The Holidays are just around the corner and I am sure that many of you will be preparing Christmas Dinner or New Year’s Day Dinner. I want to give you something new to bring to the table on the special day and I thought a Roasted Rack of Pork with Winter Vegetables would be a great entree. I’ve planned a menu I believe is interesting and easy to prepare. Much of this menu can be done a day or two in advance giving you plenty of time to enjoy your guests.
Each course has been perfectly planned for you. Here’s the menu and I hope you will do either the whole menu or even just a part of it for your dinner.
Christmas Dinner 2013
Wild Mushrooms and Chestnut Soup
Roasted Beets, Fresh Fennel, Navel Oranges and Watercress Drizzled with Orange Infused White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Roasted Rack of Pork with Winter Vegetables
Sour Cherry and Apple Compote
Decorated Sugar Cookies
Wild Mushroom and Chestnut Soup
I like to use the wildest mushrooms I can find: The ones that stayed out late partying the night before. The wilder the mushrooms the better. You don’t want this soup to be a “run of the mill” mushroom soup, so forge ahead and look to your local upscale market for a good selection of wild mushrooms. If you can’t find wild mushrooms locally a very good source for wild mushrooms is Oregon Mushrooms. They are reliable, prices are fair, they have a huge selection of seasonally fresh and dried mushrooms and they deliver a perfect product every time. www.oregonmushrooms.com
The Chestnuts give the soup a flavor that is earthy sweet. The drizzle of white truffle oil as garnish is a bit extravagant but well worth the cost. It adds another dimension of earthiness you can only get from truffles. I found The chestnuts in a sealed foil package at the grocery store. The brand is Gefen and comes in a 5.2 ounce package. The price was quite reasonable at $2.99 a package. This brand contains no preservatives or artificial coloring. It is also a Kosher brand.
I don’t put in any herbs, other than Sunny Paris Seasoning from Penzey’s Spices, because I want the mushroom flavor to be the predominate taste. The Sunny Paris gives it a little French flair. There is no salt in Sunny Paris. I love this herb mixture: It is subtle and it reminds me of Paris. Check out Penzey’s website. Some of you may be lucky enough to have a retail store in your area. If not, the catalogue has everything you can think of and shipping is inexpensive. http://penzeys.com
Makes About 4 Quarts
1 1 Ounce Package Dried Porcini Mushrooms
4 Pounds Wild Mushrooms Such as Shitake, Yenoki, Hen of the Woods, Oyster, Trumpet, Hedgehog
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Divided
4 Tablespoons XVOO, Divided
1 Pound Packaged Roasted and Shelled Chestnuts
1 Large Spanish Onion, Finely Chopped
6 Celery Stalks, Finely Chopped
2 Large Yukon Gold Potatoes, Skin On, Cut into ½” Cubes
2 Tablespoons Sunny Paris Dried Seasoning from Penzey’s Spices
2 Teaspoons Coarse Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
¼ Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Madeira Wine
2 Cups Mushroom Liquid
4 Cups Homemade Chicken Stock or Canned Low Sodium Chicken Broth, Heated
1 Cup Crème Fraiche
1 Cup Heavy Cream
Crème Fraiche, a Drizzle of White Truffle Oil and Chopped Chives for Garnish
Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a small saucepan and cover with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mushrooms sit in the liquid for 10 minutes before straining. Strain the liquid through a strainer fitted with cheesecloth or paper towel. Rinse the mushrooms to be sure there is no dirt or sand. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible into the cheesecloth fitted strainer. Set the liquid aside. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.
Clean the wild mushrooms of any dirt and/or sand and coarsely chop. You want the mushroom pieces a little on the large side so you can sink your teeth into these wonderfully flavorful morsels.
Gently smash the chestnuts but putting pressure on the flat side of a chef’s knife.
In a large pot, such as a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons each of the butter and XVOO over medium high heat. When the butter stops sizzling put half of the mushrooms in the pan. Sprinkle the mushrooms with a little of the salt and pepper and sauté them in two batches ( sprinkle the mushrooms with the salt and pepper as you place each batch in the pan). Before you stir them let the mushrooms get a bit of caramelization on the bottom. You don’t want them to steam or release their liquid. Remove from the pan and sauté the rest of the mushrooms. Remove and set aside.
Add the rest of the butter and XVOO and, over medium heat, sauté the onion, celery and potato until the onion and celery are a bit softened. Sprinkle the mixture with the flour and stir to coat. Cook for a few minutes stirring often. You want to cook the flour flavor out of the mixture. Add the rest of the salt and pepper and the Sunny Paris Herb Mixture to the vegetables.
Pour in the Madeira wine and stir into the vegetables. This will become thick and paste like. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in the 2 cups of mushroom liquid and the chicken stock and gently bring the mixture to a boil. Add the chestnuts and reduce heat to simmer. Gently simmer until the potatoes are softened, about 20 minutes.
Add the 1 cup of crème fraiche and the heavy cream and stir to incorporate. Add the reconstituted Porcini mushrooms and the sautéed mushrooms with all of the juices that have accumulated and continue to gently simmer for 20 more minutes.
At this point the soup will be perfect but if it seems a little too thin for your liking thicken it up by dissolving 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in water. Use your fingers to mix it. Be sure there are no lumps. Bring the soup to a boil and add the corn starch/water mixture stirring continuously until all of the cornstarch liquid has been blended in and the soup is slightly thicker.
Ladle the hot soup into heated bowls. Dollop each bowl of soup with crème fraiche, a drizzle of white truffle oil and sprinkle with chopped chives.
The soup can be made 2 or 3 days in advance and reheated at a gentle simmer.
Roasted Beets, Fresh Fennel andOrange Salad with Watercress Drizzled with Orange Infused Vinaigrette
Use naval oranges because there are no seeds. No seeds make eating this salad a pleasant experience. You can also switch it around and use golden beets and blood oranges instead. It’s the color thing you are going for. Bump the salad up a notch by sprinkling a bit of crumbled goat cheese or Maytag blue cheese on the finished dish.
Serves 8
For the Vinaigrette
¼ Cup White Balsamic Vinegar
¼ Cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
1 Medium Shallot, Peeled
1 Tablespoon Coarse Grain Mustard
¼ Cup XVOO
¼ Cup Vegetable or Canola Oil
½ Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Group Black Pepper
2 Medium Fresh Fennel Bulbs, Trimmed of Frons, Core Removed and Thinly Sliced Lengthwise
3 Large Navel Oranges, Skin and White Pith Cut Off, Sliced in Half Lengthwise and Each Half Sliced into ¼” Slices Crosswise
4 Cups Baby Watercress, Trimmed of Long Thick Stems
Put the vinegar, orange juice, shallot and mustard in a blender and process until pureed. Wish the motor running add the oil in a slow and steady stream and blend until completely emulsified. Add the salt and pepper and blend until combined. Transfer to a glass jar or a squeeze bottle and refrigerate until ready to use. (Vinaigrette can be made a day or 2 in advance.)
In a medium bowl toss the fennel with some of the vinaigrette; enough to just barely coat the fennel.
On a salad plate place 3 half slices of the beets overlapping each other. Place 3 or 4 slices of oranges on the plate in the same manner as the beets. Top with some of the fennel. Mound a bit of watercress on the plate and drizzle all with the vinaigrette.
Roasted Rack of Pork with Winter Vegetables
This dish could not be any easier. You cook the meat, vegetables and potatoes all together in one pan at the same time. You end up with a delicious and brilliantly executed dish. If your Rack of Pork is cooked to the temperature suggested and the vegetable and potatoes are not done, remove the pork from the pan and continue to cook the vegetables in the oven until perfectly cooked. The veggies and potatoes should be a bit on the soft side; not mushy but soft.
When ordering your Rack of Pork tell the butcher you want the cut of meat that is used for the Crown of Pork and be sure to tell him not to cut through the meat to make it in a shape of a crown. You want it to be the same cut as a Prime Rib of Beef. Sometimes the butcher in a big box store has no idea what you are talking about when you tell him you want a Rack of Pork. Just be very specific in what you are ordering. If you have to, show him the picture. Also you must tell the butcher to remove the chine bone. If it is not removed you will not be able to cut through the rib. The chine bone is the long piece of solid raggedy edged bone running the length of the rack. When it comes time to slice, you will be able to easily slice the rack into 8 chops or you can carve the meat off of the rib bones first and then slice. The meat next to the bones is the tastiest and is a favorite with everyone.
I prefer to brine when the situation calls for it. Brining pork will insure you the most tender and moist Rack of Pork. Brining is simple and worth doing.
Serves 8
For the Brine
1/2 Cup Coarse Sea Salt or Kosher Salt (Neither is Iodized)
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
3 Bay Leaves, Broken in Half
2 Teaspoons Whole Black Peppercorns
2 Teaspoons Fennel Powder
6 Garlic Cloves, Smashed
1 8 Bone Rack of Pork (About 7 Pounds), Chine Bone Removed
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1 Tablespoon Coarse Sea Salt
2 Teaspoons Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Fennel Seed Powder
1 Pound Purple Peruvian Potatoes,, Cut In Half Crosswise
2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, Peeled and Cut into 6 or 8 Chunks
4 Medium Size Yukon Gold Potatoes, Skin Left On and Cut into Quarters
1 Large Red Onion, Thinly Sliced
8 Large Carrots, Peeled and Cut Crosswise on an Angle ¼” Thick
4 Turnips, Peeled and Quartered
4 Parsnips, Peeled and Cut Crosswise on an Angle 1/4″ Thick
¼ Cup Whole Garlic Cloves, Peeled
1 1/4 Cups XVOO
1 Cup White Wine
2 Cups Homemade Chicken Stock or Low Sodium Canned Chicken Broth
Preheat oven to 375°.
In a large pot such as a Dutch oven combine the salt, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns and garlic with 2 cups water. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and add 4 cups ice cubes and six cups of cold water to the pan. Set into the refrigerator until completely chilled. Add the Rack of Pork being sure it is completely covered with water. If you have to add more water to cover don’t hesitate to do so. Place the pan with the pork and the brine in the refrigerator and brine the meat for at least 6 hours and up to no longer than 8 hours.
After the brining time, remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with a paper towel. Bring the meat to room temperature before roasting, about 30 minutes. Discard the brine.
In a large roasting pan, place the potatoes, carrots, onion, turnips, parsnips and garlic and toss with 1 cup of the XVOO, sprinkle with half of the sea salt and half of the pepper. Toss to combine. Place the pork rack in the pan and pour the rest of the XVOO over the meat. Sprinkle the rack with the rest of the salt, pepper, all of the garlic powder and fennel seed powder and rub the spices all over the meat including the sides. Pour the cup of wine over the vegetables.
Place the pan in the oven and cook for about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring the vegetables around every 20 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers 145° when placed in the center of the pork rack. Remove from oven and transfer meat and vegetables to a platter. Loosely cover with foil to keep warm. Let the meat rest for 30 minutes before slicing.
Discard the oil and fat in the pan and deglaze the pan with the chicken stock. Scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan to make a great pan sauce. You can serve as is or strain for a more refined sauce.
Dark Cherry and Apple Compote
Makes 3 Cups
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 Granny Smith Apples, Cored, Peeled and Cut into 1/2” Dice
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
¾ Cup Apple Juice
2 12 Ounce Bags Frozen Dark Sweet Cherries
Zest of One Large Orange
In a large sauté pan melt the butter. Once the butter stops sizzling add the apples and sauté until just beginning to soften. Add the onion jam and sauté for 1 more minutes. Add the sugar and cook until the sugar is dissolved and begins to color. Add the apple juice and stir to combine. Add the cherries and their juices to the pan and stir to combine. Add the zest and bring the mixture to a full boil. Turn the heat down to medium and cook, stirring often, until the juices thicken to a very syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat and cool. Once cooled transfer the compote to a glass jar. Refrigerate until completely cool and then cover with a lid. Properly stored in the refrigerator, the onion jam will keep for a week.
Decorated Sugar Cookies
2 Large Egg Yolks
3 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
3½ Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
2½ Sticks (10 Oz.) Cold Unsalted Butter, Cut Into 1 inch pieces
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the cream. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour and sugar. Add the butter and beat at low speed until the mixture resembles crumbs, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream-egg mixture in a slow steady stream, beating at low speed until the ingredients are just combines. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces, shape into disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Let the dough stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.
Preheat oven to 350° with rack in the middle of the oven.
Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough ¼ inch thick (thick is important) and cut out shapes. Place on the parchment lined baking sheets and bake one cookie sheet at a time for 16 to 18 minutes, or until pale golden, rotating pan half way through the cooking time. Cool on the trays.
When cookies are completely cooled, frost them with Royal Icing. Let cookies sit overnight uncovered. This gives the icing time to set. Cookies can be stored in tins for a long time, 3 to 4 weeks.
Royal Icing
5 Tablespoons Meringue Powder
1 Box (1 Pound) 10X Confectioners Sugar
Place meringue powder and scant ½ cup water in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and mix on low speed until blended. Add confectioners sugar and mix on low speed until soft peaks form, about 10 minutes, scraping down sides periodically. At this point you can add more liquid a drop at a time to make the icing perfect for icing cookies. Add food coloring and mix until well blended.
To ice the cookies use the flooding technique by outlining the cookie with the icing in a pastry bag fitted with a very small plain pastry tip and then flood the cookie. Do not outline all of the cookies first because the outline will harden and you will not be able to blend the flooding.
Hints and Tips: You can purchase Meringue Powder at a baking supply store or Williams-Sonoma. I have purchased Meringue Powder from both Williams-Sonoma in the store and CK Products on line. http://www.CKproducts.com
To color the icing, divide it into smaller containers and use food color to achieve the colors you would like. I use food color paste which you can buy at a baking supply store such as CK Products, Williams-Sonoma or Michael’s Craft Store. I don’t like the liquid type of food color you can easily get at the grocery store because it will change the consistency of the icing: It actually makes the icing too thin to work with. The paste is much better. Keep the icing covered with a lid or plastic wrap when not in use. It hardens faster than you think.
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Healthy Happy New Year.
camille@camillecooksforyou.com