Bourbon-Walnut Sweet Potato Mash

Although my focus is on holiday cookie making this month, I want to give a nod to a dish I made twice recently, once for Sunday dinner at my cousin Jeanne’s house and once for Thanksgiving. This recipe is a winner because it takes advantage of all the yams in the markets these days (they seem to be particularly sweet right now), and because it’s super easy. It’s perfect for a multi-course meal that includes other more time-consuming dishes. You can make it a day ahead; just heat it up in the microwave and sprinkle the nuts on top before serving. Because of the bourbon, maple syrup, and allspice, this dish has a wonderfully distinctive flavor that sets it apart as a cold weather side dish.

Bourbon-Walnut Sweet Potato Mash
from Bon Appetit, November 2007

Ingredients:

- 4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 6 Tbsp (3/4 cup) butter
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp bourbon
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350°F.

2) Roast potatoes on rimmed baking sheet until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

3) Cool slightly. Scoop flesh into large bowl; discard skins.

4) Mash hot potatoes until coarse puree forms.

5) Heat cream and butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until butter melts, stirring occasionally.

6) Gradually stir hot cream mixture into hot potatoes.

7) Stir in syrup, bourbon, and all spices. Season with salt and pepper.

8) Before serving, sprinkle nuts over and serve.

Serves 8-10.

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Tis the Season: Holiday Gifts

Some years, I find Christmas shopping more difficult than usual. This is one of those years. There are a couple people on my list (my new fifteen-year-old niece and my mom) who have me stymied—if you have any recommendations for a hip London teen and a mother who has everything, please feel free to let me know. And just in case anyone who comes across this blog is looking for suggestions, I have a couple I’d like to offer … plus, this gives me a chance to promote some people and projects very close to my heart.

A Dose of Our Minds

For the last two and a half years, I have been leading a teen writing workshop at the Alexandria House neighborhood program in Los Angeles. Last year, we published a book of the teens’ poetry, essays, and artwork. I admit, I’m partial, because these are such amazing kids (I’ve known most of them for years), but outsiders have told me that their work really is moving. It gets to the heart of being an inner city teen. And if you buy a copy, profits go back into the program for writing supplies, new books, photography field trips, and a new volume of their writing next year. A great gift for creative teens.

Click here to purchase A Dose of Our Minds

The Sushi Book

Published by Things Asian Press, (the same publisher behind my To Asia With Love guidebook series), The Sushi Book is for hardcore sushi lovers. This primer by Celeste Heiter covers everything: sushi history, sushi etiquette, sushi lingo, etc. There’s even a chapter of basic recipes for making a sushi dinner at home. Photos are full color and add to the book’s gift appeal.

Click here to purchase The Sushi Book

Click here to purchase To Asia With Love

Click here to go to Celeste’s food blog: Chopstick Cinema

The Unprejudiced Palate

Slow, locally grown food. Are foodies talking about anything else these days? With “locavore” named as the Oxford English Dictionary’s 2007 Word of the Year, and Alice Waters’ recently published treatise/cookbook endorsing her “delicious revolution,” it’s clear that this trend is here to stay. But long before Chez Panisse, back in 1948, Angelo Pellegrini was arguing for the slo-lo way in The Unprejudiced Palate. Having immigrated to the US from Italy, Pellegrini was appalled by the way Americans approached food, and his book is a rebuttal, as well as a primer on how to eat—and therefore live—well. Since he grew as much of his food as he could, and even made his own wine, he knows of what he speaks.

Click here to purchase The Unprejudiced Palate

The Little Saigon Cookbook

Ah, I just can’t help myself. Written by my pal Ann Le, photographed by my sis Julie Fay Ashborn, and featuring my favorite food: Vietnamese … it’s always a winner.

Click here to purchase The Little Saigon Cookbook

Click here to purchase Julie’s Southeast Asia note cards

Spices from Didier Corlou

If you just happen to be in Hanoi this holiday season, pop into La Verticale, Didier Corlou’s new restaurant, which also features a spice shop. I had the good fortune of spending time with Didier a few years ago, when I was in Vietnam researching Communion (coming soon, I promise). Then, he headed up the kitchen at the Metropole. His food was exquisite. Though I haven’t been to La Verticale yet, I just know it’s amazing. But I can vouch for the spices he sells, as my publisher kindly sent me a box of the best, including pepper, cinnamon, a pho blend, a nuoc mam salt, and more.

La Verticale
19 Ngo Van So St.
Hoan Kiem District
Hanoi
(84-04) 944-6317

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Crock Pot Beef Burgundy

Crock Pot Beef Burgundy
from The Gourmet Slow Cooker, by Lynn Alley

I was given my crock pot for Christmas last year, and I’ve used it twice, both times for this recipe. Once last summer (a bad idea considering the heat) and once a week ago … perfect for the chill that’s finally in the air at night. I know that the point of crock pot cooking is simplicity: just throw a bunch of stuff in the pot and leave it until a miraculously fantastic dish occurs. This recipe, while easy, does require some sautéing, though you could probably go without if you’re feeling lazy. It’s satisfying on day one, and even better on days two and three, squished between two slabs of buttered bread.

Ingredients:

- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 ½ lbs beef stew meat, trimmed of fat, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups full-bodied red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Beaujolais
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 20 baby white onions
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 lb small button mushrooms, halved
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh thyme, for garnish

Directions:

Prepare meat:

1) Combine the flour and salt in a resealable plastic bag. Add the meat to the bag, several pieces at a time, and shake to coat completely.

2) Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 2 Tbsp of the oil. In batches if necessary, add the beef and cook, turning, for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned on all sides. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain, then arrange in the slow cooker.

3) Add the wine to the pan and stir over medium-high heat to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Stir in salt to taste. Add the garlic, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Pour over the beef in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours until the meat is very tender.

Prepare onions (to add one hour before beef is done):

4) While the stew is cooking, peel and trim the onions. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil. Add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. One hour before serving, add the onions to the stew and continue cooking until the onions are tender.

Prepare mushrooms (to add half an hour before beef is done):

Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the mushrooms to the stew 30 minutes before serving. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Transfer the stew to a soup tureen. Garnish with the chopped thyme and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6.

Next up from this book: Apricot Chicken. There is also a curry I'd like to try.

Crock pot note:
I know that there are some wonderful gourmet crock pots out there … I think it was some fancy All-Clad Slow Cooker that all the food magazines were raving about earlier this year … but mine does an admirable job and can be found at Target for $20 or less.

SERVE IT FORTH: INDEX OF RECIPES