01.01.11

It's a new year and everything in Chapel Hill is looking good.  Am very excited about the debut of Oprah's new OWN network. Can you even imagine what energy it takes to create a new cable network (?), not to mention three years in development and 110 million dollars $$$ - if anyone can do it, Oprah can.

What a boon of good foods lately. The place for mussels in Chapel Hill is Kitchen at a local corner; their Belgian-style Mussels cooked in beer was my Thursday evening dinner. A party of four at the next table were curious asking "what are those?"  They obviously did not know what mussels are since I heard one guy ask "is that where mussel-sprouts come from?"
Yesterday was my cooking day. For our Eve celebration DH wanted crab cakes, a recipe I try to make once during the holiday season but had not been able to squeeze in sooner. After first making the crab mix to refrigerating for several hours, then on to a roasted root vegetable mix for a side dish.

The real work was putting together a Breakfast Casserole for New Year's day (today), making one day truly a holiday without cooking! The ingredient list is approximate, look in the fridge and see what bits and scraps are left; put them in!  I was so tired after standing on my feet most of the morning - my feet hurt and I went to bed early, dozy from the champagne and missing all the big count-downs to midnight.

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THE MENU
Frosty Champagne

Crab Cakes made according to James Beard*
Steamed Broccoli Crowns
Roasted Autumn Vegetables
Salad of three lettuces, scallions, shredded carrots, feta cheese crumbles, garnished with two orange slices and sprinkled with crunchy onion shavings and Basic Vinaigrette Dressing. Forgot the Niçoise olives (?).
No dessert; too tired from making the Sausage Breakfast Casserole. See below.

*James Beard, James Beard’s Fish Cookery, 1954, “Crab Cakes” p. 303.

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ROASTED AUTUMN VEGETABLES



For this you will need a cast-iron skillet. My best effort in months, for the New Year’s Eve menu a medley of root-vegetables with a generous dose of fresh rosemary gave weight to the meal without being too heavy and starchy. This is an imitation of a side dish served at Kitchen, the place for steamed mussels in beer.
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2-3 medium-size Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and semi-peeled
2 carrots, peeled
1 large parsnip (yellow carrot), peeled
One-quarter of a Butternut squash, seeded, peeled
5-6 sprigs of fresh rosemary (grows in our yard)
E.V.O.O. , the best you’ve got

To prep:
Rinse, peel and dice into uniform pieces for even cooking. Cube into half- to three-quarter-inch chunks, toss out the tiny slivers.
To make ahead of time:
Place all diced vegetables in a plastic container and toss lightly with two-tablespoons of Basic Salad Dressing. Shake container to coat thoroughly and chill in the fridge; can chill for several hours or overnight. The coat of salad dressing will prevent the vegetables from turning brown.

To Cook:
Heat the oven to 350° F.
Finely dice the rosemary leaves stripped from the stem. You will need about 3 Tablespoons. Forget the food processor, tried that and it did not work; get the sharp knife.

In a heavy, oven-proof skillet heat the olive oil and toss in the rosemary. The smell will tell you when the oil is ready. Toss in the mixed, diced vegetables and stir fry for about 5-6 minutes or until the bottom begins to brown.  Put hot skillet in the oven and roast for about 30-35 minutes, stirring the mix at least once during that time. Vegetables should be hot, roasted with light brown edges but not scorched. Serve immediately.

Based on using 2 potatoes, 2 carrots, 1 parsnip and 1 C. cubed squash, 2 Tablespoons EVOO; divide the calorie count by 4 to get approximately 150 calories per portion.


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SAUSAGE BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Modified from a Whole Foods recipe, see: www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=2397
INGREDIENTS:
4 corn-muffins, or one-pan cornbread, stale or toasted and crumbled
1/2 pound pork breakfast sausage, cooked (less than a cup, cooked) (Jimmy Dean’s)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
3 tablespoons of diced parsley
1 cup chopped broccoli stems
1/2 cup corn kernels, canned or frozen

3 whole eggs + 2 whites
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

METHOD:
Par-cook the raw sausage in the skillet just until about half the red is gone and remove to a side plate. In the skillet brown onions, sausage, red pepper, celery and parsley until vegetables begin to wilt. Add the sausage, remove from heat and mix all together.

Grease a square, 10-inch baking dish with butter or margarine. Layer, in order cornbread, sausage, onion-vegetable mix, add the broccoli and corn on top.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, black pepper and Adobo seasoning then pour over contents in baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese, cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover dish and bake until cooked through and golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes then serve.
Serves 6-8 but the amounts can be increased to serve more if needed.

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Brunch TimeThe casserole is halfway through cooking, time to set the table and get ready for our quiet, private, just-the-two-of-us New Year's Brunch.  Cheers!