dish or platter toss together contents of both sheets. Drizzle with reduced apple cider to taste. 6. Serve immediately or cover and keep warm in a 200°F oven until serving time. The syrup can be made a few months ahead. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. The root vegetables can be cut a day ahead and stored in water to cover in the refrigerator. Makes 6 to 8 cups.
Cranberry Chutney This twist on a holiday favorite is sweet-piquant like cooked cranberry relish, but with savory additions and regional fruits.
12 oz. fresh cranberries 1 apple, diced (use any Iowa variety) ½ c. crabapples or any tart fruit, such as aronia berries, rhubarb, or sea buckthorn berries, diced 2 T. cider vinegar ⅔ c. honey or sugar (or more to taste) ⅓ c. water 1 t. coriander, ground 1 t. cinnamon, ground 1 t. ginger, ground 1. In a heavy nonreactive saucepan
simmer cranberries, apple, crabapple, vinegar, honey, water, and spices over low heat until fruit is soft. 2. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve at room temperature. May be made many days in advance. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. Makes 3 cups.
Scandinavian Holiday Rice Pudding
PRESTO — PESTO!
Based on a favorite Scandinavian holiday treat, this recipe is exceptionally creamy but not cloyingly sweet. The berry sauce is a colorful contrast to the white “riskrem.” Scandinavian tradition hides a blanched almond in the pudding; the person who finds the almond gets a marzipan.
In the summer I churn rosemary, sage, thyme, cilantro, parsley, basil into pestos and pastes that I freeze for later use. Blending the leaves with an oil helps to preserve their volatile oils that contain those potent flavors we love. Rosemary pesto is especially handy when prepping a holiday turkey, roast, or leg of lamb.
4 c. 2 c. 1 c. ¾ t. 1 T. 4 T. ¼ t. 3 c. 1 t. ½ c.
milk water Arborio rice sea salt butter honey, maple syrup, or sugar (add more if desired) almond extract whipping cream sugar hazelnuts or almonds, blanched and finely chopped
1. In a heavy large saucepan
Chef Ruth Hampton of Trout River Catering (troutrivercatering.com) in Decorah was introduced to the world of cooking at Scattergood Friends School near West Branch, then in the restaurants of Minneapolis. She also facilitates experimental, performance-art dinners called Edible Alien Theatre (ediblealien.com) and blogs about food at awesomecookery.com
combine milk, water, rice, sea salt, and butter. Simmer, without stirring, for 1½ to 2 hours or until rice is tender. Turn off the heat. 2. Stir in honey and almond extract. Cover and chill at least 8 hours or up to 2 days. 3. At serving time, whip the cream until firm with 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir whipped cream and blanched hazelnuts into the chilled pudding mixture. Chill before serving. 4. Serve in small bowls topped with simple strawberry or raspberry sauce (berries mixed with honey or sugar; can use frozen berries from summer picking). Makes 8 cups.
Paul Gates is a Des Moines-based photographer and for many years a regular contributor to The Iowan. pipphoto.com Thanks to Dug Road Inn in Decorah (www.dugroadinn.com) for allowing us to photograph this dinner in the lovely B&B.
November/December 2013 | THE IOWAN
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