Peppered Filets Mignons with Sherry and Raisins

         

                    Serve with mashed potatoes or rice to soak up the delicious sauce.

Makes 6 servings

• 30 ml whole black peppercorns
• 30 ml whole white peppercorns
• 6 filet mignon steaks, about 180 gr each, trimmed of excess fat
• Salt
• 30 ml canola or sunflower oil
• 250 ml dry sherry
• 250 ml beef stock
• 125 ml seedless golden or brown raisins
• 45 ml unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1. To crack the peppercorns, put them in a resealable heavy plastic food-storage bag ; place the bag on a flat surface and, with the bottom of a heavy saucepan or skillet, tap them lightly to crack them into large pieces.
2. Put the cracked peppercorns on a plate ; one by one, sprinkle both sides of each filet evenly with salt to taste, and then press each side into the peppercorns to coat it.
3. Over high heat, heat a heavy skillet or sauté pan large enough to hold the steaks comfortably (cook the steaks in batches if your pan is not big enough) ; add the oil and as soon as you see the slightest wisps of smoke carefully add the steaks.
4. Cook the steaks undisturbed for 4 minutes, then carefully turn them over and cook 4 minutes more for medium-rare ; for well-done steaks reduce the heat to medium-low heat and cook a few more minutes on both sides.
5. Transfer the steaks to a heated platter and cover with aluminium foil to keep them warm while you make the sauce.
6. Pour off the excess fat from the skillet and return it to high heat ; add the sherry, stir and scrape with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan deposits, and boil until it reduces to about half its original volume, 4 to 5 minutes.
7. add the stock and raisins and continue boiling until the liquid reduces by half again, 4 to 5 minutes more ; a piece at a time, whisk in the butter to form a thick, glossy sauce.
8. Adjust the seasoning to taste with a little salt.
9. Transfer the steaks to individuel serving plates ; stir the juices that have collected on the platter into the sauce and spoon over and around the steaks.
10. Serve.

BON APPÉTIT

Crown Roast of Pork with Stuffing

 

                    This spectacular special roast is usually available during the holidays, so call the meat department ahead of time to make sure or to order one.

Makes 16 servings

• 8- to 10-lb pork crown roast (about 16 to 18 ribs)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• Apple-Cranberry Stuffing or Bread Stuffing, click here for recipe

1. Heat oven to 325F(160C).
2. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper ; place pork, with bone ends up, on rack in shallow roasting pan.
3. Wrap bone ends in foil to prevent excessive browning ; insert ovenproof thermometer so tip is in thickest part of pork and does not touch bone or rest in fat.
4. Place small heatproof bowl or crumpled foil in crown to hold shape of roast evenly.
5. Roast uncovered 2 hours 40 minutes to 3 hours 20 minutes ; meanwhile, make Apple-Cranberry Stuffing.
6. About 1 hour before pork is done, remove bowl or foil and fill center of crown with stuffing ; cover stuffing with foil for first 30 minutes of roasting.
7. Remove pork from oven when thermometer reads 150F(80C), cover with tent of foil and let stand 15 to 20 minutes or until thermometer reads 160F(85C).
8. Remove foil from bone ends ; to carve, cut roast between ribs.

BON APPÉTIT

Caramel-Pecan Brownie Dessert

 

Makes 12 servings

• 1 package (1 lb 3.8 oz) fudge brownie mix
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• ½ cup whipping (heavy) cream
• 24 caramels (from 14-oz bag), unwrapped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup broken pecans
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• Cocoa, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350F (180C) ; grease bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with shortening.
2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, water, oil and 2 eggs until well blended ; stir in chocolate chips and spread in pan.
3. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until puffed in center and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean ; cool completely, about an hour.
4. Meanwhile, in 1-quart sauce pan, heat ½ cup whipping cream and the caramels over medium heat, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted.
5. Stir small amount of the hot mixture into beaten egg, then stir egg back into mixture in saucepan ; cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
6. Stir in pecans and spread over brownie ; refrigerate uncovered at least 3 hours until chilled.
7. Run metal spatula around side of pan to loosen dessert ; remove side of pan.
8. Transfer base to serving plate ; in chilled small bowl, beat ¾ cup whipping cream and the powdered sugar with electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
9. Spoon whipped cream in 12 dollops around edge of dessert ; sprinkle lightl with cocoa.
10. Cut into wedges to serve ; store covered in refrigerator.

BON APPÉTIT

Chicken Breasts with Wild Rice Alfredo

 

Makes 6 servings

• 1½ cups uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14 oz) roasted-garlic seasonned chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 6 boneless skinless chicken breats (about 2 lb)
• 1 package (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 jar (7 oz) roasted red bell peppers, drained, chopped
• 1 jar (1 lb) Alfredo pasta sauce (2 cups)

1. In 2-quart saucepan, heat wild rice, broth and water to boiling over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 45 to 60 minutes or until the rice kernels are open and almost tender ; drain if necessary.
2. Stir in thyme and spread rice in ungreased 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish.
3. Heat oven to 350F (180C).
4. Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat ; cook chicken in butter 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until brown.
5. Place on cooked rice.
6. Add mushrooms to skillet, cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned ; stir in bell peppers and Alfredo sauce and pour over chicken.
7. Bake uncovered 45 to 55 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and uice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut.

Note : Not every grocery store carries everything you may need for a recipe so sometimes innovation is in order. If you can't find chicken broth with garlic, make your own. Just finely chop 2 cloves of garlic and stir into regular chicken broth.

BON APPÉTIT

Tourtière (The encyclopedia of Canadian cuisine, Jehane Benoit)

 

                Canadian cuisine is unique in the world. Alone, in fact, she knew how to harmoniously combine French cuisine with all its refinements, American cuisine whose apparent simplicity hides an extraordinary richness and complexity, and finally traditional Quebec cuisine.

• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 small diced onion
• 1 small clove of garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. tsp salt
• ½ tsp. savory tea
• ¼ tsp. tsp celery pepper
• ¼ tsp. 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• ½ cup of water
• ¼ to ½ cup breadcrumbs

1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan, except the breadcrumbs; bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
2. Remove from fire ; add a few spoonfuls of breadcrumbs, let sit for 10 minutes.
3. If the fat has been sufficiently absorbed by the breadcrumbs, there is no need to add more; otherwise, continue in the same manner.
4. Cool and pour between two pie crusts; bake in a 375F oven until the dough is golden brown.
5. Serve hot.

1963 edition

BON APPÉTIT

Caribbean Chicken Wings (Appetizers)

 

Makes 24 drummettes

• ½ cup pineapple juice
• ½ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup teriyaki marinade and sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 24 chicken wing drummettes (about 2 lb)

1. Heat oven to 350F (180C) ; line 13 x 9-inch pan with foil.
2. In 1-quart saucepan, heat all ingredients except chicken to boiling, stirring occasionally.
3. Place chicken in pan ; pour sauce over chicken.
4. Bake uncovered about 1 hour, turning chicken 2 or 3 times, until juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut to bone.
5. Spray inside of 3½-quart slow cooker with cooking spray ; place chicken in slow cooker, cover.
6. Keep warm on low heat setting.

BON APPÉTIT

Christmas steamed pudding (Holidays menus for the family)

 

8 servings

• 1 cup boiling water 
• 1 cup chopped cranberries or chopped raisins
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup molasses
• 1 egg
• Creamy sauce (below) or Rum hard sauce (below)

1. Generously grease 6-cup mold.
2. Pour boiling water on cranberries ; stir in shortening.
3. Mix flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in medium bowl ; stir in cranberry mixture, molasses and egg.
4. Pour into mold ; cover tightly with aluminium foil.
5. Place mold on rack in Dutch oven or steamer ; pour boiling water into Dutch oven halfway up mold and cover Dutch oven.
6. Keep water boiling over lower heat about 2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center of pudding comes out clean ; remove mold from Dutch oven.
7. Let stand 5 minutes ; unmold.
8. Serve warm or cool with Creamy sauce or Rum hard sauce.

Creamy sauce

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup margarine or butter, softened
• ½ cup whipping cream

1. Mix powdered sugar and margarine in 1-quart saucepan until smooth and creamy ; stir in whipping cream.
2. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally ; serve warm.

Rum hard sauce

• ½ cup margarine or butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon rum

1. Beat margarine in small bowl on high speed about 5 minutes until smooth ; gradually beat in powdered sugar and rum.
2. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

BON APPÉTIT