February 2013: Fat Tuesday Feast

February kicks off Lent for many, but before it begins those in the south know how to through a fabulous Fat Tuesday Feast. Our was held a little late due to scheduling conflicts and illness, but it was fabulous all the same!

The Hostess

The Theme

Fat Tuesday Feast

The Menu

Appetizer: Artichoke Dip

Sides: Crab Maison | New Orleans-Style French Bread | Miss Daisy's Red Rice

Main Dish: Chicken and Andouille Étouffée

Dessert: King Cake

Background

Some call it Fat Tuesday, others Carnavale, but no city quite captures the essence of Mardi Gras like New Orleans. This month’s menu is spicy, rich and full of Nawlins flavor, so set a festive table, gather your friends and laissez les bon temps rouler!

Color. Texture. Spicy. Sweet. We never need an excuse to celebrate, but we took special advantage of this month’s opportunity.

Farro Risotto

The most challenging part of this wonderful dish...locating the correct farro. Who knew that would be such a scavenger hunt. Tara was able to locate the ten-minute version, but that would be akin to using instant oatmeal when cooking oats were called for.  She was not able to locate pearled or semi pearled as the recipe called for and had to settle for regular. As such, it was a good thing she started the recipe early. She had intended to use the additional 90 minutes to visit with friends before joining up with us at Supper Club. Instead she spent it waiting for the farro to cook. Moral of the story, if you can not locate pearl or semi-pearl farro, give yourself plenty of time. 

This dish was well balanced. As not a huge fan of mushrooms, I was delighted that they were not a huge player in the flavor profile. the butternut squash provided substance without too much sweetness. Tara doubled the recipe and by the end of the evening went home with an empty container. We licked it clean.

Farro Risotto

INGREDIENTS


2½ cups butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sage, chopped
1 cup farro (pearled or semi pearled)
3 tbsp. butter
4 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 sprig thyme
½ cup white wine
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1½ cups shredded parmesan
1 tbsp. crème fraiche

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Toss the squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 25–30 minutes until the edges are browned and crisp. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle 1 tablespoon sage over the still hot squash.

2. Meanwhile, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over medium heat. Stir in your farro and cook for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and set aside.

3. In a 4 quart pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add in the chopped shiitakes and sauté, about 3 minutes, remove from pan and set aside.

4. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat. Add in the shallots, garlic and thyme. Let cook until the shallots become slightly caramelized, about 3 minutes.

6. Add the farro and stir, coating each kernel with butter. Add in the white wine and let simmer off.

5. Turn the heat down to low and begin alternately adding in the chicken stock and the farro cooking liquid, a ¼ cup at a time, stirring continuously with each addition. Do not add more liquid until the previous ¼ cup has been completely absorbed by the farro. This process should take about 25–30 minutes. After the last addition, stir until about ⅔ of the liquid has been absorbed, and add in the mushrooms and roasted squash.

6. Fold in the cheese and stir until just melted.

7. Fold in the crème fraiche and remaining chopped sage for garnish, season with salt and pepper.

A double batch...and we licked the bowl clean!

Leek and Potato Soup

This hearty dished warmed up the coldest of nights. With temperatures dipping to record lows in our neck of the woods, we were all happy to have this creamy soup on the menu. While the kids weren't too fond of the chopped chives, the adults all agreed it added just the right amount of zip and texture to a surprisingly low fat soup. The odd bit of this recipe is that is gives you the option of either mashing the vegetables with a fork or passing them through a food mill. This two techniques will results in two vastly different textures. If you like your soup on the chunky side, mash with a fork. If you prefer creamy and smooth, use an immersion blender as Sarah did.

Leek and Potato Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS
3 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced or diced
5 leeks, trimmed, cleaned, then thinly sliced, including the tender green part
Salt
4–6 tbsp. whipping cream
2–3 tbsp. minced fresh parsley or chives


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put potatoes, leeks, salt to taste, and 8 cups of water in a large saucepan over medium heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, 40–50 minutes.

2. Mash vegetables in the soup with a fork, or pass the soup through a food mill. Correct seasoning with salt.

3. Off heat, just before serving, stir in the cream by spoonfuls.

4. Pour soup into a tureen or soup bowls and decorate with the herbs.

5. Add a little freshly ground white pepper, if you like.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad

The whole group is a fan of Brussels sprouts and kale in general, especially this time of year when both are in large supply at Farmers Markets. This dish, however, was a surprise. Typically, we roast, bake, or even grill the little green cabbages  I did a double take when I realized they were thinly sliced and raw. It's a simple recipe that highlights the slightly bitter kale and the crunch of the Brussels sprouts. Jen used less kale than the recipe calls for to even out the Brussels sprouts to kale ratio.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. Brussels sprouts
1 bunch kale, stems removed and finely chopped
2 tbsp. whole-grain mustard
4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh-ground black pepper


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Trim the woody ends off the Brussels sprouts. In a food processor fitted with the shredding disc, process sprouts until uniformly shredded. (If you don't have a food processor, you can slice the sprouts using a mandolin.)

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add the kale and shredded Brussels sprouts and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Gougères (Cheese Puffs)

These little cheese puffs were more puff than cheese. With a consistency and taste similar to cheese straws, the kids ate them faster than they could come out of the oven. They reminded me of eclairs with the filling (which is the only reason I for one enjoy an eclair). They left you longing for something filling the air-pocket in the center. This did not stop the kids, but I am not sure these will be gracing my oven again any time soon.

Gougères (Cheese Puffs) Recipe

INGREDIENTS
½ cup milk
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 cup flour
4 eggs, at room temperature
6 oz. Gruyère cheese, grated

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat oven to 425°.
2. Bring milk, butter, salt, and ½ cup water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan over high heat.
3. Add flour; stir until dough forms.
4. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring dough constantly with a wooden spoon, until slightly dried, about 2 minutes.
5. Transfer to a bowl; using a hand mixer, beat in 1 egg until smooth.
6. Repeat with remaining eggs, beating each one at a time, until dough is smooth; stir in cheese.
7. Using a large tablespoon, drop balls of dough onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
8. Place in oven; reduce temperature to 375°.
9. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.