Dayrecipe Food Community

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Makes 4 to 6 first-course servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1tablespoon whole-grain or coarse-grain mustard
• 2tablespoons white-wine vinegar
• 1/2cup heavy cream
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/4teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2medium head cauliflower (3/4 lb), stems discarded and florets cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices (3 cups)
• 2belgian endives, leaves separated and cut diagonally into1/2-inch pieces
• 1small head napa cabbage (1/2 lb), greenish outer leaves discarded and pale inner leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces (5 cups loosely packed)
• 1small onion, finely chopped and soaked in cold water 10 minutes, then drained

DIRECTIONS Whisk together mustard, vinegar, cream, salt, and white pepper in a large bowl until blended.

Blanch cauliflower in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan of boiling salted water 30 seconds, then drain and transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain well again and add to dressing in bowl. Add endives, cabbage, and onion, tossing to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

We used grocery rotisserie chickens for this recipe, but leftover turkey from the holiday table works equally well.

Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1to 1 1/2 lb chicken bones (from 2 cooked chickens), broken into 2- to 3-inch pieces
• 4cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1carrot, thinly sliced
• 1medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 2celery ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2garlic cloves, smashed
• 5whole black peppercorns
• 1turkish or 1/2 california bay leaf
• 2whole cloves
• 3/4stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 3/4lb mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/4teaspoon black pepper
• 2tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1cup heavy cream
• 3tablespoons medium-dry sherry
• 2tablespoons truffle butter* (optional)
• 1/2lb spaghetti
• 2lb chicken meat (from 2 cooked chickens), torn into 1-inch pieces
• 1oz freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano (1/2 cup)

DIRECTIONS Bring chicken bones, broth, carrot, onion, celery, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, and cloves to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, then simmer, partially covered, skimming froth, 30 minutes.

Pour stock through a large sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, and return to saucepan. Measure stock: If more than 2 cups, boil until reduced. Keep warm, covered.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a shallow 3-quart glass or ceramic baking dish.

Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté mushrooms with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms begin to turn golden, about 8 minutes.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, then add flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add warm stock in a fast stream, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Add cream, Sherry, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper and simmer over low heat, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes. Stir in truffle butter (if using).

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, then drain well.

Toss together spaghetti, mushrooms, and half of sauce in a large bowl, then transfer to baking dish. Stir together chicken meat and remaining sauce in same large bowl. Make a depression in spaghetti, then spoon chicken into it and sprinkle dish with cheese.

Bake until sauce is bubbling and top is lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Cooks’ notes:
• Mushrooms can be sautéed 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Sauce can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, its surface covered with wax paper.

*Available at some specialty foods shops and D’Artagnan (800-327-8246).

Makes 16

INGREDIENTS

Miniature Tourtières

Every French-Canadian home serves a version of tourtière during the holidays. Various thickeners (such as flour, crushed crackers, or even oats) can be used to bind the filling. Our version is made with flour, and the filling is enclosed in a tender biscuit crust. We decorated our pies with a maple-leaf-shaped cutout.*

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Makes 24 hors d’oeuvres.

INGREDIENTS

• for filling
• 1lb lean ground pork
• 1medium onion, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
• 1garlic clove, minced
• 1/2teaspoon dried savory, crumbled
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/4teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4teaspoon black pepper
• 3tablespoons all-purpose flourfor pastry
• 1 1/2cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2teaspoons baking powder
• 1teaspoon salt
• 3tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
• 2tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2cup whole milkspecial equipment:a 3-inch round cookie cutter; a 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-inch leaf-shaped cookie cutter (preferably maple*); 2 mini-muffin pans, each with 12 (1/8-cup) muffin cups
• accompaniment: spicy tomato cranberry preserves

DIRECTIONS Make filling:
Cook pork with onion, garlic, savory, salt, allspice, and pepper in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently and breaking up lumps with a fork, until pork is no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Cool filling completely.

Make pastry while filling cools:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Blend in shortening and butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and stir with a fork just until a dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 10 to 12 times. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a rough 18-inch round (1/8 inch thick), dusting with just enough additional flour to keep dough from sticking. Cut out 24 rounds with 3-inch cutter and 24 leaves with leaf-shaped cutter. Make decorative lines on leaves with tip of a sharp paring knife.

Fit each round into a muffin cup and fill with a rounded tablespoon of filling. Arrange leaves on filling.

Bake pies until crusts are golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Lift pies out of muffin cups and transfer to a rack. Cool to warm, about 15 minutes.

Cooks’ notes:
• Filling can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Pies can be assembled and baked 6 hours ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, uncovered. Serve at room temperature or reheat in preheated 350°F oven until warm, about 15 minutes.

*Available at Sweet Celebrations (800-328-6722).

“Lidia’s in Kansas City, Missouri, serves a rustic white bean and potato soup that would make a perfect meatless entrée for a winter evening,” writes Deborah Johnson of Columbia, Missouri. “I order it every time I go there. Do you think chef Dan Swinney would part with his recipe?”

Start this recipe a day ahead so that there’s time for the beans to soak overnight.

Makes 8 first-course or 4 main-course servings.

INGREDIENTS

• soup
• 2 1/3cups great northern beans(about 1 pound)
• 2bay leaves
• 6tablespoons olive oil
• 3large fresh rosemary sprigs1large russet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
• 10garlic cloves, chopped
• 6cups (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken brothparmesan oil
• 2/3cup (packed) grated parmesan cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)
• 1/4cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil2bunches arugula, tough stems removed, cut into 1-inch strips (about 3 cups)
• 1teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

DIRECTIONS For soup:
Place Great Northern beans in large pot. Pour enough water over beans to cover by 4 inches. Let soak overnight. Drain beans and return to pot. Pour enough water over beans to cover by 4 inches. Add 2 bay leaves and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and fresh rosemary sprigs and simmer uncovered until beans are barely tender, about 30 minutes.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in another large pot over medium heat. Add russet potato pieces and sauté until brown in spots, about 8 minutes. Add half of garlic and sauté until beginning to color, about 3 minutes. Add 6 cups chicken stock and boil until potato pieces are falling apart, about 10 minutes. Pour beans and cooking liquid into potato mixture. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer just until beans are tender, about 10 minutes. Season soup generously with salt and pepper. (Soup can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing, thinning with additional chicken stock if necessary.)

For parmesan oil: Blend 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup olive oil in processor until smooth. (Parmesan oil an be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover oil and refrigerate.)

Stir 2 bunches arugula into soup. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy small skillet over medium heat. Add remaining chopped garlic and dried crushed red pepper; sauté until golden. Add to soup and simmer 5 minutes. Stir Parmesan oil into soup. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.