BRUNCH (continued)

HASHED BROWNS

serves 4 to 6

The first time I made these, I worried that I wouldn't get it right. I was afraid the potatoes would be too wet and I'd wind up with mushy, instead of crisp, potatoes. The secret to browning them is to leave them alone for five minutes or so while they're cooking, before you turn them to the other side. This develops that lovely crust that makes them so good. I double this recipe to serve 12. I wouldn't prepare this recipe the day before because the potatoes are then likely to "wilt" and loose their crust. Leave it until the day of the brunch and cook these as close to serving time as you can manage.

5 T unsalted butter

1 1/2 lb boiling potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch dice

1 1/2 C chopped yellow onions (about 2 onions)

2 t kosher salt

1 t finely ground black pepper

2 T minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 T minced scallions, white and green parts

1. Melt the butter in a large (10-12") skillet. Add the potatoes, onions, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally with a pancake turner, until the potatoes are evenly browned and cooked through. Turn off the heat and add the parsley and scallions. Serve hot. (Leftovers are great in a frittata.)

Adapted from a recipe by

Ina Garten

BRUNCH (continued)

COUNTRY STLE SAUSAGE AND FRIED APPLES

serves 4 to 6 (so I usually double it)



This is an old stand-by for me and I serve it at almost all my brunches. I take a shortcut by using Jimmy Dean's ready-made sausage instead of making my own. No one will know the difference. But be sure you cook the sausage thoroughly. Check by splitting a piece in the pan; it should not be pink in the middle. Lately, I've been using only one package of sausage (instead of my original two) and making the patties smaller so that I get about 12 patties. I double all the other ingredients so I can serve 12 guests. This dish can be prepared a day ahead and reheated in the microwave or, if you don't have something else in the oven, reheated at 200 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. Be sure to take it out of the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature before reheating.

Using Jimmy Dean sausage with sage, bought already packaged in a roll in your favorite grocery store, form 12 small patties with you hands, rolling the sausage into small balls and then flattening the balls with your palms. Peel and core 3 tart apples (I use Granny Smiths) and cut them into 6 wedges each. Fry the patties in batches (in a dry pan) in a large skillet over medium heat until well-browned, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat for second batch.

Cook the apples in the same skillet in the sausage fat remaining in the skillet (or add a little butter if the pan is too dry), turning as they brown, until just barely soft, 8-12 minutes. Don't over cook them or they'll turn to applesauce. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon over apples and continue to cook, shaking skillet, until apples are glazed, about 5 minutes more. Return sausage to skillet to warm through. Or, if you're making this ahead, mix apples with sausage in a serving dish, cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. You can garnish this with chopped fresh sage if  you want but it's fine just like it is. I serve this in a souflle dish.

Note: it's a good idea to prepare the apple slices before you start cooking the sausage (or while you're cooking it). If you're worried about the apple slices turning brown while they're waiting to be cooked, you can sprinkle and stir them with a teaspoon - not too much - of fresh lemon juice. But since I'm going to brown the apples anyway, I never worry about this.

Stay tuned for more recipes for the brunch.

BRUNCH (continued)

As I said, every brunch should contain at least one dish with eggs. I have many of them in my army of brunch recipes but this one is new and very good. I tried it recently on a brunch for 12 and all my guests raved about it and several asked me for the recipe.

Since the recipe calls for hard-boiled eggs, I'm including an easy recipe for those, which you can use any time you want hard-boiled eggs. The steps described help to prevent that ugly green line around the hard-boiled yolks, and make peeling the eggs easier. It might also be helpful to know that fresh eggs are harder to peel than eggs that are a little older.

M J'S EGG CASSEROLE

8-10 servings (but you can stretch it to 12)

I ripped this recipe out of a Wednesday Dining section of The New York Times. The only laborious part is peeling 18 hard-boiled eggs; my thumbs still hurt. Instead of cooking a pound of bacon, I used Costco's pre-cooked bacon, which I had on hand. When, at the last minute, I found I had no marjoram, I begged a quarter teaspoon-full from my waitress at Jimmy's in Fells Point where I usually go for breakfast on weekends. (I left her a larger tip than usual.) And I forgot to bake the casserole covered but it didn't seem to matter. If you do cover it, as the recipe instructs, the steam will cook the eggs without the risk of making the yolks rubbery. Be sure to stir the cheese until it's fully incorporated. And buy the already-shredded kind at your grocery store in the two cup package. There's no need to skin your knuckles on a hand shredder and bleed into the dish!

4 T butter, plus extra for buttering the casserole dish

1/4 C all-purpose flour

1 C cream

1 C whole milk (don't use skim or low fat)

2 C shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/4 C chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 t dried marjoram

1/4 t dried thyme

1/8 t garlic powder (if you have it)

pinch of cayenne

18 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and thinly sliced

1 lb bacon, cooked crisp, drained of fat and crumbled

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 x 13 inch baking pan or glass casserole dish.

2. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until it foarms. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Lower the heat and slowly pour in the cream and milk, but all at one time. Heat until steaming, whisking often (to prevent the flour from lumping). Add the cheese and whisk, until fully melted. Add the parsley, marjoram, thyme, garlic powder and cayenne.

3. In the prepared dish, make layers of egg slices, bacon and sauce, ending with sauce. Cover and bake 40 minutes. (To make ahead, refrigerate covered casserole overnight - I covered the dish with a buttered piece of aluminum foil, buttered so the aluminum wouldn't react with the exposed egg slices). Remove from the refrigerator one hour before baking and add 20 minutes to baking time. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Note: the next time I make this, I may put a thin layer of bread crumbs, or finely shredded Parmesan cheese, on top.

HOW TO HARD-BOIL EGGS

Put the eggs in a large saucepan in enough cold water to cover them. Paritally cover the saucepan and bring the water to a rolling boil on high heat. Turn the heat to low, cover the saucepan completley and cook the eggs for 30 seconds. Let the eggs stand off the heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Put them in ice water for five minutes, then peel. They should be perfect for however you're gong to use them.

BRUNCH

In response to my solicitation for suggestions for recipes, one of my followers has asked me for a brunch menu, so here we go. 

 I like to entertain at brunch, partly because breakfast foods are among my favorites - I love eggs -  but also because I can entertain 12 guests (at buffet) as easily as the usual six that I can seat at my dinner table. And since I usually have a brunch on Sunday and usually at noon, I can clean up after my guests leave and unlike cleaning up after a dinner party, which might mean washing glasses at midnight, I have some of Sunday left to enjoy after the dishes are clean and put away.

I have a few rules I usually follow for brunch. I set up the bar with appropriate glasses and ice and let my guests help themselves. I make the bloody marys and any other drink I'm offering but leave the liquor out. This way my guests can make their bloody marys as strong as they like. Other rules of mine are that brunch should always contain at least one dish with eggs and should end with fresh fruit, pretty in a nice glass bowl and a good palate cleanser after the other more egg-y tastes. And I always call brunch for noon on Sunday.

So, to begin, here's the menu.

Something first to nibble on, like olives and nuts. I usually buy marinated olives at my grocery store and serve my bar nuts, already described earlier in this blog. For drinks, I always have bloody marys, expected at a brunch, and usually creamsicles and white wine. Then the heavier stuff: an egg casserole, sausage and apples, hash browns, fresh  fruit and some kind of sweet rolls, like cinnamon rolls. I often finish a brunch with some candy, like chocolate covered almonds. I just leave it out and guests can partake or not. Usually there's some left for me to eat. Yum. I used to serve coffee but have found that guests don't expect it and so I've stopped providing it. (I have a French press coffee maker, so if someone wants coffee, I can make a small amount in a hurry.)

To begin, here's the recipe for my bloody marys and creamsicles. The rest of the menu will follow.

BLOODY MARYS

for 6; double for 12

Most who entertain at brunch have their own favorite recipe for bloody marys but I think it's a good idea to begin with a standard recipe and then modify it as you wish. Here's my standard. It may be a little too hot for me but then I usually cut down on the horseradish and hot sauce. Using half tomato juice and half clamato makes a better bloody mary but I'm always afraid one of my guests may be allergic to shellfish. Sometimes I use a little beefamato with the tomato juice.

Here are a couple of hints. I don't use my best Grey Goose for the vodka. While I don't use rotgut either (no Zelko!), there's no need to use expensive vodka when the taste of the drink will be mostly in the other ingredients. If you haven't used your bottled horseradish in a long time and it's brown on top, toss it out and buy a fresh bottle; it's not that expensive. And don't put ice in the mix. Just make it far enough ahead to chill in a pitcher in your refrigerator. Otherwise, the ice will dilute the drink. And skip the celery stick. Who wants a stick of celery up your nose when you're trying to drink a bloody mary?

4 C chilled tomato juice (or half tomato and half clamato or beefamato)

1 C plus 2 T vodka (if you're putting it in)

1/3 C fresh lemon juice (don't even think of using the bottled stuff!)

1 1/2 T bottled horseradish, drained of liquid (save the liquid and put it back in the bottle)

1 1/2 T Worchestershire sauce

1/2 t celery salt (if you have it; dont' rush out to buy it just for this drink)

3/4 t Tabasco sauce

3/4 t black pepper

1. Stir all the ingredients together in a pitcher and serve over ice.

CREAMSICLES

Many of my lady friends like this drink. It's just regular orange juice (buy it bottled but be sure it's without pulp) and vanilla vodka. Mixed together, the result tastes just like those old orange and vanilla ice cream creamsicles.

My mother's favorite drink was bourbon and orange juice, so if you're having creamsicles and have the orange juice, you can put out the bourbon as well. Some of your guests may like the bourbon straight.

For the wine, I always serve white wine, and on the light side: Pino Gregio, for instance, is perfect. Or you may want to experiment with a rose. Be creative.

Recipes for the rest of this menu will follow. Stay tuned.

CORN CHOWDER

I had never heard of corn chowder until I moved to Maine in 1988. One very cold winter day - they're all cold in Maine in winter -  I went into the restaurant down the street from my office and asked the waitress to tell me about the soups of the day. She said they had just made corn chowder. When I asked what that was, her description of it encouraged me to try it and I found it wholesome, filling and perfect for the snowy weather outside.

The recipe that follows is my favorite and I serve this often, especailly in winter. I's very satisfying and, with crusty bread and a big, green salad, makes a perfect meal. It's a frontier kind of dish so if you're making a meal of it, serve it with beer. Otherwise, it can be a first course, but make the rest of the meal fairly light fare. Since I don't like cilantro, I leave that out and substitute parsley.

CORN CHOWDER

serves 6

4-oz sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 T unsalted butter

2 C chopped onions

2 T unbleached, all-purpose flour

4 C chicken stock, preferably home-made but, if you're in a hurry, canned is okay

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4" dice

1 C half and half

4 C cooked canned corn kernels, drained of liquid (or if you're using fresh corn, see note below)

3/4 t coarsely ground black pepper

salt to taste

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/4" dice

3 scallions, white bulb part and 3 inches of green, cut into 1/4" slices

1 T chopped cilantro (or parsley) for garnish

1. Wilt the bacon in a large soup pot over low heat until fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and allow it to melt.

2. Add the onions and wilt over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, another five minues.

3. Add the stock and potatoes. Continue cooking over medium-low heat until the potatoes are just tender, 12 - 15 minutes. (You can test this by smashing a potato against the side of the pot)

4. Add the half and half, corn, pepper and salt. Cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add the bell pepper and scallions, adjust the seasonings, and cook an additional 5 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro, or if using, parsley.

This can be made ahead and re-heated just before serving and, as with most stew-like dishes, is even better the next day.  If you want lower calories, you can substitute whole milk for the half and half but the flavor will not be as rich.

Note: to cook sweet corn, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the shucked ears of sweet corn, remove the pot from the heat, cover it and let it stand for no more than 3 minutes. Remove the corn and when cool enough to handle, slice the kernels off the cob. If you have a bundt pan, place the cob of sweet corn in the middle. Slicing is then easy and the corn kernels fall naturally into the trough of the pan.

ARTICHOKE SQUARES

Since this is superbowl weekend, if you've been invited to a party and asked to bring something, this is fail-safe and delicious. I've served it many times at parties and often take it to one when I'm asked to bring something. The squares can be served either hot or cold and can be made ahead and frozen, to be re-heated before serving. This is easy and always works. I usually make at least a double recipe. The recipe comes from Linda, by way of my friend, Barbara.

ARTICHOKE SQUARES

makes about 30 squares, depending on how you cut them

2 small jars Caramea artichokes (but Progresso will do)

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 T chopped parsley (either kind but flat leaf has more flavor)

1/4 C dry bread crumbs, unflavored

1/4 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1/2 t oregano

1/4 t Tabasco, or other hot sauce

1/8 lb Cheddar cheese, shredded (buy it aleady packaged(

1/4 lb Swiss cheese, shredded (you may have to shred this yourself)

1/2 C parmesan cheese, grated

1. Saute onion and  garlic in the juice of one jar of the artichokes. Mix all ingredients well and bake in a greased shallow glass casserole dish at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until set.

2. Cut into squares and serve either hot or cold.

CHICKEN STEW WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Since we've been talking chicken, here's a recipe for a chicken stew that can feed a crowd of 6 or 8 or even 10. Although they're given here, my ingredients and quantities are not set in stone and so this is a little different each time I make it. Sometimes I serve it plain, like soup, in a bowl. Or, if it's too soupy, over rice. It makes a nice hearty meal with some rustic bread and a simple green salad. You can go wild with the dessert. But I encourage you to experiment. If you like hot things, use hot Italian sausage instead of the sweet variety shown here. And, if you have other aromatic vegetables, like carrots or celery, languishing away in your hydrator, just cut them up and throw them in. You can't go wrong. Your guests will love it!



CHICKEN STEW WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

serves 6 to 8, or over rice, 10

2 whole (or 4 halves) boneless breasts of chicken, cut into bite sized pieces

flour, with added salt and pepper to taste, for dredging

butter

olive oil

4 large links sweet Italian sausage

1 large Spanich onion (or yellow; it doesn't really matter), chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 lb (or 1 package) button mushrooms (the common kind). sliced, with stems

1-2 carrots (if you already have them), cut diagonally into bite sized pieces

1-2 stalks celery (if you already have it), cut diagonally into bite sized pieces

chicken broth

white wine

1. Starting with cold water in a saucepan, cook the sausage links in boiling water until almost done, 3 to 4 minutes You can check by taking one link out and cutting a piece off the end. It's done when the sausage is no longer red. Remove the sausages from the saucepan and set them aside to cool. (At this point, you can also saute the sausage links in order to develop a little brown on the outside that will add some flavor but this is not absolutely necessary. Just be sure the sausage is done.)

2. Dredge chicken pieces in flour and  shake off the excess. Later, when you add the chicken to the stew, this flour will thicken the stew.

3. Saute chicken in a (preferably non-stick) skillet over medium heat in a combination of a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, turning it occasionally until chicken is brown on all sides. The chicken will stick to the pan but that's not a problem; just scrape it up. But don't burn the chicken. And it doesn't have to be completely cooked because you're going to cook it more later. Remove chicken and set aside.

3. Saute chopped onion and red and yellow (or orange) chopped peppers (and the celery and carrots if using) in the same pan, over medium high heat, adding oil as necessary and stirring occasionally until the onions are transparent and the peppers are soft. Remove and set aside.

4. At this point, the pan will probably have bits of chicken and onions and peppers stuck to the bottom. If so, turn the heat to high, add a little white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the bits. (These hold a lot of flavor.) Add this liquid to the reserved onions and peppers.

5. Add a little butter to the same pan and saute the mushrooms over medium heat until they give up their liquid, 3 to 4 minutes. They should be a little brown .

6. When the  sausage is cool enogh to handle, cut it into coin sized pieces and put them into a stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, peppers, mushrooms (and carrots and celery) and all their reserved juices. But not the chicken.

7. Add enough chicken stock to the pot to almost cover the mixture (it should take about 2-3 cups). Add white wine in half the quantity of the chicken broth. The mixture should be completely covered.

8. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately lower the heat to simmer and cook, covered for about 15 minutes.

9. Add the reserved chicken, with any juice that has accumulated and simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes more.

10. Depending on the soupiness of the mixture, serve plain in bowls, or over cooked basmati rice (see recipe for rice elsewhere in this blog).

Note: while you want the chicken to absorb the flavors in the mixture, you don't want to cook it so long that it gets tough. That's why I leave it out until the end.

Note: if you have more than enough for your dinner, cover and refrigerate the leftovers. The stew is great the next day (or even the day after that). If a layer of fat has accumulated on the surface of the stew, remove it with a spoon before reheating. Reheating can be easily accomplished in individual portions microwaved for about 3 minutes on half strength, or in a 200 degree oven for about 30 minutes.

Note: If you want the stew liquid to be a little thicker, add some of the liquid to a teaspoon of flour in a small  bowl. Stir the combination until it is smooth, then stir it back into the stew.