Nikas Culinaria

Some weeks ago I received a review copy of the sumptuously photographed Williams-Sonoma Holiday Entertaining ($23.07) cookbook and source-book on ideas for crafting beautiful and memorable holiday feasts.

This book of 288 pages filled with inviting photography and information-rich chapters is an excellent source of inspiration for all of us, not just the “House Beautiful” types. You can pick and choose the details that you feel comfortable with, its really all in the little touches, the details that tell your family and guests that you have been looking forward with anticipation to having them visit.

I have been referring to it all this time and have been trying to pin down just a couple of recipes to review. Its been really hard because I have enjoyed so many of them.

Almost right out of the box we used the instructions for making a transcendent Rosemary Roasted Prime Rib Roast (page 171). If you are a carnivore, this is simply as good at it gets. There is also a recipe for Yorkshire Pudding on that same page but we didn’t have time to throw that into the menu that night, next time!

The book starts out with a very helpful chapter on party planning that includes how to plan and manage the logistics around pulling off a beautiful and delicious holiday event. It advises on things like invitations, how to stock the larder for the holidays, how to estimate quantities based on the number of people who will attend, suggestions on decorations, music, candles, and other aspects of “setting the mood”, etc.

This book also includes sample menus for different sorts of meals such as:

• A formal Thanksgiving (Cardamom Crème Brûlée, pg 202)
• An informal Thanksgiving (Rosemary Popovers, pg 192)
• A Holiday Tea (Caramel Sea Salt Truffles, pg 258)
• An afternoon buffet (Baked Ham with Spiced Cider Glaze, pg 166)
• A Christmas Eve dinner (Mojito Peppermint Fizz, pg 70)
• the list goes on.

The recipe chapters include:

• Drinks
• Hors d’Oeuvres
• Soups & Salads
• Mains
• Sides
• Desserts
• Breakfast
• Gifts from the Kitchen

That last section, kitchen gifts, is always great for the industrious foodie because what could be better than gifting people with your delightful creations! The final content chapter, The Holiday Table, helps those of us who did not attend finishing school with our Ps & Qs regarding how to set a table properly. In my house, this chapter would not get much traffic because we have ONE kind of fork and you have to be happy with that, no pasta, escargot, or meat forks for you here.

For today’s review, I am going to focus on two recipes, one of which is Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger Crème Fraîche.

Let me start by saying that this recipe makes butternut squash taste even more butternut-ish than you would imagine. The squash is certainly a beautiful thing to behold, the interior is a vibrant orange color of the best sort. Somehow, this soup really translates that sunny vibrant color into a burst of flavor that is such a delight.

I made it at Thanksgiving and it stole the show, not kidding. This is fine with me, I was glad there was any sort of show at all!

I made it again yesterday and we feasted on this all afternoon. You might want to vary the spices and garnishes each time you make this recipe because it can make it seem like a new soup each time.

Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger Crème Fraîche (page 120)

Ingredients:

• 2 butternut, acorn, or delicata squashes - about 5-6 lbs total weight
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 head garlic, cloves seperated
• 4 each fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs
• 1 C crème fraîche
• 1 tablespoon peeled and grated ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 C chopped shallots
• 4 C chicken stock
• 3/4 C dry white wine
• 1 C heavy (double) cream
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Rosemary Croutons (pg 125), optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Cut each squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds (I roast them, they are much easier to eat than pumpkin seeds .. put a bit of cayenne on the seeds too, along with salt).

Brush on 2 tablespoons of melted butter (I used olive oil instead).

Sprinkle with salt and ground pepper.

Put an unpeeled garlic clove, rosemary, and thyme sprigs in the cavity and turn cut side down on baking sheet.

Bake until very tender, knife slips in through the skin easily (about 45-50 mins). Set aside to cool.

While the squash is cooking, make the ginger creme fraiche. In a small bowl, mix together the creme fraiche, ginger, sugar, and salt and mix until well blended. Chill until ready to use.

Once the squash have cooled enough to handle, discard the herbs and reserve the garlic. Scoop out the flesh into a bowl and squeeze the garlic out of their skins into the bowl with the squash.

In a large pot, over medium-high heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter, add the cup of shallots and cook until softened (3-4 minutes). Add the squash and garlic and mash with the back of a spoon. Stir in the chicken stock and the wine and then bring to a simmer.

Right before serving, add the cream, stir in, and take off the heat.

Stick your immersion blender in and puree the soup in the pot. You could use a food processor if need be.

Add nutmeg, cayenne, the remaining 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. If soup is too cool, warm gently to desired temperature.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

At service, add a dollop of creme fraiche to the top of the soup and float a few of the Rosemary croutons if desired.

Serve hot or cold.

This thickens up nicely on its own and when it cools, its much thicker .. you might consider other uses for it (maybe as a sauce? so many possibilities).

Some things I did differently were:

• Used the pan drippings I reserved from a roasted chicken the night before
• Used sour cream instead of creme fraiche
• Roasted the reserved seeds, seasoned with salt and cayenne, and garnished top of soups

I also tried the Pumpkin Pie recipe (page 210), though I had to modify it to not have a walnut crust (severe nut allergies in our household).

This recipe is especially delicious because it uses ginger which really makes the pumpkin flavor bloom in the mouth.

Pumpkin Pie with walnut crust

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 C all purpose flour
• 1/2 C coarsely ground walnuts
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon slt
• 1/2 C cold unsalted butter, cut up into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

• 1 3/4 C pumpkin puree
• 3/4 C granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs
• 1 C evaporated milk
• 1/2 C water

Directions:

Day ONE:

Pastry:
In a food processor combine the flour, walnuts, powdered sugar, and salt and pulse once or twice to blend. Add the butter and process until the butter is pea sized (45 seconds). While the machine is running add the cold water until the dough comes together (add an additional 2 teaspoons at the most).

Press into a flat disk, wrap with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Day TWO:

Bring the dough to room temperature 30-40 minutes before rolling it out. Reserve a pinch the size of a golf ball to the side for pastry decorations for the top. On a slightly floured board, roll out the dough to a 12 inch round, about 1/16 inch thick.

Lay the dough in a 9 inch pan and press into it. Decorate the edge as you wish. I like to do the scalloped edges.

Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C).

In a large saucepan, over medium heat, cook the pumpkin puree until it begins to caramelize (about 5 minutes). Remove from the heat and add sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and water. Whisk this mixture into the pumpkin puree.

Pour this mixture into the pie shell. Roll out the reserved pastry ball and cut out the desired shapes. Put these on a separate sheet, not on the pie itself. Bake these little decorations only until slightly brown.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F (150 C). Bake the pie until the center jiggles just slightly (about 30 minutes). Remove and cool on a wire rack.

Put the baked cut outs on the pie before serving.

My 4 year old liked the pies, could not get enough of them

Let me know if you try any of these recipes or if you get the book!

Resources:

• Williams-Sonoma Holiday Entertaining

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