Cure, New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em, Reviewed

 

I’m planning a Ladies Christmas Luncheon this year and am currently in the process of planning the food so I’ve been going through a lot of recipes. As far as potables, I find that having a house cocktail makes serving drinks so much easier. When men are involved, I tend to set up a makeshift bar on my bamboo bar cart and let them deal with making their own. Ladies, I find, enjoy not having to make that decision, instead being served something tasty and festive.

If you like the idea of having a house or signature cocktail in your home, I can recommend a book that will give you a plethora of ideas. Cure, New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em is a recent release from Abrams Books, and it is a beauty! Whether you enjoy a good cocktail or not, let me tell you it is a ton of fun to page through. You know that you’re in for something special when you see the end pages are a map of New Orleans. How handy these would have been during my last visit, but I digress.

In addition to giving you a fascinating history of New Orleans drink culture, it also familiarizes you with a lot of liqueurs with which you are doubtless unfamiliar. I found that information as interesting as the recipes for the cocktails themselves. You will find many familiar cocktails in this book, beautifully photographed, and also many new ones that you will certainly be eager to try. Frankly, this is the best book on cocktails that I have ever seen.

If you’re unfamiliar with the fascinating names that some of the more obscure cocktails tend to have, you will enjoy discovering them here as well as learning their history. Think Berlin in the 70s, Gunshot Fizz, Dark Passenger, Two Way Mirror, you get the idea.

As valuable as are the cocktail recipes, so are the those for syrups used in making the cocktails. The Two Way Mirror cocktail, for example, uses sage syrup. As someone who grows sage every year (this year I potted it up and brought it indoors to see how it would fare the conservatory) I am eager to give this a try. You will also find recipes to make your own black pepper syrup, cinnamon syrup, Orgeat (I have never been able to find that in my area so I’m excited about it), as well as grenadine.

As if all of this isn’t enough, there is also a chapter on Bar Snacks. I will be diving right into this section, I can tell you. The Mussels in Absinthe sound intriguing, as do the Blue Crab Beignets. There’s also a recipe for one of my favorite foods, pimiento cheese, paired with bread and butter pickles and pepper jelly. 

Anyone interested in the drnk culture of New Orleans, in creating fabulous cocktails and bar snacks, or in increasing their knowledge about same should not be without this wonderful new book. It would make a fabulous Christmas present.

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 Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of Cure, New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix ‘Em from Abrams Books as a participant in their Abrams Dinner Party Program for 2022-2023.

 

Deli Sandwich Salad

 Have you ever wondered why it is that sub sandwiches that you get at the deli always taste better than yours? I mean, no matter how hard you try to replicate that sandwich, it’s never quite as good, is it? The reason for that may not be what you’d expect. It has nothing to do with the bread, or your selection of meats and cheeses; it has everything to do with the salad. Salad, you ask. Yes, the salad the tops that sandwich. I don’t know if you have ever deconstructed one of those sandwiches and taken a good look, but it is way more than just lettuce. There is a lot of flavor there, a lot of ingredients, and all that combines to make your sandwich delicious. This deli sandwich salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. Use it on top of any meat or cheese sandwich. I think you will be surprised at the difference that it makes. Vive la différence!

Deli Sandwich Salad

Adapted from closetcooking.com

 ¼ c. Duke’s mayonnaise

½ T. red wine vinegar

1 t. Italian seasoning

1 t. Melissa’s minced garlic

1 T. grated Parmesan

½ t. red pepper flakes

¼ t. kosher salt

¼ t. freshly ground black pepper

4 c. lettuce, thinly sliced

¼ c. Melissa’s pickled yellow peppers

¼ c. red onion, thinly sliced*

 Mix the mayonnaise, vinegar, oregano, garlic, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

 Mix the mayonnaise, vinegar, oregano, garlic, Parmesan, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

 *I used a mandolin

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Yev’s Chicken Broccoli Soup

Shortly after Seinfeld ended its 10-year run (with a very weak series finale, wherein we learned that the Soup Nazi's name was Yev Kassem), Mr. O-P and I found ourselves in New York for the Christmas season. We often went to New York at that time of the year because he had family in the area. I can’t think of a better time to visit New York than at Christmas; it is magical! It is also very cold, which is why the two of us found ourselves eating soup in the vestibule of a closed office building one frigid Saturday afternoon.

 

I could not visit the city without stopping by for a genuine Soup Nazi bowl of soup. While the design of the place itself differed in reality from what it did in the series (there was no building to walk into, it was more or less a window), I knew my lines, and did not want to upset the master. Apparently the two of us did quite well because we walked away with two containers of soup, extra bread and pats of butter, and a couple pieces of candy as a bonus. I was overjoyed! I had ordered mulligatawny that was excellent; Mr. O-P had ordered beef and barley that he also enjoyed.

One of the first things I did when I got the Seinfeld: The Official Cookbook was to look up a Soup Nazi recipe and give it a try. This one is very good. It’s a bit more broth-y than a cheesy broccoli soup tends to be, but I liked the lightness of it. Give it a try, and if you are a fan or you know someone who is, pick up a copy of this book, you can find it here. What a fabulous gift this would make. You all behave now or, “No soup for you!”

 

Yev’s Chicken Broccoli Soup
From Seinfeld: The Official Cookbook

2 T. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, minced
2 large carrots, minced
2 c. broccoli, finely chopped
6 c. chicken stock
2 c. cooked chicken, shredded
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. pepper
1 c. heavy cream, or milk
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar

In a large stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes.

Add the carrots and broccoli. Cook for another 5 minutes, until vegetables start to soften.

Add the stock, shredded chicken, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 20 minutes.

While the soup is cooking, heat the cream and cheddar cheese in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking often, until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the cheese mixture to the soup.

Simmer for another 10 minutes and adjust spices to taste. Serve hot.

  

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Baked Three Cheese Onion Dip

One of the things that I love about the upcoming holiday season is also one of the things that I hate about the upcoming holiday season, namely all of the party food. I LOVE party food, but a person can get too much of that, and long for meatloaf and mashed potatoes. One thing I enjoy, particularly during a season of cold weather, is a hot dip. I have had this recipe in my stash for some time. I’m not sure as to the origin, but I will say that it is very good. Honestly, considering the rather mundane ingredients, I wasn’t expecting it to be as over-the-top delicious as it really is. Be sure to include the pickled yellow peppers. They are a rather recent discovery of mine and I love them! They’re not as hot as jalapeños, more flavorful (in my opinion), and are so good on sandwiches as well. You will be the hit of the party with this delicious crowd pleaser. If any is left over, which I doubt, it makes a wonderful sandwich spread, and super delicious filling for an omelet.

Baked Three Cheese Onion Dip

2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
½ c. Duke’s mayonnaise
2 t. cornstarch
1 c. sharp white cheddar, coarsely grated, divided
½ c. Monterey Jack, coarsely grated, divided
¼ c. chopped Melissa’s pickled yellow peppers, + more for garnish
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 T. chopped chives

Preheat oven to 375° F. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Let cool.

In a medium bowl, with a hand mixture, beat cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth and creamy.

Toss cornstarch, ¾ cup of cheddar, and ¼ cup Monterey Jack in a medium bowl to coat cheese. Add to cream cheese mixture along with the peppers and cooked onion; season with salt and pepper. Turn into a 1-quart baking dish and top with remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack. Bake until golden and bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let dip cool five minutes, then top with chives and additional peppers. Serve with crackers, crudités, or slices of apple.

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Honey Gingerbread Pinecone Cookies

As you all know, I am not much of a baker. I know I precede every baking post with that disclaimer, but it’s true. Essentially, what I’m saying here is that if I can do something successfully then so can you. One of my least favorite things to make is cookies because they are so labor-intensive. That said, I have a particular liking for cookie molds because I find the results to be so charming. Cookie molds can be rather expensive, so when I saw this one on Amazon for around $10, I couldn’t resist. Plus, I love the pine cone image during holiday time.

Ready for the oven.

Yesterday I decided to give it a whirl, so I mixed up a batch of my honey gingerbread cookies and tried it out. I could not believe how beautifully this mold worked. If you are looking for a great gift for someone who enjoys baking, or eating cookies, here is your answer. The mold itself is deeply etched and, as you can see, produces a sharp, clear result.

Out of the oven.

Give these a try. They will be a pretty and delicious addition to your holiday cookie tray.

Deli paper source.

Honey Gingerbread Pinecone Cookies

 ½ c. Crisco

½ c. sugar

¼ c. molasses

¼ c. honey

1½ t. vinegar

1 egg, beaten

3 c. flour

½ t. baking soda

½ t. cinnamon

½ t. ginger

¼ t. salt

Bring shortening, sugar, molasses, and vinegar to a boil.  Cool; add egg.  Sift dry ingredients together.  Add to first mixture, mixing well.  Chill.  Press into cookie mold (See Notes). Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a Silpat.  Bake at 375°F for 8-12 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from sheet.

 Notes: If molding cookies is new to you let me give you a couple of tips. First of all, don’t chill the dough; use it at room temperature. It’s much more pliable and will work its way into the small crevices of the mold much more easily. Second, don’t fret over it. Take a glob of dough, press it into the mold, and then using the heel of your hand, force it into all of those tiny spaces; let it overrun the mold. Once that’s accomplished, take a sharp knife, place the side of the knife blade at the base of the cookie mold and, using a sawing motion, saw off the excess dough in the same manner that you would fillet a fish. Turn the cookie mold on its side (the long side) and rap it firmly on a hard surface 4 to 5 times, and you will see it start to come loose. You can coax it out, or rap it a few more times and it will pop right out. I like to spray the mold with PAM every four or five cookies, just to make sure it comes out easily.

Plate Source.

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Elaine’s Big Salad

 It has been my experience that “Seinfeld” is a lot like cilantro, you either like it or you don’t. I happen to like both, so when I learned of the publication of Seinfeld: The Official Cookbook I had to have a copy. I tried two recipes from the cookbook, and both were very good, so that bodes well for the rest of them. The first that I tried was this one for Elaine’s Big Salad. Essentially, it’s a Cobb salad, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t delicious. I liked the way that the avocado was sliced in the salad so that you get big bites of it. I also liked the quartered rather than chopped egg, and halved cherry tomatoes. It was a delicious combination. In the interest of full disclosure, I will say that I added a pinch of sugar and a pinch of oregano to the salad dressing to suit my own personal taste. Be sure to keep a watch on this page. Next week I’m going to share a recipe from The Soup Nazi.

 Elaine’s Big Salad

 For the dressing:

Juice of 1 small lemon
1½ T. Dijon mustard 
¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
¾ t. sea salt
½ t. pepper

 For the salad:

1 large head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 ripe avocado
2 hard-boiled eggs
4 strips cooked bacon, crumbled 
1 c. shredded cooked chicken 
½ c. grape tomatoes, halved 
½ c. crumbled blue cheese

To make the dressing: Combine all ingredients into a small mixing bowl and whisk vigorously to emulsify. Adjust the seasonings to taste. You may want to add more lemon juice depending on how flavorful your olive oil is. Set aside.

Using a paring knife, make a vertical cut all the way around the outside of the avocado, stopping when you hit the large pit inside. Pull the halves apart and discard the pit. While the flesh is still inside the skin, score the avocado meat into slices, and then scoop out using a large spoon. Set aside.

Peel the hard-boiled eggs and slice into quarters. Set aside.

Divide the salad toppings in half and arrange them in the two salads so that each one is displayed individually on the lettuce: Designate separate areas for the avocado slices, bacon crumbles, shredded chicken, eggs, tomatoes, and blue cheese.

 Top each salad with dressing and serve.

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Soul Cakes

 

Source: Polka Dot Dinnerware

Happy All Soul’s Day, a.k.a Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, and the Day of the Dead, a day of prayer and remembrance for the faithful departed. In many Christian traditions a soul cake is made for All Soul's Day to commemorate the dead. They can best be described as a cross between a scone and a cookie (biscuit). They are not overly sweet, so I have been enjoying one with coffee every morning.

Soul Cakes

7 T. butter

½ c. sugar

2 egg yolks

1-1/2 c. + 1 T. flour

1 pinch turmeric

1 t. allspice

½ t. mixed spice

2-3 T. whole milk

¼ c. raisins

 Preheat oven to 360° F. Spray a large cookie sheet PAM, or cover with a silpat; set aside.

 Cream together butter and sugar in the work bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks one at a time. With the mixer on low, beat in the flour, spices, and milk enough to form a dough that holds together. Stir in raisins.

 Turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll to nearly ½-inch thick. Cut out with a 2-inch biscuit cutter and place on prepared baking sheet. With the back of a knife, press a cross a cross in the top of each.

 Back for 20 to 22 minutes until golden and firm. These keep for three days.

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