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The filling for the galette was made with a mixture of slice shiitake, baby Bella and white mushrooms from Wegmans, shallots, fresh garlic, fresh parsley, unsalted butter, extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, fontina cheese and heavy cream. Because of the type of pâté, I was aiming for a creamy base that would complement the dish. For the pastry I needed something neutral in flavor, nothing sweet. For the pastry, you’ll need all-purpose flour, salt, unsalted butter, sour cream or plain yogurt, lemon juice and ice water. To make a flaky, butter based crust, I followed Stella Park’s process she uses for pie pastry, that is cubing the butter, tossing it in the flour and merely squishing each cube with your fingers. The dough is rolled out, folded a few times and chilled before its final role. Ms. Park’s also says that the dough temperature should be between 65° and 70° to keep it from becoming sticky. The end result, a delicious tart whose base was rich, seasoned enough to let the pâté shine, while not being overshadowed by the filling. The pastry was flaky, buttery and the perfect vehicle to support the filling and topping. All components need to be at room temperature to fully enjoy it. Next, is a new sheet pan recipe. I had a half dozen turkey sausage links in my freezer when I came across Ali Slagle’s recipe for Sheet-Pan Sausages and Mushrooms with Arugula and Croutons. For the recipe you’ll need hot or sweet Italian sausage, mixed mushrooms, extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, red wine vinegar, a clove of garlic, crusty bread torn into bite-size pieces, arugula, fresh chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese for serving. For the recipe I used a mix of shiitake, baby Bella and white mushrooms. You can also use a combination of oyster, maitake or cremini. Both the sausages and mushrooms are tossed with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper and cooked at 450°. While that’s happening, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper are blended. When the sausages and mushrooms are cooked through, they’re removed and the bread and a teaspoon of the dressing are tossed with the pan dripping and roasted until toasted. The mushrooms and arugula are added back to the pan and the rest of the vinaigrette is tossed with the ingredients. Adjust seasoning and garnish with chopped parsley and Parmesan. The vegetables and sausages are eaten together. This was a flavorsome one pan meal. My husband and I liked the tartness of the vinaigrette playing against the vegetables and sausage. The croutons added a crunchy texture to the dish. When you’re short on time, this 40-minute meal will come in handy during the holidays. Appetizers play a big part during the holiday season. Whether to enjoy with a cocktail before dinner or on New Year’s Eve, easy to prepare snacks come in handy. I recently made Ricotta Toast topped with Mushroom and Artichoke Pâté from Alexian Pâté. To prepare, I recommend slicing the pâté while cold and placing on a sheet of parchment or wax paper to easily transfer on top of the toast. Make sure to serve the pâté at room temperature. I toasted slices of Italian bread, rubbed with a clove of fresh garlic. I topped the bread with a thin spread of ricotta, seasoned with salt and pepper, then placed a thin slice of pâté on top. Yum, what a delicious appetizer. You can use other Alexian products and create your own original ricotta toast. My husband recently asked for paninis for supper one night. To make them interesting I made an artichoke tapenade. For the recipe you’ll need a bag of frozen artichoke hearts, sliced pimento-stuffed green olives, roasted red pepper, capers, anchovy paste, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, fresh garlic, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, red pepper flakes, kosher salt and pepper. All the ingredients are placed in the bowl of a food processor and mixed until smooth. To assemble, I used a sliced round loaf of Italian bread lightly drizzled with olive oil on the bread for browning. I added slices of mozzarella, grilled chicken, a layer of tapenade, strips of roasted peppers and arugula. A few minutes in the hot press and dinner was ready. What a scrumptious meal. The melted cheese added creaminess and the tapenade added some zest to the chicken. Overall, a terrific sandwich. The last recipe I made was from J. Kenji López-Alt for 30-Minute Pressure Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup. For this recipe you’ll need unsalted butter, a medium onion, a rib of celery, a ham steak, two cloves of garlic, one pound of dried green split peas, chicken stock or water, bay leaves, kosher salt and pepper. Instead of a ham steak, I prefer to use a smoked ham hock and found Villari Smoked Ham Hocks at my local Wegmans store. The recipe is quite easy to prepare. Chopped onion and celery and ham are cooked until softened. The garlic is added and cooked until fragrant. Next, the peas, liquid (I used water) and fresh bay leaves are added to the pot stirred. Place the cover on and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. What a great soup! Using the pressure cooker in my mind, made for a creamier texture. The Villari ham hock gave the soup such a wonderful flavor; overall a winning recipe. Mushroom Galette Adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine (filling) And Smitten Kitchen (galette crust ingredients) using Stella Parks preparation method Filling 14 oz. Sliced Mushroom Blend (white, shiitake, baby bellas – I purchased at Wegmans) 1 garlic clove, mined ½ cup coarsely chopped parsley and/or chives 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 6 ounces (about 1-1/2 cups) fontina cheese, grated ¼ cup heavy cream Pastry 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup, 4 ounces, or 115 grams) unsalted butter, cut pieces no smaller than ½-inch 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/4 cup ice water Before Serving – thinly Alexian Pâté Campagne pâté when cold. Place on plate to until it reaches room temperature, then place atop cooled galette. Filling Preparation
Crust Preparation
Artichoke Tapenade “From a Chef’s Kitchen” Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Total time: 30 minutes INGREDIENTS 1 bag (14-ounce) frozen artichoke hearts - thawed, squeezed of excess moisture and patted dry, coarsely chopped 3/4 cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives - drained 1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted red bell pepper - half of a 12-ounce jar 2 tablespoons drained capers 1 tablespoon anchovy paste 2 tablespoons olive oil - or as needed to achieve smooth consistency plus more for brushing the bread 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 cloves garlic - chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes - or to tolerance Salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste 1 small baguette - or other crusty bread INSTRUCTIONS
30-Minute Pressure Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup By J. Kenji López-Alt From the website “Serious Eats” Active Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes Total Time: 40 Minutes Serves: 6 to 8 Servings Ingredients 3 tablespoons (45g) unsalted butter 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 6 ounces; 170g) 1 large rib celery, finely diced (about 4 ounces; 125g) 6 ounces (170g) ham steak, diced (see note) 2 medium cloves garlic, minced 1 pound (450g) dried green split peas 6 cups (1.5L) homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock, or water 2 bay leaves Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions Melt butter in a pressure cooker over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and ham and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add peas, chicken stock or water, and bay leaves. Stir to combine, then cover pot and bring to high pressure. Cook for 20 minutes, then rapidly release pressure by opening the air valve. Open pot lid, stir contents until smooth, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve. Carefully clean the pressure cooker's gasket and valves as soon as the pot is cool enough to handle; pea soup can easily clog valves, which can cause your cooker to over-pressurize the next time you use it. Soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Notes You can use a whole cured or smoked ham hock in place of the diced ham, or bacon or pancetta, if you prefer. If you use a hock, pick off the meat after cooking in step 2 and add it back to the soup, discarding the bone. Special Equipment Electric countertop pressure cooker or stovetop pressure cooker
Sheet-Pan Sausages and Mushrooms with Arugula and Croutons By Ali Slagle The New York Times/NYT Cooking Time: 40 minutes Servings: 4 Ingredients 1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausages 1-pound mixed mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster, maitake or cremini, trimmed and quartered (or cut into 1-inch pieces if large) 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed Kosher salt and black pepper 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more as needed 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped 4 cups torn, bite-size pieces of crusty bread (6 to 8 ounces) 2 cups arugula ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves Finely grated Parmesan, for serving PREPARATION
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