Home ›

AN HOMAGE TO 2 HOLIDAYS

Submitted by admin on Mon, 05/12/2008 - 17:59
in

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS EGG NOG
6 eggs, slightly beaten

2/3 cup granulated sugar 

Pinch of salt 

5 cups whole milk 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1cup rum

2 cups heavy whipping cream 

Ground nutmeg, for garnish

 

Combine the eggs, sugar, salt and milk in a 4 quart saucepan.  Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring constantly, just until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and rum.

 

In an electric mixer, beat the cream until stiff peaks form.  Gently stir 2 cups of the whipped cream into the eggnog mixture.  Pour the eggnog into a heatproof punch bowl and drop the remaining whipped cream in mounds onto the eggnog.  Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve.

 

Serves 12

 

CHEF’S TIP

To serve a delicious pot of EGGNOG CAPPUCCINO add 2 cups of hot brewed coffee to the hot eggnog.  Serve in mugs.

 

 

 

 

 

HANUKKAH BRISKET

This wonderful recipe was my Grandma's.  I recommend that you use a first cut brisket, as it's a leaner piece of meat, and be sure to make the brisket a day ahead for the best flavor. Enjoy!

 

1 brisket of beef (about 5 lbs.), fat trimmed

Salt & Pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

3 large onions, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic

2 cups dry red wine

2 cups beef broth

4 medium carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces

2 stalks celery, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, with juice, pureed

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

 

Preheat the oven to 325°F.  Trim any remaining excess fat from brisket.  Season both sides of brisket well with salt and pepper.

 

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat.  Add brisket, and brown very well, 4 to 5 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.

 

Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil along with the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until quite brown and very soft, about 25 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more.  Add the red wine and beef broth, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil.  Cook about 2 minutes, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot.  Add carrots, celery, tomatoes and Worcestershire and stir well to combine.

 

Return the brisket to the pot, spooning some liquid and vegetables over it.  Cover, and transfer to the oven.  Cook until very tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

 

Let cool slightly and remove brisket.  Transfer sauce and vegetables from the pot to a food processor and process until very smooth.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.  If preparing the day before, return whole brisket to the pot, pour sauce over and refrigerate.  If serving right away, return the sauce to the pot, slice meat across the grain into 1/4 inch thick slices and place in the sauce.  Warm over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

 

If refrigerated overnight, remove brisket from the refrigerator and slice across the grain.  Add sliced meat to the sauce and reheat over

medium heat until warmed through, about 30 minutes.

 

Serves 8 to 10