Roast Prime Rib of Beef with Horseradish Crust

Cook Time: 1 hr 40 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 6 servings


Ingredients

1 bone in prime rib beef roast, 3 ribs, about 6 pounds
5 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 cup grated fresh or prepared horseradish
Leaves from 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
Leaves from 4 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups canned chicken or beef broth


Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


Lay the beef in a large roasting pan with the bone side down. (The ribs act as a natural roasting rack.) In a small bowl mash together the garlic, horseradish, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, and olive oil to make a paste. Massage the paste generously over the entire roast. Put the pan in the oven and roast the beef until the internal temperature of the meat registers 125 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer (medium-rare), 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove the beef to a carving board and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.


Pour off some of the pan drippings and place pan on stovetop over medium-high heat.


Add the white wine and bring to a simmer, scraping the bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine by half. Whisk in the flour, then add the broth and continue to cook, whisking until sauce thickens into a gravy, about 10 minutes.


Serve with Scalloped Potato Gratin and Roasted Red Onions.

Scalloped Potato Gratin: Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Butter
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for broiling


Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.


In a saucepan, heat up the cream with a sprig of thyme, chopped garlic and nutmeg.


While cream is heating up, butter a casserole dish. Place a layer of potato in an overlapping pattern and season with salt and pepper. Remove cream from heat, then pour a little over the potatoes. Top with some grated Parmesan. Make 2 more layers. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Sprinkle some more Parmesan and broil until cheese browns, about 5 minutes.


Roasted Red Onions with Butter, Honey, and Balsamic Vinegar: Yield: 6 servings


6 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 red onions, halved

Directions


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the butter, vinegar, honey, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute to reduce slightly. Place the onions, cut sides up, in a single layer on a baking pan. Drizzle the butter-vinegar mixture over and roast until soft and slightly caramelized, about 45 minutes.

From: foodnetwork.com

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Cook Time: 5 min
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

1 orange, sectioned, seeded (if there are any) and chopped
1 hot red chile, stemmed and chopped
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
3 to 4 slices bacon, cut into 2 to 3-inch sections
8 leaves bibb or Boston lettuce


Directions

Preheat the broiler. In a bowl, stir together the chopped orange, chile, scallions, cilantro, olive oil, and salt and pepper.


Wrap each shrimp in a section of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Put the shrimp on a baking sheet and broil, turning once, until the bacon is crisp and the shrimp is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes each side. To serve, lay a lettuce leaf on the cutting board. Remove the toothpick from 1 of the cooked shrimp and center the shrimp on the lettuce leaf. Spoon a little of the citrus sauce on top, wrap it all up in the lettuce like a burrito, and put it seam-side down on a plate. Keep going in the same way to wrap all of the shrimp. Serve hot.


From: foodnetwork.com

Holiday Hens with Fig Glaze and Cornbread Stuffing

Cook Time: 1 hr
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dried California figs, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cups warm water
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 stick unsalted butter, for the glaze
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Stuffing:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
1/4 pound loose sweet Italian sausage
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cornbread muffins, torn into pieces, or 1/2 loaf cornbread, cubed (about 2 cups)
1 cup rehydrated dried figs, roughly chopped
Salt
Pepper
1/2 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
4 Cornish game hens, 1 to 1 1/2 pounds each
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper


Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.


Begin by re-hydrating the figs. In a large mixing bowl add the figs, honey, lemon juice and cover with warm water. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 to 25 minutes until the figs are tender and soft. Strain the figs and reserve the liquid - as this will be the base for the glaze.


To make the stuffing, heat a little extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat and gently saute the onions with rosemary. Add the sweet Italian sausage and continue to saute until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. When done, scrape it all into a large mixing bowl, add the cornbread pieces and figs and season well with salt and pepper. Give it a good toss until it's well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, and stock, and pour that over the cornbread. Stir the stuffing together and set it aside while you work on the hens.


Wash and clean the birds. Season the cavities with salt and pepper and fill with stuffing. Dot the top of each bird with butter and season with salt and pepper. Lay out on a roasting tray and pop into the oven for 40 to 45 minutes. While they are roasting, set the fig liquid over medium-high heat and add balsamic and butter. Reduce until syrupy and baste the birds with 10 minutes to go. When done, an instant-read thermometer should registers 160 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

From: foodnetwork.com

Chocolate Covered Snow Peaks

Cook Time: 1 hr
Level: Intermediate
Yield: about 24 cookies


Ingredients

4 large egg whites at room temperature
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips


Directions

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.


In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites on low-medium speed with the whisk attachment until the whites become foamy. Add the cream of tartar and turn speed up to medium, beating until just fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, so it incorporates into the whites slowly without collapsing them. Once all the sugar has been added, add the vanilla and increase the speed to high, whisking until the meringue is firm and glossy, about 5 to 7 minutes.


Place meringue mixture into a piping bag with a medium-sized nozzle attached. Pipe 24 bite-sized "kiss"-shaped meringues onto the trays and place in the oven. Bake for 1 hour undisturbed then turn off heat and leave in the oven overnight to really dry out.


Melt chocolate over a double-boiler or in the microwave on medium power for 30 seconds. Holding each meringue by the peak dip the bases in chocolate so the bottom half of the meringue is coated. Let any excess chocolate drop off before placing on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Allow to set at room temperature - do not put in the fridge. Once set, store in an airtight container.

From: foodnetwork.com