Moroccan Turkey Breast
Moroccan Turkey Breast
Serves 4 to 6
2 ounces finely chopped blanched almonds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 5-pound bone-in turkey breast, rinsed and patted dry
2 heaping tablespoons honey
1/2 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken stock, plus more, if needed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Orange slices, for garnish (optional)
Tomato slices, for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium skillet, combine almonds and sesame seeds. Cook over medium heat, until fragrant and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, cloves, salt, and pepper. Rub over entire surface of turkey.
In a small saucepan, heat honey and stock. Place turkey, breast-side up, in a small roasting pan. Dot with butter, and pour stock mixture over turkey. Roast for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, basting every 20 minutes with pan juices. As the honey browns, add additional stock to avoid burning. If the pan dries out, add more stock. If turkey browns too much, cover with aluminum foil.
Remove from oven, and remove turkey from pan. Set aside. Strain pan juices into a small saucepan and return turkey to roasting pan. Stir almonds and sesame seeds into pan juices. Spread over turkey, return to oven, and continue roasting, basting every 3 to 5 minutes. Cook until skin is dark golden brown and crisp, and a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat reads 165 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer turkey to a platter, and garnish with orange and tomato slices.
New York-Style Cheesecake
New York-Style Cheesecake
Makes one 10-inch cake
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
One 9-ounce package chocolate wafer cookies, finely crushed (about 2 cups)
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons sugar
3 pounds (six 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
5 large eggs
4 blood oranges
2 tablespoons orange liqueur
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap exterior of pan (including base) in a double layer of foil. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Place crushed wafer cookies and 3 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl; stir until well combined. Pour melted butter over cookie mixture and mix until evenly moistened. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake until crust is set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides as needed. In a large bowl, whisk together remaining 2 1/4 cups sugar and flour. With mixer on low speed, gradually add sugar mixture to cream cheese; mix until smooth. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined; do not overmix.
Pour cream cheese filling into prepared pan. Set pan inside a large, shallow roasting pan. Carefully ladle boiling water into roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake 45 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Continue baking until cake is set but still slightly wobbly in the center, about 30 minutes more. Turn off oven; leave cake in oven with door slightly ajar, 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cake cool completely. Refrigerate, uncovered, at least 6 hours or overnight. Before unmolding, run a knife around the edge of the cake.
Slice the top and bottom of 1 orange with a paring knife. Set one of the flat sides on your work surface. From top to bottom, following the curve of the fruit, cut away peel and white pith. Trim off any remaining pith. Holding the orange over a bowl, cut along both sides of each segment, staying close to the membrane, to release. Repeat with remaining oranges. Pour in liqueur and toss to combine. Serve over cheesecake.
Seared Salmon With Wilted Citrus Spinach
Seared Salmon With Wilted Citrus Spinach
Yields 4 servings
1 grapefruit and zest, divided
2 oranges and zest, divided
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
4 to 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 salmon filets (about 6 ounces each)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and black pepper
1 bag of spinach
After zesting the grapefruit and oranges, slice the peel and pith off, cut fruit into slices and reserve. Preheat a small skillet over medium heat to toast the slivered almonds.
Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with a few turns of the pan of olive oil, about 3 tablespoons. Season the fish filets with salt and pepper, and transfer to the hot skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked to desired doneness.
Meanwhile, preheat another large skillet with two turns of the pan of olive oil, about 2 tablespoons, over medium heat. Add the red onion, the orange and grapefruit zest, mustard and white wine vinegar. Season with some salt and pepper. Just before you are ready to plate, add in the spinach and toss. Divide the citrus spinach between your serving plates, top with the seared salmon and sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Garnish with grapefruit and orange slices.
Whole Roasted Salmon with Orange Butter Glaze
Whole Roasted Salmon with Orange Butter Glaze
Serves 12
First, place the salmon on cheesecloth before roasting so it will be easy to transport from pan to platter. Also, deglaze the pan before removing the fish: Pour a small amount of wine into the hot pan to loosen any part of the salmon skin that might stick.
4 leeks, trimmed of dark-green stem, sliced in half lengthwise
4 oranges
1 whole salmon (about 8 pounds), head and tail on, scaled, cleaned
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 red onion, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
6 sprigs fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup dry white wine
1. Heat oven to 400°. Strew bottom of 12-by-18-inch jelly-roll pan or 12-by-16-inch half-sheet pan with leeks; set aside. With a sharp knife, cut away the peel, pith, and outer membranes from 2 oranges; slice orange flesh into 1/4-inch-thick rounds; set aside.
2. Rinse salmon under cold water, making sure cavity of fish is completely clean. Pat fish dry with paper towel. Cut three shallow slits through salmon’s skin, about 3 inches apart, on each side of fish. Season salmon cavity with salt and pepper.
3. Stuff cavity with cilantro sprigs, reserved orange rounds, and onion rounds. Drape a large piece of cheesecloth over leeks in bottom of roasting pan. Place salmon on top of cheesecloth.
4. Squeeze juice from remaining 2 oranges into small saucepan; place pan over medium-high heat, and bring juice to a boil. Add butter, and stir until melted; remove pan from heat. Brush salmon with orange-juice mixture. Place roasting pan in oven, and roast salmon, basting every 10 minutes with orange-juice mixture, until skin is crispy and dark golden brown and meat is pink and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. If head or tail of fish become too dark, gently fold aluminum foil over them. Remove pan from oven; pour wine into pan to help loosen salmon. Using cheesecloth to help lift fish, carefully transfer to serving platter. Gently remove cheesecloth from under fish, and serve.
Whiskey Sour
Whiskey Sour
Serves 1
1 small lemon wedge
Turbinado sugar, for rimming glass
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon granulated sugar, preferably organic
1 cup ice cubes
1 slice Oven-Dried Orange (recipe follows)
1. Rub the lemon wedge around the rim of a 12-ounce rocks glass. Place turbinado sugar in a shallow dish. Dip the rim of the glass in the sugar to coat; set aside.
2. In a large cocktail shaker, combine bourbon, orange juice, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and ice. Cover, and shake vigorously until all ingredients are well combined and cold. Pour into prepared glass, and garnish with orange slice.
Oven-Dried Orange Slices
Makes about 1 1/2 dozen
1 navel orange, very thinly sliced
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1. Preheat oven to 200°. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat. Top with orange slices in a single layer, and generously dust with sugar. Bake until the peels are dry and the flesh is translucent, about 2 1/2 hours.
Romano Sage Pork Chops
Romano Sage Pork Chops
1-1/2 cups fresh crustless French bread crumbs
1 cup (about 3 ounces) freshly grated Romano cheese
1 Tablespoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup flour
Salt and pepper to taste
4 bone-in-center-cut pork loin chops, 1 inch thick
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Lemon wedges (optional)
Orange wedges (optional)
Mix the bread crumbs, cheese, sage and lemon zest in a shallow dish. Place the flour on a plate and season generously with salt and pepper. Coat the pork chops on both sides with the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Dip the pork chops in the eggs and coat both sides with the bread crumb mixture.
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops to the butter mixture. Cook for 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until crisp and a meat thermometer inserted in the center of the pork chops registers 160 degrees for medium or 170 degrees for well done. Remove the pork chops to serving plates. Garnish with lemon wedges and orange wedges.
NOTE: Serve with a Pinot Blanc, such as Hugal from the Alsace region of France.
SERVES: 4
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