Thankful

I met a very kind and generous person this past summer on a flight home from London, and today I realized why our paths crossed. Andrea reminds me of my late sister, Crystal. She shares the same kind and generous spirit towards humanity. Chrissy was always an advocate for the underdog and truly sympathetic of their plight. Andrea has those same qualities.

Crystal Anne Palanza

30 Nov 1955 - 21 Nov 1981

Yes, I've been known to spark up a conversation inflight, and I've met some very nice people as a result, but the friendship was over when the wheels touched down. We didn't exchange contact information, nor did we become online friends. We shared a few hours of interesting banter then went on our merry way. With Andrea it was different.

When I took my seat we bumped arms. We both smiled and exchanged a few niceties as we settled in for the long flight home. She was heading to Maine for a family wedding, and I was coming back from a business trip. I was pleased to have a nice seat mate. 

As we perused the movie selections, I paused on The Notebook. Andrea leaned over and said, "It's great, but you'll need tissues for that one. " I usually forego the tear jerkers, as I think it best not to subject others to bouts of sobbing, but it felt like I was in good hands so I hit play.  Shortly into this touching love story the tears started flowing. As I fumbled through my purse in search of tissues, Andrea placed a packet on my table.  She patted me on the back and gave me a warm smile. Not a word was spoken, but so much was said. I moved on to my next selection, About a Boy, which required a few more tissues and finished up with Pride and Prejudice making it the perfect hat trick! Several times during this emotional movie marathon I caught Andrea's warm smile from the corner of my eye. 

We chatted a bit during the final half hour of the flight and she gave me her Facebook info. She assured me that she didn't normally do that, but she felt a connection. I was happy to connect with her. Through our daily postings we've learned more about each other. She invited me to join a food group and also sent me a private message sharing more about herself and her background. She said she wasn't sure why we were supposed to connect, but her instinct told her it was the right thing to do. I'm so grateful that she did. 

When life places a person in your path that reminds you of someone you've loved and lost, it's time to give thanks. Thank you, Andrea.

Giving Thanks

While all holidays have food traditions associated with them, Thanksgiving is almost entirely focused on the meal. No gifts to buy, or baskets to fill... perhaps a football game or parade to attend, but it's mostly about gathering together with the people we love to celebrate all that we're grateful for and all that we cherish.

I'm grateful to live on Cape Cod, a place filled with natural beauty and kind people. Having lived here for most of my life, I've made many close friends and I'm blessed with family who live close by. So whether you choose to share the day with family, friends, or perhaps you'll serve others, here are a few links that might help with your preparations. 

Thanksgiving Links:

Food Gifts: What goes around comes around

Cape Cod Cranberry Sauce

Mashed Kabocha (Buttercup) Squash

Roasted Kabocha Squash

Winter Squash Soup with Rosemary Cashews

Traditions

Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving

Winter Squash Soup with Rosemary Cashews

It's fall so I'm here to sing the praises of Kabocha (also called Buttercup) once again. Some of you may recall earlier posts extolling the virtues of this pumpkin-like hard squash that originates in Japan, and for new visitors you can take a look here:

Miso Soup with Kabocha

Roasted Kabocha Squash

Macrobiotic Kabocha Squash

For this recipe I combined Kabocha with butternut squash and the results exceeded my expectations.

Kabocha's flesh color resembles that of the butternut squash, but the texture is a bit drier and similar to a chestnut. That texture, combined with its sweet flavor, makes for velvety smooth pureed soup when paired with the juicier butternut. It's hearty, satisfying and could be the perfect starter for your Thanksgiving dinner. Gather around the fireplace with family and friends, serve up a steaming cup of this tasty soup, and reflect on all that you're grateful for as we head into the holiday season.

Kabocha Winter Squash Soup with Roasted Rosemary Cashews

Serves 6-8

1 medium sized Kabocha squash

1 small butternut squash

4 shallots, sliced thinly

5 slices of fresh ginger

2 oranges, peeled and quartered

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of pepper

2 cups/500 ml vegetable stock

1/2 cup/125 ml of almond milk

Quarter the squashes and remove the seeds. Place in a baking dish or cast iron skillet, drizzle with a little olive oil, cover with foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 90 minutes. They're done when you can easily pierce them with a fork.  Cool, remove the flesh from the skin, and place in a blender (I use the Vitamix). Add a little water to the baking dish and deglaze the pan. Add these pan juices to the blender for added flavor.

Saute the shallots in olive oil, or a few pats of butter, until they just start to brown. Add shallots, ginger, oranges, salt, pepper, vegetable stock and almond milk to the blender. Begin on low speed and slowly increase the speed to high, blending for about 1 minute, or until your soup is smooth and creamy. If the mixture is too thick just add a little more stock. Use the tamper with Vitamix to combine your ingredients, or turn off the blender and mix with a spoon then resume blending.

Roasted Rosemary Cashews
1/2 cup/72g raw cashews

Olive Oil
Pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon of finely chopped rosemary

Lightly coat the nuts with olive oil, add the salt and rosemary, then roast in a 375 degree oven until they start to brown. Once cooled, set a few whole cashews aside and coarsely chop the rest to use a garnish.

Heat the blended soup in a sauce pan until it just reaches a boil. Pour into a bowl and sprinkle each serving with chopped cashews, two whole cashews and a sprig of rosemary.

Transform this sweet, creamy goodness into a meal by adding a side salad. I served it with arugula, green apples, Kalamata olives and crumbled goat cheese all lightly dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

Traditions

I love these perennial rituals that bring family and friends closer together. Whether we're in the same location, or miles apart, these traditions become part of the rhythm of our lives. It can be something as simple as sharing gifts of food, setting the table with your great-grandmother's tablecloth, hanging that special ornament or playing a favorite game after a holiday meal. Traditions pay homage to who we are, where we come from and what we cherish most in life.

As I was setting the table for Thanksgiving I thought about Leila Saks Ranger, my husband's great-grandmother. While I never had the pleasure of meeting her, I've had numerous conversations with my mother-in-law about her life, her passion and her artistic creativity. She had an eye for beauty and the talent to transform that vision into a magnificent handbag, a needlepoint sampler, or a lovely flower arrangement. Often these heirlooms will spark an interesting conversation around the dinner table, or just quietly comfort those who remember seeing them in another home at an earlier time. 

Traditions are meant to be passed on to the next generation. This year Ally and her cousins, Chloe and Nicholas, prepared the desserts for our holiday meal. Chloe made a delicious apple pie using a recipe from the original Silver Palette cookbook, while Ally made a traditional pumpkin tart that she served with a caramel sauce. I helped with the crust as that takes a while to master, but we left them on their own to assemble and bake their creations.

Nicholas arrived with his masterpiece which tasted as good as it looked. With the dessert making in more than capable hands, my sister and I went out to dinner on Wednesday evening and decided this might just become our new tradition. It was a welcome respite before a full day in the kitchen.

As we make the seque into the Christmas season, it's time to hang one of my favorite decorations: Stolle's angel. Some wonder why I'm so enamored with this bubble wrap angel and all I can say is that a gift made by a child can really strike a chord. Stolle presented it to me when she was about six years old and I was so impressed with what she created from some very simple, albeit unusual, materials. Who looks at bubble wrap and thinks of an angel? Obviously, an insightful child. With all the hustle, bustle and commercialism of Christmas it's sometimes hard to stay focused on what's really important, so this angel is a loving and gentle reminder as we head into the holiday season.

Kabocha Squash

This dark green winter squash is also know as Japanese Pumpkin. My introduction to it was through a macrobiotic cooking class. It's a staple of the Japanese diet, and I was enthralled with the nutty flavor at first bite. This preparation uses just a few ingredients, which is the essence of macrobiotic cooking and the way I like to eat food.

I also use kabocha in miso and other winter soups. Its texture is firmer than butternut squash and the skin is edible, too.  Personally, I think the skin tastes best when you roast the squash in the oven with a little olive oil, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, brown rice or maple syrup, and salt and pepper. This mashed version is a great side dish for Thanksgiving and can be prepared ahead of time.

Japanese-style Kabocha Squash
1 medium sized Kabocha squash, washed, peeled and seeds removed

(select a squash with dark green skin as the flesh will be sweeter)

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 small sweet white onion, sliced into crescents

1 cup of water

1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (I like Eden brand)

Salt and pepper

After you've peeled and deseeded the squash, cut in into 1 inch chunks.

Add the olive and sesame oils to the pan and saute the onions until golden brown. Add the squash and the water. The water should come about 1/2 way up the side of your pan.

Bring to a boil, then cover the pan and allow to simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the squash is very tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. (If the liquid cooks out too quickly during the cooking process add a bit more water).  Add salt and pepper, to taste.

I like mine with some texture so I use a hand masher, but you can use a electric mixer to obtain a creamier texture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow the squash to sit for at least 15 minutes before serving. It gets sweeter if it sits for a while. This simple recipe brings out the sweet, nutty flavor of this delicious winter squash.

Green Beans with Crispy Shallots

A few months ago I did a cooking demonstration at Highfield Hall in Falmouth with my very talented nephew, Nicholas Flowers. He's in his junior year at BU attending their hospitality program, and will be pursuing a career as a professional chef. I have no doubt that he'll be very successful. Nicholas contributed this delicious recipe, which makes a lovely accompaniment to lamb, beef, or a roasted chicken.

Green Beans with Crispy Shallots

1 pound green beans, stems removed
2 tbsp olive oil
3 large shallots
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Boil a large pot of salted water and prep a large bowl of ice water. Blanch the beans in the boiling water for about 2.5 minutes, then immediately transfer them to the ice water to stop the cooking. (This step can be done in advance if necessary, but the beans must be removed from the water as soon as they are cool to prevent them from getting water logged.)

Slice 1 shallot, keeping the rings whole and the slices about 1/16 in thick.

 

Chop the other 2 shallots into a small dice.

In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high until hot but not smoking. Add the sliced shallots and cook until dark and crispy.

Remove these shallots from the pan and set asisde.  Add the butter to the pan and when it's melted and hot add the remaining diced shallots. Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until tender but not crispy. Add the blanched beans, and salt and pepper. Add the lemon zest after one minute and cook until the beans are hot. Remove from heat, add the lemon juice and top with sliced shallots. Serve hot. Enjoy!

Update on Nicholas (added 14 Nov 2011): Nicholas graduated from BU's School of Hospitality in 2010 and has landed a job with SAP, the German software company working as a consultant in their retail software division. I guess the restaurant plans are on hold for now. 

Cape Cod Cranberry Sauce

I started this tradition several years ago with my family and a few close friends. Every Thanksgiving I make the sauce and distribute it to a few adoring fans. One friend carried it with her on a trip to Paris for the Thanksgiving dinner she prepared while on vacation. A dear friend in Connecticut tells me that it's just not Thanksgiving without the sauce. My hairdresser in NYC has made it a special part of her holiday meal. I love doing it because it brings me a little bit closer to people that I don't see nearly as often as I would like to.

While you can make just enough for the holiday by cutting the recipe in half, I like to make a larger batch and process it in Mason jars so we can enjoy it throughout the winter. It's a great accompaniment to chicken and pork. Recently, I tried it on a piece of toast with peanut butter and it was pretty good, so I'm sure not a drop will go to waste. 

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

48oz cranberries (4 - 12oz bags)

2 cups sugar (use 1 cup if you like a more tart sauce)

3 cups orange juice

3 oranges peeled and cut into small pieces

Rind of one orange (diced)

3 - 1 Qt ball jars or 6 pint jars with lids and bands

Wash the cranberries and remove any stems or small leaves.

Place in a heavy stockpot.  Add sugar, orange juice, oranges and chopped orange rind.

Bring to a boil and let simmer at a slow boil until the cranberries are very soft.  Some will pop.

Pour into prepared ball jars following directions included with the jars, leaving about 1/2 inch at the top of the jar. (Photo below was taken by Ally Iseman)

Place prepared jars into the water bath and fill until the jar lids are covered with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove and allow to cool.  Tighten the bands on the jars.  Cranberry sauce may be stored in a cool place for 10-12 months.  They make a wonderful gift.  Just wrap them in cello and tie with a ribbon.

Waiting for pick-up.