Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus

Here’s a recipe that we ran in Yankee back in 2005 and I still find myself turning to it when the local asparagus is back in the markets. It makes a very simple appetizer with a great presentation, and people love how the salty prosciutto balances out the natural sweetness of the cooked asparagus. Now I’ve discovered an even easier way to make it.

The original recipe calls for par-cooking the asparagus (boiling it until it is crisp-tender, then quickly cooling it in an ice bath) before you wrap each spear in a small piece of prosciutto and roast it at 400° for 15 minutes. However, I find that the recipe works just as well if you simply wrap the raw asparagus in prosciutto and broil it on both sides for 6 to 8 minutes total. No need to even boil water! Here’s my revised version.

Quick Prosiutto-Wrapped Asparagus

Ingredients

1 pounds asparagus, (about 20 spears)
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise
Olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated lemon zest

Method

Preheat your broiler on high and set a rack 4 to 6 inches below the heating element. Line a baking sheet with foil.

Wrap each asparagus spear in a piece of prosciutto and transfer to the baking sheet (the meat tends to stick to itself, so just lay the spears seam-side down and it will stay).

Drizzle the spears with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper. Transfer to the oven and broil on one side until the prosciutto shrinks and crisps and the asparagus begins to wilt, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from oven and turn each spear seam-side up. Broil on the other side until crisp, 3 to 4 more minutes. Garnish with lemon  zest and serve immediately. Yield: 20 spears, 6 to 8 servings

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A sampling of entrants from last year’s baking competition.

Back in 2001, before “locavore” was a buzzword, Vermont neighbors Dwight Miller*, a farmer, and Orly Munzing, an educational consultant, shared a passing conversation about the number of small farms in their area that were either going out of business or at risk of doing so. What could they do to bring attention to the problem?

Orly had recently traveled to Pamplona, Spain, site of the annual Running of the Bulls festival, and the thought occurred to her: What about a kinder, gentler sort of festival that would inspire the community to rally around local farmers? Thus was born the 2002 Strolling of the Heifers, a parade of female calves up Main Street in Brattleboro that ended in an outdoor fair where people could connect with the farmers who fed them, sample local foods, and celebrate. The popularity of the event led not just to an expanded parade and festival, but to the creation of a year-round organization that now also sponsors a business plan competition for farmers, a microloan program, educational grants, and more. And the Strolling of the Heifers has morphed into a weekend-long celebration of local eating.

One of the highlights of the event, slated this year for the weekend of June 7, 8, and 9, is a recipe  contest for both pro and amateur cooks. Organizers choose a theme (last year: bread, this year: quiche), entrants submit recipes in advance of the festival, finalists are chosen, and those folks go on to compete in the final judging which takes place the night before the parade.

Last year’s Grand Prize winner was Jean Sarnie of West Halifax, Vermont for her Dante’s Blueberry Quick Bread.

• 2 Cups Unbleached All Purpose King Arthur Flour
• 3 teaspoons Baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 ½  Tablespoons Butter
• ¾  Cup Sugar
• 1 Organic egg from Pete & Gerry’s
• 1 Cup Sour cream
• ½  Cup Milk
• 1 Tablespoon Honey from the Live Wire Farm in Jacksonville, Vt.
• 1 teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia extract from King Arthur Flour Co.
• 1 ½  Cups Blueberries (We pick ours at a friend’s yard in Halifax)
• Sugar and Cinnamon mixture for top (I use Demerara sugar from King Arthur)

If you want to enter this year’s quiche context,  your recipe must be submitted no later than midnight, Friday, May 17. Visit www.strollingoftheheifers.com for more information.

* Many know the late Dwight Miller as the beloved orchardist and  seventh-generation farmer who made Dwight Miller & Sons Orchard in Dummerston, Vermont a favorite destination during peach and apple season. He died at the age of 84 in 2008 and is remembered fondly as one of the founders of the Strolling of the Heifers. His farm continues on, now run by the eighth generation of Millers.

The post The Strolling of the Heifers (plus an award-winning blueberry bread recipe!) appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Freekeh Salad

Whole grains are big news these days (for more on this topic, check out local author Maria Speck’s book Ancient Grains for Modern Meals) and lately I’ve been trying the lesser-known types like farro and wheat berries in warm salads. Now I’m seeing freekeh in more stores, even mainstream supermarkets, and this is a good thing. Freekeh is easy to toss with vegetables or throw into a stew and it has a sweetly nutty flavor and is loaded with fiber and essential nutrients.

This salad was an experiment, but it was enough of a hit that I thought I’d share it with you. One caveat: Though I used green beans in the salad, I recommend using edamame instead, as its sweeter, nuttier flavor would best complement the grains.

Freekeh Salad with Beans, Almonds, and Feta Recipe Links
View and print the recipe for Freekeh Salad with Beans, Almonds, and Feta
Save Freekeh Salad with Beans, Almonds, and Feta to your Recipe Box

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One thing that helps: community. All our dinners since Monday  have been communal, hosting friends and family or being hosted. The instinct to gather is powerful. It makes us feel at least a little bit safe. If not safe, then loved.

Cooking also helps. It’s tactile and methodical, it stops your eyeballs and thoughts from spinning. This recipe for squash-scented sticky buns, which appeared in the “Best Cook in Town” column of the March/April issue of Yankee, is the model of that category of soul-calming fare we call comfort food. It requires a bit of time, but isn’t the least bit difficult to make. And slow, soothing projects are what I’m craving.

Caroline Craig’s Squash Sticky Buns Recipe

Total Time: 3 hours

Hands-on Time: 1 hour

Yield: 9-12 buns

Note: If you don’t happen to have any leftover winter squash on hand, you can make this recipe with canned squash or pumpkin. Because canned squash has more moisture, you’ll need more flour, closer to the 4 cups listed below. But the buns still turned out beautifully in our tests.

Now make the filling: In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.

The post Squash Sticky Buns | Food Comforts appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Salad with Feta, Fruit, and Radishes

If you’re not familiar with the Chef’s Collaborative, they are a national network of chefs who work to promote clean, sustainable food, in part by fostering connections between farmers and restaurants. They also put on wonderful educational programs and conferences.

The recipes in the book all come from member chefs. You’ll notice that the above photo features a salad of radishes, feta, almonds, and peaches, and of course those peaches are not in season. But this dish would work equally well with strawberries, which are semi-seasonal if you don’t mind that they’re shipped in from Florida and California.

Speaking of Florida, this salad is the creation of chef Michael Schwartz of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink in Miami. It’s my favorite restaurant in that city, and I just happened to have spent time there this past week. So here’s a little taste of Florida, adapted for New Englanders who are hungry for spring.

Click to view and print the recipe for Spring Fruit Salad with Feta and Almonds.

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I figured out this week that I can make homemade jelly donuts in much less time than I would’ve imagined. And given that the crowds went wild, so I had to share this recipe with you so you can enjoy an occasional treat, too.

First a bit of background: there are two primary types of donuts: those made with yeast-risen doughs and “cake” donuts made that get their lift from baking powder or soda. Because yeast donuts take some time to rise, it would seem that they’re the more difficult ones to make, but it’s actually quite the opposite. With yeast donuts, you throw the ingredients together in 10 minutes, walk away for an hour or so, and when you come back, you can cut, cook, and fill the donuts in about 40 minutes. With cake donuts, there’s no rise time, but they usually require more ingredients and more finesse in the rolling out, cutting, and re-rolling. They’re not difficult, but you need to be careful not to overwork the dough so it doesn’t get tough.

Homemade jelly donuts in minutes (minus the rising time)

I’m doing all this thinking about donuts because Tuesday was Saint Joseph’s Day, which is a Saint Patrick’s Day-style holiday for Italians like me. Except rather than indulging in beer, we indulge in delicious fried pastries like zeppole and frittelle. In my family, we always made simple fried dough dusted with sugar that we called, in Piemontese dialect, fricieu.

As I prepared the fricieu dough, I realized that it’s one very small step from fried dough to jelly donuts, so why not jazz them up?

Once the dough was done rising, I pressed it out on a very well-floured surface and cut the rounds with a biscuit cutter.

A biscuit cutter or jelly glass makes perfect circles

I fried them in Crisco in two skillets, which cut the frying time in half.

Frying the donuts in Crisco makes them crisper and less greasy

Then, when the donuts were cooked, I used a squeeze bottle to inject them with jelly (you could also use a pastry bag fitted with a wide-mouth tip, such as #4, or even a large syringe. Seedless jam won’t clog the tip.

A sprinkle of sugar and they were ready to serve.

Homemade Jelly Donuts

Total time: 35 minutes plus about 90 minutes rising time

Hands-on time: 35 minutes

Makes: About 18 donuts

Note: You can use vegetable oil for frying, but I find that vegetable shortening, such as Crisco, makes the donuts less greasy.

Ingredients

• 1 package yeast
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
• 1 large egg plus 1 yolk, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3 to 3 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for counter
•  Vegetable shortening or vegetable oil for frying (see Note)
• About 1/3 cup jelly of your choice
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Method

1. In a mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a standing mixer), combine yeast, warm milk, and sugar and stir until dissolved. Add butter, eggs, salt, and 1 1/2 cups flour. Beat at medium speed until combined, then add 1 1/2 cups more flour and beat until it forms a soft dough (you may need to beat by hand or switch to a dough hook at this point). Knead until smooth, 5 more minutes, adding the additional flour if needed.

Cover the bowl and set it in a draft-free spot. Let rise until it doubles in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Stir the dough to let out the air.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and roll out with a floured rolling pin until about 3/4 inch thick. Using a 2- to 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter or glass, cut the donuts into rounds, re-rolling and cutting as needed. Cover rounds with a towel and let rise again for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat vegetable shortening or oil in a skillet (or two) to about 370° (or until a piece of dough dropped in the oil sizzles nicely). Transfer 3 or 4 rounds to each pan and fry until golden, about 45 seconds. Turn doughnuts over and fry until golden on other side, another 40 seconds. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Fill your pastry bag, squeeze bottle, or syringe with jelly. Poke a hole in the side of each doughnut and squeeze to fill. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.

The post Homemade Jelly Donuts (and They’re Easy!!) appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

I spent the next day or so trying to imagine how I could possibly get this recipe from the chef…until I remembered that it’s my job to be able to do this so why not call? Chef Greg Farrell was kind enough to spill the secret and here it is for you to enjoy—a perfect end-of-winter warmer.

The Woodstock Inn’s Caramelized Onion and Potato Soup

Note: Two cups of cream is not unusual for restaurant fare, but it’s still a lot of cream, and you might not want to use that much at home. I use 2 cups of broth and 1 cup of cream when I make it, and it’s still creamy and delicious. You could reduce the amount further, to 1/2 cup cream and 2 1/2 cups broth, if you’d like. You can also reduce the amount of Gruyère to 2 ounces (I do) and use either the Parmesan or the Romano cheese. You don’t “need” both.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, peeled and thinly sliced
• 6 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, plus more to taste
• ½ cup sherry
• ¼ cup brandy
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 cups heavy cream (can substitute light cream, see Note)
• 1 cup beef broth (see Note), plus more as needed
• 8 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (see Note)
• 1 tablespoon  cornstarch
• 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese (see Note)
• 2 ounces freshly grated Romano cheese (see Note)
• Black pepper, to taste
• Garnish: Minced fresh chives

Method:

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add onions, garlic, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Remove cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions turn a deep golden brown, 20 to 25  more minutes. Add sherry and brandy, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add potato and thyme, stir, then add cream and beef broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until potato is very tender, about 10 minutes. Puree soup in batches in a blender (or process with an immersion blender), then return to a simmer. If the soup seems too thick, add a bit more broth.

In a medium bowl, toss the Gruyère with the corn starch then whisk it into the soup with the Parmesan and Romano (if using). Check seasonings and add pepper and additional salt to taste. Garnish with chives and serve hot. Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Click to view and print the recipe for Caramelized Onion and Potato Soup from The Woodstock Inn.

The post The Best Soup I’ve Ever Had (and here’s the recipe!) appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Quick Jam Cookies

Johanna shared the story behind these cookies, and it’s a charmer:

“My aunt Clara Morris, nicknamed Cluck because of her wonderful crowing laugh, was by general agreement the best cook in our family,” she wrote. “She lived in a small Connecticut town named Uncasville. I loved visiting, partly because it tickled me that the town’s population—2,000—was the number of students in my New York City junior high school.

Clara was secretary for the local probate judge, and when he retired, she decided to run for his position. Despite the fact that her formal education had ended with her high school diploma, she was voted into office. (Because of her years behind the scenes, she knew the job inside and out; she was a good judge).

One of the responsibilities that came with her job was officiating at marriages. Since Clara was such a warmhearted person, it was not enough for her to merely perform these weddings. Afterward, she always offered the couple a cup of coffee and something sweet, like these cookies, which she could whip up in a hurry.”

Split-Second Jam Cookies

Total time: 45 minutes; hands-on time: 15 minutes

Makes: About 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients for jam cookies:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract)
• 1/2 cup good quality jelly or jam, any flavor

Method for jam cookies:

Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter, egg, and vanilla and beat well until dough begins to come together. It may take two minutes or so.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 parts. Shape each into a roll about 13 inches long and transfer to an ungreased cookie sheet with about 4 inches between them. Press the logs down to a 3/4-inch thickness. Use a knife handle to make a depression about 1/2 inch deep down the center of each log. Fill each depression with the jam. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cut each loaf into about a dozen bars while warm.

The post Clara’s Quick Jam Bars appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Irish soda bread with apples and currants

Irish Soda Bread with Apples and Currants

Total time: 65 minutes; hands-on time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 large firm-tart apple, such as Granny Smith or Northern Spy, peeled, cored, and cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375° and set a rack to the middle position. Generously grease a cake pan with butter. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add the butter and stir until the flour is mostly coated. Make a well in the center and add the buttermilk. Gently stir just until moistened. If the dough seems too wet, add additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time. The dough should look very shaggy. Add the apples, currants, and caraway seeds and stir just to combine.

2. Using floured hands, shape the dough into a ball. Transfer to the prepared pan and flatten slightly (the dough will not reach the edges of the pan). Sprinkle with the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.

3. Bake until the top of the loaf is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool for 15 minutes. Gently turn the bread out of the pan and cool on the rack for an additional 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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My colleague, Ian Aldrich, was on his way over to the Dublin Community Church, a classic white-steepled building two doors down from Yankee‘s offices. I should’ve remembered: Every year during the season of Lent, the church hosts an all-you-can-eat meal of homemade soup and bread for the community each Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m.. You pay with a donation—whatever you feel you can give—and all the money goes to support local food pantries.

Many churches around the world serve similar lunches this time of year, some with a sermon attached, but this one feels like more of a quiet gathering, a way for people to see their neighbors during the coldest time of the winter.

This week’s crowd was mostly seniors, with a few Yankee employees stopping in. We sat next to Arthur Flick, a retired builder who now spends most of his free time volunteering at the local hospital with his wife, Peggy. She was working in the kitchen while we ate and chatted.

Arthur Flick

He shared stories about his children—a son who is the chief crime investigator for the Coast Guard in Alaska and a daughter who does genetics research—and told us about his “chocolate chili,” a hearty meat and tomato chili seasoned with a bit of cocoa powder, that he plans to make for next week’s lunch.

Our options that day were sausage tortellini, butternut squash, and chicken noodle. I opted for the sausage, which was delicious and hearty and came with a sprinkling of Parmesan and fresh basil.

Sausage Tortellini Soup, with toppings

Art encouraged us to go up for seconds, but I was full. This was a meal that felt like a gift, and one that multiplies out to the community. I’ll be back next week to try the chili. Meanwhile, here’s the recipe for the tortellini soup, straight from the church’s own 2010 community cookbook, Beautiful Soup.

Sausage Tortellini Soup

Submitted to Dublin Community Church’s Beautiful Soup by Holly Macy.

Makes: 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 12 oz. smoked, cooked chicken sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (2 cloves)
• 5 1/4 cups (42 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic, with juices
• 1 cup water
• 2 (9 ounce) packages refrigerated cheese or mushroom tortellini
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen baby lima beans
• 1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage, onion, and garlic. Cook until sausage is browned and onion is tender. Drain off fat.

2. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low; simmer for 10 minutes. Add tortellini and lima beans. Bring back to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until tortellini and beans are tender, about 5 minutes. Serve hot, sprinked with basil and cheese.

The post Sausage Tortellini Soup (and Lenten Lunch) appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Fortunately, she applied her cooking chops to solving this problem and I’m delighted to have an advance copy of her new book Year-Round Slow Cooker: 100 Favorite Recipes for Every Season. My own slow cooker spends too much time gathering dust in a cupboard when I know it could free me up to spend more time playing with my son and less time prepping after work. So I can’t wait to start cooking from her book. Meanwhile, she offered to share this recipe with Yankee’s readers. It’s a bit more time-consuming than other dishes in the book (her Chicken with Lime, Honey, and Soy takes just 30 minutes to prep), but I think it does a nice job of illustrating how versatile slow cooker meals can be. This definitely isn’t your mother’s crock pot!

Brisket with Pomegranate, Red Wine and Caramelized Onions

■   Prep time: About 1 hour     ■   Slow cooker time: About 8 hours

Note: Pomegranate molasses and seeds add seasonal flair and a fresh, sweet-tart taste to this brisket, ideal for the Jewish holidays and other special occasions. Prepare this dish a day or two in advance to allow the flavors to meld and the meat to become more tender and flavorful. Pomegranate molasses is available at many gourmet grocers and at Mideastern markets.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1⁄4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 8 grinds black pepper
• One 3-pound beef brisket
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 red onions, halved and cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick rings
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup red wine, such as Zinfandel
• One 14-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, with juices
• 1⁄2 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 1⁄4 cup fresh-squeezed, strained orange juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 3⁄4 cup pomegranate seeds, at room temperature, for garnish

Method

1. Put 1⁄4 cup of the pomegranate molasses, the mustard, garlic, coriander, salt, and pepper in the slow cooker and use a wooden spoon to mix well. Add the meat and turn to coat with the mixture (use your fingers to smear the mixture all over the meat).

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 10-inch, heavy sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, limp, and sweet, about 20 minutes (discard any strips of red onion skin that separate from the flesh). Pour the onions on top of the meat.

3. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, plus the tomato paste and flour to the pan. Stir until no white flour is visible, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the wine; return the pan to the heat, raise the heat to high, and simmer for about 2 minutes, whisking into a smooth, thick sauce. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, the tomatoes with juices, stock, orange juice, and honey, and use a potato masher to gently mash the tomatoes. Boil until smooth and relatively thick, about 4 minutes, then pour over the meat-onion mixture.

4. Cover and cook on low until tender, about 8 hours. Carefully transfer the meat to a cutting board, and let rest for about 10 minutes. With a large shallow spoon or ladle, skim the fat off the top of the cooking juices. Cut the meat against the grain into roughly 1⁄3-inch-thick slices, mix it back into the sauce, and serve, garnished with the pomegranate seeds.

Spotlight on Pomegranates

Pomegranates are large, hard, pink or red round fruits. You only eat their arils, pulp-encased seeds that resemble rubies and boast a sweet-tart berry flavor.

To remove the arils, halve the pomegranate horizontally, place it in a large water-filled bowl, and pull the arils out from the bitter white membranes. You can also thwack the backside of each half with your fist to knock out some arils; these will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or purchase already-removed arils, which I find to be worth the extra price. Follow the use-by date on the package for freshness.

If you buy whole pomegranates, look for heavy, firm, brightly colored fruits. Store them in the fridge for up to 2 months or in a cool, dark place for up to 1 month.

The post Dina Cheney’s Slow-Cooker Brisket with Pomegranate, Red Wine, and Caramelized Onions appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

The sauce, made with butter, basil, ginger, star anise, cumin, and chile, comes from a Southeast Asian vegetarian stew that my friend and colleague, Molly Watson, developed when we were both working at Sunset Magazine. It occurred to me that it might work equally well over a meaty white fish like cod, haddock, or halibut, and testing proved the hunch. Serve it over fragrant rice, lightly perfumed with cumin seed, cinnamon, and turmeric. It’s a bright, cheering, warming, and addictive combination. In fact, when I prepared the fish today on WSFB’s “Better Connecticut” show, the cast and audience couldn’t stop noshing. Given that television personalities are constantly watching what they eat, this was high praise.

The cod, all prepped and ready to go in the studio

Cod with Ginger-Basil Butter on Fragrant Rice

Total time: 50 minutes; hands-on time: 40 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

This is the ultimate winter warmer, a fragrant dish of cod served over rice seasoned with cumin and turmeric. Served with a butter sauce made with ginger, basil, and star anise, it’s a heady combination. But the flavor of the fish still shines through. Note: There’s a lot of confusion about cod stocks and whether cod is an eco-friendly option right now. Cape Ann Fresh Catch buys cod only from boats working within NOAA guidelines. If sustainable cod isn’t available, substitute another firm, white fish, such as Pacific cod, halibut, haddock, or pollock.

For the rice:

• 1-1/4 cups jasmine or basmati rice
• 2-1/2 cups water
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

Put rice into a 3- to 4-quart pot with water, cinnamon, cumin seeds, turmeric, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; then reduce heat to low and simmer until all the water has been absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice sit, covered, 5 more minutes.

For the fish:

• 2 pounds cod fillets, cut into 6 equal portions (see “Note”)
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, divided
• 12 slices unpeeled fresh ginger
• 4 fresh basil stems (with leaves), each cut into 3 pieces
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
• 6 whole star anise
• 1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled, and minced or grated
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 serrano chile, halved and thinly sliced (for less heat, remove seeds)
• 10 large fresh basil leaves, chopped

Meanwhile, set out 6 square pieces of aluminum foil, each about 12 inches wide. Lay a piece of fish on each one. Sprinkle with a bit of salt. To each packet add 2 slices ginger and 2 pieces basil stems. Seal each packet.

Bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a large pot fitted with a steamer. Add fish packets to steamer, reduce heat to a simmer, and steam until fish is opaque, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, in a small pot, melt butter until it sizzles. Add star anise, ginger, cumin, sugar, chile, and basil. Simmer 3 minutes.

Divide rice among bowls. Top with fish; then spoon butter sauce over fish.

The post Cod with Ginger-Basil Butter appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Winter Quinoa Pudding (Gluten-Free)

Total time: 40 minutes; hands-on time: 15 minutes

Notes: I used vanilla extract and Chinese five-spice powder (a mixture of fennel, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns available at many supermarkets) in this  variation. But you can easily substitute ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, or any combination of your favorite spices. If you don’t happen to have any coconut milk on hand, you can simply substitute regular milk.

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups milk
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened low-fat coconut milk (see “Notes”)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (see “Notes”)
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup white quinoa (the most common variety), rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Garnish: Any winter fruit, such as orange segments*, cubed apples, or dried fruit compote, plus toasted almond slices

Method:

In a medium pot, combine the milk, coconut milk, vanilla, spice, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa and sugar and simmer, stirring often, until the quinoa is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed (the consistency is creamy), about 30 minutes, then transfer to a bowl to cool slightly. Meanwhile, prepare your toppings.

Divide the quinoa between the six glasses and top with the fruit of your choice. Yield: 6 servings

*How to cut orange segments

To cut a citrus fruit so that you get clean, membrane-free segments, or cut “supreme,” start by slicing 1/2 inch off the top and bottom. Then slicing from cut end to cut end, carefully remove the outer white pith. With a small knife, carefully remove each individual segment, leaving no pith or membrane attached.

The post Winter Quinoa Pudding (Gluten-Free) appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

This pudding, which tastes a bit like a very moist gingerbread topped with lemon sauce, was one of his favorite desserts. As it cooks, the baking soda bubbles, leaving the little holes from which the dish gets its name. It’s so tasty that I’m finding myself obsessed with the whole category of British-style puddings. Expect to see more in the coming weeks.

Dr. Zabdiel Boylston’s Honeycomb Pudding

Total time: 50 minutes; hands-on time: 30 minutes

 Ingredients

For the pudding:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon each: ground cloves and allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 cup molasses

For the sauce:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 3 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 cup boiling water
• Garnish: lemon slices

Method

Preheat the oven to 350˚. Butter and flour a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Make the pudding: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, spices, and salt. Add the butter, milk, eggs, baking soda, and molasses and stir to combine. Pour the mixture quickly into the prepared pan and bake until firm,  30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: Put the sugar and butter in a medium saucepan and stir. Add the lemon juice, egg, salt, and cornstarch and stir. Add the boiling water, then set the pot over low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.

When the pudding is cooked, turn it out on serving dish. Slice to serve (the honeycomb will show), then spoon the sauce over the slices and serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with lemon slices if desired. Yield: 8 servings

The post Dr. Boylston’s Honeycomb Pudding appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Crab Farcie

Classic crabe farci is a French appetizer in which the shells are stuffed with a mix of crab meat,  breadcrumbs, butter, and seasonings (in French, the word farci means “stuffed.”) Like New England’s own baked stuffed lobster, crab farcie has many variations—the dish also appears in Cajun, Caribbean, and Vietnamese cooking—but in this version, it becomes an easy, delicious dip to serve with crackers or thin slices of French bread.

 Crab Farcie

Total time: 45 minutes; hands-on time: 15 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• Salted butter (for baking dish)
• 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup dry plain bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 can (6 ounces) crab meat, drained and shredded
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon minced shallot or onion
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Garnish: chopped fresh parsley or thyme leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚. Lightly butter a small baking dish (3- to 4-cup capacity) and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, bread crumbs, and salt. Set aside about half of this mixture for the topping. Combine the rest with the crab meat, cream, lemon juice, shallot, and pepper.

3. Spoon into the baking dish, top with the reserved bread crumbs, and bake until golden and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with herbs if desired.

The post Crab Farcie Dip appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

The First Christmas “Cookey”

Amelia Simmons, who described herself in the book as “An American Orphan,” published that first American cookbook in 1796. Her publisher was Hudson & Goodwin of Hartford, CT, though a second edition of the book was published that same year in Albany. American Cookery (subtitle: “or the art of dressing viands, fish, poultry, and vegetables, and the best modes of making pastes, puffs, pies, tarts, puddings, custards, and preserves, and all kinds of cakes, from the imperial plum to plain cake: Adapted to this country, and all grades of life”) has recipes for all manner of British-style foods, but it has just two cookie recipes, one called “Cookies,” as well as the following:

Another Christmas Cookey

“To three pound of flour, sprinkle a tea cup of fine powdered coriander seed, rub in one pound of butter, and one and a half pound sugar, dissolve one tea spoonful of pearl ash in a tea cup of milk, kneed all together well, roll three quarters of an inch thick, and cut or stamp into shape and slice you please, bake slowly fifteen or twenty minutes; tho’ hard and dry at first, if put in an earthen pot, and dry cellar, or damp room, they will be finer, softer and better when six months old.” (page 46)

Pearl ash, incidentally, was potassium Carbonate, a bitter-tasting precursor to baking soda.

Simmons’s cookie was made with coriander, not caraway, but both of those spices were common in British and American cooking at the time. According to the Oxford Companion to Food, sugar biscuits flavored with rosewater, aniseed, or caraway seeds, called jumbles, were also popular in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Jumping ahead to 1845, here’s another Christmas cookie recipe, published in Mrs. E. A. Howland’s book, New England Economical Housekeeper and Family Receipt Book (thanks to The Food History Timeline for these references):

Christmas Cookies
“Take one pound and a half of flour, three quarters of a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, half a cup of milk, and two spoonfuls of caraway seeds; melt the butter before you put it in. It is rather difficult to knead, but it can be done. Roll it out and cut it in hearts and diamonds, and bake it on buttered tins.” (page 29)

Here in the 21st century, I’ve been paging through Yankee‘s archives, and I’ve found several recipes for caraway cookies. Realizing I had come across the descendents of the original American Christmas cookie, I tried a recipe from our December, 1947 issue. The cookies were delicious, but a little plain, so I made some adjustments, adding the lemon glaze and dialing down the amount of flour. Now I think they’re perfect: fragrant, buttery, and just sweet enough. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!

Recipe for Lemon-Glazed Caraway Christmas Cookies

Yield: 3 to 4 dozen cookies, depending on size

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the counter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons caraway seeds, plus  more for sprinkling

For the glaze:

• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Method:

1. Pour sugar into the bowl of a standing mixer (or, if using a hand-held mixer, pour it in a large mixing bowl). Add the eggs and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the butter in a slow drizzle, beating as you go. Add the lemon extract and beat to combine.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 3 1/4 cups flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients and beat just until evenly combined. Divide the dough into two equal portions, wrap completely in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

3. Preheat oven to 350° and set two racks to the middle positions in your oven. Line two cookie (baking) sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.

4. Dust the counter with flour and roll out the first portion of dough until it is a bit less than 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, periodically lift the dough off the counter and turn it  to keep it from sticking. When the dough reaches the desired thickness, sprinkle it all over with 1 tablespoons of caraway seeds, then gently press them into the dough using the rolling pin.

5. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into your desired shapes, then arrange them on the prepared baking sheets with space in between. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through the baking time. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

6. While the first batch of cookies is baking, repeat steps 4 and 5 with the remaining batch of dough. When all the cookies are done and slightly cooled, make the glaze: Drizzle 3 tablespoons of lemon juice into to the confectioners’ sugar and stir with a fork until the mixture forms a smooth glaze. You want it to have the consistency of honey. Add an additional tablespoon of lemon juice if needed. Set each wire rack over a sheet of wax paper and drizzle each cookie with a teaspoonful of the glaze. Use the back of the spoon to spread the glaze over the cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with just a few additional caraway seeds. The cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week. They also freeze well.

The post Lemon-Glazed Caraway Christmas Cookies appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Here’s what you need:

A pretty drinking glass (mine was from Anthropologie), a pretty plate in a reasonably proportional size (you can find hobnail plates similar to this one here), and some museum putty (also called earthquake putty) a lightly adhesive compound, available in many hardware stores, that will hold the plate together.

Assembly is pretty self-explanatory, but here’s the photo:

You simply put the putty on the bottom of the upturned jar and stick the plate on top. If you’re using a clear glass plate, whatever you’re displaying on the stand will cover the putty. If you’re using an opaque plate, you’ll never see it!

And there you go! A lovely DIY cake stand that can be disassembled once you’re finished with it. Then the cup and plate can go back into circulation for their intended uses. And you get to play with as many cake stands as your imagination and dinnerware collection will allow.

The post DIY Cake Stand appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Greek crescent cookies (kourabiedes) are another variation on this theme. Though they are often enriched with egg yolks, brandy, and orange water, the base formula of butter, powdered sugar, flour, and nuts is there. I found this streamlined recipe when I was paging through Yankee’s archives from the 1950s. It appeared in the February, 1958 issue in an article by Duncan MacDonald, then the magazine’s food editor and lifestyle maven. In an article celebrating the influx of European cuisines to post-war America, she included recipes for halva, loukoumathes, and these crescent cookies. You can make them with any nuts you like: hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, walnuts. In my tests, I combined all of the above, and the results were delicious. The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for ten days and they also freeze well—just dust them with another coat of powdered sugar once thawed to room temperature.

Greek Nut Crescents (Kourabiedes)

 Ingredients

• ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup plus 2 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups very finely chopped nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, or pecans (a food processor is ideal for this job)

Method

Using a standing or electric mixer, beat butter until very creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and vanilla, and beat well. Add flour and nuts and beat until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Break off a tablespoon-sized piece of dough, roll into a cylinder, turn it into a crescent shape, then transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake until golden brown on the bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. When cookies are still warm, gently toss with the remaining 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar to coat. When cookies cool completely, dust once more with the sugar. Yield: About 50 cookies.

The post Greek Christmas Crescent Cookies appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

WHAT SIZE TURKEY SHOULD I BUY?

1 1/4 pound per person gets you enough meat for the meal, with leftovers.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO THAW IN THE REFRIGERATOR?

Estimate 24 hours for every 5 pounds, so 2 days for a 10-pounder, 3 days for a 15-pounder, etc.

HELP! IT’S WEDNESDAY, I JUST BOUGHT MY BIRD, AND IT’S STILL FROZEN!

Leave the turkey in its wrapper and put in a large container (a lobster pot is good). Fill the container with cold tap water and let it sit for 30 minutes. Dump out the water and refill. Let it sit another 30 minutes. Repeat until the turkey is thawed, then roast immediately or transfer to the refrigerator. It’ll still take about 30 minutes per pound (or 6 hours for a 12-pound bird), but it’s faster than the refrigerator method and, most importantly, it’s safe.

CAN I BRINE OR DRY CURE MY TURKEY WHILE IT DEFROSTS IN THE REFRIGERATOR?

Yes. Isn’t that great? You’re multi-multitasting. Just use a lighter brine solution (about 1/2 cup kosher salt per gallon of water, plus sugar and spices). If you’re dry curing, use the standard recipe.

HOW COLD DOES MY TURKEY NEED TO STAY WHILE BRINING?

Below 40˚.

CAN I BRINE OR CURE A KOSHER OR BUTTERBALL-STYLE SUPERMARKET FROZEN TURKEY?

No need. These come pre-brined. So if you want to be able to put your own flavor stamp on your meal, get a “natural,” or untreated bird and do it yourself.

WHAT’S THE BASIC FORMULA FOR A BRINE?

That depends on how long you want to brine. If you plan to do it for 2 days, use the weaker solution above. If you plan to brine for 24 hours or less, bump it up to 1 cup kosher salt per gallon of water. Then add an equal amount of sugar.

For flavorings, choose from the following menu, depending on your taste:

Lemons, apples, oranges, onion, garlic, shallots, peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, juniper berries, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, rosemary, sage, thyme, savory, parsley, oregano.

You can also replace half the water with sweet cider, hard cider, vegetable stock, turkey stock, chicken stock, beer, white wine, red wine.

WHAT ABOUT THE FORMULA FOR DRY CURING?

Use about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt for ever pound of turkey. Then add spices to your taste. Or use our recipe.

SHOULD I TRUSS?

No. Well, okay, if you really like the look of a trussed turkey, you’re welcome to tuck the wing tips under the breast and tie the legs together. But the legs will cook faster if you just leave them alone, and that helps ensure that the breast meat won’t get overcooked while you’re waiting for the legs to catch up.

HOW DO I GET CRISPY SKIN?

At least 6 hours before roasting, let the bird sit, uncovered, in your refrigerator. This dries the skin, which causes it to crisp up in the oven.

WHAT ABOUT STUFFING THE BIRD?

I don’t. In order for stuffing to be safe to consume, it must reach 165˚. But stuffing a bird slows down the cooking, which increases the chances the breast will dry out. I cook mine in a casserole dish.

BUT I LOVE THE WAY THE STUFFING TASTES WHEN IT COOKS IN THE TURKEY!

I sympathize, but there is a middle path, courtesy of Melissa Clark of the New York Times: Most turkeys come with a flap of skin from the neck. Normally, you cut it off and discard it, but you can use it to flavor your dressing. Just chop up the skin and scatter it over the dressing before you put the dish in the oven. As it cooks, the fat and juices will drip into the stuffing, giving it delicious flavor. And when it comes out, you’ll have turkey cracklings to enjoy.

WHAT ABOUT BASTING?

Don’t bother. It doesn’t add flavor and it makes the skin flabby.

WHAT TEMPERATURE SHOULD I USE?

I like a high-heat method, so I cook my bird at 425˚ for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on size. But some cooks swear by a low-and-slow approach, starting at 450˚ but then dropping the temperature to 325˚ after 30 minutes. In that case, you can estimate 12 to 15 minutes per pound, including that initial 30 minute blast of yeat. What really matters the most is that you pay close attention to the temperature of the meat, and take the bird out as soon as it’s ready.

WHEN IS IT READY?

When an instant-read thermometer inserted into the breast (all the way to the bone) reaches 160˚. You can also measure the thigh, inserted to the thickest part but not touching the bone—it should read 165˚.

DO I REALLY NEED TO LET THE TURKEY REST AFTER IT COMES OUT OF THE OVEN?

YES. This is essential for juicy meat. Let the turkey sit, tented with foil, for at least 20 minutes, preferably 30.

The post Turkey FAQ: A Thanksgiving Cheat Sheet appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Dry Cured Turkey

But brining does have two downsides: First, it can be messy, what with a huge turkey and all that brine. You need a big vessel to hold them both—either a lobster pot in the refrigerator or a big cooler, packed with ice, out on the deck. Also, soaking the turkey in all that salted, seasoned water can make the the breast meat a tad spongy. Not enough to spoil anyone’s meal, but just a bit of textural imperfection.

So, in this month’s issue, we present an alternate method, one that combines the benefits of brining without the sponginess problem. It’s called “dry curing” or “dry brining”  and it involves putting salt, herbs, and spices directly on the skin of the bird, then wrapping it in plastic and letting it sit. It’s a technique that was first popularized about ten years ago in California by chef Judy Rogers of San Francisco’s Zuni Cafe. Judy’s excellent 2002 book, The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, outlined the benefits of pre-salting large pieces of meat (roasts, loins, and whole birds) well in advance of roasting. Inspired by her advice, Russ Parsons, food editor at the Los Angeles Times wrote a November, 2006 column comparing this dry cure approach (he called it the “Judy Bird”) with other popular techniques, such as brining. And the dry cure won. West Coast cooks quickly embraced dry brining as the Next Big Thing, but the technique has been slow to gain traction here.

I learned of the method in 2005, when I was living in California and working at an associate food editor at Sunset magazine. We ran a Thanksgiving recipe contest that year, and one reader’s recipe for dry cured turkey was a hands-down favorite.

Dry brining works in much the same way as wet brining: First, the salt draws moisture out of the meat and out to the surface, but then (and I’m simplifying the chemistry here), the salt and water go back into the meat. As this happens, the salt alters the proteins, making it easier for the meat to absorb that liquid, as well as any seasonings you add. The result: moist, deeply flavored meat. And because the breast meat doesn’t absorb as much water as it would in a wet solution, it never gets spongy.

You might be wondering, doesn’t this make the turkey too salty? Do you need to rinse the bird when it’s done? The answer to both is no. In reality, you’re salting the meat only a little more than you would if you were simply seasoning for flavor, and the salt is so well distributed in the meat that there aren’t any “hot spots.”

The only downside? It takes time. While you can fully wet brine a turkey in 12 to 24 hours, the dry method takes 3 days (you can cut it down to 2, but the results aren’t as good).  But as long as you can make room in your refrigerator for the turkey, set in a pan to catch any drips, it’s merely a matter of planning ahead.

So…should you dry brine or wet brine? If you have limited time and/or limited space in your refrigerator, get your cooler ready and go with the wet method. But if you have the space and can plan ahead, our dry-cured turkey, seasoned with rosemary, thyme, sage, and mustard seeds, is well worth a try.

Lastly, a tip: For extra-crisp skin, remove the plastic wrap from your turkey as it sits in the refrigerator for the final four hours of curing (or, even better, up to overnight). This allows the skin to dry out and crisp up in the heat of the oven.

Want to hear more? I’ll be talking about this technique next Thursday (Thanksgiving Day) on WBUR’s “Radio Boston” at 3 p.m.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The post Should you brine or dry cure your turkey? appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

But what about that first meal in the fall of 1621 (historians don’t know the exact date, but place it sometime between September 21 and November 9), when British settlers hosted the first documented harvest celebration? What did they eat, and how similar is it to the traditional American Thanksgiving meal?

Here’s how Edward Winslow described the feast in a letter to a friend:

“Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruits of our labor. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which we brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.”

So venison was a major ingredient, as well as fowl, but that likely included pheasants, geese, and duck. Turkeys are a possibility, but were not a common food in that time. Pilgrims grew onions and herbs. Cranberries and currants would have been growing wild in the area, and watercress may have still been available if the hard frosts had held off, but there’s no record of them having been served. In fact, the meal was probably quite meat-heavy. Likewise, walnuts, chestnuts, and beechnuts were abundant, as were sunchokes.  Shellfish were common, so they probably played a part, as did beans, pumpkins, squashes, and corn (served in the form of bread or porridge), thanks to the Wampanoags.

What didn’t they have? Potatoes (white or sweet), bread stuffing or pie (wheat flour was rare), sugar, Aunt Lena’s green bean casserole.

But how about bringing a little more truly traditional flavor back to your table? Back in 2003, we consulted with historians at Plimoth Plantation and asked writer Jane Walsh to devise a menu that incorporated some of the foods that the first feasters would have had. We didn’t eliminate any favorites or try to go sugar-free.  We skipped the venison. Really, like everyone else who will gather around a table on November 22, we simply changed the seasonings.

Watercress-Currant Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Total Time: 10 minutes; hands-on: 10 minutes

Yield: 8 to 10 servings of salad; about 1/2 cup vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large bunches watercress (about 8 ounces each), washed, dried, large stems removed
• 3/4 cup dried currants

Method:

In a medium bowl, whisk vinegar, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper continually while drizzling oil in droplets. Whisk until smooth; adjust seasoning. Toss with watercress and currants until lightly coated.

Stuffing of Jerusalem Artichokes, Currants, and Grapes

Total Time: 85 minutes; hands-on time: 25 minutes

Yield: about 12 cups stuffing, enough for a 12- to 14-pound turkey

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
• 1 pound Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 2 teaspoons Bell’s seasoning
• 1 14-ounce package prepared herbed stuffing cubes (we used Pepperidge Farm brand)
• 2-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup halved red seedless grapes
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

In a large nonstick skillet (do not use iron, which discolors the Jerusalem artichokes), sauté onion and celery in the butter until onion is transparent. Add Jerusalem artichokes, currants, and Bell’s seasoning; cook 5 minutes longer. Add stuffing cubes, chicken broth, grapes, parsley, and black pepper; toss gently to mix. At this point you can refrigerate the mix up to 24 hours.

Loosely stuff prepared turkey according to the directions on your bird. Put rest of stuffing in a covered buttered casserole dish and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Stuffing should reach 165 degrees F before serving.

e first feasters might have eaten. We didn’t eliminate any of the foods we loved, just changed the seasonings.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with Sweet Walnut Crust

Total time: 3 hours, 45 minutes; hands-on time: 35 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

For the Piecrust

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 cup graham-cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
• 5 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°. Set a rack to the second-to-bottom position.

Grind walnuts coarsely in a food processor. Add graham crumbs and sugar; then pulse to blend while drizzling in melted butter. Press into a 9-inch pie plate.

Bake 10–15 minutes. Set aside to cool. Piecrust can be made up to 3 weeks in advance and frozen.

For the Filling

• 1 tablespoon whiskey or brandy
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 package powdered gelatin
• 2/3 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin purée, fresh or canned (not pumpkin-pie filling), such as One-Pie brand
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 11/2 cups heavy cream
• Walnut halves

Method:

In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart pot, whisk whiskey or brandy, milk, and gelatin together over low heat, continuously until gelatin is completely dissolved, 2–3 minutes. Whisk in brown sugar, then eggs one at a time; continue whisking over low heat (don’t let it come to a boil) as you add pumpkin, spices, and salt. Cook 5–7 minutes, until custard is smooth and steaming.

Turn off heat and transfer custard to a large ceramic bowl to cool at room temperature. Don’t refrigerate, because you don’t want the custard to firm up.

In a separate bowl, whip cream to stiff peaks. When custard has cooled to room temperature (about 45 minutes), fold cream in gently. Fold filling into cooled pie shell; chill at least 2 hours. Garnish with walnut halves.

The post What Did the Pilgrims Really Eat? appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

I’m so happy that hard cider has a dedicated festival in New England. There was a time when it was the most popular beverage in America. People pressed their apples, and absent pasteurization or refrigeration, the juice would naturally ferment into cider. In many places, cider was cleaner and safer than water, and everyone drank it, even children. John Adams began every day with a glass.

Cider fell out of favor in the later half of the 19th century, but it is experiencing a renaissance all over the country. This week, in an article titled “You’d Be Hard-Pressed to Find a Hotter Alcoholic Beverage Than Hard Cider,” Time magazine noted that in 2011, sales of American hard cider increased by 31%. In many ways, we have the craft beer movement to thank. As consumers got used to the idea of trying small-batch products from local breweries, they were more willing to try cider, too.

New England leaders like West County Cider, Flag Hill,  and Farnum Hill have been around for years and have earned well-deserved followings. But the past five years have seen so many new cideries coming to market that I can hardly keep track. And what a lucky thing for us! Cider is delicious, inexpensive, and local. I’ve been tasting as many new ciders and apple wines as I can, and here are some of my favorites. It’s just a small sampling of what’s out there, but it will get you started.

Bantam Cider, Cambridge, MA – Talk about new: Bantam has been around for less then a year. Cidermakers Dana Masterpolo and Michelle da Silva have just one cider so far, made with a mix of Cortland, McIntosh, Empire, and green apples. It’s bright and crisp, with vivid fruit that makes it accessible to first-time cider drinkers, but nothing like the super-sweet 6-pack ciders made from concentrate. bantamcider.com

Carr’s Ciderhouse, North Hadley, MA – Jonathan Carr’s cidery has been eight years in the making, but it is also new to market. He produces three ciders: a dry sparkler with wonderful acidity and vivid fruit, an sweet apple pommeau made with a blend of cider and brandy, and a fruit-infused sparkling cider that blends local fruit in season with dry cider. carrsciderhouse.com

Eden Ice Cider, West Charleston, VT – Albert and Eleanor Leger started their cidery in the winter of 2007, and they now produce several gorgeous ice wines and an aperitif called Orleans.  They use about 8 pounds of apples to make every 375ml bottle, including wonderful heirlooms like Calville Blanc, Esopus Spitzenberg, and Ashmead’s Kernel. edenicecider.com

Pup’s Cider Company, Greenfield, NH – Rich Stadnik produces two ciders using apples from southern New Hampshire. I’m a big fan of the Monadnock Harvest blend, which is wonderfully dry, with vibrant acidity and a pleasant effervescence. pupscider.com

Still River Winery, Harvard, MA – On a 2007 trip to Quebec, Wade and Margot Holtzman had their first taste of traditional apple ice wine, made with fresh cider concentrated by repeated freezing and thawing cycles. Inspired, they decided to try their hand at making wine in the same style, and soon began winning awards for their richly flavored, nectar-like product. Their sparkling ice wine is also wonderful. stillriverwinery.com

The post Favorite New England (Hard) Ciders appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

We have had so much fun on this project, combing through our archives to find recipes that sounded delicious and interesting and ripe for revisiting, and then testing and updating them as needed. We got to taste foods we hadn’t eaten since childhood, like turkey Tetrazzini and chicken and dumplings, and revisit old recipes that should have never been forgotten, like crisp-chewy waffle iron brownies and cheese woodchuck. I was able to research the stories behind the recipes, writing each one up in expanded head notes at the top of each page.

Then we got to work with a talented team of stylists and photographers led by art director Lori Pedrick to make the beautiful pictures that you see here.

There’s a joke that often goes around professional test kitchens, saved for the moment when everyone gathers to taste a dish and offer feedback. “Did you remember to add the love?” someone will ask if the recipe isn’t quite right and no one can figure out why. Or, if the dish is perfect, someone might exclaim,”You can taste the love!”

This book is full of love, both our love of doing it, and the love that seemed baked into the recipes themselves. The food in these pages is part of a tradition of great American home cooking, the kind of that people have made for family or friends for generations. This is gathering food, heritage food. Yes, our sensibility is a bit sentimental and nostalgic. But I think that’s part of what draws people to the table beyond physical hunger, that longing to feel connected to the people who came before us and to memory. And so we hope you’ll get yourselves a copy and then sit down with the book for a little while. Read the stories behind the recipes and think about your own food heritage. Then send us your own recipes! Who knows? They may even inspire our next book…

The post Yankee’s Lost and Vintage Recipes appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

A few weeks ago, at a wedding brunch in Rhode Island, he had a bite of the excellent bacon and reminisced once more about a bacon cooking appliance that his grandmother had back in the 1970s. “It was like a toaster for bacon,” he marveled. It sat on the kitchen counter, he said, and it made perfectly crisp, rendered bacon every time.

This wasn’t the first time he had mentioned this bacon cooker. Both he and his sister has rhapsodized on multiple occasions. And then it occurred to me: With our wedding anniversary coming up, this could very well be the perfect gift.

But first, I had to find out what it was. A quick search on Google and Ebay turned up microwave bacon cookers and broiling trays, but no appliances. In desperation, I typed in “toaster for bacon,” and stumbled across a motorcycle collector’s forum and a name: The Baconer. That was it! A device made by Westinghouse in the 1970s that looked like a toaster and made bacon. Ebay had one, mint condition, never used. I paid a ridiculous amount, but I was the sole bidder and soon it arrived.

Does this bring back any memories for you? I had a package of bacon at the ready when he opened it and we got cooking.

The metal panels on the outside fold down to reveal a Teflon cooking surface in the middle. You drape the bacon over the top.

Turn the dial on the side to “More Crisp,” and you’re off.

Soon, the bacon begins to steam and give off the most incredible smell. I’m no real estate agent, but if you have your house on the market and it’s not selling, try using The Baconer during your next open house. (Note, the metal “doors” stay closed during cooking. I opened one to show you the inside).

A few minutes more, and there it is: Perfect bacon. The Baconer works—my husband was right. We won’t use it often. But we’ll use it. And we’ll always have a story to tell.

So tell me, Yankee readers, do you have any favorite retro appliances in your closets?

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Maids of Honor Tarts

First, make the pastry dough.

You’ll know the dough is ready when the mixture looks like cornmeal with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining.

Adding ice water and stirring with a fork until the dough begins to come together comes next.

A biscuit cutter or drinking glass gives you the perfect tart crust shape.

Tuck a round of pastry into each of the muffin tin cups, folding the dough as needed to make it fit.

Spoon a scant teaspoonful of jam into each of the tarts and top with a spoonful of the almond topping.

Bake and then enjoy!

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Yellow cake with Rosie's Fudge Frosting

It’s Rose’s Fudge Frosting from Rosie’s All-Butter, Cream-Filled, Sugar-Packed Baking Book by Judy Rosenberg. Who wouldn’t love a book with a name like that? I’m a fan of Judy’s bakeries in the Boston area and the book is full of recipes for all her classics, like peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and chocolate delirium cake. I chose  this recipe on a whim because I had never heard of a frosting made with evaporated milk, or one that’s quite so easy to make. There are three ingredients: unsweetened chocolate, evaporated milk, and sugar. That’s it! It’s even fat-free, which is hard to believe. Here’s the recipe:

Rosie’s Fudge Frosting

This recipe couldn’t be easier. Just two caveats: You have to make it in a blender. Nothing else works. And you have to plan ahead because the frosting needs a few hours to set up once it’s mixed.

Total time: 12 minutes; plus at least 2 hours resting time; hands-on time: 12 minutes

Yield: 1 3/4 cups

Ingredients for Fudge Frosting

• 6 ounces (6 squares) unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Method for Fudge Frosting

1. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler placed over simmering water. Let cool slightly.

2. Place the evaporated milk in a blender, then add the sugar. Blend on medium speed for 2 seconds. Add the chocolate to the sugar mixture and blend on high speed until the frosting is thick and shiny, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

3. Spoon the frosting into a bowl and allow it to set a room temperature for 30 minutes. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the frosting to set until firm, anywhere from several hours to overnight, depending on the weather (my frosting took about 2 hours to set on a cool fall day). Do not refrigerate the frosting, even if you don’t plan to use it for a few days. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

The frosting is so gorgeous and glossy and spreads beautifully. “You’re making me look good,” I thought as I spread it on my cake.

Incidentally, I was curious to know more about evaporated milk frosting, and I haven’t yet found much about them. But I did learn that the first canned milk was produced in this country by Gail Borden, who first began producing sweetened condensed milk in 1857 at a factory in Burrville, Connecticut. Evaporated milk, which doesn’t contain sugar, came later.

Moist Yellow Cake

Total time: 1 hour; hands-on time: 25 minutes

Yellow cake is a favorite in my home, and this recipe has become my go-to choice for both layer cakes, sheet cakes, and cupcakes.

Ingredients for Yellow Cake

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1 1/4 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons table salt
• 1 cup milk, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350° and set a rack to the middle position. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch cake pans.

Using a standing or hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until pale and very fluffy, about 7 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and mix on low until combined. Add half the milk and stir. Repeat. Add the remaining third of the flour mixture and stir just until smooth.

Divide the batter equally among the two prepared pans, then bang the pans on your counter to remove any air bubbles. Transfer to the middle rack of your oven and bake until the cakes are golden brown and just beginning to pull away from the sides, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire racks, covering the cakes with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Once cool, you are ready to assemble the cake. Yield: 2 cake layers.

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Spiced Apple Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, photo by Squire Fox

It took me several attempts to figure these cupcakes out—to come up with a recipe that was full of apple flavor without being mistaken for a breakfast muffin. Among the experiments: a liquid apple butter center, a scattering of finely diced apples. Finally, I considered adding boiled cider, which is just very concentrated apple juice. It did the trick, adding rich flavor to the batter while also producing a very tender, identifiably cakelike product. Spiced cream cheese frosting was the perfect finish. Honestly, I can’t think of any cake that wouldn’t be improved by cream cheese frosting. And it’s so much easier to make than buttercream.

Note: This recipe has a large yield, 24 cakes. I think this is a sensible amount for most birthday parties—plenty of people will eat two cakes each. However, you can cut the recipe in half fairly easily—most everything divides into two, except for the eggs and the boiled cider. In that case, use 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk and 3½ tablespoons boiled cider. (You can order boiled cider from the King Arthur Flour catalog or from Wood’s Cider Mill at woodscidermill.com.). The frosting divides neatly in half.

Make-ahead tip: You can bake the cupcakes up to a week in advance. When cool, arrange them on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer. When frozen, transfer them to zip-top bags. You can make the frosting up to four days in advance. Bring everything to room temperature before frosting.

Equipment: 2 standard (2½-inch) muffin pans; paper liners

Makes: 2 dozen cupcakes

Active time: 1 hour • Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Ingredients for Spiced Apple Cupcakes

• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks; 227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups (420 g) granulated sugar
• 3 1/2 cups (510 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) boiled cider (see Note)
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole or 2% milk, at room temperature

• For the frosting
• 2 (8 ounce) packages (455 g total) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick; 113 g) salted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups (240 g) confectioners’ sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method for Spiced Apple Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 325ºF and set a rack to the middle position.

Using a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a hand-held mixer, combine the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until pale, very fluffy, and mousselike, 7 to 10 minutes (I usually average about 8 minutes). Stop every few minutes to scrape down the sides of your bowl with a spatula—you want everything evenly mixed, with no clumps of butter.

While you’re waiting for the butter and sugar to whip, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a medium bowl. Whisk together and set aside.

When the butter-sugar mixture is fully whipped, add 1 egg and continue mixing at medium-high speed until fully combined. Repeat with the remaining 4 eggs. Add the vanilla.

In a small bowl, stir the boiled cider into the milk. It may look a bit curdled—that’s fine. Add about a third of the flour mixture to the butter-egg-sugar mixture and mix on low speed just until combined. Do not overmix. Add about a half of the milk mixture and mix just until combined. Repeat with the flour, then the milk, then the flour.

Using a ⅓ cup measuring cup or large spoon, fill each muffin cup two-thirds of the way. Bake until the tops of the cakes are firm but still pale and a cake tester comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting: Using your standing mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat well, scraping down the sides once or twice, until evenly combined. Set aside.

When the cakes are done, remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on a rack for

10 minutes before removing, then let cool for at least 30 minutes before frosting. Frost generously.

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