Spectacular Christmas Dinner

This Christmas dinner is nothing short of a decadent, indulgent, rich feast. It incorporates so many wonderful food elements of the holiday season that just reading the menu makes one's mouth water. This meal is actually much easier to prepare and serve than it looks. You simply need to be prepared and think through the meal beforehand. I made and served this meal without help, so it can be done, and still had enough energy for church and presents and all that good stuff. Also, the first two courses are the only courses requiring much work. You see, aside from the spicy dates, the starters simply require being arranged on a platter. The same goes for the cheeses and the desserts. Because there are so many courses, you will want to offer small portions.

Below is the menu of what we had and the recipes for the soup and the veal. The recipe for the salad is already on this blog. I always order my buche de Noel, when in Chicago, from Bittersweet Bakery. They make a beautiful, generous buches de Noel and also stunning croquembouches.

Starters:
Pate de Foie Gras Truffe
Toast Points
Cornichons
Rolled Prosciutto
Dalmatia Fig Spread
Spicy Sauteed Dates

Soup Course:
Perigord Black Winter Truffle Soup

Plat Principal:
Rolled Veal Tenderloin with Morel Mousse
Carrots Vichy
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Salad Course:
Herb Salad

Cheese Course:
Selection of three goat, sheep and cow's milk cheeses

Dessert:
Buche de Noel
Petit Fours
Coffee

Perigord Winter Truffle Soup



This recipe, and the recipe for the veal, are adapted from Cooking for Madam.

Multiply this recipe as needed.

CHICKEN
5 ounces raw chicken breast meat
1 cup homemade chicken stock

Poach the chicken breast in the stock for 10 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes then cut into 1/4" dice.

MIREPOIX
1 teaspoon olive oil
5 Tablespoons freshly peeled, minced carrots
2 Tablespoons freshly minced celery
6 Tablespoons freshly minced mushrooms, any kind
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Thyme flowers

Coat the inside of a small saucepan with the olive oil and heat it. Add the diced carrots and cook, covered, over medium heat for 3 minutes then add the diced celery. Cook for 3 minutes then add the mushrooms and cook 3 minutes. The vegetables should cook 9 minutes in all, covered. The idea is to have the vegetables give up their juices, not to brown. Add the salt and pepper and a pinch of thyme flowers.

SOUP AND SERVING
1 fresh Perigord Black Truffle (available at fine food stores such as Fox & Obel)
3 cups chicken stock
few drops of truffle oil

Using a truffle shaver, slice the whole truffle very thin. In a small saucepan, heat the stock, truffles and truffle oil over a low heat.

4 sheets phyllo pastry, or puff pastry
4 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg yolk, beaten

While the vegetables are cooking heat the oven to 450F. Lay out one of the layers of pastry on a counter top. Use a pastry brush to paint it with melted butter. Fold the pastry in half and paint again, then do it one more time. Use a tureen as a pattern, and cut a circle of pastry an inch bigger than the opening. Repeat with the other three pieces of pastry.

Place a spoonful of the mirepoix vegetables in the bottom of each tureen and a quarter of the chicken breast meat. Add 3/4 cup of stock (divide the truffles evenly among the tureens). Brush the rims of the pastry circles with the beaten egg yolk and press the pastry, yolk side down, over the tops of the tureens, using the egg to seal the edges tightly.

Set the tureens on a jelly roll sheet and place them in the over. They will cook very fast. The pastry will expand and turn golden and when that happens, they're done. The aroma when you first break through the crust is amazing!

Rolled Veal Tenderloin with Morel Mousse



You will need to find a good butcher in order to find a veal tenderloin. They are not common at grocery stores. Whole Foods said they couldn't even order them. However, Paulina Meat Market did have them and they were perfect. For this recipe, the tenderloin needs to be butterflied. Unless you are especially skilled with meat this should be done by the butcher. Just explain what you are doing with the tenderloin and for the veal to be butterflied. A good butcher will know what to do.

MOREL MOUSSE
10 ounces ground veal, preferably tenderloin
1 shallot, finely chopped
6 dried morels, soaked, lightly rinsed and patted dry
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground white pepper
1 egg white
1/4 cup heavy cream

Place the veal, shallot and morels in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to blend. Add salt and pepper then the egg white and cream and pulse until the mixture is smooth. You want it really moussey. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until you need it.

LOIN OF VEAL
2 pound eye of veal loin, completely trimmed and butterflied
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
10-15 large spinach leaves, washed and dried
1/2 cup coarsely chopped small white turnps
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onions
1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrots
2 cloves garlic, crushed

SAUCE
1 ounce dried morels, soaked in hot water, overnight
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups homemade veal or chicken stock
1 teaspoon butter
2 shallots, minced
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat 450F. Open the veal out flat on the counter and season the inside with kosher salt and pepper. Lay large spinach leaves down the natural crease along the center of the veal. Spread the mousse over the spinach, making sure that the mousse covers only the middle section of the loin. Cover the mousse with the remaining spinach so it is completely encased in spinach. Roll the loin up carefully so the mousse stays in place, then tie kitchen string around the roll every couple inches.

Place the turnips, onions, carrots and garlic in a roasting pan with the rolled loin on top. Roast for 20 minutes then lower the heat to 375F and roast another 15 - 25 minutes, or til mousse is set.

While the meat is roasting, drain the morels through a double layer of cheesecloth. Save the liquid they were soaking in. Wash the mushrooms well and set them aside. Remove the meat from the oven and keep it warm on a covered platter. Leave the vegetables in the roasting pan. Put the roasting pan with the vegetables still in it over a burner. Pour in the white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the little bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Scrape the contents of the pan in a saucepan - with the cooked vegetables, too. Add 1 1/2 cups of the stock and the reserved morel soaking water. If that is skimpy, add more stock. Cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced to about 1 1/4 cups. Strain it through a fine seive, discard the vegetables and set the sauce aside. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and lightly saute the shallots. Add the morels and the cream, stirring over low heat until thickened. Stir constantly to keep the mixture smooth, as you slowly add the sauce base. Serve immediately with the sliced veal. Serves 8.

The cheese course looked like this...



The buche de Noel looked like this...



The drinks looked like this...



Here is the Christmas tree before dinner and the opening of presents...



Now, onward to 2012!

Arugula, Orange and Toasted Walnut Salad

This is a flavorful salad that tastes best in the fall and winter as the ingredients are so seasonal, almost Christmasy, with the oranges and walnuts. In this recipe you will need to "supreme" the oranges. This may seem a bit elaborate in concept but once you do it a few times you'll be able to do a whole orange in a minute. You will also be able to use this skill in other dishes. I think it's a beautiful way of cutting up an orange.







1-2 oranges, number and type by preference
1/4 cup walnuts
2 oz. arugula

1 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black or white pepper
1/2 Tbsp olive oil

On a cutting board and using a sharp knife, cut the top 1/2" and bottom 1/2" off an orange.



Next, using vertical cuts, cut strips off the side of the orange. Be sure to cut off all the white part (pith) but try to leave as much of the flesh as possible.



Over your salad bowl and using a very sharp paring knife, start removing the segments from the orange leaving behind the membranes. Let the excess juice fall into the salad bowl and set aside the segments in another small bowl.



Once you have removed all the segments, squeeze what remains in your hand over the salad bowl. You'll have a good tablespoon or two. The juice will be part of the dressing.

Add the vinegar and salt to the orange juice in the salad bowl. Whisk to disolve the salt. Add the pepper. Then whisk in the olive oil. Set aside.



Place a small skillet over high heat. When hot, toast the walnuts for a few minutes until fragrant and changing color. Remove from heat and set aside.



Toss the arugula, half the orange segments and half the nuts in the dressing. Plate on salad plates and garnish with the remaining nuts and orange segments. Using a spoon, drizzle a little of the remaining dressing from the bowl over the salads.

The Original Cobb Salad

After a hectic Spring week during which temperatures moved wildly between 57F and 97F day to day, the traditional Cobb salad seemed like a cool, crisp, and satisfying dinnertime response to the weather. It is hearty with a bunch of protein but not heavy due to the lack of carbohydrates. The protein will support you as you move into a more active summer lifestyle. If you happen to need or want carbohydrates with this, a crusty piece of baguette would do fine.

On a historical note, the Cobb salad is named after Robert H. Cobb, the owner of the Hollywood Brown Derby where this salad was a signature dish beginning in the 1930's. Nonetheless, a country club in Lincoln, Nebraska has been serving this line up of toppings on a bed of spinach since 1917.

The recipe below is for 2-3 people where the salad is the main meal of the day.

1/2 head iceberg lettuce
2 cups mesclun or trimmed watercress
1 small head romaine

1 tsp. olive oil
3-4 chicken tenderloins, about 12 oz
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
3 eggs
6 slices bacon, cut into 3/4" pieces
4 oz. Roth-Kaas Wisconsin blue cheese, or your preferred blue
1 small bunch scallions or chives
2 plum tomatoes

scant 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. sugar, any kind
1 garlic clove, peeled, crushed by side of knife
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 c. olive oil

1 avocado

To prepare the lettuces:
Always wash and dry any unprepared lettuces. Take the 1/2 head of iceberg lettuce and cut it from top to core creating a quarter head. Cut off core and discard. Using a large knife or plastic lettuce knife cut the quarters crosswise creating a shredded lettuce. Place in a large salad bowl. Add the mesclun. Tear the romaine into small bite size pieces and add to the bowl as well. While the combination may not seem terribly refined, this works both with a fork and visually. The occasional taste of an herb or arugula from the mesclun is wonderful. Set bowl in the refrigerator for now.

To prepare the toppings:
Heat a small skillet large enough to hold the tenderloins over high heat. Once hot, add 1 tsp olive oil and wait another minute. Add the chicken. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook to seal the chicken and turn to repeat, about 1-2 minutes. Next, turn the heat to medium-low, cover the chicken and cook six minutes, turning once. Turn off the heat, leaving the cover in place, and move on to the next steps. The chicken will continue to cook while it sits.

While the chicken cooks, place the eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Add an egg timer if you have one. Put the saucepan on medium high heat and cook until the egg timer says the eggs are finished. If you do not have an egg timer, this will take about 7 minutes, or longer if you are making more than three eggs, once the water is vigorously boiling. When making boiled eggs, start with the eggs in the pan and add cold water, and also later rinse with cold water after cooking. This prevents the yolk edge or skin from turning green.

While the eggs are cooking, start working on the bacon. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat until hot and add the bacon. Cook until brown and crispy then remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

While the bacon cooks, using a fork or grater, break up the blue cheese into little pieces. Put in prep bowl and set in fridge.

By now, the eggs should be finished. Rinse thoroughly under cold water and peel. On a clean, dry cutting board, coarsely chop the egg. Or use an egg slicer. Set aside in fridge.

Next prepare the tomatoes and scallions or chives. For scallions, cut off the roots and slice thinly, starting with the white part. Cut up into the green only until the green is no longer crisp, about 3-4" up. If using chives, simply cut into 1/4" pieces. Put in small prep bowl and set aside in fridge. For the tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise. Remove the pulp and discard. Cut what remains into 1/2" strips. Turn the strips and cut into a 1/2" dice. Put in small prep bowl and set aside in fridge.

Make the dressing:
In a small bowl, add the red wine vinegar, salt and sugar. Once the salt and sugar are dissolved, add the crushed garlic clove, freshly ground pepper and whisk in the Dijon mustard. Next whisk in the olive oil, a little at a time or in a small, narrow stream. Once the oil is fully incorporated, remove the garlic clove, discard, and set dressing aside.

Finish the toppings:
To prepare the avocado, slice in half to the stone. Twist to separate halves. Remove stone with knife. Quarter avocado and remove skin. Chop into 1/2" cubes. Remove to small prep bowl and add 1-2 Tbsp dressing and toss very gently to stop discoloration; avocados oxidize quickly. Set bowl in fridge.

Take the resting chicken and move to a cutting board. Cut lengthwise once or twice, turn once and chop into coarse 1/2" cubes. Set aside.

Take the salad greens, eggs, cheese, scallions, tomatoes and avocado from the fridge. Bring the chicken and bacon to hand. Give the dressing a final whisk and pour on the greens. Toss gently but thoroughly and swiftly move on to plating. (Never dress a salad in advance or it will wilt.) Divide the greens among your plates. I use wide rimmed all purpose salad/cream soup bowls. It is easier to add the toppings in distinct rows - the signature look of a Cobb - if the lettuce is not mounded but somewhat flat. Next, put on your artist's hat and arrange the toppings in rows. The order really isn't important. The salad will be more attractive if the colors contrast, so separate the like colored toppings.

Serve immediately. Your dining partners will be delighted: such simple ingredients taste so great all together in a salad.

Above is a picture of how mine turned out.