Candied Orange and Lemon Peel

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Oranges and lemons and spice - how nice! Perhaps, but I wonder how many European Christmas treasures have been ruined using the glazed peels and citron that we buy for baking during the holidays. I, only recently, discovered that citron is a fruit, related to the orange and lemon, but with an identity all its own. I had always assumed that citron was candied lemon peel. Citron is valued for medicinal purposes and in the ancient world was mixed with wine as an anecdote to poison - if only Socrates and Seneca had known! While this may be a culturally acquired taste, my palate can't deal with citron, so I decided to follow the example of frugal peasant housewives around the world, and, working from an old recipe, make my own candied peel. What a treat! Fresh candied peel is a confection that will enormously improve stollen, panettone, cassata and Scandinavian Christmas breads, replacing bitterness with the true essence of the fruit. I was also delighted to find that Davis Lebovotiz had come up with a recipe to make crystallized ginger in home kitchens. Now between work, cooking, cleaning, decorating, shopping, wrapping and keeping the children entertained, you'll have something to fill your idle hours. My work here is done!

Candied Orange and Lemon Peel...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
8 large, thick skinned naval oranges or 14 large, thick skinned lemons
4 cups granulated sugar, divided use
1 cup water

Directions:
1) Cutting lengthwise, quarter the peel of oranges or lemons with a paring knife. Remove peel from each quarter, saving the fruit for another use. Place peel in a 4 to 6-quart pot; cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain. When cool use a tablespoon to dig out most of the white pith. Cut the remaining peel into 1/4-inch strips and set aside.
2) Combine 2 cups of sugar with 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add peel, cover, and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Remove peel; drain on a wire cooling rack and allow to dry for 1 hour.
3) Place peel and remaining 2 cups sugar in a large bowl. Toss until peel is evenly coated. Shake excess sugar from peel and place on a baking sheet; allow to dry overnight. Store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks. Yield: 2 quarts orange or 1-1/2 quarts lemon peel.

Sicilian Pork Chops

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If I were to tell you that I'm a practicing Catholic, Quaker, Buddhist, some believers I know would roll their eyes, shake their heads and conclude, sotto voce, "perhaps, but she's not very good at any of them." Then Mrs. S, emerging from the clouds of Christmas past, would let you know - in tones not not so sotto voce - "I did the best I could with her ." And that, too, would be true. She walked me to Catechism classes until she was sure I could make the trek alone and twice a week would sit me at her kitchen table to make sure I'd done my homework. Her four boys - young men, still living at home - always called her Ma'am, so I thought it only proper I do the same. She seemed not to mind. Before the advent of today's exhaust fans, you could pretty much tell the ethnic background of a family by the aromas coming from their kitchen. Ma'am's kitchen was decidedly Italian and when you walked through the door you were enveloped by the smell of onion, garlic and oregano. She did nothing by halves; sauce was made in ten gallon containers and potatoes were cooked five pounds at a time. As I recited my catechism, I watched her work and absorbed information and techniques that, years later, would prove to be invaluable. It was a form of osmosis. She had no clear intent to teach and I had no intent to learn, but it happened anyway. Her home, at Christmas, was a revolving door of family, friends and neighbors. As I got older she shared her secrets for candied peel, panettone, cassata and pork dishes so good they'd make you weep. Ma'am kept track of me through the years. Just before Bob and I were married I had lunch with her and as we chatted she wanted me to know, "It's a shame you're not Italian, you'd be good for Salvatore." I had to laugh. Ma'am was a true believer in equality, a champion of civil rights, but she was never able to get her arms, or for that matter her head, around the idea her boys might marry someone not Italian. Today's pork chops, part of my permanent roster for more years than I care to admit, are based on Ma'am's Sicilian recipe. These are simple to do, but planning is required. The chops need to be brined before cooking. I do hope you'll try these. They are very, very nice, even in the hands of a non-Italian cook.

Sicilian Pork Chops...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Brine
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
2 bay leaves crumbled
Pork
4 boneless pork chops, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2-inches thick
1/4 cup flour for dredging
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoon heavy cream or half-and-half
Garnish: chopped parsley or strips of lemon zest

Directions:
1) To make brine: Combine salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add 1 cup hot water and stir until sugar dissolves. Add 3 cups cold water, thyme, pepper, sage and bay leaves. Whisk to combine. Pour into a resealable zip top bag; add pork chops and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.
2) To make pork chops: Remove chops from bag and pat dry. Dredge them lightly in flour, shaking off any excess. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet. Add pork chops and cook over high heat, turning once until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a plate. Sprinkle very lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3) To cook onions: Add reserved 1 tablespoon butter and onions to pan. Cook until onion is just tender and lightly brown. Add vermouth, bouillon granules and 1/2 cup water. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 4 minutes. Stir in capers.
4) To complete pork: Return pork chops to skillet, placing them on top of onions. Reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer slowly for about 10 minutes. Turn chops and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, or until pork is firm to touch and a meat thermometer inserted in middle of chops registers 145 to 150 degrees. Transfer to a serving plate; tent with foil. Set aside.
5) To make sauce: Turn heat up to high. Add 1/4 cup water to skillet; bring to a boil. Add cream and boil to reduce liquid by about a half, or until liquid is of sauce consistency. Adjust seasoning if required. Spoon sauce over chops. Sprinkle with parsley or lemon zest strips. Yield: 4 servings.

Cook's Note: Chopped Sicilian olives may be used instead of capers.

Thai Crab Cakes - Boo Jah

An auspicious confluence of events led to the making these crab cakes. The most important was the opening of Oregon's commercial crabbing season. That tied in nicely with a Regional Recipes event whose focus this month is Thailand. The event is being hosted by Darlene, at Blazing Hot Wok. This recipe is simple to do and can be ready for the pan in 10 minutes. In Thailand, the crab is combined with pork and then packed into shells which are steamed prior to frying. My preparation is much simpler --- the same crab mixture is formed into patties and quickly sauted. I use frozen, thawed pork in my version of the recipe. I've found it to be more crumbly than its fresh counterpart; that makes for easier mixing and allows the crab to remain in chunks while assuring the pork is evenly distributed for cooking. The crab cakes are mildly flavored so be sure to offer a spicy sauce for serving. I've included one here, but Thai chili sauce or mayonnaise mixed with sriracha sauce will also do nicely. Sa Nook!

Thai Crab Cakes - Boo Jah

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1 tablespoon chopped cilanto stems
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3/4 pound fresh lump crabmeat
1/2 pound frozen ground pork, thawed
1/2 cup panko
1 handful cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Flour for dredging
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
1) Combine garlic, cilantro stems and leaves, water, fish sauce, soy sauce, salt and pepper in the bowl of a small food processor or blender jar. Process until nearly smooth.
2) Combine crabmeat, pork, panko, cilantro, egg and garlic-cilantro mixture in a medium bowl and mix gently. Shape into 8 cakes, each about 3-inches in diameter.
3) Put flour on a plate; dredge both sides of crabcakes in flour. Set aside.
4) Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Working in two batches, add 4 cakes to oil and saute, turning once, until cakes are golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish as desired and serve with a sauce. Yield: 8 crab cakes.

Spicy Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce (i.e. Sri Racha) or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:
1) Place sugar, vinegar, water, garlic and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until a thin syrup forms. Remove from heat. Add chili-garlic sauce or pepper flakes and set aside to cool.
2) To store, place in a glass jar and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature prior to serving. Yield: 1 cup.

This recipe is adapted from one created by Nancie McDermott.

Cinnamon Meringue Coffee Ring

While looking for holiday recipes, I stumbled on this neglected favorite in a battered shoebox that holds my really old recipes. Each year I swear I'm going to transcribe and index them, but that just never seems to happen. As a result, a task that should take minutes can turn into hours of reverie as special recipes are found and the people associated with them emerge from memory. Lilah, George and Claire were a constant presence in my childhood. Lilah, whom I've written about before, was the mother of my best friend Claire. George, her husband, a professor at the University of Chicago, introduced Claire and me to the treasures of the Oriental Institute and the Field Museum, and, because neither of us were much into dolls, we became weekend explorers of the more exotic museum circuit. Back then museums charged no admission and a round trip ticket on the Illinois Central cost a quarter. If you were clever, you could ride from the south side of the city to the Loop and back again while stopping off to visit all the museums along the way. On a very good day, you might even catch a demonstration on the Midway at the University of Chicago. Claire and I really traveled. It was a different time and place and we were city kids, so no one worried about our museum treks from Mesopotamia to the coal mines of Appalachia. The holidays brought special exhibits to the Museum of Science and Industry and we learned that if you planned precisely you'd be able to see all the Christmas programs the museum offered. The blonde Claire, Cinderella to my Snow White, loved the re-creation of Christmas in Scandinavia and would embarrass me to death by singing "Santa Lucia" with abandon - at the top of her lungs, I might add - on the ride home from the museum. Claire loved this coffee cake and Lilah always made it for her on St. Lucia Day. It is very understated, but the unique meringue filling - a poor man's almond paste - makes it sweeter than a Viennese pastry. I hope you'll give it a try. It's not hard to do and if, as you make it, you hear the clear bell-like strands of "Santa Lucia" or see a blonde, haloed specter floating through the air, not to worry. It's probably Claire practicing for the Lucia Day procession. God Jul, Claire. No Lucia will ever hold a candle to you. Skol!

Cinnamon Meringue Coffee Ring

Ingredients:
1 scant tablespoon active dry yeast
3-1/4 to 3-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons milk, divided use
6 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons butter, divided use
1/3 + 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided use
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, divided use
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup + 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds, divided use
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1) Combine yeast and 1-1/2 cups flour in bowl of an electric stand mixer. Set aside.
2) Combine 2/3 cup milk, 6 tablespoons butter, 1/3 cup sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat until butter is melted. Add to flour mixture with 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk. Beat on low speed until combined. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes longer. By hand, stir in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth, about 5 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once. Cover and let rise until double. Punch down, turn onto a floured surface and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll dough into an 18 x 10-inch rectangle.
3) Beat reserved egg white until stiff. Fold in reserved 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Spread mixture over dough. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds. Starting from long side, roll dough tightly in jelly roll fashion. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet; bring ends together and seal. Let rise until doubled in size.
4) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 25 minutes, covering with foil if bread browns too quickly. Set aside to cool slightly.
5) Meanwhile, heat reserved 2 tablespoons butter over low heat until browned. Cool. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, reserved 2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix well. Drizzle cake with icing. Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup almonds. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Dessert Tagliatelle with Caramelized Oranges and Almonds

I stumbled on this recipe several weeks ago. I was so intrigued that I kept returning to The Splendid Table to take another look at Lynne Rossetto Kasper's recipe for sweet pasta. I reasoned that if noodle kugel could be served for dessert, this might also work. I decided to try it and send it on to Ruth Daniels at Once Upon A Feast who is hosting this week's Presto Pasta Night. This version of tagliatelle was served as an accompaniment to poultry and meat in the 16th century and Lynne suggests it would make a good, and surprising, dessert. She's right. Once the brain adjusts to the novelty, the palate takes over and the play of flavors is, indeed, quite pleasant. It's a bit of a fuss to put together, but it's so unique I urge you to try it at least once. I'll be making this again.

Tagliatelle with Caramelized Oranges and Almonds

Ingredients:
Shredded zest of 3 large Valencia or navel oranges
8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
2/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 quarts salted water
1 pound imported dried tagliatelle
3 to 4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup (5 ounces) freshly grated Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 cup whole blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions:
1) To make sauce: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Use a wooden spoon to stir in 1/4 cup of orange juice and 2/3 cup of sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring in spoonfuls of orange juice to keep sauce from crystallizing (reserve about 1/3 cup orange juice for finishing sauce). Once sugar is dissolved, heat can be turned up to medium-high or high. Stir occasionally. When mixture turns a deep golden amber, stir in pepper and two-thirds of orange zest. Cook only a second or two to protect rind from burning. Then step back from skillet and pour in reserved 1/3 cup of orange juice at arm's length. It will bubble up and possibly spatter, before thinning sauce to ideal consistency. Turn off the heat. If making ahead, remove pan from heat, cool and cover.
2) To cook pasta: Warm dessert dishes in a 250 degree oven. Bring pasta water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until just tender. Drain in a colander. Bring sauce to a boil in a large skillet. Add pasta and toss to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle with remaining sugar, cinnamon, cheese, almonds, and reserved orange rind. Mound small portions on warm plates and serve hot. Yield: 10 to 12 dessert servings.

Vegetable and Black Bean Chili

I'm probably the last cook in the country to realize that vegetable platters make it back to the kitchen pretty much as they left it. I continue the offering on Thanksgiving day hoping that someone, other than myself, is into light and healthy and won't be able to resist the colorful artistry of my platter. That hasn't happened yet. I deal with the remains of the tray on Black Friday and use them to make a vegetable and black bean chili that will make your socks go up and down. It's really easy to do and freezes well, though the glorious color of the vegetables is lost in the freezer translation.

Vegetable and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup olive oil
1-1/2 cups diced yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 red bell peppers, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
1 cup corn, fresh, frozen or canned
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/4 to 1/3 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons sweet smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 (28-ounce) can Italian-style tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 pounds fresh, ripe plum tomatoes, cored and diced
1 bay leaf
Hot sauce to taste (i.e Tabasco)
Garnish:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 red onion, diced
1 bunch scallions, sliced thin

Directions:
1) Drain beans (red and black); rinse well.
2) Warm oil in a large soup pot over medium heat; add onions and cook over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, or until onion is tender and translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer.
3) Add chopped vegetables one at a time, letting each cook for about 5 minutes before adding the next, in this order: carrots, celery, bell and jalapeno peppers (together), zucchini and yellow squash (together), and, last, corn.
4) Add cumin, chili powder, paprika, sugar, and coriander and cook for another 5-10 minutes so vegetables can absorb flavor of spices.
5) Add beans, tomatoes, bay leaf and hot sauce (if using) to vegetables. Bring the chili to a boil over high heat. Lower heat and simmer for an hour or more, until chili thickens. Serve warm, with sour cream, grated cheddar cheese, and chopped red onion or scallions. Yield: 8 servings.

Cook's Note: If you prefer to make your own beans, cover 1 pound dried black beans with water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse. Place the beans and 8 cups water in a 4 to 6-quart pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for an hour or more, until beans are soft but not falling apart or splitting. Drain beans in a colander.

Pearl Balls - Louie's Chinese Porcupines

Now that every day is Sunday it's hard to remember the more trying aspects of the work I did before retirement. I was employed by an international conglomerate and was responsible for an area that was always "on". I really enjoyed problem solving but emergencies meant long hours and sometimes nights spent in the operations center. We were more fortunate than most in that an in-house kitchen was staffed to feed us regardless of the hour. Around 3:00 AM congee (an acquired taste for those not born to it), noodles, and some type of rice were brought to an area just outside the computer room by Louie - an honorary member of our staff who selected and delivered our breakfast. Louie worked in the kitchen as a clean-up man - not an official designation but one that made him happy enough and aptly described his job. He was hired shortly after WWII following his release from a military prison. Louie, functioning though retarded, was drafted and had a hard time in basic training because he looked so very normal. Unhappy, bullied and not understanding the concept of AWOL, Louie walked off the base, dropped his dog tags in an envelope and mailed them to President Roosevelt with a note that corporate legend insisted said "I quit." It took the JAG corp a while to straighten out the mess, but Louie was finally released and met the man, my VP and mentor, who became his benefactor. Fast forward to the coffee room where Louie would join us for tea and an early breakfast. Louie loved dim sum in any form and pearl balls - he called them porcupines - were a special favorite. He would count them out so everyone would have a fair share and then he'd sit with us and tell us about his day. This floored folks from other facilities and an enduring and favorite memory is that of my "second", John - a purported atheist, but the most godly man I've ever known - using scripture (Matthew 25:40) to still any who failed to respect or mock the simple soul who had become part of our family. Louie died several years before I retired. An employee collection effort and corporate matching funds saw that he was properly buried with a service, a headstone and friends who came to celebrate his life and say a last goodbye. I'll always associate pearl balls with Louie and John - his champion. These are really good. Children love them. I think you'll enjoy them, too.

Pearl Balls - Louie's Chinese Porcupines

Ingredients:
1 pound ground pork or turkey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
8 water chestnuts, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 cup glutinous rice
Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
Salt to taste

Directions:
1) Combine pork, soy sauce, rice wine, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until a paste forms. Add egg, water chestnuts, scallions, ginger, garlic, cornstarch and water; process just until blended. Set aside.
2) Place rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water. Fill a tea kettle with water (about 2-quarts) and bring to a boil. Pour boiling water over rice; rinse again with cold water and drain well. Spread rice on a plate or cookie sheet.
3) Form pork mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll meatballs in rice. Arrange meatballs on a steamer rack. Bring water in base of steamer or wok to a boil. Set steamer rack over water, cover, and steam for 20 minutes over rapidly boiling water. Reduce heat to low and steam until rice is tender, about 15 minutes longer.
4) Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, sugar, sesame oil and salt (if using) in a small bowl; whisk to dissolve sugar and form a thin sauce.
5) Remove rack from steamer. Serve meatballs from steamer rack or transfer to a serving platter. Serve piping hot with dipping sauce. Yield: 20 pearl balls.

Apple Kuchen

This is a lovely pastry to make for breakfast or snack. It's Viennese; not too sweet, but sweet enough to please most palates and, best of all, it makes people think you've fussed for them. Bob and I have this several times during the holiday season. We elbow crowds on Thanksgiving weekend, not to shop, but to watch the little ones visit Santa. Spirits so uplifted need nourishment and this pastry is our restorative. Bob helps with the apples, so this isn't as big a deal as it may look. We also serve this on New Year's Day along with Irish coffee and clotted cream while watching the Vienna Philharmonic's New Year's Day Concert. It's a lovely tradition; Viennese pastry to sustain the body and Strauss to free the soul and let the spirit soar. I do hope you'll try this.

Apple Kuchen

Ingredients:
Cake:
1/3 cup raisins, light or dark
1-1/4 cups pastry or all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter (4 tablespoons)
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup toasted coarsely chopped walnuts
Topping:
4 large apples (i.e. Golden Delicious)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Glaze:
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Directions:
Cake:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
2) Place raisins in a microwave container with 1 tablespoon water. Cover; cook on HIGH power for 1 minute or until raisins are plumped. Set aside.
3) Place flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4) Combine egg, milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture, stirring only until dry ingredients are moistened.
5) Pat batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle top with raisins and nuts. Set aside.
Topping:
1) Peel, quarter and core apples. Cut each wedge into 6 thin pieces. Place apples, overlapping, in three rows on top of cake. Brush apple slices with melted butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; sprinkle on top of apples.
2) Cover pan loosely with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for 5 minutes longer.
Glaze:
1) Strain apricot preserves to remove chunks of fruit. Place in a small pan with sugar. Bring to a boil and stir for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
2) Brush glaze over surface of apples. Serve pastry while still warm: Yield: 8 to 10 pieces.

Cook's Note: This is best served warm and fresh. It does not age well.