Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook (5 page)

This is another croissant-based hors d'oeuvre. The crumbly, buttery flavor of the croissant balances perfectly with the prosciutto, plum preserves, and goat cheese.

1.
Preheat the oven to 375˚F.

2.
Carefully slice the croissants horizontally. Place the 8 croissant halves, cut side up, on an ungreased baking sheet.

3.
Spread each croissant half with 4 teaspoons of the strained preserves, spreading just to the edge.

4.
Slice the reserved plums into fourths. Evenly divide them among the croissant halves, placing the plum slices at regular intervals on top of the preserves.

5.
Trim the fat from the prosciutto slices. Place the prosciutto slices over the preserves and plums. Trim any overhang. Chop and crumble the goat cheese or cream cheese into ½-teaspoon portions. Evenly dot the prosciutto with the cheese.

6.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is just beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Using tongs, carefully place each croissant half onto a cutting board. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut each croissant half into four “bites.”

Makes 32 small “bites”

At the request of one of our sons, I worked for months on perfecting a hot spinach dip. Unfortunately, the results never came out the same. Ever. This recipe appeared from several sources on the Internet. With very few adjustments, it tested perfectly, and Julian (!) put it here for your enjoyment.

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the garlic and cook and stir until it is translucent. Add the spinach and cream cheese, stirring until very well combined. Add the Alfredo sauce, Parmesan, and fontina. Stir until the cheeses have melted and the mixture is hot. Taste and season carefully with pepper. Serve immediately with chips or crackers.

Makes about 3 cups

I first encountered stuffed lettuce cups at a fancy Vietnamese restaurant in Denver, now closed. I did some experimenting, and this recipe is the result. If you are on a low-carb diet, you can leave out the wild rice; just adjust the proportions of hoisin sauce and lettuce accordingly.

1.
Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

2.
On a rimmed baking sheet, toast the pine nuts for 5 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.

3.
In a large skillet, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat, stirring, until it changes color and is cooked through. Drain well and return to the pan. Stir in the cornstarch and hoisin sauce. Heat and stir over medium heat until bubbling. Add the pine nuts and the wild rice and stir until heated through.

4.
Spoon a generous ⅓ cup of the hot turkey mixture onto each lettuce leaf. Roll up and place, seam side down, on a platter. Serve immediately with tongs.

Serves 8 as an appetizer

This is a bonus recipe, not in any of the Goldy books. It began at a dinner with a member of my family who shall remain anonymous for his own safety. I asked what was in a recently arrived jar on the kitchen counter. My relative said it was a Cheddar spread that his whole family loved. It had been brought over by a friend who refused to share the recipe. And by the way, Diane, could you please figure out what's in it?

I said, “Got a spoon?”

Deciphering what was in that spread took more time than I would have thought. You do need to let it sit in the refrigerator several hours or overnight before serving.

1.
Stir the beer before measuring to make sure it no longer has bubbles.

2.
In a large bowl, stir together the Cheddar, scallions, parsley, mustard powder, lesser amount of hot sauce, and beer. Stir until completely mixed.

3.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Scoop some onto a plain cracker and taste. If you would like more heat, add the extra Tabasco sauce. Chill at least 2 more hours, or overnight.

4.
Serve with crackers, celery sticks, cauliflowerets, and/or broccoli spears.

When low-fat cooking was all the rage, readers begged me for low-fat recipes. I performed experiments over many months, and ended up throwing away most of the numerous failures. They just didn't pass the taste test. Now the scientific experts are telling us that it is simple carbohydrates, not fat, that are the problem. (My immediate thought upon learning this was
, You mean I drank all that disgusting fat-free milk for nothing?)
That said, homemade chicken stock—which you take the time to de-fat—is an absolutely essential part of any serious cook's kitchen. For this recipe, I now use all canned chicken broth as the liquid in the stock. I have to pour the finished stock into two or sometimes three large metal or glass bowls, then let it cool, then find room in one or two refrigerators. (When our old refrigerator became too small for our growing needs, we put it in the garage, which has proven very handy for extra refrigeration.) Thorough chilling will make the fat solidify so it can be lifted off. Stir the de-fatted stock before you use it or before pouring it into plastic freezer containers.

1.
On the stove, heat a very large stockpot over medium heat. (If you do not have a very large stockpot, you can divide the ingredients and make the stock in 2 stockpots.) Add the oil and heat until it shimmers. Toss in the onion and carrot, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent. (This can take up to 15 minutes.) Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the chicken, and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken skin is browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth and water,
add the celery and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. As foam accumulates, skim it off and discard.

2.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the thyme and pepper. Simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours. Add water as necessary to keep the chicken covered with liquid.

3.
Remove the pot from the heat. Remove the chicken and allow it to cool, then pick the meat from the bones and reserve for another use. Strain the stock and discard the vegetables and bay leaves.
Cool to room temperature
.

4.
Cover and refrigerate overnight, or until the fat has congealed in a single layer. (This can take up to 2 days.) Lift the layer of fat from the stock and discard. Store the stock for 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze in covered plastic containers for longer storage.

Makes about 25 cups

This is a hearty soup, lusciously thickened with puréed vegetables.

1.
In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the carrot, onion, and celery and cook, covered, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften, 15 to 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2.
In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the mushrooms and cook briefly, until they are cooked through and begin to yield some juice. This takes less than 5 minutes. Set the mushrooms aside.

3.
In a blender, purée the cooked carrot, onion, celery, and any accumulated liquid.

4.
In a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over low heat. Stir in the flour and cook this paste, stirring constantly, until the flour bubbles. Slowly whisk in the stock. Increase the heat to medium. Cook and stir until hot and thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the thyme, marjoram, cream, mushrooms, vermouth, and puréed vegetables until hot and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings

This is one of our family's favorite soups. It combines the complex flavors of wild and fresh mushrooms. Homemade chicken stock makes it sing, and the cream and sherry make it fancy.

1.
Place the dried mushrooms in a large heatproof bowl. Bring the water to a boil and pour it over the dried mushrooms. Allow to sit for 30 minutes. Remove the reconstituted mushrooms with a slotted spoon. Remove the stems and discard. Pat the mushrooms dry, finely chop, and set aside. Strain the mushroom soaking liquid through dampened cheesecloth or a sieve lined with a paper coffee filter into a bowl. You should have about 2 cups of mushroom liquid. Set aside.

2.
In a stockpot, melt the 8 tablespoons butter over low heat. Add the shallots and fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, sprinkle in the flour, and stir constantly until the mixture bubbles and the flour is cooked, about 3 minutes. (If the mixture is completely dry, add up to 2 extra tablespoons of butter. Stir the mixture until the butter is completely melted, then stir and cook until the flour is cooked.)

3.
Add the chicken stock and reserved mushroom liquid, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Reduce the heat and add the chopped wild mushrooms, the cream, sherry, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, for another 15 minutes, to blend the flavors. Remove from the heat to cool slightly.

4.
Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender. Place the puréed batches into a large heatproof bowl. When the soup is completely puréed, pour it back into the stockpot, taste, and correct the seasoning. Bring the soup back to a simmer and serve.

6 to 8 servings