‘Twas Two Weeks Before Christmas

‘Twas two weeks before Christmas as I lay in my bed,

The question of dinner nagged in my head 

My cookbooks were stacked on the night stand with care,

In hopes inspiration might soon be found there

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But the ‘Ghost of Christmas Feasts From Past Years’

Upon fragrant steam it arose, and wafted quite near,

 To whisper “Braised Veal Shanks!” right in my ear

The apparition was really quite firm on the matter,

 “In Christmas ‘98 they looked great on the platter.”

Roused from my slumber I jumped-up and shouted

On with Braised Veal Shanks, and Tarragon Mash !

Winter Vegetables Roasted in Orange Honey–just a dash!

Now Portobellos, in their own juices with butter

Would make all the company contented and mutter “mmm…”

“What’s the next course?” they’d say

Why, it’s Maple Syrup-Poached Pears in Bourbon Crème Brulee

***

Braised Veal Shoulder or Shank     

The muscular parts of beef, like the shoulder and shanks – a portion of the lower leg, are less expensive and more succulent and flavourful than tenderloins and racks. When braised, which is cooking the ingredients close to the liquid ( i.e. half covered opposed to immersed as in stewing) on a low simmer for a couple of hours, the results are so tender as to be cut with a spoon, and are bathed in an unctuous glaze formed by the braising liquid and meat juices melded with the flavourful gelatin from the bone: heaven on a platter.

Serves six

Ingredients:

Note: when purchasing lamb or veal shanks, make sure they’re hind shanks which are meatier than front shanks, and ask the butcher to remove the silver skin.

• Two 3- 4lb. veal shanks or a 6lb. shoulder roast (bone in)
• 6 ozs. pancetta diced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 4 shallots finely diced
• 2 tbsp. prepared whole grain mustard
• ½  - 28 oz. can crushed plum tomatoes in their juice
• 2  cups Noilly-Pratt dry white vermouth
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary finely chopped
• 1 tsp. each: coarse black pepper, kosher salt
• 1 ½   tsps. olive oil

Method:

• In a large frying pan, warm the oil over medium-high heat, season the shanks or roast with half the salt and pepper and brown well in the oil
• Remove meat from pan, add pancetta , rosemary, garlic, and shallots, sauté until soft
• Add mustard and wine, simmer for 5 mins., then add tomatoes and their juice, simmer for 5 mins. more
• Add remaining salt and pepper
• Preheat  oven to 400, place meat in a roasting pan or clay baker, pour over the tomato and wine sauce, add the thyme sprigs, cover pan with foil or lid
•  Place in preheated oven for 10 mins. then reduce heat to 350
• Turn meat and baste every 30 mins, if it seems dry, add a little more wine
• Cook for 3 hrs. until meat has shrunk from the bone and is very tender
• Before serving, remove from oven, uncover and baste with pan juices to glaze, rest for 15 mins., serve with pan juices 

Roasted Portobellos (for six)

Take six large Portobello mushroom caps, smear lightly in olive oil, place gill-side down in an oven-proof dish, lay several sprigs of thyme on top, cover with foil and roast in a 350 oven for 30 mins. Remove thyme and mushrooms (reserve pan juices) slice caps cross-wise in ¼” slices, add 1 tbsp. butter, a pinch of salt and pepper to pan, return mushrooms and coat in pan sauce, serve around meat.

Celeriac and Tarragon Mashed Potatoes 

Ingredients: (for six)

• 5 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• ½ medium celery (celeriac) root, peeled and diced
• 150 ml. 35% cream
• 4 sprigs fresh tarragon, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. butter

Method:

• In a large pot place potatoes and celeriac, add salt and enough water to cover
• Cook over medium-high heat until tender -20 mins.
• Reserve 1 cup of cooking water, then drain vegetables,
•  return to pot off heat and mash, adding back some reserved water to smoothen
• Blend in cream, taste, adjust seasoning and dot with the butter
• Keep warm in oven while veal is resting, fold-in chopped tarragon just before serving 

Honey-Orange Roasted Winter Vegetables 

photo by L. Gatto-White

Ingredients: (for six)

• 5 each : medium carrots and parsnips, peeled and quartered (or leave them whole if small, and double the amount)
• 12 medium Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 8 large shallots peeled and halved
• ½   large orange (unpeeled) sliced thinly, seeds removed
• Juice remaining ½  orange
• ½  cup pure honey
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. toasted cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. each:  kosher salt and pepper 

• Method: 
• Steam or microwave (in a little water) all the vegetables until they just begin to soften
• in a large bowl stir together honey, orange juice, and butter
• Add vegetables and cumin, toss to coat 
• spread vegetables and shallots out evenly in an oven proof dish, season with salt and pepper and add orange slices, cover.
• Roast at 365 until soft and caramelized, approx. 30 mins. 

                     Baked Maple-Poached Pears in Rum Zabaglione (Crème Brulee)

photo by L. Gatto-White

Unlike traditional zabaglione, my baked version is a loose custard sauce which requires less eggs than the firmer traditional version and also uses the egg whites to lighten the dish.

Ingredients : (for six)

• 3 firm pears such as Bosc, peeled , halved and cored
• 1 ½ cups 35% cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 6 ozs. Jack Daniels or dark rum
• 3 eggs separated
• 2 ½  cups sugar
• 6 tbsp. maple syrup
• 3 tbsp. butter

Method:  (first 8 steps can be done 1 day ahead)

• In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat
•  add maple syrup and 3 ozs. of bourbon, raise heat to med-high, stir for 4-5 mins. until mixture begins to thicken
• Add pear halves, cut side down, caramel should be lightly bubbling
• Turn pears until brown and coated with caramel
• Remove from heat, cool and store pears in caramel in refrigerator or cool place
• To make custard sauce, scald cream with vanilla extract and remaining 3 ozs. of bourbon
• Cool cream slightly while beating yolks with  ¾ cups sugar until thick
• Gradually beat in warm cream to yolks, beat constantly to prevent curdling, and incorporate  all of the cream, cover and reserve in refrigerator
• beat egg whites with ¼ cup sugar and fold into cooled cream
• to serve, preheat broil, place pears, cut side up in a gratin dish, drizzle with caramel , spoon over cream, sprinkle with ½ cup sugar and place directly under broil until sugar just begins to burn, remove and cool for 2 minutes before serving.