About the Virtual Feast

Our year-end newsletter traditionally comes with a “virtual feast” of recipes from our staff. The feast was inspired by our annual December potluck lunch, a long-standing Barnes & Conti tradition. The virtual feast is so popular, that we continue making the virtual feast the centerpiece of our holiday newsletter. Alas, Barnes & Conti is now completely virtual, and  our potluck is sorely missed. We have to engage in our own virtual feast by sharing recipes with one another! Z

As our expression of gratitude to you—our readers, clients, friends, and associates—we hope you will try at least a few of these recipes and will enjoy them as you celebrate the holidays with friends and family.

Recipes in the Feast

• Appetizer: Elegant Figs with Goat Cheese and Almonds
  Operations Manager Elaine Turcotte contributed this simple yet elegant dish.
  
• Salad: Pear and Gorgonzola Salad
  Kim Barnes contributed this classic recipe in our 2003 holiday newsletter. We thought it was well-worth sharing with our updated and expanded newsletter family 20 years later.
• Main Dish: Pistachio Crusted Salmon
  Lauren Powers, SVP of Business Development, contributed this quick, easy, and festive recipe that is a family favorite.
• Main Dish: Tagine of Chicken with Orange Juice and Olives
  Joel Kleinbaum, Tech Guy and Home Chef, developed this take off on a classic Moroccan tagine.
• Side Dish: Sweet and Sour Braised Red Cabbage
  Joel Kleinbaum, contributed this Middle Eastern take on a Central European classic.
• Dessert: Crostata di Marmelata — Jam Tart
  Kim Barnes enjoyed this pastry in Italy, and when she returned, discovered a recipe in her collection that matched! The Italian version was made with apricot jam.
• Dessert: Mrs. Silver's Pears
  Lauren Powers submitted this simple and elegant recipe. The recipe is a family classic, passed down from a friend of Lauren's mother.
  

Appetizer: Elegant Figs with Goat Cheese and Almonds

Elaine Turcotte, Operations Manager

Elaine introduced us to this recipe back in 2013. It is now officially a Barnes & Conti classic. Elaine says that this is a favorite cheesy appetizer of hers. “Friends from Berlin introduced me to a version of this simple and delicious appetizer. They used a nice blue cheese in place of the goat cheese. It will take about 18 minutes to make.”

Ingredients:

• 12 fresh figs, halved
• 4 ounces herbed goat cheese (chevre) (Note: or if you want to make the original, use a nice soft blue cheese, such as roquefort, gorgonzola, or one from the Auvergne in France)
• 24 almonds (Spanish Marcona almonds if available)
• 1 tbsp honey (optional)
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven broiler for high heat.
2. Place the fig halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet.
3. Top each half with about 1/2 teaspoon cheese.
4. Place one almond on each, press to push the cheese slightly into each fig.
5. Broil the figs in the preheated broiler until the cheese is soft and the almonds are turning a rich shade of brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Remove from the broiler and let cool for 5 minutes.
7. Arrange the figs on a serving platter and drizzle with honey and balsamic vinegar. Serve warm.

Makes 24 appetizers. Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Pear and Gorgonzola Salad

Kim Barnes

This recipe is a classic from our Holiday Newsletter in 2003! Kim Barnes contributed it, and if you love pears and blue cheese—not to mention the way the two perfectly complement one another, this recipe is every bit as good now as it was then!

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: Pistachio Crusted Salmon

Lauren Powers, SVP Business Development

Lauren writes: “Whole Foods and Wegman’s each had already breaded versions of this weekly mainstay that I would then pop into the oven for a quick meal. Suddenly, Whole Foods no longer carried it and I was on my own. So I created my own recipe combining some of the ingredients from both stores’ versions. It was so easy, very quick and really good!”

“I did not use any measurements so you will have to work according to your own preferences.”

“Our favorite way to serve this is with Bob’s favorite breadcrumb noodles.”

Ingredients:

• One salmon fillet for each person
• A few tbsps Hellman’s mayonnaise
• A few tbsps Grey Poupon Mustard
• 1/2 – 1 tsp wasabi powder
• Pistachio nuts, salted, shelled and chopped finely
• Panko breadcrumbs (I use Italian flavored)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. Mix mayonnaise, mustard and wasabi.
3. Chop pistachios.
4. Combine equal portions of nuts to panko breadcrumbs and season with salt, pepper and garlic salt.
5. Spread a light coating of mayo mixture on top and sides of fish (not on skin).
6. Coat sides and tip of fish with breadcrumb mixture.
7. Place fillets skin-side down in greased ceramic baking dish.
8. Roast for 10 minutes until done.

Main Dish: Tagine of Chicken with Orange Juice and Olives

Joel Kleinbaum, Tech Guy and Home Chef

Joel says that this is a take-off of a classic Moroccan tagine with chicken, olives, and preserved lemons. This is milder, less tangy, and a bit sweet with the orange juice. The olives not only add a savory tang, but express the hope for peace. (Note: A tagine is a classic Moroccan stew, slow cooked with lots of ingredients. You can cook it in a tagine, but this recipe is modified for home cooks who have a pot for stewing.)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 - 3 lbs. chicken parts, dark meat preferred (Joel uses thighs. White meat doesn't respond well to the long, slow cooking.)
• 1 large or 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp+ ground cumin
• Generous 1/4 tsp saffron
• Juice of 2 medium oranges
• 1 – 2 bay leaves
• 1/3 cup water
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbps olive oil
• 10-15 pitted green olives, halved if they are large

Method:

1. Salt and pepper the chicken to your taste
2. If you have a mortar and pestle and are using saffron threads, grind the saffron to a powder in the mortar and pestle, with a pinch of salt.
3. In a deep pot with a heavy bottom, Sauté the onion in the olive oil over medium heat until the onion just begins to caramelize. Add the garlic and sauté for another few minutes. Add the cumin and stir for a few seconds, until the cumin is fragrant
4. Move the onion and garlic to the sides (or remove from the pan) and add the seasoned chicken. Brown lightly on all sides.
5. Add the water, orange juice, saffron, and bay leaves. Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer gently over low heat
6. After 30 minutes, add the olives and continue to simmer. The chicken should be very tender, nearly falling off the bone. Total cooking time is about 40-60 minutes (longer for free range and larger chickens).
7. Garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley, of you like. Serve with plain rice, boiled potatoes, or crusty, anise-flavored Moroccan bread, if you're lucky enough to find some!

Serves 4 – 6

Sweet and Sour Braised Red Cabbage

Joel Kleinbaum

Joel wanted to make sure that our readers would be eating their vegetables during the holidays, so he shared this irresistible take on a winter classic. He thinks even finicky children will like it. He adds sweetness with pomegranate molasses, which you can get online if you don't have a Middle Eastern market, or comprehensive international section at your supermarket.

Ingredients:

• 1 small head red cabbage, wilted outer leaves removed, cored, and shredded.
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 – 3 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 small tart apple, cored and grated
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses (or to taste)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5 whole cloves (optional)

Method:

1. Place and mix all the ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes, until the cabbage is very tender.
3. Taste, and add more vinegar if you like it more sour, or more pomegranate molasses, of you want it sweeter.

Servers 4 – 6 as a side dish. Joel says that if you're really up for a Middle Eastern or Moroccan feast, you can serve it as an array of salads/appetizers with 5 to 7 more salads an dips.

Dessert: Crostata di Marmelata (Jam Tart)

B. Kim Barnes

Kim says, “On our recent trip to Italy, I fell in love with a supermarket tart — a classic Crostata di Marmelata with apricot jam. When I returned home, I found that I already had a recipe for it and made it — pretty successfully.”

Makes one 8" tart.

Ingredients:

• 3 cup flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
• 12 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 cup jam (apricot, blackberry, etc.)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. Mix dry ingredients together; add lemon zest.
2. Make well in center, add butter and eggs.  Use 2 knives to work mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
3. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; with floured hands; knead enough to make smooth.  Press into a ball and flatten slightly.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 350.  Allow dough to soften slightly out of fridge.
5. Roll out on lightly floured surface to 1/4" round.  Using 10" or 11" tart pan bottom, cut around edge.  Transfer dough round to a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
6. Gather scraps into ball, roll out and cut into 1/4" round, cut eight 1/4" wide strips. 
7. Combine jam and lemon juice in small bowl, spread over center of dough, leaving 2” border.  Fold edges over.
8. Arrange dough strips in triangular lattice pattern, trim off overhanging dough.  Bake until golden, 35-40 minutes.  Cool before serving.

Dessert: Mrs. Silver’s Pears

Lauren Powers

Lauren says, “One of my mother’s best friends was a great cook. She shared this recipe with my mom who only made it for very special occasions. It was back in the days that you could eat raw egg without worry. Today, I would use pasteurized.”

“I know, you are probably wondering, how can this be good with canned pears. Trust me, they are really quite good! Early in our marriage, I made it for many dinner parties and today, my husband is still asking for it. It makes a very elegant dessert! ”

Ingredients:

• 16 canned pear halves (2 large cans)
• 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa
• 1 egg (or equivalent pasteurized)
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 square semi-sweet chocolate, shaved

Method:

1. One day before, drain pairs and place on 2 layers of paper towels for 30-60 minutes.
2. Place 8 halves rounded side down on paper towel-lined pan and put 2-3 teaspoons of cocoa in center.
3. Cover with remaining halves with rounded side up and secure each with a toothpick. Cover with foil and place in refrigerator for several hours.
4. Several hours before serving, beat egg, sugar, melted butter and vanilla.
5. Whip heavy cream in another bowl.
6. Fold cream into egg mixture. Cream must be stiff.
7. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours.
8. To serve, remove picks from pears and place each whole pear in a dessert glass.
9. Cover each pear with sauce and garnish with shaved chocolate.

Serves 8