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The Orange-Cranberry Scones is a recipe by Yossy Arefi of The New York Times/NYT Cooking website. I loved these scones as her recipe uses a combination of both buttermilk and heavy cream that yielded a tender crumb, yet had a soft crunch on the outside. The addition of both fresh orange juice and orange zest really drove the flavor home. Ms. Arefi also recommended rubbing the zest into the sugar for maximum flavor. Once you had a shaggy dough, the dough was shaped into a 1-inch-thick rectangle where upon you fold the dough in half, pat into a rectangle and fold a second time. This help to get nice light layers. Also, instead of shaping into a circle, the dough was patted into a 7-x1-inch thick square then cut into 9 pieces. There were plenty of scones for everyone.
The toasting English bread I made before, but this time, I used my electric slicer to get nice evenly cut slices. While I had the slicer out, I pre-cut the baguette into a uniform thickness. All the baked goods were made several days ahead and frozen to keep fresh. I also made the individual frittatas ahead and kept them covered in the refrigerator. The day before my guests arrived, I started preparing the main dishes. The Orange-Vanilla French Toast Casserole with Bourbon-Maple Syrup is from the April 2017 issue of “Southern Living Magazine.” This was a hit at the brunch. A mixture of melted butter and brown sugar was spread in a 13-x9-inch baking dish that was sprayed with cooking spray. On top of this went some toasted pecans. The baguette slices were shingled on top then covered with a mixture of beaten eggs, milk, granulated sugar (which I left out), orange zest, orange juice and cinnamon. The reason I left the additional sugar out was I thought it had enough sweetness from the brown sugar base. The casserole was topped with additional chopped pecans. This casserole needs to be prepared ahead as it needs to chill for eight hours. Next up was the quiche a recipe from “Cooking Light, July 2003.” I purchased fresh, local broccoli that I blanched for the recipe. In the quiche are sautéed onion, garlic and broccoli florets. This mixture is placed evenly in a 9-inch pie plate that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Milk, shredded Swiss cheese, chopped fresh parsley, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, egg whites and whole eggs, and Parmesan cheese are whisked together before being poured over the vegetables. The last item I prepped ahead was the Grand Fruit Salad, which I believe is from an old “Gourmet Magazine.” With summer now done for the year, I used a combination of local Gala apples, Anjou and Bosc pear, orange segments, cantaloupe and strawberries that I doused with a small amount of Grand Marnier liquor. On the day of the brunch, I was up early so I fried the bacon and placed the strips on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. The sausage was also done ahead; all the meats were chilled until they needed to be reheated. About an hour before the guest were to arrive, I began to preheat my oven. Approximately 40 minutes before the guests arrived, I timed the quiche and French Toast Casserole to bake with a cushion in case it took longer. The outdoor grill was preheated and I used two bricks to create a landing spot for my rimmed baking sheet holding the bacon and a small grill rack to hold the breakfast sausage. All my dishes from my morning cooking were washed and put away and I waited patiently for my guests to arrive while my brunch food either reheated or cooked. Overall, the brunch was a success. The guest really enjoyed all of the food. There wasn’t much left of the French toast, even the fruit salad was enjoyed. I had water on the table, coffee, tea and mimosas, for anyone wanting to indulge. These recipes are easy to prepare and as you can see, can be done ahead. This is a particularly wonderful menu if you’re having guests over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. My last special meal of the week was another fabulous skirt steak from Perrotti’s Quality Meats of Cranford. This time I found a recipe by John Willoughby and Chris Schlesinger on The New York Times/NYT Cooking website for Grilled Skirt Steak with Smoky Eggplant Chutney. For the recipe you’ll need olive oil, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, cracked coriander seed, cracked cumin seed, mustard seeds, chili powder, crushed cinnamon stick, kosher salt and the skirt steak. For the smoky eggplant chutney, an eggplant, olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, vegetable oil, red onion, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and fresh cilantro. While my grill preheated, I prepared the chutney. Minced garlic and ginger are sautéed in oil until fragrant. The dry spices, coriander, cumin, mustard, chili powder and cinnamon (I used ground cinnamon) and cooked those until darkened and very aromatic. The mixture needs to cool so that it can be rubbed over the steak which has been seasoned with salt and pepper. For the chutney, the eggplant was peeled and sliced into 3/4-inch planks and grilled until golden brown on each side. Once done, they were cut into a medium dice. In a skillet sliced red onion is cooked until lightly colored. Next the eggplant, sugar, vinegar seasoned with salt and pepper are cooked for approximately 3 minutes. This was set aside and kept warm. Once my grill was heated, the steak was cooked over medium-high heat for approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. To serve, slice against the grain and top with the eggplant chutney. What another terrific preparation for skirt steak. The chutney was a lovely accompaniment to the steak which was perfectly cooked. The cumin gave the chutney a depth of flavor and slight spiciness. The coriander pairs well with the cumin and offers a floral note. The mustard seeds offered undertones of heat to the chutney. Overall, a delicious preparation. Our CSA share will be coming to an end in about 3 weeks. Last week’s offering was a cheese pumpkin, apples, kale, leeks, cauliflower, tomato, sweet potato, lettuce, zucchini and green beans. On Sunday, I cut the pumpkin into sections and roasted in a 400° oven until tender. I scooped out the flesh and currently have it in my refrigerator. As far as the pumpkin, I’m thinking soup and perhaps some pumpkin filled raviolis. I’ll keep you posted. The sweet potato and apples sound like they would make for a delicious soup, definitely something different.
Cranberry-Orange Scones
By Yossy Arefi The New York Times/NYT Cooking Published October 6, 2022 Total Time: 35 minutes, plus cooling Yield: 9 Scones For the Scones 1 medium orange ¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling 2¼ cups/288 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon fine salt ½ cup/113 grams unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes 1 cup/130 grams dried cranberries, roughly chopped ½ cup/115 grams buttermilk, cold ½ cup/115 grams heavy cream, cold, plus more to brush over the scones For the (optional) Glaze 1 cup/100 grams confectioners’ sugar 4 to 6 teaspoons orange juice Pinch salt Preparation
Orange-Vanilla French Toast Casserole with
Bourbon-Maple Syrup “Southern Living Magazine,” The SL Kitchen April 2019 Active Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, plus 8 hours chilling Serves: 6 Ingredients 1 cup packed light brown sugar 6 tablespoons butter, melted 1 cup pure maple syrup, divided (1/4 c. + ¾ c.) 1 cup chopped toasted pecans divided (3/4 c. + ¼ c.) 12 (1-inch thick) baguette slices (from 1 baguette, ends discarded) 5 large eggs, lightly beaten 1-1/4 cup whole milk 2 tablespoons granulated sugar* 1 teaspoon orange zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice (from 1 orange) ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1-1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided (1 teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon) 2 tablespoons (1 oz.) bourbon Powdered sugar, for serving
*Donna’s Notes – I omitted the additional granulated sugar as I felt the dish was sweet enough with the brown sugar and melted butter base. However, the granulated sugar mixed with the egg mixture will promote browning of the bread
Grand Fruit Salad
“Gourmet Magazine,” April 1983 “Here’s a colorful and delicious addition to a brunch menu. It also makes a lovely light dessert on its own.” Servings: 8 Ingredients 2 cups green grapes 2 cups sliced strawberries 2 cups sliced plums 1 cup sliced peaches 1 cup orange segments 1 cup sliced peeled kiwi 1/2 cup Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur 1/2 cup orange juice 2 tablespoons sugar Preparation Combine all ingredients in large bowl. Cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours.
Grilled Skirt Steak with Smoky Eggplant Chutney
“Fire Meets Its Match: Spices,” By John Willoughby and Chris Schlesinger The New York Times, August 12, 2012 Total Time: 25 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon cracked coriander seed 1 tablespoon cracked cumin seed 1 tablespoon mustard seeds 1 tablespoon chile powder 1teaspoon crushed cinnamon stick Kosher salt to taste 2 pounds skirt steak, cut into four 8-ounce portions Smoky eggplant chutney (see recipe) Preparation
Smoky Eggplant Chutney Total Time: 25 minutes Yield: about 1-1/4 cups Ingredients 1 eggplant, cut lengthwise into ¾-inch planks 2 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt and black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons vegetable oil ½ red onion, roughly chopped 3 tablespoons brown sugar ¼ cup cider vinegar ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro Preparation
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