Seared Salmon with Mushroom Teriyaki Cream Sauce

From Food and Drink Holiday 2014 - they used Shiitake mushrooms but I prefer button mushrooms.

1 tbsp _ 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 tsp garlic finely chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely shopped
1/2 cup loosely packed mushrooms, coarsely shopped
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp teriyaki or soy sauce
1/2 cup 35% cream
1/2 cup green onions, sliced on an angle into 1/2 inch pieces
250 to 300 g salmon fillet, cut into 4 equal size cubes
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

• In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
• Add mushrooms, stirring, cook for 2 minutes more over medium heat.
• Add water and teriyaki sauce, cook for 2 minutes.
• Add cream and green onions.  Continue cooking until sauce reduces and is thickened to a light sauce consistency, about 4 minutes.  If it thickens too much add 1 tsp or more water to loosen it.  Set aside until salmon is ready.
• In a medium nonstick skillet, heat remaining 2 tbsp vegetable oil over medium high.  Lightly season salmon with salt and pepper and carefully place salmon in skillet, flesh side down.  Cook until golden, about 2 to 3 minutes and flip.  Cook skin side until skin is crispy and salmon is just cooked and still pink in the middle, another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Warm sauce if needed, spoon sauce evenly onto 4 plates, and top with a cube of salmon.

Serves 4

Sticky Chicken Sticks

From Food and Drink Holiday 2014

1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
3 tbsp packed golden brown sugar
Pinch Salt
1 tbsp Japanese soy
1 piece ginger, 1 inch long, peeled and cut into 5 slices
1 star anise
2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 500 g cut into 1 inch chunks
1 tsp roasted sesame oil
12 skewers, each 6 inches long
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 green onion, thinly sliced

• In a large skillet over high heat, combine orange juice, Grand Marnier and brown sugar; stir until sugar is dissolved.  Add salt, soy, ginger and star anise.  Bring to a vigorous boil and reduce to a scant 1/2 cup.  Pour roughly half into a small heatproof bowl, leaving ginger and star anise in skillet and set aside.
• Return skillet to high heat, add chicken to remaining sauce in pan and cook until liquid is evaporated, chicken is sticky and just cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Pour reserved sauce over, stir to coat and remove from heat.  Stir in sesame oil.
• Use skewers (you may not need all 12) to pierce 2 pieces of chicken each.  Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions; serve hot.

Bruleed White Chocolate Eggnog

A very rich and velvety eggnog.  Perfect for Christmas.

4 fresh pasteurized eggs
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1 cup whipping
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup Calvados
1/4 cup Baileys Vanilla Cinnamon
Freshly grated nutmeg for garnishing

• Carefully separate yolks and whites into separate bowls.
• Place egg yolks in a large bowl.  Add 1/4 cup sugar.  Whisk until pale.
• Pour cream and milk into a large saucepan.  Set over medium heat until warm and steaming.  Slowly whisk about half of cream mixture into egg mixture, then whisk that mixture into cream mixture in saucepan.  Set over medium heat.  
• Cook, stirring frequently for 1 to 3 minutes until mixture coats back of a spoon or first bubble pops.  Strain into a large bowl or container, then cool completely.  Slowly whisk in Calvados then Baileys.  Refrigerate for about 1 hour until chilled.
• When yolk-Calvados mixture is chilled, beat egg whites with remaining sugar until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted.  Whisk egg white mixture into cooled egg yolk and Calvados mixture.  Refrigerate until chilled.  If making ahead, eggnog will keep well, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
• Just before serving, stir eggnog.  Pour into heat proof glasses.  Using a torch, lightly brûlée tops of each drink until fragrant.  Sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg.

Scotch Olives

This is a great recipe from Food and Drink Holiday 2014 that I tried.  I have made Scotch eggs before and this is an interesting version of that theme.  If you can’t find fresh Chorizo sausage, use the best sausage you can purchase.

3 Tbsp olive oil
9 medium size garlic cloves
18 medium size pitted green olives
375 g fresh chorizo sausage (about 3)
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
Chopped parsley to garnish

• Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium low.  Fry garlic, turning once, until lightly golden on both sides but still firm, about 3 minutes total; remove from oil.  When cool enough to handle, cut each clove in half lengthwise.  Stuff each olive with a half clove of garlic; set aside.
• Remove chorizo from casings and turn out onto cutting board; discard casings and finely chop sausage.
• Working with a tablespoon measure, fill spoon with a slightly heaping amount of sausage.  Push olive into sausage; turn out into hands and work sausage around olive to enclose and form into ovals mimicking the shape of the olive.  Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining meat and olives.  (if making ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.  Allow to warm up to room temperature before proceeding with recipe.)
• Preheat oven to 400F.
• Combine sweet and hot paprika in a small bowl.  Using a fine meshed sieve, dust olives with paprika.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until meat is cooked.  Arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle with parsley; serve with toothpicks.

Spiced Rum Flip

A really delicious holiday drink.  From Food and Drink Holiday 2014.

To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add 1 1/2 oz spiced rum, 1 whole egg, 1 oz cream, 1/4 oz to 1/2 oz maple syrup.  Shake hard until frothy.  Strain into a compete glass and add a dusting of nutmeg.

Cheddar and Pistachio Shortbread Coins

Part cookie, part cheese biscuit these are great with a dinner or on their own.  From Food and Drink Holiday 2014.  They are very addictive and you can substitute the pistachios to the nut of your choice.

1 cup shelled raw pistachios
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
125 grated old cheddar cheese

TOPPING
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp salt

• Bake pistachios at 350F for 8 minutes or until lightly toasted.  Divide pistachios into 2, with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped and 1/2 cup finely chopped.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, brown sugar, salt, mustard powder and soda and pulse once to combine.  Add butter and pulse until it resembles bread crumbs.  Add cheese and process just until dough begins to come together.  Transfer dough to a bowl.  Add 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios, and knead gently until fully incorporated.  Divide dough into 2 equal pieces, and roll into logs about 1 inch in diameter.  Place finely chopped 1/2 cup pistachios on a large plate, and roll logs of dough in them, pressing to imbed them, then roll tightly in waxed paper.  Chill until firm (at least 3 hours).
• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Use a micro serrated blade to slice dough into 1/4 inch thick coins.  Lay them 1 inch apart on parchment lined baking sheet.  Combine sugar, paprika and slat for topping and sprinkle lightly overtop.  Bake for 15 minutes or until centres are firm to the touch.  Transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes 36 cookies

Savoury French Toasties

From Food and Drink Holiday 2014 this is a great brunch recipe!

2 cups pure maple syrup
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
16 slices peameal or smoked back bacon
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup whole milk or half and half
1/4 tsp salt
8 sandwich size bread slices each about 3/4 to 1 inch thick (use a good quality bread)
1/3 cup butter
2 cups grated medium or old cheddar

• Using a small whisk, stir maple syrup with mustard; set aside.
• If very moist, pat bacon dry with paper towel.  Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until hot.  Add several slices without crowding; sauté for about 4 to 6 minutes per side.  Remove from pan; keep warm.  Repeat with remaining oil and bacon.   If using the same pan fro French toast, wash before using.
• Meanwhile, whisk eggs with milk and salt or more easily, whirl in a blender; pour some into a deep pie plate.  When ready to cook, briefly dip bread into egg mixture, coating both sides and letting excess drip back into plate.
• Heat a large frying pan or griddle over medium heat.  Add enough butter to coat pan bottom, sauté soaked bread in batches until golden, ad ing more butter as needed, about 4 to 5 minutes a side.  Keep first batch warm in a single layer on a flat baking sheet in a warm oven; repeat with remaining butter and soaked bread.
• When ready to serve, preheat broiler.  Top each toast with 1/4 cup cheese.  Broil briefly for 30 to 60 seconds or just until cheese melts.  Cut each piece diagonally.
• Place a piece of bacon over cheese; place 1 toast slightly overlapping the other piece, on warm plates.  Pass syrup mixture to drizzle overtop.  

Makes 8 french toasts, 6 to 8 servings.

Chop Suey

A fun and quick dinner recipe adapted from Company’s Coming book.

2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
500 g Ground beef
540 ml canned bean sprouts with juice
1 cup sautéed mushrooms
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water

• Combine cooking oil, celery, onion and meat in frying pan.  Saute slowly until meat is browned and vegetables are softened.  Set aside.
• Put bean sprouts and mushrooms into a large saucepan.  Stir in soy sauce, sugar and salt.   Bring to a boil.
• Stir cornstarch and water together in small cup.  Pour into boiling mixture stirring until it boils again.  Add meat mixture.  Ready to serve or hold in casserole.

Serves 4