  It will form bubbles and thicken.  Then uncover it and boil it until it reaches 238 degrees.  Then stream the hot mixture into the whites while beating them.  Beat for 5 more minutes. Mix the yolks and whites. 

Maybe add nutmeg.

Braised Pork Tenderloin by Not Suzanne

My apologies to Suzanne, whose identity usurped my Chez Toby access on MY computer.  I shall remain nameless.

M bought us 2 1.7 lb pork tenderloins at Safeway.  I sliced a largish sweet onion and sauteed it in olive oil, probably for 45 min. or more.  It had begun to caramelize.  Reserving the onion and the oil, I switched the pan to roasted almond oil and sauteed 3 large sliced, peeled Fuji apples until they were starting to crisp and brown.  I reserved the apples and that oil with the onion.  Then on medium high I browned the peppered tenderloins in a small amount of olive oil, turning them 3 times.  Then I added the reserved apples, onions and oils, about 3 T. balsamic vinegar, and enough vegetable stock to come half-way up the tenderloins.  I reduced the heat to medium low and cooked for about 30 min.  I think I forgot to add cinnamon.