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| Emeril's Christmas Morning Brunch |
by Chef Emeril LagasseEmeril's Holiday Ideas Man, oh man, the holidays are here and it's time to really kick it up to notches unknown! Ever since I was a little kid, I've loved Christmas! We lived in Fall River, Massachusetts and the weather was usually cold, but great for going around caroling and drinking hot chocolate. I remember Mom making what seemed like hundreds of fruitcakes for family and friends. The house smelled so good! And Uncle Sylvester sometimes dropped by the house and played his guitar or banjo to get us in the holiday spirit. He also liked to nip some Portuguese wine while he strummed and we cooked and baked! I remember too how Mom stashed tins and boxes of fudge, cookies, and nuts in a huge closet. By the time Christmas Eve arrived, we had enough food to feed a small army. It was nothing to have about 40 people at the house to eat, drink and dance! There were platters of spicy chicken, bowls of kale soup, and baskets of bread everywhere you looked! Then of course, on Christmas morning, the place was wild with everyone opening presents and squealing in delight! When I moved to New Orleans, the holidays took on a different slant. I quickly learned that the Crescent City had wonderful celebrations with customs and traditions that are steeped in history. There's Christmas caroling in Jackson Square in the French Quarter. Everyone has a lighted candle and it's awesome! After Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve at St. Louis Cathedral, everyone goes home to a big supper, or reveillon at which old favorites like grillades (a Creole dish of pieces of pounded veal or beef braised in a rich gravy made with onions, bell peppers, celery, tomatoes, and herbs and spices) and baked cheese grits are served. In the Garden District, the grand homes are beautifully decorated with local greenery, wild berries, and camellias. It's quite a show and several times I've hired a trolley, loaded it up with food and invited friends to join me to take a streetcar ride to take in the view! Now, that's a kicked-up party for sure! In rural Louisiana, along the Mississippi River, there are great bonfires that light the way for Papa Noel. There the people huddle along the levee eating gumbo and jambalaya! I have started by own traditions now and I love having friends and family members over for a Christmas Day brunch. My wife, Alden, and daughters Jillian and Jessica pull out all the stops! The house is beautifully decorated and wonderful aromas emanate from the kitchen while we receive our guests. Here's the menu. Hey, you might want to start a new tradition for your family and friends. Have a Merry, merry holiday! CHRISTMAS MORNING BRUNCH BUFFET Noel Nog 10 large eggs 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar 2 cups half-and-half 2 cups heavy cream 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg plus some for garnish 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup bourbon 1/4 cup brandy 6 large egg whites In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, beat together the eggs and sugar. Stir in the half-and-half. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon with a thin film and reaches at least 160ºF. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cream, nutmeg, vanilla, bourbon, and brandy. Cool, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, beat the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, then fold them into the eggnog. Serve cold in punch cups and sprinkle with nutmeg. Yield: 8 to 10 cups. Holiday Mimosa 6 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange-flavored liqueur 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 bottle chilled Champagne 1 cup fresh orange juice Pour the Grand Marnier in a small bowl. Put the sugar in a saucer. Dip the rims of Champagne glasses first in Grand Marnier, then in the sugar to form a crust. Fill each Champagne glass with three parts Champagne and 1 part orange juice. Yield: 6 servings. Andouille Cheese Bread 1 envelope (1/4 ounce) dry yeast 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 2 cups warm water (about 110 F) 6 cups bleached all-purpose flour 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 pound andouille or kielbasa sausage, chopped (about 1 cup) 1/2 pound white cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 cup) Vegetable oil for deep frying Combine the yeast, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of the oil in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the water. With the mixer on low speed, beat the mixture for about 4 minutes to dissolve the yeast. If the yeast mixture doesn’t begin to foam after a few minutes, it means it’s not active and will have to be replaced. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the cornmeal, and the salt. Add this mixture to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until it lightly comes together, then increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forms a ball, and climbs slightly up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the bowl. Coat the bowl with the remaining teaspoon vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl and turn it to oil all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, set in a warm, draft-free place, and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a medium-size skillet over medium heat for about 4 minutes. Drain well on paper towels. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Remove the dough from the bowl and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Using your hands, gently roll and form it into a narrow loaf about 24 inches long. Cut the dough into 18 equal portions (each about 2 1/2 ounces). With the palm of your hand, roll the portions on a slightly floured surface to form small round rolls. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper and sprinkle it with the remaining 2 tablespoons cornmeal. Place the rolls about 1 inch apart on the paper. Using a pointed knife, make a slit in the top of each roll. With your thumb and forefinger, spread the dough open to make a small cavity about 1 inch deep and 2 inches wide. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the cheese into each cavity, then top with 1 tablespoon of the sausage, pressing the mixture gently into the cavity. Cover the rolls with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Heat 4 inches of oil, or enough to submerge the breads, in a deep pot or electric fryer to 360ºF. deep-fry the stuffed breads, two to three at a time, in the hot oil for about 3 minutes, turning them with a metal spoon or spatula to brown them evenly. Drain on paper towels. Serve warm. Yield: 18. White Cheddar Truffle Eggs 4 large baking potatoes (about 4 pounds), peeled and grated 3 teaspoons salt 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1 dozen large eggs 1 tablespoon white truffle oil (optional) 3/4 cup half-and-half 1/4 cup chopped green onions (scallions), green parts only 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1/4 pound white cheddar cheese, grated (about 1 1/2 cups) Shaved or sliced black truffles for garnish (optional) Wrap the grated potatoes in a large clean towel and squeeze out the excess starch. Get them as dry as possible. Unwrap and put the potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the white pepper, and the olive oil and toss to mix well. Form the mixture into 12 small cakes about 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Heat the vegetable oil in a 10- or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it’s hot but not smoking. Fry the cakes, several at a time, until they are golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels and keep warm. Pour off the oil and wipe the skillet clean. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy, about 1 minute. Add the remaining teaspoon salt, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, the truffle oil if using, half-and-half, green onions, and parsley. Whisk to blend. In the skillet, heat the butter over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the egg mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir the eggs and cook until the mixture sets slightly, but is still soft, 7 to 8 minutes. Cook 2 to 3 minutes longer if firmer eggs are desired. Add the cheese, stir gently for about 30 seconds, and remove from heat. Continue stirring the mixture until the cheese melts completely. To serve, top each potato cake with an equal portion off the eggs. Garnish with shaved truffles if desired. Serve warm. Yield: 12 servings. Sugarcane Baked Ham with Spiced Apples and Pears 12 sugarcane swizzle sticks, each cut into about 3-inch pieces 1 hickory smoked ham, spiral sliced, 8 to 10 pounds (no bone, water added, cooked) 1 recipe Spiced Glaze 1 1/2 pounds (about 4) Granny Smith apples 1 1/2 pounds (about 4) Bartlett pears Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a shallow baking pan with parchment or waxed paper. Insert the sugarcane sticks into the ham at 3- to 4-inch intervals. Tie the ham, using kitchen twine, at two-inch intervals horizontally and vertically to keep it together. Place on a wire rack in the baking pan. Brush the entire ham with the glaze, coating it evenly. Wash, core, and halve the fruit. Place all around the ham. Baste the ham a second time and baste the fruit with the glaze. Bake for 45 minutes. Baste the ham and fruit again. Bake another 45 minutes. Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the string and swizzle sticks. Serve the apples and pears on a platter with the ham. Serve everything warm or at room temperature. Yield: 10 to 12 sevings All of these recipes are from Chef Emeril Lagasse's Holiday Guide. Click here for more holiday recipes from Emeril. EMERILS.COM is a registered trademark owned by Emeril's Food of Love Productions, LLC. COPYRIGHT ©2001. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  Recommended ReadingEmeril's There's a Chef in My Soup! Recipes for the Kid in Everyone by Emeril Lagasse "Notches-Unknown PBJ," "Gone Fishin' Fish Sticks," "Pokey Brownies," "Make-Lots-of-Friends Oven-Baked French Fries." Even the pickiest eaters will perk up their ears at these irresistible dishes from acclaimed chef and TV personality Emeril Lagasse. Packed with 75 fun, tasty, and even healthy recipes, the New Orleans chef's cookbook for kids is sure to inspire feats of culinary greatness in the youngest aspiring epicure. The big, colorful volume features clear, step-by-step instructions with a strong emphasis on safety, preparation, cleanliness, and fun. Sidebars provide the yield, ingredients, and tools needed for each recipe, and small pictures illustrate some of the trickier steps, demonstrating, for example, how to brush the "Cheesy Star Snacks" with egg white before baking. A prominently placed Caution bar at the top of the page uses icons (knife, flame, oven mitt, etc.) to let young cooks know how careful they need to be. The exuberant chef sprinkles his well-known Emerilisms--"kick it up," "oh yeah, baby," "bam!"--throughout the pages, and clever illustrations by Charles Yuen use photos of Emeril's head with cartoonish drawings of his body and the foods he celebrates. (courtesy: Amazon) |
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Let's Get Cooking!
