Appetizer or Main Dish: Duck Confit with Brussel Sprouts

Kim Barnes, Barnes & Conti CEO

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp walnut oil
• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, quartered
• one package duck confit (2 legs and thighs)
• 1/3 cup dry vermouth or white wine
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• kosher salt to taste
• ground pepper to taste

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in an ovenproof frying pan or sauté pan with lid. Heat over medium-high heat, then add the Brussels sprouts and sauté until they begin to turn golden (about 3 minutes). Add the duck confit and turn several times. Increase the heat to high, add the vermouth or wine and scrape up any clinging bits.
• Cover pan and place in the oven. Cook until the meat is easily shredded and the sprouts are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the meat from the bones and fold the meat into the Brussels sprouts. Add the walnuts and drizzle with the remaining walnut oil. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 4-6

First Course or Main Dish: Seafood Gumbo

Janne Rochlin, Chief Learning Officer

This year, my husband and I had the opportunity to have Thanksgiving dinner with the family of our soon-to-be son-in-law. Although we have known him for a few years now, this was the first chance we had to experience the holidays in New Orleans.

In addition to the traditional Thanksgiving fare, the meal was launched with big bowls of homemade gumbo. By the time we finished with the gumbo, we were ready to head straight to sweet potato pie and 7-up cake! You can get turkey anywhere but gumbo…what a treat! (The recipe below is similar to what we had.)

By the way, the Nixons are a lovely family and we are looking forward to many more years celebrating with them

 

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 large or two small green peppers, chopped (or one green and one red pepper)
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 12 oz. smoked sausage (andouille, if you like it spicy), cut or diced (1/2 inch dice)
• 1 lb shrimp, peeled (see note).
• 1/2 lb crab meat (or more, if you like)
• Optional, 1/2 cup canned tomatoes, chopped
• Roux from 1/4 cup flour* and 2 tbsp butter and 2tbsp oil.
• 4-5 cups seafood stock
• 2 sprigs thyme (or 1/4 tsp dried)
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Pinch or two of Gumbo Filé powder

Note: A really authentic gumbo has ingredients you can only get in South Louisiana, such as gumbo crabs to make a stock. This recipe is adapted for the rest of the country, with a special emphasis on the West Coast where Dungeness crab is in season all winter long. Gumbo, as this recipe indicates is very flexible. Use what you can get. And tomatoes are optional.

A seafood gumbo really needs a good seafood stock. You can make a stock from shrimp shells, crab shells, crawfish shells, or a combination of all three. Just bring to a boil with 5-6 cups of water, a cut up onion, cut up leek, a couple sprigs of parsley, and a bay leaf. Simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, and strain out the solids. If you can’t get shells or gumbo crabs, then don't make a stock but substitute 2 cups clam juice plus 2-3 cups water.

Method:

1. Make the roux in a small pot by melting the butter with oil, adding the flour, and over medium heat, stir until the mixture is an even nut colored brown. Regulate the heat so that the roux doesn’t burn. Remove the roux from the heat.
2. In a good sized, heavy pot, sauté the onion, celery, and bell pepper over medium high heat until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is slightly caramelized. Add the diced sausage and brown it quickly.
3. Add the roux, the stock, and the tomatoes, if using. Stir briskly to make sure the roux doesn't lump. Add the thyme, oregano, bay leaves, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. You might want to taste for salt after it has been simmering for about 20 minutes.
4. If using raw crawfish, add about 7-8 minutes before serving. If using raw shrimp, add 5-6 minutes before serving. Oysters, cooked shrimp, and crab meat can go in 3-4 minutes before serving. (Crawfish are cooked when the shell turns red, shrimp are cooked when they turn pink. Do not overcook). Or you can remove from the heat and let the gumbo sit.
5. Just before serving, add a pinch or two of filé powder (don't let it cook or it will get gummy).
6. Serve in a soup bowl over mounds of plain, white, long-grain rice. Have Louisiana Hot Sauce on the table.

Serves about 4-6.

* You can substitute brown rice flour or gluten free flour mix to make it gluten-free

Main Dish: Choucroute Garnie—Braised Sauerkraut with Sausages

Joel Kleinbaum, Information Systems Manager

While a sauerkraut dish might not be everyone’s first choice for a holiday dinner, this meal is warming and filling. Choucroute Garnie is a classic of the Alsace region of France. I make this dish at least once very winter as a special treat. Actually, any dish that I can serve with a dry riesling from Alsace is a treat, but this goes best with that particular wine. This year, I'm planning it for supper on New Year’s Day. The long simmering of the sauerkraut in wine and stock takes all the sharpness and most of the sour out if it. It becomes mellow and somewhat sweet.

I make the dish “heart-healthy” by using turkey bacon, and turkey bratwurst and smoked chicken apple sausage for the sausages. Any fresh and or cooked sausage that is not spicy will work fine.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 strips bacon (or turkey bacon), cut into 1/2 pieces
• 1 medium-large onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 bags or jars of good sauerkraut
• Dry white wine or beer or a combination of wine and stock, or beer and stock (about 4 cups)
• 4 sprigs parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 cloves
• 10 juniper berries (optional)
• 10 peppercorns
• Sausages (see note, above) allow 1-2 per person

Other garnishes can included thinly sliced ham, smoked turkey breast, and or smoked pork chops.

Method:

1. Prepare the sauerkraut by rinsing it well several times (or soaking in a large bowl of water for several minutes. Drain the sauerkraut, and squeeze out some of the liquid.
2. Sauté the bacon, onion, and carrot in the oil. You might want to start with the carrot and onion and add the bacon after 5 minutes. The vegetables should soften and start to caramelize, but the bacon should not get crisp.
3. Add the sauerkraut and stir to coat with oil. Saute for a minute or two. Add the liquid (wine, beer, or wine & stock or beer & stock mixture) to cover the sauerkraut Add the parsley, bay leaves, cloves, juniper berries, and peppercorns. You can tie them in a little sack made of cheesecloth if you like.
4. Bring to the boil. Cover and either simmer on very low heat, or put in a 325 degree oven (covered) to let it simmer. Let it cook for about 2 hours. You might want to check every half hour or so and add liquid (water is okay at this point) if it threatens to dry out.
5. While the sauerkraut is simmering, brown the sausages either in a skillet in a little bit of oil, or under the broiler. Add the sausages to the top of the sauerkraut about 20-30 minutes before you plan to serve it. You can add any other meats just in time to warm them through.
6. Serve the sauerkraut in a mound, garnished with the sausages all around, and topped with any other of the meats that you want to use. Serve with boiled buttered potatoes, lots of good mustard, rye bread, and beer or dry riesling.

Serves 6-8

Dessert/Sweet: Ginger Crisps

Dineen Digiacomo, East Coast Account Coordinator

Dineen didn’t say much about these cookies, but they must be a classic. Her East Coast colleague, Lauren Powers asked her to submit the recipe! Enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 eggs
• 4 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 5 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground clove

Method:

1. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add molasses and eggs. Mix well.
2. Sift in dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Chill for two hours.
3. Form into 1 1/4" balls. Roll in sugar.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Dessert: Grandma Robbins' Apple Cake

Eric Beckman, President and Chief Financial Officer

Eric says that this recipe is his favorite apple cake. The recipe is from a close friend of his mothers.

1. Sift in a mixing bowl

• 1 1/2 cups flour (50/50 whole wheat and white)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

2. Add (mixing on low-medium speed mixer):

• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

3. Fold in:

• 2 cups apples, chopped coarse

4. Topping (mixed until crumbly and spread on before baking):

• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 2 tsp. flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 tsp cinnamon

5. Baking:

• Pour batter into well greased and floured loaf pan or 8½-9 inch square pyrex dish. Bake in 350°f oven for 45 minutes
• Cake is done when knife or toothpick stuck in middle comes out clean.

Dessert/Sweet: Sugar Hubbard "Pumpkin" Bars

Kim Barnes & Don Bryant

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe shortbread dough

Filling:

• 1 cup fresh pumpkin, sugar hubbard squash, or butternut squash puree
• 1/3 cup sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or vanilla liqueur
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• a pinch of ground nutmeg
• a pinch of salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup coconut milk

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Take the dough and press it into a 5" x 5" greased baking dish with at least 1/2 inch sides. Let rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes, and then bake until it is lightly golden, about 20 minutes. If the dough has a side crust, cover the edges with foil when you bake it off to keep them from over browning. While the dough is baking, finish preparing the filling.
3. Add the squash puree, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt to the bowl of a mixer, and beat until smooth. Add the egg and egg white and beat, then add the coconut milk and beat a bit more. It will be quite thin, but don’t worry… it will set up when you bake it.
4. Pour the filling onto the pre-baked crust (you may not use all of it), and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the custard has set. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate if desired (it’s easier to slice when chilled, but not necessary).

Just for Fun

What do reindeer say before telling you a joke ?
This one will sleigh you!

A man went to his psychiatrist and said, “What's wrong with me? I'm afraid of Santa.”
The psychiatrist said, “You must be Claustrophobic.”

Santa is Like Your IT Department...

• When you ask Santa for something, the odds of receiving what you wanted are infinitesimal.
• Santa seldom answers your mail.
• When you ask Santa where he gets all the stuff he’s got, he says, “Elves make it for me.”
• Santa doesn't care about your deadlines.
• Nobody knows who Santa has to answer to for his actions.
• Santa laughs entirely too much.
• Santa thinks nothing of breaking into your $HOME.*
• Only a lunatic says bad things about Santa in his presence.

*This is your home folder or personal folder on your computer.

The Barnes & Conti Newsletter is published about three times a year. For more information, visit our website, or the Barnes & Conti Blog

Joel Kleinbaum, Editor and Designer

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