Portrait Day

If you follow us on Instagram (which you should, Tara at tstriano and me at mdmsacasa) or Twitter or on this blog, you know we’ve been working on a book for the past few months. In recent weeks, we wrapped up photography for the book, reviewed proofs, made edits to content, etc. etc. etc. Crossing the last T was definitely the most exhilarating moment of work on this project, but the most fun was our author portrait photo shoot.

Tara and I are always behind the camera (I try to sneak in here and there, but usually my head gets lopped off) and this was a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence, and we loved it. I don’t know about Tara, but I’m now more than a little reluctant to be the behind-the-scenes chick.

Speaking of which, we look amazing in our author portrait, thanks to photographer Geraldine Pierson and makeup artist Lea Siegel. Those ladies took us from drab to dazzling and for that we thank them profusely.

Our book is due out in the fall, courtesy of our publisher, Quirk Books, but in the meantime, here are a few outtakes highlighting the shenanigans that went on on set!

Brunch is my absolute favorite meal of the day, and I think Tara will concur. I love to eat sweet and savory at the same time, and with the exception of some Asian cuisines, most of the meals I have sternly progress from savory courses to sweet ones. I’m one of those people who salts their chocolate and eats a handful of salt-and-vinegar potato chips after polishing off a sundae. Which is why brunch is perfect: have some eggs right alongside sausage and a pool of maple syrup. And a spicy bloody Mary.

This tart is a perfect brunch dish, combining eggs, bacon, greens, and starch. The sweetness here comes in the form of a tomato jam, sweetened with brown sugar and balanced with Worcestershire sauce, shallots, and lemon juice. It’s ketchup-like, but thick and rich. And yes, I do eat scrambled eggs with ketchup sometimes.

You can use San Marzano plum tomatoes here, but, if you paid attention, Tara canned some tomatoes last summer and they were all ready for us when it came time to make this tart.

A note on the recipe:  The crust recipe that follows may seem daunting because it is word-heavy, but it is actually easier than it looks. Some patience is required, as there are resting periods following each handling of the crust, but it makes all the difference in the results. Many people I know are terrified of baking, pie and tart dough especially, but practice does make perfect. Try this recipe – adapted from the kitchens at the International Culinary Center – I’ve been using it since my culinary school days and it’s still my go-to for its ease of preparation, easy handling, and constant results.

BLT TART

Serves 6

1 blind-baked pie crust, homemade (Recipe follows) or store-bought

8 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into thin slices
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes, liquid discarded
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Aleppo pepper
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar or Gruyère cheese
1 ½ cups packed arugula

- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

- Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden. With a slotted spoon, transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Transfer 3 tablespoons rendered fat to a large saucepan. When cooled, discard the remaining fat or store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for other use (such as frying eggs).

- Heat bacon fat over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, Worcestershire, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, mashing tomatoes and stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are darkened in color and thickened to a jam-like consistency, 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust seasonings as necessary and remove from heat.

- Beat the eggs, cream, and cheddar together in medium bowl. Stir in arugula and bacon. Pour mixture into pie crust, then spoon tomato mixture evenly throughout tart. Bake until egg mixture is set, and wobbles only slightly in the center, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 20  minutes, prior to serving.

For the Crust
For best results, use a scale to measure out ingredients.

200 grams/7 ounces (about 1 ½ scant cups) all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting work surface
½ teaspoon salt
100 grams/3.5 ounces (about 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into thin slices and chilled
1 large egg, chilled and beaten
Ice water, as needed

- Combine flour and salt in a medium bowl. Using two dinner knives, cut the butter into the flour until butter is about the size of peas. Alternatively, work the butter into the flour by quickly pressing one piece at a time between thumb and forefinger. Work quickly to avoid melting the butter, which will result in a tough crust.

- Transfer the flour-butter mixture to a clean, dry work surface. Arrange the mixture into a circle, create a well in the middle, and pour in the egg and about 2 teaspoons ice water. Using a bench scraper, quickly cut the wet ingredients into the dry until it turns into a shaggy dough. If dough is very dry, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time.

- With floured hands, bring the dough together. Pinch off 2-inch pieces and drag them on the work surface with your palm to ensure even distribution of butter. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten into a disc about 2 inches thick, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

- Clean and dry the work surface, then dust with flour. Roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin, working from the center of the dough to the edges, into a 10-inch circle. Gently fold the dough and transfer to a 9-inch pie pan or tart pan with removable bottom. Press the dough into the pan, then dock (or prick) with a fork. Crimp the edges or trim off excess. Freeze for 20 minutes.

- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line chilled dough with crumpled parchment paper, allowing some excess to hang over edges. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 8 minutes, then, remove the parchment and weights and continue blind baking for about 5 minutes or until the dough looks dry and opaque but not beginning to brown. Transfer tart to cooling rack and reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

We’re no strangers to stiff drinks and bubbly, and admittedly, once in a while, the party goes on longer than expected and the next morning finds us with pillow-creased faces, raccoon eyes, and The Dreaded Hangover.

Usually, a greasy diner breakfast egg on a roll with extra bacon and half-bottle of ketchup plus a full pot of coffee (Mexican Coca-Cola on ice is my go-to) helps smooth us out, but a stronger antidote is sometimes absolutely necessary: enter the michelada, a spiced and seasoned Mexican beer cocktail.

The drink’s base is always a chilled pale lager, like Corona, Pacícifo, Sol, or Modelo Especial – you want something refreshing and light, save the hoppy dark stuff for the pub. The bracing backbone is provided by umami-dense Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce (Cholula and Valentina are our favorites), and a good amount of freshly-squeezed lime juice. A “cubito Maggi,” a bouillon cube made by Maggi (pronounced Ma-ghi) is a common addition and adds extra seasoning. You can skip the cubito, but do rub a lime around the lip of your glass and rim it with coarse salt, pepper, and if available, powdered red chili. And always, always, always pack your glass with crushed ice.

And, while we’re talking about getting pickled, I recently made Paula Deen’s pickled shrimp and thought they’d make a great side to the michelada. Our version has hotter-than-hell Serrano peppers, impossibly fragrant kaffir lime leaves, toasty fresh curry leaves, spices, and a hit of tequila.

Note: Of course, the michelada is also perfect for any sweltering day, not just a fuzzy morning. Try it this summer, and, for the condiment-phobic, mix up a chelada: salt rim, lime juice, ice, and beer.
¡Salud! And ¡Happy cinco de mayo!

MICHELADA

Serves 1

Note: For an extra frosty drink, chill your glass prior to assembling. For a quick cool-down, fill a glass with ice and water, swirl for 1 minute, then drain.

¼ cup fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
Hot sauce, such as Cholula or Valentina, to taste
½ Maggi bouillon cube (optional)
Crushed ice
1 (12-ounce) bottle of pale lager such as Corona, Pacífico, Sol, or Modelo Especial, chilled

- Rub a lime around the rim of a pint glass or equal capacity glass. Combine 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in small plate and dip rim in mixture, turning glass until rim is coated.

- Add lime juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and (optional) bouillon cube to glass and stir to combine. Add crushed ice, pour in beer, gently stir, and drink. Refill glass with beer as needed.
PICKLED SHRIMP

Makes 2 pints

Note: Kaffir lime leaves and fresh curry leaves can be found at specialty Middle Eastern markets or online. They keep well frozen, so stock up and store them in zipper-lock bags.

You will need 2 (1-pint) mason jars for this recipe.

24 – 30 large cooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp (tails on)
½ cup white vinegar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
8 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons white tequila
4 serrano chiles, halved lengthwise
12 kaffir lime leaves
4 sprigs fresh curry leaves

- In small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, peppercorns, coriander, salt, and garlic. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in lime juice and tequila.

- Pack the shrimp, serranos, kaffir lime leaves, and curry leaves into 2 (1-pint) mason jars. Pour in the vinegar mixture, adding water if needed to fully submerge the shrimp. Seal the jars and chill for at least 8 hours and up to overnight prior to serving.

The dog ate our homework. And our set food.

Actually, we have a very good excuse for having left C&S to gather dust, mold, and hairballs: we were working on a BOOK! Our very first, and we are oh-so-thrilled and in that pinch-us-till-we-bruise-because-we-can’t-believe-it phase.

Due out this fall, our first collaboration in print will feature original recipes perfect for the chilly months, so get ready to cozy up with us because we will make it very much worth your while. Guaranteed, or your money back.

For the past few months we’ve been meeting and talking and researching (the research is still classified, but the nature of it will be vodka-clear come fall) and plotting and stressing and sprouting more grays etc. etc. etc. But, finally, in recent weeks, everything came together: I handed in a manuscript with recipes I’m sure will make you giddy, and we got to shooting.

Our shoots began in a Brooklyn brownstone that prop stylist and all-around fabulous girl Emily Rickard has outfitted with her incredible taste and unique style. You must visit her site and blog AppleKetchup for inspiration on how to live.  In the brownstone we shot several of our chapter openers: light, airy, and inviting, Emily’s hand helped us add a touch of welcome and celebration to our images.

Next, we packed, unpacked, packed again, and shot our tabletop images at Good Light Studio in Midtown. We’ve both shot at numerous studios around town, but this is one of our favorites: generous daylight, a too-comfortable kitchen (I was in the depths of despair when I got home to my Lilliputian-sized one), and incredible studio managers. An average of 14 shots a day—in photo speak, that is almost twice as many as are normally accomplished on a normal shoot day—made possible by having two sets going at the same time, as well as the invaluable help of digitech Geraldine Pierson and friend and chef Dean Sheremet—if you haven’t already, do check out his site for recipes and food tips that you shouldn’t be carrying on without.

We realize that this post has turned into an acknowledgments page of sorts, but we really couldn’t have made the shoots and book happen without our crew. Speaking of which, Penelope Bouklas, prop styling goddess, brought us countless surfaces, linens, glasses, plates, and an array of dreamy utensils (one of which I pocketed) that made our lovely book that much lovelier.

Phew. OK, here are some outtakes from the shoot. I’m a ham, so I’m the nerd with the glasses behind the quince branches willing to be photographed. The shot with the grape tomatoes is a peek at one of our juicy double-page spreads, and the doughnuts… Well, you’ve suffered through our Oscar-winner-ish thank you’s so you get a sneak peek recipe. You’ll love it and it will make you the most popular gal or dude at the party. Srsly.

CHEATER DOUGHNUTS

Toss the doughnuts in simple cinnamon sugar, or add some extra zing with citrus or vanilla bean sugar, dip them in warm maple syrup (give your guests a small bowl), make them savory with sugar, pinch of salt, pinch of cayenne pepper, fried sage crumbled

1 tin store-bough biscuits
8 cups vegetable oil

Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet with high sides over medium-high heat until temperature registers 350°F. (Oil should be 1- to 1 1/2 inches deep). Add half of the doughnuts and half of the doughnut holes and fry until the bottoms turn golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes small doughnuts and 2 to 2 1/2 minutes for large doughnuts. Using chopsticks or the handles of 2 wooden cooking spoons, turn the doughnuts and holes and fry for until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Transfer doughnuts to a paper towel-lined plate and allow to cool slightly, 1 to 2 minutes before dipping in glaze or coating in sugar. Serve warm.

SPICY SAGE SUGAR
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup sage leaves
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes

Melt butter over medium heat in small skillet. Add sage leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate.

Crumble sage with fingertips and combine with sugar, salt, and Aleppo pepper in large plate. Toss warm doughnuts in sugar and serve immediately.

PLAIN JANE GLAZE
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place confectioners’ sugar and salt in medium bowl. Whisk in melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk

Place confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk in milk and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

BROWN BUTTER GLAZE
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4  teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a small stainless steel saucepan. Cook the butter until browned, 5 to 8 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally. The butter will begin to foam; the subsiding foam is an indicator that the butter is almost done.   Once the solids are caramel brown the remove the pan from the heat and immediately pour it into a medium bowl, scraping in all the solids. Add the confectioners’ sugar, salt, vanilla extract and whisk until smooth. Dip doughnuts and serve immediately.

Makes 8 to 10 doughnuts, depending on biscuit tin contents

Time to make the doughnuts: I use Pillsbury® biscuits for this recipe. One roll of “Buttermilk” biscuits yields ten small (about 2 1/2-inch inches in diameter) doughnuts and ten tiny doughnut holes. You’ll need a 1/2-inch round cutter to punch out the holes. One roll of “Grands Homestyle Buttermilk” biscuits yields 8 large (about 3 1/2 inches in diameter) doughnuts and eight doughnut holes. You’ll need a 1-inch round cutter to punch out the holes.

All the chubby-cheeked cupids, bows-and-arrows, and glittery cards screeching out love songs are a bit much for me…and don’t even get me started on heart-shaped bakeware. Perhaps years of being the only girl who didn’t get bouquets of flowers or “Be Mine”-inscribed sugar hearts made me wary of Valentine’s Day, but I’ll be a good sport this year, especially because it involves larger-than-life scones that are also cinnamon rolls (a genius recipe from Tate’s) and eating in bed.  Treat your better half — or yourself — on Valentine’s Day, or any other day for that matter.

Recipe note: Prepare the dough for the scones up to 1 day in advance and keep them refrigerated and wrapped in plastic. Bake the following day.

ORANGE-ROSEMARY GRANOLA

Makes about 5 cups

½ cup honey

1/3 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons finely grated zest plus 1/3 cup juice from 2 oranges

½ teaspoon salt

3 cups whole rolled oats

1 cup walnuts or hazelnuts, chopped

¾ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

½ cup fresh rosemary, chopped

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.

Whisk together honey, oil, orange juice, and salt in liquid measuring cup. Using hands, combine oats, nuts, and coconut in rimmed baking sheet. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture and use hands or rubber spatula to thoroughly combine. Spread out into even layer.

Bake 20 minutes, then stir in orange zest and rosemary. Continue baking until golden and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Transfer baking sheet to cooling rack and cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Store granola in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month, or frozen for up to 2 months. Bring frozen granola to room temperature prior to serving, or quickly warm through by toasting desired amount in a dry skillet over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve atop yogurt.

QUICK BLACKBERRY JAM

Serves 4

This quick jam is a prefect complement to the Orange-Rosemary Granola. Prepare it up to 1 day in advance.

2 cups fresh blackberries

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons water

Pinch salt

Combine 1 cup blackberries, sugar, water, and salt in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring and smashing berries with wooden spoon, until mixture is thick and jam-like, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 cup blackberries. Cool to room temperature and serve with yogurt and granola.

We love Tate’s crunchy, buttery cookies, and when we got the opportunity to cook and shoot a few things from their inspired creator, we jumped at the chance. These Maple, Bacon, and Date Scones and extravagant Cinnamon Swirl Scones are perfect for spoiling your significant other – or yourself.

The following recipes are from Baking for Friends by Kathleen King, creator and owner of Tate’s Bake Shop

Maple, Bacon, and Date Scones

Makes 16 scones

1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour

1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) cold salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 ½ cups pitted and chopped dates

12 ounces sliced bacon, cut into ½-inch-wide pieces, cooked until crisp, drained, and cooled

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon Grade B pure maple syrup

1 large egg

1 tablespoons Demerara or other raw sugar

Position oven racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

To make the scones: In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat and all-purpose flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly with some pea-sized pieces of butter. Add the dates and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Repeat with the bacon. Whisk the buttermilk and 1/3 cup of maple syrup together in a measuring cup. Pour into the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times. Roll out into a 1-inch-thick round. Using a 2 ½-inch round cookie cutter, pressing firmly to cut through the dates, cut out the scones as close together as possible to avoid excess scraps. Arrange at least 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gently press the scraps together roll out again, and cut more scones.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and remaining 1 tablespoon maple syrup.  Brush the tops of the scones lightly with the egg mixture and sprinkle with the Demerara sugar.

Bake, switching the positions of the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking, until the scones are golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Let cool on the pans for 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Cinnamon Swirl Scones

Makes 12 rolls

Filling

8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature

½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Dough

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold salted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 cup dark raisins

1 ¾ cups half-and-half

Icing

½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon water

Position oven racks in the top third and center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

To make the filling: In a small bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until smooth.

To make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work in the butter until the mixture is crumbly with some pea-sized pieces of butter. Do not overmix. Mix in the raisins. Stir in the half-and-half and mix just until the ingredients are moistened.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 17-by-12-inch rectangle about ¼-inch thick. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the top of the dough, leaving a ½-inch border on all four sides. Starting at the long side, tightly roll the dough up into a log. Cut the dough into 2-inch slices and arrange them, cut sides up, 4 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake, switching the positions of the baking sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking, until the rolls are slightly golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on the pans for 10 minutes.

To make the icing: In a small bowl, mix the confectioners’ sugar and water with a fork until smooth. Drizzle over the buns. Serve warm, or let cool to room temperature.

M.F.K. Fisher on being a woman and dining alone, 1938:
“More often than not people who see me on trains and in ships, or in restaurants, feel a kind of resentment of me since I taught myself to enjoy being alone. Women are puzzled, which they hate to be, and jealous of the way I am served, with such agreeable courtesy, and of what I am eating and drinking, which is almost never the sort of thing they order for themselves. And men are puzzled too, in a more personal way. I anger them as males.”

I eat alone often, sometimes standing at the kitchen counter, feet bare, one resting on the other. Other times, after a rushed morning of errands, in a corner of a restaurant with nothing to look on but the empty seat across from me. The quiet, disturbed only by a gurgling pour of wine and the sharp rap of a plate being set down, is a brief respite from the louder clatter of daily details.

There is, as Fisher noted, a mistrust of a woman enjoying a meal alone, and for years, when I dared do it, I fidgeted and pretended to be busy looking through my bag while my food arrived. It takes time to feel at ease with oneself, but once it happens, it’s relief, reward, and perhaps a touch of defiance.

These recipes are a feast for one, but they do easily multiply to feed more, should the mood suit you.

ROASTED MARROW BONES
Serves 1
Ask your butcher to trim the bones down to size. This is a make-ahead recipe.

3 beef marrow bones, about 3 inches long
Kosher salt
Vegetable oil
Maldon salt for serving
Blackberry preserves and crusty bread for serving

- 24 hours prior to serving, combine cold water and 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl. Add the bones and refrigerate. Drain and rinse the bones about every 6 hours, replacing the saltwater solution. This will eliminate impurities and season the marrow.

- Drain the bones and pat dry. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly oil a small baking dish and arrange the bones in the dish, standing straight up. Roast 20 to 30 minutes or until the blade of a knife slips easily down the center.

- Transfer the dish to a cooling rack and cool about 5 minutes. Scoop out with a knife or small spoon, spreading marrow on crusty bread. Sprinkle with maldon salt and, for a touch of sweetness, top with a small spoonful of blackberry preserves.

ROASTED CHICKEN & BEETS
Makes 1 chicken
Nothing says comfort like a perfectly roasted chicken. Once you get the hang of this, you’ll find yourself making it at least once a week.
If you find beets with nice green tops, wash them, thinly slice them, and toss them with extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper and serve them alongside the chicken and roasted beets.

4 beets, scrubbed, green tops reserved
1 (3 ½- to 4-pound) whole chicken
Kosher salt and pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kitchen twine

- Adjust oven racks to middle and lower-middle positions and preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange an oven-safe cooling rack in a rimmed baking sheet, or, set a V-rack in a roasting pan. Wrap beets in foil.

- Make a small inverted “V” incision at the point where the chicken breasts meet the cavity and pull out the wish bone—this will make carving easier. Run fingers between the skin and flesh, just to loosen it.  Measure out ¾ teaspoon salt per pound of chicken and rub directly on the flesh and on the skin. Season liberally with pepper.

- Cut 4 tablespoons butter into thin slices and tuck under the skin.  Tuck the wings behind the chicken, then use kitchen twine to tie the ends of the drumsticks together. Arrange the chicken breast side down in the prepared rack. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and lightly brush on the chicken.

- Set the beet packet on the bottom rack of the oven and the chicken on the middle rack. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes, then transfer to the stovetop. Carefully, using wadded paper towels or two kitchen towels, turn the chicken breast side up. Brush with melted butter.

- Return the chicken to the oven and increase the temperature to 450°F. Roast until golden and thigh meat registers 160°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 40 minutes longer. Transfer roasting pan or baking sheet to cooling rack and allow chicken to rest for 15 minutes before carving.

- Meanwhile, transfer beets to a cutting board and open foil packet. When cool enough to handle, peel off beets’ skin with paper towels. Carve chicken and drizzle serving with rendered juices. Cut beets in half, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

PROFITEROLES
Makes 10
Once cooled, freeze leftover choux puffs in a zipper-lock bag. When ready to use, warm through in a preheated 350°F oven, then allow to cool to room temperature.

For the Choux Puffs
Cooking spray
½ cup water
2 ounces unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Salt
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon heavy cream

- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with vegetable cooking spray.

- In medium saucepan, combine water, butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until butter melts. Stir in flour all at once, and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a smooth ball of dough, 4 to 5 minutes.

- Remove from heat and transfer dough to a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon, add the whole eggs one a time, beating well after each addition. The eggs should be well incorporated and the dough smooth. Transfer dough to a pastry bag or large zipper-lock bag with 1-inch of bottom corner trimmed off. Scrape dough into bag and pipe dough out into about 1 ½-inch mounds, spacing them about 2 inches apart from each other. Alternatively, use a 1 ½-inch ice cream scoop with spring release to scoop out dough.
Beat egg yolk, pinch of salt, and cream in small bowl. Brush tops of dough with egg wash. Bake puffs for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for about 30 minutes, or until the dough is puffed and dark golden. Transfer puffs directly to cooling rack and cool completely.

For the Chocolate Sauce and Assembly
For easy assembly, scoop out ice cream onto a tray and place in freezer to set.

1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, or chocolate chips
Pinch salt
Ice cream flavor of choice

- Bring cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Add chocolate and salt and stir until chocolate is fully melted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

- With fingertips, carefully split the puffs and fill with ice cream. Drizzle with warm chocolate sauce.

Pillowy but with a density that gives a deeply satisfying bite, potato gnocchi is one of our favorite dishes. Simple food at its most glorious, these bite-sized dumplings are made with baked starchy potatoes, all-purpose flour, eggs, and in this edition, crumbly ricotta cheese. Somehow, in the brief time it takes to combine these ingredients into a cohesive mixture, alchemy occurs. The dough is rolled out into an Italian nonna’s finger’s thickness, cut into pieces, then pressed onto the tines of a fork to create the signature, plow track-like ridges on their plump behinds that will later serve to capture sauce.

For the sauce, we’ve opted for the classic pairing of brown butter and sage. Melted butter cooks until the milk solids transform into mahogany bits that exude an impossible to resist nutty aroma. Fragrant fresh sage leaves perfume this liquid, gold-flecked sheen. Buon appetito! 

Equipment: strainer, large bowl, microwave (optional) large rimmed baking sheet, pastry cutter or chef’s knife, large pot, dinner fork, slotted spoon or spider, large stainless steel skillet

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
2 pounds russet potatoes, scrubbed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour (about 5 ounces), plus extra for dusting counter
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh sage leaves

- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

- Place ricotta in strainer set over bowl and allow to drain while you prepare potatoes.

- Poke potatoes all over with fork. Place potatoes directly on oven rack and bake until a fork easily pierces them, about 40 minutes. For shorter oven baking, arrange potatoes on large plate and microwave for 10 minutes, turning over once halfway through cooking. Transfer to oven rack and bake for about 20 minutes.

- With oven mitts or clean dish rag, transfer potatoes to baking sheet. When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and discard skin.

- Place potatoes in ricer or food mill and process directly onto baking sheet. Spread out onto even layer and cool to room temperature, 5 to 7 minutes.

- Bring water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt.

- Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and drained ricotta. With fork, stir in 3 ½ cups potatoes (if there are leftovers, reserve for different use), then, flour, mixing just to combine.

- Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Transfer dough onto surface, then gently combine into a ball. Knead about 30 seconds just to combine.

- With a pastry cutter or chef’s knife, cut dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece out into a rope about ½-inch thick. Cut each rope into ¾- to 1-inch pieces.

- Press each piece against the back of the tines of a dinner fork, pressing down and rolling gently to create the signature gnocchi indentations.

- Drop gnocchi into boiling water and cook until gnocchi float to the top, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer gnocchi to baking sheet with slotted spoon or spider.

- Melt butter in large stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Butter will foam, and, once foam subsides, brown particles will settle to the bottom of the pan. Immediately add lemon juice, gnocchi, and sage and cook until gnocchi begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Serve.

We are surely not the only ones baffled at how the holidays crept up on us, but really, here so soon? Again, no tree or twinkle lights, and many a holiday gift has turned into an IOU. At least in my case…Tara pulled it together in a much more civilized fashion.

What I have to offer: quick and festive recipes that will give you at least an air of hostess/host with the mostes’/most.

More importantly, Cookin’ and Shootin’ wishes you the warmest and jolliest of holidays, full of friends and family, gifts and goodwill.

PICKLED APPLE AND POMEGRANATE GRANITA

Champagne and prosecco bring sparkle to holiday festivities, but we also like to add color and punch to the bubbles. This granita is tart, sweet, and reddest red—it doesn’t get any more jolly than this.

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 teaspoons whole allspice
2 teaspoons cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
2 tablespoons finely grated zest plus ¼ cup juice from 2 blood or regular oranges
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 cups pomegranate juice

Chilled champagne or prosecco, for serving

Combine apples, vinegar, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon in medium saucepan. Rub orange zest into sugar until sugar is damp and no zest strands remain. Stir sugar into apple mixture and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce head to medium-low and simmer about 15 minutes or until apples are completely soft.

Strain mixture into a 13- by 9-inch metal baking pan, pressing apple chunks through with a spoon. Discard solids. Whisk pomegranate juice into mixture and place pan in freezer. Freeze granita for at least 1 ½ hours, scraping every 30 minutes until a frozen, slushy consistency is reached.

Spoon granita into champagne glasses and pour in champagne. Toast!

SPICED CHEESE STRAWS

16 short straws

Aleppo pepper, za’atar spice, and sumac are available in the spice aisle of specialty markets or online. If you can’t find them, substitute with your favorite blend of spices and herbs such as oregano and rosemary.

1 1/2 cups (3 ounces) finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped
2 teaspoons za’atar spice
1 teaspoon sumac
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
All-purpose flour for dusting work surface
2 frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed according to package directions
1 large egg
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Adjust 2 oven racks to upper middle and lower middle positions and preheat to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine cheese, salt, pepper, marjoram, za’atar, sumac, and Aleppo pepper in medium bowl. Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet to about 12- by 10-inches. Whisk egg and cream together in small bowl and brush over pastry. Sprinkle half of cheese mixture evenly over pastry and press in gently.

Cut the sheet in half lengthwise, then crosswise into eights to yield 16 rectangles. Carefully twist each rectangle to form a curl and arrange on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Repeat entire procedure with second puff pastry sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until puffed and golden. Using a spatula, turn the cheese straws over and bake for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer trays to cooling racks and cool about 5 minutes before serving.

HOLIDAY CHEESE BALLS

Makes about 6 2-inch cheese balls.

Cheese balls are a little bit funny and retro, but after the slightly raised eyebrows have returned to the horizontal position, everyone admits to loving them. The great thing about cheese ball recipes is that they’re simple to make and lend themselves to any number of additions. Here are some festively flavored and decorated ones, but do feel free to take the recipe and add your own personal touches to them—anything from chopped nuts and herbs to fancy preserves and caviar are fair game.

Serve the cheese balls with crackers, good bread, or crudités.

An ice cream scoop with spring release is a perfect tool for easy cheese ball shaping.

Master Mix
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon finely grated shallots
2 teaspoons dry mustard
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated or 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
2 teaspoons finely grated zest plus 2 tablespoons juice from about 2 lemons
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Additions and Coatings
Finely chopped pitted green olives
Fresh marjoram, finely chopped
Fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Fresh dill, finely chopped
Green peppercorns
Pink peppercorns
Aleppo pepper

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in shallots and dry mustard and  cook for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add cream cheese, cheddar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir together until smooth and season with salt and pepper.

To flavor cheese mixture, stir in green olives and/or herbs to taste. Shape into approximately 2-inch balls and roll in peppercorns or Aleppo pepper. Refrigerate cheese balls until ready to serve.