The Best "Overnight" Pancakes

Thick and fluffy as bath towels, my new formulation for making pancakes allows both you, and the batter, to rise slowly in the morning.  Self-rising flour and extra baking powder provide the levitation; buttermilk, vanilla and olive oil provide the flavor.  The batter should be used within 15 hours of making and so the optimal timing would be to prepare the batter just before you go to bed.  Make it at 10:00 p.m. and presto, the voluminous batter will be perfect for your oil-slicked frying pan anytime before noon the next day.  A big diner-size griddle would be the best way to cook these but I don't happen to have one.  Instead I just add a sheen of olive oil (yes! -- I use it in the batter, too) to my largest nonstick frying pan and make them three at a time.  I'm a one-handed flapjack flipper.  The other hand is reserved for a large mug of very strong coffee, tightly held, until the last drop of batter is used.   This recipe yields about 14 pancakes making it possible to invite 4 to 6 hungry guests to linger around your breakfast table.  Given the timing of the operation, these would best be served on weekends. Drizzle on your best maple syrup (at our house we use Grade B syrup because it has the best flavor) or top with fresh blueberries, briefly cooked in simple syrup (sugar boiled in water until dissolved). In winter, when bananas and strawberries-from-somewhere are available, I dice both fruits into grade A maple syrup, add chopped roasted almonds, and cook it until the fruit gently perfumes the syrup.  It, too, is radically simple to prepare. Double-Rise Pancakes with Strawberries, Bananas & Almonds 2 extra-large eggs 1 cup buttermilk 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the pan 1-1/2 cups self-rising cake flour

1 cup real maple syrup 1 cup finely diced bananas 1 cup finely diced strawberries 1/2 cup chopped roasted almonds

In a blender, combine the eggs, buttermilk, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, 2 tablespoons oil, flour, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Blend until smooth.  Place the covered blender in the refrigerator overnight.  Whirl the batter in the blender before using.  Combine the syrup, bananas, and strawberries in medium saucepan.  Cook 5 minutes over high heat, stirring often.  Stir in 1/4 cup of the almonds.  Heat a griddle (or very large frying pan); brush with oil.  Stir the batter; ladle by 1/4 cups onto the griddle, leaving space between the pancakes.  Cook until browned, 3 minutes; turn, cook until golden, 2 minutes longer.  Serve with the topping and remaining almonds.  Serves 4 to 6

Edible Gifts & "Sugar Candy"

This is the weekend I begin to think of the edible gifts I can make to give with the usual bottle of bubbly we bring to friends.  These tidings of joy -- inexpensive, quick and festive -- are especially fun to prepare with any children who happen to be around.  And while it's better to give than receive, I always look forward to the cranberry-nut bread baked yearly by our business partner, Dennis Sweeney, the box of Pittman & Davis pears from Texas sent by Diana and Bryan; the world's best dry-roasted peanuts sent by our broker from North Carolina, the bittersweet chocolate bark made by my best friend Dale, and the Middle Eastern pastries from Dearborn, Michigan that my father used to send to everyone he knew.  These are the gifts we rarely give ourselves. Eight years ago I wrote a cookbook called Christmas 1-2-3.  Tiny and beautifully designed it looks like an edible gift itself!  (I think it may still be in print and would make a great stocking stuffer!)  Featured within are many ideas for edible presents.  My favorite is White Chocolate-Peppermint Crunch and you will find that recipe below.  Equally simple to make is Pignoli Brittle, Apricot Sweetmeats -- filled with almond paste and pistachios, Peppery spiced pecans, and Foie gras kisses.  These can all be made up to two weeks in advance and ready for holiday partying.  Equally compelling comestibles (from my other books) include Chocolate-Pecan Fudge, Chickpea Flour Cookies, and "Sugar Candy" -- a recipe I found in the Alice B. Toklas cookbook, published in 1954.  Alice, of course, was lover, confidante, and constant dining companion to the celebrated writer Gertrude Stein. "During the war there was a shortage of sugar, however this simple candy remained a staple of our household," commented Alice.  I found making this confection a bit like watching paint dry, but the results were worth it!  (recipe below)  Top each piece with a small candied violet and wrap in cellophane.

If there are edible gifts that you love to give, or receive, do let me know.  I will be sharing those, and other recipes, in the holiday countdown. White Chocolate-Peppermint Crunch 8 ounces white chocolate 2 tablespoons white creme de menthe 1/3 cup coarsely crushed candy canes

Melt white chocolate in top of a double boiler over simmering water.  Add creme de menthe, stirring until smooth.  Spray a 7-x-7 inch pan with cooking spray and pour in mixture so that it is smooth.  Press crushed candy canes into mixture, distributing evenly.  Chill and cut into squares.  Line a box with colorful tissue and fill with candy. Makes 16 pieces

Alice B. Toklas's Sugar Candy 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon brandy candied violets, optional

Put the first three ingredients and a pinch of salt in a heavy medium saucepan.  Heat the mixture until it just begins to bubble then reduce the heat to low.  Stir almost constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is the color of coffee with cream.  This will take 45 to 50 minutes.  Remove from the flame and pour into a lightly oiled square pan so that the candy is 1/2-inch thick.  Cool and cut into small squares.  Place a small piece of a candied violet on each, if desired.  Makes 24 to 32 pieces.

Best Cookbooks of 2010

I must say how delighted I am -- and how unexpected it was -- to have Radically Simple reviewed in Sunday's New York Times Book Review and then again in yesterday's New York Times dining section.  It was a rich year for cookbooks and so it was especially rewarding to be recognized.  Julia Moskin was the author of yesterday's review.  On top of a hand-held tray of a stack of ten books, was the story's title:  Inspiration, Anyone?  Subtitle: What the cook ordered -- a fresh batch of recipes.  And I suppose that's what we're all looking for.  I was not familiar with all the books on that tray and appreciated having them pointed out to me.  I am a big fan of chef David Tanis, whose sensibility about food is sometimes as radically simple as mine. His book, "The Heart of the Artichoke" is a lovely sequel to "A Platter of Figs."  I look forward to Madhur Jaffrey's book, I always do; I have had the pleasure of being a guest with Madhur on an NPR radio show not so long ago.  More recently, I have longingly gazed at a book called "India", divinely packaged in a white burlap rice bag.  How nice to know it's worth buying!  I look forward to purchasing "The Book of Tapas" by Simone and Ines Ortega (years ago our company created a tapas bar for the Hotel Arts in Barcelona), and Sarabeth Levine's beautiful book "Sarabeth's Bakery." I already own Dorie Greenspan's wonderfully evocative tome called "Around My French Table," and I am all too happy to read anything by Maya Angelou, especially something called "Great Food, All Day Long."

Here's an excerpt of what Ms. Moskin had to say:  "Rozanne Gold is the personal trainer of food writers: she has been on a strict regime of 1-2-3 cookbooks.  Her new book, Radically Simple (Rodale), has more flexibility, promising 'restaurant-worthy food without a single extraneous motion or ingredient.' She wrings stylish, streamlined, fabulous results with inspired combinations like avocado, lime and smoked paprika, and unexpected techniques, like roasting grapes, that restore drama to chicken breasts."

And I'm pleased that Quentin Bacon's photograph of  "Sauteed Chicken with Roasted Grapes" loomed so large on the page.  It looked really beautiful.  You will find the recipe in a previous blog.

Today I'll share the other recipe cited by Ms. Moskin.  It can be found in the chapter called "10-Minute Salads."

Spooned Avocado, Lime & Smoked Paprika This is a radically simplified version of guacamole that is very impromptu.  Serve it almost as soon as you spoon it.  Nice to serve with "batons" of crunchy jicama. Ripe avocados required!

4 very ripe medium avocados 2 to 4 large limes 20 grape tomatoes 1/4 large red onion, slivered 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, or more to taste 2 handfuls baby arugula 1/4 cup olive oil

Cut the avocados in half; remove the pits.  Using a large spoon, scoop large pieces into a large bowl.  Squeeze the juice of 2 limes over the avocado.  Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise.  Add the tomatoes and slivered onion to the bowl.  Add the smoked paprika and salt to taste.  Add the arugula; drizzle oil over everything.  Toss, adding more lime juice, salt, and smoked paprika to taste.  Serves 4

Herbs in Desserts

Sometime in 1980, I had an extraordinary lunch at restaurant Troisgros in Roanne, France.  One of the mandatory go-to restaurants on every foodie's list, it was a shrine to gastronomy in the days of nouvelle cuisine when the world's first celebrity chefs were French.  While there were many aspects of that 4-hour lunch that are worth a thousand words (I was there with New York master chef Richard Burns who headed the kitchens at the Palace -- once the most expensive restaurant in the world!) there was one dish that stood out among all others.  It was the simplest dish of the meal, too: an apple tart with fresh tarragon.  I never forgot it. Since then (that's 30 years ago!), I have been slipping fresh herbs into my own desserts.  I, too, now make an apple tart with tarragon plucked from my window box, and add fresh slivered basil to ripe summer peaches. And I have found pine-y rosemary to be a felicitious gracenote to sweet offerings.  I've concocted a dulcet gremolata (grated lemon zest, minced fresh rosemary and sugar) to adorn lemon sorbet.  I strew snippets of fresh rosemary atop an olive oil cake I invented (the only recipe I never share) and created the following dessert, which I am very happy to share, for Cooking Light magazine over a decade ago.  The recipe can also be found in my cookbook for teens called Eat Fresh Food...'cause everyone seems to love them!  These little confections magically separate into custard with a layer of cake floating on top.  The vibrant fresh flavors of lemon and rosemary make more magic in your mouth.  Sophie Hirsch, one of the teens who helped test recipes for the book, said the following.  "I loved the Rosemary Custard Cakes so much!  There was an extra one and we all fought over it.  I will make this all the time.  They are amazingly great." I guess one is never too young to be a foodie.

Rosemary-Lemon Custard Cakes 3 extra-large eggs 1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar 2 large lemons 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup flour 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary, plus small rosemary sprigs for garnishing 1-1/2 cups milk 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs.  Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt at medium-high speed in the bowl of electric mixture until foamy.  Slowly add the 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes.  Grate the zest of both lemons and set aside.  Cut the lemons in half and squeeze to get 1/3 cup juice.  In a separate bowl, beat together the 1/3 cup sugar and butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.  Beat in the flour, lemon zest and juice, and rosemary.  Add the egg yolks and milk and beat well.  Use a rubber spatula and gently stir in the egg white mixture.  Spoon equally into six 5-ounce custard cups or ramekins.  Place the cups in a baking dish and add very hot water to the dish to a depth of 1 inch.  Carefully put dish in oven and bake 45 minutes until firm and golden.  Remove the dish from the oven and remove the cups from the dish.  Let cool.  Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours.  Sprinkle with confectioners sugar, pushed through a sieve, and eat from the cups.  Or you can unmold from the cups: Using a butter knife, loosen the custard around the edges of the cup, place a small plate on top and turn them upside down.  Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.  Serves 6

A Nice Main Course

It's always interesting to me which recipes people choose when flipping through a cookbook -- mine or anyone else's.  What makes us stop at a particular page and say "eureka" -- that's for me?  There are a variety of factors, to be sure.  A compelling title, an interesting combination of ingredients or the ingredients themselves, the ease or difficulty in making the dish, a connection to a taste memory (yearning), something utterly familiar or wildly experimental.  That we all can "taste in our heads" before even lifting a fork to our mouths is what informs that moment. Mmmmmm.....that sounds delicious, we say to ourselves, and immediately write down the list of ingredients and run off to the store.  My "Pork Loin in Cream with Tomatoes, Sage & Gin" is such a recipe.  It helps that there are two gorgeous photos of the dish  -- as a whole roast surrounded by burst grape tomatoes in a burnt umber sauce and as a single generous serving where the fresh sage looks hyper-real.  But perhaps its greatest asset is that it simultaneously feels comforting and a bit exotic.  Many reviewers, and several friends, have chosen this dish as a semaphore of the 325 radically simple dishes in my book.  On Sunday, the New York Times food editor/book reviewer Christine Muhlke chose it, too. The recipe is a riff on an Italian classic in which pork is cooked in milk flavored with juniper.  My version is much simpler but equally divine.   You can augment the sauce by adding some dry white wine in addition to the gin.  It's lovely served with a platter of sauteed broccoli rabe and small potatoes roasted in extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt.  You might begin this meal with a platter of melon draped with the best prosciutto you can afford or a simple salad of wild arugula, toasted pine nuts, slivers of fresh pear and bits of gorgonzola cheese.

You may use a commonplace pork loin that you find in your supermarket, but if you trade up for a fattier, more flavorful heritage pork variety you will get superlative results.

I, too, might make this for dinner -- my friend who canceled a few weeks ago is coming tonight!

Pork Loin in Cream with Tomatoes, Sage & Gin I prepare this in a medium size-paella pan;  you may use any metal flat-bottom shallow ovenproof casserole or skillet that allows for the tomatoes to be arranged in a single layer.

12 large fresh sage leaves 4 large garlic cloves 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1-1/2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano (or any dried oregano with flavor!) 2-1/2 pound center-cut pork loin, tied and lightly scored 1 pint grape tomatoes 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup gin, or more to taste

Process 6 sage leaves, the garlic, oil, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mini processor to a fine paste.  Rub all over the pork.  Cover; let sit at room temperature 30 minutes or refrigerate up to 4 hours.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Heat a very large ovenproof skillet or medium paella pan until very hot.  Brown the pork on all sides, about 5 minutes.  Scatter the tomatoes around the pork; cook 1 minute.  Pour 1/4 cup cream over the pork.  Roast 40 minutes.  Add the 6 remaining leaves, the remaining 1/4 cup cream, and the gin.  Roast 14 to 20 minutes longer, until tender.  Transfer the pork to a cutting board.  Place the pan on the stovetop and boil the sauce, adding more gin, salt, and pepper, until slightly reduced, 1 minute.  Slice the pork and serve with the sauce.  Serves 6

Holiday Book Review

I was delighted to return from my three-day retreat (I didn’t know it was to be silent!) to the special review of my cookbook in yesterday’s New York Times Book Review. My silence ended then and there. Below is one of the recipes mentioned in the review. Namaste.

ONION SOUP with APPLE CIDER & THYME (from Radically Simple)

This soup is dark and brooding and very reminiscent of the French classic. It tastes great as is, but it's especially pleasing when pureed until smooth.

1-1/2 pound large onions 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1-1/2 cups chicken broth 1-1/4 cups fresh apple cider 5 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more leaves for garnish 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Cut the onions in half through the stem end. Cut lengthwise into thin slices. Melt the butter in a 4-quart pot. Add the onions and cook over high heat, stirring, until softened and very dark brown, about 10 minutes. Add the broth, cider and thyme sprigs, scrape the bottom of the pot and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat and cook, stirring often, until the onions are very soft, 25 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Leave as is, or puree in a food processor until smooth. Sprinkle with the cheese and thyme leaves. Serves 6

You will find the recipe for Pork Loin in Cream with Tomatoes, Sage & Gin, referenced by Ms. Muhlke in tomorrow's post.



Morning Meditation

I have written today's entry in advance as I am at a retreat at the beautiful Garrison Institute (a former monastery) on the Hudson River in Garrison, New York. The Garrison Institute, the brainchild of our friends Jonathan and Diana Rose, is a center for contemplation, action, and transformation.  "It is a unique center for leaders, activists and professionals on the front lines of social change to reflect, grow and deepen the connection and insight with which they engage the world."  This particular retreat is called The Whole of the Path: Virtue, Mind-training and Wisdom -- cultivating generosity, integrity, attention and compassion.   And while this experience is not about food...in a way, it is.  Shelley Boris, who heads the kitchens at Garrison, is a very gifted chef.  Her intelligence and compassionate approach to cooking is felt by everyone there.  Shelley is always mindful of the communal table -- which is literally how one eats in the massive, sun-lit dining room.  The food is elemental and deeply connected to the earth from which it comes.  Most of it local, some grown on the vast property, sustainable, and always nourishing.  And while I enjoy eating alone most of the time, it is also nice to share stories and experiences with others around the table.  Food is ritual here, three times a day, and in itself is a meditation.  Hopefully Shelley will share some of her recipes with me so that I can share them with you.  Each meal has its own virtues but I think I like breakfast best.  Her cheese biscuits (with scallions) are the best I have ever had and her food is generally so compelling that you feel virtuous with every bite.  And the coffee (thank goodness they serve it!) is good and strong.

I look forward to being in touch with you again on Monday morning.  Meanwhile, I leave you with a recipe for the weekend: Cheese Strata with Prosciutto, Basil and Spinach This is my recipe for an assemble-ahead dish that’s perfect for a weekend brunch.  You assemble it the night before (or early in the morning) so that the layers -- or striations -- of bread, cheese and spinach soak up the egg-and-milk base.  Baked for 1 hour, the result is custardy, rich and quiche-like.  If you don't eat pork, you can substitute smoked turkey for the prosciutto, or leave it out altogether -- just add a bit more spinach.

3-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter 16 slices firm white sliced bread, crusts removed 8 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto 8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled 4 ounces provolone cheese, shredded 1/4 cup finely minced scallions, white and green parts 4 ounces fresh baby spinach 1/2 cup finely julienned fresh basil 5 extra-large eggs 2 cups half-and-half 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha or hot sauce

Butter a 12-x-7-inch glass or ceramic dish with 1/2 tablespoon of the butter.  Cover the bottom with 6 slices of bread, plus 1 slice cut in half to fill the spaces.  Evenly cover the bread with half the prosciutto.  Sprinkle with half of the feta, provolone, scallions, spinach, and basil.  Repeat to make a second layer.  Cut the remaining 2 bread slices into 1/4-inch cubes; scatter over the top.  Beat together the eggs, half-and-half, and hot sauce.  Pour over the strata; press down firmly with a spatula.  Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and drizzle over the top.  Cover; refrigerate 5 hours or overnight.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Uncover and bake 1 hour until golden.  Serves 8.

From my book, “Radically Simple: Brilliant Flavors with Breathtaking Ease”

The Best Rib Roast

Several readers requested the recipe for the Rib-Eye Roast mentioned in yesterday's Hanukkah blog.  The editors at Gourmet magazine, where the recipe first appeared, had this to say about that..."A wonderfully salty exterior and a hint of dill make this easy-to-prepare roast one of the best we've ever tasted."  I'm not sure how this idea first came to me, to "cure" a hunk of raw beef in the same way you would cure a tranche of salmon, gravlax-style. What was I thinking?  Perhaps I imagined a kind of carpaccio that could be sliced paper-thin and served raw.  But I nixed that idea and decided to roast the meat instead:  the method produced very juicy, vibrant red flesh with a slightly caramelized, herbaceous crust.  And it is stunningly simple to make.  The most difficult part of this recipe, it seems, is to get the right piece of meat.  In the Gourmet recipe I used  a rib-eye roast that had plenty of marbling.  Retooled for Radically Simple (11 years later), I used a boneless rib roast. No one in my neighborhood seemed able to accommodate my request for a 3-1/2 pound rib-eye, rolled and tied.  Whichever cut you find, however, will yield great results.

Gravlax, a Scandanavian preparation usually meant for salmon, literally means "buried" in a mixture of coarse salt, sugar, fresh dill, and cracked black pepper.  According to the Oxford Companion of Food, the preparation can be traced back to 1348.  The salmon is wrapped in plastic and weighted down for a period of 24 hours to three days.  Not only does the flavor get absorbed but the texture is altered as most of the inherent liquid is released to become a kind of brine.  I apply exactly the same method to the meat.  With gravlax, the salmon is served uncooked.  In my recipe, the beef is roasted at 400 degrees for approximately 1-1/4 hours at which time perfection is achieved.

Start your prep one day in advance and make sure the meat is at room temperature before you cook it.  You might want to try it during one of the remaining nights of Hanukkah because it is delicious with latkes.

Rib Roast in the Style of Gravlax 1/4 cup kosher salt 3 tablespoons sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons coarsely cracked black pepper 3-1/2 pound boneless rib roast, rolled and tied 1 cup chopped fresh dill

Stir together the salt, sugar, and pepper in a small bowl; rub all over the beef.  Put the dill over the salt mixture.  Wrap the beef tightly in plastic wrap.  Make a small hole in the bottom of the plastic so that any liquid around the beef can drain.  Place in a small roasting pan and weight down with a baking sheet topped with a few large heavy cans. Refrigerate 24 hours.  Unwrap the beef; let sit at room temperature 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Scrape the coating off the beef and pat dry with paper towels.  Place in a shallow roasting pan.  Roast in the middle of the oven 1-1/4 hours; until an instant-read thermometer registers 130 degrees for medium-rare.  Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil.  Let rest 10 to 15 minutes.  Carve as desired.  Serves 8

Hanukkah 1-2-3

In 1999, Gourmet Magazine featured my "1-2-3 Hanukkah" as one of their cover stories.  The Miracles of Hanukkah (as the article was called), not only commemorated the Maccabees' victory in battle but the miracle that happened when the temple was rededicated. Miraculously, barely a day's worth of oil for the menorah lasted for eight.  The story's author, Ann Hodgman, went on to say..."Here in Rozanne Gold's kitchen 2,200 years later, a whole series of smaller  miracles is taking place as she prepares a Hanukkah dinner for family and friends. Miracle #1: Every offering on the menu has only three ingredients.  Miracle #2:  Each dish is as intensely flavored, exotic, and elegant as if it had a thousand.  Miracle #3: Our setting, a perfect jewel box of a Brooklyn brownstone, with treasures everywhere you look and a kitchen masterminded by James Beard."  I remember the chaos in the house at the time.  My mother had grated a bit of her knuckle along with the par-boiled potatoes, my father had trouble standing for a photo shoot which he claimed felt like eight days itself; the phone was ringing every three seconds, guests were coming in minutes (including food critic Arthur Schwartz) and I was doing my best to keep my composure. It worked.  At one point in the article, Ann wrote "For all her slender elegance, Gold is a woman who knows how to boss food around." This Hanukkah menu featured Seared Smoked Salmon with Cucumber Presse, Rib-eye Roast in the style of Gravlax, The Gold Family Latkes*, Apple-Cranberry Sauce*, Sweet-Garlic Frenched Green Beans and for dessert, Chocolate Mousse Sponge, Baked Sabra Oranges with Orange Sorbet, and Chocolate Sesame Cups.  And yes, every recipe was made with only three ingredients!

Since tonight is the first night of Hanukkah, let's focus on my nontraditional method for making latkes.  Instead of cooking them one-by-one in lots and lots of oil, I make two large shredded potato pancakes (roesti-style) and serve them in small wedges.  Parboiling the potatoes helps them stick together and results in a creamy interior texture.  B'tayavon (bon appetit in Hebrew.)

The Gold Family Latkes 2 pounds large boiling potatoes 3 tablespoons coarsely grated onion 1/4 cup olive oil

Cook potatoes in salted water to cover until barely tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Rinse under cold water and let cool.  Peel with a sharp knife.  Coarsely shred potatoes lengthwise (long strands help them hold together) into a bowl using the large holes of a box grater.  Stir in the onion, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and white pepper to taste. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet until hot, then add half of the potatoes, spreading with a spatula to form an even cake.  Cook until underside is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.  Invert a large plate over skillet and invert latke onto plate.  Add 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet and slide latke back in.  Cook until underside is golden and crispy, 10 to 12 minutes.  Slide onto serving plate and keep warm.  Repeat with remaining potatoes.  Cut into wedges and serve with apple-cranberry sauce. Serves 6

Apple-Cranberry Sauce 3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 cup cranberries 7 tablespoons sugar

Put ingredients in a 3-quart saucepan.  Add 1 cup water and a pinch of salt. Cook, covered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.  Mash until desired consistency.  Let cool to room temperature or serve chilled.  This keeps covered and chilled for 1 week.  Makes 3 cups

(Click here to watch me make these on The Today Show)

Happy Hanukkah!

11-30-2010 09_26_17PM

Love This Recipe!

Just a few days ago on SeriousEats.com, a food reviewer, Blake Royer exclaimed, "I'm in love with Rozanne Gold's new book Radically Simple: Brilliant Flavors with Breathtaking Ease, for, well, exactly the reasons in the title."  Naturally that made me happy, but I was even happier with the recipe the reviewer chose to croon about -- Tortellini with Yogurt, Mint and Smoked Paprika Oil.  The recipe is loosely based on a Turkish dish called manti and I first learned about it from my sister-in-law who lived in Turkey for years and, in addition to speaking the language, has become a devotee of their cuisine.   I swooned when I read the description of the authentic recipe given by David Rosengarten in the Dean & DeLuca Cookbook: "This quintessential combination features lamb-stuffed pillows of fresh pasta that are drizzled with two sauces -- a garlicky one made from yogurt, and a spicy one made with butter, paprika, and hot pepper.  The whole is topped with fresh mint, and is unbelievably delicious. This type of Turkish ravioli, which originated in Mongolia, was eaten at the Ottoman court and has been popular throughout Anatolia ever since."   I think it was the creamy garlic-laced yogurt and the hot butter sauce on top that had me hooked.  Now that I think of it, how delicious it would be atop a mound of creamy polenta!  A new hybrid of Turkish and Italian?  Turkaly?

My radically simple version relies on top-notch, store-bought (fresh) meat tortellini and heady smoked paprika.  According to Royer, "a quick whisk of olive oil with a smashed garlic clove and smoked paprika is the deeply flavored foil to thick Greek yogurt whisked with more olive oil; torn mint leaves add an herby bite. Light and simple, it reminded me why I read cookbooks: to be inspired."  Another bonus?  It can be prepared in 10 minutes.

A review on Amazon uncovered another taker.  C. Merced (from Stamford, CT and sometimes Puerto Rico) said "I made the Tortellini with Yogurt, Mint & Smoked Paprika Oil" and it was extremely delicious.  I mean it was DELICIOUS!"

I recently had a very good version at a small restaurant on 7th Avenue in Park Slope, Brooklyn called Istanbul, where the dumplings were tiny and tender -- the size of fingernails.   Afiyet olsun to all.  (Bon appetit in Turkish) Tortellini with Yogurt, Mint & Smoked Paprika Oil Sometimes I serve this with a nontraditional dusting of grated pecorino, which lends a desirable aroma.  Use fresh pasta if available.

1 pound fresh cheese or meat tortellini (raviolini can also be used) 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika 1 large garlic clove, peeled and smashed 1 cup plain thick Greek yogurt, room temperature 1/3 cup torn mint leaves

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the tortellini and cook 8 minutes, until tender.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 5 tablespoons of the olive oil, the smoked paprika, garlic, and a large pinch of salt.  In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 2 more tablespoons oil, and salt to taste.  Drain the pasta well; shake dry. Toss the pasta with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and add salt and a generous amount of pepper.  Divide among 4 bowls.  Top with the yogurt and mint, and drizzle with the smoked paprika oil.  Serves 4

Someone is Killing the Great Consultants from Brooklyn

This year we consumed four Thanksgiving dinners. This is my husband's* account of dinner #3 hosted by another one of the most fabulous home cooks we know. Recipe below. The New York Gazette

Someone Is Killing the Great Consultants from Brooklyn

Brooklyn, NY -- Nov 28 – Two famous restaurant consultants were found in their car here last night in a complete daze. Rushed to Methodist Hospital nearby, they were diagnosed as having overdosed on L-tryptophan along with uncontrollable surges of melatonin.

The couple, whose heads were flopping about like Stevie Wonder dolls, reported that earlier that evening they had consumed large quantities of an extraordinary turkey cooked by the master himself – a seasoned amateur named Geoffrey Weill of North Bergen, NJ. According to the couple, from various accounts pieced together by the hospital’s staff, they were lured to New Jersey with the promise of a modest Thanksgiving dinner, only to be assaulted by an array of irresistible comestibles, their will to resist greatly compromised by champagne being poured down their empty stomachs.

Medical experts says that this condition frequently is induced during the Thanksgiving period with intent to do harm, although the couple, whose names were withheld pending notice of next of kin, appeared to be unscathed. There still was money in their pockets and credit cards unused.

Law enforcement officials said that no specific law was broken since the couple was not harmed but that they were exploring the legal implications of being seduced to cross state lines with malicious intent.

A Methodist Hospital spokesperson reported, shortly before midnight, that the couple would recover. However, in their delirium they talked about a mystical cranberry relish with pomegranate syrup; a stuffing so wonderful that it must have possessed ingredients that were medically antagonistic to human genes, and some superlative orangey-yellowish vegetable whose name they could not recall.

Calls to the home of Mr. Weill went unanswered and his whereabouts were not immediately known. He and his wife were described by neighbors as ordinary sort of people with a reputation for staging fabulous dinners. No one recalled anyone in their neighborhood ever falling prey to foul play after dining with the Weills. Checks of credit card usage at nearby supermarkets revealed that Mr. Weill had indeed purchased a turkey at Pathmark earlier in the week, this turkey being larger than any 24 people could safely consumer, and observers say that based on car counts there were no more than a dozen adults in the house that evening.

A turkey carcass was discovered in the couple’s car, suggesting to police that they had been given the promiscuous remains of that turkey and that they had consumed, perhaps with the urging of their hosts, all the remaining meat since only the bones were left as evidence.

My Once-A-Year Turkey Broth 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cups finely chopped onions 1 large meaty turkey carcass 4 chopped tomatoes 2 bay leaves 6 cups, more or less, leftover roasted or raw vegetables 4 cloves garlic

Heat oil in a very large pot. Add onions and cook over high heat, stirring often, for 15 minutes until dark brown. Crack turkey carcass in half and put in the pot. Add remaining ingredients and water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, lower heat and add 1 tablespoon salt. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours. Strain soup into clean pot and reduce until desired flavor is reached. Makes about 2 quarts

* My husband Michael Whiteman (baumwhiteman.com) is an international restaurant consultant who (with partner Joe Baum) created the Rainbow Room and Windows on the World.

Homemade Jams and Jellies

Writing about making homemade butter and cream cheese in yesterday's post made my mouth water for the jams and jellies to accompany them. I have never learned how to properly "can or preserve" (although my sister-in-law loaned me a book about such things) and I don't own a candy thermometer, which can be crucial for proper jam-making.  However, I have found various ways around this lack of knowledge with credible, and in some cases, unusual results!  One of my favorite recipes is for a jammy confection called Carrot Marmalade.  An old Egyptian boyfriend of mine taught me how to make it. "In Egypt," he said, "jams made from carrots, dates, figs, even beets were commonplace."  How divine they are with grilled pita bread, salty feta cheese and strong mint tea. And there are few things that I like better than fishing out chunks of hidden fruit suspended in the ruby murk of strawberry jam.  I had one of the best versions of this jam almost 30 years ago and I helped start a company called American Spoon (Foods) based on that experience.  Along with graphic artist icon, Milton Glaser, we named the company and got the first jars on the shelves of trendsetting New York food stores.  I have no idea what that product tastes like now, but I am grateful for that taste-memory.  Recently my dear friend Anu Duggal, who studied cooking with the venerated teacher Anne Willan, showed me the "french way" of jam-making -- with results a close second to the one I remembered so fondly.  Again, no thermometer, just a keen eye for the proper "jell" in the pot and on the plate you put in the freezer for-a-moment to test the consistency.  It also helps if the strawberries you use are ripe and highly perfumed.  They were.  We bought them at the local farmers market up the street in Park Slope, Brooklyn at the height of strawberry season.

But the most delightful recipe of all is one I invented for kids in my book called Kids Cook 1-2-3.  It is called the Grapiest Grape Jelly.  Made with purple grape juice, honey and unflavored gelatin, it is the wobbliest, fruitiest, most delicious jelly you'll ever eat!

Baguette, anyone?

Egyptian Carrot Marmalade (adapted from Radically Simple) I adore this.  Serve as you would any marmalade.  It's delicious with butter, cream cheese (see yesterday's blog), and goat cheese, too.

1 pound carrots, peeled 2 cups sugar grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Cut the carrots into 1-inch pieces.  Pulse in a food processor until coarsely ground (about 1/8-inch pieces).  You will have about 3 cups.  Put the carrots in a large saucepan.  Add the sugar, lemon zest, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, the cardamom and a large pinch of salt.  Bring to a rapid boil.  Stir and boil 1 minute.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer about 1 hour, stirring frequently.  To test if it's ready, put 1 tablespoon of the mixture on a small plate.  Put in the freezer 1 minute.  If it becomes firm and doesn't flow, it's done (it will still look quite liquid in the pot).  Let cool, cover and refrigerate up to several weeks.  Makes about 2 cups

The Grapiest Grape Jelly (adapted from Kids Cook 1-2-3) 2 cups purple grape juice 2 tablespoons honey 1 packet unflavored gelatin

Put the juice in a medium saucepan.  Stir in the honey and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to medium and sprinkle the gelatin powder over the juice. Using a small wire whisk, stir the gelatin into the juice until it dissolves.  Make sure there are no lumps.  Continue to cook and whisk for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat pour the liquid into an 8-x-8 inch square glass pan.  Let cool.  Refrigerate for 3 hours, or until very firm.  Scrape up the jelly with a spoon and put into a jar.  Keep refrigerated.  Makes about 1-3/4 cups

Homemade Butter & Cream Cheese

There are several ingredients, butter and cream cheese are two of them, that are so ubiquitous that we would never consider making them from scratch. These, like ketchup and mustard, are the prime materie -- the primary materials -- that inform daily cooking.  But how edifying it is to watch a cup of heavy cream solidify into something to spread on bread!  Cream cheese, on the other hand, is more passively derived by "drip evaporation" -- where sour cream sits in a coffee filter for hours, emitting extraneous liquid, to become a delicious fresh cheese firm enough to cut with a knife.   It is, in fact, the same method that turns yogurt into labneh, a voluptuous thick yogurt not unlike the Greek yogurts on the market today.  Who knew? But first, the butter.  Two years ago when I wrote EAT FRESH FOOD: Awesome Recipes for Teen Chefs, I was interested in exploring how certain foods came to be the way they are--to help kids (and myself) understand the origin and alchemy of turning one product into another.  It turns out to be easy and fascinating to produce butter at home.  All you need is heavy cream and salt...and a sturdy electric mixer.  You beat and beat the cream and after a while the solids separate from the whey (the milky liquid), leaving you with a ball of pale butter.  The flavor develops as it sits and it can be used right away (talk about immediate gratification!) or left in the refrigerator for up to 1 week -- allowing the taste and color to deepen.  The cream is beaten on high speed for 7 minutes at which time it begins to thicken and become smooth.  Then it will change suddenly and separate into small solids; a few seconds later a ball of butter will appear.  It might be fun to take your camcorder and document the process!  One cup of heavy cream will make approximately 1/2 cup of butter.

And it was fun to figure out how to make cream cheese.  Trial and error and a large leftover container of sour cream lead to the serendipitous result.  I have made my own labneh from yogurt for years by letting it sit in a large coffee filter placed in a plastic cone -- just like you were making coffee.  The idea is to let all the residual liquid drain from the yogurt.  Sometimes I let it get so thick that I could roll the resultant "yogurt cheese" into balls and then suspend them in olive oil and spices -- just like they do in Israel. This recipe for cream cheese is quite similar and hardly needs instructions.  Simply put 1 cup of sour cream in a coffee filter or in a paper-towel lined sieve.  Place over a measuring cup or bowl to catch the liquid.  Drain overnight in the refrigerator; the mixture will be very thick.  Add salt to taste.  One cup sour cream makes approximately 3/4 cup of cream cheese. Yum.  The taste is cleaner and fresher than the stuff you buy and very satisfying to do.   Here today, a smear tomorrow.  Enjoy!

Homemade Butter 1 cup heavy cream large pinch salt

Put the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Let sit 15 minutes to warm up.  Use a bowl guard or wrap the bowl and top of the mixer in plastic wrap to prevent cream from splattering everywhere.  Beat on high speed for 7 minutes until the solids separate into small pieces and the milky liquid is extruded.  A few seconds later, a ball of butter with form.  Drain off the liquid and press down on the butter to release any remaining liquid.  Mush it around with a large spoon to "knead" it.  Add a large pinch of salt and stir.  Put the butter in a small crock or ramekin.  Cover and refrigerate up to 1 week.  Makes 1/2 cup

Homemade Cream Cheese 1 cup sour cream large pinch salt

Put a large paper coffee filter in a large coffee filter cone or mesh sieve and place over a bowl to catch the liquid.  Refrigerate overnight until very thick.  Discard liquid.  Turn out cream cheese; it will be very thick.  Add salt to taste.  Makes 3/4 cup

Turkey Paella!

Not so long ago, I was the entertaining columnist for Bon Appetit magazine and wrote a monthly feature for almost five years called Entertaining Made Easy. Sometimes I used to laugh and say "Who's kidding who?  Entertaining is never easy!"  But I've devoted much of my professional life trying to make it so! One year, I was asked to create an entire dinner from Thanksgiving leftovers.  I remember loving working on that story.  The challenges involved in spinning traditionally American flavors into something fresh, new and global were especially fun.  What emerged from the overabundance of stuffing, turkey parts, overcooked vegetables, random leeks, the last dregs of wine, and a quivering block of jellied cranberry sauce was "Span-Ital" (ha, I just made that up!) -- a menu featuring Stuffing Stuffed Mushrooms, Marinated Vegetables a la Grecque, an honest Turkey Paella, and a credible Cranberry Granita (which the brilliant food critic Gael Greene recently posted on her site).

We enjoy this menu so much that if we are invited to someone else's house and we have no leftovers of our own, I make an entire Thanksgiving meal in order to have some.  For they are as meaningful as the day itself.

Stuffing Stuffed Mushrooms

2 packed cups leftover stuffing ¼ cup finely chopped flat parsley ¼ cup finely chopped basil ¼ cup minced scallions, white and green parts 2 ounces provolone, grated on medium holes of box grater olive oil for drizzling 18 medium portobello mushrooms

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Crumble cold stuffing into a bowl.  Add parsley, basil, scallions, all but ¼ cup grated cheese and mix well.  Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  If mixture seems dry, add a little olive oil and mix. Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp cloth.  Remove stems.  Using a small spoon scoop out center of caps.  Fill each cap with stuffing.  Place mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle each mushroom with a little of the remaining cheese.  Bake 12 minutes until stuffing is a little crisp.  Serve hot, warm or room temperature.  Serves 6

A Turkey Paella

¼ cup olive oil 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped 2 heaping cups finely diced onion 1 large red bell pepper 2 cups long-grain rice ¼ teaspoon saffron 4 cups chicken broth or turkey stock 4 large plum tomatoes, cut into large pieces 1 teaspoon oregano scant ½ teaspoon cayenne ¾ pound smoked chorizo or cooked sweet or hot Italian sausage 1-1/2 pounds cooked turkey (I use 1 pound white meat and ½ pound dark) 1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat oil in a 6-1/2-quart Dutch oven. Cook garlic and onions in oil for 8 minutes over medium-high heat until soft and golden, stirring often. Cut red pepper into ¼ inch dice to get 1 heaping cup and add to onions. Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in rice, saffron, stock, tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, oregano and cayenne.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat to medium.  Cover pot and cook 15 to 18 minutes, until rice is just tender. Slice chorizo or sausage into ¼-inch thick rounds. Add to pot.  Cut turkey into pieces that are about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide.  Add to pot.  Add peas and stir well.  Cover and bake 20 minutes until hot.  Remove from oven.  Let sit 5 minutes. Stir and serve.  Serves 6 or more

*To make turkey stock:  Break up turkey carcass from cooked turkey and put in a 7-quart pot with cover.  Add 3 bay leaves and very large head garlic, cut in half through the equator.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat to medium and cook, uncovered, 1 hour and 30 minutes.  Pour broth through a coarse-mesh sieve into a clean pot.  Cook broth over medium heat until reduced to 4 cups.  Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Makes 4 cups

At our home, we now add "leftovers" to our list of things to be thankful for.

It's 6 a.m. Do You Know Where Your Turkey Is?

If you are the host of today's festivities you are, no doubt, up early to start cooking your turkey.  If you are me, however, you are at a good friends home in Maryland, with a cafe filtre in hand, sitting alone in a dark kitchen, dying to share a few last minute ideas with any takers.  As promised yesterday on Twitter and Facebook, here follows a recipe for roasted root vegetables that I recently starting serving as a Thanksgiving hors d'oeuvres. Radically simple to prepare, these veggies are surprisingly delicious at room temperature and satisfy many gustatory issues on this rather peculiar eating day.  First, they can be made early in the morning (and drizzled with good olive oil and a splash of fresh lemon juice just before serving.)  Second, they fulfill the commandment to respect any vegetarians coming to visit. Third, they are inexpensive.  Fourth, they don't compete for oven time later in the day.  Fifth, they look dramatic on a large platter.  Sixth, they don't fill you up in the way that cheese logs and artichoke-spinach dip often do.  Seventh, the pecan gremolata is addictive.  And last, but not least, they taste good with Prosecco, apple cider or...Scotch!

Equally compelling is my gently spiced Sweet Potato Gratin.  It looks a lot like a birthday cake and can be transported (and reheated) easily in the cake pan in which it's baked.  Intriguingly spiced, it taunts your taste buds with nary a marshmallow in sight.

Happy Thanksgiving.  I'm going back to bed.

Roasted Root Vegetables with Pecan Gremolata If you don't love turnips, you may substitute an equal amount of butternut squash or rutabagas, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces.

1 pound carrots 1 pound parsnips 1 pound turnips, butternut squash or rutabaga 1-1/4 pounds Brussels sprouts 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling 3/4 cup pecans 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 2 large lemons 1 small clove garlic

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Peel the carrots, parsnips and turnips.  Cut the carrots and parsnips in half lengthwise and then in half across the width.  Peel the turnips (butternut squash or rutabaga) into 1-inch wedges or chunks.  Trim bottoms of Brussels sprouts and cut in half lengthwise.  Place the vegetables in a large bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons olive oil.  Put vegetables on large rimmed baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast 45 minutes, tossing several time during baking.  Roast 10 to 20 minutes longer until tender.  Transfer to a large platter.  Make gremolata;  Put pecans in food processor and pulse until finely ground (like bulgur wheat). Transfer to a bowl and stir in Parmesan and parsley.  Grate the rind of both lemons and add to pecans.  Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Push garlic through a press and add to mixture.  Add a pinch of salt, if needed.  Scatter on top of vegetables.  When ready to serve, drizzle with more olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon.  Serves 8

Spiced Sweet Potato Gratin This can be made up to 8 hours in advance and reheated in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.  You will need a 9 or 10-inch removable-bottom springform pan.

7 large sweet potatoes, 3-1/2 to 4 pounds 1-1/2 cups sour cream 12 ounces extra-sharp white cheddar, shredded 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Put sweet potatoes in a large pot with water to cover.  Bring to a rapid boil and boil 20 minutes until potatoes are just tender when pierced with a small knife.  Be careful not to overcook as they need to be sliced.  Drain in a colander under cold water.  Slice potatoes 1/4-inch thick and pat dry with paper towels.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of the springform pan with a round of foil.  Line the bottom with a layer of sweet potato slices (about 2-1/3 potatoes per layer.)  Fill in any spaces with potato pieces.  Press down lightly to make a thick layer.  Spread 1/2 cup sour cream over potatoes to cover completely.  Mix spices in small bowl; sprinkle with 1/3 of the spice mixture.  Sprinkle evenly with 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat process, making 2 more layers, ending with cheese on top.  Place pan on rimmed baking sheet; bake 35-40 minutes until top is golden and bubbly.  Remove from oven.  Serve while hot or reheat later.  Cut into wedges.  Serves 10 to 12

A Radical Way to Make Turkey

This is radical: A deconstructed holiday bird featuring white and dark meat that roasts in just 1-1/4 hours!  The flesh stays ultra-moist and flavorful because of its overnight immersion in wine and brine.  Smaller, flatter pieces allow faster browning and less cooking time.  It is perfumed with bay leaves, fresh or dried, and a bit of aromatic oregano which imparts a revelatory herb-y aroma, the sine qua non of Thanksgiving smells.  This is the perfect bird for those who:  have only one oven; have no more than eight friends; who love to try new techniques; and for those who like to break with tradition.  It is also a recipe for those who like to give themselves a break!  There is little fussing or guess work in determining how the white meat will stay juicy and the dark meat thoroughly cooked.  You begin with a total of 8 pounds of raw turkey (breasts and thighs only) which will amply fill your large turkey platter. Another bonus?  There is little last-minute carving to do.

So begin the process today.  Select your turkey parts at the butcher or grocery.  Before you go to bed, submerge the turkey in a very large pot (make sure it fits in your fridge) filled with wine-and-brine (see below).  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  This new technique will ensure a good night's sleep and liberate both you, and your oven, on the big day. You might want to serve this year's turkey with Marilyn Monroe's recently-revealed stuffing recipe, my spiced cranberry chutney, Joan Hamburg's amazing Ritz Cracker Stuffing (see The Food Maven's website), or the world's simplest sweet potato puree accented with orange and fresh ginger (sssshhhh....it's fat free).

And...if you're interested in trying something new, have the following ingredients in your kitchen tomorrow morning: 4 pounds sweet potatoes, large container sour cream, large chunk of extra-sharp white cheddar, curry powder, ground cumin, cinnamon and ginger and stay tuned!

Wined-and-Brined Turkey with Bay Leaves 2 cups dry white wine 2 large turkey breast halves, about 2-1/2 pounds each 2 very large turkey thighs, about 1-1/2 pounds each 16 fresh or dried bay leaves 6 tablespoons olive oil 1 large clove garlic 2 tablespoons best-quality dried oregano leaves

Combine the wine, 6 cups water, and 1/2 cup kosher salt in a very large pot.  Submerge the turkey pieces.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Position a rack in the middle of the oven.  Remove the turkey from the brine; pat dry.  Scatter the bay leaves in a large shallow roasting pan.  Place the turkey on top.  Combine the oil and garlic pushed through a press in a cup.  Rub the garlic oil into the turkey.   Sprinkle with the oregano, salt, and pepper.  Roast the turkey, skin side up for 45 minutes.  Turn the pieces over and roast 35 minutes longer, until cooked through.  Transfer the turkey, skin side up, to a cutting board.  Pour 1 cup boiling water into the pan, scraping up the browned bits; strain through a sieve.  Carve the turkey and serve with the pan juices.  Serves 8

Turnips in the Morning

I was gifted last night with two specimens that looked a lot like large shrunken heads.  One weighed a little more than two pounds, the other closer to three -- similar to the weight of a human brain.  But these were no ordinary gifts.  They had a unique provenance, discovered in a sleepy Vermont town in the early 1900's. My friend, pleased as punch to plunge these offerings into my arms, informed me with a Cheshire grin, that I was the proud recipient of two bona fide Gilfeather Turnips celebrated by yearly festivals, commemorated in poetry, and one of only two vegetables registered on the list of heirloom varieties in Vermont.  The tuber in question is large and egg-shaped with crannies and crevices and a rough outer covering.  (It is easily peeled with a vegetable peeler.)  It was "discovered" by the bachelor John Gilfeather in Wadsboro, Vermont whose population could fit into the dining room of Tao on a quiet night (pop. under 900).  The fairweathered Gilfeather (say that three times fast!) was cunning:  he cut off the tops and the roots from his turnips so that his variety could not be reproduced.  Nonetheless it has survived his demise and has achieved culinary status as a member of Slow Food's Ark of Taste.  But when it comes to the art of taste, the unusual, sweet root has demonstrated great versatility and finesse. At 6:35 a.m. (instead of sticking my finger in yesterday's carrot cake), I cut the smaller 2 pound turnip into large chunks and laid them out on a rimmed baking sheet. I coated them lightly with olive oil and liberally sprinkled them with kosher salt.  In a preheated 400 degree oven, I roasted them for 20 minutes, turned them over and continued cooking them for another 20 minutes.   They were dark golden brown and delicious.  But the roasting concentrated the natural sugars and were a bit too sweet.  A little more salt?  Didn't quite do it.  But then I sprinkled on just a few drops of rice vinegar and oh boy, was that fabulous!  It made the turnip taste a bit like Jerusalem artichokes.  Also delicious was the addition of fresh thyme leaves from my window box.  Fresh rosemary was also a felicitous match.

In sum, the real allure of the Gilfeather Turnip is its sweetness and interesting texture.  The early Vermont frosts increase the root's dulcet tones.  This turnip attracts attention because it does not behave like a turnip, nor look like a turnip.  It looks like a big knob of celery root (celeriac), whose mouthfeel is more similar to a rutabaga, but with notes of horseradish and sugar.   It is used in soup making, in souffles and casseroles, in turnip bread, and vegetable "cakes."  It is also mashed with potatoes. The coupling of potatoes and turnips (regular white turnips) is a recipe known as alabaster.  It is the ultimate three-ingredient dish and you might consider it for Thanksgiving.   If you are lucky enough to snag a Gilfeather Turnip however, simply roast them as above.  They are delicious hot, at room temperature, and quite interesting in the morning.

Alabaster (Turnip and Potato Puree) This is creamy and white as alabaster.

2-1/2 pounds large white turnips 2-1/2 pounds large red-skinned potatoes 8 tablespoons unsalted butter

Scrub turnips and potatoes but do not peel.  Place in a large heavy pot with a cover and add salted water to cover.  Bring to a rapid boil then lower heat to medium. Cover and cook 40 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.  Drain in a colander.  Peel turnips and potatoes under cool running water.  In a large bowl, mash both vegetables well with a potato masher.  Add butter, a little at a time.  Add salt and white pepper to taste, then whip with a wire whisk until smooth and fluffy. Serve immediately or reheat over low heat.  Serves 6 or more

The World's Best Carrot Cake

I am a bit ashamed of myself.  It is 6:35 in the morning and I have my finger stuck in a 1/2-inch layer of cream cheese frosting atop a 6-inch wedge of the best carrot cake I've ever eaten.  This is the third day in a row that I've done this.  It all began on Friday night when we had a pre-Thanksgiving celebration at the home of Anne Kabo in Margate, New Jersey.  Anne is one of the best home bakers I know and I shared that with the world on page 318 of Radically Simple.  There you can find her radically delicious cheesecake, simple and decadent enough to rival any blue ribbon winner.  Everything beautiful Anne bakes is always best-of-show and this weekend alone I had sampled her almond-kissed cranberry "pie" for breakfast, a delicate lemon cake with a gossamer slick of orange icing, the moistest pumpkin-nut bread, and what I now consider...the world's best carrot cake.  I am naturally prejudiced (since we love Aunt Anne and Uncle Richard) but not overly so.  When it comes to sweets, I can be acutely objective.  The fact that I even had room for dessert after the preternatural turkey dinner (that too was delicious -- Brussels sprouts with pine nuts, sweet potato puree with streusel, carrot-flecked stuffing were highlights) was testimony to its value.  The fact that I had a second helping was sheer gluttony. Aunt Anne has been making this cake for 25 years with the only change being its shape.  It has gone from square to round.  I love that it is not iced all over but instead shows off two thick layers glued together with an addictive cream cheese frosting and then topped, as though it was the universe's largest cupcake, with a heavy blanket of much more frosting.  There is a little frosting on my computer keys right now.

Aunt Anne was kind enough to share her recipe with all of us.  Perhaps you will make it today for your company on Thursday or consider bringing it as a Thanksgiving offering...wherever you may be going.

Anne Kabo's Carrot Cake 4 large eggs 1-1/2 cups canola oil 2 cups sugar 2 cups unbleached flour 1 tablespoon cinnamon 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups grated raw carrots (use large holes of box grater) 8 ounce can crushed pineapple (in juice), drained well 1 cup black raisins 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cut 2 rounds of parchment paper and place in each of two deep 8-inch round cake pans.  Lightly oil insides of pans.  In bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs, oil and sugar several minutes until well blended.  In another bowl, mix together, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Slowly add this mixture to the egg mixture and beat until just blended.  Add carrots, drained pineapple, raisins and nuts.  Beat until just blended.  Bake 45 to 55 minutes  until done, and inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool and invert cakes.  When totally cool, ice the cakes as desired.  (Anne adds a thin layer in the center, a thick layer on top and leaves the sides exposed.)

Cream Cheese Icing 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 box of confectioners sugar (8 ounces by weight) 1 teaspoon vanilla

In bowl of electric mixer, using paddle attachment, beat together butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until thick.  Chill briefly if too soft.

People Who Need People

Today is Sunday and I am traveling. But I am pleased to announce that my new cookbook, Radically Simple, is featured in this week's Sexiest Man Alive double issue of People Magazine--the November 29th edition just out! It is a sexy cookbook in its own way and one of only 6 books featured. And it's the only one with a recipe and a food photo to boot (see page 63). That, with being chosen as Food & Wine Magazine's favorite cookbook of 2010 makes all the effort in writing it, worth it. People Magazine says "her ingredients are sometimes fancy, but Gold's short-and-easy techniques put sophisticated fare within any cook's reach." Sexy, right?

Cranberry Blog (oops...I mean Bog)

Good morning.  I did re-test my Spiced Cranberry Chutney and here it is.  You can make it with frozen cranberries (that don't need to be thawed) or berries fresh from the package.  Did you know that you can freeze cranberries up to 9 months?  (Just learned that myself.)  And you can refrigerate this chutney up to 3 weeks, probably longer.  Many cookbook authors, food stylists, and magazine writers keep lots of cranberries in their freezer because you just never know when you need them.  I won't disclose the magazine, but I just submitted a proposal for Thanksgiving dinner 2011! and will need lots of cranberries for testing sometime next summer (yes, 9 months from now.)

Spiced Cranberry Chutney 1 medium garlic clove 1 medium yellow onion, about 3-1/2 ounces 12 ounces cranberries 2/3 cup golden raisins 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1/3 cup cider or rice vinegar 1 tablespoon mustard seed 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves pinch red pepper flakes 3/4 to 1 cup finely diced ripe mango

Put garlic and peeled onion in food processor and pulse until coarsely ground.  Transfer to a large saucepan.  Add cranberries, raisins, 3/4 cup sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, ginger, allspice, cardamom, cloves, pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt.  Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and place cover askew.  Cook 35 minutes, stirring frequently, until chutney is very thick.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and mango.   Stir well, cover and let sit until room temperature. Stir, cover and refrigerate until very cold.  Makes about 3-1/2 cups

And here's one more signature use of cranberries.  It will fill a winter morning with mouthwatering perfume as it gets drizzled over thick slices of hot french toast. It is also delicious poured on freshly fallen snow.  Really.

Warm Cranberry-Maple Syrup (adapted from Christmas 1-2-3) 1 cup fresh cranberries 1 cup pure maple syrup 1 cinnamon stick or split vanilla bean

Place all the ingredients in a small heavy saucepan.  Add 1/2 cup water and stir.  Bring to a boil, then immediately lower heat and simmer 15 minutes. Strain through a coarse-mesh sieve, pressing down on the cranberries to extract juice.  Serve warm.  Makes 1 cup