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Labels: review
Refreshing Beverage of the Week
You know I love Lillet, that charming French fortified wine from Bourdeaux France. I usually drink the white stuff but my friends Monica and Bram were kind enough to expand my horizons and give me a gift of Lillet Rouge. So besides from drinking it on the rocks with a twist of orange rind, I started to do some research to help explore my options and this recipe is the winner so far. It's from the Lillet website and it’s a holiday recipe for Lillet Glogg. This recipe is for 12 portions.
Ingredients
1 bottle Lillet Rouge
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
2 ounces simple syrup
8 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
A little fresh ground nutmeg
12 black peppercorns
Orange peel
Procedure
Unfortunately you need to start this 2 days in advance, but it’s really easy. Stick cloves in long orange peel and let dry for one day. Next day combine all ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes then set aside and leave alone. This helps mellow the flavors. The next day reheat and serve warm.
The Altitude Adjustment Section
Souffles are scary, I have said that before, but that is just a misconception. Susan Purdy has a foolproof method that really works and she has worked this recipe out so each souffle gets only one percent of its calories from fat. This recipe makes 6 servings, which are 158 calories each, which is NOT nothing, but for something so scrumptious it’s do-able on occasion.
Ingredients
8 ounces dried apricots (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Non-stick cooking spray
6 large egg whites room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Pinch salt
Confectioner’s sugar
Procedure
Start by preparing the apricot base. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the apricots and water. Cover and bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes till fruit is soft. Transfer mixture into food processor and puree till smooth. You should have about 1 1/4 cups. Now return puree to sauce pan. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and orange juice. Add to apricot mixture along with lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Cook over medium heat till it comes to a boil for about 45 seconds, whisking constantly till it no longer looks cloudy. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside to cool. This part can actually be done ahead of time and refrigerated. If so, bring back to room temperature before proceeding.
For the souffle, position a rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat to 350. Coat the souffle molds (either one 1 1/2 quart (6 cup) mold or six 1 1/2 cup molds) with spray pan coating and then sprinkle with sugar and tap out excess.
In the large bowl of your mixer, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt. Whip until foamy and then sprinkle in the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and whip till soft droopy peaks form. Now fold 2 cups of egg whites into your room temperature apricot base. Then fold in remaining whites. Folding is a slow gentle motion. There are no prizes for speed and you don’t need to rush — the egg whites will stay whipped for quite some time. Gently put the batter into prepared dishes and smooth the top. Place the molds into a Bain Marie, which is a large pan full of hot water. It's best to place the Bain Marie pan in the oven first, then the souffle molds, then add enough boiling water to the Bian Marie pan to reach a third of the way up the sides of your souffle mold(s). Bake till well risen and quite brown on top. An internal read thermometer will read 150, figure about 35 minutes for one large souffle and 25 for individuals. Serve right from the oven with a light dusting of Confectioner's sugar. These are nice served with a light fruit sauce like a cassis sauce. By the way, these are cholesterol free, how’s that for justification?
Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Personally, I love turkey leftovers and could eat the whole meal for about 3 days before getting tired of it. But some people don’t feel that way. However, you certainly aren’t going to throw good meat away, so here is a slightly funky old Italian recipe for Turkey balls made with cooked turkey, which can be served with pasta and some fresh grated Parmesan cheese for a complete change of pace. This recipe is from the Talisman Cookbook by Ada Boni.
Ingredients
2 cups cooked, chopped turkey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch cinnamon
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 egg yolk
3 slices bread
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 cups turkey or chicken stock
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon flour
Procedure
Mix turkey meat with salt, pepper, cinnamon, cheese and egg yolk. Soak bread in water and then squeeze out excess water and add to turkey mixture and blend well. Form mixture into 12 balls. Place 1 tablespoon of butter in large saucepan and add tomato paste and stock and cook 5 minutes. Add turkey balls to stock and simmer for 20 minutes, Remove balls from broth and place on platter. Boil remaining broth rapidly until it reduces by half. Blend together the melted butter and the flour in a small cup and add to hot liquid and whisk till thickened. Pour sauce over balls and serve. Serves 4. I personally would add pasta, maybe spinach fettuccine.