The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (78 page)

1 cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1.
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add onions and cipollini, and boil 1 minute. Drain. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Peel, leaving root and stem ends intact. Transfer to a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; toss.

2.
Toss leeks in a bowl with 1 tablespoon oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

3.
Add remaining tablespoon oil and the onion mixture to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes.

4.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add stock, vinegar, and leeks; cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender, about 30 minutes. Uncover; add butter. Raise heat to high. Cook, shaking skillet occasionally, until liquid reduces to a glaze and coats onions, 4 to 5 minutes.

5.
Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 day; reheat in a 300°F oven to serve.

braised apples with saffron and cider

SERVES 10 TO 12

This recipe can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; reheat before serving.

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 large shallot, thinly sliced into rings

6 apples (about 2 pounds), such as Gala or Winesap, quartered and seeded

¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

1½ cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

1½ cups apple cider

¼ cup dry sherry

3 tablespoons dried currants

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot, and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add apples, and turn to coat. Stir in saffron, stock, cider, sherry, and currants, and season with salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

2.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer apples to a bowl. Raise heat to medium-high, and cook sauce until reduced by half, about 10 minutes more. Season with pepper. Pour sauce over apples. Serve warm or at room temperature.

leek and gruyère bread pudding

SERVES 10 TO 12

This recipe can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; reheat before serving.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish

1 bunch leeks (4 or 5), white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced crosswise, rinsed well

2 garlic cloves, crushed

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cup dry white wine

3 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons coarse salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

5 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

1 loaf day-old brioche (about 1 pound), crusts removed, cut into ¾-inch slices and then halved crosswise

2 cups grated Gruyère cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch (10-cup) round baking dish. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add wine, and bring to a boil. Cook until wine is reduced by half. Transfer half of the leek mixture to a bowl, and reserve.

2.
Whisk cream, milk, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and pepper into leek mixture in pan; bring to a simmer. Add ½ cup hot cream-leek mixture to eggs and yolks in a medium bowl, whisking. Whisk in another cup cream-leek mixture; return egg-leek mixture to pan. Cook, whisking, until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.

3.
Arrange 8 or 9 pieces of bread in prepared dish. Pour 2 cups egg-leek mixture over bread. Sprinkle half the reserved leeks and half the cheeses over bread. Let stand 10 minutes. Arrange remaining bread in a slightly overlapping circle on top, and then add remaining egg-leek mixture. Sprinkle with remaining leeks and cheeses. Let stand 10 minutes.

4.
Cover dish loosely with foil, and place in a small roasting pan. Add enough hot water to reach halfway up sides of dish. Bake until golden brown and set, about 55 minutes. Remove foil, and bake until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes more. Let cool in dish on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

brown-sugar-spiced red cabbage

SERVES 10 TO 12

This recipe can be made a day ahead and refrigerated; reheat before serving.

¼ cup bacon drippings or unsalted butter

1 head red cabbage, very thinly sliced

1 red onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

½ cup cider vinegar

½ cup port

¼ cup packed light-brown sugar

½ cinnamon stick

1 fresh bay leaf

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
Heat drippings in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add cabbage and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes.

2.
Add vinegar, port, sugar, cinnamon, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is soft, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

farro, orange, and pine nut dressing

SERVES 10 TO 12

You can make the dressing through step 2 a day ahead; refrigerate in an airtight container. Just before serving, stir in oranges, pine nuts, and parsley.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped (about ½ cup)

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage

2 teaspoons fennel seeds, coarsely chopped

1 dried chile, crumbled

2 cups farro

3½ cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought turkey or chicken stock

½ cup dry white wine

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 navel oranges, peel and pith removed, flesh cut into segments

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

1.
Melt butter with the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and celery, and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons parsley, the sage, fennel seeds, and chile, and cook 1 minute.

2.
Stir in farro, stock, and wine, and bring to a boil. Season with 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low; cover, and cook until farro is tender and has absorbed the liquid, about 30 minutes.

3.
When ready to serve, stir in orange segments, pine nuts, and remaining ¼ cup parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

matchstick fries

SERVES 4

Using a mandoline to slice the potatoes is quick and easy. You can do so up to four hours ahead; to prevent browning, place matchsticks in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator until ready to use, then pat them dry with paper towels.

Vegetable oil cooking spray

2 medium russet potatoes (about 1½ pounds), cut into matchsticks

3 tablespoons olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray; set aside. Toss together potatoes, oil, and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheets.

2.
Bake, turning potatoes with a metal spatula 2 or 3 times and rotating sheets halfway through, until potatoes are crisp and edges turn golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Arrange potatoes on a large piece of parchment paper; let cool 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

polenta

MAKES 2¼ CUPS

We served the polenta with Braised Lamb Shanks with Tomato and Fennel (Meat), but it is equally delicious with chicken, veal, or pork, or as part of a vegetarian meal with a salad.

4 cups cold water

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup polenta

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add the salt. Stirring constantly, slowly add the polenta, letting the grains pass through your fingers in a steady stream. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring constantly, until the polenta is tender but not mushy, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the butter. Serve hot.

polenta wedges

SERVES 8

You can make the polenta through step 1 ahead of time; let cool, then cover and refrigerate.

3 cups nonfat milk

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

½ teaspoon coarse salt

¼ teaspoon paprika

¾ cup quick-cooking polenta

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Olive oil cooking spray

1.
Combine the milk, chives, garlic, salt, and paprika in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. While whisking, slowly sprinkle in the polenta. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the polenta has thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the Parmesan and butter; stir until combined. Spread the polenta evenly in an 8½-inch springform pan; let rest until completely set, about 45 minutes at room temperature.

2.
Preheat the broiler. Remove the outer ring from the springform pan. Cut the polenta into 8 wedges. Coat wedges with olive oil spray, and place on a rack in the oven several inches underneath the broiler. Broil the polenta until golden brown on top and heated through, about 8 minutes. Serve.

israeli couscous and fall vegetable stuffing

SERVES 8 TO 10; MAKES ABOUT 8 CUPS (ENOUGH FOR ONE 18-POUND TURKEY)

1 small acorn squash (about 1½ pounds), halved and seeded

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 small turnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 celery root, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¾ cup finely chopped shallots

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon hot smoked paprika

10 ounces Israeli couscous (about 2 cups)

1¾ cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

1 fresh bay leaf

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

½ cup golden raisins

½ cup sliced almonds with skins, toasted

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Drizzle the squash with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Place, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet; roast 10 minutes.

2.
Meanwhile, toss the turnips and celery root with 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Place on the baking sheet with the squash. Continue roasting, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

3.
Meanwhile, heat the butter and remaining tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the shallots; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the coriander, cumin, and paprika; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4.
Stir in the couscous, stock, bay leaf, 1 tablespoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat to low. Cook until the couscous is tender but al dente and the liquid is absorbed, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 2 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

5.
Peel the squash; cut the flesh into ½-inch cubes. Stir together the couscous, vegetables, raisins, almonds, parsley, and remaining tablespoon thyme; season with salt and pepper. Serve, or immediately pack loosely in the turkey cavity, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the stuffing registers 165°F.

chestnut and sausage stuffing

SERVES 12; MAKES ABOUT 10 CUPS (ENOUGH FOR ONE 16- TO 18-POUND TURKEY)

1 loaf day-old rustic Italian bread (about 1 pound), trimmed of crust and cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 8 cups)

1 pound fresh chestnuts

1 pound sweet Italian sausage

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

4 celery stalks, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Unsalted butter, for baking dish

1.
Let the bread cubes stand on a baking sheet at room temperature 3 hours to dry.