My Favorite Holiday Recipes

Smoked Salmon Salad on a Wonton Chip

8 oz. smoked salmon
¼ cup celery
¼ cup red onion
1 Tbls. parsley, chopped
lemon juice to taste
mayonnaise
chives for garnish

1 package wonton skins (cut in 4 pieces)
oil for frying

Cut wonton skin to desired size and add to hot oil until golden and crisp, drain on paper towel.
Add the salmon to the food processor, and pulse until finely chopped add remaining ingredients and pulse to combine. Remove mixture to mixing bowl and bind with mayonnaise, season with lemon juice. Spoon about a Tbls. on a wonton chip and garnish with chives. Makes about 36 hors d’oeuvres.



Prime Rib
Prime rib is another name for a standing rib roast. The best prime beef is sold only in the best butcher shops and restaurants. Ask the butcher for boned and rolled. A trimmed three-rib roast, with the bones cut off but tied on, and fat cap should be tied on as well. Ask the butcher to include the short ribs—cooked with the roast, they will add juice, fat, and flavor to the drippings.


After the roast has cooked, it will need to rest in order for the juices to redistribute themselves back through the meat. During this time, the roast will continue cooking with heat retained from the oven, and the meat’s internal temperature will rise an average of ten degrees. While the roast is resting (or just slightly before taking it out), put in the Yorkshire puddings. Enhance the pan juices with a simple reduction of red wine.


Prime Rib
Serves 5-6


1 three-rib prime-rib roast, first cut, trimmed and tied (approx. 8-9 lbs.)
salt
freshly ground pepper
11/2 cups dry red wine


Step 1: Trim Excess Fat
Have the butcher tie roast with kitchen twine, tie short ribs for easy handling. Have him trim roast of excess fat but not the thin layer of fat the butcher leaves on the roast to protect and baste it while it cooks. To cook evenly, the roast must not be cold, let it stand at room temperature..

Step 2: Season the Roast
Place short ribs and roast, fat side up, in a heavy stainless-steel or other metal pan. (Nonstick pans yield fewer of the cooked-on bits that make tasty juices.) The rib bones are a natural rack; you won’t need a metal one. Rub the meat all over with salt and black pepper.

Step 3: Check Temperature With an Instant-Read Thermometer
Preheat oven to 425-450°. Transfer roast to the lowest rack, and cook 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°, but don’t open the door. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature. Stick the probe about halfway into the thick end of roast between two ribs, making sure that it’s not near a bone. (Bones conduct heat through the roast and are hot.) Temperatures are 135-140 for med-rare (allow for carry over cooking); if not done, return roast to oven, and check temperature at 10-minute intervals. (While roast is resting, it will continue cooking, and the temperature will increase about 5°.) Allow about 20 minutes per pound. Most people like it somewhat rare, for those that don’t return rare pieces to the oven to desired doneness. Allow the roast to rest (about 10 minutes) before carving.

Step 4: Pour off Drippings
Transfer roast to a large platter. Place near stove to keep warm. Do not cover the roast, or the crisp exterior will get soggy.

Step 5: Deglaze the Pan
Place roasting pan over medium-high heat on top of stove. Carefully pour wine into the pan. Bring to a boil, and use a wooden spoon to scrape off the caramelized and crispy brown bits that are stuck to the sides. These crispy bits will add flavor to the pan juices. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the liquid is reduced. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. If desired add a little beef stock.

Step 6: Pour Yorkshire Pudding Batter into muffin pan

Yorkshire Pudding

For pudding:
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 cups milk

For pudding: Mix together flour and salt in bowl. Using electric mixer beat eggs until light and fluffy, add milk to flour gradually making a smooth paste, add eggs and beat all until combined. Refrigerate and cover for 1 hour. As soon as roast is finished, pour a bit of pan drippings into bottom of muffin cups and add batter (about ¾ full). Bake at 400-425 for 20-30 minutes until pudding has risen and is golden brown.. Serve immediately, fills about 8 large muffin tins.

Step 7: Remove Ribs to Carve Roast
While pudding bakes, cut the twine with kitchen shears and remove from roast.. Transfer the roast to a serving platter where it can easily be sliced. Carve roast in thick slices, and serve with warm juices, horseradish sauce and Yorkshire pudding.

Horseradish Sauce

½ cup sour cream
½ cup mayo
3 Tbls. horseradish (to taste)
½ Tbls. Worcestershire
salt and pepper to taste


Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

1 loaf of day-old bread
about 1 quart milk
4 eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
2 Tbls. vanilla
1 cup white raisins
2 apples (granny Smith) peeled, cored and diced
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ cup walnuts, chopped


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x 13 baking dish, sprinkle with a little bit of sugar and set aside.
Cut bread into 2 inch cubes, crush into milk add raisins, set aside.
In another bowl beat together eggs, vanilla and sugar; stir in bread cubes, apples, raisins and walnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Pour mixture into prepared dish. Cover loosely with buttered parchment or buttered foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove parchment and bake 20 minutes more. Serve warm with whiskey sauce.





Whiskey Sauce

½ cup melted butter
¾ cup sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
¼ cup half and half
whiskey to taste, about 1/3 cup

In a small saucepan melt butter and sugar; whisk in egg over low heat, cook about 2 minutes.
Remove from heat, let cool and add cream and whiskey.