Irish Brown Bread Ice Cream with Butterscotch Sauce

  Source

Yields 6 cups

Ingredients

FOR THE IRISH BROWN BREAD

 Unsalted butter, for greasing
 3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
 1 tsp. baking soda
 3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
 3⁄4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. whole-wheat flour
 1⁄4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. wheat bran
 1⁄4 cup wheat germ
 1⁄4 cup steel-cut oats
 1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
 1 cup buttermilk
 1 1⁄2 tsp. sunflower or vegetable oil

FOR THE ICE CREAM AND BUTTERSCOTCH

 1 cup whole milk
 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
 1⁄2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. sugar
 4 large egg yolks
 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
 1⁄4 cup plus 1 Tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
 5 cups finely crumbled Irish brown bread, preferably 1–2 days old
 1 1⁄4 cups heavy cream
 1 cup dark brown sugar
 1⁄4 cup salted butter
 1 tsp. kosher salt
 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract

Method

Make the bread: Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter, and dust lightly with flour. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the whole wheat flour, wheat bran, wheat germ, 2 tablespoons oats, and the brown sugar; stir to combine, then form a well in the center. Pour the buttermilk and oil into the well, then mix to form a wet dough (do not overmix).

Transfer the dough to the pan. Sprinkle the top with the remaining oats, and bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let the bread cool 5 minutes, then remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Make the ice cream: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the milk and vanilla bean. Bring the milk to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Stir for about 1 minute, then remove and discard the vanilla bean.

In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until thickened and pale yellow. Slowly stream in the warm milk, whisking constantly, until just combined (do not overmix).

Return the mixture to the saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard is just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 25-30 minutes. Remove and let cool. Stir in the cream.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the brown sugar and 1 tablespoon water until the sugar crystals have dissolved, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the 5 cups bread crumbs and turn off the heat; let cool. (Save any remaining bread for another use.)

Pour the custard base into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions. Once almost fully thickened (about 40 minutes), add the prepared bread. Remove; freeze in a covered container until ready to serve.

Make the butterscotch: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the cream, sugar, butter, and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Serve the butterscotch sauce warm atop the ice cream, with whipped cream, if using.

Thanksgivingish

 T & J are hosting at their lovely new place on November 11th.

Appetizer

Mini cornbread waffles with cranberry sauce and bacon - Z & K

Main Course

Blissful Salad with Sweet Potatoes - J & K

Waldorf Salad - T & J

Turkey and Chorizo Empanadas - T & J

Dessert

Pumpkin (Spice Latte) Tiramisu - L & T

Mini Cornbread Waffles with Cranberry sauce and Bacon

 Source for cornbread waffles

Prepare mini waffles using recipe below.  Top with your favorite cranberry sauce and a small piece of prepared thick-cut bacon (maple glazed if desired). 

Ingredients

3/4 cup (100 grams) coarse yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup (100 grams) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon (15 ml) molasses

1 cup (235 ml) buttermilk, well-shaken

4 tablespoons (55 grams) melted unsalted butter

1 large egg

Method

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bottom of a medium bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk molasses, butter, buttermilk and egg until combined. Pour into dry ingredients and stir to combine. Let batter rest for 10 minutes. Heat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions; I found a medium heat just fine here.

Brush waffle iron with melted butter or coat with nonstick spray. Drop 1 tablespoon puddles of batter onto iron (several at a time).  Cook until lightly browned.

Turkey and Chorizo Empanadas

 Source - Here and Here

Yield - About 20 six inch empanadas

Ingredients

• 1 recipe empanada dough
• 1.5 pounds ground turkey (or 1 pound roasted turkey, minced)
• 1.5 pounds fresh chorizo, if using links, remove the casing
• 1.5 medium yellow onions, finely diced
• 1.5 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 16 ounces canned tomato sauce
• 2 6.3 ounce jar Manzanilla Olives with Pimentos, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 2 large egg + 1 teaspoon water for egg wash

Method

Prepare empanada dough (see below) and refrigerate.

Using a 12-inch deep skillet over medium heat, drizzle about 1 tablespoon oil and add the diced onions. Saute for about 3-4 minutes and then add the diced red peppers. Continue to sauté until the onions and peppers start to soften, about another 5 minutes and then add the garlic to cook for 30 seconds.

If using ground turkey: Stir the tomato paste into the mixture and then the ground turkey and chorizo. Use a wooden spoon to break up the turkey and chorizo into small pieces. Season with the salt, cumin powder and dried oregano.

Cook the meat until it’s browned and no longer pink, about 15 minutes, stirring thorough to break up any large chunks. Once the meat is cooked through, drain any excess grease.

If using pre-cooked turkey: Stir tomato paste into the mixture and then chorizo.  Use wooden spoon to break up chorizo into small pieces.  Season with the salt, cumin powder and dried oregano.  Once chorizo is cooked, drain any excess grease and add cooked turkey. Taste and add more seasonings if desired.  Continue with recipe.

Pour in the white wine, tomato sauce, chopped olives and raisins. Bring the filling to a simmer and then cover. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the filling has thickened. Remove from the heat.

While the filling is thickening, begin to roll out the dough for the empanadas. Remove one rectangle of the dough from the refrigerator Leave the dough you are not using in the refrigerator.

Heat your oven to 400 degrees and have a non-stick cookie sheet ready to go.

On a well floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/8 to ¼ inch thickness and cut out six inch round circles. 

Place three tablespoons filling in the center of each round and fold in half. Use a fork dipped in the egg wash to crimp the empanadas closed. Transfer to the cookie sheet. Continue to with the remaining dough.

Once all the empanadas are filled, brush with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes or until the empanadas are golden brown. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. Makes about 20 six inch empanadas.

Empanada Dough

Ingredients

• 6 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 1.5 tablespoons salt
• 3 sticks (1 cup or 8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup ice water
• 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Method

Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Beat together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork. Add to flour mixture, stirring with fork until just incorporated. (Mixture will look shaggy.) Turn out mixture onto a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into three flat rectangles and chill them, each wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour. Dough can be chilled up to 6 hours total.

Waldorf Salad

Source

Yield 10 servings

 Waldorf Salad

NOTE:  If using yogurt, omit the lemon juice. You may also want to add a little honey to balance the tartness of the yogurt.

Ingredients

3/4 cup mayonnaise (or plain yogurt)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Large pinch freshly ground black pepper

4 sweet apples, cored and chopped

1/2 cup raisins

2 cups thinly sliced celery

2 cups chopped, slightly toasted walnuts

Method

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise (or yogurt), lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Stir the apple, celery, grapes, and walnuts into the bowl with the dressing.

For the freshest, crispest salad, make Waldorf salad no more than an hour before serving.  Keep refrigerated.

Blissful Sweet Potato Salad

 Combination of this and this

Yield 10 as a side

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5-pounds sweet potatoes 
• 3 medium (6 ounces) shallots, halved lengthwise and peeled
• 12 ounces kale or spinach leaves, torn or chopped into bit-sized pieces
• 4.5 tablespoons sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar, plus more to taste
• 1.5 teaspoons smooth dijon mustard
• 1.5 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed
• 1/3 cup pomegranate arils
• 3/4 cup toasted, salted pepitas (optional)

Method

Prepare the sweet potatoes and shallots: Heat oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise, and then into 1/4-inch half-moon slices. Drizzle or brush parchment lightly with olive oil and sprinkle the oil with salt and pepper. Arrange sweet potato slices in one layer on parchment. Coat lightly with more oil, salt, and pepper.

Place shallot halves on a square of foil and drizzle lightly with olive oil and kosher salt. Tightly seal foil around them into a little packet and place on the baking sheet with potatoes.

Roast potatoes and shallots for 20 minutes, until lightly brown underneath. Flip the pieces and carefully open the foil packet with the shallots. Return the tray to the oven for another 5 to 15 minutes, checking every five minutes until the potatoes are evenly brown and the shallots are tender (remove shallots from oven if they finish first). 

Make the dressing: In a blender or food processor, whiz warm shallots with 6 tablespoons olive oil until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. With the machine running, add dijon mustard and 4.5 tablespoons vinegar, blending until smooth. Season well with salt and pepper, blending again. Taste and adjust with more vinegar, salt, and pepper as needed. If the dressing is very thick, thin with 1 to 2 tablespoons water.

Do ahead: The recipe can be paused here until needed. 

To serve: In a large wide bowl or salad plate, toss greens with half the dressing and season with additional salt and pepper. Arrange roasted potatoes over the greens, fanning out slices if you wish. Sprinkle salad with pomegranate and pepitas (if using) and drizzle some of the remaining dressing over, to taste. Once dressed, serve salad right away, with extra dressing on the side.

Pumpkin (Spice Latte) Tiramisu

 Source - plus my own adaptations

Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream 
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups brewed coffee, cooled
• About 36 dry ladyfingers (aprox 3 (7-ounce) packages)
• Chocolate shavings and candied ginger, for garnish - optional

Method

Bring mascarpone cheese to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until sugar dissolves.  Beat at medium speed until soft peaks form.  Do not overbeat.  In large bowl, beat the mascarpone until softened and smooth, add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt and nutmeg and mix to combine. Fold whipped cream into pumpkin mixture in batches until totally incorporated.

In a medium bowl, whisk the brewed coffee with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar until it’s dissolved. Dip both sides of ladyfingers in the coffee and arrange them in a single layer in a 9X13 inch dish. Spread 1/2 cup of the pumpkin mousse on top. Repeat, ending with a layer of the pumpkin mousse. Cover and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight (minimum 8 hours).

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1 cup of cream with the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar until soft peaks form. Dollop the whipped cream over the tiramisu, garnish with shaved chocolate and candied ginger and serve.