Time to Celebrate

You know who loves a party? Knife and Fork loooooves a party, especially those of the holiday variety.  Thus, it would be appropriate to use too much holiday partying as an excuse for our lack of posting in the month of December.

Sadly, this is not the case. We’re working girls and as is common at the close of a year (is it really almost 2011?), we have been busting our booties with the best of them.

This, of course, should not hamper our readers’ ability to host a kick ass holiday party. Granted, Hanukkah’s over by now, so to our Jewish readers, we extend our most sincere מצטער (that’s sorry in Hebrew, by the way), but for everyone else, there’s still the rest of December to think about. Christmas, New Year’s Eve, both hold much promise in the party circuit, but what to make if you’re planning on hosting?

Pancetta Wrapped Prawns with a Pesto Balsamic Glaze

Not to worry friends: we’ve got you covered.

One of the most important things to think about when you’re planning a get together is preparing as much as you can in advance. Nothing spells “bummer of a party” more than a stressed host or hostess slaving away in the kitchen (I’d be lying if I said this has never before happened to me. The thought of Halloween 2009 still makes me break out in a sweat). By writing out your menu and timeline days in advance, not only will you feel in control, you’ll also have a better time at your own gathering as well.

Stuffed Dates

For holiday party drinks, one can never go wrong with champagne, prosecco or sparkling wine. Served in flutes with a few raspberries, cranberries or a touch of pomegranate syrup merely adds to the festive mood. If hard alcohol’s more your thing, you can always serve up a Dark and Stormy with a holiday twist: add seasonal whole spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange peel and star anise to your simple syrup while heating it on the stove. It will infuse traditional flavor to an already wonderful drink. Eggnog with Maker’s Mark and hot apple cider are also excellent go-to winter beverages, and for the beer drinkers, I’ve been spotting some special ales at Trader Joe’s specifically made for the weeks of December.

Pear, Sage and Blue Cheese Crostini

But what to do about food? Hosting a dinner party is only suggested for those planning on inviting less than eight friends. When it comes to a group of ten or more, go with appetizers, some hot, some cold, some room temperature. This will not only help you in determining how much you can cram in the oven, it will also allow you to have much of it done before your guests arrive. And there’s nothing better than looking like a million bucks with everything ready to go once showtime rolls around.

Below are a few tried and true appetizer recipes we’ve had at some of our own gatherings over the years, and I hope they’ll come in handy over the next few weeks.

To all of you, Happy Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year, and happy eating for the rest of 2010.

See you in 2011,

Elizabeth

Pancetta Wrapped Prawns with a Pesto Balsamic Glaze

Slice pancetta slices in half. Lightly fry pancetta on medium-low heat about halfway (i.e. partially cooked, but allowing it to be malleable and move easily). Once brought to room temperature, wrap pancetta around prawn and secure with a toothpick if necessary.

In a bowl, combine pesto, balsamic vinegar and honey. Mix well and taste; if you think the sauce needs a little more balsamic, feel free to add some. Also, if your vinegar is not as high quality* as it could be, feel free to add a pinch of brown sugar to the mixture as well.

Pan-fry the pancetta wrapped prawns on medium heat. This should finish cooking the pancetta, while allowing the prawns to be cooked, but not overdone.

Once done, remove prawns from pan and arrange on a platter. Drizzle with pesto balsamic glaze and serve.

*High quality balsamic vinegar should have the consistency of syrup and be much sweeter than it’s average counterpart.

Stuffed Dates, A Few Ways*

Dates with pits removed, but still holding their shape**

A variety of cheeses including Gruyere, Pecorino and Parmesan wedges, and goat cheese

Any nuts including walnut, pecans and almonds, toasted, candied or seasoned

Prosciutto if desired

There are two different ways to go about making this recipe: one can be served at room temperature; the other is broiled in the oven.

Place a wedge of cheese or a smear (depending on what type) in center of date. Place nut within date as well. For the room temperature version of this dish, you are done.

For the hot version, wrap a piece of prosciutto around the stuffed date. Continue with other dates. Place on a foiled lined pan and broil in a 400 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Keep an eye on them as prosciutto is thin and will scorch easily! Serve immediately.

*Don’t be afraid of the date; it’s no longer just for your grandparents and their glory days! They are seriously one of nature’s candies, and can be balanced with a variety of options.

**It’s better to buy dates with the pits, and remove them yourself.

Sage, Pear and Blue Cheese Crostini

3 pears, diced (Bosc or D’Anjou varieties are good)

1 and ½ Tablespoons minced sage

1 Tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon brown sugar

Crumbled blue cheese

Sourdough or French Baguette, thinly sliced

Olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

In a pan, melt butter. Add pears and sage and stir well. Once pears start to cook, sprinkle with brown sugar and combine well. Cook for approximately 7 to 9 minutes on low heat. Put pear mixture in mesh stainer over a bowl or sink to allow the excess liquid to drain.

Meanwhile (or beforehand), arrange baguette slices on a pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle or brush on olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Bake in a 400 degree oven, close to the heat source, for about 7 minutes.

Arrange crostini on a platter. Top bread slices with pear/sage mixture, then with blue cheese. Grind a little pepper over the hors d’oeuvres if desired.

To make this ahead of time, create the pear/sage mixture and the crostini a day ahead of time. Save the crostini in a ziplocked plastic bag and the pear/sage mixture in the refrigerator. Remove the mixture from the fridge about 3 hours before the party. Thirty minutes before guests arrive assemble and set out.

My mom, Sue, enjoying a bite.

1 pound of shelled, uncooked large prawns

½ pound of thinly sliced pancetta

4 heaping tablespoons of homemade or store bought pesto

1 Tablespoon quality balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon honey

Salt and pepper to taste

Comfort Food 101

This time of year always reminds me of macaroni and cheese.  Some of my earliest memories of the dish are from Halloween, perhaps because it was a special occasion for my brother and me. It was one of the things about the holiday I always looked forward to.  

When you think about comfort food, macaroni and cheese is generally atop most people's lists; it is definitely on the top of mine. I cannot help but order it every time I see it on a menu, if not solely to compare it to the last time I tasted it. This has given me the opportunity to try many varieties, like mac’n’cheese with truffles, as well as a fantastic lobster version (ooo-eee!). Also, it is one of the few things that I could never get sick of; I could eat mac’n’cheese until I felt ill. I believe it is one of the most delicious culinary inventions of all time- have I said enough already?



Surprisingly enough, it is a tricky business to choose the macaroni and cheese recipe that is right for you. I have tried everything from Emeril’s $45 concoction to the $3 boxed Kraft catastrophe. I kept trying recipes, looking for one I loved, and when after months the right one hadn't come along, I had to think back to the roots of the dish. That’s when Paula Dean popped into my head. Her rendition of the classic is simple to execute and has great flavor and creaminess. But best of all, the price is right! As opposed to the über-gourmet recipes that use numerous cheeses, keeping to one keeps the cost down.

I have brought this to a Thanksgiving dinner for 12 people, and I’ve made it for no one but myself. Its irresistibility allows it to fit in anywhere and I have given this recipe to more people than any other in my repertoire. It is my pleasure to share something I feel very strongly about with as many people that care to find out. Most of all, I believe its good for your soul—a true soul food. It leaves you feelings satisfied and warm inside, deeming it the ultimate comfort food.

So if you are looking for something to cook for yourself or your little ones, don't forget about this mac'n'cheesy goodness!

Happy eating,

Lindsay

Mac’n’Cheese
Adapted from Paula Dean's The Lady's Cheesy Mac

2 cups macaroni

2½ cups grated sharp cheddar cheese*

3 eggs, beaten

½ cup sour cream

1 10.75-ounce can condensed cheddar cheese soup

4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

½ teaspoon salt, plus 2 tablespoons for pasta water (optional)

1 cup whole milk

½ teaspoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon pepper

3/4 cup crushed Corn Flakes or Panko

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13” x 9” glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a large pot, boil 6 cups of water over high heat. Just before adding the macaroni to the pot, add 2 tablespoons of salt to season the water. Add the macaroni and cook so that it has softened but not cooked through, about x-x minutes.** When macaroni is just undercooked, drain into colander.  

When the excess water is drained, return macaroni to pot. Add the eggs, sour cream, soup, butter, salt, milk, mustard and pepper. Stir well and set aside.

Pour macaroni mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle the crushed Cornflakes or Panko over the top in an even layer.  Bake for 40 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown.

* I use Tillamook extra-sharp cheddar cheese. It can be found at any grocery store and, in terms of flavor, you get the most bang for your buck.

** Cooking pasta so that it is very al dente is very important. Boiling the pasta so that it is fully cooked will produce mushy mac’n’cheese because it cooks more in the oven.  Careful to keep pasta from over-cooking by draining the pasta several minutes before al dente. Then when the pasta is cooked again with the cheese mixture in the oven, it will achieve the perfect noodle texture. 

Goat Cheese and Onion Tartlets

I haven’t always loved to cook, but I have always loved to eat.  In the second grade, my teacher assigned our class a project to describe what we believed was the most beautiful thing in the world. My fellow classmates described their mothers or our country’s purple mountains majesty, illustrated by watercolors and crayons in the shades of the sunset.  Unlike the others, I seized the opportunity and declared my love for food. My project read, “The most beautiful thing I've ever seen is low-fat cottage cheese and pepper.” And I drew an interpretation of the dish to accompany my declaration.

I’ve been into food of all shapes and sizes for as long as I can remember, but relatively recently found the joy of cooking. When I was a little girl, it seemed to be a chore, a task my mom had to force me to help her with—definitely not something I enjoyed until I was on the receiving end of things.

Moving out of the house and living on my own is what ultimately helped me to realize my potential. Sick of the cafeteria at my college, I became curious about the kitchen. One of the first recipes I took ownership of were these delicious goat cheese and onion tartlets.  I found it in a vegetarian cookbook I gave my mom for Christmas one year.  He captures a range of cultures through a vegetarian perspective, delivering breakfast, appetizers, soups, main dishes and desserts.  It is the type of book that has you drooling over every page.  I love eating the tartlets, and what’s more, I love cooking them. They are simple and straight forward, and most importantly, very, very delicious.

I have found these to be a real crowd pleaser—serve them as appetizers in 2-inch squares at holiday parties for the perfect bite, or larger squares as a side to a tossed salad. They are best enjoyed warm, but can be made a day ahead of time.  Prepare the tartlets on the baking sheet and put in the fridge until just before your company arrives. I like these to be more rustic; they do not need to be perfect, so don’t feel the need to trim the edges. As is our motto at Knife and Fork, always make recipes your own and play around with them.  Brie works well in place of goat cheese, and feel free to try different herb options, such as rosemary or oregano instead of thyme.

Low-fat cottage cheese with pepper is no longer the end-all-be-all for me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t take pleasure in simple things. Whether it be preparing these tartlets paired with a salad tossed with Elizabeth’s dressing or pushing myself to make a flawless soufflé, I am eternally grateful to the cooking gods for luring me in.

Happy eating,

Lindsay

Goat Cheese and Onion Tartlets

Adapted from Easy Vegetarian

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups of thinly sliced onion, 1 lb.

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½  tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped

12 oz. puff pastry dough, thawed if frozen*
8-ounce log of goat cheese

Flour, for dusting

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F. Put the butter in a skillet, melt over low heat, then add onions, garlic, and thyme. Sauté gently for 20-25 minutes, until softened and golden. Season with salt and pepper and let cool.

Put the pastry dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to form a rectangle, roughly 8 x 16 inches, trimming the edges.  Cut the rectangle in half lengthwise (hotdog, for those of you who relate better to that terminology) and into 4 crosswise, making about eight 4-inch squares.

Divide the onion mixture between the squares, spreading it over the top and leaving a thin border around the edges. Cut cheese into eight slices and arrange in the center of each square.

Transfer squares to a large baking sheet lightly oiled or lined with parchment paper, and bake for 12-15 minutes, until dough has risen and the cheese is golden. Let cool a little and serve warm.