Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing (Fannie Farmer via Saveur)
1/2 lb fresh baby spinach, washed and patted dry
8 white mushrooms thinly sliced
1 medium shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
12 strips bacon
2 hard cooked eggs, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
6 Tbsp lemon juice
2/3 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper
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Combine garlic, sugar, mustard, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Let rest for 30 min.
Fry the bacon in batches until crisp and brown. Drain on paper towels.
SAVE 2 Tbsp of the bacon grease for the dressing.
Toss the spinach, mushrooms and shallot in a large salad bowl.
Put the pan with the bacon grease back on the stove on medium heat. Add the oil and the lemon-garlic mixture and heat this all together.
Pour the warm dressing over the spinach mixture and toss well.
Crumble as much bacon as desired over the salad and top with the chopped egg. Toss lightly and serve.
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Mama Stamberg’s Cranberry Relish
2 cups whole raw cranberries
1 small onion
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp horseradish from a jar
Grind the berries and the onions together.
Add everything else and mix.
Put in a plastic container and freeze.
Thaw for 6-8 hours before serving (it should still have some ice slivers in it).
Serve with turkey.
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Brined Turkey
NOTE: start the day before you plan to cook the turkey.
1.5 cups coarse salt
2 gallons cold water (if you have city water and don’t want your turkey to taste like chlorine, use bottled spring water)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp rosemary leaves
2 Tbsp thyme
1 tsp sage
6 cloves garlic, crushed
9 whole peppercorns
Boil 2 cups of the water and add all the seasonings to it. Let cool.
Combine the seasoning mixture with the rest of the water. This is your brine.
Place your cleaned turkey into a large vessel in which it can be completely submerged, such as a canning pot, clambake pot, or large stock pot. Fill the pot with brine, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before cooking.
If the brine solution does not completely cover the turkey you can (a) make more brine or (b) turn the turkey over from time to time.
When it’s time to roast the turkey, remove it from the brine and dry thoroughly before proceeding.
A brined turkey should be coated with a thin film of olive oil before roasting and it should be roasted ONLY to 165 degrees.
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Baccala
NOTE: start 3-4 days in advance
2 lb salt cod or pollock
2 medium onions peeled and cut into 1″ chunks
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 28-oz can peeled tomatoes, cut into 1″ chunks, and the juice
1 6-0z can tomato paste
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1″ chunks
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp parsley, minced
salt and pepper to taste
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Soak the fish in cold water, refrigerated for 2 days. Change the water at least twice a day.
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Drain the fish well and pat dry.
In a large, heavy pot, saute the onions in the oil until tender and starting to brown.
Add the tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, potatoes, baking soda, and the fish and simmer until the potatoes are cooked, about 20 minutes.
Cool and refrigerate, covered for 1-2 days.
When ready to serve, re-heat and adjust seasoning to taste.
Serve in a rimmed soup plate. Garnish with parsley.
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Peruvian ceviche
1 lb Seafood (fish, shellfish, cephs, in any combination)
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon fresh shredded ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 and 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 white boiling onion sliced very thin
1/2 tsp Aji amarillo
1/2 tsp Rocoto pepper puree
In a blender, puree until smooth the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and 1/4 cup lime juice. Remove to a large bowl. Add the sliced onion and cut-up seafood and toss well. Add enough lime juice to cover. Add the cilantro and toss lightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The dish is “cooked” when all the fish is opaque.
To serve, line a large martini-style glass with butter lettuce leaves, and use a slotted spoon to place the fish mixture over it. Add a tablespoon or two of the juice. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.
Traditionally served with slices of boiled white and sweet potato and boiled corn on the cob.
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Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon
http://cooking.knopfdoubleday.com/2009/07/13/julia-childs-boeuf-bourguignon-recipe/
Red Hot Tomato 