My 2nd mother, Halina, gave me this recipe. It’s divine! The Grand Marnier was my idea though.
1 12-oz bag of fresh cranberries
1 cup pineapple juice
2/3 cup sugar
2 shots Grand Marnier or Triple Sec
Dash of ground nutmeg
Place the cranberries in a colander and rinse under cold water, discarding any stems or rotten cranberries. There are always a few in each bag. Take one cranberry and eat it raw while looking at yourself in a mirror. You should have made a funny face.
In a heavy sauce pan mix sugar and pineapple juice and throw in the cranberries and nutmeg. Cover and bring to a boil. When the boiling begins you should hear the cranberries starting to pop open. Remove cover and stir. Reduce heat slightly and continue slow boiling while stirring very often. After about five minutes all of the cranberries should have popped. Smash any cranberries that appear to be intact with the back side of a spoon. Cook another minute or two while continuing to stir. After it has a jelly-like consistency, remove from heat and spoon into a bowl. Cover and cool completely in the fridge.
Happy Thanksgiving! Yankees suck!
Go away or I shall I taunt you a second time-ah!
Most Monty Python purists should catch that one. Recently a friend and I were loosely discussing planning a trip to Paris. Living in Europe for many years I got to visit Paris several times. I’d love to go back and I think we’re serious about it this time. I dusted out my trusty old French Provisional cookbook and sliced and diced through it to find some great recipes that I’ve tried in the past. The ones that follow are simple and awesome. For the record, I love French cooking! I don’t speak French, however, I do kiss that way.
The steak:
1 pound of top sirloin (one large piece preferably)
Salt and crushed black peppercorns
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons brandy, warmed (zap it in the micro for 10-15 seconds)
Season the steak with the salt and peppercorns and brush it with a little oil. Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy pan. When it’s very hot add the steak. Cook the steak, turning only once, to your desired doneness. Remove the pan from the heat, pour the warmed brandy over it and ignite. When the flames have died down, transfer the steak to a serving dish and keep warm.
The sauce:
6 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoon butter
1 large clove garlic, crushed and minced
4 teaspoons fresh tarragon or dill, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Pour off the liquid from the steak into a small saucepan. Add the garlic, herbs and mustard to the saucepan, whisking well. Add the cream, and heat over very low heat, whisking all the time until the sauce is very hot, but not boiling. Season with salt and pepper. Slice the steak, against the grain, into ¼ inch slices. Pour the sauce over the steak and serve with Lyonnaise potatoes and leeks in white wine sauce.
Here is a simple way to make a good marinara sauce. There are as many was to make marinara sauce as there are hungry Italians-Americans. It would be blasphemous to use a jarred marinara sauce.
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup butter
3 large garlic cloves
Handful fresh Italian flat leaf parsley sprigs (leaves only)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Three large cans peeled, diced & stewed plum tomatoes (about six cups)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
Combine olive oil and butter in a saucepan and heat. Chop garlic and parsley together and add to the pan. Cook slowly for five minutes, then add the salt and pepper. Drain the canned tomatoes and add them along with the oregano to the sauce and cook slowly for 30 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stir well and remove from heat. At the end of the cooking, taste for salt and add some if necessary.
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