Lunds and Byerlys REAL FOOD Winter 2020

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WINTER 2020

COMPLIMENTARY

Home for the Holidays

From vegetable tarts to show-stopping roasts, we’ll help you celebrate the season deliciously 03

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FREE

ROAST ASSURED: Praise-worthy beef, turkey, pork, ham and salmon recipes A WORLD OF MEATBALLS: Favorite international specialties MERRY LITTLE COOKIES: Sweet treats for entertaining or gift-giving

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“Look Good, Feel Great with Beautiful Skin.”

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L OF APPROVA L SEA

Olivia Crutchfield ~ daughter and patient CRU TCHFIELD DERMATOLO GY

CRUTCHFIELD DER MATOLOGY Experience counts. Quality matters.

Recognized by Physicians and Nurses as one of the best Dermatologists in Minnesota for the past twenty years.

1185 Town Centre Drive Suite 101, Eagan | 651.209.3600 | www.CrutchfieldDermatology.com

Those who love to cook make more than food in the kitchen. They make the most of every moment together—sharing stories, creating delicious flavors and simply enjoying the company of close friends. For more than 80 years, Le Creuset has been a part of these special times, and a colorful companion to all who savor food—and life—to the fullest. To learn more about Le Creuset’s classic French quality, and the joys of cooking with premium enameled cast iron, visit www.lecreuset.com.

contents

real food

Features

winter 2020

20 Roast Assured Festive main course ideas for a delicious holiday dinner

BY MOLLY STEVENS

30 Vegetable Tarts Savory tarts rival the roast or serve as unexpected sides

BY ROBIN ASBELL

38 Round the World Popular meatballs from around the globe

COMPILED BY MARY SUBIALKA

46 Merry Little Cookies Bite-sized treats perfect for parties or gifts RECIPES BY AGNES PRUS

52 Marcus Samuelsson The celebrated chef shines a light on Black chefs in America

BY TARA Q. THOMAS

Departments 4 Bites Transform pantry staples into delicious feasts RECIPES BY JESSICA ELLIOTT DENNISON

6 Kitchen Skills Helpful tools and chef secrets to bake better cookies

BY JASON ROSS

8 Contributors 17 Ingredient Get to know oat milk

BY IZZY GRAVANO

18 Healthy Habits

Simple swaps for a healthier holiday

BY JULIA LANDWEHR

56 Pairings Spice up the season with mulled wine

BY MARY SUBIALKA

2 real food fall 2017

CARAMELIZED ONION AND APPLE TART WITH GRUYÈRE (RECIPE PAGE 32)

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Our Cover

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Butternut Squash, Rosemary and Fontina Tart (page 32) Photograph by Terry Brennan Food styling by Lara Miklasevics

PUBLISHER TAMMY GALVIN SENIOR EDITOR CUSTOM PUBLISHING CLAIRE NOACK CONTENT DIRECTOR MARY SUBIALKA ASSOCIATE EDITORS KATIE BALLALATAK, LIANNA MATT MCLERNON AND ERIK TORMOEN EDITORIAL INTERNS IZZY GRAVANO, JULIA LANDWEHR AND AMITAL SHAVER SENIOR ART DIRECTOR JAMIE BANKSTON ADVERTISING TRAFFIC MANAGER AMANDA WADESON ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE KELSEY FISH

VOLUME 16, NUMBER 4 Real Food magazine is published quarterly by Greenspring Media, LLC, 9401 James Ave. S, Suite 152, Bloomington, MN 55431, 612.371.5800, Fax 612.371.5801. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Real Food is exclusively operated and owned by Greenspring Media, LLC. Printed in the USA. realfoodmag.com

The pages between the covers of this magazine (except for any inserted material) are printed on paper made from wood fiber that was procured from forests that are sustainably managed to remain healthy, productive and biologically diverse.

winter 2020 real food 3

bites

Uncanny Creativity Transform pantry staples into positively delicious feasts

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hese days, many of us are spending more time at home and relying on cupboard essentials for cost-effective meals to get us through between shopping trips. However, these staples can be much more than workhorses in the kitchen. In “Tin Can Magic,” Scottish cook, food stylist and founder of Edinburgh’s 27 Elliott’s, Jessica Elliott Dennison, elevates these time- and moneysaving basics, celebrating their versatility and simplicity with recipes for elegant appetizers, flavorful mains and creative desserts.

The book is organized into clever chapters centered around basic canned ingredients like coconut milk, chickpeas and cherries, including the following recipes that illustrate how canned tomatoes and corn can provide saucy comforts from the cold as well as zesty reminders of al fresco summers. —Amital Shaver

Sweet Corn Fritters and Charred Little Gem Lettuce with Basil Aioli MAKES 8 FRITTERS—2 GENEROUS SERVINGS

These are a staff lunch favorite at 27 Elliott’s and always remind me of the brunch spots I’d spend time in when living in Sydney. I’m often asked what the key to good fritters is, and my response is always a good non-stick pan, plus the bravery to let the fritters do their thing when frying and not interfere too much, as this is what causes them to break up!

Here I’ve teamed the fritters with a fresh herby aioli and some charred little gem lettuce (Bibb lettuce), turning them into a complete meal, but if you fancied a lighter snack or starter, the fritters as they are with a wedge of lemon for squeezing over are a beautiful thing too!

1 (12 ounce) can sweet corn in water, drained 6 scallions, finely sliced on an angle 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 eggs ½ teaspoon sea salt flakes, plus extra to sprinkle scant ⅔ cup canola or vegetable oil for frying 1 little gem lettuce (Bibb lettuce), cut into quarters through the core

For the Basil Aioli 1 egg yolk 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard ½ garlic clove, peeled and minced 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes juice and grated zest of ½ lemon 1¼ cups canola oil handful of basil leaves, finely chopped

1. First, stir together the drained sweet corn, scallions, flour, eggs and salt in a large mixing bowl, then set aside to rest.

2. To make the aioli, combine the egg yolk, mustard, garlic, salt and lemon juice/zest in a large bowl using a balloon whisk. Dampen a few paper towels slightly, then place the bowl on the paper towels to stop it moving around. Then, drop by drop, pour in the oil while continuously whisking until very thick. This should take a couple of minutes. Don’t be tempted to rush pouring in the oil or your aioli will split. Stir in the basil, then taste for seasoning. Transfer to a small serving bowl, then set aside.

4 real food winter 2020

Tomato Butter Sugo with Fettuccine and Feta MAKES 2 SERVINGS

3. Heat a wide, non-stick frying pan over a high heat, then pour in enough oil to thinly coat the surface. Using tongs, fry the little gem lettuce in a single layer for 3 minutes on each side or until the wedges are charred and wilted. Transfer to a plate.

4. Next, pour another layer of oil into the hot pan, then line a plate with a few paper towels. After a minute or two, test if the oil is hot enough for frying the fritters by adding a pinch of the mixture to the pan. If it sizzles and bubbles, you’re ready for frying.

Gently spoon the mixture into the pan, taking care not to overcrowd the pan.

Allow the fritters to cook on one side for 3 to 4 minutes, then carefully using a spatula, flip and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes. Try not to move the fritters around too much as this will ensure they don’t break up. Transfer them to the lined plate and sprinkle with salt.

Repeat to use all the mixture.

5. To assemble: Divide the fritters between two large plates. Add the charred lettuce, then finish with a generous dollop of basil aioli.

Cook’s Note: For substitutes, change scallion to red onion, baby gem/Bibb lettuce to baby leeks or scallions, lemon to lime, or basil to flat leaf parsley or tarragon leaves.

This dish reminds me of Andrew McHarg, an inspiring young chef with a focus on simplicity and the creative force responsible for transforming my little neighborhood lunch café into Edinburgh’s fresh pasta spot by night. It’s the first sauce we teach together on our pasta workshop evenings, illustrating how even the simplest of cupboard ingredients can be turned into something truly comforting and spectacular. Fettuccine is my go-to pasta for this rich butter sugo, but by all means, just cook whatever pasta you’ve got on hand.

3 tablespoons canola, vegetable or light olive oil 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced 1 (14 ounce) can chopped tomatoes ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes ½ onion, peeled (not chopped)

2 ounces butter (salted or unsalted) 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes, plus extra to taste pinch of sugar (optional) 5 ounces dried fettuccine 2 ounces feta cheese

1. First, heat the oil and garlic in a medium saucepan over a medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and beginning to color (take care not to burn the garlic). Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, onion half, butter and salt. Bring to a simmer, then reduce over a low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Splash in some water if it’s sticking or reducing too much. Remove and discard the onion, then taste the sugo for seasoning.

You may want to add a pinch of sugar, depending on the acidity of the tomatoes.

2. After 15 minutes of the sugo simmering, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and cook the fettuccine until al dente (around 9 to 10 minutes—check packet instructions for exact timing), reserving a mugful of the starchy cooking water. Using tongs, transfer the fettuccine into the tomato sauce, stirring in spoonfuls of the reserved cooking water until coated in the sauce. Taste again for seasoning (bear in mind the feta will add saltiness).

3. To assemble: Divide the pasta between two plates, then finely grate the feta over the pasta to finish.

Cook’s Note: It’s all about using what you’ve got, so feel free to take advantage of substitutes or variations: For the onion, use half a leek, banana shallot or red onion; for fettuccine, whichever pasta you have on hand; for the feta, try salted ricotta, Parmesan, halloumi or pecorino; for the chopped tomatoes, you can use sieved tomatoes.

Feast Tip: Roasted or charred little Bibb lettuce topped with finely grated Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon makes a beautiful side dish to this fettuccine. Throw in some nice olives, a plate of burrata drizzled with salsa verde plus a good bottle of red and you’ve got a full-on Italian-style feast. 

RECIPES AND PHOTOS FROM “TIN CAN MAGIC”

BY JESSICA ELLIOTT DENNISON © 2020 REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF HARDIE GRANT BOOKS. PHOTOGRAPHS BY MATT RUSSELL.

winter 2020 real food 5

kitchen skills

Crafting Cookies Bake better cookies with helpful tools and chef secrets for success

BY JASON ROSS

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he holidays mean baking treats, and cookies are always a favorite that is perfect for sharing. Raise your cookies from good to great with these tips and tools that also make baking easier and more fun. Then, practice your new techniques with my take on chocolate chunk cookies and see how all your holiday cookies benefit from your newfound skills. (See more cookie recipes on page 46.)

PHOTOGRAPHY TERRY BRENNAN FOOD STYLING LARA MIKLASEVICS

COOKIE DO’S SCRAPE THE BOWL TO GET FULLY MIXED DOUGH: Do it after adding eggs, adding dry to wet, or wet to dry ingredients. Mixer attachments don’t quite reach the bottom and sides of the bowl, so parts are left unmixed.

Use a rubber spatula to stir the unmixed parts back into the dough— and scrape the paddle attachment.

CHILL DOUGH: It makes the batter easier to handle and gives the flour enough time to fully absorb liquid ingredients and make more cohesive dough. For the chocolate chunk cookie recipe here—and any soft cookie— bake from frozen. This will make a tender, crisp cookie that stays chewy.

Keep cookie dough balls ready in the freezer during the holidays in case of a “cookie emergency.”

FINISH WITH SALT: Just a few grains sprinkled on top of cookies will hit the palate first, bringing out a surprise flavor. Don’t use enough so you can see it—like a pretzel—rather just enough for a little salt secret.

COOL COOKIES ON A RACK: Cookies will continue to cook on a hot pan.

Unless they are too soft or fragile to handle, lift them off the pans with a metal spatula and cool on a wire rack.

COLOR CUES: Pay attention to brown color, especially around the edges, and lighter color in the center. This helps determine a perfectly baked cookie.

Since cookies are small, a little more or less time makes a big difference.

If a few cookies on a tray are done, pull them off to cool and finish cooking the rest of the tray.

CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

6 real food winter 2020

ROTATE PANS HALFWAY THROUGH COOKING: All ovens have hot and cool spots, so rotate pans to get even cooking across the tray. Be quick—you don’t want the oven to cool down.

MAKES 20

The most popular cookie on any tray is the chocolate chunk. Give these a try using the bake-from-frozen technique. You will be amazed at the perfect ratio of crisp to chewy.

2 cups or 9 ounces all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt, plus a couple pinches for finishing 1 teaspoon baking soda ¾ cup brown sugar ½ cup granulated sugar

1½ sticks unsalted butter, room temperature soft, cut into ½-inch cubes 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1½ cups chocolate chunks

1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda.

Set aside.

2. Use a table mixer or a hand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and stir together the sugars in a large bowl for about 30 seconds until combined.

3. Add the butter and mix with the sugars on medium speed for about 1 minute until creamed into a smooth paste.

4. In a small bowl use a fork to mix the eggs and vanilla.

5. Add about 1/3 of the egg mixture to the creamed butter and sugar and mix to combine.

Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, cleaning the paddle too. Continue adding the eggs in thirds, and scraping the bowl, until the batter is smooth and fully incorporated.

6. Add the flour and mix on low speed for about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and make sure all flour is combined. Add chocolate chips and stir for less than 1 minute.

7. Scoop dough into 2-ounce balls, about golf ball size, onto a sheet tray or plate, depending on what will fit in your freezer. Chill cookies until frozen solid (about 45 minutes to 1 hour). If you do not plan on baking all the cookies, transfer dough balls to a zip-top plastic bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

8. Heat oven to 375°F. Arrange frozen cookie balls on sheet trays lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper, with 6 cookies per tray. Bake for 7 minutes until cookies are half cooked and starting to spread, then remove tray from oven and use a rubber spatula to gently press each cookie down a little, into about ½ inch thick discs.

Sprinkle each cookie with just a few grains of salt. Rotate sheet trays and put back in oven to finish cooking another 7 minutes.

9. Remove tray and check cookies for doneness—especially browning around edges and firm center. Add a few extra baking minutes if needed. Using a metal spatula, transfer cookies to cooling rack. Cool for at least 5 minutes and serve.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days, though quality will diminish each day, or they can be bagged and frozen for up to 6 months.

MUST-HAVE TOOLS SCOOP: Use a portion control scoop instead of a spoon to avoid messy fingers and quickly and easily scoop balls the same size. Cookies will bake more evenly. Use it for ice cream too!

DIGITAL SCALE: It helps especially for measuring flour—the weight difference between cups of flour can be surprising. If you don’t have a scale, avoid compressing flour into the measuring cup; instead spoon it into the cup and level off with the straight edge of a butter knife.

PARCHMENT PAPER AND SILICON MATS: These both work well and have an impact on cooking besides ease in cleanup: Cookies will spread more on a silicon mat and stay tighter on parchment. Parchment browns cookies a little more nicely, while silicon will yield slightly less crisp cookies. If I had to choose one, it would be parchment, but both have their place depending on the cookie you are baking. If using aluminum pans without either of these, try a little oil spray and possibly dust with flour if you have had trouble with cookies sticking.  NUTRITION

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES: PER SERVING: CALORIES 287; FAT 19g (sat.

11g); CHOL 56mg; SODIUM 194mg; CARB 28g; FIBER 1g; ADDED SUGARS 16g; PROTEIN 3g

COOKIE SPREAD The way cookies spread and thin has a big impact on crispness, softness and chewiness.

• More creaming of butter and sugar will add more air and increase spread; less creaming, less spread and chewier cookies.

• Lower temperature, even just a few degrees, slows cooking and gives dough more time to spread. Higher temperature will make thicker cookies since it firms up more quickly.

• More sugar—especially syrupy sugars like honey, molasses or corn syrup—will spread more easily and make softer cookies.

• Overmixing flour decreases spread and makes doughy cookies.

winter 2020 real food 7

contributors

Lara Miklasevics began her

food career on the other side of the camera, cooking at the renowned New French Café in Minneapolis.

Today her work as a stylist is in demand at corporations including Heinz, Target and General Mills, as well as with many magazines. She prides herself on using her experience as a chef to make food as appealing on the page as it is on the plate.

Terry Brennan is a

photographer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Clients include Target, General Mills, Land O’Lakes and Hormel. “Working with Real Food is a highlight for me—I look forward to every issue. I love working with the creative team and, of course, sampling the wonderful recipes.”

Tara Q. Thomas is a lapsed

chef who trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York.

She used to enjoy going out to dinner before she had kids—now, she prefers to interview chefs, gathering intel on how to make home dinners better.

Thomas writes for several magazines, most prominently Wine & Spirits, where she is an editor and wine critic covering European wines.

She has also contributed to the “Oxford Companion to Cheese” and the “Oxford Companion to Spirits.”

She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Jason Ross is a chef consultant word about how truly delicious and beautiful whole, real foods can be through her work as an author, cooking teacher and private chef.

She likes to create delicious dishes that range from meat and seafood to beans and grains using global flavors.

Her latest book is “Plant-Based Meats.” She is also the author of “300 Best Blender Recipes Using Your Vitamix”; “Great Bowls of Food: Grain Bowls, Buddha Bowls, Broth Bowls and More”; “Juice It!”; “Big Vegan: Over 350 Recipes, No Meat, No Dairy, All Delicious”; “The New Vegetarian”; and “Gluten-Free Pasta.”

for restaurants and hotels, developing menus and concepts for multiple high profile properties. He grew up and trained in New York City but now calls St. Paul, Minnesota, home. Currently, he teaches the next generation of chefs at Saint Paul College Culinary School.

Agnes Prus began her career

as an art historian but finally listened to her heart and spent several years learning how to bake in a café in Cologne, Germany. When her longing for a white Christmas gets too much, she uses icing sugar, coconut and other snowy treats to conjure the finest winter goods straight out of her oven.

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Molly Stevens is a cooking

instructor, writer and recipe developer.

Her cookbooks include “All About Dinner” as well as the James Beard and IACP cookbook award winners “All About Braising” and “All About Roasting.”

She has been named Cooking Teacher of the Year by both Bon Appétit and IACP. Stevens’ recipes and articles have appeared regularly in a number of national publications. Find out more about her writing and teaching schedule at mollystevenscooks.com.

PRUS FRAUKE ANTHOLZ

Robin Asbell spreads the

Lunds & Byerlys welcome

Bloomington: 952-896-0092 Burnsville: 952-892-5600 Chanhassen: 952-474-1298 Eagan: 651-686-9669 Eden Prairie: 952-525-8000 Edina 50th Street: 952-926-6833 France Avenue: 952-831-3601 Golden Valley: 763-544-8846 Maple Grove: 763-416-1611 Minneapolis Downtown: 612-379-5040 Northeast: 612-548-3820 Uptown: 612-825-2440 Minnetonka Glen Lake: 952-512-7700 Highway 7: 952-935-0198 Ridgedale: 952-541-1414 Navarre: 952-471-8473 Plymouth: 763-268-1624 Prior Lake: 952-440-3900 Richfield: 612-861-1881 Roseville: 651-633-6949 St. Cloud: 320-252-4112 St. Louis Park: 952-929-2100 St. Paul Downtown: 651-999-1600 Highland Park: 651-698-5845 Wayzata: 952-476-2222 White Bear Lake: 651-653-0000 Woodbury: 651-999-1200

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CATERING LundsandByerlys.com/Catering 952-897-9800

L&B EXTRAS Get extra offers and tools to make shopping easier.

LundsandByerlys.com/Extras

Comfort & Joy

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s we approach another holiday season and each of us reflects on all we’re thankful for this year, I know my sense of gratitude is overflowing.

It has certainly been a year like none other, and I am so grateful to all of our customers for your continued trust in us to deliver the safest and most sensational shopping experience possible during this COVID-19 pandemic.

I’m also immensely grateful to our entire extended family of Lunds & Byerlys staff who deserve all of the credit for creating that experience. Whether it’s the extensive cleaning frequently taking place throughout every area of our stores or finding new sources of product to keep our shelves stocked to the absolute best of our abilities or quickly ramping up our online shopping capabilities, I am so thankful for their remarkable efforts.

And while you can’t see the smiles behind our staff ’s masks, I hope you’ve seen that smile in their eyes and felt their genuine care and comfort on your visits to our stores.

The pandemic has certainly shifted some of our efforts and areas of focus, but I assure you we remain as committed as ever to making your holidays shine even brighter. And we strive to uphold that promise through the quality of our products, compassionate service and passionate expertise.

As you begin preparing for holiday gatherings with family and friends, I encourage you to visit pages 12-13 to discover a collection of new and classic products we’re offering this holiday season. I know they have become favorites for many of our staff, and they just might become some of your favorites, too.

I also encourage you to visit pages 10-11 to read a story about Amy Carter, who is one of our amazingly talented executive chefs. Her deep passion for food and developing unique and trend-forward products has led to the creation of innovative offerings such as our L&B Boosted Donut and steamer meals featuring fresh meat and seafood.

We know holiday gatherings might be a bit different this year, but we’re here to ensure the food you serve continues to be the talk of the table.

From our family to yours, we wish you a safe and memorable holiday season.

Sincerely,

Tres Lund President and CEO

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Larry, Lexi, Viktor, September and Leah at Lunds & Byerlys Downtown Minneapolis

LUNDSandBYERLYS.com real food 9

Lunds & Byerlys meet the expert

MEET AMY CARTER:

Inventor of the L&B Boosted Donut

D

on’t ask Amy Carter, our executive chef for product development, for an all-time favorite food: She’ll pretty much refuse to answer—for all the best reasons. “I don’t think I could ever pick just one,” she told us, laughing. “I believe food supplies the soul, so sometimes you need one thing and sometimes another. Also, there are very few foods that I don’t love, which is why I go to the gym every day.”

That deep and abiding love of food is also one of the reasons why she’s the chef of all trades on our product development team, creating new recipes and products for our seafood, deli and bakery departments. The other reasons include curiosity, a collaborative nature and a comprehensive (and very interesting) culinary background.

school’s culinary focus to include a baking program. “That was a wonderful time,” Amy says. “It was just so gratifying to see my students succeed. They’re now outstanding pastry chefs, restaurant owners and food stylists. They’re working all over the world.”

She taught at the school for 19 years, and she says it was also an incredible learning experience. “A lot of very good people taught at the school,” she says. “Over the years, I gained more food science from teaching and from my fellow teachers than I ever learned in a kitchen. It expanded my range as a chef hugely.”

A teacher and dedicated lifetime learner

The role of the Lunds & Byerlys research and development team is to create new products that make our customers’ lives easier, save them money and time—and, along the way, introduce them to new and interesting foods.

Amy recently worked on a project that ticked all those boxes: The L&B Boosted Donut. This very scrumptious project began, as many do, with a question. Our CEO, Tres Lund, wondered if it would be possible to make a fried donut that someone could feel good about eating and giving to their children. “He wanted a fried donut with a little something extra to it,” Amy explains, “something to make all those calories worthwhile.”

In other words, a fried donut boosted with protein and other worthy nutrients. Surprisingly, considering the idea’s merit, no such donuts existed. “There were high-protein freezer donuts and baked donuts, but they were more like muffins in a donut shape,” she says. “None of them were fried, which makes sense. Frying changes the nature of protein completely, so that was the big mountain to climb.”

Early experiments with adding proteins—whey, plantbased proteins, collagen—all yielded donuts that bounced around in the oil and stuck to each other, forming great big

Listening to Amy talk about her career, it’s clear that for her, education—learning and teaching—is an integral part of work. She comes by that bent honestly: both of her parents were professors at Penn State University. Still, she didn’t set out to be a teacher. “I didn’t see it coming,” she says, “and I don’t think my parents did either.”

As a young chef, Amy apprenticed with a French pastry chef at a restaurant in Pennsylvania with a busy, well-known bakery attached to it. “We had three full-time pastry chefs, and we were all in constant motion,” she says. “We made everything from traditional French pastries to bread, American pastry and cakes—and we were famous for our caramel rolls.”

Amy came to Minnesota in the mid-1990s. She landed at the Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, where she made pastries, breads and desserts for special events such as weddings and fundraising galas. “The Woman’s Club was a wonderful experience,” she says. “Working there upped my baking skills because we were making beautiful, high-end pastries and desserts.”

She left there to take a dream job at the Art Institutes International Minnesota culinary school, where she not only taught pastry courses and lectured, but also expanded the

10 real food winter 2020

Food science in action: developing the boosted donut

donut globs. “They were like rubber balls,” Amy laughs. “They tasted like donuts, but they sure didn’t look like donuts.”

Not to be defeated, Amy says she doubled down on the research. She talked to all our bakery suppliers. She went to the Research Chefs Association conference and asked everyone she met for advice. “I said, ‘Hey, this is what I’m doing,’ and they looked at me like I was crazy. No one had any ideas to help, no magical product, all I could do was keep experimenting with proteins.”

An added challenge was the fact that, at Lunds & Byerlys, we produce hundreds of donuts a day: Our fryer runs from 11 o’clock at night to 1 o’clock the next afternoon. At that rate of production, our bakers need a straightforward recipe— they don’t have time to fuss with a complex formula. Amy needed a simple solution.

Success: it tastes just like a real donut should In the end, it took nine months, but she found a solution. The fact that she could work on the recipe for that long, she says, is evidence of Lunds & Byerlys extraordinary commitment to product development. “It makes it possible for innovation to happen,” she explains. “In this case, it allowed me to play with the kernel of an idea, work through a huge learning curve

and create a donut boosted with plant protein—something people are really interested in right now. It’s wonderful to have that backing.”

The recipe for L&B Boosted Donuts includes a booster that’s high in plant-based protein, fiber and iron. It’s even got some chia seed in it. Amy also added low-fat, high-protein yogurt to the donuts for extra oomph and a nice, tangy flavor.

And, of course, the donuts are drizzled in white icing.

She knew she had nailed it when she tested a couple L&B Boosted Donuts on her grandsons, ages 5 and 8. “They loved it,” she says. “They knew it was a boosted donut, but they couldn’t taste the difference. They don’t get to eat a lot of sweets, so it was just a big treat.”

“The donuts have a little more body to them because of the added protein and fiber,” she says, “but otherwise, they just taste like a slightly spicy donut. That’s what we were going for—after all, donuts are great because they are a little bit sweet and a little bit fried.”

Revisiting the idea of favorites What’s next for Amy? She’ll be expanding our steamers, a line of fresh meat and seafood that’s paired with a starch and veggies in a microwaveable container. “Steamers are great because they’re fresh but still microwaveable, and steaming makes them so healthy. Also, I just love eating fish, and we have such high-quality fish, it’s a fun project for me.”

Aha, a favorite! She also admits to loving to bake and eat cookies. In fact, every year she volunteers to bake all the cookies for the Star Tribune’s Best Holiday Cookies contest so the judges can taste them. “Cookies have owned my heart since I was a little kid,” she says. “Now I think it’s because everyone loves a cookie—there are very few people who won’t eat a cookie. So it’s my goal to make a boosted cookie next.” 

Holiday Classics L U N D S

&

B Y E R L Y S

From our stores to your table, here are some of the items we look forward to bringing you each and every holiday season!

L&B CRANBERRY & ROSEMARY CHEVRE found in deli It wouldn’t be the holidays without a cheeseball! This one-of-a-kind sweet and savory treat is handcrafted in our stores by our expert cheese specialists. We start with locally made Stickney Hill Plain Chevre. The fresh, mild-flavored goat cheese is then rolled in sweet-tart chopped dried cranberries and fresh, fragrant rosemary. This festive little gem shines on a cheeseboard but is equally delicious on its own when spread on crusty bread or crackers.

It pairs perfectly with a Riesling, any sparkling wine or sparkling ciders and sodas. Available November-December.

L&B CONFECTIONS L&B BARKS AND BRITTLES found in bakery The holiday cookie tray has met its match! We partnered with the premier chocolatier in Minnesota – Abdallah Candies – to create our exclusive L&B Barks and Brittles.

These rich, decadent treats come in five flavors – peanut brittle, almond cashew pecan brittle, white and dark chocolate peppermint bark, white almond bark and dark chocolate almond bark. Whether you’re looking for the perfect finishing touch to a meal or a sweet gift for coworkers and friends, you can’t go wrong with L&B Barks and Brittles. Plus, the sampler tray is a great way to try them all! Available November-December.

found in grocery Whether you’re looking for the perfect stocking stuffer or a simple dessert, our L&B Confections are the super-sweet answer! Our L&B chocolates are made right here in Minnesota and come in a variety of flavors, including dark chocolate sea salt caramels, Victorian brittle, mint meltaways and whipped cream truffles. Plus, the holidays always bring festive treats such as chocolate snowmen, Santa Clauses, bells and more, all wrapped up in bright foils. Available year-round, with seasonal varieties available November-December.

COMICE PEARS found in produce

L&B PEPPER JELLIES found in deli L&B Pepper Jellies have quickly become our holiday all-stars! These amazingly versatile jellies shine in hors d’oeuvres of all kinds, but can quickly and easily pivot to a glaze for your favorite protein or a cocktail mix-in. The L&B Cranberry Bourbon Pepper Jelly has a sweet-tart flavor from cranberries and sugar melded with a touch of jalapeño. The bourbon-based finish is rich and smooth. Likewise, our award-winning L&B Meyer Lemon & Blood Orange Pepper Jelly is an addicting combination of heat and citrus. Plus, the pepper jellies are the gift that keeps on giving! Once you’ve used up all that delicious jelly, you’re left with a nicely cut double old-fashioned glass that can be reused. A win-win!

Available year-round.

Comice pears (pronounced ko-MEESE) are a holiday staple!

These succulent, buttery pears are known for their silky soft flesh, velvety texture and exceptionally sweet, juicy flavor. Although pears of all types have a popular association with the winter holidays, Comice have earned special recognition as the “Holiday Pear.” Comice pears are famous worldwide thanks in large part to the gift company Harry & David, whose premium gifts feature Comice pears from Naumes, Inc. – the same farmers who supply Lunds & Byerlys with these delicious, unmatched pears each year. Whether you’re looking for a sweet addition to a gift basket or the perfect pear for your holiday recipes, the Comice will not disappoint. Available in December. For one of our favorite Comice Pear recipes, turn to page 16.

L&B LEFSE found in meat & seafood For nearly 50 years, we’ve partnered with Carl’s Lefse in Hawley, Minnesota to bring you our traditional L&B Lefse. This holiday staple is a soft Norwegian flatbread made from premium potatoes and a handful of choice ingredients. It’s rolled thin and griddled by hand to create lefse in the finest Old World tradition. Our partnership with Carl’s Lefse, a third-generation family business, began when a Lunds employee first tasted the lefse and knew we needed to bring this outstanding Scandinavian comfort food to our customers.

The result has been a long-lasting relationship with Carl’s Lefse and an utterly delicious homemade-style lefse for you to enjoy. We like to serve our L&B Lefse smeared with butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. Available year-round.

Lunds & Byerlys what’s in store

ENZO OLIVE OIL COMPANY OLIVE OILS AND BALSAMIC VINEGARS A unique combination of Old World expertise and four generations of farming in the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley enables the Ricchiuti family to craft the highest quality organic extra virgin olive oil. The team at ENZO remains committed to Ricchiuti Family Farms’ 100-year tradition by planting their own trees, harvesting the crops, milling the fruit and bottling the oil.

This hands-on approach results in premium, aromatic and flavorful oils. And now the same care and craftsmanship has been extended to their organic balsamic vinegars. ENZO olive oil varieties include traditional extra virgin olive oil, Meyer lemon, basil infused and garlic infused, plus traditional balsamic vinegar, fig balsamic vinegar and apple balsamic vinegar.

Tip: ENZO Olive Oil Company’s organic olive oils are as versatile as they are delicious. Whether you’re cooking an Italian feast, mixing up a vinaigrette or popping a tray of cookies in the oven, ENZO has the perfect olive oil for you.

SNACK FACTORY PRETZEL CRISP DRIZZLERS Your sweet-and-salty snack dreams are coming true! Snack Factory has created the perfect combination of sweet indulgence and salty crunch with its new Drizzlers. Thin, extra crunchy pretzel crisps are drizzled in rich, velvety dark chocolate or milk chocolate and caramel. They’re the perfect after-dinner treat or midday snack.

Tip: Pop them in the freezer and enjoy frozen as an extra sweet, snappy treat!

FRANKLY ORGANIC VODKAS Handcrafted in small batches in Austin, Texas, Frankly Organic Vodkas are made using USDA-certified organic sweet corn, fruits, roots and botanicals. The award-winning vodkas offer deep flavor profiles without refined sugars, gluten or artificial colors and flavors. At Frankly, the goal is to support organic farmers, protect the environment and enjoy what’s in your glass! Varieties include original vodka, apple, pomegranate, strawberry and grapefruit.

Did you know? Frankly gives back 1 percent of revenue to support animal welfare organizations in each state where their vodka is sold.

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Lunds & Byerlys what’s in store

VERMONT CREAMERY GOAT CHEESE DIPS Vermont Creamery is one of the pioneers of artisan goat cheese in this country. For over 35 years, they’ve been making delicious fresh goat’s milk cheese distinguished by its fresh taste, mild flavor and smooth texture. And now they’ve introduced a trio of fresh goat cheese dips in smooth and creamy dippable flavors. Varieties include classic goat cheese, red pepper and lemon, and garlic and herb.

Did you know? In 1984 Bob Reese organized a dinner for the Department of Agriculture featuring all Vermont-made products. When a French chef requested fresh goat cheese, Bob asked Allison Hooper to make a batch. The cheese was a hit and the two founded Vermont Creamery!

VERGANI NOUGAT Vergani began in 1881 when Secondo Vergani acquired a merchant shop and devoted his life to perfecting and selling nougat, a classic Italian confection. Nougat, or Torrone, is a traditional semi-hard candy made from honey and almonds and is usually adorned with fruit and nuts.

The team at Vergani uses the finest ingredients to create their soft nougat free from gluten and artificial colorings. It’s a traditional holiday treat imported directly from Italy!

Classic nougat flavors include almond, cappuccino, amaretto cookie and almond brittle. The fruit nougat flavors include forest berries, lemon and orange, raspberry, and exotic fruit.

Did you know? According to legend, the first nougat was made in 1441 to celebrate the marriage of Italian royalty. The couple was offered a sweet made with honey, almonds and egg white in the shape of Torrazzo or “torrione,” the 13th century tower of Cremona Cathedral.

Hence the Italian word for nougat, “Torrone,” would take its name.

L&B FLAVORED COFFEES Your morning cup of coffee has just been upgraded to a sweet treat! Our new L&B Flavored Coffees combine the rich taste of premium arabica coffee with the subtle flavors of some of our favorite Lunds & Byerlys sweets. Each unique blend is crafted with 100 percent natural flavorings and fresh locally roasted beans. Flavors include fudge brownie, which offers hints of smooth caramel; hazelnut crème, which combines sweet vanilla and traditional hazelnut; highlander grogg, pairing rum liqueur with butterscotch; sea salt caramel, which features the taste of our signature smooth caramel; Victorian brittle, joining toffee and almond brittle; and warm cookie, which tastes of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

Tip: Each of the six new L&B Flavored Coffees comes ground in a 12-ounce bag— perfect when you need to brew a big pot for Sunday brunch or to pair with dessert.

But you can also enjoy the fudge brownie, hazelnut crème, sea salt caramel and Victorian brittle flavors in single-serve pods for a quick midday pick-me-up.

LUNDSandBYERLYS.com real food 15

Lunds & Byerlys baking

Pear-fect Pancake

Sweet, juicy Comice pears make for a delectable pancake

Oven-Baked Pear Pancake MAKES 6 SERVINGS

W

inter is Comice season, and we can’t get enough of the squat little pears and their red, red cheeks. If you’ve never had one, Comice pears are really something special.

They have a delicate skin and a velvety soft texture, but we love them best for their delectable flavor that is intensely sweet, a little floral and so juicy.

They taste amazing in this luxurious pancake, which is perfect for holiday brunches because it comes together faster than a stack of pancakes, and it’s far more elegant. All you have to do is melt a little butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a hot cast iron skillet, add the pears and nuts, pour the batter over it and slide the whole thing in the oven. Fifteen minutes later, you’ve got a giant, fluffy, golden pancake.

Made with four eggs and just a wee bit of flour, it’s like a glorious mash-up of our favorite breakfast dishes: It’s light as a crêpe and as fluffy as a Dutch Baby, and it has the soft, custardy interior of an egg bake. The pears and nuts look beautiful fanned across the top of it, and they taste wonderful—lightly caramelized, sweet and crunchy.

This pancake tastes best when it’s hot out of the oven, so you’ll want to have the bacon, coffee and mimosas ready to go when it comes out.

Tip. We like a Pear Pancake for dessert, too. A dollop of whipped

cream with those caramelized pears and nuts is simply heaven.

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¾ cup brown sugar, divided ⅓ cup flour ⅓ cup milk 4 eggs, separated into whites and yolks 1 teaspoon baking powder dash of salt 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 ripe Comice pears, peeled, cored and sliced ¼ cup chopped walnuts 1. Heat the oven to 375°F. 2. In a large bowl, combine ¼ cup of the brown sugar, flour, milk, egg yolks, baking powder and dash of salt in a bowl. Mix well with a fork and set aside.

3. In an ovenproof skillet or frying pan, combine the butter, ¼ cup brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook the butter mixture on the stovetop over medium-low heat until butter melts and combines with sugar.

Remove from heat.

4. Arrange half of the pear slices in concentric circles in the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle with the walnuts and arrange the remaining pears on top.

5. In a small bowl, mix together the egg whites and remaining brown sugar until soft. Add it to the egg yolk mixture, stir to combine and pour the batter over the pear slices.

6. Bake the pancake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

ingredient

Get to Know Oat Milk It’s delicious, good for the environment and nutritious

BY IZZY GRAVANO

O

PHOTO KOSTREZ - ADOBE STOCK

at milk first made waves in 2018, and while some people may have considered it a short-lived phenomenon, it appears oat milk is here to stay. While the most common milk substitutions for those who are lactose intolerant (or those who choose not to drink dairy milk) include rice milk or soy milk, oat milk has hit the scene as the more environmentally friendly and creamier version that can live up to the needs of specialty coffee drinks and recipe substitutions alike. It also has the added bonus of being free of allergens such as soy, lactose, nuts and gluten. (Note: If you follow a gluten-free diet, always check to see that the oat milk is safe for you in case it was produced on any equipment shared with wheat products.)

Oat milk is simply made by soaking oats in water and then blending and straining the liquid “milk” that remains. That might not sound creamy, but it is. Because oats can absorb so much water, when they are blended finely enough, more of the actual oat passes through the straining process. It’s a more sustainable alternative to other kinds of milk that have strenuous production processes: Nut milks require enormous amounts of water to grow nuts—it takes about 383 percent more water to produce one pound of almonds versus one pound of rolled or flaked oats, according to the Huffington Post—and dairy milk includes taking care of cows and their waste.

Like any food you buy, you might have a preference for brands, textures and tastes. Knowing what you like is key for selecting oat milk.

Some brands are milkier and creamier, some are sweeter, and some are more stripped down without flavors, sweeteners and preservatives.

Some companies that produce commercially available oat milk also use specific milling procedures, temperature controls and homegrown harvesting practices, too. If you’re new to oat milk, though, don’t worry: Overall, oat milk has similar tastes and textures, and it’s good for you at the same time.

In terms of nutrition, oat milk averages 90 calories per serving (without any added flavoring or sweeteners), while soy milk has 110, rice milk has 120, and whole milk has 150 calories. (For all the skim milk lovers out there, rest easy knowing that it has 110 calories per serving.) Oat milk contains about 3 grams of protein in a 1-cup serving, compared with 8 grams in cow’s milk and 7 or 8 grams in soy milk. However, oat milk contains more protein than almond, rice or coconut milk, which all contain 1 gram or less per cup.

For those watching carbs, unsweetened oat milk contains more—about 16 grams of carbs per cup— than unsweetened almond milk, which provides 1 gram of carbs per cup (As comparison, cow’s milk has about 11 to 13 grams of carbs per cup and soy milk has 3 to 15 grams, depending on the type.) Similar to other store-bought plant-based milk, oat milk also has added calcium, vitamins A and D, and riboflavin.

The most common uses for oat milk are ones you’d expect: as a stand-alone drink, blended in with coffee or tea, or in a bowl of cereal. Still, people—and companies and restaurants—are getting more ambitious with the ingredient, adding it to items like frozen treats or even pasta sauce.

While oat milk is not typically referenced as a substitution in many recipes, some chefs say that it is a better option than other plant-based milks due to its simple flavor. Some easy recipes to test out their theory are smoothies, soups or baked goods.

Whether you choose to enjoy a variety of milk sources from now on or decide to go all oat milk, all the time, simply know that whenever you have a glass, you’re partaking in an ingredient that’s nutritious, environmentally friendly and, hopefully, delicious. 

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healthy habits

Making the Holidays Healthier Balance your holiday diet with simple ingredient substitutions and recipe swaps

EXPERIMENT WITH HEALTHY BAKING SUBSTITUTIONS Zeratsky says that some of the best ingredient substitutions are the small ones—switching from all-purpose flour to wholewheat pastry flour is an easy way to add fiber to your holiday desserts and breads without losing out on that light, fluffy texture. Another easy substitution? Exchange saturated fats for heart-healthy unsaturated fats, like replacing lard or butter for canola, corn, olive or sunflower oil. You can use fruit purées like applesauce in place of some fats in your recipe, which will also add flavor and moisture. Or, try using plain yogurt in place of sour cream to add more protein to a dish.

Mayo Clinic’s healthy and festive carrot cake recipe (on the next page) is a great example of what these simple swaps can

18 real food winter 2020

do. It calls for unsweetened applesauce in place of half the oil and fat-free cream cheese in place of regular. The result is a delicious, rich cake that’s only 280 calories per slice.

Keep in mind that at-home baking substitutions often require a bit of patience to decode. Because baking is nothing short of chemistry, swapping out some ingredients—especially those integral to the rise or texture of baked goods, like baking soda or eggs—may leave you less than happy with the result.

Even the most basic substitutions (like swapping in fruit purées, oils or different kinds of flour) vary for each recipe since it depends on the role each ingredient plays in the dish.

“I think there’s going to be some degree of experimentation.

You may start with an equal substitution, but you might find that [the amount] needs to be changed, depending on the type of ingredient,” Zeratsky says. “The fortunate thing is there are good [online] resources.”

HEALTHY HOLIDAY EATING, MADE SIMPLE If the idea of fiddling with your favorite holiday desserts and breads seems too daunting, there are easier ways to make your foods healthier. In cooking, you can get away with switching things up more. If a recipe calls for copious amounts of salt, scale back and add citrus zest or additional spices for a healthier yet flavorful dish. If your holiday staples use beef, try turkey or chicken for leaner options.

On an even more basic level, Zeratsky says that simply swapping out some of your holiday snacks is a great place to start. Instead of just cookies and sweets, include some fruits, vegetables and nuts. Apples, pomegranates, kiwis and pears are all in season during the holidays. And, if you’re really worried about the sweet lovers of your group, consider adding a yogurt-based dip—you can even swirl in some Nutella.

TABLE SONYAKAMOZ - ADOBE STOCK

C

ookies, breads, pastries, candies, roasts, drinks—all important parts of any proper holiday celebration. And while winter parties and dinners are never complete without a plethora of these tasty treats, some of our annual favorites are, unsurprisingly, not the best for our bodies.

Paying attention to our nutritional needs, and perhaps getting ahead of that New Year’s resolution, isn’t as hard as you might think, though. It’s all about balancing traditional staples with creative alternatives to your holiday recipes.

Everyone has favorite holiday recipes. However, eating these comfort foods often during the winter months means your body may get more calories and perhaps not as many key nutrients—carbs, protein, healthy fats, vitamins and more—that keep our bodies full and functioning properly.

Katherine Zeratsky, a registered dietitian and nutritionist with Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, suggests that home cooks try tweaking holiday recipes by substituting healthier ingredients for ones with little nutritional value.

BY JULIA LANDWEHR

Simple Swaps

TRADITIONAL HEALTHY INGREDIENT ALTERNATIVE

Breadcrumbs

Rolled oats, crushed bran cereal

Butter, oil, shortening (in baked goods)

Applesauce or prune purée for half of amount called for

Oil (in baked goods)

CARROT CAKE MANYAKOTIC - ADOBE STOCK

Cream

All-purpose flour

Ground beef

Seasoning salts (garlic salt, onion salt)

Sour cream

Trans-fat-free spreads Fat-free half-and-half or evaporated skim milk Whole-wheat flour for half of amount called for Lean ground chicken breast or ground turkey breast Herb-only seasonings (garlic powder, onion powder or freshly chopped herbs) Plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt

Always consult your doctor if you have health concerns or before making any major dietary changes.

Carrot Cake MAKES 16 SERVINGS, RECIPE COURTESY OF MAYO CLINIC

11/3 cups shredded carrots 3 cups water 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar 1½ teaspoons baking soda 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ½ cup corn oil ½ cup unsweetened applesauce 5 egg whites from large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla ¼ cup chopped walnuts ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut ½ cup canned, crushed pineapple (in own juice), drained For the Frosting 4 ounces fat-free cream cheese, at room temperature ¾ cup powdered sugar ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch cake pan with cooking spray. Dust with a bit of flour (about 1 tablespoon) and turn the pan over to remove most of the flour.

2. In a medium saucepan, add carrots and water. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Drain the water and set aside to cool.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon.

4. In another bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, beat together the oil, applesauce, egg whites and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat until well blended. Fold in the cooked carrots, walnuts, coconut and pineapple.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Remove the cake from the pan and let cool completely on the cooling rack, about 1 hour.

6. For the frosting: In a small mixing bowl, add cream cheese and beat slowly with an electric mixer. Add the powdered sugar slowly and continue beating. Add the vanilla and lemon juice. Mix until smooth. Frost the top and sides of the cake.  NUTRITION

TREATING YOURSELF TO TRADITION Even though there are many ways to make classic holiday fare more nutritious, it’s all about balance. Zeratsky emphasizes that if there is a certain dish that is important to your family and is an integral part of your holiday tradition, there’s no need to sacrifice memories to save a few calories. “There’s a time and a place to honor tradition, and then there’s maybe a time and a place when we’re eating something with a little more frequency—then we might consider…that it’s going to have a greater impact on our nutrition,” she says.

If you’re a sucker for Christmas cookies, consider using healthier fats or alternative natural sweeteners rather than sugar when you’re baking. Another trick is to box up the majority of the treats right after they cool and give them as part of holiday gifts while saving maybe half a dozen for yourself.

Just don’t feel guilty about enjoying those special holiday favorites, like your grandmother’s gingerbread recipe or the annual chocolate yule log: As Zeratsky says, it’s all about “how much and how often.”

The most important thing is to listen to your gut. Although it can be tempting to reach for processed foods when we’re tired, anxious or overwhelmed, Zeratsky reminds that it’s often these foods that make us feel even worse. Take the time to pay attention to your body’s needs and balance your diet to include healthy, nutritious snacks and dishes from all food groups.

This holiday season, take stock of the recipes that really matter and dig in. But for unhealthy foods that we reach for without thinking, consider making a simple ingredient swap in a recipe or trading these foods for something with more nutritional value.

CARROT CAKE: 1 PIECE: CALORIES 280; FAT 9g (sat. 2g); CHOL 1mg; SODIUM 192mg; CARB 48g; FIBER 1g; TOTAL SUGARS 36g; ADDED SUGARS 32g; PROTEIN 4g

winter 2020 real food 19

ROSEMARY AND BLACK PEPPER CRUSTED RIB ROAST WITH HORSERADISH CREAM SAUCE (RECIPE PAGE 22)

Roast Assured

Jump into the holiday spirit with these elegant ideas for roast beef, pork, turkey, ham and even salmon

BY MOLLY STEVENS

M

any favorite holiday meals center around a thoughtfully prepared roast, and this year our festive lineup runs

the gamut. Present a stately beef rib roast or a cozy fruit-stuffed pork tenderloin, or give your loved ones a rich glazed salmon or a single herb-flecked turkey breast. Of course, we’ve also got the goods for a gorgeous spice-rubbed turkey and everyone’s favorite glazed ham. You’ll find something for any size gathering and just about every appetite. So fire up your oven, set the table, pull out your carving knife and get ready to receive the praise every good host deserves.

PHOTOGRAPHY TERRY BRENNAN FOOD STYLING LARA MIKLASEVICS

winter 2020 real food 21

Rosemary and Black Pepper Crusted Rib Roast with Horseradish Cream Sauce MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

When it comes to roast beef, nothing matches the meaty savor and juicy tenderness of a boneless rib roast, especially when enhanced with a rosemary-black-pepper crust and a cool, creamy horseradish-spiked sauce. It also happens to be a cinch to prepare.

1 4- to 41/2-pound boneless beef rib roast, fat trimmed to about 1/4 inch, tied at 2-inch intervals 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper (or peppercorn mix) (See Cook’s Notes) 2 teaspoons kosher salt or 11/2 teaspoons fine table salt For the Horseradish Cream Sauce 1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream 1/4 cup prepared horseradish 1 teaspoon dry mustard 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce salt, to taste

1. Heat the oven to 450°F with an oven rack in the lower third.

2. Pat dry the beef and rub with oil. In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, pepper and salt and sprinkle over the entire surface of the roast. (The beef can be seasoned and refrigerated for up to 18 hours in advance.) Place the roast fat side up on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 300°F. Continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center reads 120°F for rare, 125°F to 130°F for mediumrare, or 135°F for medium—another 1 to 13/4 hours.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, horseradish, mustard, vinegar and Worcestershire.

Season with salt to taste. Refrigerate until time to serve.

4. Transfer the roast to a carving board and let it rest, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Snip off the strings and carve into thick slices. Serve with sauce on the side.

Cook’s Notes: • For best results, coarsely crack the peppercorns using a mortar and pestle, a spice grinder or the bottom of a heavy skillet. If ground pepper is the only option, use the coarsest grind you can and reduce the amount by half.

• Letting the roast sit at room temperature for an hour before roasting helps it cook more evenly.

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Lemon-Thyme Turkey Breast Roasted with Apples and Onions MAKES 3 TO 4 SERVINGS

A split turkey breast is the perfect choice when you want a splendid holiday roast for a small group. You can also double (or triple) the recipe to feed more—or if you want to guarantee leftovers for turkey sandwiches (see Cook’s Note). The roasted apples and onions caramelize into a sweet-tangy accompaniment.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (11/2 tablespoons softened, 11/2 tablespoons melted) 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus a few sprigs 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest salt and pepper, to taste 1 (3- to 4-pound) bone-in, split turkey breast 2 medium Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 2-inch chunks 8 ounces cipollini onions, small shallots or pearl onions, peeled 11/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1. In a small bowl, combine the 1½ tablespoons softened butter with the chopped thyme, lemon zest, and a little salt and pepper.

Mix with a wooden spoon until smooth. Gently loosen the skin on the turkey breast at either end (without releasing it completely) and rub the seasoned butter under the skin. Smooth the skin back in place and brush the top with about 1 teaspoon of the melted butter. Season with salt and pepper. (The turkey breast may be prepared to this point up to 2 days before roasting.)

2. Heat the oven to 450°F with an oven rack near the center.

3. Place the apples, onions, thyme sprigs, remaining melted butter, lemon juice and broth in a small roasting pan or baking dish. Season with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Place the turkey on top. Slide the pan into the oven and immediately lower the oven temperature to 325°F. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F, 11/2 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the turkey breast.

4. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and tent with foil to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir the apples and onions. If they aren’t well browned, increase the oven temperature to 475°F and return the pan to the oven for another few minutes, watching that they don’t burn.

5. Carve the turkey and serve with the apples and onions.

Cook’s Notes: • This recipe is easily multiplied; simply choose a roasting pan large enough to accommodate the turkey breast(s) without crowding. You can also use a whole bone-in turkey breast (the 2 breast halves intact) to serve 6 to 8; the roasting time will be about the same.

• Alternatively, if you prefer dark meat, substitute fresh turkey legs and/or thighs for the breast, and roast until they reach an internal temperature of 175°F, 2 to 21/2 hours. The onions and apples will collapse a bit more, and they will be infused with rich turkey flavor.

LEMON-THYME TURKEY BREAST ROASTED WITH APPLES AND ONIONS

winter 2020 real food 23

Dried Fruit and Nut Stuffed Pork Tenderloin MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

Transform simple pork tenderloin into an elegant roast by filling it with a dried apricot, cherry and pecan-studded stuffing. The recipe is easily scaled up or down to suit your household. For best flavor, stuff the pork several hours ahead.

The optional pomegranate molasses enhances the color of the roast, but a simple brush with olive oil will do.

2 tablespoons butter 2 pork tenderloins (about 11/4 pounds each) 1/2 cup minced shallot 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (optional) 1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or Italian seasoning salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots 1/4 cup chopped dried tart cherries 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) minced prosciutto 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (See Cook’s Note)

1. Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and dried herbs.

Season lightly with salt, and sauté, stirring often, until soft. Add the apricots, cherries and orange juice, and simmer until the juice is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange zest, prosciutto and pecans. Season with salt and pepper.

Cool to room temperature.

2. Use a sharp knife to cut a 11/2-inch deep pocket along the length of each pork tenderloin, stopping within 1/2 inch of either end. Season the meat all over with salt and pepper, including inside the pocket. Divide the stuffing between the 2 tenderloins, using your fingers to compact. Secure the roasts by tying loops of butcher’s twine every 2 to 3 inches along its length.

(The pork may be refrigerated for up to 4 hours at this point.)

3. Heat the oven to 375°F with an oven rack near the center.

4. Arrange the stuffed tenderloins side by side without touching on a rimmed baking sheet. If using the pomegranate molasses, combine it with the olive oil and brush over the surface of the roasts. (If not using the molasses, brush the surface with olive oil). Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin registers 150°F, about 30 minutes. Transfer the pork to a carving board to rest for about 10 minutes.

5. Snip the strings from the roasts and carve into thick slices to serve.

Cook’s Note: To toast pecans in a skillet, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking and stirring, until fragrant and beginning to darken, 3 to 5 minutes. Alternatively, spread them onto a rimmed baking sheet and toast in a 350°F oven, stirring once or twice, until toasted and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes.

24 real food winter 2020

winter 2020 real food 25

Spice-Rubbed Turkey with Mushroom Gravy MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS

There are a few secrets to making a spectacular roast turkey. First, there’s a bold spice rub made from ground spices and dried mushrooms.

Second, the giblets are simmered to create a flavorful broth that guarantees plenty of delicious gravy. And finally, the gravy gets a double dose of mushroom flavor with both dried and fresh ones. You can season the turkey and make the gravy base up to 2 days ahead of time.

1 13- to 14-pound fresh turkey, with giblets For the Spice Rub 2 tablespoons coriander seed 1 tablespoon fennel seed 1/2 ounce dried mushrooms, such as porcini or shiitake (See Cook’s Note) 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 11/2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon sweet paprika 3 garlic cloves, peeled 1 bay leaf For the Mushroom Gravy 1 small onion, thinly sliced 1 small carrot, chopped 1 bay leaf 22/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1/2 ounce dried mushrooms, such as porcini or shiitake 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 large shallot or small onion, minced 6 ounces fresh mushrooms (button, baby bella or mixed), finely chopped 1/4 cup dry white wine or sherry 1/4 cup cornstarch salt and pepper, to taste For Roasting 1 onion, coarsely chopped 1 carrot, coarsely chopped 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

1. Remove the giblets from the turkey and set them aside. Pat the turkey dry all over (including the cavity) with paper towels, and place it on a rack set on a large baking sheet.

2. For the Spice Rub: In a small skillet, toast the coriander and fennel over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder (or mortar) and add the dried mushrooms, oregano and red pepper flakes, and grind to a coarse powder.

Pour into a small bowl and stir in the kosher salt and paprika.

3. Sprinkle a bit of the spice rub mix into the cavity, and then spread the remaining mix over the entire surface of the turkey.

Place the garlic cloves and bay leaf in the cavity, tuck the wing tips behind the neck, and loosely tie the drumsticks together.

Refrigerate the turkey, preferably uncovered, for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

26 real food winter 2020

4. Meanwhile, start the gravy by making a giblet broth: Place the turkey neck, heart and gizzard in a medium saucepan. (Do not use the liver; it will cloud the broth.) Add the sliced onion, carrot, bay leaf, chicken broth and 2 cups cool water, and bring to simmer over medium heat. Adjust the heat to simmer very slowly for 11/4 hours. Strain the broth, discarding the solids. You should have about 31/2 cups.

5. As the broth simmers, place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with 1 cup very warm water. After 1 hour, lift the mushrooms from the water, squeezing to release excess moisture, and strain the soaking liquid through cheesecloth or a finemesh sieve and reserve. Coarsely chop the softened mushrooms.

6. Heat the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot or onion and cook, stirring, until soft but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and then begin to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the softened dried mushrooms and the wine or sherry, and bring to a quick simmer. Add the strained giblet broth and reserved mushroom soaking liquid and simmer vigorously over medium-high until reduced by about one-third, 15 to 20 minutes—it gets thickened later. (The gravy can be prepared to this point up to 2 days ahead; refrigerate and reheat before proceeding.)

7. Heat the oven to 450°F with an oven rack in the lower third.

Scatter the chopped onion, carrot and celery in the bottom of a sturdy roasting pan and add 2 cups of water. Set a roasting rack in place, and place the turkey breast side up onto the rack. Slide the turkey into the oven, and after 10 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 170°F, 21/4 to 23/4 hours. If you are toward the end of cooking and the breast or drumsticks are getting too dark, cover them loosely with foil.

8. Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer it to a carving board, preferably one with a trough to catch any juices, and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes. If desired, strain the roasting pan drippings, discarding the vegetables (or save them for a cook’s snack), and spoon off the excess fat. Reserve the drippings to add to the gravy.

9. Finish the gravy: Bring the gravy to a simmer over mediumlow heat. If using drippings, add to taste (if the drippings are very concentrated, only add a small amount). In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with 1/4 cup cool water. Stir the cornstarch mixture a little at a time into the gravy until thickened to your liking (you may not need it all). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

10. Carve the turkey and serve with gravy spooned over top.

Cook’s Note: Dried mushrooms often come in 1-ounce packages, and you’ll use 1/2 ounce for the spice rub and the other half for the gravy. Don’t worry about dividing the package exactly in half.

For best flavor, look for dried porcini, shiitake or a blend.

SPICE-RUBBED TURKEY WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY

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ROASTED SALMON WITH BROWN SUGAR-MUSTARD GLAZE

28 real food winter 2020

Roasted Salmon with Brown Sugar-Mustard Glaze MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

A side of salmon makes a sumptuous centerpiece for a memorable dinner, especially when glazed with a spicysweet sauce and roasted until golden brown. If you want to get ahead, marinate the salmon in the sauce for up to 4 hours before roasting.

1/2 cup whole-milk or low-fat plain yogurt 3 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon mayonnaise or sour cream 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or tarragon, plus more to garnish salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 pounds salmon fillet (See Cook’s Note)

1. Heat the oven to 450°F with an oven rack near the center. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

2. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, brown sugar, mustard, olive oil, mayonnaise or sour cream, ginger, dill or tarragon, and salt and black pepper to taste.

3. Arrange the salmon on the baking sheet and season the surface with salt and pepper. Spoon a few tablespoons of the sauce onto the fish, spreading to cover the surface. Reserve the remaining sauce for serving.

(The seasoned salmon can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours before roasting.)

4. Roast until the salmon is golden and cooked through, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh dill and serve with the remaining sauce.

NUTRITION

Cook’s Note: For best results, shop for salmon fillets that are at least 11/2 inches thick. This may mean buying a whole side of salmon, a partial fillet, or 2 to 3 center cut fillets. Once home, run your finger down the fish to make sure there are no pin bones (the hair-like bones that run down the center of each fillet). If needed, remove the pin bones by grabbing with your thumb and the side of a paring knife and tugging. 

RIB ROAST W. HORSERADISH CREAM SAUCE: PER SERVING: CALORIES 493; FAT 34g (sat. 15g); CHOL 152mg; SODIUM 525mg; CARB 3g; FIBER 1g; ADDED SUGARS 0g; PROTEIN 43g

LEMON-THYME TURKEY BREAST ROASTED W. APPLES & ONIONS: PER SERVING: CALORIES 586; FAT 27 (sat. 10g); CHOL 201mg; SODIUM 221mg; CARB 18g; FIBER 3g; ADDED SUGARS 0g; PROTEIN 67g

GLAZED HAM A glazed ham makes any occasion feel like a celebration.

Choose a fully cooked half or whole ham depending on how many you’re feeding. (Whether boneless or bone-in, a half ham provides 8 to 10 servings and a whole ham provides twice that—allowing for leftovers in both cases.) Unwrap the ham and trim the fat to about 1/4-inch thick and then score the surface in a crisscross pattern. Heat the oven to 325°F and line a roasting pan with foil. Place the ham in the pan, and roast until an instant-read thermometer registers about 130°F, about 18 minutes per pound.

Remove the ham from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Brush the surface with one of the following glaze suggestions (or one of your own creation), and return the ham to the oven, spooning the pan juices (and melted glaze) over the surface every 5 minutes until browned and glossy, about 20 minutes total (the internal temperature should be 140°F). Let the ham rest for 20 minutes before carving into thin slices.

Glaze Ideas: The simplest way to glaze a ham is to sprinkle the surface with brown or granulated sugar (you’ll need about 1 cup for a whole ham, ½ cup for a half ham).

You can also enhance the glaze by combining the sugar with mustard (Dijon or whole grain) and/or canned chopped pineapple with its syrup. A dash of vinegar or lemon juice helps cut the sweetness. Another great idea is to use preserves in place of sugar (orange marmalade and apricot jam are two favorites) and a splash of bourbon or rum in place of the vinegar.

DRIED FRUIT & NUT STUFFED PORK TENDERLOIN: PER SERVING: CALORIES 388; FAT 19g (sat. 5g); CHOL 112mg; SODIUM 222mg; CARB 15g; FIBER 2g; ADDED SUGARS 3g; PROTEIN 40g

SPICE-RUBBED TURKEY W. MUSHROOM GRAVY: PER SERVING: CALORIES 386; FAT 16g (sat. 5g); CHOL 157mg; SODIUM 967mg; CARB 8g; FIBER 1g; ADDED SUGARS 0g; PROTEIN 52g

ROASTED SALMON W. BROWN SUGAR-MUSTARD GLAZE: PER SERVING: CALORIES 307; FAT 16g (sat. 4g); CHOL 89mg; SODIUM 169mg; CARB 4g; FIBER 0g; ADDED SUGARS 3g; PROTEIN 34g

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30 real food winter 2020

Vegetable Tarts Rival the roast or dish up an unexpected side with savory tarts

BY ROBIN ASBELL

A

s you plan your holiday feasts, you’ll want to make sure the meatless diners have an enticing main course that rivals the

turkey or ham. Enter the vegetable tart. Simple vegetables take on meaty intensity when roasted, braised or caramelized, and a tender crust cradling the savory, herb-laced vegetable filling is a sure way to please everyone, whether served as a main dish or a side.

To stand out on your holiday table, each of these hand-crafted stunners embraces the seasonal flavors we crave—including a vegan option—and they will harmonize with the other dishes on your menu.

If you are looking for the fastest option, take a look at the Broccoli, Cauliflower and Cheddar Tartlets. Prepared puff pastry and the option of using frozen veggies make these gorgeous little pies easy to pull off. Rest assured to those with pastry-making anxieties—in each of the recipes here, you can swap out the homemade dough with a premade version—we won’t tell anyone! For the Butternut Squash, Rosemary and Fontina Tart you could buy pre-peeled and cubed squash to save time prepping the filling, too. Frozen puff pastry is the base for both the Caramelized Onion and Apple Tart with Gruyère

RED ONION AND BALSAMIC TARTE TATIN (RECIPE PAGE 35)

and the Red Onion and Balsamic Tarte Tatin. For the Roasted Shiitake and Hazelnut Pesto Tart, you can either stir up a simple yeasted dough, or use frozen dough for a tasty tart, so don’t hesitate to make these show-stoppers.

PHOTOGRAPHY TERRY BRENNAN FOOD STYLING LARA MIKLASEVICS

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Butternut Squash, Rosemary and Fontina Tart MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Winter squash is perfect for your holiday meals, and the tender, orange squash looks beautiful wrapped in a flaky crust. A handful of fresh spinach further complements the color with a pop of green, and herbal notes from rosemary help the flavors match the irresistible presentation.

For the Crust 11/2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 11/2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled 1/2 cup ice water, approximately

For the Filling 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash, 1 pound (after processing) 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup white wine 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped 5 ounces fontina cheese, shredded 1 large egg, whisked

1. Make the crust: In a bowl, mix the flour and salt, then use the coarse holes of a grater to grate in the butter, tossing the shreds with the flour with your fingers as you go. Then, while fluffing the mixture with a fork, drizzle in 6 tablespoons ice water and stir until the dough forms a ball. (If need be, add a few teaspoons more water to bring it together.) Don’t over work. After forming the ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours. If using prepared pastry, let it come to room temperature.

2. Line a large, rimless baking sheet with parchment and reserve. Heat the oven to 400°F. 3. In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat for a few seconds, then add the onion and stir. When it starts to sizzle, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir occasionally for about 10 minutes. The onion should be soft and lightly golden.

Increase the heat to medium-high heat again. Add the squash cubes, rosemary and salt and stir until the squash is lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Pour the wine over the vegetables in the pan and cover. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife. Add the spinach to the pan and stir, cooking until the spinach is bright green and wilted and the pan is nearly dry. Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes.

4. Dust the counter lightly with flour and place the dough round on the flour.

Sprinkle the top of the round lightly with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a 14-inch round. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.

5. If using prepared dough, unroll 2 crusts and stack them. Use a rolling pin to roll the stack out to make one 14-inch round, then transfer to the baking sheet.

6. Spread about 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese on the crust, leaving a 2-inch border bare. Spread the vegetable mixture over the cheese, using your spatula to distribute it evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

7. Fold the dough in 2-inch sections over the filling, forming pleats. When a rustic rim is formed, brush with egg.

8. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown on top and the pastry is crisp. Serve hot.

Leftovers keep for 3 days, tightly covered in the refrigerator.

Cook’s Notes: • You can use 2 prepared refrigerated pie crusts if you prefer. Also, look for pre-peeled and cubed squash in the produce section of your store to save a step.

• Sliver a couple thin slices of prosciutto and sprinkle them over the hot tart before serving if you prefer a non-vegetarian option.

32 real food winter 2020

Caramelized Onion and Apple Tart with Gruyère MAKES 6 SERVINGS

The sweet and savory flavor of truly caramelized onions is something you just can’t rush, so make sure to give yourself time to let the process happen. An hour and a half over low heat is needed to work the magic that transforms the humble onion into a star.

Use Granny Smith or another firm, tart apple variety for this so it will be less sweet than the onions and play beautifully with the nutty, tangy Gruyère.

2 pounds yellow onions, slivered 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced 1/2 teaspoon salt flour, for dusting work surface 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed 1 large egg, whisked 4 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded 1. First, caramelize the onions. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions. Stir until the onions are coated with butter and starting to sizzle, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for at least 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. They will be shrunken, soft and golden brown. Add the thyme, apple slices and salt and increase the heat to medium, stirring and turning until the apples are softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely, about 10 minutes.

2. Line a rimless sheet pan with parchment paper and reserve. Heat the oven to 400°F. 3. Lightly dust the counter with flour and place the puff pastry on it. Fold the edges of the pastry over 1/2 inch to form a rim, using a fork for sealing the dough and making a pleat pattern around the edge. Brush the entire pastry surface with egg. Spoon the onion filling over the pastry, and cover with the Gruyère cheese, leaving the rim bare.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is puffed and crisp and the cheese is golden. Cut in 6 even squares and serve immediately.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, ROSEMARY AND FONTINA TART

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BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER TARTLETS WITH CHEDDAR

34 real food winter 2020

Broccoli and Cauliflower Tartlets with Cheddar

Red Onion and Balsamic Tarte Tatin

MAKES 9 SERVINGS

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

Broccoli, cauliflower and cheddar is one of the most delicious—and kid-friendly— combos you will find, and putting them into a puffy, golden brown tartlets makes them a surefire family-pleasing treat. If you want to skip chopping, you have the option to use frozen vegetables. Puff pastry makes this very easy; you can even make the vegetable filling a day ahead of time and assemble them on the big day. If you aren’t cooking for vegetarians, you can chop a slice of ham to add to the filling.

If you are looking for a dramatic flourish, bake this burnished golden tarte Tatin and unmold it just before serving. You’ll need a 10-inch cast iron skillet with a lid (or foil) to cover it in the oven as well as a platter that will hold a 10-inch tart when you flip it out of the pan. Most of the work here is done by the oven, which transforms a pile of slivered red onions into a sweet and tangy topping for the buttery pastry.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 cup chopped broccoli, fresh or frozen and thawed 1 cup chopped cauliflower, fresh or frozen and thawed 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese flour, for dusting work surface 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed 1 large egg, whisked with 1 tablespoon water 1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and reserve.

Gather a pastry brush, a cup for the egg wash and a fork for sealing the tartlets.

2. In a large sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat for a second, then add the onion. Stir until it starts to sizzle, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir occasionally for about 5 minutes. Add the raw broccoli and cauliflower, thyme, salt, and pepper and stir, then cover the pan for 5 minutes. (If using frozen broccoli and cauliflower, pat dry and stir into the onions, then remove from heat.)

3. Uncover the pan and test for doneness by piercing a piece with a paring knife.

The veggies should be tender; if not, stir and cook a few minutes longer.

4. When tender, scrape the veggies into a bowl to cool. When cooled to room temperature, about 10 minutes, stir in the cheddar cheese. Reserve. (You can prepare the recipe up to this point and refrigerate, tightly covered, for up to 2 days.)

5. To make the tartlets, lightly flour a counter and place the puff pastry on the flour.

Lightly dust the top with flour and use a rolling pin to form it into a 12-inch square.

6. Cut the dough into 9 pieces by dividing in three even slices and then slicing those into three even squares.

7. Brush the egg wash over the puff pastry squares, then place a rounded tablespoon of filling into the center of each square.

8. Fold each square over the filling, corner to corner, to make a triangle. Use a fork to seal the border of each tartlets, and poke a hole in the top of each one. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, with an inch between the tartlets. Brush the tops with remaining egg wash.

9. Bake for 20 minutes, until puffed and golden. Serve hot.

Cook’s Note: The tartlets are delicious on their own, but you can offer a dipping sauce for a splash of color and flavor. Dips can be served at room temperature.

Basil Aioli: Combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons prepared pesto and 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a small bowl and stir until mixed. Serve as a dip.

Honey Mustard: Stir together 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup Dijon mustard.

Red Pepper Dip: In a food processor, place 2 jarred roasted red peppers (drained and patted dry) 2 tablespoons pine nuts or almonds, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and purée. Add 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and purée, stopping and scraping the sides as needed until smooth.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 11/2 pounds (about 2 large) red onions, slivered 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, plus sprigs for garnish 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon light brown sugar flour, for dusting work surface 1 sheet puff pastry 2 ounces chèvre cheese, crumbled 1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet over low heat and add the butter. Add the slivered onions and salt and stir to coat. Cover the pan with foil or an oven safe lid, place in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes.

2. Place the pan back on the burner and uncover, then add the thyme, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Turn the burner on to medium-low and bring the mixture to a boil as you stir gently to mix. The liquid will boil off quickly—as soon as it is almost dry, take the pan off the heat.

3. On a lightly floured counter, roll out the puff pastry to an 11-inch square, and use a fork to prick it several times, all over the square. Lay the square over the onions in the pan and use a spatula to tuck the edges down along the rim of the pan.

4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and puffed. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for about 1 minute before using oven gloves to cover the pan with a large plate and, holding tightly, flipping the pan and plate so the tart is inverted onto the plate. Lift off the pan and use a spatula to remove any remaining onion slivers and place them on the tarte. Sprinkle crumbled chevre over the tarte and serve hot.

winter 2020 real food 35

Roasted Shiitake and Hazelnut Pesto Tart MAKES 6 SERVINGS

This flavorful tart is designed as a vegan option, but if you want to add a little Parmesan cheese, you can. Hazelnuts give the tart a deep flavor, but if you don’t want to toast and skin the nuts, you can use walnuts.

For the Crust 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour 2 teaspoons yeast 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup warm water 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil For the Pesto 1/4 cup whole hazelnuts or walnut pieces, plus 2 tablespoons 1/2 cup fresh parsley 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil For the Vegetables 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1 large yellow onion, chopped 1/2 large red bell pepper, sliced thinly and cut in ½-inch pieces 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan (optional)

NUTRITION

1. If using frozen rolls, thaw 10 1-ounce rolls or 5 2-ounce (Texas) rolls, or a loaf of whole-wheat dough, of which you’ll use half.

2. To make the crust, place the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to mix. In a cup, stir the water and olive oil, then pour into the flour mixture. Stir until mixed, kneading gently with your hand to make a slightly sticky, soft dough. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let rise for 1 hour while you prep the rest of the tart ingredients.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, ROSEMARY & FONTINA TART: PER SERVING: CALORIES 384; FAT 27g (sat. 15g); CHOL 90mg; SODIUM 531mg; CARB 28g; FIBER 3g; ADDED SUGARS 0g; PROTEIN 9g

36 real food winter 2020

CARAMELIZED ONION & APPLE TART W. GRUYÈRE: PER SERVING: CALORIES 442; FAT 27g (sat. 10g); CHOL 62mg; SODIUM 451mg; CARB 41g; FIBER 4g; ADDED SUGARS 0g; PROTEIN 12g

3. For the pesto: To skin hazelnuts, heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the nuts on a sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes. Take out the hazelnuts and place in the center of a kitchen towel, then rub with your palms to remove the skins. Transfer the skinned nuts to a small bowl and discard the skins. (If using walnuts, leave untoasted.)

4. In a food processor, place 1/4 cup of the hazelnuts or walnuts in the bowl and add the parsley and salt. Cover and process to purée. Scrape down and repeat until smooth. Add the olive oil and process to make a spreadable paste. Transfer to a small bowl. Then, coarsely chop the remaining nuts and reserve for topping the tart.

5. Heat the oven to 400°F. In a 9x13-inch baking pan, place the shiitakes, onion, red bell pepper, sage and salt. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to mix. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10 minutes longer. The vegetables should be very tender.

6. To assemble the tart, lightly flour the counter and place the dough on it. If you are using frozen dough, press the roll dough into a ball and flatten, or cut the loaf dough in half and form a ball with half of it. (Use the remainder for another meal.) Line a sheet pan, preferably rimless, with parchment paper.

7. Lightly flour the round of dough and roll out to a 12- to 13-inch round, then transfer to the prepared sheet pan.

8. Spread the pesto over the dough, leaving 1 inch bare around the edge. Cover the pesto with the roasted vegetables, then sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts or walnuts. Fold the rim of the dough over the filling in 1-inch side sections. If desired, sprinkle with shredded Parmesan.

9. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the dough is golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool briefly before cutting. Leftovers keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Cook’s Note: It’s easy to stir up the homemade dough, but to make this a little easier, you can buy a 10-ounce bag of frozen whole-wheat bread dough or frozen dinner roll dough and use them to make the crust. 

BROCCOLI & CAULIFLOWER TARTLETS W. CHEDDAR: PER SERVING: CALORIES 213; FAT 15g (sat. 4g); CHOL 27mg; SODIUM 255mg; CARB 16g; FIBER 1g; ADDED SUGARS 0g; PROTEIN 5g

RED ONION & BALSAMIC TARTE TATIN: PER SERVING: CALORIES 290; FAT 19g (sat. 6g); CHOL 12mg; SODIUM 299mg; CARB 26g; FIBER 2g; ADDED SUGARS 1g; PROTEIN 5g

ROASTED SHIITAKE & HAZELNUT PESTO TART: PER SERVING: CALORIES 277; FAT 19g (sat. 2g); CHOL 0mg; SODIUM 599mg; CARB 23g; FIBER 4g; ADDED SUGARS 0g; PROTEIN 6g

ROASTED SHIITAKE AND HAZELNUT PESTO TART

winter 2020 real food 37

Round the World

Comforting and popular meatballs are so well loved that each country has its own specialties

JAPANESE TSUKUNE CHICKEN MEATBALLS

38 real food winter 2020

Japanese Tsukune Chicken Meatballs MAKES 24 MEATBALLS | RECIPE BY CATHY SEWARD

Tsukune are sticky glazed chicken meatballs cooked on wooden skewers over a special charcoal grill in Japanese Yakitori restaurants. They are usually served with a Yakitori sauce.

I

t’s hard to beat the appeal of meatballs.

These creative blends of meat, herbs

and spices roll together to make perfectly

textured bites that burst with flavor. The addition of breadcrumbs, minced onion, garlic, egg, cheese and many other components can also make meat go a long way. Whether you are looking for snacks to serve at a get-together or a comforting family meal, you can bring a world of flavor to the table with these recipes from “101 Meatballs and Other Deliciously Spherical Recipes for Meat, Fish and Vegetables” published by Ryland Peters & Small. Try the ever-popular taste of Buffalo chicken wings in a meatball.

Swedish meatballs are a time-honored favorite with a rich gravy and mashed potatoes. Spicy Spanish meatballs mix it up with a savory tomato sauce. Greek PHOTOS, PAGE 38 & 40 STEVE PAINTER © RYLAND PETERS & SMALL 2016

lamb meatballs pair perfectly with fava on a mezze platter, and Japanese glazed chicken meatballs take a dip in a delicious Yakitori sauce. —Mary Subialka

RECIPES AND PHOTOS FROM “101 MEATBALLS AND OTHER DELICIOUSLY SPHERICAL RECIPES FOR MEAT, FISH AND VEGETABLES” © 2016 REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF RYLAND PETERS & SMALL.

For the Yakitori Sauce ½ cup mirin ½ cup soy sauce 3 tablespoons sake 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 2 garlic cloves, crushed 3 scallions, finely chopped 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated 10 black peppercorns For the Meatballs 12⁄3 pounds chicken thigh meat 2⁄3 cup panko breadcrumbs 2 scallions, finely chopped 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper

1. Soak 8 wooden skewers in water 30 minutes before cooking meatballs.

2. For the Yakitori sauce, put all the ingredients in a medium saucepan.

Stir well, bring to the boil over a high heat, reduce the heat to a simmer then cook for approximately 40 to 45 minutes or until the mixture is thick and syrupy, stirring occasionally. Strain then store in the fridge until required. The sauce will become thicker when cold.

3. For the meatballs, chop the chicken meat very finely or process in a food processor until fairly smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Add all the remaining meatball ingredients and stir in one direction until everything is very well combined, smooth in texture and pale in color. The mixture should be very thoroughly mixed to prevent the meatballs from falling apart during cooking.

4. With damp hands, shape the mixture into 24 balls about 2 inches in diameter. Arrange the balls on a plate or baking sheet lined with baking parchment, cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

5. Thread three balls onto each of the wooden skewers and arrange on a lightly oiled baking sheet which can fit under the grill/broiler.

6. Heat the grill/broiler to medium. Grill/broil the balls for 6 to 8 minutes until well browned, then carefully rotate the skewers and cook on the second side for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the skewers again several times, cooking for a few minutes each time until the balls are fully and evenly cooked. Brush the Yakitori sauce over the meatballs and cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Repeat several times until all the balls are glossy and sticky. Transfer the skewers to a serving plate, brush with extra sauce and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve with any remaining sauce.

winter 2020 real food 39

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs MAKES 16 MEATBALLS | RECIPE BY CATHY SEWARD

These are a very popular snack at parties or sporting events. Quick and easy to make, they are oven baked and then added to a delicious hot sauce and served alongside a cooling blue cheese dip.

For the Meatballs 1 pound 2 ounces. chicken breast fillets 1 small onion, minced 2 garlic cloves, crushed a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped salt and freshly ground black pepper a little olive oil, for drizzling For the Buffalo Sauce 2 tablespoons butter 2⁄3 cup Frank’s Hot Sauce or other hot sauce For the Blue Cheese Dip 2⁄3 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sour cream 2⁄3 cup blue cheese, crumbled 1 small celery stick, finely chopped freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley celery sticks, for serving carrot sticks, for serving

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease 2 baking sheets and set aside.

2. Chop the chicken breast fillets very finely or blend in a food processor for a few seconds.

3. Put all the meatball ingredients together in a large bowl and mix together until well combined. The mixture will be quite sticky. With damp hands, shape the mixture into 16 small balls.

Arrange the balls on the baking sheets. Spray or drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, turning them once during cooking time to brown the balls evenly.

4. While the balls are baking, make the buffalo sauce by melting the butter in a large frying pan. Stir in the Frank’s Hot Sauce or other hot sauce, mixing well to combine. Heat the sauce thoroughly.

5. Spoon the baked meatballs into the sauce, turning them over several times to coat evenly with the mixture. Transfer the meatballs to a serving platter. Pour any remaining hot sauce into a serving bowl.

6. To make the blue cheese dip, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese and celery (reserving a little for garnish) until well blended and creamy. Spoon into a serving bowl and garnish with the remaining celery and a little chopped parsley.

7. Serve the meatballs with the buffalo sauce, blue cheese dip, celery and carrot sticks.

40 real food winter 2020

BUFFALO CHICKEN MEATBALLS

winter 2020 real food 41

GREEK LAMB BALLS WITH FAVA

Greek Lamb Balls with Fava MAKES 32 MEATBALLS | RECIPE BY TORI HASCHKA

GREEK ISOBEL WIELD © RYLAND PETERS & SMALL 2016 SWEDIISH PETER CASSIDY © RYLAND PETERS & SMALL 2016

Fava is an unsung hero of the mezze platter. Scented with garlic and bay, it pairs extremely well with lamb meatballs and grilled/broiled meat. It’s comforting and delicious both cold and warm. Another thing we can thank the Greeks for (along with democracy, that is). Serve alongside pita bread and a fresh tomato and red onion salad.

For the Fava 1 cup dried yellow split peas, rinsed 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons dry white wine 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 tomatoes, finely diced 1 tablespoon capers, fried for 30 seconds in 1 tablespoon olive oil freshly ground black pepper For the Lamb Meatballs 11⁄4 pounds ground lamb 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons oregano, chopped 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper sea salt toasted pita bread, for serving tomato and red onion salad, for serving

1. For the fava, put the split peas in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and skim off any scum that appears.

Add the bay leaf and simmer for 40 minutes. Add the salt and simmer for 20 more minutes until the split peas are soft. Drain off any excess liquid and remove the bay leaf.

2. Add the white wine, garlic and olive oil and blend with a hand-held blender until smooth. Allow to cool. Season with dried oregano, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper. Top with finely diced tomatoes, fried capers and a drizzle of olive oil and serve alongside the meatballs.

3. For the meatballs, heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

4. In a large bowl, combine the lamb with the rest of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

Using damp hands, mix well and shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.

5. Serve with the fava, toasted pita bread and a wellseasoned tomato and onion salad.

42 real food winter 2020

• Keep in mind that meat with higher fat content, such as beef or pork will probably be softer in texture than a lean ground chicken meatball.

• You can fix an overly wet mixture by adding a little flour or breadcrumbs and an overly dry mixture by adding milk, oil or an egg.

• When forming meatballs, always use damp or lightly oiled hands with a sticky mixture to avoid wasting by washing it off.

• Avoid packing the meatballs too tightly or overmixing the meat, which can cause tough meatballs. Roll/pack them firmly but gently.

MEATBALL TIPS

Swedish Meatballs MAKES 6 SERVINGS | RECIPE BY BRÖNTE AURELL

There are as many recipes for meatballs in Scandinavia as there are cooks, though the Swedish version is arguably the most famous.

The classic accompaniment of a rich gravy, creamy mash and tangy lingonberries is sublime.

1⁄3 cup porridge/old-fashioned oats or breadcrumbs 2⁄3 cup beef or chicken stock 14 ounces ground beef 9 ounces ground pork (minimum 10% fat) 1 egg 2½ tablespoons all-purpose flour a pinch of salt 1 teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground black pepper ½ teaspoon ground white pepper a dash of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce 1 small onion, minced butter and oil, for frying mashed potato, to serve

For the Lingonberries 9 ounces frozen lingonberries (See Editor’s Note) ½ cup granulated sugar For the Cream Gravy meat stock 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour a good glug of light cream salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. If using oats, soak them in the beef or chicken stock for 5 minutes. Mix the ground meat with a good pinch of salt for a couple of minutes in a food processor to blend thoroughly. In another bowl, mix the eggs, flour, spices and Worcestershire or soy sauce with the soaked oats or breadcrumbs and minced onion, then add this to the meat mixture. Leave this to rest for 20 to 25 minutes before using.

2. Make a test meatball. Heat a pat of butter or oil in a skillet and, using damp hands, shape one small meatball and fry until cooked. Taste and adjust the seasoning if desired. Then, continue to shape the mixture, using damp hands, into meatballs around 1 inch in diameter, or larger if desired.

3. Melt a pat of butter in a skillet with a dash of oil and carefully add a few meatballs—make sure there is plenty of room to turn them so they get a uniform round shape and don’t stick. Cook in batches for around 5 minutes at a time.

Keep in a warm oven until needed.

4. When your meatballs are done, keep the pan on a medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon flour to the fat in the pan (adding more butter if needed) and whisk, then add a splash of stock and whisk again as you bring to the boil. Keep adding stock until you have a creamy gravy, then add a good dollop of single/light cream and season with salt and pepper.

5. For the lingonberries, add the granulated sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves and the berries have defrosted. Serve with the meatballs, mashed potatoes and gravy. Store SWEDISH leftover lingonberries in the fridge.

MEATBALLS

Editor’s Note: If lingonberries are not available, substitute cranberries or red currants.

winter 2020 real food 43

SPICY SPANISH MEATBALLS

44 real food winter 2020

Spicy Spanish Meatballs MAKES 6 SERVINGS | RECIPE BY JORDAN BOURKE

Moist and packed full of aromatic Moorish spices, these Spanish meatballs are deeply satisfying. This is a perfect dish for sharing among friends and family, served with crusty bread.

For the Tomato Sauce 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 red onions, halved and sliced 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika scant ½ cup red wine 2 (14-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes 2 dried bay leaves 6 sprigs fresh marjoram or oregano 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1. To make the meatballs, put the cumin and coriander seeds and clove in a dry skillet and toast for 1 to 2 minutes until you can smell the aromas wafting up. Pound to a powder using a pestle and mortar.

2. Put the beef, veal, toasted spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, garlic, dates, chile and eggs in a food processor, season with a good pinch of salt and pepper and process until smooth. Transfer to a

NUTRITION

SPANISH KATE WHITAKER © RYLAND PETERS & SMALL 2016

extra-virgin olive oil sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley bread or quinoa, to serve

For the Meatballs 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 2 teaspoons coriander seeds 1 clove 9 ounces ground beef 7 ounces ground veal 2 teaspoons grated nutmeg 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 4 garlic cloves, crushed 6 Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped 1 red chile, deseeded and finely chopped 2 eggs, lightly beaten

JAPANESE TSUKUNE CHICKEN MEATBALLS: PER SERVING: CALORIES 197; FAT 6g (sat. 2g); CHOL 114mg; SODIUM 1262mg; CARB 11g; FIBER 1g; ADDED SUGARS 3g; PROTEIN 23g

BUFFALO CHICKEN MEATBALLS: PER SERVING: CALORIES 154; FAT 13g (sat. 4g); CHOL 33mg; SODIUM 364mg; CARB 1g; FIBER 0g; ADDED SUGARS 0g; PROTEIN 9g

bowl, cover and allow to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Using damp hands, shape the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs, separate them and refrigerate again.

3. Meanwhile, to make the tomato sauce, toast and grind the cumin seeds as above. In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent.

If they are beginning to color, turn down the heat a little and stir. Add the garlic, a good pinch of salt and pepper, toasted cumin, cinnamon and paprika and cook for a few minutes to release all the flavors, but do not allow the garlic to burn. Add the wine, turn the heat up to high and boil for 1 to 2 minutes until the wine has almost entirely evaporated. Add the chopped tomatoes and bay leaves, turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Finally, add the marjoram or oregano and maple syrup. Season to taste. Some canned tomatoes can be quite bitter, in which case you can add 1 to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to achieve a well-rounded taste.

5. Remove the meatballs from the fridge and add to the sauce.

Simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until they are cooked through. If the sauce reduces down too much, you can add a little water. Sprinkle the parsley over, then serve with bread to mop up all the juices, or on a bed of quinoa. 

MEATBALL FUN FACT

A world-record meatball, weighing in at 1,707 pounds, 8 ounces was created and cooked by the Italian-American Club of Hilton Head Island in Nov. 2017, surpassing the previous 2011 record of 1,110 pounds, 8 ounces, achieved by the Columbus Italian Club in Ohio. Within an hour after the weigh-in, volunteers divided the meatball into roughly two-pound portions for distribution to local food banks and nonprofit organizations.

GREEK LAMB BALLS WITH FAVA: PER SERVING: CALORIES 318; FAT 19g (sat. 6g); CHOL 68mg; SODIUM 681mg; CARB 18g; FIBER 8g; ADDED SUGARS 0g; PROTEIN 18g

SWEDISH MEATBALLS: PER SERVING: CALORIES 449; FAT 26g (sat. 10g); CHOL 117mg; SODIUM 394mg; CARB 32g; FIBER 3g; ADDED SUGARS 17g; PROTEIN 23g

SPICY SPANISH MEATBALLS: PER SERVING: CALORIES 245; FAT 9g (sat. 3g); CHOL 112mg; SODIUM 220mg; CARB 25g; FIBER 5g; ADDED SUGARS 6g; PROTEIN 18g

winter 2020 real food 45

merry little cookies

These bite-sized homemade cookies are perfect for the buffet table or to give as gifts

MULLED WINE TARTLETS

46 real food winter 2020

Mulled Wine Tartlets MAKES ABOUT 12 COOKIES

M

aking cookies for the holidays is a beloved family tradition, one that

usually consists of pulling out an old recipe

box to re-create familiar tastes and yearly favorites that we love to experience over and over again. This winter, consider adding a few new sweet treats to the mix from “Let It Snow: 24 Recipes for Festive Sweet Treats” by Agnes Prus. These cookies are beautiful to look at and even better to eat, and the book includes one recipe for every day of December before Christmas Day. To add a bit of greenery to your cookie tin, try the delicate-looking Matcha and Coconut Trees. For some chocolaty goodness, whip up the Chocolate and Pecan Snowballs.

And, to complement the mulled wine recipe on page 56, try the layered Mulled Wine Tartlets. Regardless of what recipe catches your eye, chances are you’ll want to add it to your cookie lineup for holidays to come.

As Prus writes in her introduction, the recipes will help you create a genuine

ILLUSTRATIONS ELENAMEDVEDEVA - ADOBE STOCK

winter wonderland in your very own home.

Happy baking! —Katie Ballalatak

RECIPES AND PHOTOS FROM “LET IT SNOW" BY AGNES PRUS © 2019 REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF HARDIE GRANT BOOKS, AN IMPRINT OF HARDIE GRANT PUBLISHING. PHOTOS

BY FRAUKE ANTHOLZ.

For Decorating For the Jam confectioners’ sugar, ½ cup red wine for dusting 2 strips of orange peel 2 cloves Extra Equipment 1 cinnamon stick star-shaped cookie 1 piece star anise cutters, in three sizes ¼ vanilla bean ½ cup grape juice 1/3 cup preserving sugar or granulated sugar mixed with 1½ teaspoons pectin For the Dough 7 ounces (14 tablespoons) butter 2⁄3 cup raw cane sugar seeds of 1 vanilla bean (See Editor’s Note) pinch of salt 1 egg scant 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for floured surface 1 cup blanched ground almonds 1. For the jam, put the red wine with the orange peel, spices, scraped out vanilla bean and vanilla seeds into a saucepan.

Bring to a boil on a medium heat. Immediately remove from the stove, cover and steep for at least 2 hours. Strain the wine mixture through a sieve and pour back into the pan. Mix in the juice and the preserving sugar. Bring to a boil and then a fast boil for 3 minutes. Pour into a sterilized jar and allow to set.

2. For the dough, cream the butter with the sugar, vanilla seeds and salt. Add the egg and beat in well. Add the flour and almonds, and work everything into a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave in a cool place for 1 hour.

3. Heat oven to 350°F. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/8 inch on a floured work surface and press out stars in three sizes. Place on baking sheets lined with baking parchment and bake for 10 to 12 minutes (you might need to take the small ones out of the oven earlier). Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

4. Heat the jam in a saucepan and stir until smooth. Spread the jam on the large and medium-sized stars before stacking them together with the small ones on top. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and add a final dab of jam. Store in a tin.

Editor’s Note: If you don’t have vanilla bean, you can use vanilla extract—figure a 2-inch vanilla bean portion equals 1 teaspoon extract, so 1 typical vanilla bean will equal 3 teaspoons extract.

winter 2020 real food 47

MATCHA AND COCONUT TREES

48 real food winter 2020

Matcha and Coconut Trees MAKES ABOUT 35 COOKIES

For the Dough 1 cup dried shredded coconut ½ cup confectioners’ sugar 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for floured surface 2 teaspoons matcha powder 4 ounces (1 stick) cold butter, diced 1 egg yolk grated zest and 1 teaspoon juice of 1 lime pinch of salt For the Icing generous ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar about 3 tablespoons milk For Decorating ground dried shredded coconut Extra Equipment tree-shaped cookie cutter

1. For the dough, very finely grind the dried shredded coconut with the confectioners’ sugar in a coffee grinder or a food processor.

Thoroughly mix the flour with the matcha powder and add to the coconut mixture.

Add the remaining ingredients and quickly knead everything into a smooth dough.

Wrap in plastic wrap and leave in a cool place for at least 30 minutes.

2. Heat the oven to 320°F. Roll out the dough on a floured work surface to a thickness of about ¼ inch and, using the treeshaped cutter, press out the trees. Place on baking sheets lined with baking parchment and bake for about 15 minutes. To make sure they stay nice and green, the trees should hardly be browned. Take out of the oven and allow to cool.

3. For the icing, pour the confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl and stir with the milk until smooth, if necessary adding milk drop by drop until the desired consistency is achieved. Decorate the cookies with it sparingly and sprinkle with dried shredded coconut. Leave until completely dry and store in a tin.

Chocolate and Pecan Snowballs MAKES ABOUT 60 COOKIES

scant 12⁄3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon gingerbread spice mix large pinch of baking soda pinch of salt 9 ounces dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped 3 ounces butter, diced 2 eggs ½ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon corn syrup ½ teaspoon vanilla extract scant ½ cup espresso ¾ cup pecan kernels, finely chopped For Decorating generous ½ cup sugar generous ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar

1. Mix the flour in a bowl with the baking powder, gingerbread spice, baking soda and salt, and set aside.

2. Melt the chocolate with the butter over a hot water bath/double boiler (See Editor’s Note).

3. Put the eggs and the brown sugar in a bowl and beat until the sugar has dissolved. Mix in the melted chocolate mixture and the corn syrup.

Add the vanilla extract and espresso and mix in. Add the flour mixture and nuts and briefly blend everything to form a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave in the fridge to set, for about 3 hours.

4. Heat the oven to 350°F. Pour the sugar and confectioners’ sugar separately into two deep dishes.

5. Press out small portions of dough with a teaspoon and shape into balls.

Roll first in the sugar and then in the icing sugar. For a really snowy look, leave the balls in a cool place for 15 minutes then roll in the icing sugar again. Place on baking sheets lined with baking parchment and bake for about 12 minutes. Take the snowballs out of the oven, allow to fully cool and store in tins.

Editor’s Note: Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a large, heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and heat, stirring, until melted. Remove saucepan from heat, keeping bowl over water.

Cook’s Note: The matcha powder can be replaced with barley grass powder.

winter 2020 real food 49

Cherry and Poppy Seed Hats

Walnut Dreams

MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES

MAKES ABOUT 40 COOKIES

1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for floured surface scant ½ cup confectioners’ sugar ¼ cup poppy seeds ¼ cup cornstarch 4 ounces (1 stick) cold butter, diced 1 egg yolk ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest pinch of salt 5 ounces black cherry jam or amarena cherries (about 30 cherries) 1 egg yolk, for brushing about 1 ounce white chocolate, for decorating

1. In a bowl, mix together the flour, confectioners’ sugar, poppy seeds and cornstarch. Add the butter, egg yolk, grated lemon zest and salt, and work everything into a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave in a cool place for 1 hour.

2. Heat the oven to 340°F. If using amarena cherries, pour the syrup off the cherries, drain them and roll them over paper towels until dry. Roll out the dough on a floured work surface and cut into strips about 2 inches wide. Cut them into equilateral triangles with 3-inch sides. Put a scant teaspoon of the cherry jam or one cherry on each dough triangle and gently press the tips together over the jam.

(The triangles should not be too big to avoid the tips slipping during baking.) Place the hats on baking sheets lined with baking parchment.

3. Whisk the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water. Brush the hats with it and bake for about 12 minutes. Take out of the oven and leave to fully cool on a cooling rack.

4. Coarsely chop the chocolate and melt it over a hot water bath/double boiler. Put a dab on the tip of each hat and allow to set. Leave the hats until completely dry and store in a tin.

For the Dough 11⁄3 cups walnut kernels 6 ounces butter generous ½ cup raw cane sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 egg 1 egg yolk scant 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for floured surface ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon large pinch of baking powder large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg pinch of salt 3 ounces dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), finely chopped 1 tablespoon honey large pinch of aniseed

50 real food winter 2020

For the Coating 4 tablespoon brown sugar 2 tablespoon honey ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon For Decorating 5 ounces (about 2/3 cup) white chocolate, chopped about 40 walnut halves

1. Heat the oven to 320°F. For the dough, spread the walnuts out on a baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes in the oven. Take out and allow to cool. Finely grind 1 cup of the nuts in a food processor and finely chop the remainder.

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla extract together. Add the egg and egg yolk and continue to beat for 2 minutes.

Mix together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, salt and ground walnuts and add to the dough. Thoroughly mix in and allow to rest in the fridge for 1 hour.

2. Take 3½ ounces (about 1/7) of the dough and knead with the chocolate, honey, aniseed and chopped walnuts.

Press out about 40 small portions, make balls out of them and leave in a cool place. Roll out the remaining dough on a floured work surface and press out circles of about 1½ inches. Put a ball on each one and push it into the lightcolored dough. Place on baking sheets lined with baking parchment and bake for about 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

3. For the coating, caramelize the sugar and honey in a small saucepan on a medium heat. Mix in the cinnamon.

Add the nuts and cover them with the caramel. Spread out on baking parchment and allow to cool.

4. Melt the chocolate over a hot water bath/double boiler Coat the cookies with it, put half a nut on each one and leave the chocolate to dry before storing in a tin. 

NUTRITION

WALNUT DREAMS

MULLED WINE TARTLETS: PER SERVING: CALORIES 342; FAT 18g (sat. 9g); CHOL 51mg; SODIUM 130mg; CARB 41g; FIBER 2g; ADDED SUGARS 17g; PROTEIN 5g

MATCHA & COCONUT TREES: PER SERVING: CALORIES 81; FAT 5g (sat. 4g); CHOL 12mg; SODIUM 28mg; CARB 9g; FIBER 1g; ADDED SUGARS 5g; PROTEIN 1g

CHOCOLATE & PECAN SNOWBALLS: PER SERVING: CALORIES 77; FAT 4g (sat. 2g); CHOL 10mg; SODIUM 26mg; CARB 10g; FIBER 1g; ADDED SUGARS 6g; PROTEIN 1g

CHERRY & POPPY SEED HATS: PER SERVING: CALORIES 85; FAT 4g (sat. 2g); CHOL 19mg; SODIUM 4mg; CARB 11g; FIBER 1g; ADDED SUGARS 5g; PROTEIN 1g

WALNUT DREAMS: PER SERVING: CALORIES 147; FAT 9g (sat. 4g); CHOL 19mg; SODIUM 39mg; CARB 15g; FIBER 1g; ADDED SUGARS 7g; PROTEIN 2g

winter 2020 real food 51

On The Rise Marcus Samuelsson writes Black cooks back into American history

BY TARA Q. THOMAS

52 real food winter 2020

I

n February 2020 Marcus Samuelsson was riding high. He was opening Red Rooster Overtown in Miami, the 13th restaurant in a portfolio that spans from New York City to Bermuda, Montreal, Sweden and farther afield. He had recently launched his second season of “No Passport Required,” his PBS show that explores the multicultural foodways of the U.S., and was in his 23rd season as a judge on the Food Network show “Chopped.” He had also just about wrapped up his eighth cookbook, “The Rise,” which highlights the contributions of Black Americans to American cooking. Then came COVID-19.

To anyone outside of New York City, it might be difficult to imagine just how hard the pandemic hit the city. It wasn’t just the fear of the unknown or the weirdness of the silent streets. It was how the air filled with the sound of sirens wailing, the low rumble of refrigerated morgue trucks underlining their urgency. It was how the streets became quieter while the sidewalks got busier, lined with people waiting for meals at food banks, and the distance between reading the news and living it got shorter.

The virus’s toll was especially high in Harlem, where Samuelsson lives. People were contracting the virus and dying of it faster than anywhere else in Manhattan. The number of people out of work and standing in food lines also ballooned. Samuelsson, who had to abandon the Miami opening and shutter his restaurants, partnered with José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen to transform his flagship Red Rooster Harlem into a community kitchen. He also galvanized the restaurants that had signed up to be part of Harlem Eat Up!, an annual food festival, to do the same.

When I catch him on the phone one September morning, with more than 100,000 free meals served behind him and still no hopes of in-person dining anytime soon, I expect to hear someone exhausted and exasperated by the pandemic, but he sounds preternaturally relaxed, even cheerful. Zion, his four-year-old is shrieking with delight in the background, playing with his mom, Maya Haile—and to top everything off, schools still aren’t in session. But Samuelsson is focusing on the bright side. “Our block has done some amazing stuff, with kids and parents coming up with all sorts of solutions— drum classes, drawing on the street. It’s been a positive out of a really negative time,” he says.

While the pandemic has canceled any chance of an in-person book tour, he views the timing of “The Rise” as another positive.

“We started this journey four years ago, when I walked into my publisher and said ‘hey, we have to figure out how to broadcast what African American chefs and writers have done for the American food scene,’” he recalls. “Back then, food equity was not the hottest topic.

But if there’s ever been a moment to look at what we are doing, it’s now.

COVID impacts people of color, it impacts poor people, it impacts Americans with less access to health care in a completely different way [than it does people of means].” Those people, of course, happen to make up the bulk of our essential workforce—the ones keeping the hospitals running, the transit systems moving, the Amazon trucks

delivering, and the farms, restaurants, cafés and grocery stores feeding America. “If we’re going to come out of this, we have to engage with one another as human beings better,” Samuelsson says.

For Samuelsson, food is a powerful way to engage, and his hope is that “The Rise” will foster connections by giving voice to people and histories that many of us didn’t know. To cast as wide a net as possible across generations, geography and Black American experiences, he engaged Osayi Endolyn, a young writer focused on food and race, to profile 27 Black Americans working in the food world today. Between these essays, he sprinkles in his own stories, vignettes of people he has worked with and learned from throughout his career. Every one of the profiles is accompanied by a recipe, created with the help of Yewande Komolafe, a Lagos-born, New York-based recipe developer, honoring each person’s personal histories in vivid flavors.

The result is a cookbook that’s as fascinating to read as it is to cook out of. It’s likely that you have already heard of some of the featured individuals, like Leah Chase, who fed luminaries ranging from Duke Ellington to Thurgood Marshall and George W. Bush at Dookey Chase’s in New Orleans for the better part of her 96 years; or Toni Tipton-Martin, the first Black American woman to run the food section of a major newspaper, who is now the editor-in-chief of Cook’s Country. Maybe you watched Eric Adjepong on “Top Chef,” or read about Kwame Onwuachi, who won the 2019 James Beard Rising Star Chef award at D.C.’s acclaimed Kith & Kin. Others you may have never heard of—and you may wonder why— such as Eric Gestel, who has been an essential part of New York City’s most vaunted seafood restaurant, Le Bernardin, since 1996.

A native of Martinique, Gestel moved to a small town just outside of Paris, France, at age 12 and by 14, he was apprenticing to be a chef.

It was while he was working at Joël Robuchon in Paris that he met Eric Ripert, who would go on to become the face of Le Bernardin, cementing its reputation as one of the world’s greats with three Michelin stars and a four-star review in the New York Times. Gestel has been part of that process since Ripert’s early days in the kitchen, and became executive chef in 2015.

winter 2020 real food 53

MARCUS SAMUELSSON WITH HIS WIFE, MAYA HAILE, AND SON ZION.

“Recipes are rituals.

They’re more than an ingredient list and a series of steps.

They’re personal meditations, small celebrations. They connect us to loved ones we remember well and those we wish we had known.”

—Marcus Samuelsson

RECIPE AND PHOTOS FROM “THE RISE” BY MARCUS SAMUELSSON WITH OSAYI ENDOLYN; RECIPES WITH YEWANDE KOMOLAFE AND TAMIE COOK ©2020 REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF VORACIOUS/LITTLE BROWN. PHOTOGRAPHS BY ANGIE MOSIER.

54 real food winter 2020

There’s Chris Williams, who has been drawing people to Houston’s Museum District with his take on Southern food at Lucille’s since 2012. He points to his great-grandmother, Lucille Bishop Smith, as a primary influence. She launched one of the country’s first college-level commercial cooking programs at Prairie View A&M University in 1937. She went on to establish a thriving business based on her hot-roll mix—the first commercial biscuit mix—and became the first African American woman on the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.

Samuelsson’s hope is that these profiles will inspire people to wonder why we haven’t heard about these people, or about some of the ingredients used in the recipes. Why isn’t berebere spice on the shelf along with the curry?

Why don’t we ever see ayib, an Ethiopian fresh cheese that’s as easy to make at home as fresh ricotta or labneh? (You may want to change that up when you taste his sweet and spicy roasted carrots with creamy ayib, or the sweet potato–ayib ravioli in berebere brown butter.) Why is it that we have gone to great lengths to create gluten-free pancakes instead of turning to injera, an Ethiopian flatbread made with teff, a naturally gluten-free grain?

In “The Rise,” he uses it as a vehicle for a silken salmon salad, showing how easy it can stand in for pita, tortillas or savory pancakes.

“Food is highly political,” he points out.

“The food that the Europeans wanted they reclaimed as theirs, so the cocoa beans from Ghana became Belgian chocolate, coffee beans from Ethiopia and Kenya became French roast or Italian espresso.” Other foods have become so ingrained in American culture that their African origins are rarely thought about, like the peanuts that fill peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the watermelons that show up at summer picnics. Or Carolina rice, a vastly successful industry in the early days of our country that was built on the expertise of enslaved farmers from Africa’s Rice Coast.

This lost history has a real cost, Samuelsson says. “It does two things: It changes the economics [of the foods] and it also changes what we value as good: We decided that polenta is good, but fufu is not; that mashed potatoes are good, but fufu is not.” (Note the recipe he gives in “The Rise” for mangú, a Dominican version, might single-handedly change this. Made from plantains mashed with sweet potato, cinnamon, jalapeño and coconut milk, it’s far more exciting than plain potatoes.)

This has a personal cost for Black Americans, too, he points out. “Once you start seeing these stories on traditional platforms, whether it’s TV, radio or magazines, and you don’t see your own story, there’s no value to it.” Or, where you do see it, it’s hurtful, as in the “Mammy” figure on Aunt Jemima bottles; the image of “Uncle” Ben on the rice products now called Ben’s Original; or the cheery Black chef on Cream of Wheat boxes, an image that grew out of a caricature of an illiterate enslaved man called Rastus. Only this past summer, after waves of Black Lives Matter protests, were these images and names finally being phased out.

Maybe the most powerful argument for reading “The Rise,” however, is how it illuminates the power of food to tie us to our origins and to bring us into the future. The stories that fill the book reflect experiences that we can all relate to as Americans—of preserving our family histories in the foods that we cook, tweaking them here and there as they move with us over time and space. As Samuelsson so eloquently puts it in his chapter on migration, “Recipes are rituals. They’re more than an ingredient list and a series of steps. They’re personal meditations, small celebrations. They connect us to loved ones we remember well and those we wish we had known. … No matter how much we bring with us to our destination, something gets left behind and we inevitably adapt to, and bring our own change to what’s around us.”

It’s the same sort of layering that gives rise to new music, which he credits with showing him the way forward as a young cook.

“When I heard A Tribe Called Quest or stuff like that, it was the first time I was like, ‘wow,’ you can draw from the past like that, you could sample something from old and make something new of it,” he says. “Since cooking is such an old craft, in that you’re always drawing from something else, hip hop helped me understand that that was ok to put a twist on it.” You could think of the recipes in “The Rise” as a mixtape, each cut layered with influences accrued over time and space: The roasted cauliflower a tribute to New Orleans chef Nina Compton ringing out like “a brass band, a second line, the Neville Brothers, and Lil Wayne” and the complex, diverse elements of Island Jollof Rice (shared here) jamming to an Afrobeat harmony. “America is extremely diverse, extremely layered,” Samuelsson says, “and therein lies the beauty of America.” 

Island Jollof Rice MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

When I think of Eric’s [Adjepong] food, I think of the West African dance called the highlife, full of Afro beats and guitars and brass instruments. The syncopation of the music moves you. Eric and his wife have a catering company in D.C., but most of America knows him from “Top Chef.” He represents the new African chef who gives a nod to the past, but also to the future. When you eat his food, you can taste that blend and complexity. He brings the African food tradition he grew up with into everything he does, and he does it in the most modern and beautiful way.

This rice dish is inspired by Eric and his Ghanaian roots. I eat it and hear the trap beats of “Pour Me Water,” a big Afro beat song. It’s layered and deliciously complicated in your mouth. Jollof rice is such a beloved dish that every West African takes ownership of it. Nigerians and Ghanaians especially squabble on who makes it better and where it was first created. Historians believe it was actually created in Senegal, but that doesn’t stop the competition.

Jollof Rice 2 cups jasmine rice 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons chopped peanuts 3 slices turkey bacon, chopped 1 large red onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 Scotch bonnet (or habanero) pepper, stemmed and minced 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes 1 cup shredded white cabbage 4 ounces smoked fish, such as mackerel or trout 1 carrot, diced 1 cup water 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk 1 bay leaf 2 sprigs fresh thyme 2 teaspoons curry powder ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon ground cumin

juice of 1 lime 2 scallions, chopped 2 small tomatoes, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley Spinach 3 tablespoons palm oil 1 red onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh, chopped 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped 1 Scotch bonnet (or habanero) pepper, stemmed and minced 1 teaspoon five-spice powder 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk 1 teaspoon dried crayfish powder (See Editor's Note) 4 ounces smoked fish, skin removed and coarsely chopped 2 cups packed spinach, chopped 2 cups packed mustard greens, chopped

1. For the rice: Place the rice in a colander or fine mesh strainer and rinse under cool water for 5 minutes, or until the water is clear.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the peanuts, bacon, onion, garlic, ginger, chili pepper, tomato paste and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

2. Add the rinsed rice, crushed tomatoes, cabbage, smoked fish, carrot, water, coconut milk, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, curry powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cover and decrease the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the rice is just tender. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 20 minutes.

3. Remove the bay leaf, thyme sprigs, and fish and discard. Stir in the lime juice, scallions, chopped tomatoes, mint and parsley.

4. For the spinach: Heat the palm oil in a large sauce-pan set over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, garlic, ginger and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

5. Add the chicken, bell pepper, chili pepper, and five-spice and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

6. Add the crushed tomatoes, coconut milk, crayfish powder, chopped smoked fish, spinach, and mustard greens and stir to combine. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the greens are tender. To serve: Top the rice with spinach.

Editor’s Note: For the crayfish powder, you can substitute shrimp paste, powder or other fish sauce, and adjust amount to taste.

winter 2020 real food 55

pairings

Mull It Over Spice up wine for a deliciously comforting drink

BY MARY SUBIALKA

A

mixture of wine, juice, brandy and spices has been warming merry-makers during the holidays for centuries.

While it may have started as a way to mask bad wine, today this drink is a staple at many celebrations and enjoyed for its delicious blend of seasonal flavors including cinnamon, cloves and more.

You can enjoy mulled wine on its own, but during the holidays, make it even more festive by pairing it with a little bite.

The saltiness in cheese offers a tasty counterpart, especially with blue cheeses such as Stilton, Gorgonzola and Roquefort, and the fruity and savory notes of Comté (also called Gruyère de Comté) can round it out. The salty richness of puff pastry cheese straws also complements the spiced wine, and for a full-on cheese meal, fondue’s combination of rich cheese and white wine makes a tasty match. To mirror the sweet side of mulled wine, try seasonal desserts such as ginger or spice cookies and classic mince pie. And, of course, it’s always fun to experiment and try more pairings to find personal favorites.

Mulled Wine MAKES 6 SERVINGS

When making mulled wine, it’s not the time to bring out your most expensive bottle, but make sure to use a red wine you enjoy drinking on its own such as Beaujolais, Merlot, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Syrah or a red blend. This is a creation you can tweak, mixing in or omitting certain spices and switching up the sweetener, spirit and such to your taste preferences.

In a large saucepan, pour 1 (750 mL) bottle red wine, 2 cups fresh apple cider, 1/4 cup honey (or ½ cup sugar), zest and juice of 1 orange, 5 whole cloves, 4 green cardamom pods, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 whole star anise, 1 or 2 pinches nutmeg, and 1/4 cup brandy.

Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally—do not let the wine boil. (To make in a slow cooker, heat on Low about 1 hour, then reduce heat to warm setting.) Serve warm in heat-resistant mugs and garnish each serving with an orange slice and cinnamon stick. If you have any leftover mulled wine, allow it to cool completely, pour into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 

PHOTOGRAPHY TERRY BRENNAN FOOD STYLING LARA MIKLASEVICS

56 real food winter 2020

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