Holiday Decadence
That time of year to revel in friendship and rich food
As the holiday season approaches, we’ve already started making plans for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Those big family celebrations are wonderful, but we also look forward to small seasonal meals with close friends. Here’s a menu loaded with big flavors suitable for such an occasion.
Starting a meal with oysters is always a good idea, particularly this time of year when they are at their best. We’ll serve an oyster soup, but instead of something bland, let’s opt for a heady combination of fennel, saffron, garlic, tomato, ground dried shrimp and an anise liqueur, complex flavors reminiscent of a Mediterranean bouillabaisse.
For the main course, let’s have a Rock Cornish game hen stuffed with boudin, basted with butter and roasted. A Rock Cornish game hen is mildly flavored, but the boudin gives it an entirely different character. Originally, the breed was created by crossing Cornish chickens with white Plymouth Rock chickens. Some sources claim that a Malayan fighting cock also figured in the breeding, which might account for the “game hen” name. But, essentially, it is just a small, very tender chicken.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), “A Rock Cornish game hen or Cornish game hen is a young immature chicken (usually 5 to 6 weeks of age), weighing not more than 2 pounds ready-to-cook weight, which was prepared from a Cornish chicken or the progeny of a Cornish chicken crossed with another breed of chicken.” The ones I’ve found in the supermarket are between one and 1 1/2 pounds each, an ideal size for serving each guest a whole bird.
We have rice in the boudin, so I’d pass on another starch and serve a couple of vegetables, such as braised Swiss chard and roasted butternut squash, two simple dishes that provide intriguing flavors, colors and textures to go with the roasted bird.
To finish, a simple and delicious choice that can be prepared in advance is tiramisu, an Italian dessert thought to have been created in the late 20th century, though its origins are in dispute. It is said that there are a hundred versions, possibly more. This one is a combination of ladyfingers soaked in coffee and brandy, layered with a mixture of sweetened mascarpone enriched with egg yolks, lightened with beaten egg whites and topped with grated chocolate. The name means “pick-me-up,” an appropriate choice to end a big meal.
Tiramisu
2 large eggs, separated
¼ cup sugar
8 ounces mascarpone
½ cup cold, strongly brewed coffee
2 tablespoons brandy
About 20 ladyfingers or the equivalent of sliced cake
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, coarsely grated
In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar until pale and fluffy. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Beat mascarpone into egg yolks until smooth. Fold in egg whites. Combine coffee and brandy in another container.
In a serving dish, place a layer of ladyfingers on the bottom. Brush with enough of the coffee/brandy mixture to soak cake. Add half of mascarpone mixture and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Repeat, ending with a layer of mascarpone. Sprinkle top with remainder of the grated chocolate.
Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Makes about 8 servings.
Roasted Butternut Squash
2 pounds butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
Large pinch cayenne
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine squash, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt and olive oil in a mixing bowl and toss to coat squash. Transfer squash to a sheet pan and roast until tender and browned, about 15-20 minutes. Makes 4 servings.
Oyster And Fennel Soup
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup diced fennel
4 cups chicken stock or broth
¼ cup white wine
2 tablespoons anise liqueur, such as Herbsaint or Pernod
2 teaspoons ground dried shrimp
¹∕8 teaspoon saffron, crumbled
½ cup chopped tomato
24 oysters
Cayenne
Freshly ground black pepper
Fennel fronds
Simmer garlic and fennel in olive oil for a minute or two until fragrant. Add chicken stock, wine, anise liqueur, ground dried shrimp, saffron and tomato. Boil for a few minutes, then add oysters and simmer only until oysters begin to curl. Season to taste with cayenne and black pepper (the dried shrimp provide enough salt) and garnish with fennel fronds. Makes 4 servings.
Braised Swiss Chard
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch Swiss chard
¼ cup grated Parmesan
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a large skillet, cook onions and garlic in oil on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.
Remove large stems from Swiss chard and save for another use. Chop chard, place in a colander and wash. Add wet chard to skillet, cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until chard is wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove cover and cook until any liquid evaporates. Add Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.
Rock Cornish Hen Stuffed With Boudin
4 Rock Cornish game hens
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boudin
Melted butter
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Remove boudin from casing and divide into 4 portions. Stuff the cavity of each hen with boudin. Cut off wing tips and discard (or save for stock). Tie the legs together with butcher’s twine. Brush with melted butter and roast in preheated oven, basting occasionally with butter, until done, about 45-60 minutes. Remove twine and serve with Swiss chard and butternut squash. Makes 4 servings
