Rustic Easter

Too Much Information:
I just wanted to say how much I appreciate being around good food and good people.  A couple of years ago Tera and I had a few conversations about wanting to start a cooking type group.  We toyed with the idea of making it about food and entertaining, about the centerpieces, about the recipes, or about cooking gadgets.  Or maybe it would simply be about getting together with good people.  Because of our lack of indecision, our ideas about the dinner party faded and life went on without us making any decision on our fancy smancy dinner group.

I'm not sure if I was Tera's first pick for a partner or if I was the last on her list.  I'm just glad we are partners and I'm glad someone made the decision (Cassaundra) to start a cooking/dinner group.  I love it. And I love my cooking partner.  In our quest for the perfect meal we met at the car dealership during a routine oil change and not-so routine tire repair to skim through cookbooks.  We made runs to each others cars and houses with test dishes.  We made our children and husbands be the guinea pigs for new recipes.  I want you to know that we take finding the right recipe seriously.

With that being said, I am very glad that last night is over.  I woke up this morning with a huge headache.  I dreamt about how the Brussels sprouts were a little too roasted, some of the pork loin might have been a little dry, and how we made you eat food that you may not have enjoyed.  Apparently I was a little stressed.  The orchestration of putting food on the table for ten people is slightly daunting.  The food needs to be hot.  One of my pet peeves is eating cold food.  And the space between each course needs to be timed perfectly.  There were mistakes last night.  I am hoping that the recipes will stand for themselves and the presentation will be judged with kindness and a hunger for good food.

Thanks for eating,
Denise

I am so happy to be a part of this group!  Denise was definitely my first choice and I'm so glad she accepted!!!!  Not only have I thoroughly enjoyed partaking at other host's tables, I very much enjoyed the process of hosting our own.  It was completely stressful but so much fun.  I now want to host more dinner parties and set beautiful tables.  Though we had many imperfections, I think the final outcome was enjoyable and we learned so many lessons.

I hope you use the recipes with your own families!
Tera

Garlic Stuffed Turkey Meatballs with Creamy Dill Dressing
Thank you:  Whipperberry

Ingredients:

2 ½ lbs. lean ground turkey

2 Tbsp. dried parsley

½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. grated pecorino romano (optional)
30-40 whole garlic cloves (unpeeled)
3-4 tsp. olive oil

Directions:

 

Heat a pot of water to boiling. Separate garlic cloves and drop into boiling water for one minute. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon, and cool slightly on a paper towel. Now the peelings should remove easily. After all the cloves are peeled, return them to the boiling water for 30 minutes, then remove and again lay them on a paper towel.

Place all other ingredients (except oil) in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for several minutes. Meat mixture should be mixed very well.

Using a teaspoon, spoon some meat mixture into your hand, and make a well using your thumb. Insert a garlic clove and wrap mixture around it to form a ball. After all the turkey is formed into balls, heat a frying pan to medium heat and add oil. Add several meatballs and fry them in the pan, using a spatula to roll the meatballs for even cooking. Meatballs are done when the centers are no longer pink (165º).

  
Golden Focaccia
Thank you:  King Arthur Flour

Starter:

4 ounces cool water

1/16 teaspoon instant or active dry yeast

4 1/4 ounces Unbleached All-purpose Flour

Dough:

2 teaspoons instant yeast or 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast 

4 ounces lukewarm water*

all of the starter (above)

8 1/2 ounces Unbleached All-purpose Flour

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

3/8 ounce nonfat dry milk

7/8 ounce olive oil

*Use 1 tablespoon less in summer (or in a humid environment), 1 tablespoon more in winter (or in a dry climate).

Topping:

1) To make the starter: Mix the water and 1/16 teaspoon yeast, then add the flour, stirring till the flour is incorporated. The starter will be paste-like; it won't form a ball.

2) Cover and let rest at room temperature for about 14 hours; the starter will be bubbly. If you make this in the late afternoon, it'll be ready to go by the next morning.

3) To make the dough: If you're using active dry yeast, dissolve it with a pinch of sugar in 2 tablespoons of the lukewarm water. Let the yeast and water sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, until the mixture has bubbled and expanded. If you're using instant yeast, you can skip this step.

4) Combine the dissolved yeast (or instant yeast) with the remaining dough ingredients, and mix and knead—by hand, mixer, or bread machine set on the dough cycle—to make a soft, smooth dough. If you're kneading in a stand mixer, it should take about 7 minutes at second speed.

5) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 hour.

6) Gently deflate it, and allow it to rise for another hour; it should have doubled in bulk from its original volume.

7) Lightly grease an 18" x 13" baking sheet with a rim (or two 9" x 13" pans) with non-stick vegetable oil spray. Drizzle olive oil atop the spray; the spray keeps the bread from sticking, while the olive oil gives the bottom crust great crunch and flavor.

8) If you're using the baking sheet, gently pull and shape the dough into a rough rectangle, and pat it into the pan. As soon as it begins to fight you and shrink back, stop patting. If you're using two 9" x 13" pans, divide the dough in half, shape each half into a rough rectangle, and pat one piece into each pan. When the pieces start to shrink back, stop patting. Wait 15 minutes; pat the dough farther towards the edges of the pan(s). Repeat once more, if necessary, till the dough is close to covering the bottom of the pan(s).

9) Cover the pan, and allow the dough to rise till it's very puffy, almost billowy. This will take about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°F.

10) Gently dimple the dough at irregular intervals with your fingers, pressing down firmly, but not abruptly; you don't want to deflate it too much.

11) Spritz heavily with warm water, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil (or enough to collect a bit in the dimples), then sprinkle with rosemary (or the herb of your choice), black pepper, and a bit of coarse salt, to taste.

12) Bake the focaccia for about 10 minutes. Reverse the pan(s) in the oven (top pan on the bottom, bottom pan on the top), and bake until the focaccia is light golden brown, about another 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven, and immediately turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Carrot Salad with Harissa, Feta, and Mint Thank you: SmittenKitchen.com The carrots are grated, the spices are heated with a pinch of sugar in olive oil, whisked with lemon juice and poured warm over the carrots, with minced mint and parsley — think North African pesto. You let the flavors muddle for a bit and then you add feta. This salad is fascinating. Ingredients: 3/4 pound carrots, peeled, trimmed and coarsely grated 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 crushed clove of garlic 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds or about half as much, ground (I used seeds but ground them first) 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds or about half as much, ground (I used the seed but ground them first, again) 1/2 teaspoon paprika 3/4 teaspoon harissa (for a solid kick of heat; adjust yours to taste, and to the heat level of your harissa) 1/2 teaspoon sugar 3 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped 100 grams feta, crumbled or chopped into bits In a small sauté pan, cook the garlic, caraway, cumin, paprika, harissa and sugar in the oil until fragrant, about one to two minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Pour over the carrots and mix. Add the herbs and mix. Leave to infuse for an hour and add the feta before eating. With a fork.  Note: I liked letting my salad sit for most of the day to soften up the carrots that we bought from the store, because we thought the carrots we grated didn't have enough thickness or texture. (Harissa: Is a North African chile paste that has become so popular, we were tickled to find it all over tables in Paris two years ago, right next to the Dijon mustard. There is almost nothing it doesn’t make more delicious: eggs, potatoes, stews, couscous, sandwiches and more, and there are almost as many recipes as there are people who consume it. Most boil down to hot chiles ground with garlic, cumin, coriander, caraway and olive oil, often with a smidge of sundried tomatoes. You can make your own (I’ve been eying this recipe for some time) or you can buy some (I brought home this brand, which we love). The adavantage of making your own, as always, is that you can adjust the recipe to suit your tastes and desired level of heat.)  PS - I found my "harissa" at the farmer's market from a Greek man and it was called Aywar.  It was perfect.

Roasted Pork Loin with Orange-Herb Sauce
Thank you: pipandebby.com

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
One 1 ½-pound boneless pork loin
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup fresh orange juice
½ cup chicken stock
½ cup dry white wine
5 black peppercorns
1 rosemary sprig
1 oregano sprig
1 parsley sprig, plus 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the oil with the garlic. Add the pork, turn to coat and let stand for 1 hour. Set a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat the remaining oil. Season the pork with salt and pepper and add to the skillet, fat side down. Cook over moderately high heat until richly browned, 4 minutes. Brown the pork on the remaining sides, then turn it fat side up. Add the orange juice, stock, wine, peppercorns and herb sprigs and bring to a boil.
2. Transfer the skillet to the upper shelf of the oven and roast the pork for about 35 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 145 degrees F. Transfer the pork to a carving board.
3. Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan and boil until reduced to ½ cup, 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; stir in the chopped parsley. Carve the pork and serve with the sauce.

NOTE:  The sauce should be at least doubled.  The reduction will take you a little longer but it is worth the wait.

Couscous with Toasted Pine Nuts
Thank you: Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
• 3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups couscous
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Preparation

If you can boil a pot of water, you can make couscous. To make my life easy when I'm entertaining, I sauté the onions, add the stock, salt, and pepper and set it aside. Before dinner, all I have to do is heat the stock, add the couscous, and wait ten minutes for a delicious side dish with no stress.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a full boil. Stir in the couscous, turn off the heat, cover, and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, stir in the pine nuts and parsley, and serve hot.
To toast pine nuts, place them in a dry sauté pan and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, tossing often, until lightly browned.

Serving Size: Serves 6 to 8

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Thank you: Whole Foods Market

Ingredients:

1 pound Brussels Sprouts
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste (we used sea salt)
2 Tablespoons shaved Pecorino Romano Cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Trim the stem ends of the Brussels Sprouts and pull of any yellow outer leaves.  Halve each sprout lengthwise, then toss in a large bowl with oil, salt and pepper.

Transfer sprouts to a rimmed baking sheet and roast, stirring once or twice, until deep golden brown, crisp outside and tender inside, 30 - 35 minutes.  The leaves that are loose will be especially brown and crispy.  Transfer sprouts to a serving bowl, scatter Pecorino Romano over the top and serve.

NOTE:  These were especially hard to keep warm before plating.  I feel like there were left in about 5 minutes too long.

Triple Raspberry Sauce

Thank you: Ina Garten

Ingredients:



1 half-pint package fresh raspberries

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

1 cup (12 ounces) seedless raspberry jam

1 tablespoon Framboise liqueur (we didn't use this, so in reality it was only Double Raspberry Sauce)

Directions:

Place the package of raspberries, the granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small Saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam, and Framboise into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.

NOTE:  If I hadn't been eating this with all of you I would have used my finger to get every remnant of the lemon filling and raspberry sauce off of my plate.

Cream Puffs

Thank you: Bon Appetit

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup all purpose flour

4 tablespoons large eggs

2 large egg yolks

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Bring milk, butter, and salt to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until butter melts. Add flour all at once. Reduce heat to medium and stir with wooden spoon until dough forms ball and some batter films bottom of pan thickly, about 4 minutes. Transfer dough to medium bowl and cool 5 minutes. Using electric mixer, beat in eggs and yolks 1 at a time.

Drop dough by generous tablespoonfuls 3 inches apart onto baking sheets, making about 24 puffs. Smooth tops with wet fingertips.

Bake puffs 15 minutes. Reverse sheets and bake puffs until deep golden, about 10 minutes longer. Make small slit in side of each puff. Return to oven, turn off heat, and let dry 15 minutes. DO AHEAD Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

Ingredients

lemon-cream filling

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
• 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream

Preparation

• Combine sugar, egg, lemon juice, lemon peel, and pinch of salt in heavy small saucepan; whisk to blend. Add butter. Stir constantly over medium-low heat until curd is hot and thick enough to coat spoon (do not boil), 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer lemon curd to small bowl. Press plastic wrap onto surface; chill until cold and slightly firm, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
• Transfer lemon curd to medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat cream in another medium bowl until peaks form. Fold whipped cream into curd in 3 additions. Cover and chill filling 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

Drizzle with white chocolate and place a malt ball or similar candy in middle to represent an egg in a nest (optional).