Come this Friday, there will be 150 days until Christmas! Shocking, I know, but you can get a head start on shopping for all the cooks in your family by taking advantage of the “Christmas in July” preview of my holiday cookbook Festive Flavors of Ireland. (See Part 1 here). However, if you’re barely surviving the current heat wave and think it’s too early to start thinking about Christmas (shopping or eating), here are a few recipes from the cookbook that are as delicious throughout the summer as they are during the holidays. Visit www.irishcook.com to order signed copies (see the ad in today’s paper) and get free shipping during July (charges will be refunded when the book is delivered).
MIXED GREENS WITH CASHEL BLUE, ROASTED BEETS, & CANDIED PECANS
SERVES 6 to 8
The recipe for this salad comes from Kerrygold, the company that imports Irish butter and cheese, including Cashel Blue, Ireland’s first farmhouse blue cheese. At Christmas, the colorful red and golden beets, and the blue cheese give this salad a holiday touch; however, with beets in season now, it’s also a great salad for the summer months. While there’s a little effort involved in roasting the beets and making the pecans (both can be done well in advance of assembling), the results are well worth it. This recipe is included in Chapter Two, “Best Beginnings: Starters, Soups & Salads.”
For the candied pecans
3 tablespoons light corn or golden syrup, such as Karo or Lyle’s
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
For the balsamic vinaigrette
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt
Ground black pepper
For the salad
3 small golden beets
3 small red beets
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 ounces mixed baby greens
1/2 cup candied pecans
1/2 cup crumbled Cashel Blue cheese
1. Make the pecans. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Coat a baking sheet with no-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together corn syrup, sugar, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Add pecans; stir well to coat nuts. Spread out on prepared pan.
3. Bake for 5 minutes; stir with a fork to distribute coating. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes more, or until pecans are lightly browned and coating is bubbling. Spread nuts out on another baking sheet or piece of parchment paper; quickly separate nuts before letting cool completely. (Can be stored in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks).
4. Make the vinaigrette. In a small jar, combine olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper; shake to blend.
5. Make the salad. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the green tops and root ends off the beets. Toss the golden beets with 1 tablespoon olive oil; wrap in a foil packet. Repeat process with the red beets.
6. Place the beet packets on baking sheet; roast for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the beets are easily pierced with the tip of a knife. (Roasting time can vary depending on the size of beets; larger ones can take up to 90 minutes to roast). Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove beets from the packets. (To prevent hands from staining, wear gloves or rubs skins off under cold running water). Cut beets into quarters.
7. In a large bowl, toss the mixed greens with half the vinaigrette; toss in the beets.
8. To serve, arrange the greens and beets on salad plates; sprinkle with the pecans and cheese. Pass the remaining vinaigrette.
HAM, SWISS & MUSHROOM STRATA
SERVES 8 TO 10
I include this recipe in Chapter Five, “Yuletide: Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas.” It includes suggestions for post-Christmas celebrations such as St. Stephen’s Day, Boxing Day and Nollaig na mBan (Women’s Christmas). This strata, and the quiche that follows, are a great way to use up holiday leftovers like cheese and ham, but you can serve them just as easily for a summer brunch. For best results, refrigerate the strata (the name means “layers”) for at least two hours or overnight.
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, finely chopped
4 Portobello mushroom caps
1 ounce unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 loaf brioche, challah or French bread, cut into 1-inch pieces
10 ounces Emmental, Gruyere or Jarlsburg cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 large eggs
3 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the shallots; cook for 5
minutes, or until softened but not browned. Transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Cut the mushroom caps in half; slice into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Return the skillet to medium heat; melt the butter. Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until softened and browned. Transfer the mushrooms to the bowl with the shallots; stir in the parsley.
3. Coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with no-stick cooking spray. Place half of the bread cubes in the dish; top with two thirds of the mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with two thirds of the cheese. Cover with the remaining bread, mushroom mixture, and cheese.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, salt, and pepper. Pour evenly over the bread, making sure to moisten all the cubes. Wrap securely with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
5. Preheat the oven to 375F. Bake the strata, uncovered, for 90 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. (Check strata after 60 minutes; if the top is getting too browned, cover the dish loosely with foil.) Let cool a wire rack for 5 minutes before cutting into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.
HAM & CHEESE QUICHE
SERVES 6 to 8
Use a refrigerated pie crust for the bottom of the quiche or bake it without a crust for the same delicious flavor.
1 refrigerated pie crust (optional)
2 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
8 ounces chopped ham
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
6 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
Ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Slowly unroll crust (if using); place in an ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against the sides and bottom. Fold edges under; press together to form a thick crust edge; flute edges (do not prick bottom or sides of crust). Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned; let cool on a wire rack.
2. Brush 1 tablespoon mustard over bottom of crust to seal; sprinkle ham, cheese and chives over crust..
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, remaining 1 tablespoon mustard, and pepper; pour over crust. Place the quiche on a baking sheet.
5. Bake the quiche for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the filling is set (if the edge of the crust browns too quickly, cover with foil or a pie crust shield after 15 minutes to prevent excessive browning). Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting into slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Margaret Johnson’s “Recipes” page expands this year to “Ireland Hopping: Adventures in Food, Drink, and Travel.” For further details on her work or to order a signed cookbook, visit www.irishcook.com. See Part 1 of this feature, here.
