By Tracey Koch and Stephanie Riegel • Photos by Amy Shutt
The holiday season can be so hectic, between all the shopping and cocktail parties. So we’ve decided to focus on the real spirit of the season—spending quality time with family and friends. Visiting with loved ones over a special meal is the best way to celebrate the season, and the menu this month is perfect for any holiday occasion. It’s elegant enough to be served on your finest china, but it epitomizes comfort food and can also be served straight out of the pot while your guests cozy up around the kitchen table.
This menu is also very cost effective yet sophisticated enough to serve to company. Believe it or not, it’s also easier in many ways to prepare and serve a meal like this than trying to throw a cocktail party, with all the pick-up foods and hors d’oeuvres you have to create. Most of this meal can be done well in advance, allowing you to sit back and enjoy your holiday gathering with family and friends. Happy holidays!
|
|
|
The Menu
• Beef Bourguignon
• Roasted Garlic and Blue Cheese Grits
• Sautéed Asparagus with Dried Cranberries and Toasted Almonds
• Yule Log Cake
All recipes by Tracey Koch
Beef Bourguignon
It might sound complicated, but in truth this is just a fancy French version of really good, rich beef stew. It consists of a delicious, dark brown gravy of red wine and beef broth that will hit the spot on a chilly December night. We like to use a chuck roast when preparing this dish because it has the right amount of fat to keep the meat moist as it braises during cooking. We also do this on the stovetop as opposed to cooking it in the oven, which cuts cooking time by almost an hour. This is a dish that gets better as it sits, so it can be made a day before you plan to serve it. The leftovers make killer po-boys as well.
Servings: 6
1 3-pound beef chuck roast
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
3 cloves minced garlic
½ cup brandy or cognac
2 cups red wine
3 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
1 pint baby Bella mushrooms
2 tablespoons softened butter
2 tablespoons flour
1. Trim the chuck roast and cut into large chunks. Season it with 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper.
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the pieces of chuck roast 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the meat and set aside.
3. Add the chopped onions and carrots to the pot. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic for an additional 30 seconds and then turn off the heat.
4. Pour in the brandy or cognac. Keep stirring to remove all the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Turn the heat back on to medium. Pour in the red wine and broth. Whisk in the tomato paste and allow the mixture to come up to a simmer.
6. Add the meat back in and season it with the remaining half teaspoon of salt and the herbes de Provence.
7. Add the mushrooms, cover and reduce the heat to low. Let everything slowly simmer for an hour to an hour and a half, stirring occasionally.
8. Once the meat is tender, combine the butter and flour to form a paste or a beurre manié. Add to the pot and whisk until all is incorporated and the sauce is thick. Serve over Roasted Garlic and Blue Cheese Grits.
Roasted Garlic and Blue Cheese Grits
These grits are a delicious complement to the richness of the Beef Bourguignon. The slight bite of blue cheese and the sweetness of roasted garlic help balance out the main course, making it a very satisfying dish. We recommend using stone-ground grits rather than instant or quick grits when making this dish.
Servings: 6
1 pod whole garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups water
2 cups milk
1¼ cups stone-ground grits
1 tablespoon butter
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Trim the top off the garlic pod.
2. Place the garlic onto a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle it with the olive oil and season it with ¼ teaspoon of the salt.
3. Loosely wrap the garlic in the foil and place it onto a baking sheet in the heated oven. Roast the garlic for 30 to 35 minutes or until it is very tender.
4. Allow the garlic to cool while you bring the water and milk to a boil in a large saucepot.
5. Whisk the grits into the boiling liquid and stir in the remaining salt. Reduce the heat to low.
6. Stir the grits to keep them from getting lumpy and sticking to the bottom. Once the grits have thickened and are creamy, add in the butter.
7. Remove the garlic from the foil and peel off any of the remaining skin. Use your hands to gently squeeze the garlic out of the pod. Fold the roasted garlic and crumbled blue cheese into the grits until all is smooth. Add in some fresh ground black pepper and serve.
Sautéed Asparagus with Dried Cranberries and Toasted Almonds
We always like to serve sautéed asparagus with beef of any kind, and so we decided to bump up our favorite side veggie and give it a little holiday flair. Not only do the red and green colors in this dish help make your table look festive, but the sweet and tangy dried cranberries along with the crunchy toasted slivered almonds and fresh ground black pepper make an ordinary vegetable an extraordinary accompaniment.
Servings: 6
2 bunches fresh asparagus, trimmed
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup toasted slivered almonds
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1. In a large skillet, heat the butter until it begins to sizzle and add the trimmed asparagus.
2. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes, until the asparagus are tender but still very crisp.
3. Toss in the dried cranberries and toasted slivered almonds and continue to sauté for another 10 to 15 seconds.
4. Season with the salt and pepper and serve.
Yule Log Cake (Bûche de Noël)
The actual yule log dates back to pre-medieval times. It was a Norse tradition to burn a huge log to mark the Winter Solstice. It was not until the 19th century in France, however, that it became popular at Christmastime to make a sweet roulade or a rolled cake that represented a yule log. A yule log cake is traditionally made of sponge cake and rolled and filled with many different fillings or flavors. We have made this recipe a bit easier by using a box cake mix, preferably Pillsbury’s Pure Simple. It comes in chocolate or vanilla, is all-natural and runs a close second to a homemade cake, though you are free to use whatever cake recipe you like. The yule log cake is a wonderful and traditional Christmas dessert that is fun to make and a treat to eat.
Servings: 6
For the cake:
1 box chocolate cake mix (prepared according to the package directions)
¼ cup cocoa powder for dusting
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a jellyroll pan or large baking sheet (approximately 13-by-17-inch) with parchment paper. Grease the parchment with butter.
2. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake the cake for 12 to 15 minutes or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. While the cake is cooling, spread a large clean kitchen towel out onto a flat surface. Sift a thin layer of cocoa powder across the kitchen towel.
5. Flip the cake onto the kitchen towel and gently remove the parchment paper.
6. Starting at the short end of the cake, begin rolling the cake up in the kitchen towel like a jellyroll. Place the rolled cake on a wire rack and let it cool completely before filling and icing.
For the filling:
2 ounces softened cream cheese
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 pint whipping cream
1 cup crushed Heath bar bits
1. Place the softened cream cheese into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low until smooth.
2. Sift in the cocoa and powdered sugar and continue beating until all is incorporated.
3. With the mixer on, slowly pour in the vanilla and whipping cream. Turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat the cream and cream cheese together until stiff peaks have formed.
4. Remove the mixer and fold half of the crushed Heath bar into the cream cheese mixture.
5. Unroll the cooled cake on a large cutting board or work surface. Carefully slide the kitchen towel out from the bottom of the cake.
6. Spread an even layer of the whipped cream mixture across the cake. Sprinkle the whipped cream with the remaining Heath bar pieces.
7. Roll the cake back up into the jellyroll shape. Place the cake seam-side down on a serving tray and put it in the refrigerator to set before icing.
For the icing:
1 stick of butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
½ cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
2-4 tablespoons milk
1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter using an electric mixer.
2. Once the butter is smooth, add the powdered sugar and cocoa. Continue to mix until everything is incorporated.
|
|
|
3. Add the vanilla and milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the icing is smooth and spreadable.
4. Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Spread the chocolate butter cream icing along the outside of the cake. Aim for an uneven effect to make the outside look like the bark on a log.
5. Decorate the cake with sprigs of mint and fresh raspberries or cranberries along with chocolate candies. Keep the yule log cake in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.