Our Holiday Gift: The Barnes & Conti 24th Annual Virtual Feast

Braised Lamb Shanks

Kim Barnes, CEO

Note: This recipe first appeared in our 2004 Holiday Newsletter. It is a Barnes & Conti classic!

Kim says, “Both Hanukkah and Christmas are based on stories that begin in the Middle East. As fractured and fragile as that region seems today, there is one thing that unites much of the area—a wonderful food tradition with simple and delicious dishes often featuring lamb and vegetables as well as couscous, some form of cucumber with yogurt or eggplant salad, flatbread such as pita, and olives. Here is a favorite version of lamb that is real comfort food (at least to omnivores) in a world that badly needs comfort.”

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 whole lamb shanks, 3 to 3 1/2 lb. total weight.
• 4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 bunch small leeks, sliced 1/2 inch thick, or red onions
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary, plus sprigs for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup dry wine (white or red)

Method:

1. In a braiser or large deep frying pan, over medium-high heat, warm the oil until it is hot but not smoking.
2. Add shanks and brown on all sides, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic and sauté for 30-40 seconds.
4. Add leeks or onions and sauté until translucent, 6-8 minutes.
5. Return shanks to pan, add rosemary, salt, pepper, and wine.
6. Raise heat to medium-high and then bring to a simmer.
7. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the shanks are very tender when pierced with a fork, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Turn once or twice during cooking and add water as necessary to maintain original level of liquid.
8. When shanks are tender, serve immediately after seasoning to taste, using sprigs of rosemary for a garnish.

Serves 4

Vegan Main Dish or Side Dish: Mushroom Wellington with Rosemary and Pecans

Lauren Powers, SVP Business Development 

This dish comes to me from my daughter’s boyfriend who prepared it for Thanksgiving this year as an additional entrée for the vegetarian and vegan friends who were joining us. However, we all ate it and loved it! So, I hope you will too!

This recipe by Sylvia Fountaine was featured in the November 20, 2017 edition of Feasting at Home.

Ingredients:

• 1 box with 2 sheets of cold Vegan Puff Pastry (Pepperidge Farm is vegan)
• 2 tbsps of olive oil
• 2 lbs of fresh mushrooms, sliced – use whatever type or mixture you prefer
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4-6 large garlic cloves, rough chopped
• 1 tbsp of fresh rosemary (or thyme or sage), chopped
• 1 tsp of Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup of Sherry, Port, Marsala or Madeira wine
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsps truffle oil (optional)
• For vegan “egg wash”, use nut milk, cream or melted coconut oil to brush pastry (or use egg if vegan is not needed)

Method:

1. Make sure your puffed pastry is completely thawed, but cold.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Heat oil in a Dutch oven.
4. Sauté mushrooms, onions, garlic, and herbs. Stir often and make sure all liquid has evaporated.
5. When dry, add wine and balsamic vinegar and saute until all liquid has again evaporated. You want this mixture dry.
6. Add pecans and if you like, truffle oil.
7. Let filling completely cool. You may want to make it one day ahead and place in refrigerator.
8. Unroll the one piece of puff pastry onto parchment paper. Gently roll it out a little so it is smooth but not too thin. Place parchment paper baking sheet. Place half the filling in a mound in the center and quickly roll it like a burrito taking up the ends and rolling it. Place seam side down. Do the same with the other sheet.
9. Brush with “egg wash”.
10. Using a very sharp knife, score both pastry rolls with diagonal cuts, or a herringbone or cross-hatch pattern.
11. Bake on middle rack for 35 minutes. After 20, check and rotate if needed for even baking. You want it to be golden to ensure it is done and flaky all the way through. If not, add 5 more minutes.
12. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting and serving. Add rosemary sprigs for garnish.

Side Dish: Honey Biscuits

Lauren Powers

My son-in-law (feels strange to say that since they just got married this year!), David, makes these for special holidays. They are so delicious and even more so when served with honey butter!

This is a recipe his mother shared with him that she found years ago in a magazine called “Everyday Food”, published by Martha Stewart. Recipe makes 12 biscuits

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus a little more for rolling and cutting
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted cold butter, cut into bits
• 1 ½ cups of low-fat buttermilk
• ¼ cup honey

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees is baking right away. They can also be frozen before baking.
2. In food processor, pulse flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt to combine. Add cold butter. Pulse until texture is of course meal with a few small bits of butter.
3. Combine buttermilk and honey and add to dough pulsing until dough is moistened, two to three times.
4. Turn dough into lightly floured work surface; knead just to combine without overworking.
5. Roll into ¾ inch thickness. Cut out rounds with a floured 2.5-inch biscuit cutter
6. Transfer to a baking sheet leaving space between. Brush top and sides with melted butter.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes until biscuits are puffed and golden. Serve warm.
8. To freeze before baking: After cutting dough rounds, place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, brush with melted butter and then freeze until solid. Then place into a plastic bag and store in freezer for up to 2 months.
9. To bake from frozen, Place frozen dough rounds, butter side up on a large baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for about 20-25 minutes until biscuits are fluffy and golden.

Side Dish: Roasted Delicata Squash with Apples

Joel Kleinbaum, Newsletter Editor

Joel recently added this dish to his repertoire of winter vegetable dishes. Delicata squash is recommended as the skin is tender and you don't need to peel it as you would with other squash.

Ingredients:

• 1 large or 2 small delicata squash, split in half lengthwise and cleaned of seeds and fibers.
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 large baking apple (Granny Smith or Pippin recommended), cored, sliced, and each slice cut into two (you can peel the apple if you like. The peel gets soft in roasting
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil (enough to coat everything)
• 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
• Optional 1/4 tsp thyme or sage (dried is okay, just use less) to taste.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Slice the cleaned squash into email-circles, about 3/4 inches thick.
3. Arrange squash slices, onions, on a baking sheet (or in a bowl, if you prefer)
4. Add the olive oil, salt, and thyme or sage, if using, and mix/coat well
5. Arrange on the baking sheet (you may need two, depending on the size of the squash) so that the onion slices and apple pieces are dispersed among the squash.
6. Roast for 25 minutes, until the squash is tender and the skin is easily pierced with a fork

Serves 4

Dessert: Hamantaschen

B. Kim Barnes

Hamantaschen are a traditional Eastern European Jewish filled "cookie" made in the shape of a triangle. The pastry commemorates the downfall of the villain in the Biblical Book of Esther. Although this pastry is not associated directly with Hanukkah, it is too delicious to pass up. The Hanukkah story has its own villain, so, as Kim says, "Why not?"

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1 ½ cups all
• purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Jam — (I prefer apricot or raspberry)

Method:

1. Beat butter and sugar together until smooth.
2. Add egg, milk, vanilla and lemon zest until mixed thoroughly.
3. Mix flour, baking powder and salt and add to dough until incorporated. Note: If dough is too soft, increase flour by a few tbsp. at a time until firmer.
4. Form dough into a disk, cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
5. Dust a surface with flour to keep dough from sticking. Roll dough about 1/4-inch thick.
6. Using a round 3-inch cookie cutter or the top of a glass, cut out and place on cookie sheet. Dip cutter or top of glass in flour before each
7. 8. Fill each round with 1/2 tsp of jam or other filling, and pinch corners together tightly to form a triangle.
8. Put in fridge for 10 minutes or freezer for 5 minutes, to ensure they hold their shape.
9. Bake at 400°F for 7-9 minutes.

Delicious Homemade Eggnog

Elaine Turcotte, Operations Manager

Here’ another classic from 20 years ago. This recipe is sure to get you into the holiday spirit. Elaine says this takes half an hour to prepare and it needs to chill overnight.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups milk
• 5 whole cloves
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 12 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups light rum
• 4 cups light cream
• 2 tsps vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Method:

1. Combine milk, cloves, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and cinnamon in a saucepan, and heat over lowest setting for 5 minutes. Slowly bring milk mixture to a boil.
2. In a large bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar. Whisk together until fluffy.
3. Whisk hot milk mixture slowly into the eggs. Pour mixture into saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes, or until thick. Do not allow mixture to boil.
4. Strain to remove cloves, and let cool for about an hour.
5. Stir in rum, cream, 2 tsp. vanilla, and nutmeg.
6. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Serves 12