BARRISTER BITES By: Angelia Morie Nystrom
The University of Tennessee
MAKE YOUR HOLIDAYS FESTIVE WITHOUT THE FUSS I have always loved Christmas. I love everything about it: the music, the decorations, the Hallmark channel movies, and the food. I especially love the food. For someone who loves to cook and entertain, Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year. For as long as I can remember, Hugh and I have hosted a Christmas morning breakfast for my family (which has become more of a Christmas morning brunch since we now have a teenager). Most years, we also host Christmas dinner, which includes Hugh’s family, some of mine, and friends who are more like family. I’ve been able to experiment with all sorts of fancy foods (poached pears, tartiflette), and, for a number of years, Christmas dinner was like Thanksgiving dinner on steroids, featuring turkey and its accoutrements as well as beef and ham and dishes that complemented them. A few years ago after the presents had been opened and I was left with tired feet, dishwater hands, and a bunch of dirty dishes, I realized that I was going from Santa’s elf to the Grinch pretty quickly. Christmas was over, and I didn’t get to enjoy any of it. I had been in the kitchen all day, and I had missed the spirit of the holiday. That night, I vowed that I would not miss the fun again. I needed to come up with a dinner that left me with time to actually enjoy celebrating Christmas with our family. I spent the year poring over recipes to come up with something festive without the fuss. Christmas dinner at our house now features a simple salad, beef tenderloin, burgundy mushrooms, twice-baked potatoes, and Sister Schubert’s rolls. It is a great dinner that can be prepared for a large group in very little time. These recipes have become my “go-to’s” and have not failed me yet. If you want festive without fuss, then this might be the menu for you, too. For the salad, use triple-washed mixed greens topped with raw pecans, cubed apple, bleu cheese, and craisins (or dried cranberries). Toss with Stonewall Kitchen’s maple balsamic vinaigrette dressing. It is easy… and it is amazingly good. For twice-baked potatoes, I use the pre-made version from either Butler and Bailey (my favorite) or Fresh Market (also really good). I just unpackage them and pop them in the oven until they are warm. I also use Sister Schubert’s premade rolls. I have tried (and failed) with homemade bread more times that I can count, and Sister Schubert is a most appreciated substitute. The beef tenderloin and burgundy mushroom recipes were passed down from dear friends, who are both amazing cooks. Our friend Ross was gracious enough to give me his beef recipe, and it is probably the best I have ever made. (I’ve tried a number of different methods, but his is the best.) The burgundy mushrooms are courtesy of my friend Melissa. She January 2022
had made them for a party that Hugh attended several years ago when I was out of town for work, and he called me at midnight to tell me that they were the best thing he had ever eaten. I have used both for a couple of years, and I want to share them with you. The beef tenderloin starts with a 6-7 lb beef tenderloin (trimmed and tied). For best results, let the meat sit out an hour before you cook it to get it to room temperature. Preheat oven to 450°. In the meantime, get a bowl and combine 2 TBS Kosher salt, 2 TBS black pepper, 2 TBS sugar, 3 TBS bacon grease (I keep grease from Benton’s smoked bacon in the refrigerator), and ½ cup olive oil. Mix well and set aside. Heat a griddle on medium high and put 1 TBS of butter and 1 TBS olive oil on griddle top. Once melted, place tenderloin on the griddle and brown on all sides (about 1-2 minutes each side). Take the tenderloin from the griddle and place on a broiling rack that sits in a roasting pan. (Don’t put the meat directly on the bottom of the roasting pan.) Stir up the marinade and pour a little of it at a time over the meat. Rub the marinade all over the tenderloin, paying close attention that you get it in all the crevices. Use all of the mixture. It will look like it is drowning, but it is fine. Place a roasting thermometer in the largest part of the tenderloin. (I use one that attaches to a display on the counter. It works better than the oven probe.) Cook to 140° and remove from oven. Move the meat from a rack to a cutting board and cover with foil for at least 20 minutes to rest. Slice meat as desired and serve with horseradish. This will serve 8-10 people. The burgundy mushrooms are a favorite and are just as easy. To prepare, wash 4 lbs button mushrooms and throw into a large pot. Add 2 sticks of butter, 1 ½ TBS Worcestershire sauce, 2 bottles of burgundy wine (although any rich red wine will do), 1 TBS fresh ground black pepper, 2 cups boiling water, 4 chicken bouillon cubes, 4 beef bouillon cubes, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 6 hours. (I transfer to a very large crock pot and heat on low heat.) Remove the lid and continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 3-4 hours. Serve straight from the pot or put them in a serving bowl (duh!). Have crusty bread ready to soak up all the deliciousness. In the meantime, get a part-time job to pay for the gas or electric bill for cooking these. They are yummy and serve 8-10 people. If you want festive without the fuss during this holiday season, I hope this menu/these recipes will help. No matter how you celebrate, though, I hope it is wonderful!
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