Capricorn
Capricorn Pupus
CHEESE GOUGÈRES
KEY CAPRICORN INGREDIENTS: Starch
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk plus extra for brushing
1/2 teaspoon each salt and ground white pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup grated Gruyère plus extra for garnish
Coarse sea salt
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Bring the butter, milk, 1/4 cup water, salt, and pepper to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the sifted flour and baking powder. Stir well, and return to medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan and forms a ball, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Place the cheese and the mixture in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle, and beat until just warm. Add the eggs slowly, one at a time, as the mixer runs, until dough is smooth and shiny. (Alternatively, stir to cool by hand and beat in eggs with a wooden spoon.) Transfer to a pastry bag, and pipe in 1-inch mounds using a No. 4 tip, or drop with a teaspoon, on a sheet pan lined with parchment. (At this stage, the gougères can be frozen and then stored in a plastic bag. They do not have to be thawed before baking, but 1-1/2 to 2 minutes should be added to the cooking time.) Brush with milk, and sprinkle with cheese and sea salt.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes; when puffs are golden brown, reduce to 375 degrees and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Serve hot or at room temperature. May be reheated.
SERVINGS: makes about 32 pieces
TIME: about 30 minutes
Note: can be frozen prior to baking.
Capricorn Soup:
WARM WINTER VICHYSSOISE
KEY CAPRICORN INGREDIENTS: Potato
2 cups diced raw potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
6 leeks, cleaned and cut into 1 inch pieces
3 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshy ground black pepper
a dash of nutmeg
1-1/2 to 2 cups heavy cream
chopped chives for garnish
Cook the potatoes in salted water to cover until just tender. Melt the butter in a skillet and cool the leeks gently, tossing them lightly, for a few minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer the leeks until tender. Add the potatoes to the leeks and the broth and season to taste with salt, papper and nutmeg.
Put this mixture in the blender (you will need to blend it in two lots) and blend for 1 minute, or until smooth. Serve hot. Garnish with chopped chives.
SERVINGS: serves 6
TIME: about 45 minutes to make
Substitutions: If serving cold, you can substitute 1 cup of the heavy cream with 1 cup of sour cream. Sour cream should be mixed in after the soup is chilled and just before serving.
Capricorn Salad:
SALAD OF MIXED GREENS, PECANS, ROASTED BEETS & GOAT CHEESE
KEY CAPRICORN INGREDIENTS: Beets
Dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel
Salad:
4 2- to 3-inch-diameter beets, unpeeled, scrubbed, all but 1 inch of tops removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 4.5-ounce bag baby lettuces with frisée (or any seasonal greens)
1/2 cup pecan (or walnut) pieces, toasted
4 ounces chilled soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet), coarsely crumbled
thin strips of orange peel
For dressing: Whisk all ingredients in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. for salad: Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss beets with 1 tablespoon oil in 11x7-inch metal baking pan. Roast beets until tender, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool beets; peel and cut into 1/2-inch wedges.
Mix lettuces, walnuts and dressing in large bowl; toss. Divide among plates. Arrange beets around greens; sprinkle with goat cheese and orange peel.
SERVINGS: makes 4 servings
TIME: 1-1/2 hours to allow the beets to cool
Note: Dressing and beets can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill. Bring both to room temperature before continuing.
Capricorn Seafood, Poultry & Meat
BEEF STROGANOFF
KEY CAPRICORN INGREDIENTS: Beef, noodles, cognac
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 (1-lb) piece beef tenderloin, trimmed, sliced 1/4 inch thick, then cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallot
3/4 lb mushrooms, trimmed and halved (quartered if large)
3/4 cup crème fraîche or sour cream at room temperature
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Accompaniment: buttered wide egg noodles
Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat and whisk in flour, then cook roux, whisking constantly, 2 minutes. Add broth in a slow stream, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Add Cognac. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Pat beef dry and season well with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter with 2 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Sauté beef in two batches, turning once, until browned on both sides but still pink inside, about 1 minute. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.
Heat remaining tablespoon butter with remaining tablespoons of oil in same skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté shallot, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms are browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Return meat with its juices to skillet and stir to combine, then transfer to a platter.
Reheat sauce over low heat (do not let boil), then whisk in crème fraîche, mustard, dill, paprika, salt, and pepper. Pour sauce over beef and serve immediately.
SERVINGS: makes 6 servings
TIME: about 35 minutes
Note: This recipe makes good use of the tail-end portion of a tenderloin.
Capricorn Vegetarian:
SWISS CHARD & LENTIL RISOTTO
KEY CAPRICORN INGREDIENTS: Swiss Chard (also known as spinach beets), rice
1 bay leaf
6 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 2 teaspoons leaves
1/3 cup lentils, picked over
1 large bunch Swiss chard (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 large leeks (about 3/4 pound), white and light-green parts only
4 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1- 1/4 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
optional: 1/3 cup finely shredded radicchio, for garnish
In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups water, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add lentils, reduce heat to low, and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain lentils, discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs, and set aside.
Meanwhile, wash Swiss chard, and remove the leaves from the stalks. Slice the leaves into very thin 2-inch strips, and cut the smaller stems into 1/4-inch dice. Discard the larger stems. Cook Swiss chard in a wok or a large skillet over high heat, tossing constantly, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Set aside in a colander.
Cut leeks in half lengthwise, and slice thinly into half moons. Place in a large bowl of cold water, and let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes rinse dirt and sand. Lift out of the water, and drain in a colander. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, bring stock to a boil, reduce heat to low, and keep at a bare simmer.
Heat olive oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, add leeks, onions, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 6 minutes. Add rice and thyme leaves, and continue stirring until the edges of the rice are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the wine is absorbed, about 30 seconds.
Raise the heat to medium high, add salt and pepper and about 1/2 cup of the simmering stock, and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the stock is absorbed. Continue adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time. Cook, stirring constantly, allowing each addition to be nearly absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy but still a little firm in the center, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in lentils, Swiss chard, and Parmesan. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Divide the risotto among six plates, and garnish with the shredded radicchio. Serve immediately.
SERVINGS: makes 6 servings
TIME: 35-40 minutes
Capricorn Sweets:
QUINCE COMPOTE WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM
KEY CAPRICORN INGREDIENTS: Quince (pear-like fruit)
4 pounds quinces, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 cups dry white wine
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (or 1/2 teaspoon liquid vanilla)
Prepare the quince by quartering and removing the hard core with a pairing knife. If the core is too hard to remove safely with a knife, trim pieces of fruit from around it then cut the pieces into smaller cubes.
Bring first 4 ingredients to boil in heavy large saucepan, stirring often. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until fruit is soft, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer fruit to bowl. Boil juices uncovered until reduced to 3 cups, about 30 minutes. Pour syrup over fruit. Cover and chill overnight. Serve with ice cream.
SERVINGS: make about 3 cups
TIME: 1 1/2 hours plus chilling time