26 • The Columbia Valley Pioneer – Holiday Recipes
Roasted Acorn Squash Soup with Parmesan and Crispy Sage This comforting soup can start off a holiday meal or be served on its own on a cold winter evening. 3 pounds acorn squash, peeled, seeded and cut into one-inch cubes Sea salt to taste 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 carrot, roughly chopped 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped 1 leek (whites only), roughly chopped 1/2 medium white or yellow onion, roughly chopped 6 cups veggie broth 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 12 fresh sage leaves Parmesan cheese for garnish Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Place squash on baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and bake for 30-35 minutes. Set aside. Heat two tablespoons oil in large pot over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, leek and onion and cook five minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent. Add broth and cook 30-35 minutes uncovered, until carrots are soft. Add squash and cook five more minutes. Add white pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon. Transfer soup to blender and puree, in batches if necessary, then return soup to pot. Or use an immersion blender and puree soup in pot. Heat remaining two tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add sage leaves and fry until the leaves turn dark green, about two minutes. Serve hot, garnished with crispy sage leaves and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese. Serves six to eight. – Submitted by Marika Geis, Invermere
Whipped Shortbread 1 pound soft butter or margarine 1 cup icing sugar 1/2 cup corn starch 3 cups flour Cream butter, using mixer. Add remaining ingredients. Drop by spoonful onto cookie sheet. Bake at 325F for 25 minutes or until golden brown. – Submitted by Betty Sawchuk, Edgewater
December 11, 2009
Roasted Cornish Hens Stuffed with Wild Rice, Shitaake Mushrooms and Cranberries 2 Cornish Hens 2 cups wild rice 1 cup dried cranberries 1 cup shitaake mushrooms 1/2 onion, diced 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/4 cup chicken broth 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper Orange Glaze: Mix one cup honey, one-half cup orange juice, one teaspoon cinnamon, one tablespoon orange zest, pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the wild rice until soft, drain the remaining water, add all ingredients together, mix well. Cook on low heat for five to 10 minutes, turn heat off, let it cool, then stuff the hens. Heat oven at 350F. Roast hens for about 30 minutes. Using a brush, brush the orange glaze over the hens. Repeat every five minutes for about another 30 minutes. – Chef Hung Khuu, Angus McToogle’s Restaurant
Fig, Pine Nut and Rosemary Cake 3/4 cup vegetable oil 3 tablespoons olive oil 3/4 cup sugar 3 eggs 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup chopped dried figs, marinated in port overnight 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
Pumpkin Cheesecake 9-inch spring form pan 2 1/4 pounds cream cheese 1/4 cup cognac or brandy 3/4 cup pumpkin puree 1 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 1/3 cup sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cloves 1/4 teaspoon mace 3 large eggs 2 yolks Blend cream cheese and sugar. Add cognac and pumpkin purée. Mix in spices. When everything is smooth, add eggs, one at a time. Pour mixture into a nine-inch springform pan with a graham cracker crust. Foil the springform pan to the top of the pan and make sure the foil is secure. Bake in a roasting pan half-full of warm water. Bake at 350F for 50 to 60 minutes, or until set. Cool for at least six hours. – Submitted by Marc LeBlanc, Earl Grey Lodge
Maple Candied Cranberries
2 cups cranberries 1 cup maple syrup 1 cup sugar Bring sugar and maple syrup to a boil with one cup of water. Reduce heat and simmer for seven to 10 minutes. Add cranberries and cook for 10 minutes or until syrup gels when dropped from tip of spoon. Cool and serve on cheesecake. – Submitted by Marc LeBlanc, Earl Grey Lodge
Sugar Cookies 1 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup margarine 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg yolk, beaten slightly 3 tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Beat together oils and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. Sift together dry ingredients. Beat into eggs mixture. Stir in figs, nuts and rosemary. Pour into greased 10-inch cake pan and bake at 350F for about one hour or until center springs back when pressed. Serve with your favorite blue cheese and garnish with some toasted pine nuts and a nice balsamic reduction.
Cream margarine and sugar. Add egg yolk and mix well. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Add vanilla. Chill dough, roll out and cut into shapes. Bake at 375C until golden in colour (about 8-10 minutes). My mother-in-law mixes a batch of icing and puts it between cookies – like Oreo cookies, but better!
– Submitted by Chef Steve Mahon, Terroir
– Submitted by Toril Wilder, Fairmont