Sunday Outing At The Pumpkin Patch

Every year around this time, we pack the dogs in the car and head out to our favorite place to pick out our pumpkins.  This year was especial as I will be hosting a ladies lunch next Friday and was looking for some unique pumpkins and gourds to decorate my dining room table.  This is our third year coming here and the dogs already know the drill.  They stay in the car, but get to look at the cows, goats, donkeys and anything else that moves.

Are we there yet?!!!

The selection is always top notch

My loot.  Love those Jarsdale pumpkins!

It was a cloudy and cool day, perfect for picking out pumpkins

Somewhere out there is our future Christmas tree!

You guys called that an outing?!!!.  I didn't get to chase a single goat!

Jacques Pepin Corn Parfait

A parfait is a smooth cream dessert, and this savory recipe is creamy and smooth as well, hence the name. Corn dishes are always best in full corn season, with the ears picked fresh from the garden. Yet, supermarkets generally have pretty good corn most of the year, and this recipe is a great addition to roast meat or grilled fish, as well as being a good first course for dinner or main course for lunch. This parfait is always better when slightly wet and undercooked in the center.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups half and half
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
4 ears corn, husked
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions:

Coat a 4 or 5 cup gratin dish with the butter. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the kernels off the ears of corn, and put them in the bowl of a food processor with the flour, eggs, salt, and pepper. Process until well pureed. Add the half and half, and process for another 5 to 10 seconds. Pour into the buttered dish, and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.

Bake for about 25 minutes (mine took about 40 minutes) or until just set, puffy, and nicely browned. Serve. (The parfait is best served immediately, but you can make it 1 to 2 hours ahead and reheat it in the oven or microwave.)



Recipe: Jacques Pepin
 photo credit http://homecookinginmontana.blogspot.com

Gorgonzola Pear Salad With Roasted Hazelnus

Gorgonzola dolce is a younger, milder and sweeter variety of the traditional aged Gorngonzola blue cheese produced in Italy.  It is aged for a shorter amount of time while the naturale is allowed to age for six months or more resulting in a strong sharp flavor and aroma.

It is an excellent cheese to serve as an appetizer, as a dessert cheese served with fruit, as a flavoring in salads and pasta dishes, or as stuffing for chicken, veal or tube pasta. This cheese may also be referred to by a brand name of Dolcelatte.

If you cannot find the dolce, substitute a Danish blue cheese such as Saga Bleu.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp. mild honey, such as clover
2 medium firm-ripe red pears (preferably red Anjou), halved lengthwise and cored
Kosher salt
8 thin slices pancetta (about 2-1/2 oz.)
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. chopped, toasted hazelnuts
2 oz. Gorgonzola dolce (1/4 cup)
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1-1/2 Tbs. Champagne vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz. mâche (about 4 cups)

Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

In a small bowl, mix the melted butter and 1 tsp. of the honey. Brush the mixture over the cut sides of the pears and season with salt. Arrange the pears cut sides up on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on the upper rack until just tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange the pancetta on a rimmed baking sheet and bake on the lower rack until crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup of the hazelnuts, the Gorgonzola dolce, thyme, and the remaining 1 tsp. honey with the back of a wooden spoon.

Remove the pears from the oven and divide the cheese filling evenly among the pear cavities. Sprinkle with the remaining hazelnuts and bake on the upper rack until the cheese starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Turn the broiler on high and broil until the nuts brown slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, mustard, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil. Toss the mâche with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat and divide among 4 plates. Top each salad with 2 pancetta rounds and 1 pear half. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

              

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 108 , pp. 63

October 28, 2010

Apple Stuffed Pork Loin With Cider Sauce

This roast is also good as part of a buffet. Slice the loin thin, but do not serve the cider sauce. For a more seasonal stuffing during the winter holidays, add 1/4 cup dried cranberries to the apples.

The Brussels Sprouts Gratin in Lindaraxa's main blog would make the perfect side dish for a Christmas Eve dinner!

Ingredients:

For the stuffing:

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped Golden Delicious or other
  baking apple
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dried apples or 1/2 cup
  finely chopped dried apricots
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup apple cider
  
• 1 boneless pork loin, 2 1/2 lb.
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup apple cider, plus more as needed
• 2 tsp. cornstarch

Directions:

To make the stuffing, in a large fry pan over medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the apple and onion and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the dried apples, raisins and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Add the apple cider and boil, stirring occasionally, until the cider is absorbed by the stuffing, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Position a rack in the center of an oven and preheat to 400°F. Have ready 4 pieces of kitchen string, each about 18 inches long.

Butterfly the pork loin by making a slit down its length, cutting just deep enough so that the loin opens up to lie flat like a book. Do not cut all the way through. Spoon the stuffing evenly onto the meat. Close up the loin and, using the strings, tie at even intervals so it assumes its original shape. Push in any stuffing that escapes from the ends. Sprinkle the surface with the thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Place the loin in a baking pan and add 1/2 cup of the cider to the pan.

Roast the loin for 30 minutes. Baste with the pan juices and add the remaining 1/2 cup cider to the pan. Continue to roast, basting at least twice with the pan juices at regular intervals, until the meat is firm to the touch and pale pink when cut in the thickest portion, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 150°F, about 45 minutes more.

Transfer the loin to a cutting board and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Scrape the pan bottom to dislodge any remaining bits, then pour the pan juices into a measuring pitcher and add additional cider as needed to measure 1 1/2 cups total. In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup of the pan juices and the cornstarch, and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Then add the remaining pan juices. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Pour the sauce into a warmed bowl.

Cut the loin into slices and arrange on a warmed platter. Serve the hot cider sauce on the side.

Serves 8.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Lifestyles Series, Holiday Celebrations, by Marie Simmons (Time-Life Books, 1998).

Tempura Apples With Honey

Apple fritters don't get any easier than this!

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds apples, cut into rings
Neutral oil (like grapeseed or corn)
2 cups ice water
2 1/2 cups flour
3 egg yolks
Honey.

Preparation

1. Heat 2 inches of neutral oil in a deep pan to 350.
2. Whisk together ice water, 1 1/2 cups flour and egg yolks.
3. Put another 1 cup flour in a bowl.
4. One piece at a time, dredge apples, cut into rings, in the flour, then dip in the batter.
5. Fry each piece until golden, 5 minutes or less total.
6. Drain on paper towels.
7. Garnish with a drizzle of honey.


Mark Bittman NYT

Pumpkin Spice Ghost Cake

One of the things I remember my mother telling me is always trust the recipe in back of a product.  It has to be good, after all it showcases the product.

With that in mind, look what I found in the Libby's website.  Just by reading the ingredients,  I can tell it has to be good.  Maybe I will invite my granddaughter for an afternoon of Halloween baking!

Ingredients

CAKE

1 pkg. (18 oz.) spice or carrot cake mix

1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

3 large eggs

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 pkgs. (3 oz. each) cream cheeese, softened

2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

*Black string licorice, NESTLÉ RAISINETS Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins and Halloween candy corn (optional)


Directions


FOR CAKE:

PREHEAT oven to 350º F. Grease and flour two 8- or 9-inch-round cake pans.

COMBINE cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, water, vegetable oil and pumpkin pie spice in large mixer bowl until moistened. Beat for 2 minutes or until thoroughly mixed. Pour batter into prepared pans.

BAKE for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.

FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

BEAT cream cheese, margarine and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Spread between layers and on top and side of cake.


TO GARNISH:

FORM licorice strings into ghost shapes; press into side of frosted cake. Use Raisinets for eyes. Arrange candy corn between ghosts on side and around top edge of frosted cake.



Recipe and photo from Libby's.

Mushroom and Stilton Galette Simplified

There is a recipe from Williams Sonoma Seasonal Celebrations Series, Autumn cookbook that has made the rounds in the foodie blogosphere.  It is wonderful but rather time consuming in the making.  The problem comes with the dough which has to be frozen a couple of times before going into the oven.  I tried it tonight without all the fuzz and it was wonderful.

To begin with, I did not put the flour and butter in the freezer; but if you wish to proceed with this step may I suggest you do that the night before.  I added all the pastry ingredients to the bowl of the Cuisinart and pulsated 6 or 7 times until it all came together.  Then I stuck it in the freezer for an hour.

I skipped the dried mushrooms (step #2) and went straight to sauteing the fresh porcini, shiitakes and bella mushrooms I had.  For the cheese, I substituted Gruyere but I can't wait to make it with Stilton or Roquefort,

White vermouth was added to the mushrooms and reduced before adding the mushrooms to the tart.

This makes a great Fall lunch accompanied with a salad and a glass of dry French rose.

Serves 4

Ingredients


For the pastry:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into

pieces

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup ice water

For the filling:

1/4 ounce dried wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles, porcini or shiitakes

1 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup sliced green onions

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1/2 lb. assorted fresh wild mushrooms, such as

chanterelles, porcini and shiitakes, brushed

clean and large mushrooms thinly sliced

1/2 lb. fresh button mushrooms, brushed clean

and thinly sliced

1/4 cup white Vermouth (optional)

5 ounces Stilton or other good-quality blue cheese (for a mild flavor use Gruyere)


Procedure

1. To make the pastry, in a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Place the butter in another bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter to the well and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make another well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. (I put everything in the food processor and pulsed 6 -8 times until it came together) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. (I stuck it in the freezer)

2. Meanwhile, make the filling: Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and add the boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes until softened. Drain the mushrooms and mince finely. ( I skipped this step..I told you, it is simplified)

3. Preheat an oven to 400°F.

4. In a large fry pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the green onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme and continue to cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Increase the heat to high, add the fresh and rehydrated mushrooms, and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid they released has completely evaporated, 8 minutes.  Add vermouth and reduce. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

5. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Crumble the blue cheese into a bowl, add the cooled mushrooms and stir well. Spread the mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the mushrooms and cheese, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.

6. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot.

Saturday Lunch At The Lake...Open Face Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches

Whether you are camping or lucky enough to have a house on a lake, this is a great Fall recipe to enjoy with your guests. 

We have been keeping a grill down by the dock to enjoy the cooler temperatures and the Fall foliage.  On weekends a few of our neighbors and their guests come down and cook on the grill.  Afterwards, we build a bonfire and enjoy the stars.  All is not perfect, for with nature come those awful little spiders that seem to gravitate only to my feet! Last time I was down there I got bitten not once but twice by those little monsters on the way back to the house.  You know the rest.  Another two weeks of itching and scratching and a swelled and ugly foot. 

Ingredients

Eight 1/2-inch-thick slices of peasant bread
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
 One 1 1/4-pound eggplant, sliced crosswise 1 inch thick
 Salt and freshly ground black pepper
 4 plum tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
 1/2 pound buffalo mozzarella, sliced 1/4 inch thick
 8 large basil leaves, torn
 Coarse sea salt

Directions

1.Light a grill. Brush the bread on both sides with olive oil and grill over high heat until crisp on the outside but still soft inside, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a platter.


2.Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill over moderate heat until charred on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn and grill until tender, about 3 minutes longer.

3.Top the eggplant with the tomato, mozzarella and basil. Cover the grill and cook until the cheese melts, 2 minutes. Transfer the eggplant to the bread, sprinkle with sea salt and serve.


Recipe Food & Wine
Photo Tina Rupp

Poulet A La Normande...Chicken Normandy

One of my favorite French recipes. this dish hails from Normandy, land of apples, cream, Calvados and the famous Bresse chickens.  We may not have the latter but our apples are second to none!

This recipe comes from Alice Waters, the doyenne of California cuisine, owner of the famous Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkely, California.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 (3 1⁄2-pound) chicken, cut into 8 bone-in pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1⁄2 cup Calvados
1 cup apple cider
1 cup chicken stock
30 pearl onions
3 medium apples, peeled, cored and each cut into 8 wedges
1 cup crème fraîche (or heavy whipping cream)


Directions

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.

2. Pour off most of the fat from the pan. Add the onions, carrots, thyme and bay leaf and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the Calvados, warm slightly, then stand back and ignite it. Once the flames die, add the cider, scraping up the brown bits. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Add the stock and return the chicken to the pan. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Transfer the breast pieces to a bowl. Cook the legs and thighs for 10 more minutes and add to the bowl. Keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, soak the pearl onions in warm water before peeling. (I used frozen pearl onions and let defrost for a bit) Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and a pinch of salt, cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. Uncover, add 1 tablespoon butter and increase heat to medium-high. Place the apples in the center of the pan. Sear on each side for 10 to 15 minutes, until caramelized.

4. Strain the Calvados sauce and return it to the pan. Add the juices from the chicken. Whisk in the crème fraîche (or whipping cream) Simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Season. Add the chicken pieces and warm through.

 Adapted from “Chez Panisse Fruit,” by Alice Waters. Via The New York Times

Back in A Bit!




Columbus Day on the Lake

 

I am in New York City and will be back before you know it.  Some fun posts are in the works!

Best Of Show Blue Ribbon Cornbread

Sadly, this was the last week of our local farmer's market and I rushed over to buy as many green and red pepper jellies as I could find to enjoy in the winter and give away as gifts to my northern friends.  There was a guy there who mills his own corn meal and I decided to pick up a bag.  What a difference.  This is the recipe I used to test it out.

Cathy Justice is the wife of the Greenbrier Hotel's new owner.  This is her award winning recipe for cornbread.

Ingredients


1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/16 teaspoon salt (I used 1/2 tsp.)

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg, slightly beaten

3/4 cup canola oil


Directions

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Prepare an 8”-x-8” oiled pan. (I used a nonstick pan.)

Mix all dry ingredients. (I whisked the ingredients together.)

Add liquids. (I whisked all the liquid ingredients together until they were creamy smooth and then I poured them over the dry ingredients.)

Stir softly to mix.

Bake for 30 minutes. (The cornbread will rise and a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean.)

Jam Lid Labels

I am taking some homemade jams and chutney to friends in New York next week and have been pondering what to do with the ugly jam jars.  Here's a great idea from Martha Stewart, which is both economical and very presentable. 

There is still time to do some canning.  Remember all those teachers, neighbors and husband's assistants you are going to want to send gifts to.   There is nothing like a homemade gift, especially if it's food!

Here's a recipe for fig jam.

Fig Jam

Figs are one of my all time favorite fruits.  I love to eat them fresh out of the box or wrapped in prosciutto for a quick lunch snack.  There is nothing like fig jam to put on top of cheese and pate.

Fairly soon I will start making some of my chiken liver pate and freezing it for the holidays so this week I also started on the jam to go with it. I don't bother with all the canning and sterilization process for it lasts for a couple of months in the fridge if you seal it well.   Even though you can buy it already made, there is nothing like the homemade stuff.  Maybe this year I will make a little extra and give them as presents to my dearest friends!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

2 pounds green or purple figs, stemmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup water

Directions

1.In a large, nonreactive saucepan, toss the fig pieces with the sugar and let stand, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the figs are juicy.

2.Add the lemon juice and water and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Simmer the fig jam over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is soft and the liquid runs off the side of a spoon in thick, heavy drops, about 20 minutes.

3.Spoon the jam into three 1/2-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top. Close the jars and let cool to room temperature. Store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.


Notes

Variation: Substitute 1/2 cup of white port for the water and add one 4-inch sprig of rosemary with the lemon juice; discard the rosemary before jarring.
 
Recipe from Food And Wine

Wild And Brown Rice With Cranberries and Pecans

The perfect companion to fowl or game.  It also makes for a great stuffing!

Serves 6-8

Hands-On Time: 20m
Total Time: 1hr 25m

Ingredients

1 32-ounce container low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup wild rice

1 1/4 brown rice

1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for the dish

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh sage, finely chopped

1 cup pecans, finely chopped

1 cup dried apricots or cranberries, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper


Directions

1.Heat oven to 350° F.

2.In a pot, over medium-high heat, bring the broth and 1 cup* water to a boil. Add the wild rice and brown rice, reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer until tender, about 45 minutes.

3.Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add the cooked rice, parsley, sage, pecans, apricots or cranberries, salt, and pepper and toss. Transfer to a buttered casserole. Cover and bake for 25 minutes.

*This recipe originally called for 2 cups of water.  I suggest you use one and if towards the end you notice the rice is still hard, slowly add the other, little by little. You might not need to add the whole cup.


Adapted from Real Simple

Roast Pork Loin With Pancetta

A wonderful main course for the Fall.  All you need is a Cauliflower Puree and a simple Pear Chutney, coming up!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4

1 pork loin (1 1/2 pounds)

8 to 10 cipollini, or small white onions, unpeeled

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

FOR THE WRAP

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus several sprigs

1/4 pound pancetta (Italian bacon), or bacon, thinly sliced

FOR THE SAUCE

1 teaspoon unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Sear pork on all sides until browned, about 10 minutes total. Remove from heat.

2.Rub pork with chopped rosemary; wrap with pancetta, overlapping strips slightly. Lay rosemary sprig on top; tie pork with kitchen twine. Scatter onions and rosemary sprigs around pork. Roast in oven, basting occasionally with cooking juices, until internal temperature is 145 degrees on a meat thermometer, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Transfer pork and onions to a platter; cover with foil.

3.Make pan sauce: In a small bowl, combine butter and flour. Pour off fat from skillet; place over medium heat. Add stock, scraping bottom of skillet to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil; reduce liquid slightly, about 2 minutes. Whisk in butter mixture; cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot with pork and onions.

.
Recipe from Martha Steward Living 2003

Dove Season Is Upon Us!...Grilled Doves La Mancha

Dove season in Georgia started on September 4th and ends on the 19th.  Your limit is 15 doves.  How do I know that?  I check Hunter Angler Gardener Cook and then go to a local website for the State of Georgia dates and limits.  Obviously, the dates on the different states vary so if you are interested, check your area.

I have had the pleaure of eating doves when I was young.  My father was a Hunter and Angler, sometime Gardener but never Cook.  He worked for Remington Arms for many years and we always had tons of copies of the Remington Arms Wildlife Cookbook on hand to give out to friends and clients.  Somehow, I  lost my last copy in one of the many moves I've made in my lifetime.

I thought it would be fun to publish game recipes once in awhile on this blog as hunting and fishing are an integral part of living on a lake.  HAGC has a few great recipes for grilling dove including my favorite of the lot, Grilled Doves La Mancha

Spanish smoked paprika is integral to this dish. Many good supermarkets offer it, you can even find it at Marshall's or Homegoods.


Figure on 2-3 doves per person for a light lunch or an appetizer, or 3-5 for a main course. This recipe is for 4 people.

Grilled Doves La Mancha

Printable Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

■12 doves

■Kosher salt

■3 tablespoons olive oil

■12 bay leaves

■12 sage leaves

■Spanish smoked paprika

■Freshly ground black pepper

■About 1/4 cup melted bacon fat

Directions

1.Rub the doves with olive oil and salt them well. Stuff each cavity with a sage and a bay leaf.

2.Grill over medium-high to high heat with the breast side up for 6-8 minutes. Do not let them char!

3.Turn them over and grill for 4-6 minutes. Paint them with the bacon fat.

4.Turn the doves on their sides and grill for 1-2 minutes — for each side. Paint with more bacon fat.

5.Remove to a platter and paint with the remaining bacon fat. Dust with the smoked paprika and the black pepper. Let them rest for 5 minutes.

6.Eat with your fingers and serve with a Rioja red wine, a California Pinot Noir or an Italian Barbaresco — and a bowl to put the bones in.

Photo Holly Heyser

Pancetta Crisp with Goat Cheese & Pear

An elegant appetizer just in time for Fall.  Although I haven't done so, I would think you could substitute Roquefort cheese or blue cheese for the goat cheese. Also make sure you buy pears that are still firm and drizzle a few drops of lemon juice over them so they don't loose their color.


Yield: Makes 6 servings


Ingredients

12 thin slices pancetta (about 1/3 lb.)

1 Bartlett pear

1/2 (4-oz.) package goat cheese, crumbled

Freshly cracked pepper

Honey

Garnish: fresh thyme sprigs

Preparation

1. Arrange pancetta slices in a single layer on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

2. Bake at 450° for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined wire rack using a spatula. Let stand 10 minutes or until crisp.

3. Core pear with an apple corer. Cut pear crosswise into 12 thin rings. Arrange on a serving platter. Top evenly with pancetta and goat cheese; sprinkle with pepper. Drizzle with honey just before serving. Garnish, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of Southern Living 2007

Creme of Leek & Potato Soup

I'm so excited...my daughter in law is showing an interest in cooking and calling to consult on recipes!  I guess having great cooks on both sides of the family finally made her throw in the towel.  My sister in law, on the other hand, took a different tack after some unsuccessful attempts in the kitchen, and decided she just wasn't going to compete.  I think she's the smartest of the lot.  Now when we get together, guess who's in the kitchen sweating it out and guess who's sitting on the sofa cool as a cucumber!

By coincidence, when my daughter in law called, I also had some leeks in the refrigerator about to go bad and already had a recipe in mind.  She must think I'm a genius. This afternoon we are having a cooking class on the phone and hopefully a nice surprise for my son when he comes home for dinner.  Not only is leek and potato soup delicious and appropriate for the cold weather, it's also very easy and quick to make.  The addition of bacon is all her idea...I guess she's catching on quick!



Yield: 6 servings


Ingredients

2 TB unsalted butter

3 cups sliced leeks, white and tender green parts

3 cups peeled and roughly chopped baking potatoes, like russets

6 cups chicken stock (no sodium)

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream

 1/3 cup minced chives or parsley

Crumbled bacon (optional)

Directions

In a large heavy saucepan, sautee the leeks in the butter until tender, about 8 minutes.  Add the potatoes, chicken broth, and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover partially, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Correct the seasoning, to taste, and let the soup cool a bit.  Puree with a handheld immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor.

Return to the saucepan, add the cream and reheat before serving. Top each serving with a sprinkling of fresh chives and bacon, if you like.

For the cold version known as Vichyssoise

The Ingredients are the same, omitting the Bacon, of course.

Directions:

1. Simmer the vegetables in stock or broth instead of water as described in the master recipe [Potage Parmentier]. Puree the soup either in the electric blender, or through a food mill and then through a fine sieve.

2. Stir in the cream. Season to taste, over-salting very slightly as salt loses savour in a cold dish. Chill.

3. Serve in chilled soup cups and decorate with minced chives.

Butternut Squash With Brown Butter

Ingredients


Serves 4

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 butternut squash (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

1/2 cup low-sodium canned chicken broth

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon dark brown-sugar

Directions

Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown. Add squash; saute, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender when pierced with a fork, about 16 minutes.

Add chicken broth, the water, and brown sugar; cook until liquid has evaporated and squash is nicely caramelized, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Recipe:  Martha Stewart

A Sunday Afternoon At The Kinsey Family Farm, Gainesville, Georgia

If you want to spend a delightful afternoon with your family this Fall, head over to the Kinsey Family Farm in Gainesville, Georgia. That's what I did this past Sunday with my daughter, my son and his family. And boy am I glad I did. Not only did I watch my granddaughter have a wonderful time posing amongst the pumpkins, but I learned a lot about pumpkins too.

I must say in back of my mind I wanted to look for some pumpkins to roast and puree in case the shortage was for real. I did not think, however, that I would be walking out with a beautiful gray pumpkin, a Jardale, to bake my pies with. The owners highly recommended it and why not! I will be cooking it this week and freezing the puree for some pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. I'll definitely let you know how it turns out.

The farm also provides hayrides, apple cannonballs (complete with the cows watching and waiting for one to land closeby) and a wonderful atmosphere to spend a Fall afternoon. Don't forget to bring your camera!

Kinsey Family Farm

Hayride

I think these are the ones Worth The Whisk bought for roasting!

Jardale! Pumpkin Pie here I come!

My Jardale front and center!

Have you ever seen one this big??

...or one this cute!

If you want to round up the experience, come home, light a fire and sit down to this delicious meal!

For more information visit http://kinseyfamilyfarm.com/
7170 Jot-em Down Road
Forsyth County
Gainesville, Ga 30506
Tel. 770-887-6028 Barn