1. ( und einziger ) Weihnachts-Feiertag

Zum 25.12. hatten wir gute Freunde eingeladen. Mal wieder eine Gelegenheit, etwas aufwendiger zu kochen. Ich habe mir ein Menue herausgesucht, das gar nicht so kompliziert und schwierig war. Noch wichtiger, die meisten Sachen liessen sich gut vorbereiten. Das Dressing fuer den Salat habe ich 2 Tage vorher gemacht, die Suppe ebenso zum grossen Teil fertiggestellt. Sie musste vor dem Servieren  noch mit der Sahne aufgekocht und etwas reduziert werden . Der Schweinebraten war beim Metzger bestellt, musste nur noch gewuerzt und fuer knapp 3 Std. in den Ofen. Danach 1/2 Stunde ruhen, damit blieb genug Zeit fuer den Rest der Vorbereitungen, da das Gratin auch schon fast fertig gebacken war, so wie der Kuerbis und nur noch im Ofen fertiggebacken und damit heiss gemacht werden musste. Der Nachtisch, den ich mir hier von Petra gemopst habe, dauerte eine halbe Stunde. Das war gut so, nach dem Hauptgang war sowieso erst mal jeder satt :-)

Hier das Menue :

* Dungeness Crab Bisque mit Crab Croutons
* Ruccola und Frisee Salat mit Granatapfel Dressing und Feta
* Eine Schweinskotelett Krone mit Zwiebel Brot Fuellung, dazu
  Apfel, Kartoffel und Zwiebel Gratin
  Kabocha Kuerbis, gefuellt mit Zwiebel, Bohnen und Paprika
* Lebkuchensouffle mit Punschkirschen ( von Petra )

Der Star der Suppe

Crab Bisque

Salat mit Granatapfel Dressing

Der kroenende Mittelpunkt

Schwein mit Apfel-Kartoffel Gratin und Kuerbis

========== REZKONV-Rezept - RezkonvSuite v0.99.3

     Titel: Dungeness Crab Bisque with Crab Croutons
Kategorien: Suppe, Vorspeise, Gaeste
     Menge: 8 Portionen

      8       Ltr. Water
      1      Essl. Sea salt
    1/2      groß. Onion, quartered
    1/2            Carrot, quartered
      1            Celery stalk, quartered
      1      Teel. Whole black peppercorns
      2            Bay leaves
      3    Zweige  Fresh thyme
      3    Zweige  Fresh parsley
      1            Live crab, about 3 pounds, or 2 smaller crabs
    1/4     Tasse  Extra-virgin olive oil
    1/2   Flasche  Sauvignon Blanc
      1       Ltr. Heavy cream
      8            Toasted baguette slices

============================== QUELLE ==============================
                   SF Chronicle, Georgeanne Brennan, Wednesday,
                   December 14, 2005
                   -- Erfasst *RK* 26.12.2005 von
                   -- Ralph-Peter Knauth

In a large pot, combine the water, salt, onion, carrot, celery,
peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme and parsley and bring to a boil over
high heat. Add the live crab and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the
crab and cool in a bowl or sink of ice water. When it is cool enough
to handle, crack the crab body, and pull out the tomalley, the
greenish-yellow mass, and any whitish material and put it in a bowl,
reserving it to add to the stock later. Discard the rubbery "dead
man's fingers" located on the underside of the body. Remove the meat
from the body, claws and legs; cover and refrigerate until ready to
serve. Reserve the shells.

Meanwhile, keep the stock at a simmer.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add all the crab shells,
sauteing them well for about 6 minutes, turning them carefully so
they don't burn. Add the shells, but not the olive oil, to the
stockpot and continue to simmer, uncovered, until reduced to about 3
cups. This will take 2 to 3 hours.

Using a chinoise or a colander lined with several layers of
cheesecloth, strain the stock into a clean pan, gently pushing to
get all the liquid.

Note: You can stop at this point, refrigerate the stock, and
continue the next day . Or , continue through adding the wine and
tomalley and the next reduction, stopping before adding the cream .

Return the strained stock to the heat and bring it to a boil. Add
the wine and the tomalley. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook
until reduced to 2 cups, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain again if you
see small bits of tomalley.

Add the cream, raise the heat to medium-high and heat, stirring
until small bubbles form along the edge of the pan. Reduce the heat
to medium and continue to cook, stirring frequently until the soup
is reduced to about 5 cups and is thick and creamy, about 20 minutes.
Taste for salt. Remove from the heat and cover.

Place a tablespoon or so of crab meat on top of each of the baguette
slices.

Ladle the soup into soup bowls and place a crab-baguette slice in
the center of each. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

PER SERVING: 480 calories, 5 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 45 g fat
(28 g saturated), 170 mg cholesterol, 1,018 mg sodium, 0 fiber.

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========== REZKONV-Rezept - RezkonvSuite v0.99.3

     Titel: Arugula & Frisee Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette & ...
Kategorien: Salat, Vorspeise, Obst
     Menge: 8 Portionen

    1/4     Tasse  Pomegranate juice
      1      Essl. Walnut oil
      4      Teel. Champagne vinegar
    1/4      Teel. Kosher salt
    1/4      Teel. Freshly ground black pepper
    1/4     Tasse  Crumbled mild, soft feta cheese or soft goat
                   -- cheese
      4    Tassen  Baby arugula, including some wild arugula if
                   -- possible
      2    Tassen  Pale yellow frisee leaves, torn into bite-size
                   -- pieces, or mixed baby greens
      4      Essl. Pomegranate seeds

============================== QUELLE ==============================
                   SF Chronicle, Georgeanne Brennan, Wednesday,
                   December 14, 2005
                   -- Erfasst *RK* 26.12.2005 von
                   -- Ralph-Peter Knauth

In a salad bowl, combine the pomegranate juice, walnut oil, vinegar,
salt and pepper and mix well with a fork. This can be done up to 4
hours in advance.

When ready to serve, add the cheese to the vinaigrette and stir
several times. Add the greens and toss well. Divide equally among
eight plates and garnish each with some of the pomegranate seeds.

Serves 8

PER SERVING: 40 calories, 1 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat (1
g saturated), 4 mg cholesterol, 123 mg sodium, 0 g fiber.

: O-Titel   : Arugula & Frisee Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette &
: >           Feta Cheese

=====

-==== REZKONV-Recipe - RezkonvSuite v0.99.3

     Title: CROWN ROAST OF PORK WITH ONION AND BREAD-CRUMB STUFFING
Categories: Fleisch, Schwein, Ofen, Gaeste
     Yield: 12 Servings

=========================== FOR STUFFING ===========================
    900     grams  Onions, finely chopped (6 cups)
  2 1/2     teasp. Salt
    180     grams  (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
      2   tablesp. Chopped fresh sage
      1   tablesp. Chopped fresh marjoram
      1     teasp. Black pepper
  1 1/2   tablesp. Cider vinegar
    1/2       cup  Dry white wine
      1            (1-lb) piece fresh Pullman loaf, pain de mie, or
                   -- country loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes, then
                   -- pulsed to coarse crumbs in a food processor
    338     grams  Ground pork (usually comes with crown roast, see
                   -- below)
      1       cup  Finely chopped celery

============================= FOR ROAST =============================
      1     teasp. Finely chopped fresh sage
      1     teasp. Finely chopped fresh marjoram or thyme
      2     teasp. Salt
    1/2     teasp. Black pepper
      1            (9- to 10-lb) crown roast of pork, rib ends
                   -- frenched (ground pork reserved for stuffing,
                   -- above)
  1 1/2      cups  Water

============================= FOR SAUCE =============================
    1/2       cup  Dry white wine
  1 1/2      cups  Reduced-sodium chicken broth
      2     teasp. Cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
      2   tablesp. Cold unsalted butter

============================== SOURCE ==============================
                   Gourmet, December 2005
                   -- Edited *RK* 12/26/2005 by
                   -- Ralph-Peter Knauth

Make stuffing:

Cook onions with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in 3/4 stick butter in a
12inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, covered, stirring
occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Continue to cook,
uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are pale golden, about
10 minutes more. Add sage, marjoram, and pepper and cook, stirring,
5 minutes. Add vinegar and wine and boil, stirring occasionally,
until liquid is evaporated, then remove from heat.

Meanwhile, cook bread crumbs and remaining teaspoon salt in
remaining 3/4 stick butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over
moderately low heat, stirring, until golden and crisp, 15 to 20
minutes.

Reserve 1 cup onion mixture, covered and chilled, for sauce.
Transfer remaining mixture to a large bowl and stir in ground pork,
celery, and crumbs.

Cook roast and stuffing:

Put 1 oven rack in lower third of oven and another on bottom of oven
and preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together sage, marjoram, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, then
rub over outside and bottom of roast. Put roast in a small
flameproof roasting pan and mound 2 cups stuffing loosely in center,
then add water to pan. Transfer remaining stuffing to a buttered
2quart baking dish and chill until ready to bake.

Roast pork in lower third of oven, covering stuffing and tips of
ribs with a sheet of foil after about 30 minutes and adding more
water if pan becomes dry, until thermometer inserted 2 inches into
center of meat (do not touch bones) registers 155°F, 2 1/4 to 2 3/4
hours total.

Bake remaining stuffing (next to or under roast, starting 30 minutes
before roast is done), covered with foil, 30 minutes. Increase oven
temperature to 425°F (after removing roast from oven) and continue
to bake stuffing, uncovered, until top is crisp, 15 to 20 minutes
more.

Transfer pork to a platter and let stand 30 minutes.

Make sauce while pork stands:

Transfer pan juices from roasting pan to a gravy separator or a
glass measure and skim off fat. Straddle roasting pan across 2
burners, then add wine to pan and boil over high heat, stirring and
scraping up brown bits, until reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.
Add reserved onion mixture, broth, pan juices, and any juices on
platter from roast and bring to a simmer. Restir cornstarch mixture
and add to pan, whisking, then simmer 2 minutes. Add butter and
swirl pan until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Carve pork and serve with stuffing and sauce.

Cooks' notes:

 Stuffing can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
Pork can be rubbed with seasoning and stuffed 2 hours before
roasting and chilled, covered. Let stand at room temperature 30
minutes before roasting

note : Nothing is more majestic than this regal cut of meat - and
nothing makes your house smell better while it roasts. Here, pork's
natural sweetness is coaxed forward by the herbs and onions in the
stuffing. And the crispy, savory bones are a delightful bonus. You
will have to special-order this cut of meat (the rib portions of the
loins are joined to form a circle) from your butcher.

=====

========== REZKONV-Rezept - RezkonvSuite v0.99.3

     Titel: APPLE, POTATO, AND ONION GRATIN
Kategorien: Beilage, Gemuese, Ofen
     Menge: 8 Portionen

     12      Essl. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, divided
    900     Gramm  Onions, sliced
      2      Essl. (packed) chopped fresh thyme
      4      Teel. Fine sea salt, divided
    2/3     Tasse  Water
    2/3     Tasse  Dry white wine
      4      Teel. Sugar
  1 1/8        kg  Yukon Gold, yellow Finn, or German Butterball
                   -- potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick
                   -- rounds
    900     Gramm  Tart apples (such as Granny Smith, Pippin, or
                   -- Pink Lady), peeled, halved, cored, cut into
                   -- 1/4-inch-thick slices

============================== QUELLE ==============================
                   Judy Rodgers
                   Bon Appetit, 2/2005
                   -- Erfasst *RK* 26.12.2005 von
                   -- Ralph-Peter Knauth

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking
dish. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in large nonstick skillet over
medium heat. Add onions, thyme, and 2 teaspoons salt; sauté until
onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to
mediumhigh; sauté until onions are tender and begin to color, about
8 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Add remaining 6 tablespoons
butter, 2/3 cup water, wine, and sugar to skillet; stir and swirl
skillet to combine. Bring to boil. Cool onion mixture to lukewarm.

Combine potatoes, apples, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and onion
mixture in large bowl; toss gently to blend. Transfer to prepared
baking dish, spreading evenly. Cover dish with parchment paper, then
cover with foil, shiny side down. Bake gratin until potatoes are
tender, about 55 minutes. Uncover and bake until top browns and
juices bubble thickly, about 20 minutes longer. (Can be made 6 hours
ahead. Let stand uncovered at room temperature. Rewarm, loosely
covered with foil, in 300°F oven for 20 minutes.) Let gratin stand
15 minutes before serving.

>> Lighten Up: This gratin is unusual for having no cream or cheese
letting the lovely seasonal flavors of the produce shine through.

Ralph. Einfach, sehr lecker. Dazu Pork Crown Roast, Weihnachten 2005

=====

-==== REZKONV-Recipe - RezkonvSuite v0.99.3

     Title: Roasted Kabocha Squash Bowl with Autumn Vegetables
Categories: Gemuese, Gefuellt, Herbst
     Yield: 8 Servings

      1            Kabocha squash (4 1/2 to 5 lb.)
      3   tablesp. Olive oil
                   Salt and pepper
      2            Onions (6 oz. each)
    450     grams  Green beans
    1/2            Red bell pepper (4 oz. total)
      7   tablesp. Butter
      3    cloves  Garlic, peeled and minced
      2   tablesp. Mirin (sweet sake or sweet cooking rice wine) or
                   -- cream sherry
      2   tablesp. Soy sauce
      1   tablesp. Worcestershire
    1/4     teasp. Ground cumin
    1/4     teasp. Cayenne

============================== SOURCE ==============================
                   Kristine Snyder, Kihei, HI
                   Sunset, NOVEMBER 2005
                   -- Edited *RK* 11/24/2005 by
                   -- Ralph-Peter Knauth

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Rinse squash and pat dry. Cut around stem
to make a 4-inch lid. Remove lid and scrape out and discard seeds.
Brush interior of squash and inside of lid with 1 tablespoon olive
oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Set lid on squash and
place in a 10- by 15-inch baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, peel onions and cut lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide
wedges. Brush onions with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and
sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange onions around squash
and return to oven. Bake until squash and onions are tender when
pierced, 25 to 30 minutes for onions and 35 to 40 minutes for squash;
remove when done.

3. Meanwhile, rinse green beans and trim off ends; cut into about
3inch lengths. Rinse, stem, and seed bell pepper half; cut into
1/4inch-wide strips about 2 inches long.

4. Put butter in a 1- to 2-quart pan over medium-low heat; when it
begins to melt, add garlic and stir occasionally until butter is
melted, about 1 minute. Whisk in mirin, soy sauce, Worcestershire,
cumin, and cayenne. Cook, whisking often, to blend flavors, 1 to 2
minutes. Pour into a bowl or small pitcher.

5. Shortly before serving, in a 4- to 5-quart pan over high heat,
bring about 2 quarts water to a boil. Add beans and red pepper; cook
just until crisp-tender to bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain well and
season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Transfer squash bowl to a serving bowl or platter. Cut it--down
to but not through the base--into 10 wedges for a flower-like
presentation; for a bowl shape, cut the squash three-quarters of the
way to the bottom. Mound green bean-red pepper mixture and roasted
onions in the center. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the mirin-soy mixture over
the vegetables. Reserve the squash lid for another use or for a
decorative top for the bowl. Offer remaining sauce to add to taste.

Yield: Makes about 10 servings

NUTRITION PER SERVING CALORIES 200(59% from fat); FAT 13g (sat 5.6g);
PROTEIN 3.6g; CHOLESTEROL 22mg; SODIUM 314mg; FIBER 4g; CARBOHYDRATE
21g

Ralph. Thanksgiving 2005. Sehr lecker, optisch super. Sehr gut
vorzubereiten.

=====

Comments

[Kommentiert von: Corinna]

Wie war das - ihr seid nächstes Jahr zu Weihnachten hier? Ich stelle dir gerne meine Küche für ein gemeinsames Festessen zur Verfügung :-))

[Kommentiert von: Ralph Knauth]

Gerne, wenn Du Dich um's Dessert kuemmerst ;-))