Year-End Round-Up - Pink Saturday

Happy New Year! I hope you've had a wonderful holiday and are looking forward to all the new year will bring your way. I thought this would be a good day to post year-end round-ups and let you see which entries on One Perfect Bite proved to be your favorites. I divided the round-up into three columns. The first contains those entries that received the most attention. Columns two and three contain those that were well received and are favorites of mine, but didn't make it to the top ten list.



Most ViewedMy Savory PicksMy Sweet Picks


1. Pumpkin Butter
2. Braised Short Ribs Côtes-du-Rhône
3. Norwegian Christmas Bread




4. Watermelon Smoothie
5. Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup
6. Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles


7. "Real" Coffee Cake
8. Bow Ties with Sausage and Leek Sauce
9. Cold Lime Souffle

10. Cranberry Layered Cheese Cake
11. Bouillabaisse de Poulet
12. Blueberry Flognard


13. Pumpkin Apple Bread
14. Asparagus Soup
15. Lemon Sponge Pudding with Apricot Sauce


16. Pilgrim Hat Cookies
17. Cotes du Porc A L'Auvergnate
18. Apfel Sahne Torte


19. Refrigerator Dill Pickles
20. Thai Tamarind Shrimp
21. Sour Cherry Pie with Streusel Topping


22. Fettuccini with Corn Pesto
23. Cantonese Fried Noodles
24. Old-Fashioned Lemon Pudding


25. Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
26. Yucatan-Style Chicken Lime and Orzo Soup
27. Key Lime and White Chocolate Cake Squares


28. Iced Watermelon Drinks
29. Moules Marinier
30. Chocolate Hazelnut Pie with Vanilla Cream



This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Pork Floss Bread Roll

2010 has been an exciting, happy year and also a sad one for me, I lost my mother but was glad that i get to see all my siblings and relatives when i was back in Malaysia.  The exciting part is that Lily's Wai Sek Hong had a baby Lily's Wai Sek Hong - Favorites.  The baby although still in diapers and crawling, not actually walking properly yet,  is coming along great and hope that it will grow to be like Mommy. who had help and support from all of you.

  Mommy thanks all her readers who have been following her blog and wish them a HAPPY NEW YEAR.

See you all in 2011.

Auld Lang Syne : Lyrics



Should auld acquaintance be forgot,


And never brought to mind?


Should auld acquaintance be forgot,


And auld lang syne!






Chorus.-

For auld lang syne, my dear,


For auld lang syne.


We'll take a cup o' kindness yet,


For auld lang syne.
 
Recipe for Pork Floss Bread Roll is HERE

♬ Bouillabaisse a la Marseillaise - New Year's Eve 2010 ♬

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I can think of no better way to usher in the New Year than in the company of family and good friends. The New Year here is heralded with a show of fireworks to mark the passage of one year to the next. At midnight Bob and I, and those with us, will stand, glass in hand, to propose a toast to absent friends, those separated from us by time and place, as well as those who have made the final journey home. All are remembered with great joy as we recall the lessons they have taught us and the richness they have brought our lives. I treasure the time they spent at my table and their places there will always be reserved. I include you in their number and wish each of you a healthy and prosperous New Year. Here's to absent friends. Here's to all of you. Happy New Year.

Please don't miss the short film clip at the end of this post. It is the farewell waltz scene from the movie, Waterloo Bridge. It is lovely and quite appropriate for New Year's Eve.

Our holiday season doesn't end until the 2nd of January and that means special dinners are served on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The meals are rarely difficult to prepare, but they always have a festive air about them. I decided to make bouillabaisse this year because I had a new supply of saffron and knew everyone would enjoy the novelty and casual elegance of this dish. The folks at my local fish market were co-conspirators in its creation, and helped to find fish that would provide the flavor I needed without breaking the bank. My version of this dish is based on Julia Child's Bouillabaisse a la Marseillaise. Bouillabaisse is really a fish chowder which contains a variety of fish that is simmered in an aromatic fish broth. The chowder is eaten from shallow soup bowls and often served with toasted bread and a garnish of rouille. Rouille is a rust colored sauce that can be stirred into the bouillabaisse or spread on croutons that usually accompany the soup. For best flavor six or more varieties of fish should be used to make the chowder. That is why it makes no sense to make this dish for fewer than six people. Some of the fish should be firm fleshed and gelatinous, like halibut; some should be tender and flaky like sole. The firm fish hold their shape, and the tender fish partially disperse in the soup. Shellfish are optional, but I truly can't imagine a bouillabaisse without them. The fish can be prepared several hours before cooking and refrigerated until needed. The soup base can be made a day ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. Once the soup stock is brought to a boil, it will take about 20 minutes to cook the fish. The bouillabaisse should be served immediately with a crusty bread and rouille. It is an altogether lovely meal. The recipe for bouillabaisse and rouille appear below.

Bouillabaisse a la Marseillaise...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Julia Child

Chowder Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped leek
4 cloves mashed garlic
1/4 cup tomato paste
2-1/2 quarts water
Sprigs of fresh herbs: thyme, parsley, fennel fronds and basil (in any combination)
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 pounds fish heads, bones, trimmings, shrimp shells
1-1/2 pounds each peeled shrimp; wild cod, halibut and sole cut into chunks
1-1/2 pounds scrubbed and debearded or clams
Toasted rustic bread
Rouille

Chowder Directions:
Heat oil in a tall 6 to 8 quart pot over medium heat; add onion and leek and cook gently until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant, then add tomato paste, water, herbs, saffron, salt and fish bones. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat so broth bubbles slowly without boiling. Cook 30 minutes, then strain broth into a large bowl or another pot, discarding solids. Pour broth back into stockpot and bring to a boil. Add shrimp and cook until they turn pink, a minute or two. Add rest of the fish and shellfish, cover and simmer until the mussels or clams open. Taste soup and add more salt and freshly ground pepper if needed. Serve bouillabaisse with toasted bread and rouille on the side. Yield: 6 servings.

Rouille Ingredients:
1 roasted and peeled red bell pepper
1 roasted hot red chile pepper or ground cayenne pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 small peeled garlic clove
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs or finely chopped almonds
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Rouille Directions:
Puree everything except olive oil in a food processor until smooth. Slowly add olive oil while processing to form a paste.


Auld Lang Syne



The Farewell Waltz

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Italian Fish Soup with Fresh Herbs, Fennel, Shallots and Garlic - Karista's Kitchen
Oyster Stew - Seriously Soupy
Icelandic Fish Soup - For the Love of Food
Provencal Seafood Bisque - Simply Recipes
Simple Fish Soup - Tobias Cooks
Swedish Fish Soup - Klutzy Chef
Zuppa di Pesce Alla Napoletana - Memorie di Angelina
Seafood Bourride - Blue Kitchen

Cranberry Trifle

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I want to classify this as a leftover dessert because it is just that in our house. It's made from bits and bobs of other Christmas desserts and the trifle is a last minute effort to see that nothing goes to waste. It is delicious and quite simple to do if you have all the elements at hand. It is, unfortunately, quite involved if you have to start from scratch. Not hard, mind you, just time consuming. To make ours, I used the remains of our orange-flavored Christmas pound cake, homemade cranberry conserve and a Crème Anglaise that had been made for other purposes. I additionally used frozen, thawed mixed berries and real whipped cream to complete the layering of the trifle. I have included recipes for the various elements of this dessert and instructions for its assembly below, but if you would prefer to make a semi-homemade version of the dessert, frozen pound cake, commercial cranberry preserves, a pudding mix and whipped topping can be used. If at all possible, I recommend making your own pudding or Crème Anglaise and using real whipped cream. There is a point at which time saving ingredients become counter productive and produce a dessert that might look gorgeous but have a synthetic flavor. This is one of those desserts. I rarely serve trifle following a meal. I prefer to serve it as a stand alone dessert with coffee later in the evening. I also like to serve this in individual portions, but you can, if you wish, make one large trifle. Here's are the recipes you need to make the trifle from scratch.

Cranberry Trifle...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from a recipe by Daniel Golden

Ingredients:
1 sponge or pound cake, cut into 1” by 6” pieces
1 recipe Crème Anglaise (or vanilla pudding)
1 recipe cranberry preserves (or commercial preserves)
1 recipe whipped cream (or whipped topping)
32 ounces frozen mixed berries, thawed
2 ounces toasted almonds
½ cup cranberries

Directions:
1) To assemble, begin with a layer of cake. Add a layer of mixed berries. Place cranberry preserves directly on top of berries, followed by a layer of Crème Anglaise. Top with whipped cream and garnish with toasted almonds and sugared cranberries. Yield: 6 to 8 individual trifles or one large trifle.

Recipes for Components

Cranberry Preserves
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups cranberries
28 ounce jar of orange marmalade
1 pinch of ground cloves

Dissolve sugar into orange juice over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients to orange juice mixture and bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. Chill preserves in refrigerator.

Crème Anglaise
9 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups heavy whipping cream
4 teaspoons vanilla

Combine egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix until thickened. Heat cream in a medium sauce pan until it begins to bubble slightly. Whisk cream into egg mixture 1/4 cup at a time. Return mixture to sauce pan. Continue to cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes or until thickened. Take care to not allow mixture to boil. When thickened, move Crème Anglaise to mixing bowl to cool. Stir, occasionally, as it cools to prevent skin forming on top. Chill. Add vanilla and serve.

Sponge Cake
1 cup flour
6 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

In a small mixing bowl, stir flour with whisk to break it up. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks, half of sugar, and vanilla until thickened. Add flour to top of egg mixture, but do not stir in. In another bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until peaks form. Gently add remaining sugar to egg white mixture. Continue to whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture. Transfer batter into a buttered 9” by 12” pan. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until knife can be inserted and removed clean. When cool, cut cake into 1” wide by 6” long strips.

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

Beat all ingredients until stiff. Chill whipped cream until ready to use.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Peach and Mango Trifle - Adora's Box
Cranberry Trifle - Tasty Tidbits
Eggnog Tiramisu Trifle - Half Baked
English Trifle with Pears and Cherries - Lindaraxa's Garden
Christmas Pudding Trifle - The English Kitchen
Panettone and Orange Trifle - Alessandra Zecchini
Accidental Chocolate Trifle - Food Loves Writing
Raspberry Trifle - Healthy and Gourmet

French Dip Sandwich

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful sandwich and a great way to finish leftover beef. The sauce in this recipe, developed by Rachael Ray , is unusually flavorful and while the original sandwich is made with deli-sliced beef, it translates well to the use of leftover meat, especially if rare beef is used. The main component of this sauce is condensed beef consomme. I know this will be off-putting to many of you, but I'm going to ask you to trust me. A bit of sherry or vinegar will change the nature of the consomme and make it a truly delicious base for a sauce. Most cooks shy away from condensed consomme because of its salty and very sweet taste. It's important to know, that when properly used, it can make an ordinary dish special. I use it quite often in competition recipes where the number and strength of ingredients can determine the success or failure of an entry. As a bit of an aside, in an amateur competition your fate is often determined by a single bite, so it is necessary that contest recipes be strongly flavored and that that first bite explode on the judges tongues. There is a downside to this. Many things become cloying or too rich for the palate with repeated bites. The judges will never know that. I'm not complaining mind you. I've won some wonderful prizes with recipes designed for judges rather than you. I just don't publish them here. I digress. I made two changes/additions to this recipe. I toasted the buns and spread them with a blue cheese butter which you can find here. Other than that, the recipe belongs to Rachael Ray. Here's how the sandwiches are made.

French Dip Sandwiches...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 cans beef consomme, undiluted
1-1/2 pounds thinly sliced rare beef
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 sandwich rolls, split and toasted
Optional: Blue cheese butter

Directions:
1) In a large, shallow skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Add shallots to butter and saute 2 minutes. Add flour to butter and shallot and cook a minute longer. Whisk in sherry and cook liquid out. Whisk in consomme in a slow stream. Bring sauce to a bubble and allow to simmer over low heat until ready to serve sandwiches.
2) Pile meat loosely across your cutting board or a large work surface. Season meat with salt and black pepper. Set out 4 ramekins or small soup cups for dipping sauce, 4 dinner plates and 4 split and toasted sandwich rolls that have been spread with blue cheese butter.. To assemble, using a pair of kitchen tongs, dip meat into loose au jus sauce and pile into rolls. Set ramekins or cups with extra dipping sauce along side the sandwiches. Serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Superb Grilled Ham and Cheese Sandwich - In the Kitchen with Kath
Andolouse Beef Sandwich - The Housewife Diary
Crock Pot Hoagies - Dinners for a Year and Beyond
Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches - Jane Deere
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork - Never Enough Thyme
Blue Cheese Steak Sandwich - One Perfect Bite
Hanger Steak Sandwich - Guilty Kitchen

Fennel and Saffron Bread and the Suitcase Saga

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There really is a connection between today's recipe and what the Silver Fox and I call the suitcase saga. We returned from India seven weeks ago. It was a wonderful trip, save for the fact that our luggage and that of the small group with whom we were traveling was lost. The airline was not helpful, and, as it happened, our luggage stayed in Kathmandu for a far longer time than we did. I was especially irritated because one of the suitcases contained gifts for the children, notes from cooking classes and spices that included a large quantity of saffron. We were about to begin negotiations for claims reimbursement, when Santa, in the guise of a Fed-Ex man delivered the supposedly irrecoverable luggage on Christmas Eve. The only problem was his truck contained all of the missing luggage and I had a momentary skirmish with the driver when I refused to accept any suitcase that had a luggage tag that did not bear our name. It took several phone calls and some head scratching to determine the next course of action, but the matter was finally resolved to every one's satisfaction and rest of the luggage was rerouted and sent on to its rightful owners. The good news was I had my saffron and that meant we could have bouillabaisse on New Year's Eve. It also gave me the opportunity to try a bread originally designed to go with the soup. The bread is the creation of Jacques Collet whose bread shops are famous in France. The bread is made with crushed fennel seeds and saffron and it is not for the faint of heart. It has a soft lovely crumb, and the addition of semolina also gives the bread a crisp exterior that makes it perfect for dipping into bouillabaisse. The bread is strongly flavored and some thought should be given to when you might want to use it. It is perfect for Mediterranean soups and stews, but I don't think it works for much else. I find its unique flavor too strong for sandwiches or toast. The bread is very easy to make and its color in daylight is beautiful. I really like this. I think you will too. Here's the recipe.

Fennel and Saffron Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Jacques Collet

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 to 2-1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon fennel seed, freshly ground
1/8 teaspoon ground saffron
1 cup semolina flour
Coarse cornmeal

Directions:
1) In a large mixing bowl, combine water, yeast, sugar, and 1 cup unbleached flour. Stir until thoroughly blended. Proof for about 5 minutes.
2) Once proofed and foamy, add salt, fennel seed, and saffron, and stir to blend. Add semolina flour, little by little, stirring to blend. Stir in up to 1-1/4 cups more unbleached flour, working dough until it is too stiff to stir. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and begin kneading, adding additional unbleached flour if dough is too sticky. Knead until dough is smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes.
3) Place dough in a bowl. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
4) Sprinkle a baking sheet with coarse cornmeal. Punch down dough. Shape into a firm ball and set on baking sheet. Cover with a cloth and let rise again until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
5) After about 40 minutes, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
6) Bake bread in center of oven until crust is crisp and brown, about 40 minutes. Set on a rack to cool before slicing. Yield: 1 loaf

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Pain au Levain - Stumptown Savory
Rustic Potato Herb Bread - Playing House
Italian Bread - Annie's Eats
Basic Potato Bread - Cooking with K
New York Deli Rye Bread - Smitten Kitchen
Sourdough Seeded Rye Bread - Coconut and Lime
Debbie's Whole Wheat Bread - Tasty Tidbits

This post is also being linked to:
Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting

Wilted Spinach Salad - Blue Monday

Alert the media! Our Connor, just turned one, is walking and talking. He's also learning how to share - kinda.







From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of my favorite salads and, because of its color, it's one that I love to serve with holiday meals. The various components of the salad can be prepared well ahead of time, then tossed together just before serving, making it an easy dish for a busy hostess. The bacon in the salad and the drippings in the dressing makes it appealing to all meat eaters. This is a salad that seems to fall in and out of favor with cooks. Fortunately, it is good enough to be re-invented on a regular basis. I find this salad to be enormously appealing and have been known to prepare a mealsize portion of it when left on my own for dinner. You can, of course, substitute another salad dressing for the bacon and vinegar mixture called for here. Any well flavored vinaigrette will do, but I'm especially fond of the real deal. If you haven't tried this salad, I hope you will give it a try. Here's the recipe.

Wilted Spinach Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients:
5 ounces baby spinach (about 6 cups)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 slices bacon (about 2 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 hard boiled egg, peeled and very finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Place spinach and mushrooms in large bowl. Fry bacon in small skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes; transfer with slotted spoon to paper towel–lined plate, leaving fat in skillet. Return skillet to medium heat and add oil, onion, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar; swirl to incorporate. Pour warm dressing over spinach and toss gently to wilt. Sprinkle bacon and chopped egg over spinach; serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fresh Crispy Pear Salad - Through the Bugs on My Windshield
Best Broccoli Salad - Stacy Snacks
Beet Greens and Tomato Salad - Cooking with Corey
Pear, Blue Cheese, Walnut and Bacon Salad - Modern Comfort Food
Watercress Salad with Miso-Lime Dressing - The Health Seeker's Kitchen
Orange Beetroot Salad - Angie's Kitchen
Chickpea and Spinach Salad - Expat Kitchen
Winter Fruit Salad - The Sweet's Life
Baby Spinach Salad with Pear and Pomegranate - Chef Tom's Kitchen
Fennel and Orange Salad - Ciao Chow Linda

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

New York Strip Roast with Port Wine and Mustard Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When all is said and done, Christmas is much like a wedding. Weeks of planning and preparation are over in nanoseconds, and along with the special memories we create are the remains of the day, which someone must attend to. The best part of being responsible for planning and execution of a feast is being excused from its clean-up detail. That gives me time to sit a spell and tell you about our dinner tonight, as others, very noisily I might add, tackle table debris and the dishes. Being queen is not half-bad on these occasions. One of the delights of living in an area where cattle and sheep are raised, is the abundance and affordability of meat, especially during the holiday season. Beef, standing rib and loin, can be had for under $5 a pound and that means that groaning boards in this area don't groan, they moan under the weight of holiday meat entrées. Most years, I prepare a really large boneless rib roast, but my trip to the market this week revealed some really nice looking New York Strip roasts that I decided to bring home as well. I've had a recipe developed by Wolfgang Puck for several years now and the roasts gave me the perfect opportunity to experiment with it. This is a nice alternative to a standing rib roast for the holiday. It is very easy to do and I made the roast as directed, save for the fact that I used coarse garlic salt and seasoned the roast 24 hours before cooking. It may be in my head, but I think the meat is more flavorful if its seasoned and sits for a good long while before baking. Our dinner began with a fresh pea soup and gravlax. Because of the potential sweetness of the sauce, I kept the remainder of the food quite simple and served the roast with Potatoes Anna and plain, lightly steamed asparagus. As it turned out, the sauce is wonderfully nuanced and I recommend it without reservation. I do think the beef, if cooked to specifications, will be overdone. I personally will aim for rare beef next time around. I also had to make a last-minute slurry to thicken the sauce, but in the light of eternity that was a small glitch and easily taken care of. I'm so glad I gave this recipe a try. It did not disappoint. Here's how the roast is made.

New York Strip Roast with Port Wine and Mustard Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Wolfgang Puck

Ingredients:
Roast
1 whole New York strip, about 5 pounds, trimmed, trimmings reserved
Kosher salt (I used a coarse garlic salt)
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
Port Wine Dijon Sauce
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 cup port wine
1 cup beef stock
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1) Place rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2) Generously season all surfaces of roast with salt and pepper. Place a heavy metal roasting pan or cast iron skillet on a burner over high heat. Heat pan, then film bottom of pan with olive oil. When oil begins to smoke, carefully put meat in pan and turn down heat to medium-high; scatter reserved trimming scraps around it. Sear until meat is evenly brown, about 5 minutes per side.
3) Transfer meat and trimmings to a roasting pan. Place roasting pan in oven and cook meat for about 45 minutes, or until it is medium rare, 140 to 145 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
4) Transfer meat from roasting pan to a serving platter, tent with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
5) While meat rests, remove and discard scraps from roasting pan. Pour off all but a thin film of fat. Transfer pan to stovetop and heat drippings over medium-high heat. Add shallot and, as soon as it starts to sizzle, pour in port wine and stock, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon to dissolve pan deposits. With a whisk, stir in the cream. Reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer and, a piece at a time, whisk in butter until it melts. Continue cooking until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Turn off heat and stir in mustard. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer sauce to a small saucepan. Keep warm, but do not let boil.
6) Uncover New York strip and transfer it to a cutting board. Stir any juices that have collected into sauce. With a sharp knife, cut meat across grain into slices about 1/2-inch thick and place on a serving platter. Ladle a little sauce over meat. Pass remainder of sauce at table. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Roast Beef Tenderloin - Sea Salt with Food
Garlic Studded Herb Beef Roast - Life's Ambrosia
Herb Rubbed Roast Beef - Phoo-d
Roast Beef 3 Ways - Food and Whine
Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding - Chow and Chatter
Braised Beef Provencal - Fight the Fat Foodie
Slow Roasted Beef with Red Wine Sauce - Gourmeted

♬ Christmas Wishes and A Canon ♬

May all who journey and brave the dark of night know there
is warmth and shelter here tonight. We send blessings, joyful greetings and a bit of music from our home to yours. Eat well, make merry and bask in the warming comfort of family and good friends. We hope the peace and light of Christmas remain yours throughout the coming year. Merry Christmas to you and those you love...Bob and Mary



Pachelbel's Canon in D Major

Mussels Fra Diavola

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful dish that I love to make at least once during the Christmas holiday. If I were Italian and celebrated the Feast of Seven Fishes, I would include it in my menu for Christmas Eve. That would raise an eyebrow or two because the dish, like vodka sauce for pasta, is an Italian-American creation that is rarely served in Italy. Whatever the origin, mussels prepared in this fashion are a memorable, if messy, treat. Whenever I serve these, I cover the table with vinyl or oilcloth and distribute lobster bibs. It also helps to provide a large bowl or two to hold empty shells. Everyone at the table also receives two dish towels, one damp, the other dry. Only a crab boil is messier than this to serve to folks who eat with gusto. Believe me when I say, my folk have cornered the gusto market and these preparations are a necessity rather than an affectation. Once the mussels have been scrubbed and their beards removed, the dish can be made in minutes. Its heat, the alla diavola, comes from red pepper flakes, so you can manage it to your family's liking as long as you know their tolerance for heat. The dish has just three elements, a spicy red sauce, mussels and linguine. The mussels simmer in sauce and when they open they are served along with the sauce over piping hot linguine. I always serve this with a salad and the best Italian bread I can get my hands on. I do hope you'll try mussels prepared in this fashion. They really are delicious. Here's the recipe.

Mussels Fra Diavola...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:
12 garlic cloves, minced (1/3 cup)
3/4 to 1-1/2 teaspoons dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup olive oil
1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in purée
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/4 cup drained bottled capers
1/2 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and chopped
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 lb dried linguine
3 lb mussels (preferably cultivated), cleaned (see cooks' note, below)

Directions:
1) Cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with purée, tomato paste, herbs, capers, olives, and wine and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes, until sauce is thick, about 15 minutes.
2) Cook linguine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain in a colander.
3) While pasta cooks, increase heat under sauce to moderately high and add mussels, then cook, covered, until mussels just open wide, checking frequently after 3 minutes and transferring to a bowl. (Discard any mussels that remain unopened after 6 minutes.)
4) Serve linguine with mussels and sauce. Yield: 6 servings.

Cooks' note:
1) Scrub mussels with a brush under cold water and scrape off any barnacles with a knife. Remove beard by pulling it from tip to hinge or by pulling and cutting it off with knife.
2) Tomato sauce, without mussels, can be made and refrigerated 2 days before serving.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Salt Cod and Tomato Stew - One Perfect Bite
Feast of the Seven Fishes - Italian Food Forever
Broiled Mussels - Smitten Kitchen
Sauteed Mussels with Garlic - The Housewife Diet
Flexing My Mussels - Charm and Salt
Moules Mariniere - One Perfect Bite
Coconut Curry Mussels - Simply Recipes
Spicy Mussels in White Wine - The Culinary Chronicles
Mario Batali's Feast of the Seven Fishes - Epicurious

Lemon-Mint Snap Peas with Lima Beans or Edamame

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was asked to bring a salad to a cold buffet last week. Knowing that winter salads won't please everyone, I decided to make one that was fresh and green and to my own liking. I didn't expect all of it to be eaten and had hoped for leftovers to bring home for my own table. As it happened, I was surprised and disappointed. The salad was actually well received and there were no leftovers to bring home. The recipe for it originally appeared in Eating Well magazine and it's one I make several times a year. I love the play of mint against the crunchy texture of the crisp peas and beans. It really does refresh the palate. This is very easy to assemble and if you need another salad for your roster, you might want to give this one a try. Its color is perfect for a holiday table. Here's how it is made.

Lemon-Mint Snap Peas with Lima Beans or Edamame...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Eating Well magazine

Ingredients:
1 small shallot, minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed
10 ounces frozen baby lima beans or edamame, thawed
Optional: Sea Salt for garnish

Directions:
1) Whisk shallot, oil, lemon juice, mint, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
2) Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a medium saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Steam snap peas and lima beans (or edamame) until peas are crisp-tender and beans are heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Toss with the vinaigrette. Chill. Serve cold or at room temperature. Sprinkle with sea salt just before serving. Yield: 8 servings.

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Guggelhopf

There are many recipes for Guggelhopf as there are spellings to this bread. I did try making one when i got my silicone mould but i was not happy with the recipe i tried. I like the design of the mould so much that i had to bake with it, so i made a savory version - Chance Tomato Gugelhupf and it was a wonderful bread. This Christmas, i must make the Mccoy Guggelhopf, so i consulted my friend, Donna, who is residing in Germany for a recipe and she immediately gave me this recipe which i had tweaked. Thank you Donna, you are always my lifeline on European Cuisine. BTW Donna's blog is Simplybest From Food And Life . Donna told me that Guggelhopf is how the German spells this bread, she should know, she is German.

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