Prime Cuts

Raise your hand if you know what a King Cake is. Anyone? The truth is, outside of New Orleans (at least in the US) most people have never heard of a King Cake. Too bad for them!

I have many, many friends in New Orleans and travel there as often as possible. Over the years, I’ve come to think of it as, sort of, a home away from home. So, naturally, I really get into all of the traditions of Carnival and the fun goings-on of the season. Until about ten years ago, I’d never heard of King Cake, let alone eaten any. Now that I’ve had it, I look forward to January 6th each year, because that’s when I make my own!

But what is it?

Served during the Carnival Season, starting on January 6th (not before) and until Mardi Gras Day (and not one moment after), the King Cake is a huge part of Carnival (what most people think of as “Mardi Gras”, which is actually just one day: Fat Tuesday).

Made of a rich, sweet yeast dough and filled with cream cheese, the cake is shaped into a ring, iced and dusted with in sugars the colors of Carnival: purple (justice), green (faith) and gold (power). Baked into each cake, traditionally, is a bean or a small, plastic baby.

In pre-Christian times, whomever selected the slice of cake that contained the bean would be chosen as a symbolic “king” of his tribe for one year. The unfortunate end to this “honor”, however, was that the “king” was sacrificed to the gods at the end of that year (sucked to be that guy). Now, the “honoree” isn’t on the hook for quite so much. Find the bean (or the baby) and all you have to do is host the next King Cake party (not nearly as perilous).

King Cake parties are held throughout New Orleans each and every day throughout Carnival Season, which always begins on January 6th (also known at Epiphany, Twelfth Night or Three King’s Day) and continues through Mardi Gras, which in 2010, falls on February 16th.

The recipe that I use is one that was created by super-chef and New Orleans resident, Emeril Lagasse. I’ve been making it each year for about 8 years and have only ever received rave reviews on it. It’s easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. I’m sure you’ll love it, too.

One thing that’s important to note (well, two, actually): there are two hard and fast rules in New Orleans. Beads can only be worn during Carnival Season and you never, never serve King Cake prior to January 6th or after Mardi Gras Day. It’s the law.

Emeril’s King Cake

Ingredients

•    2 envelopes active dry yeast
•    1/2 cup granulated sugar
•    1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
•    1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
•    5 large egg yolks, at room temperature
•    4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
•    2 teaspoons salt
•    1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
•    1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
•    1 teaspoon vegetable oil
•    1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
•    4 cups confectioner’s sugar
•    1 plastic king cake baby or a pecan half
•    5 tablespoons milk, at room temperature
•    3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
•    Purple, green, and gold-tinted sugar sprinkles

Preparation

Combine the yeast and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the melted butter and warm milk. Beat at low speed for 1 minute. With the mixer running, add the egg yolks, then beat for 1 minute at medium-low speed. Add the flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest and beat until everything is incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forms a ball, and starts to climb up the dough hook. (If the dough is uncooperative in coming together, add a bit of warm water (110 degrees), a tablespoon at a time, until it does.

Remove the dough from the bowl. Using your hands, form the dough into a smooth ball. Lightly oil a bowl with the vegetable oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it to oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the filling. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1 cup of the confectioner’s sugar. Blend by hand or with an electric mixer on low speed. Set aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your fingers, pat it out into a rectangle about 30 inches long and 6 inches wide.

Spread the filling lengthwise over the bottom half of the dough, then flip the top half of the dough over the filling. Seal the edges, pinching the dough together. Shape the dough into a cylinder and place it on the prepared baking sheet seam side down. Shape the dough into a ring and pinch the ends together so there isn’t a seam. Insert the king cake baby or pecan half into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough.

Cover the ring with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm, draft-free place. Let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Brush the top of the risen cake with 2 tablespoons of the milk. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the icing. Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons milk, the lemon juice, and the remaining 3 cups confectioner’s sugar in medium-size mixing bowl. Stir to blend well. With a rubber spatula, spread the icing evenly over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the sugar crystals, alternating colors around the cake.

The cake is traditionally cut into 2-inch-thick slices with all the guests in attendance.

YIELD: 20 to 22 servings

Laissez les bon temps roulez!

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Photo Credit: yarnivore

“Do you know any great appetizer recipes?” I get asked this question all the time, especially around The Holidays. People have guests popping in left and right, and the thought of serving up one more veggie tray, one more jalapeno popper, or one more nut-covered cheese ball is enough to make anyone’s head explode.

Psst! I’ll let you in on a little secret. Lean in a little closer (it’s OK … I won’t bite). You don’t have to dish out that cookie cutter, boring, tired out old stuff. There are worlds of goodness out there to be explored without having to resort to … that.

The Holiday Season is the perfect time to indulge a little. The frostiness in the air lends itself to all things warm, bubbly and gooey. So, why not surprise your guests with something a few steps away from the everyday? Serve them something that’ll have them licking their fingers and begging for more. Give them something that’ll make them salivate with anticipation for your next “do”!

First up: Manchego-Quince Skewers

This is so simple, I find it hard to even call it a “recipe”. That said, this is fast, easy, has remarkable flavors and people will gobble these up so fast that your head will spin. Here’s what you need:

Ingredients

1 pound Manchego cheese
1 pound Quince Paste (you can get this at most upscale/specialty markets**)
1 bunch of Watercress
Toothpicks.

**If you can’t find Quince Paste, a piece of dried apricot will do in a pinch.

Preparation

Cut the Manchego cheese and the Quince Paste into 1” cubes. Skewer one cube of each on a toothpick with one watercress leaf. Serve. That’s IT. The creaminess of the Manchego works beautifully with the tangy sweetness of the Quince Paste and the subtle peppery quality of the watercress. Easy-peasy.

Second: Baked Brie with Caramelized Apples

This one takes a little more time, but you’ll reap loads of accolades and smiles, so it’s worth every second.

Ingredients

1 small wheel of Brie
1 tube refrigerated crescent roll dough (the “leading” brand now makes this in big sheets, so you don’t have to contend with seams and the like)
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup brown sugar (either light or dark is fine)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I like almonds or pecans, but walnuts would work, too)
A handful of dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
English Water crackers, for serving

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Unroll crescent roll dough onto a cookie sheet. Place the brie right in the center. In a skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and cook til it dissolves and gets all melty and caramelly. Add the diced apples, nuts, cranberries and cinnamon. Cook until the apples are just soft and the cranberries just begin to plump up. Spoon this mixture on top of the brie, then wrap the whole package in the crescent roll dough, making sure to seal the seams well.

Bake for about 13-15 minutes, or until it’s golden brown. Remove from oven, transfer to a platter with the English Water crackers and serve. It’s melty, it’s savory, it’s sweet, it’s GOOD.

Don’t settle for the ordinary when you can have something EXTRA-ordinary.

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Photo by: sean dreilinger

Ahhhh, The Holidays. I love ‘em. No matter what holiday you celebrate, or whether you celebrate any at all, what they stand for is the same for us all: giving thanks for those you love, spending time with those you love most … and consuming rich, wondrous, deliciously sinful foods.

Right out of the blocks, I’ll let you know that this recipe is not for the faint of heart. If you’re the person who balks at anything that has more than 3 grams of fat in it, or who immediately worries about how to work off each bite of food, then this isn’t for you. I’m a believer in moderation. I think that if you live a healthy lifestyle, then it’s OK to indulge in something that’s really bad for you, at least every once in a while.

So, without further ado, let’s talk about EGGNOG, shall we?

It’s rich. It’s sinful. It’s sweet and creamy and indescribably delicious. Sure, it has a gazillion calories, but that’s OK. We only live once, right?

When I was growing up, friends always had store-bought eggnog in their houses. You know, the super-thick, super-cloying stuff that shows up in grocery stores just after Halloween each year. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that stuff. It’s great in coffee and kids really like it, but once you’ve had the real deal — eggnog that’s made from scratch — you’ll never look at it the same way again.

When I was growing up, my parents threw a big holiday bash each year. My dad always made a huge batch of his homemade eggnog and everyone in the neighborhood would clamor for a cup of that magical goodness. I wasn’t allowed to try it ‘til I was much older (you’ll understand once you see the recipe), but once I did, I was hooked.

For me, this drink exemplifies The Holiday Season. It says that enjoying yourself is a good thing. That it’s OK to relish in the finer things in life. That the holidays, themselves, are sweet and rewarding, much like the liquid love in your cup.

So, don’t think about the gym. Don’t think about your diet. Think about enjoying yourself. Think about good friends and good times. Think about having a cup of eggnog!

My Dad’s Classic Eggnog

Ingredients

1 dozen large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 quart whole milk
1 quart heavy whipping cream
1/5 (a regular sized bottle) Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum
Freshly-grated nutmeg

Preparation

In a large punch bowl, separate the eggs (save the egg whites to make “forgotten cookies” … I’ll post that recipe later!) Beat the egg yolks until they are a pale, lemony color. Beat in the sugar until thick. On a lower speed (you’ll make a mess otherwise), stir in the milk. Stir in the rum. Chill for AT LEAST three hours.

About an hour or so before serving time, whip cream until stiff peaks form. Fold whipped cream into the eggnog mixture.

Chill for another hour. Serve in cups with freshly grated nutmeg sprinkled on top.

Enjoy life to its fullest!

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