FOOD
Feast For 8
The ideal number to start a new year.
Annabel Cohen
Special to the Jewish News
dinner for eight guests is ideal.
Most, if not all, of the meal can
be prepared ahead and the dirty
dishes aren't daunting. Of course, the food
should be out of the ordinary as well.
This year for the secular New Year's, I
chose a veal roast. It's more upmarket than
a beef brisket, but just as easy to prepare.
Another option is chicken, the con-
tinual crowd pleaser, but with a different
approach, with a savory, grainy mustard
sauce. On the side, I see a salad, spinach,
with an uncommon topping of roasted
pears. It's simple to get ready but has an
elegant presentation. Fingerling potatoes
are very chic these days. In the end, how-
ever, they're as uncomplicated to prepare
as any other roasted potato. Add a favorite
vegetable and it's perfect meal.
End the dinner with a simple apple tart.
Premade frozen puff-pastry makes this
trouble-free dessert a winner that goes
perfectly, and gracefully, with your cham-
pagne. If timed just right, the clock will
strike midnight just as you finish your last
bite. Happy New Year.
Savory Herbed Veal Roast
1/4 cup olive oil
1 5-pound veal shoulder,
tied into a roast
1 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
3 cups beef or chicken broth
1 1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup drained chopped canned
tomatoes
4 oz. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
or chives, garnish
Preheat oven to 350E Heat oil in heavy,
large, oven-proof pot over high heat. Place
the veal in the pot and brown well on all
sides. Reduce heat to medium-high and
add the shallots, celery, garlic, rosemary,
thyme, salt and pepper. Add broth, wine,
tomatoes, tomato paste and vinegar and
bring to boil.
Cover the pot with a lid or aluminum
foil and place in the preheated oven. Cook
for 3 hours, turning the meat once dur-
ing cooking. Remove from oven and chill
overnight.
Remove fat from sauce. Pour the sauce
into a medium saucepan and bring to a
boil over high heat. Reduce heat and cook
until the sauce is thickened and reduced,
about 30 minutes. Add the salt and pepper
to sauce to taste.
While the sauce is cooking, slice veal
crosswise, 1/3-inch slices. Arrange the veal
slices in an attractive serving dish (with
sides) and pour the sauce over. Keep warm
at 225E until ready to serve, up to 2 hours.
Makes 8 servings.
Mustard Roasted Chicken
Although this is made with whole chick-
ens, you may use chicken pieces (with skin
and bones). Keep in mind, however, that
cooking times will be shorter.
2 whole chickens (approximately
4 pounds each), rinsed, patted dry,
halved lengthwise
Marinade:
1 cup grainy mustard or Dijon
mustard
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. dried dill
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
Rinse chickens well and place in large
zipper-style bags. Set aside.
Combine all marinade ingredients in a
medium bowl and whisk well. Pour this
mixture over the chicken and, using your
hands, rub the marinade over all sides of
the chicken. Close the bag and marinate for
several hours in the refrigerator or up to 1
hour unchilled.
Preheat oven t o 375E Place chickens,
cut sides down, in large roasting pan or in
disposable aluminum pans. Drizzle any left-
over marinade over chickens. Roast chick-
ens for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350E
and cook for 20-30 minutes more until
juices run clear when fork is inserted into
thickest part of thigh. Remove from oven
and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting
the halves into 3-4 pieces each (6-8 pieces
per whole chicken). Serve with any leftover
sauce drizzled over. Makes 8 servings.
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
With Caraway Seeds
5 pound fingerling potatoes
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine,
melted
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. granulated garlic, optional
2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
ground paprika, garnish
Preheat oven to 400E Scrub potatoes
and place them in a large bowl (do not
peel). Add remaining ingredients and toss
well. Arrange the potatoes (in a single
layer, if possible), in a large roasting pan
or disposable aluminum pan and roast,
uncovered, for 30 minutes. Turn the pota-
toes and cook for 30 minutes more. Serve
hot. Makes 8-12 servings.
Spinach And Roasted
Pear Salad
2 ripe pears (D-Anjou or Bosc),
cut intol/4-inch wedges
1 pound baby spinach leaves
1 cup shaved red onion
1/4 cup toasted almonds or
pecans, optional
Dressing:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard .
1 Tbsp. honey or sugar
Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a bak-
ing sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Arrange the pears on the baking sheet
and roast, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes,
until the pears are golden. Remove from
oven and cool. Arrange the spinach on 8
individual plates and sprinkle with onions
and nuts, if using. Divide the pear wedges
over the salad in a starburst pattern. Or,
toss the spinach, onions and nuts in a
large bowl, add dressing (see instructions
below), and arrange the pear wedges over
the salad before serving. Set aside.
Combine dressing ingredients in a jar
with a tight fitting lid and shake well.
Drizzle this over the salad (you may not
use all the dressing). Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings.
Mini Apple Tarts
Serve these alone or with warm
caramel or fudge ice-cream
topping drizzled over.
2 frozen puff pastry sheets (about
1 pound), thawed
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or
margarine, melted
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots (or
other dried fruit)
1 cup light brown sugar
ground cinnamon
4 golden delicious apples, peeled,
halved and seeds removed using a
melon bailer
whipped cream or vanilla or
cinnamon ice cream, garnish, if
desired
Preheat oven to 400F. Cut 8 rounds
(about 4 inches in diameter — they
need not be perfect) from the puff pastry
(reserve remaining pastry for another
use). Arrange the rounds on a baking
sheet with sides (it need not be greased).
Brush the pastry rounds with melted but-
ter. Sprinkle the apricots, then the sugar
and finally the cinnamon over the rounds.
Place an apple half on a clean surface
and using a sharp knife, cut the apple into
thin slices, but retain the apple shape.
Turn the apple slices over all together
and arrange the apple half on one of the
rounds (flat side down). Use the palm of
your hand to flatten the apple to create a
slight overlapping of the slices. Brush the
tops of the slices with butter.
Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Bake for 30 minutes, until the apples
are browned. Serve the apple tarts warm
or at room temperature with any remain-
ing juices that may remain on the baking
sheet drizzled over the top. Makes 8 serv-
ings.
More recipes: JNonline.us .
December 25 2006
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