Cameron’s 10 Days of Christmas, Day 5
On the 5th day of Christmas my true gourmet gave to me…a unique Italian Christmas Dinner!
A special thanks to Italian Food Forever and Delish.com for helping put together a great Italian Christmas dinner. There isn’t even an ounce of italian blood in my family (My father is black and my mother’s family is from the UK) so I had a hard time putting this together. But I think I’ve come to an award winning combination after some taste testing. In Italian cooking there are always multiple courses such as Antipasti (appetizer) Primi (First course) Secundi (Second course) and so on. This is a simple three course meal that features bold flavors and heart ingredients that is sure to keep you warm through the holiday season.
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced onion
1 2 1/2 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
6 cups of quality chicken stock or broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1-2 teaspoons curry powder, to taste
Crème fraiche or heavy cream
Directions
Heat a large stock pot over medium low heat. Add onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 8 minutes.
Add squash and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until squash is tender.
Puree with a stick immersion blender or in your regular blender, in batches, carefully venting the lid. Return to pot. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if necessary. Stir in curry powder. Simmer for 5 minutes more, or until flavors are incorporated.
Ladle into bowls and serve with a dollop of crème fraiche or a drizzle of heavy cream.
Cavatelli with Eggplant, Sausage, and Peppers
1 1/4 pound(s) long Chinese or Japanese eggplants or small, thin Italian eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1/2 pound(s) mixed mini sweet peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1/4 cup(s) olive oil
1 pound(s) dried cavatelli or gemelli pasta
Cavatelli with Eggplant, Sausage, and Peppers
1 pound(s) mixed hot and sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
1 medium onion, halved and cut into strips
3 tablespoon(s) tomato paste
1/2 cup(s) water
1/4 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oven to 475 degrees F.
Toss eggplant and pepper slices with 3 tablespoons of the oil on a large baking sheet with sides; arrange in an even layer. Roast 20 minutes, turning pieces once or twice, until browned and tender.
Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions, until al dente (tender yet still firm to the bite).
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat; crumble in sausage and cook 2 minutes, stirring, until no longer pink. Add onion; continue to cook 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. Stir in tomato paste and 1/2 cup water; cook 1 minute or until sausage is coated. Add eggplant, peppers, salt, and pepper and gently stir to combine. Keep warm.
Drain pasta in colander and transfer to a pasta bowl. Add the eggplant sauce and quickly toss to combine. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
Green Salad with Pears and Gorgonzola
Ingredients
1 head of butter lettuce (or Boston lettuce), cored, washed and dried and torn into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries or cherries)
1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
2 pears, cored and sliced
1/2 cup candied pecans
Dressing:
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar (or red wine vinegar or balsamic)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon of minced shallot
1/3 cup roasted hazelnut oil (or walnut oil, or olive oil)
Pinch of salt and pepper
Directions
Toss lettuce, pomegranate seeds, gorgonzola, pears and pecans in a large salad bowl. Set aside and prepare dressing. Alternately, set lettuce leaves on 6 salad plates, and top with pomegranate seeds, gorgonzola, pears and pecans.
Place mustard in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk in vinegar, honey and shallot. Slowly drizzle in hazelnut oil, while whisking constantly, to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper. Toss salad with half of the dressing (or drizzle over the plated salads). If more dressing is needed, add it a little at a time, taking care not to drench the leaves. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper if needed. Serve immediately.
Tiramisu
500 gr. Mascarpone Cheese At Room Temperature
1/2 cup Whipping Cream
4 Eggs, Separated
1 1/4 Cup Espresso Coffee, Cooled
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/3-Cup Brandy
24 Savoiardi Cookies (Ladyfingers)
Dark Chocolate, Shaved
Beat the 4 egg yolks until light. Slowly beat in 1/2 cup of sugar, and then the mascarpone cheese. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold these gently into the cheese mixture. Now whip the cream until soft peaks form, and fold this too into the cheese mixture. Add the brandy to the cooled coffee. Carefully dip in ladyfingers one at a time just until the outside of the cookie is barely damp. Arrange cookies side by side in a dish large enough to hold 12 cookies flat. After the first 12 are layered, spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture on top. Sprinkle with enough shaved chocolate to cover lightly, and repeat these layers once more topping the dish with the remaining chocolate. Refrigerate several hours before serving.
