Today, for the first time this year, I finally felt a little anticipation - maybe it was the sherry at the Xmas party last night and the Zinfandel at the Chanukah party tonight - but I'm ready to start cooking. Here are some of my favorites for the holidays - not dinner exactly, but always part of Christmas Eve and Day meals:
On Xmas Eve, we always have Alaska King crab legs w/drawn butter, and this to drink:
Mom's Ginger Ale
2c (about 10 oz.) coarsely chopped, peeled fresh ginger
3 strips lemon peel, about 4 in. wide, yellow part only
About 1 1/2c sugar
3 qts chilled club soda
Lots of ice
Combine ginger, peel, 4 c water in 4 qt pan. Bring to boil, uncovered; boil gently 10 min. Stir in sugar, continue boiling til reduced to 3c, about 15 more min. Pour through fine strainer set over a bowl, discarding peel and ginger. Cool, then cover and chill til cold, at least one hour.
For each serving, mix 1/4c ginger syrup with 1c cold club soda in tall glass. Add 4-6 ice cubes, top with more soda, and mix vigorously. Add more syrup or sugar to taste.
Our Stollen (3 loaves)
This recipe came to me from a friend and great cook, when we both had small children and no time to make yeast breads (pre-bread machines!) Rather than a yeast bread, this is a quick bread, with the terrific flavor of real stollen. I give these as gifts every year - wonderful for Xmas morning breakfast. Store it several days before serving with room temperature butter.
First, bury a split vanilla bean in 1c sugar; let stand 2-3 days, covered.
5 c flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 c sugar
1 t salt
1/2 t mace
1/2 t cardamom
1 1/2c ground blanched almonds
2 sticks cold unsalted butter
2 c cottage cheese, whirled til smooth in blender
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
3/4 t almond extract
4 T rum or 1 t rum extract + 3 T water
1 c currants, dried
1 c golden raisins
1/2c chopped candied lemon peel
6 T melted unsalted butter
4 T vanilla sugar
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.*
In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, mace, cardamom, and almonds. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Blend cottage cheese, eggs, vanilla, almond extract, rum, currants, raisins, and lemon peel; stir into flour mixture just til all ingredients are moistened. Mold dough into ball, place on floured board, knead 10 times til smooth. Divide into three even portions.
Roll out each portion to form an oval about 8 1/2 by 10 in. With rolling pin just off-center, lightly crease dough, parallel to 10 in. side. Brush dough with 1T melted butter. Fold smaller section over larger. Using a large spatula/peel/pastry scraper, place on ungreased baking sheet which is covered with brown paper. (You could also use parchment. I use an unused, clean grocery bag without any print on it.)
Bake in oven 35 to 45 minutes. Be very careful NOT to overbake. If checked with a toothpick in its thickest part, the crumb should be very moist.
Immediately transfer to rack set over newspaper. Brush w/remaining melted butter, liberally, and sprinkle heavily w/vanilla sugar. I often must melt more butter.
Cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap. Cover tightly with foil and age in a cool dry area for 72 hrs before slicing and enjoying.
Yuletide Almond Bars
I always double this recipe because we all love the flavor of almonds, and I give away the first batch as gifts. This is my v. favorite holiday cookie - they disappeared at the Chanukah feast tonight.
1 3/4c flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 t almond extract
Milk
1/2 to 2/3 c sliced almonds
1 c powdered sugar
1/2 t almond extract
3-4 t milk
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Stir together first 3 ingredients. In mixer bowl, beat butter til softened, add sugar; beat til fluffy. Add egg, extract, beat well. Add flour mixture; beat til well-mixed.
Divide dough into fourths. Form each into a 12 in. 'snake' between palms of hands. Place each roll 4-5 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Flatten each roll till about 3-4 in. wide, 12 in. long. Square up edges w/ a scraper or ruler. I use my fingers dipped in cold water to flatten dough.
Brush each roll with milk, sprinkle w/almonds. Pat gently to make nuts adhere.
Bake 12-14 min., or til lightly golden overall. These cookies do best on an insulated sheet.
While still warm/hot and on the cookie sheet, cut into 1 in. strips on the DIAGONAL. Use a sharp, not serrated, knife, to prevent tearing warm dough. I find a pastry scraper does well. Remove to a rack and cool.
Mix last 3 ingredients to form a glaze and drizzle from the tip of a spoon generously over bars. Let dry before packing or stacking.
Mr. B's Spicy Shrimp
This is always our appetizer on Xmas Eve. Buy a skinny baguette and slice it diagonally, very thinly. Pile up in a basket and put on the table (covered w/newspaper and well supplied w/paper towels) along with the shrimp, so everyone can soak up every delicious buttery drop with the little slices of bread.
1 t paprika
3/4 t pepper, freshly ground
1/2 t salt
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t oregano, dried
Sprinkle of onion powder
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch dried thyme
28 large, fresh raw shrimp, w/shells on (if frozen are the only type available, thaw in refrig. first)
7 T unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 in. pieces, cold
3 T Worcestershire sauce
3 T fresh lemon juice
2 t minced fresh garlic
Combine first 8 ingredients in large glass bowl. Add shrimp, toss to coat.
Melt 3 T butter in large skillet over med. heat. Add Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic; saute til garlic is tender, about 2-5 min.
Add shrimp and spices; saute til shrimp is opaque in center, about 3 minutes. Add remaining 4 T butter and swirl pan to mix. Take pan to table and place in center. Use seafood forks to spear and then peel. Dip up sauce with bread.
Don't skimp on the butter - it's just this once all year long! It makes the sauce velvety, and dilutes the spices, too.
I hope someone else will share their best recipes for the holidays, especially Christmas Eve dinner. I'm ready to try something new. And make it warm, please - it's minus 15 tonight!
Best wishes for the holidays from Alaska...
