Delicious Cauliflower Melts

This is a good appetizer, but can be eaten as an open faced sandwich or even just a hot dish!

Photo by John Von Pamer

Ingredients

1. • 1/4 cup olive oil
   • 2 garlic cloves, minced
   • 1 teaspoon salt
   • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
   • Medium head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slabs, possibly halved to make a total of 8 slabs
   • 1/2 cup golden raisins
   • 1/4 cup white wine (optional)
   • 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
   • 8 1/2-inch-thick slices sourdough bread
   • 4 ounces Comte or Manchego cheese, cut into 8 slices
   • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Preparation

1. 1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   2. 2. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the cauliflower slabs and toss to coat.
   3. 3. Arrange the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, flip the slabs, and bake another 10 to 20 minutes, until softened and roasty. Set aside to cool but keep the oven on.
   4. 4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, soak the raisins in wine or water for 10 minutes. Drain.
   5. 5. In a small pan over medium-high heat, toast the pistachios, dry or with a little oil. Let cool on a paper towel, then chop coarsely.
   6. 6. Lay the bread on the baking sheet and arrange the cauliflower on the bread, cutting it to fit as needed. Sprinkle with pistachios and raisins and top with the cheese.
   7. 7. Bake until the cheese melts, 7 to 10 minutes.
   8. 8. Top the toasts with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

(Source: epicurious.com)

Merry Christmas

Delicious Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage, Smoked Bacon, and Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 bunch fresh sage, leaves finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 loaf cornbread, cubed (about 6 cups)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 cups chicken stock
1 (12 to 14 pound) fresh turkey
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup hot water
8 strips smoked bacon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 lemon, juiced

Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and remove the top rack.

Combine the butter and sage in a mixing bowl, mash with a fork or spoon until the sage is well incorporated and the butter has flecks of green in it; season with salt and pepper.

In a saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons of the sage butter, add the onions, cook and stir for 15 minutes until soft and golden. Remove from heat. Put the cornbread in a large mixing bowl and scrape the sauteed onion mixture on top. Add the egg, heavy cream, and just enough chicken stock to moisten the stuffing without making it soggy (about 1/2 cup.) Toss well to combine, season with salt and pepper.

Remove the neck and gizzards from the inside of the turkey and discard. Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, pat dry. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, gently lift the skin from the breast and legs, and slip pieces of the sage butter underneath; massaging it in as you go. Fill the bird with the cornbread stuffing without packing too tightly; cook the remaining stuffing separately in a buttered baking dish. Truss the turkey; place it on a rack in a large roasting pan, and put into the oven.

Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and hot water to thin the glaze out a bit; use this to baste the turkey every 30 minutes. The turkey should take about 3 hours to cook (i.e. 15 to 20 minutes per pound.) If the legs or breast brown too quickly, cover with foil. About 2 hours into cooking, shingle the strips of bacon oven the turkey breast to cover; continue to roast and baste for another hour or so. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F (the thigh juices will also run clear when pricked with a knife.) Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes before carving, so the juices can settle back into the meat.

Skim off the excess fat from the pan drippings with a spoon and place the roasting pan over 2 burners set on medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up brown bits stuck to bottom of pan. Whisk the flour into the drippings, stirring as it thickens to prevent lumps. Add the remaining chicken stock and bring to a simmer; season with salt and pepper and hit it with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Simmer for 5 minutes and then strain to remove any particles. Serve the gravy with the maple-roasted turkey and cornbread stuffing.

(Source: foodnetwork.com)

Delicious Chile-Rubbed Turkey

Ingredients
SERVINGS: 8–10
Chile Paste
10 dried guajillo chiles
6 dried ancho chiles
8 dried chiles de árbol
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 small onion, chopped
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled, crushed
Brine And Turkey
6 12-oz. cans pale lager (such as Tecate or Budweiser)
½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 bunches oregano, divided
1 cup plus 2½ tsp. kosher salt
1 12–14-lb. turkey, giblets and neck removed
1 large onion, quartered
1 head of garlic, halved
2 cups (or more) low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup fresh lime juice
Lime wedges and fresh chiles and herbs (for garnish; optional)

Preparation
Chile Paste
Using kitchen shears, cut open guajillo and ancho chiles along one side; place seeds in large bowl; set aside. Open chiles and place flat in a large dry skillet over medium heat. Cook, turning once, until lightly puffed and toasted, about 4 minutes. Add chiles de árbol and cumin seeds ; toast until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to bowl with chile seeds, add 4 cups boiling water, and let soak until softened, about 10 minutes.
Purée chile mixture with soaking liquid, onion, and garlic in a blender.
Brine And Turkey
Combine beer, brown sugar, 1 bunch oregano, 1 cup salt, 3 cups chile paste, and 8 cups water in a very large stock pot. Add turkey, cover, and chill at least 12 hours and up to 14 hours.
Remove turkey from brine; pat dry. Place, breast side up, on a rack set in a large roasting pan. Mix remaining 2½ tsp. salt into remaining 1½ cups chile paste. Working from neck end of turkey, gently loosen skin from breasts and rub under skin and all over outside of bird. Chill turkey at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°. Stuff turkey with onion, garlic, and remaining bunch of oregano; tie legs together with kitchen twine. Add broth and 2 cups water to pan and roast turkey 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325° and roast, basting every 30–40 minutes with butter, adding more broth or water as needed to maintain some liquid in pan, and tenting with foil if turkey browns too quickly, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°, 2½–3 hours longer.
Transfer turkey to a platter; tent with foil. Let rest at least 30 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, strain pan drippings into a measuring cup. Let sit 30 minutes, then skim fat from surface. Bring to a boil in a medium saucepan; reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 1 cup. Stir in lime juice.
Garnish turkey as desired and serve with pan sauce alongside.
Recipe by Alison Roman
Photograph by Marcus Nilsson

(Source: bonappetit.com)

Delicious Salad

© Annabel’s & Co. Catering, 2015

Delicious Thai Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

1½ kg pumpkin or squash, peeled and roughly chopped
4 tsp sunflower oil
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 lemongrass, bashed a little
3-4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
400ml can coconut milk
850ml vegetable stock
lime juice and sugar, for seasoning
1 red chilli, sliced, to serve (optional)

Directions:

1 – Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Toss the pumpkin or squash in a roasting tin with half the oil and seasoning, then roast for 30 mins until golden and tender.

2 – Meanwhile, put the remaining oil in a pan with the onion, ginger and lemongrass. Gently cook for 8-10 mins until softened. Stir in the curry paste for 1 min, followed by the roasted pumpkin, all but 3 tbsp of the coconut milk and the stock. Bring to a simmer, cook for 5 mins, then fish out the lemongrass. Cool for a few mins, then whizz until smooth with a hand blender, or in a large blender in batches. Return to the pan to heat through, seasoning with salt, pepper, lime juice and sugar, if it needs it. Serve drizzled with the remaining coconut milk and scattered with chilli, if you like.

(Source: bbcgoodfood.com)

Delicious Fall Treats

© Annabel’s & Co. Catering, 2015

Delicious Pumpkin Bread

Servings: Makes 2 loaves
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 65 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 15-ounce can 100% pure pumpkin (I use Libby’s)
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease two 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pans.
Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a bowl; use a whisk to mix well and set aside.
In large bowl of an electric mixer, at medium speed, beat butter and sugar until just blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Beat in pumpkin.
At low speed, beat in flour mixture until combined. Turn batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly, and bake for about 65 – 75 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let loaves cool in pan about 10 minutes, then turn out on wire rack to cool completely. Fresh out of the oven,the loaves have a deliciously crisp crust. If they last beyond a day, you can toast individual slices to get the same fresh-baked effect.

(Source: onceuponachef.com)

Delicious Throwback Thursday

Check out the fun way we served guacamole in this throwback to an event last year! T’is the season.

© Annabel’s & Co. Catering, 2015

Even More Delicious Salads

© Annabel’s & Co. Catering, 2015

© Annabel’s & Co. Catering, 2015