Growing up, our holiday table would look just like a Roman bacchanal; a large display of cold cuts and salads, hot meats and entrees, garnishes to satisfy everyone, plenty to drink (with and without alcohol), a plethora of desserts, fresh and dried fruits, a variety of cheeses and of course, Italian panettone. Among some of the many meats, my parents would serve turkey, roasted pig, baked ham, grilled red meat and chicken!
Serve with Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir.
Serves 18
Ingredients:
1 (12 pound) bone-in ham, rump portion
1/2 cup whole cloves
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 cups water, or as neededDirections:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place ham in a roasting pan, and press whole cloves into the top at 1 to 2 inch intervals.
Pack the top with a layer of brown sugar.
Pour enough water into the bottom of the roasting pan to come to 1-inch depth.
Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil or a lid.
Bake for 4 1/2 to 5 hours in the preheated oven (approx. 22 minutes per pound), or until the internal temperature of the ham has reached 160 degrees F. (Make sure the meat thermometer is not touching the bone.)
Let stand for about 20 minutes before carving.
CHESTNUT PURÉE
Serves 4
Chestnuts mark the beginning of winter. Chestnuts roasting on an open flame always conjured up images of cozy living rooms on snowy December days. In Italy, as soon as there is a snap in the air, chestnuts vendors fill the piazzas with their roasting trays full of these dark-brown nuts, to be peeled and eaten while strolling.
You can serve this creamy side dish alongside meats such as roasted turkey, pig, game or pork.
To speed up the cooking time you can use canned chestnuts packed in water.
Ingredients:
1 pound whole chestnuts
1/3 cup heavy cream, plus extra for later
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus extra
Sea salt or Kosher and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
Cut an “X” on the flat side of the chestnut shells, and place them in a pot. Add enough cold water to cover them and bring it to a boil.
Cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender.
Drain, peel off the shell and inner skin while they are still warm as it gets easier to peel them.
Place them in a food processor or blender. Purée until smooth.
Transfer the purée to a heavy-bottomed pot over low heat. Stir well. Add cream and butter. Stir to incorporate.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more cream (or milk) and butter if desired.
Serve immediately.
AND FOR DESSERT
Something Chocolate: Easy Mexican Chocolate Mousse With Rum
This Mexican Chocolate Mousse adds up to your average chocolate mousse.
Serves 12
Ingredients:
1 18.6-ounce box Mexican chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup whole-organic milk
3/4 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup white rum
Pinch of cayenne, optional
Pinch of cinnamon, optional
4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
In a heavy medium saucepan, over medium heat, stir in milk, chocolate and salt until chocolate melts, about 10-15 minutes.
Add rum. Carefully, using a long match or lighter, ignite rum to burn it. Stir chocolate until flames subside. (If using, add cayenne and cinnamon now.)
Transfer chocolate to a large bowl and let it cool at room temperature.
Using a hand electric mixer, beat 3 cups cream in large, clean, bowl until peaks form.
Working in batches, fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture. (Do not over do it.)
Divide the chocolate mixture into 12 glasses. Chill until set. (Can be made a day ahead. Cover and chill.)
Beat remaining cream until peaks form (you can add some powdered sugar for sweetness).
Right before serving, place dollop of cream in each glass.
Both Dessert And Drink: Champagne With Lemon Sorbet
Great for toasting and super refreshing!
Servings vary
Ingredients:
1 bottle of your favorite champagne
1 pint lemon sorbet
Directions:
Serve champagne on tall champagne glasses and add a scoop of lemon sorbet. Cheers!
| Hors D’Oeuvres (Small Bites) Top 10 quick-and-easy to make canapés to spoil everyone’s appetite.1.- Mini Apple (or Pear) Turkey Skewers: Brown morsels of turkey and apple (pear) in a pan with extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and paprika. Arrange on a toothpick. Garnish with fresh dill. 2.- Pear-Squash Kebabs: Boil triangles of squash and scoops of pear in equal parts water and sugar (syrup) until lighted candied. Skewer on a toothpick. Sprinkle with cinnamon. 3.- Prosciutto Wrapped Figs With Reduced Balsamic Sauce: Wrap each fig in prosciutto. Arrange on toothpick. Reduce balsamic over low heat; add extra virgin olive oil and mix. Season to taste. Drizzle over figs. 4.- Salmon Sushi: Wrap strips of fresh wild smoked salmon around white (or brown) rice flavored with chives and fresh tarragon to form mini sushi rolls. Serve with fresh chervil on top. 5.- Porcini Bites: Sauté finely sliced porcini mushrooms with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, fresh pepper, fresh rosemary and a garlic clove. Discard garlic. Arrange mushrooms atop small rounds of focaccia, crackers and a touch for mascarpone or creme fraiche. 6.- Manchego* Quince Skewers: Arrange 1-inch quince cube on toothpick, add a leaf of watercress or pickled ginger if desired and 1-inch manchego cheese cube. *Or parmigiano-regiano. 7.- Mini Blue Cheese Burgers: Coat mini-burgers of salted ground organic beef already mixed with blue cheese in bread crumbs. Fry in olive oil, drain and serve immediately with a tsp. of onion jam* and fresh thyme on top. *Available at specialized markets. 8.- Choco-Nuts Balls: Dip toasted walnuts (or hazelnuts) in dark chocolate in a double boiler with a touch of red pepper flakes or cayenne. 9.- Flank Steak With Chimichurri Sauce: Place thinly sliced flank steak (medium) on toasted baguette slices seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle with chimichurri sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley. 10.- White Bean Hummus Bruschetta With Arugula And Caramelized Onions: Spread white bean hummus on each (toasted) bread slice. Top with fresh arugula and caramelized onions. For some extra texture and flavor, top with some toasted pine nuts. |
PLANNING A POTLUCK?
This distinctive American tradition is a great way to share a holiday meal with your friends and family. Potluck parties allow you to have it all: plenty of food on your holiday table and extra time to enjoy with your loved ones. Here are some must-know tips:
• Assignments: While a potluck means less time cooking it also means you will have to devote some time time to plan it and organize it. In other words, assign food categories to your guests; ask them to bring a specific dish. If someone prefers not to cook, ask them to supply beverages, plates, napkins or utensils.
• Communicate With Your Guests: To avoid last-minute chaos in the kitchen, ask your guests if their dishes will be finished when they arrive and before serving. That way you’re prepared if they might need to be reheated or additional cooking time.
• Easy Does It: If you are the one attending a potluck, make sure what you bring is easy to transport and that will need no additional cooking time or if it does, it will be minimal. Some goo options are: baked ham, anything puréed, side dishes, carved meats, casserole, charcuterie, pies and tarts. Of course, you can always stick to a classic casserole, which is very easy to transport, maintains its warmth from cooking and reheats well.
• Think Party-Friendly Food: That means those that can be served at room temperature, such as pasta or chopped salads. Pasta salads can be dressed in advanced, and chopped salads right before serving. You can also bring your mise en place—precut ingredients—in a separate disposable container and your dressing for that dish, and leave the containers behind without any worry.
