Pear and Gorgonzola Salad

This recipe is from the kitchen of Kim Barnes and Don Bryant. We know Kim is a wonderful cook—and this is not just hearsay from Don! But frankly, Kim has been on the road so much, consulting and training trainers, that we wonder how she found time to come up with this recipe, as well as the recipe for parsnip pureé and winter fruits and walnuts in cream that follow!

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe Bartlett pears
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 8 oz. Gorgonzola cheese at room temperature, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 bunches of watercress, washed, dried and stems trimmed
• 16 walnut halves, coarsely chopped

Method:

1. Cut the pears in half and remove the core and stem with a melon baller.
2. Cut off a thin slice of the round part of each pear half so it will sit flat on the plate. Set aside.
3. Whisk the olive oil into the vinegar. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
4. Place a pear half in the center of each salad plate. Lean the cheese slices up against the pears. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette on top of the four pears. Toss the watercress with the remaining vinaigrette and mound on top of the pears. Sprinkle with the walnut pieces, and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

Serves four

Main Dish: Winey Pot Roast

Joel Kleinbaum, Information Systems Manager and Web Master, contributed this recipe. He calls it “Brasato di manzo,” which we think is just a fancy way of saying braised beef. Joel says that this is great served with either mashed potatoes or polenta, and is especially good with Kim’s recipe for pureéd parsnips, following. Joel also rarely misses a chance to add wild mushrooms to a dish. He says for that extra special treat, reconstitute 1 ounce of dried poricini mushrooms in hot water, chop the mushrooms, and add both the mushrooms and the soaking liquid to the pot roast when you add the carrots and onions.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lb. boneless chuck roast or brisket, trimmed of visible fat
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 3-4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1-2 bottles sturdy red wine, Barbera, Dolcetto, Zinfandel, or Syrah
• 1 bay leaf, studded with 3 cloves
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 3 sprigs parsley
• 4-5 juniper berries (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic, mashed
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• Olive oil for browning

Method:

1. If using boneless chuck, marinate overnight in a non-metal dish. Salt and pepper the meat, cover with the wine (reserve the rest of the wine for cooking), add the bay leaf with cloves, the rosemary, parsley, garlic, and juniper berries (if using). If using brisket, salt and pepper before cooking.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a Dutch oven (or another pot safe for the oven and stove top) heat up a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Brown the meat on all sides. Add the marinade (if used), and/or the wine, herbs, cloves, garlic, and juniper berries. Add wine until meat is almost covered (if you've used the entire amount, you can add water). Bring to a boil, cover, and place in the oven.
4. In a large skillet, slowly sauté the onions and carrots in olive oil until the carrots begin to soften and the onions caramelize a bit (light golden brown). Add the onions and carrots to the roast.
5. In the oven, very slowly simmer the roast for 3-4 hours (depending on the tenderness of the meat and your oven). The meat should be very tender, but not stringy. You might need to add water from time to time.
6. When ready to serve, cut the meat into thick slices, skim any fat off the liquid in the pot, and boil the liquid down to the consistency of a thin gravy (you might want to remove the garlic and herbs). Serve with the gravy and the vegetables.
7. You can do steps 1-5 a day before serving. Just refrigerate the roast in it's liquid. It will taste even better the next day.

Serves 6-8

Parmesan Parsnip Pureé with Leeks and Carrots
Kim Barnes & Don Bryant

Parsnips have a sweet, slightly peppery taste. Pureé them with carrots, leeks, and Parmesan cheese for a pale gold side dish similar in texture to mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. parsnips, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 small carrots, peeled and cut crosswise in 1/2 inch pieces (1 1/4 cups)
• 2 leeks, white part only, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Method:

1. In a large saucepan, bring parsnips, carrots, leeks, and 1/2 cup broth to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
2. Put parsnip mixture and remaining ingredients except cheese in food processor or blender and pureé.
3. To serve, spoon into a serving dish and sprinkle with cheese.

Microwave Method:

1. Put parsnips, carrots, leeks, and broth in a 1-quart microwave-safe dish. Cover with plastic wrap.
2. Microwave on 100% power (high) for 5 -6 minutes, or until tender. Let cool for 5 minutes, then proceed as directed above.

Stuffed Cabbage

Janne Rochlin, our Director of Client Services and Chief Trainer, contributed this recipe. Janne says it has been in the family for years. Janne also says you can serve this as an appetizer, main dish, or side dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 head green cabbage
• 1 lb. ground meat (beef or turkey, Janne uses turkey)
• 1 cup parboiled rice (Janne uses brown rice)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup liquid (water, wine, tomato juice, juice from canned tomatoes, below)
• Spices to taste
• 1 bottle chili sauce
• 1 can whole cranberry sauce
• 1 can chopped or diced tomatoes or stewed tomatoes

Separate as many cabbage leaves as possible after cutting out and discarding the core. Steam the leaves until pliable. Blanch the leaves water that has been brought to a boil, rinse, and cool.

Mix together the meat, rice, eggs, liquid and spices. Place a portion of meat mixture on the cabbage leaf and roll, folding in the sides as you go. The amount of meat mixture will depend on the size of the leaf. The leaf should be large enough to roll about 1 1/2 times around the meat. Place rolls in a baking pan.

Heat together the chili sauce, cranberry sauce, and tomatoes. When the cranberry sauce has melted and everything is blended, pour the sauce over the rolls. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Uncover and let stand for 10 minutes.

Serves 4 as a main course or six as a side dish.

Dessert: Winter Fruits and Walnuts in Cream*
Kim Barnes & Don Bryant

Ingredients:

• 6 large prunes (or, as we now say, dried plums)
• 6 large figs (fresh or dried)
• 10 dates, chopped
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• Small amount of sherry
• 1 1/2 tbsp. honey, warmed
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Method:

1. Soak raisins in sherry for 15 minutes.
2. Mix fruit and nuts with warmed honey.
3. Fold in whipped cream.
4. Serve in chilled glasses.

Note: many combinations of fresh or dried winter fruits work well in this recipe; dried apricots are a nice addition.

Southern Style Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

Meagan McCrystle, our new Marketing and Sales Associate, came up with this rich and warming dessert. Look for an introduction of Meagan in our next newsletter.

Bread Pudding Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 3/4 cups whipping cream
• 4 cups French bread, cubed

Combine first 4 ingredients; stir in butter and whipping cream. Gently stir in bread. Pour into a lightly greased 2-quart souffle or deep-baking dish.

Bake at 375 degrees for 50-55 minutes, shielding with aluminum foil after 30 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Let pudding stand 10 minutes before pouring warm vanilla sauce on top.

For Vanilla Sauce:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 dash of ground nutmeg
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 1/4 cups whipping cream
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Whisk first 7 ingredients in a heavy saucepan; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 10-12 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract, Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 1 3/4 cups

Servers 4-6

Chilled Caramel Apple Shooter

Carter Serrett, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, contributed this recipe. According to to Carter, it tastes like chilled caramel apple melting in your mouth... Mmmmmm!!!!

• Refrigerate 1 bottle DeKupyers Butterscotch Schnapps
• Refrigerate 1 bottle DeKupyers Apple Schnapps
• Pour equal parts over ice and stir....

Wine Recommendations
Eric Beckman and Joel Kleinbaum

• For the Mongolian Hot Pot, try a dry Gewürztraminer from California's Anderson Valley or the Pacific Northwest.
• For the Asparagus Appetizer, try Prosecco, or another spritzy white.
• The German Potato Salad calls for a good old American micro brew. Try a red or amber ale. (If you don't like beer, a dry Riesling or Gewürztraminer—especially from Alsace—would be nearly perfect).
• For the Pear Gorgonzola Salad, serve Prosecco, or a semi-sweet sparkling Muscat.
• For the Pot Roast, Barolo, if you have some in your cellar that you need to drink. If not, a sturdy Barbera from Italy, Zinfandel from California, or Pinot Noir from Oregon or California's Anderson Valley would be just fine.
• Stuffed Cabbage: Try Sangiovese or Chianti Classico. Also Zinfandel and Barbera would be good.
• Dessert: Port for either of the desserts, or try a rich, sweet late-harvest Semillon with the winter dried fruits.

How to Avoid Jet-Lag Over the Holidays
Eric Beckman, Vice President

Planning on traveling this holiday season? Some people suffer more from jet-lag than others, but anyone who does a lot of traveling will encounter it from time to time. How can we avoid the exhausting effects of long plane rides and time zone changes? Recent studies point to what we eat. Argonne National Laboratory has a plan evolved from their research to help shake the air travel blues.

Start three days before departure.

• Day One: Eat a hearty high protein breakfast and lunch, followed by a high carbohydrate dinner. No coffee/caffeine except between 3 pm and 5 pm.
• Day Two: Eat only light meals of salad, light soups, fruits, and juices. No coffee except between 3 pm and 5 pm.
• Departure Day: Fast. Consume caffeinated beverages only in the morning when traveling west or between 6 pm and 11 pm when traveling east. If going west, the fast can be for half a day. No alcohol on the plane. Break the fast at breakfast time at the destination.
• If the flight is long enough, Sleep until normal breakfast time for the destination, but no longer. Eat a high protein breakfast and stay awake and active. Eat at normal meal times for the destination. Try to spend some time in sunlight, as this helps to reset the body's internal clock more quickly.

Adapted from Health & Fitness magazine

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