Christmas Dinner

Christmas Eve Jim and I made the fixings for the salad to go with the first course.  I wrote that recipe with the potted shrimp.  The last to be made was the hardest and really could not be done until Christmas morning.   So I started early.   These two recipes came from Williams-Sonoma.  I considered these as Jim’s cousin has to have her beef well done.  Jim likes his rare.  So here are the last of the recipes that made Christmas dinner.

Short Rib Wellington Potpie

Ingredients:

2 ¼# boneless beef short ribs, cut into 1” dice (order the short ribs bone removed from a butcher)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (watch this and I will explain later)

2T EVOO

¼# Prosciutto, cut into ¼” squares

¾# cremini mushrooms, quartered

8T unsalted butter, cut into cubes

½ C all purpose flour

½ C red wine

1 ½ T beef demi-glace (see below)

3 C beef stock

1 t chopped fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 ½ C pearl onions (I used frozen so I did not have to boil and peel)

¼ C chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 sheet puff pastry, 10-11 “square

1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 t water

Directions:

1.      Preheat an oven to 325°F.

2.      Season the beef with salt and pepper. In a 3 1/2-quart wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to a bowl.

3.      Reduce the heat to medium. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Add to the bowl with the beef. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add to the bowl with the beef.

4.      Pour off the excess fat in the pot. Return the pot to medium heat and melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the wine and demi-glace and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the stock and bring to a simmer. Add the thyme, bay leaf, pearl onions, beef, prosciutto and mushrooms. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven and cook until the beef is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Discard the bay leaf and spoon the excess fat off the cooking liquid. Stir in the parsley. (I held on warm until ready for next step after appetizers and before first course. 

5.      Increase the oven temperature to 400°F.

6.      Place the puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface. Using a sharp knife, score the pastry with diagonal lines about 2 inches apart, forming a diamond pattern. Brush the edge of the pot with water, and then brush the pastry with the egg mixture. Place the pastry, egg wash side up, over the pot and press the edges to seal. Trim the overhanging pastry to 1 inch.

7.      Transfer the pot to the oven and bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

This dish turned out way to salty for me.  No one else thought so.  I did not make a big deal of it, but I could not eat it.  I blame it on two things.  I could not find salt free beef stock and used this stock to make the demi-glace.  I used Rachael Ray’s quick version, but instead of reducing by half, I reduced the 2C beef broth to the two T I needed.   This was concentrated salt.  I slated the beef as stated in the beginning of the recipe and so the salt began.  I weld advise that If you cannot find commercially made demi-glace to skip it and very, very lightly slat the meat.  It did look very nice.   

Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash with Bacon Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

4 oz. thick-cut bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 Tbs. cider vinegar

1 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

6 Tbs. olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 1/2 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch dice

1 tsp. chopped fresh sage

1 cup coarsely chopped steamed chestnuts

Directions:

1.      In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until browned and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour all but 1 Tbs. of the fat into a heatproof bowl and reserve. Add the shallot to the remaining fat in the pan and sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool.

2.      In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, thyme and shallot. Slowly whisk in 5 Tbs. of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set the vinaigrette aside.

3.      Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the Brussels sprouts to a bowl of ice water. Drain well, then cut them in half lengthwise and place on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.

4.      Return the water in the pot to a boil, add the butternut squash and cook until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain, then transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain again and place on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.

5.      In a large sauté pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the squash and sauté, stirring occasionally, until light golden and warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

6.      In the same pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the reserved bacon fat. Place the Brussels sprouts, cut side down, in the pan. Cook, without moving them, for 3 to 4 minutes, then stir and add the sage and chestnuts. Cook for 2 minutes more.

7.       Transfer to the bowl with the squash. Add enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the vegetables (you may not need all of it), then stir in half of the bacon.

8.      Transfer the vegetables to a platter, sprinkle with the remaining bacon and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

I liked this dish.  And the spacing I did which was to bring it to step 5 and then finish while the pot pie was in the oven for the final cooking. 

Finally it was time for dessert.  I wanted a light dessert and Jim wanted chocolate.  So we compromised.  Remember I talked about making the Chocolate corks.  I found some gorgeous Baklava and made the following from Fine Cooking.  This was really good. 

Oranges in Cardamom Syrup with Honey whipped Cream

Ingredients:

4 large navel oranges cut into segments

¼ C granulated sugar

¼ t ground cardamom

½ C heavy cream

2 t honey

Directions:

1.      Drain the orange segments in a strainer set over a medium bowl.  Set the segments and juice aside

2.      Put the sugar in a small heavy-duty saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring often, until melted and light amber in color, 3-5 minutes.  Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the orange juice.  The mixture will bubble and clump; whisk until smooth again.  Stir in the cardamom.

3.      Put the orange segments in the juice bowl and add the syrup.  Toss well. 

4.      In a large bowl, whisk 1 T of the cream with the honey until smooth.  Add the remaining cream and beat with an electric hand mixer on high speed until soft peaks form 2-3 minutes.

5.      Divide the oranges and syrup among serving bowls. Top with the whipped cream.

I did everything the day before except whipping the cream which I did while Jim made coffee. 

The dinner was accompanied by two delightful wines.  Chateau Haut-Maillet from Pomerol, 2000 and Lewis Cellars, reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, also a 2000.   By all  accounts, 2000 was a very good year.