There are many ways to make a good gravy from the drippings of your turkey, chicken, roast beef, or other slow roasting meat. Everyone seems to have their own special touch on how to make one, and below is how I do mine. I'll do my best to be precise with proportions, but I warn you now, a good gravy is made as much by feel as by recipe. So be willing to adjust as need be!
Use a metal roasting pan -- something that you can put over a heated stove burner later in the process. Start by building a bed of veggies for your bird -- I like to cut up carrots, onions, celery and garlic into big chunks, and cover the bottom of my roasting pan with them. Sprinkle with just a little salt, so the veggies will release their juices in the pan, and tuck a few sprigs of rosemary, thyme and/or sage into the veggies as well. You can also add the neck and giblets that come with the bird to the veggies, but do not add the liver if that is in the carcass, as it will burn and turn the gravy bitter.
Place your bird on top of the bed of veggies and roast as you normally would, including adding a bit of water as the bird cooks if there aren't sufficient juices flowing from the meat.
When you meat is fully cooked, remove the carcass to a platter or cutting board and cover with foil to keep it warm and let it rest.
Now the gravy fun begins!
First, remove all the veggies from the pan (if you wanted, you could puree them with some chicken or veggie stock and have a yummy soup!). There should be scraps of skin and veggies still clinging to the roasting pan and this is good -- it will form the base of your gravy.
Then see what kind of drippings you have -- if there are a lot, add about the same amount of chicken, turkey, veggie broth or even water to the drippings and turn the heat up pretty high. If there aren't too many, add at least twice as much liquid as you have drippings, and also turn up the heat. Using a wooden spoon or some sort of spatula, start scraping up all the pieces of cooked veggie, skin, and meat that are clinging to roasting pan, until everything is integrated into the liquid.
When this process is done, pass all the drippings and water thru a sieve, into a sauce pan and bring it to a slow boil.
Now make a mixture of 2 parts water to one part Wondra Flour: http://www.goldmedalflour.com/ourflourstory/ourflour/wondraflour. Stir till the Wondra is thoroughly dissolved. You should have about 1/5 as much of this mixture as you have gravy in your sauce pan. Add it to the hot liquid, and whisk briskly so that no lumps form.
Then simmer the gravy slowly until it starts to thicken, whisking occasionally to keep it emulsified. If the gravy does not look as dark and rich as you'd like, you can add a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet,http://www.cooksinfo.com/kitchen-bouquet, to make it richer. Add only a few drops at a time because a little goes a long way.
As your gravy continues to cook, if it doesn't thicken enough, add some more Wondra dissolved in water until you reach the right consistency.
Finally, right before serving, taste for seasoning and if it needs more salt, add some. I generally don't add pepper to gravy as not everyone cares for it, but you could add some if desired.
I know this sounds complicated, but it's actually pretty easy -- once you do it one or two times, it becomes second nature. So go ahead and make your own gravy -- you'll be happy you did!
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Autumn Sangria
What party would be complete without a good cocktail? Here's an easy one that you can (and should) make a day ahead and will be a huge hit!
2 bottles of dry white or red wine (I recommend a pinot noir or pinot grigio)
2 cups of good apple cider
1 cup of brandy (can be apple, pear or just simple brandy)
1 cup of seltzer
2 tart apples cut into small chunks
2 firm pears cut into small chunks
1 orange, peeled and cut into small chunks, with seed removed
1 cinnamon stick
Combine all the ingredients except for the seltzer the day before the party except for the seltzer. Let the flavors meld and combine in the refrigerator overnight.
Right before serving, add the seltzer, stir and serve over ice.
2 bottles of dry white or red wine (I recommend a pinot noir or pinot grigio)
2 cups of good apple cider
1 cup of brandy (can be apple, pear or just simple brandy)
1 cup of seltzer
2 tart apples cut into small chunks
2 firm pears cut into small chunks
1 orange, peeled and cut into small chunks, with seed removed
1 cinnamon stick
Combine all the ingredients except for the seltzer the day before the party except for the seltzer. Let the flavors meld and combine in the refrigerator overnight.
Right before serving, add the seltzer, stir and serve over ice.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner Without Losing your Mind
I love hosting holiday dinners -- to me, nothing says happy holiday of any sort better than a house full of friends and family, and lots of good food. (And drinks -- don't forget drinks!)
But prepping and serving a holiday meal can also be really stressful. There's a lot to buy, cook, time and serve and often, by the time everything's on the table, the chef/host is exhausted. Trust me, I've been there!
But I've come up with lots of strategies to make the day enjoyable for me as well as all of my guests. I hope they can help you make your holiday extra special too!
1. Pot Luck-It -- Decide which dishes you MUST make and ask guests to bring everything else. If you're hosting, you've got to do the turkey, of course, but what else do you love so much that you want to make it exactly the way you want to make it? For me, that means I do the mashed turnips, creamed onions, stuffing, and. cranberry sauce. And I ask my guests to bring veggies, mashed potatoes and desserts. Indeed, I really don't enjoy baking at all, so it's a huge favor to me when people bring desserts. And luckily, my sister-in-law Holli excels at making them and LOVES to do so -- it's a win-win for both of us!
2. Lists, lists, lists -- 2 weeks before Thanksgiving, I make a list of everything I want to serve and everyone who is coming, and start sending out assignments. I also make my shopping list and start buying everything I can that won't go bad before the holiday. There's a tremendous sense of comfort in knowing that I'm well on my way toward having all my supplies ready. Plus, it gets me excited about the holiday. And I make sure that I don't forget anything.
3. Cook the Day Before Thanksgiving -- this won't work for everything -- some veggies don't hold up well to reheating, whereas some (like squash, carrots, etc) do. Think about everything you're making and what can be done ahead of time and simply reheated. I also usually have such a big group coming, that I do a huge turkey AND a turkey breast -- I cook the breast the day before, adding a bunch of turkey necks and veggies to the pan, and not only do I then have the platter of meat ready for the children's table (and any extras the adults may need) but I also make all of my gravy so I don't have to do it after I take the turkey out of the oven, when I'm trying to heat up and cook everything else that has to be done at the last minute. So for me, this means that on Wednesday, I make a turkey breast and gravy, I prep all the stuffing (but I don't stuff the turkey until right before cooking it of course), mashed turnips, and cranberry sauce. And if I'm making a carrot dish, I'll do that the day before as well.
4. Consider Disposable Dinner-ware -- OK, don't hate me for suggesting this. It's not environmentally ideal, nor is it as fancy as using china and crystal, but it is so much easier. There are some commercial lines of high-quality plastic plates and "glass-ware" that no one would ever know were plastic until you get right on top of the table. It makes cleaning up an absolute breeze. And remember, cleaning up isn't only getting all your dishes and crystal clean -- it's putting them all back, usually the next day when your guests are gone and no one else is there to help.
5. Create a Tick-Tock list -- write down everything you need to do, cook, put out, etc., and put an estimated time next to it. The point isn't to make yourself nuts about keeping to every single minute, but to make sure you have an idea of what needs to happen when, and that you don't forget anything (like putting out the dinner rolls, or some other side-dish).
Hope at least some of these tips helps you make your Thanksgiving dinner a little more fun and a little less stressful.
But prepping and serving a holiday meal can also be really stressful. There's a lot to buy, cook, time and serve and often, by the time everything's on the table, the chef/host is exhausted. Trust me, I've been there!
But I've come up with lots of strategies to make the day enjoyable for me as well as all of my guests. I hope they can help you make your holiday extra special too!
1. Pot Luck-It -- Decide which dishes you MUST make and ask guests to bring everything else. If you're hosting, you've got to do the turkey, of course, but what else do you love so much that you want to make it exactly the way you want to make it? For me, that means I do the mashed turnips, creamed onions, stuffing, and. cranberry sauce. And I ask my guests to bring veggies, mashed potatoes and desserts. Indeed, I really don't enjoy baking at all, so it's a huge favor to me when people bring desserts. And luckily, my sister-in-law Holli excels at making them and LOVES to do so -- it's a win-win for both of us!
2. Lists, lists, lists -- 2 weeks before Thanksgiving, I make a list of everything I want to serve and everyone who is coming, and start sending out assignments. I also make my shopping list and start buying everything I can that won't go bad before the holiday. There's a tremendous sense of comfort in knowing that I'm well on my way toward having all my supplies ready. Plus, it gets me excited about the holiday. And I make sure that I don't forget anything.
3. Cook the Day Before Thanksgiving -- this won't work for everything -- some veggies don't hold up well to reheating, whereas some (like squash, carrots, etc) do. Think about everything you're making and what can be done ahead of time and simply reheated. I also usually have such a big group coming, that I do a huge turkey AND a turkey breast -- I cook the breast the day before, adding a bunch of turkey necks and veggies to the pan, and not only do I then have the platter of meat ready for the children's table (and any extras the adults may need) but I also make all of my gravy so I don't have to do it after I take the turkey out of the oven, when I'm trying to heat up and cook everything else that has to be done at the last minute. So for me, this means that on Wednesday, I make a turkey breast and gravy, I prep all the stuffing (but I don't stuff the turkey until right before cooking it of course), mashed turnips, and cranberry sauce. And if I'm making a carrot dish, I'll do that the day before as well.
4. Consider Disposable Dinner-ware -- OK, don't hate me for suggesting this. It's not environmentally ideal, nor is it as fancy as using china and crystal, but it is so much easier. There are some commercial lines of high-quality plastic plates and "glass-ware" that no one would ever know were plastic until you get right on top of the table. It makes cleaning up an absolute breeze. And remember, cleaning up isn't only getting all your dishes and crystal clean -- it's putting them all back, usually the next day when your guests are gone and no one else is there to help.
5. Create a Tick-Tock list -- write down everything you need to do, cook, put out, etc., and put an estimated time next to it. The point isn't to make yourself nuts about keeping to every single minute, but to make sure you have an idea of what needs to happen when, and that you don't forget anything (like putting out the dinner rolls, or some other side-dish).
Hope at least some of these tips helps you make your Thanksgiving dinner a little more fun and a little less stressful.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
White Lasagna
Start by making a basic bechamel sauce:
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a pan and then whisk in 4 tablespoons of flour. Let this cook for about 1 minute, whisking gently so it doesn't burn. Then slowly whisk in 2 cups of milk, add a pinch of pepper, and a few gratings of fresh nutmeg (go easy on the nutmeg, a little goes a long way). Continue to whisk over low heat for about 5-7 minutes until it gets thick and then take it off the heat and let it cool and set a bit. Optional: You could also crush a clove of garlic and let it cook in the sauce to add some additional flavor.
Once the sauce is done, line a baking dish with a thin coating of the sauce, and cover it with no-bake lasagna noodles (Barilla and San Giorgio brands are both very good).
Now your imagination is your guide -- you can make your next layer any combination of ricotta, mozzarella, fontina, shredded chicken, shredded proscioutto, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, or anything else you think would be tasty in your creation.
Continue layering the fillings, noodles and sauce till you get to the top of the baking dish. Cover the top layer of noodles with more sauce, and sprinkle with parmigiana reggiano cheese or a good romano (I like locatelli best).
Place in a 350 degree oven and bake for 45-60 minutes, until it's bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top forms a nice light brown crust. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a pan and then whisk in 4 tablespoons of flour. Let this cook for about 1 minute, whisking gently so it doesn't burn. Then slowly whisk in 2 cups of milk, add a pinch of pepper, and a few gratings of fresh nutmeg (go easy on the nutmeg, a little goes a long way). Continue to whisk over low heat for about 5-7 minutes until it gets thick and then take it off the heat and let it cool and set a bit. Optional: You could also crush a clove of garlic and let it cook in the sauce to add some additional flavor.
Once the sauce is done, line a baking dish with a thin coating of the sauce, and cover it with no-bake lasagna noodles (Barilla and San Giorgio brands are both very good).
Now your imagination is your guide -- you can make your next layer any combination of ricotta, mozzarella, fontina, shredded chicken, shredded proscioutto, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, or anything else you think would be tasty in your creation.
Continue layering the fillings, noodles and sauce till you get to the top of the baking dish. Cover the top layer of noodles with more sauce, and sprinkle with parmigiana reggiano cheese or a good romano (I like locatelli best).
Place in a 350 degree oven and bake for 45-60 minutes, until it's bubbling around the edges and the cheese on top forms a nice light brown crust. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Roasted Root Veggie/Coconut Soup
This recipe was nothing but a happy accident -- I wanted to use up some leftover roasted root veggies and started mixing a few ingredients on hand until I ended up with what I think this may be the best soup I've ever made. And it's so easy!
Here's how you could do it from scratch.
Peel and cut 2 large sweet potatoes into 1 inch chunks
Peel and cut 1 large butternut squash into 1 inch chunks
Peel and cut 1 cup of carrots into 1 inch chunks
Peel at cut 1 medium onion into 1 inch chucks
Peel and smash 5 large cloves of garlic
Place all of this in a large baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of real maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper.
Roast in a 450 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, until all the veggies get lightly browned and carmelized around the edges.
Let it cook and place it in a large pot. Cover with vegetable or chicken broth (if you are using store bought, I recommend a low-sodium product), with the broth covering the veggies by about an inch or two. Add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or 1/2 cut of coconut milk.
Warm up the broth until it boils and then shut it off to cool a bit. Using an immersion blender or a conventional blender, puree the mixture thoroughly.
It should be pretty thick but if it's too watery, bring the soup to a low boil and let it cook uncovered until some liquid evaporates and it reaches the desired consistency. Test for salt before serving and add more if needed.
Here's how you could do it from scratch.
Peel and cut 2 large sweet potatoes into 1 inch chunks
Peel and cut 1 large butternut squash into 1 inch chunks
Peel and cut 1 cup of carrots into 1 inch chunks
Peel at cut 1 medium onion into 1 inch chucks
Peel and smash 5 large cloves of garlic
Place all of this in a large baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of real maple syrup, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper.
Roast in a 450 degree oven for 45-60 minutes, until all the veggies get lightly browned and carmelized around the edges.
Let it cook and place it in a large pot. Cover with vegetable or chicken broth (if you are using store bought, I recommend a low-sodium product), with the broth covering the veggies by about an inch or two. Add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil or 1/2 cut of coconut milk.
Warm up the broth until it boils and then shut it off to cool a bit. Using an immersion blender or a conventional blender, puree the mixture thoroughly.
It should be pretty thick but if it's too watery, bring the soup to a low boil and let it cook uncovered until some liquid evaporates and it reaches the desired consistency. Test for salt before serving and add more if needed.
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Doctored-Up Baked Beans
It's summer cook-out season, and what better side dish can there be other than a nice big pot of baked beans?
There are many good commercial brands out there (Bush's is my favorite) and you can simply empty them into a pot, warm them up and serve.
But if you want to make them a little bit more special, here is how I doctor up my beans:
2 32 ounce cans of baked beans
1/4 cup brown mustard (you can't go wrong with Gulden's)
2 tablespoons of dried onion flakes
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (can be omitted for vegetarian version)
Simply dump all of this in your slow-cooker or a large pot, and let them simmer for a few hours so that all the flavors meld and the sauce thickens and gets deep and rich.
Enjoy!
There are many good commercial brands out there (Bush's is my favorite) and you can simply empty them into a pot, warm them up and serve.
But if you want to make them a little bit more special, here is how I doctor up my beans:
2 32 ounce cans of baked beans
1/4 cup brown mustard (you can't go wrong with Gulden's)
2 tablespoons of dried onion flakes
4 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled (can be omitted for vegetarian version)
Simply dump all of this in your slow-cooker or a large pot, and let them simmer for a few hours so that all the flavors meld and the sauce thickens and gets deep and rich.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Brussels Sprout/Edamame Salad
I recently made this as a side dish for Bo Ssam and it was a huge hit. The crunch of the veggies were a nice contrast to the succulent, tender meat.
2 pounds of brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
6 ounces of edamame (removed from the pods, or course!)
Dressing:
1/4 cup canola oil
1/8 cut sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
zest of half a lime
Juice of one lime
a few twists of fresh cracked black pepper
Mix the dressing together and toss with the edamame and brussels sprouts. Let the salad sit for a few hours (in the fridge) before serving so the flavors meld and get absorbed. 2 days later, the leftover salad was still crunchy and yummy.
2 pounds of brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
6 ounces of edamame (removed from the pods, or course!)
Dressing:
1/4 cup canola oil
1/8 cut sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, grated
zest of half a lime
Juice of one lime
a few twists of fresh cracked black pepper
Mix the dressing together and toss with the edamame and brussels sprouts. Let the salad sit for a few hours (in the fridge) before serving so the flavors meld and get absorbed. 2 days later, the leftover salad was still crunchy and yummy.
Monday, January 5, 2015
My Favorite Power-Smoothie
With the New Year, come all the resolutions to lose weight and eat healthier. Here is my favorite on-the-go breakfast recipe. It's filling, delicious, and starts your day with 3 servings of fruits and veggies for a great burst of energy!
1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 banana
1 frozen fig (Trader Joe's sells them by the bag -- stock up!)
1/3 cup frozen pinapple
1/3 cup frozen or fresh cantaloupe
1/2 cup tightly packed baby spinach leaves
10 fresh mint leaves (you can use a tablespoon of dried mint as a substitute, but it won't be as good)
Put all of this into your blender and give it a whir! Add more almond milk as needed to get it all to blend up. It'll be a gorgeous green color and start your day off perfectly.
1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 banana
1 frozen fig (Trader Joe's sells them by the bag -- stock up!)
1/3 cup frozen pinapple
1/3 cup frozen or fresh cantaloupe
1/2 cup tightly packed baby spinach leaves
10 fresh mint leaves (you can use a tablespoon of dried mint as a substitute, but it won't be as good)
Put all of this into your blender and give it a whir! Add more almond milk as needed to get it all to blend up. It'll be a gorgeous green color and start your day off perfectly.
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