Holiday Menu
With Rosh Hashana fast approaching, it can be very stressful when hosting a dinner at your house for family and friends. To take some of the stress off you I have put together an holiday menu with recipes to ease the strain. All the recipes can be found through the links in the menu, below the menu in the blog or on my blogpage at: https://www.kitchnaffair.com/news/
MENU
Apples and Honey
Sweet Challah
Friseé Salad with Blood Oranges and Pepitas
Grilled Green Veggies (asparagus, broccoli, green beans, etc)
Fruit
If you have any questions just shoot me a message at: alison@kitchnaffair.com
HAPPY 5778 NEW YEAR!
Sweet Challah
For the Challah
1 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
3 1/2 Tbsp margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 3/4 cups bread flour
1 tsp yeast
1 egg yolk
For the topping
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp flour
enough margarine to form a crumble
If using a bread machine follow these steps:
Add all challah ingredients except yeast and egg yolk into bread machine in order. Ensure flour completely covers wet ingredients. Form well in centre and pour in yeast making sure yeast does not touch wet ingredients or salt.
Turn machine on to dough function until cycle is finished.
Once dough is ready form into braid or ball (see directions for each below)
If not using a bread machine follow these steps:
In a large bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Beat in eggs, margarine, sugar and salt. Add the flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition, graduating to kneading with hands as dough thickens. Knead dough until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky, adding flour as needed.
Cover with damp damp clean cloth and let rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size.
Once dough is ready form into braid or ball (see directions for each below)
For braided challah:
Divide dough into three equal pieces. On a well floured work surface, roll each piece into a long rope about 1 1/2" thick. Pinch one end of each rope together to attach the three ropes. Start braiding from that end. When finished, pinch the three ropes together again and fold slightly under to hold.
For round challah:
On a well floured work surface, roll dough into one long rope about 1 1/2"thick. Starting from the center form a circle ensuring the dough is touching as you follow the shape. When you reach the end of the top, tuck the end under the challah.
Ready to bake
Once dough is formed, brush egg yolk over top and sprinkle with crumble.
place on parchment lined tray buttered lightly.
Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until top is golden brown. remove from oven And transfer to cooling rack to cool.
Friseé Salad with Freekeh Blood Oranges and Pepitas
For the salad
1 head Friseé, stem removed, outer leaves removed and torn into bite sized pieces
3 ruby oranges (1 reserved for dressing)
1 cup cracked freekeh
3 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 lemon, juiced
In a medium saucepan combine 1/2 cup cracked freekeh, 1 1/2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for approximately 15 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Cut the stem off the friseè to allow the leaves to separate. Rinse the leaves thoroughly and dry well. Tear leaves into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Pour the lemon juice over the leaves and massage gently to soften them. I like to massage them enough to remove the frizzy texture, but that is up to you how far you want to go.
Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the top and bottom off the oranges. Using downward strokes, slice the skin away from the flesh and discard. Remove any of the remaining white pith. Cut between the membranes to segment the oranges, retaining any juices for the dressing. Cut each segment in thirds and add to frisbee in bowl.
Heat a small pan over medium. Add pumpkin seeds and cook until lightly toasted being careful not to burn them. remove from heat and let cool.
Once cooled, add the freekeh and pumpkin seeds to the bowl with the friseè and orange segments, add dressing to your own taste, toss and serve.
For the dressing
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Ruby Orange
1 medium clove of garlic
1 Tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Wash orange thoroughly, then zest. Juice the orange and add to bowl along with the zest. Mince the garlic and sprinkle with kosher salt. With the flat surface of a chef's knife, scrape the salt and garlic back and forth to form a paste. Add to bowl with juice and add sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk mayonnaise into the mixture and slowly stream olive oil in while continuing to whisk until emulsified. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Sweet Potato Casserole
For the sweet potatoes
3 cups cooked, masked sweet potatoes
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
For the topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 stick butter, melted
(topping can be doubled for extra crumble)
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
Combine all sweet potato ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine well. Grease a 9x11 glass baking dish. Spread mixture evenly in the dish.
In a small bowl mix together topping ingredients. Crumble topping over sweet potatoes and bake for 35 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Vichy Carrots
For the carrots
1 lb. carrots, peeled, stems cut to 1/2" remaining
Kosher salt
2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, finely diced
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
black pepper to taste
Place carrots in a sauté pan and season aggressively with salt. Add a Tbsp of vinegar and cold water until it reaches halfway uo the sides of the carrots. Heat pan over high heat and bring the liquid to boil.
Reduce heat to medium and cook stirring occasionally until carrots are just cooked through, about 15 minutes. If the pan dries out during this process, as a bit of water to the pan.
Once carrots are cooked drain the excess water and add remaining vinegar, honey, olive oil, shallot and thyme and cook for 2 minutes to glaze the carrots. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
This dish is equally good, hot from the pan, room temperature or cold from the refrigerator so feel free to prepare a day ahead to ease holiday cooking feasts.
Sweet and Sour Lemon Chicken
For the chicken
8 boneless chicken breast or 12 boneless chicken thighs
2 cups fresh lemon juice
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tsp lemon extract
2 lemons, sliced paper-thin
In a large ziplock bag, add chicken pieces and lemon juice. Marinate in the fridge overnight, turning occasionally.
Preheat oven to 350F.
When ready to cook it, drain chicken and pat dry. Fill another plastic bag with the flour, salt, paprika, and black pepper, and shake well to mix. Put 2 pieces of chicken into the bag at a time and shake, coating completely. Shake off any excess flour.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot. Fry the chicken pieces in batches a few at a time, until well browned and crisp.
Arrange browned chicken in a single layer in a large glass baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the lemon zest and brown sugar. Mix the chicken stock and lemon extract together and pour around the chicken pieces. Set a thin lemon slice on top of each piece of chicken.
Bake chicken until tender, approximately 50 minutes.
My Mum's Brisket
For the Brisket
3-4 lb. double brisket
1 onion sliced
2- carrots, cut n chunks
5 potatoes, peeled and quartered
6 Tbsp soya sauce
6 Tbsp brown sugar
1 bottle ginger ale, enough to cover brisket in pan
Note: It is best to prepare this the day before to allow to cool in refrigerator for easier slicing and to achieve a deeper flavour but it is not necessary.
Preheat oven to 350F. Place meat in a large roasting pan with lid or dutch oven. Place brisket fat side up in the bottom of the pan. Rub brown sugar on top of the brisket and pour soya sauce over. Toss in all the veggies and pour gingerly in enough to cover the brisket.
Bake in oven for 2 hours, covered. remove lid and cook another hour. At this point if you have time let it cool and put in the fridge overnight. If you are serving right away, slice the brisket against the grain in 1/2" slices, reserving the juices as gravy to serve with the meat and serve with veggies.
If you had time to refrigerate the brisket, when ready to serve, remove the brisket from the pot. Slice 1/2" slices cutting against the grain. Place back in the pan with the juices and veggies to reheat. Serve remaining juices with the meat as a gravy.
Apple Cinnamon Cake
For the cake
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup butter (or for a slightly lighter version use 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup applesauce)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup milk
2 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped
For the filling
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
For the topping
3 Tbsp Brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp butter, melted
In a medium bowl cream both sugars with butter until fluffy. Mix in eggs, milk and vanilla.
In a second bowl mix together flour and baking powder. Add dry mixture to wet mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in half the apples.
Prepare filling and topping in separate small bowls by adding ingredients and mixing to combine.
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Grease and flour an 8x4 cake pan.
Pour half the batter to the pan, sprinkle the remaining apples and sprinkle the filling over top of the apples. Pour the remaining batter and crumble the topping mixture over top.
Bake approximately 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove from oven to cooling rack and let rest 10 minutes. Turn out the cake from the pan and continue to cool on cooling rack or better yet eat it right away!