Pre Shonah Shonah Party

Saturday, Sept 27th
Shonah dinner party with Alice and Rob, Larry and Maribeth.

Opening some lovely wedding gifts they brought for us.

MENU

(warning, this post ain't kosher)

*Smoked Whitefish Spread

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*Challah Rolls

*Brisket cooked in Red Wine

*Sweet potato souffle

*Mashed red potatoes

*Chianti glazed beets and leeks

*Green beans with creamed portabella mush's

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*Caramel Pot De Creme with apples *Ruggelach

RECIPES:

Sweet Potato Souffle ( kugel?)

Preheat oven to 350

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thirds

Boil til soft, Mash in a bowl.

Add: 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, about 1/4 c fresh orange

juice, 1/4 c heavy cream, salt and Pepper to taste, about 2 tablespoons

honey. Mush with a potato masher (or cuisinart if you feel fancy)

Ad 1 beaten egg; stir in briskly. Pour into casserole of appropriate size, top with sprinkling of brown sugar, and bake, about 35 minutes, until top is slightly puffed. Serve.

See above pic for fish dip recipe. This is killer for parties if you enjoy the flavors of smoked fish.

Trout, salmon - anything is great. This time used Whitefish.

!Brisket! (prep time - ALOT. Give yourself 2 days out. Tastes most incredible, most ethereal, on the 3rd-ish day.)

Get yourself a nice 4 to 4 1/2 # brisket.

To begin...

Peel and slice about 5 medium sized sweet onions.

Peel and chop (into large chunks) about 4 BIG carrots.

Peel 15 whole cloves of garlic.

Set all aside.

Heat a saute pan on high with about 2 tblsps of olive oil.

When hot, add brisket. Sear on each side until golden brown, approx 7 minutes per side.

Set brisket aside.

to pan, add 2 cups dry, red wine, and scrape up meaty bits. Then add one 14oz can of fire roasted tomatoes.

Get yourself a large, deep pan, big enough to hold the brisket and juices. (i like to use a deep half hotel pan). Put the brisket in the pan, fat side up. Pour liquids over. Add the carrots, onions and garlic cloves all around the meat. Add about a cup and a half of whole, pitted prunes. (Scatter these all over as well). Add a bit more wine, some beef stock, some (a few dashes) of balsamic vinegar to cover the meat. Cover pan with some foil, and put in preheated 325 degree oven.

Now, cook for AT LEAST 3 1/2 hours....perhaps up to 5. How can you tell when it's done? a knife, inserted into the deepest part, will easily penetrate with no resistance.

After the long cooking, let stand one hour at room temp. Then put in fridge.

THE NEXT DAY-

Take out brisket from pan. Skim off any solid fat and toss.

Skim off any excess fat off the brisket.

Slice the brisket on a cutting board, AGAINST (crucial) the grain, very thin.

Meanwhile, fish out about 2 cups of the veggies (no prunes) and some liquid from the cooking and puree in blender or cuisinart, to the consistency of thick sauce. Return to the pan, along with the brisket.

At this point, you can return to fridge til next day, or prepare to serve.

To finish for serving....heat everythiing on low. Add about 1/2 cup apple juice to pan. Bring to simmer, salt and pepper to taste. Let stand a few minutes before serving, and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve with the sweet potato souffle, and your fav mashed potato recipe.

Glazed beets with leeks and chianti can be found on Epicurious. Was another perfect side dish to the above. it is so beautiful, a big serving dish of blood red beets, another of bright orange sweet potato, another of bright green beans...just a beautiful, incredible display of a feast.

Rest, recline - happy 5769!

Coming soon - Challah, Rugelach, and apple caramel pot de creme recipes. But my fingers hurt right now....