November Gourmet Club

Hosted by Jenn and Stacy
Theme: An Evening of Plenty

Hors d'Oeuvres
Baked Brie with Mango Chutney
Creamy Apple Cider

Dinner
Sweet Potato Bisque with Andouille Sausage
Baby Spinach and Grapefruit Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
Rolled Pork Loin with Spinach and Cumberland Sauce
Potatoes with Gruyere and Hazelnut Dressing
Sweet Green Bean Bundles

Dessert Trio
Chocolate Bread Pudding with German Chocolate Sauce
Peppermint Mouse in Chocolate Cups
Five-Layer Brownies

Gourmet Sisters

Sisters Jenn and Stacy hosted November's gourmet club with "An Evening of Plenty."

The Invitation

The Table

Hors d'Oeuvres

Creamy Cider

Combine:
1/2 c. cream
1/2 c. brown sugar
Heat on medium until boiling. Add:
3 c. apple cider
Heat on medium high until steaming. Top with:
1/2 c. whipped cream
2 T. brown sugar.

Serves 4


Baked Brie with Mango Chutney

1 (7 to 8-inch) wheel brie cheese (don’t remove rind)
Mango chutney
2 sheets (12 by 18-inch) puff pastry
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 400 º F. Using a warmed sharp knife, or unflavored dental floss (See Cook’s Note 1) cut the wheel of brie in half horizontally and separate the top half of the wheel from the bottom half. Spread a thin layer of mango chutney onto the bottom half. Replace the top half of the brie.
Working on a well-floured surface, roll out the puff pastry so that it will fully cover the brie. Place the brie in the middle of the puff pastry and fold the excess pastry around the wheel. Put the wheel aside. Roll out another piece of puff pastry and cut out a circle the same circumference as the top of the brie. Save the trimmings for decorations. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg on top of the brie in the puff pastry and place the circle on top. Brush the top of the circle with egg. Cut out decorations using cookie cutters or a small knife on top of the brie. Brush the entire top side of the brie with the egg and place the brie on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the pastry begins to turn golden brown, then turn the temperature down to 325 degrees F and bake for another 10 to 20 minutes. Serve on a pretty platter. See Cook’s Note 2.
*Cook’s Note 1: Instead of using a knife to cut the brie, use a piece of unflavored dental floss. Make an initial cut half way down, along the outer side of the brie with a pairing knife. Then, take a long piece of dental floss and wrap it around both hands. Starting at the front of the wheel at the initial cut, work through the wheel with the floss, separating the top half of the wheel from the bottom.
*Cook’s Note 2: The brie can be made, wrapped securely and stored in the freezer up to a month ahead of time.

Appetizers

Baby Spinach and Grapefruit Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

For the salad:
Baby spinach
Avocadoes, cut into thin wedges
Grapefruit sections (pith and peel discarded)
Dried cranberries
Candied almonds

For the vinaigrette:
1 ½ cup cranberry juice
3 T. red wine vinegar
3 T. sugar
½ t. salt
2 t. freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil

In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the cranberry juice for about 10 minutes or until it has reduced by a third. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Whisk in vinegar, sugar, salt, lemon juice and pepper. Continue to whisk, add the oil in a slow, steady stream until it is well incorporated.

For the candied almonds:
2 egg whites
½ cup sugar
1 ½ cup sliced almonds
2 T. butter, melted

Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in almonds. Fold in melted butter. Spread into an 9x13-inch baking dish (lined with parchment paper for easier clean-up.) Bake at 325 for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Cool.

Sweet Potato Bisque with Andouille Sausage

3 tablespoons peanut oil 1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes (roughly 1 extra large sweet potato or two small ones)1/2 pound bulk andouille sausage, crumbled, or pulsed in food processor if link sausage 1 cup julienned onions 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 quart chicken broth 1/2 cup heavy cream 3/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Coat the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil and place in a small baking dish. Place the baking dish in the oven and roast the sweet potatoes for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are fully roasted and fork tender. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin from the potatoes. Reserve the sweet potato flesh until ready to use.

Heat a 1 gallon stockpot over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the andouille to the pot and saute until most of the fat has rendered and the meat is well caramelized, stirring constantly, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the andouille and drain on a paper-lined plate. Set aside until ready to use. Add the onions and saute until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the cayenne pepper and chicken stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the roasted sweet potatoes to the soup and stir to blend. Simmer for 10 minutes, then blend with an immersion blender or in batches in a bar blender until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, if necessary, and stir in the heavy cream. Season with the salt and if necessary more pepper. Garnish with the cooked andouille, chopped chives and serve.

Main Course

Rolled Pork Loin with Spinach and Cumberland Sauce

¼ c. butter
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (10-oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 (12-oz) package bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (5-oz) package grated Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1 (5-lb) pork loin roast, trimmed

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until tender. Stir in spinach; cook for 3 minutes. Add bacon, Parmesan, salt, and pepper, stirring until cheese is melted; set aside.

Butterfly the pork loin with the following instructions:
1. Make a lengthwise cut down bottom third of 1 flat side, cutting to within 1 inch of other side.
2. From bottom of cut, slice horizontally to ½ inch from left side; repeat procedure on right side.
3. Open pork loin and flatten to ½-inch thickness, using a meat mallet/
4. Trim uneven edges to make a clean rectangle.
5. Spread spinach mixture over loin, leaving a ½-inch border.
6. Roll up pork, jelly-roll fashion, starting with long side.
7. Tie at 2-inch intervals with heavy butcher’s twine.
8. Ready for oven

Preheat oven to 475º. Place pork loin on a lightly greased rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 º; cover and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion reaches 155 º. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Cumberland Sauce

1 t. grated orange peel
¾ c. orange juice
1 c. currant jelly
¼ t. ground ginger
4 t. cornstarch
1 T. lemon juice

Place all ingredients in blender or food processor. Blend until well mixed. Pour into heavy saucepan; cook and stir until mixture is thick and bubbly. Cook just 1 minute longer. Serve hot or cold with poultry. Makes approximately 2 cups.

Potatoes with Gruyere and Hazelnut Dressing

4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1 clove garlic
1 c cream
2 tsp salt
½ tsp white pepper
½ c. gruyere (Emmental can also be used and is cheaper)

Combine garlic, cream, and salt and pepper. Layer half of potatoes in pan. Pour half the cream mixture over. Layer the remaining potatoes. Pour the rest of the cream. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes (or until potatoes are tender.) Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 more minutes. Allow to cool a little before serving. Top with hazelnut dressing if desired.

Toasted Hazelnut Dressing
100 g hazelnuts
½ garlic clove
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ lemon, juiced and zest cut into strips
Small pinch of sugar

Preheat the oven to 235ºF. Lay nuts on a baking tray and lightly bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or just until the skins start to split and the nuts take on a little color.*
When you’re happy with the nuts, tip onto a dry tea towel and wrap them; let them sit for a moment, then gently rub to loosen the skins—if a few shards of skin remain, this is fine.
Carefully place the nuts on a chopping board. Use the flat of a knife to crack nuts into rough pieces. Squash garlic with the flat of the knife but leave in one piece.
Place nuts in a pan with garlic, oil and rind. Cook over high heat for 4-5 minutes until everything has fried a little. When you’re happy with the golden color on the nuts and garlic, remove pan from the heat and carefully add lemon juice. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice if required, then salt, pepper, and sugar—the aim is for a well-balanced vinaigrette. Leave the dressing at room temperature.

* Toasted hazelnuts take more colour in the center of the nut than the outside, so if you’re cooking by the eye, always cook them a little less than you would for other nuts.



Sweet Green Bean Bundles
Fresh green beans (blanched in boiling water for several minutes)
1 pound bacon, cut in half
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Wrap a dozen or so green beans with bacon and place in prepared dish. Repeat, using all the green beans and bacon.
Combine butter with brown sugar. Pour over green bean bundles and sprinkle with garlic salt.
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Dessert

Peppermint Mousse

· 2 cups whipping cream
· ½ cup powdered sugar (more or less to taste)
· ¾ cup mini marshmallows
· 1 cup ground peppermint candy (reserve ¼ cup for garnish)
· 1 tsp. vanilla
· ½ cup pecans (optional)

Whip cream, then fold in remaining ingredients. Dollop into purchased chocolate cups or spread into the following crust formed in a small springform pan:

· 2 cups finely crushed chocolate cookies (without cream center, Oreos don’t work)
· ½ cup butter, melted

Combine crumbs and butter. Press into the bottom and sides of a small springform pan. Fill with mousse. Pipe on whipped cream and top with additional crushed peppermint and chocolate curls.


Seven Layer Brownies
(aka Rocky Road Fudge Bars)

Bar:
½ c. butter
1 sq. unsweetened chocolate (1 oz.)
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
½ c. chopped nuts

Filling:
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ c. sugar
½ c. butter or margarine
2 T. flour
1 egg
½ t. vanilla

1 6-oz. pkg (1 cup) chocolate chips
2 c. mini marshmallows

Frosting:
¼ c. butter
1 tsp. milk
¼ c. milk
1 sq. unsweetened chocolate (1-oz)
2 oz. cream cheese
1 lb (3 c.) powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 x 2 pan. In microwave, melt ½ c. butter and 1 oz. chocolate. Add remaining 6 bar ingredients, mix well, and spread in prepared pan.

In a small bowl, combine 6 oz. cream cheese with next 5 filling ingredients. Blend until smooth and fluffy. Spread over choc. mixture and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Bake 20 to 25 mins. until cream cheese mixture just starts to brown. Don’t OVERBAKE. Sprinkle with marshmallows and bake 2 minutes longer.

In microwave, melt ¼ c. butter, 1 oz. chocolate, 2 oz. cream cheese, and milk. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Immediately pour over marshmallows and gently swirl together.



Chocolate Bread Pudding
Makes One 9” round (7 cups)
Total Time: About 1 ½ Hours

Melt:
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)
1 c. brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed

Whisk together; pour over:
2 c whole or 2% milk
3 eggs
2 T. vanilla
2 t. instant espresso powder (optional)
½ t. table salt
1 lb croissants, cut into 1” cubes (I used my food scale, but I think it was about 7 or 8 croissants)

Fold in:
Chocolate mixture

Serve with:
German Chocolate Sauce* or
White Chocolate Amaretto Sauce
*We made the German Chocolate Sauce for gourmet club

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; coat a 9” springform pan with 1 T softened unsalted butter.
Melt chocolate chips with the sugar and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently until chips are smooth, about 8 minutes.
Whisk milk, eggs, vanilla, espresso, and salt together and pour over bread cubes. Toss well so the bread absorbs most of the liquid and begins to lose its shape.
Fold the melted chocolate into the bread mixture, then transfer to the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until the center springs back when gently pressed. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes, remove the sides of the pan, and slice. Serve with toppings.

Per 1/10 recipe: 577 calories, 42% calories from fat; 27g total fat

German Chocolate Sauce
Makes 1 Cup
Total time: 20 minutes
Melt and stir in:
2 T unsalted butter
½ c brown sugar
½ c heavy cream
1 egg yolk
Pinch of salt

Off heat, add:
¼ c pecans, toasted and chopped
¼ c sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
2-3 t. brandy

Melt the butter with the sugar for the sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cream, yolk, and salt; boil for 1 minute, or until thickened slightly.
Off heat, add pecans, coconut, and brandy. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
Serve with whipping cream.
Per 1/10 recipe: 214 calories; 17 g total fat

White Chocolate Cream
Makes 1 Cup
Total time: 20 minutes

Melt:
4 oz white chocolate, chopped
2/3 c heavy cream
2 T powdered sugar
Pinch of salt

Combine and stir in; garnish with:
2 T. amaretto
2 t. cornstarch
Fresh raspberries

Melt the chocolate with the cream and sugar in a saucepan over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly, about 8 minutes.
Combine amaretto and cornstarch to make a slurry*, then stir it into the chocolate mixture. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil for 1 minute, or until thickened slightly. Transfer to a bowl; cool to room temperature.
To serve, spoon sauce over wedges of warm bread pudding and garnish with raspberries

Per 1/10 recipe: 135 calories; 9 g total fat

*A slurry is a thin paste used to thicken soups and sauces. It’s made by blending a thickening agent, usually cornstarch or flour, with a liquid, such as water or broth.

Take-Home Favors

Everyone at the dinner shared something they were thankful for--a great way to get to know each other better. To remember the evening, we all took home a set of notecards with the following quote (from a Carpenter's song): S

Sometimes, not often enough

We reflect upon the good things

And those thoughts always center around those we love

And I think about those people

Who mean so very much to me

And for so many years have made me so very happy

And I count the times I have forgotten to say thank you

And just how much I love them.