Meatloaf for One With a French Accent

This isn't a dish you decide to prepare at the last moment.

The meat mixture has to "macerate" for 24 hours before cooking.

I start with a half pound each of ground sirloin and ground pork.

The market didn't have any ground veal today.


I made a paste of two big cloves of finely chopped garlic and salt and added to the bowl with the meat..


Next 2 finely chopped shallots.



Four chopped sprigs of parsley from my indoor herb garden.




1/4 teaspoon of herbes de Provence
which Ed and Mary brought back from France.







1 dried porcini mushroom crumbled into small pieces.
these mushrooms are called cepes in France.




1/4 cup of red wine left over from dinner last night.
Sorry France, but I used a California wine.

Add salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Mix well, squishing the meat with my fingers.

Cover with plastic wrap let the meat mixture

macerate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

The next day form into a small loaf,

place a bay leaf,

and some bacon on top.

Arrange some carrots and potatoes,

which have been brushed with olive oil and salt,

aound the loaf.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes,

turning the vegetables half way through.

By the way, I use a small battery-operated

vacuum pump which I purchased at Walmarts

for under 20 dollars

to store items like bacon to keep them airtight and fresh

in the refrigerator.

Correction: This was a gift from my good friend, Beth Sirois.

This dinner plate doesn't represent how I like to eat

which usually emphasizes the vegetables

more than the meats.

It was amazing how the wild flavor

of the mushrooms came through in the

baked meatloaf.

Just enough left over

for a sandwich tomorrow.

Bon Appetit!

Based on a Judith Jones recipe.

Portuguese Chicken

Portuguese Chicken with tomatoes, cipolline onions, roasted red peppers and prosciutto ham

This dish is based on a recipe in the current issue of Bon Appetit.

I started with one whole chicken cut into pieces.

The chicken pieces were coated one at a time in a mixture of 1 cup flour, 1 tlbs + 1/4 tsp of smoked paprika, 1 1/2 tsp salt and a 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

I sauted the chicken in olive oil in large skillet and then placed them in a large pot.
I poured 2 cans of diced tomatoes with the juices over the chicken.

I hope you have one of these gadgets to open those stubborn jars in your kitchen.

I chop 4 oz of prosciutto

and 2 large roasted red peppers

and add to the pot.

Next I blanch a small bag of cipolline onions

in boiling water for 1 minute

which makes them easy to peel,

and add them to the pot.

I add 6 large garlic cloves, pressed

4 flat parsley sprigs

4 bay leaves, bruised

The recipe called for 1/2 cup of port wine and 1/2 cup of white wine neither of which I had.

I added 1 cup of sweet red vermouth to the skillet to deglaze it.

I whisked in 1 tlbs Dijon mustard and 1 tlbs tomato paste.

I poured this mixture over the chicken and brought the pot to a boil.

Then covered and into the oven for a couple of hours until the chicken was very tender.

I set a nice table.



Note the snow piled up against the window.

I placed the chicken and toppings onto a serving platter.

I simmered the remaining sauce in the pot until it thickened a little and then spooned some of it over the chicken.

I served it with a nice bowl of boiled carrots

and accompanied it with a loaf

of crusty chiabatti bread

served with a spanish olive oil and balsamic vinegar

for dipping.

Bon Appetit!

Snow

Its 15 degrees outside, lets braise some short ribs

Assemble the main ingredients.

Olive oil, red wine, red wine vinegar, and chicken stock.

Chopped carrots, celery, and onion.

Plum tomatoes, garlic, and fresh herbs,

from my new indoor harb garden.

4 meaty short ribs.

Sear the ribs all over in hot olive oil

in a heavy dutch oven.

Set the beautifully carmelized ribs

aside in a bowl.



Saute the onion, carrots, celery
with 4 chopped cloves of garlic
until browned, about 10 minutes.




Deglaze the pot
with 3/4 cup red wine and 1/2 cup red wine vinegar,
scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.
Cook until the liquid is reduced by 1/3.





Add the plum tomatoes
which have been seeded and quartered
and 3 sprigs each of fresh thyme and rosemary.
The recipe called for 2 cups of chicken reduction
which I couldn't find.
I diluted some chicken gravy with chicken stock.







Return the ribs to the pot,
bring to a boil.

Cover the pot

and cook in 300 degree oven

for 4 hours.

Turn ribs a couple of times during cooking.

Remove ribs

and drain liquid into a bowl.

Discard the solids.

Cook the liquid until reduced and thickened

to make a nice sauce.



I roasted some carrots, potatoes, and onions

and served them on a platter with ribs.

A wonderful supper on a cold winter night.

The chef.

Recipe adapted

from a

Martha Stewart recipe.

Christmas Tea Ceremony

I received a gift of

a teapot and tea

from

Jenn

for christmas.

What a great name

for the tea.

You begin by placing

the pot on a flat disc

which prevents the water from

escaping while the

tea is brewing.

Pour boiling water

gently over tea leaves

which will float freely

while brewing.

After tea is brewed

place pot over tea cup.

The cup will push up

another disc

and tea will flow into cup.

Pick up the pot and

the tea immediately

stops flowing.

I don't normally use sugar in my tea

but the gift included this bag

of rock sugar.

I put just a couple of the

little pebbles

in my cup.

The tea was perfectly brewed

and delicious.

I look forward to sharing

this tea with a friend.

Thank you Jenn.

Christmas Cheesecake

We are having a family Christmas dinner this weekend

in order to accommodate various family members'

travel on Christmas.

I have been asked to provide dessert.

I found this recipe of Betty Rosbottom on the internet.

First, I marinated dried cranberries, golden raisins, and apricots (the recipe also called for currants but I could not find any) in orange liguor for 2 hours.

I mixed one cup each of finely ground pecans, graham cracker crumbs, and confectioner's sugar in a 10 inch springform pan.



I added 8 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter, mixing it well with a fork

and packed it well with my fingers on the bottom and half way up the sides of the pan.

I placed 1 1/2 pounds of room temperature cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar into the mixer bowl beat for a few minutes until the mixture was smooth and creamy.

I added 4 large eggs and mixed just long enough to incorporate the eggs.

I drained the marinated fruits and folded them into the cheesecake mixture.

The mixture was poured into the prepared pan

and baked in a 300 degree oven for 55 minutes.

At the end of the baking time I removed the cake from the oven

and spread a mixture of 16 ounces of sour cream and 3/4 cup sugar which had been whisked together, over the top of the warm cake.

The cake was returned to the 300 degree oven for 10 minutes

and then removed to allow it to cool to room temperature.

I then decorated the cake with additional dried fruit.

The cake will be stored in the refrigerator

for 2 days before being served.

The recipe describes the cake as

rich, indulgent, and irresistible.

I sure hope so!

Merry Christmas