Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Post Thanksgiving

Hello and I hope that everyone had a nice holiday. Mine was fantastic having my sister and grandmother in town. And as in the Kate's Kitchen family tradition, we overindulged in all things food, wine and shopping.

I won't bore you with the details, so here are a couple of recipes from the week:




Cranberry Port Compote


½ cup Port, Tawny
1 tsp Orange zest
½ cup Orange Juice
1 12 oz bag Cranberries
¾ cup Sugar

In a medium non-reactive heavy saucepan combine all ingredients.

Bring to a simmer over medium low heat. Simmer until desired jam like consistency, approximately 25 minutes.

Serve warm or cold.

Will keep in refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Makes approximately 2 cups.

I've made this compote for the past few years, this year specifically for a client. The recipe is from the tried and true Get Saucy-the world's greatest sauce compilation.


Ciabatta Stuffing with Chestnuts and Pancetta

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
8 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (7.4-ounce) jars roasted peeled whole chestnuts, coarsely broken
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1 pound day-old ciabatta bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup (or more) canned low-salt chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten to blend

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter a 15 by 10 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sauté until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a large bowl.

Melt the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, rosemary, and garlic. Sauté until the onions are very tender, about 12 minutes. Gently stir in the chestnuts and parsley. Transfer the onion mixture to the large bowl with the pancetta. Add the bread and Parmesan and toss to coat. Add enough broth to the stuffing mixture to moisten. Season the stuffing, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs.

Transfer the stuffing to the prepared dish. Cover with buttered foil, buttered side down, and bake until the stuffing is heated through, about 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the top is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.

My stepmom made this stuffing for the first time this year-it's from Giada De Laurentiis and was perfectly delicious.

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