If you’ve got horseradish growing on your land, you will always have horseradish. Like comfrey, it’s often found around old farmsteads and the distinctive plants tend to thrive forever!
The good news, or further good news ,is that once the ground is soft ( we also call this MUD SEASON in Maine) you can dig some of it up, wash it and bring it into your kitchen to grind. If you haven’t any on your property, it can be found as an early offering at a farm stand.
Preparing fresh horseradish is easy. I prefer to make it in small quantities and more often. Using fresh horseradish will improve so many things you already love. Trust me.
INGREDIENTS
4 OZ HORSERADISH ROOT.
2 TB. WATER, OR AS NEEDED
1 TB WHITE VINEGAR, MORE AS NEEDED
A PINCH OF SEA SALT
METHOD with food processor
SCRUB THE ROOT AND DRY IT.
USE A PEELER TO PEEL THE ROOT.
DICE INTO LARGE PIECES.
PULSE, ADDING WATER TO PROCESS, UNTIL WELL GROUND. ( KEEP THIS AWAY FROM YOUR EYES!)
ADD THE VINEGAR AND SALT AND MIX WELL.
STORE IN A TIGHTLY COVERED CONTAINER . THIS WILL KEEP A LONG WHILE.
TIPS: WHEN USING, I OFTEN SQUEEZE SOME OF THE WATER OUT THROUGH A SIEVE SO AS NOT TO GET WATERY COCKTAIL SAUCE, FOR EXAMPLE.
This fresh horseradish will take your Sunday Bloody to the next level….Enjoy responsibly!
SAVOY TRUFFLE “you’ll have to have them all pulled out after the Savoy truffle” the Beatles
Truffles are easy and decadent.
Simply, melted chocolate ( choose the best!) mixed with cream and butter. Chill, roll and coat.
THIS RECIPE CAN BE MADE IN THE MICROWAVE
MAKES 24 TRUFFLES
10 OZ DARK CHOCOLATE ( COOKING chocolate, not baking chocolate)
2 TB UNSALTED BUTTER
1/2 CUP CREAM
Combine in a non metallic bowl. Cover and micro wave in several short bursts. Stir until smooth, this is called a GANACHE.
Let it cool in the refrigerator for a few hours.
When cool, roll into bite sized balls and place back in the fridge while you assemble the coatings: cocoa or powdered sugar are popular, I use cocoa with a bit of chili!
Keep the mixture super cold while coating, then place immediately back into the fridge until time to serve…..share and enjoy!
Ring in the New Year Right! Serves six, this recipe doubles well and is pretty quick to pull together.
We like whiskey in our egg nog, not the traditional rum. So, that’s how we serve it at home.
I’ve tried it both ways and I much prefer my eggnog “not completely raw”, We use backyard eggs and separate the yolks, beating them with sugar and FRESH nutmeg, and a dash of mace, then cooking them over low heat until you achieve a simmer. Then temper the hot egg mixture into the raw eggs slowly, so as not to curdle. Here’s the recipe:
INGREDIENTS
6 eggs, separated, beat the whites till stiff peaks, set aside
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
2 cups whole milk
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg, pinch salt and vanilla optional
METHOD
Whisk the eggs and sugar, vanilla, salt in a medium sized bowl until creamy.
In a sauce pan, over medium heat stir together milk, cream and nutmeg/mace until a simmer is achieved.
Slowly add the hot milk to the eggs mixture ( this is tempering)a spoonful at a time, then return the mixture to the stove.
Whisk constantly until thickened a bit ( minute or two), then allow to cool.
When cooled we fold the stiffly beaten whites into the mixture and let everyone add their spirit of choice or this is also delicious “virgin”. Top with a grate if fresh nutmeg
Best enjoyed around the fireplace with loved ones. Cheers!
The Snickerdoodle is a Maine favorite all year round, but they really hit their stride at the holidays.
Tangy, chewy and tasting warmly of cinnamon, they’re just plain good. Basically a sugar cookie, I’ve heard them referred to as an Amish sugar cookie and were first documented in the mid-18th century by the Moravians. Cookie historians suspect the name “snickerdoodle” was a bastardization of the German “schneckennudel”, which is a cinnamon spiced dessert.
What makes my recipe a little different is the addition of freshly ground nutmeg, which always is a winner at my house”
The technique is the same as for any cookie.
METHOD
Sift the dry ingredients.
Cream the sugar, eggs and vanilla until very light. This is where I grate in the fresh nutmeg to taste.
Combine the two and chill covered before you form into small balls, which then get coated in cinnamon sugar.
Bake at 350 degrees , preheated, and I would double pan mine.
INGREDIENTS
Here are the amounts needed:
1 c unsalted softened butter
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tb. Vanilla
2 3/4 AP flour
1/2 tsp. Baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. Cream of tartar ( for tang and rise)
Dash of salt
Cinnamon and sugar for rolling the raw cookie balls in.
After they are baked, remove to a cooling rack, they should be crinkly, crispy at the edges and with a chewy interior.
Tasked with elevating the Thanksgiving table, especially the sweet finish, try my tried and true PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD.
I like to add a few unusual things to make mine extra spicy. Here at Laura cabot Catering we double down on the powdered ginger, grind fresh pepper, chop candied ginger and break out the dry mustard powder as welcome additions to spiciness.
It comes out of the oven trailing pumpkin spiciness and just begs for a hot mulled cider to go with it.
Fast, easy, warming and so fragrantly delicious you’ll want to throw a party!
A TERRIFIC “GO TO” RIGHT THRU NEW YEAR. GREAT FOR HOLIDAY GIFTING.
PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD, 2 LARGE LOAVES
INGREDIENTS
31/2 c. AP FLOUR
2 TSP. BAKING SODA
1/2 tsp. SALT
2 tsp. CINNAMON
2 TB GROUND GINGER
1tsp. CLOVE ,ground
2tsp. Freshly grated NUTMEG
1/4 tsp. FRESH BLACK PEPPER
1/c cup chopped candied ginger a few RAISINS, optional
4 LARGE EGGS1-15 OZ Can of ONE PIE PUMPKIN PUREE
1 1/2 C. SUGAR
1 CUP DR, BROWN SUGAR
1 CUP VEG OIL, I PREFER OLIVE OIL
1/4 CUP. MOLASSAS
1 TPS. FRESH GRATED GINGER
1TP. VANILLA EXTRACT
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES
COMBINE DRY INGREDIENTS, THEN WET IN SEPERATE BOWLS
COMBINE THE TWO. BEAT UNTIL COMBINED.
TURN INTO A GREASED LOAF PAN AND SPRINKLE THE TOPS WITH SUGAR.
Let’s take the mystery out of creating this “go to” fall dessert, which is easy, yet has so much star power! This rolled cake takes a half hour to prep and not very long to bake, since it’s so thin. It’s spicy, moist and easy to produce ( don’t tell!). I like to add some Mascarpone cheese to my cream cheese for a bit of tang, but if you can’t find it, this comes out equally well without it for the filling.
INGREDIENTS
3/4 CUP SIFTED AP FLOUR
1 TSP BAKING POWDER
1/2 TSP BAKING SODA
1 TB GROUND CINNAMON
1/2 TB FESHLY GROUND NUTMEG
A SMIDGE OF MACE AND CLOVE, DASH OF SALT
3 LARGE EGGS, BEATEN
2/3 CANNED PUMPIN PUREE( WE LIKE ONE PIE BRAND)
1/2 CUP LIGHT BR SUGAR
1/2 CUP WHITE SUGAR
1 TB VANILLA
HAVE SOME POWDERED SUGAR ON HAND TO ROLL THE CAKE
METHOD
PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES
GREASE A 10 BY 15 INCH SHEET PAN, THEN LINE WITH PARCHMENT PAPER.
SIFT ALL DRY INGREDIENTS AND SET ASIDE
MIX ALL WET INGREDIENTS
COMBINE THE TWO, STIR UNTIL WELL COMBINED.
SPREAD BATTER EVENLY INTO PREPARED PAN. BAKE FOR 15 TO 18 MINUTES.
SPREAD OUT A CLEAN TEA TOWEL AND SPRINKLE WITH POWDERED SUGAR.
WHEN CAKE IS DONE BAKING, INVERT IMMEDIATELY ONTO THE TOWEL, PEEL OFF PARCHEMENT PAPER CAREFULLY.
ROLL THE CAKE UP SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY AND ALLOW TO COOL FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, WHILE ROLLED UP.
PREPARE ICING
1/4 CUP SOFTENED BUTTER
5 OZ SOFTENED CREAM CHEESE, 2 OZ MASCARPONE
1 1/2 CUP CONFECTIONERS SUGAR
VANILLA TO TASTE
BEAT ALL TOGETHER IN A MIXER UNTIL CREAMY, SET ASIDE.
TO FILL
GENTLY UNROLL THE CAKE, FLATTENING IT OUT CAREFULLY.
SPREAD FROSTING EVENLY LEAVING A SHALLOW BORDER AROUND ALL EDGES.
ROLLUP AGAIN TIGHTLY AND PLACE UNDER REFRIGERATION FOR 20 MINUTES.
TO SERVE
SLICE AND SERVE WITH WHIPPED CEAM AND CANDIED GINGER DUST! NOW GO LOOK AT SOME COLORFUL LEAVES!
YOUR BUMPER CROP OF JALAPENOS. 3 CUPS, DICED SMALL
RED ONION, FINE DICE
SUGAR, 3/4 CUP
SALT 1 TSP
PEPPER, TO TASTE
VINEGAR, WE USE WHITE 1 CUP
CELERY SEED, 1 TSP. TOASTED
Method Basically, combine all ingredients. Stir, then simmer lightly for ten minutes. It will thicken slightly as it cools. At this point, you may choose to can it with a hot water bath, or simply place it in a sterile glass jar, tightly lidded, after it cools ( 20 minutes) This will hold in your fridge for a few weeks.
We love this on a grilled fish taco or a burger….You can’t lose!
PREP TIME: 30min
MAKES 2 QUARTS and doubles easily, freezes well
SERVES 8-10
Ratatouille is the perfect way to use up the garden’s August bounty, and is adaptable to whatever vegetables you may have to use up, in varying proportions.
The usual suspects are garlic, onion, sweet peppers, eggplant, the summer squashes and tomato. Good olives oil is required.
DICE all the vegetables on the large side.
CHOP the herbs you wish to include ( add towards the end for brightness)
CHOOSE a heavy pot, lavish the bottom with oil.
BROWN the veggies in batches so they retain their character. Tomatoes last.
TRANSFER to a large and deep baking sheet or hotel pan.
BAKE IN OVEN at 350 degrees, covered, stir occasionally and season with bay leaf, salt and pepper as well as thyme and basil for about 45 minutes to an hour or more, depending on desired doneness.
I like to pair mine with a crusty baguette, fresh chopped herbs on top as well as good cheese on the side. This is a light, yet tasty and filling dish that only gets better.
More than ever, my guests are eating a “plant forward” or Vegan diet , or simply avoiding the heavier appetizers.
That’s the time to say “we see you” with an appetizer that will please everyone, even that thin-as -a -rail Vegan niece.
Try visualizing “whirled peas”. No really! Fresh, blanched and drained peas whirled in the cuisinart with good EVOO, Parmesan, parsley leaves, seasonings and toasted pine nuts.
Bright green and velvety, this spread needs no recipe, just salt to tastes and spread on freshly toasted baguette right before serving. The color will oxidize if done too far ahead.
Simple, good for you and appealing even to kids….VISUALIZE WHIRLED PEAS this Independence Day!
The Snickerdoodle is a Maine favorite all year round, but they really hit their stride at the holidays.
