Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

The weather is rapidly changing as both hurricane Sandy and Winter bear down upon us.  But last Thursday was a perfect Fall day in North Carolina.  I baked these delightfully Fall tasting cookies after a day spent with one of my best buddies and blogging pals, the other Penny.  Penny has two blogs now; her lifestyle blog, The Comforts of Home and her cooking blog, From Harvest to Table.  We spent the morning in Asheville antiquing in the downtown area.  It is so much fun to spend time with someone who shares your interests.  We were both on the same quest.  We were looking for props for our cooking blogs.  After a successful morning of shopping we stopped for lunch at Creperie Bouchon.

The leaves were falling and the dappled sunshine made eating outside delightful.  Not even leaves falling into our crisp Sauvignon Blanc deterred us.

Our lunches of Pesto Chicken Crepes with arugula, tomatoes and Swiss were just right.

We couldn’t resist the frites dusted with Herbes de Provence and served with Roasted Red Pepper Mayonnaise.  Perfect.

One of my purchases was this cute blue polka dot plate.  It pairs well with the milk bottle that I picked up in France this summer.  It inspired me to make these cookies with cinnamon spices,  pumpkin and biscoff spread.  I am cleaning out my pantry  before my return to Florida and my jar of biscoff had just enough left in it.  I found the recipe on the Two Peas and Their Pod blog.  A perfect recipe for a perfect day.

BISCOFF PUMPKIN OATMEAL COOKIES (Two Peas and Their Pod)

Ingredients:

Directions

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This is a very easy week night dinner that can be pulled together with very little effort.  The inspiration came from Bonnie at From a Writer’s Kitchen.  She in turn adapted the recipe from The New York Times.  This begs the question “when does a  recipe become your own”?   However I arrived at the finished dish, it is a good one.

We are packing up the house in preparation for our return to Florida for the winter.  I had some bratwurst in the freezer, sage in the garden and linguini in the pantry.  It is almost as easy as that.  Throw in some cream or half and half and a bit of Parmesan and dinner is ready.

I served this with leftovers from the sage financiers I made here.

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE, SAGE AND CREAM

1/2 pound linguini cooked according to package directions
4 bratwurst sausages, cut into pieces and cooked
12 to 16 sage leaves
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1 cup cream or half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

While the pasta is cooking:

1.  Saute the sage leaves in the olive oil over medium heat until crisp.  This takes only about 30 sec per side. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
2.  Cut the sausages into half inch pieces and saute them in the same oil until lightly browned, adding the garlic at the last minute and saute until lightly golden in color.  Remove and set aside.
3.  Pour off the fat from the pan and stir in the cream or half and half.  Bring it almost to the boil, stirring.  Reduce the heat and stir the pasta in. Save some of the pasta water.  Correct the seasoning.  Add the sausages and heat through.  Add a little pasta water if it is too thick.
4.  Serve with a scattering of sage leaves and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan.

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We spent a week in our hometown in Michigan earlier this Fall.  One of the highlights of the trip was attending an estate sale at what has come to be referred to as The Heddon House.  My hometown, Dowagiac, Michigan, was the headquarters for the Heddon and Sons factory, one of the most well known manufacturers of fishing lures in the United States.

As we wandered through the beautifully preserved historic home, I couldn’t help but wonder what its future held. Would it be purchased by a family who would make it their own, or would it be sold to a developer who would tear it down and build something new in its place? It reminded me of the importance of preserving historic homes and buildings, and the role that companies like Jackpot Offer can play in helping to ensure that these properties find the right buyers who appreciate their unique character and history. For maintaining such properties, property management in Chicago IL can be vital in ensuring their upkeep and preserving their historic value.

I remember as a young child passing The Heddon house on my way home from school. I remember wishing that I could have a look inside and hoping that someday I could have such a lovely home. I never got the chance to see it until the estate sale this Fall. The home had passed from the Heddon family to another prominent family in the Heddon factory, and it was their possessions that were being sold. I actually graduated from high school with the son of this family. During the sale, I overheard someone mention how smoothly the transaction went, thanks to a skilled conveyancer who helped facilitate the sale of the historic property. It made me appreciate how important having the right legal assistance is when dealing with such valuable homes. In addition, I discovered that there are several real estate companies on Samui that provide excellent support for buyers and sellers alike.

I find estate sales to be bittersweet.  Having strangers pawing through what may have been lovingly acquired belongings is unsettling.  But on the other hand, if those belongings go to people who knew the family and that brings the family to mind every time they use them, then their legacy will live on.  At least that will be the case for us.

The fish filleting knife will be much loved by David.  Not only does it have the date stamped on the handle, but it has Mr. Lund’s name engraved on the sheath.  Trig Lund was an executive at Heddon and Sons and became the historian for the company.  By the way, I have to thank my sharp- eyed sister-in-law for spotting and buying the knife.  David had to bargain with her after the fact to get it.  Thanks Barb.  David also bought Mr. Lund’s barometer and a fishing stool (not shown).

I did not know Mrs. Lund personally, but I picture her as a sophisticated lady who traveled widely and loved to entertain.  Her cookbook collection was extensive.  This trout casserole caught my eye.  I wonder if she ever used it?  The recipe sounds delicious.  David catches trout in Lake Lure and I will definitely be trying the recipe in this casserole.  I think she would be pleased.  We also bought that beautiful red plaid wool blanket.

I bought three of Mrs. Lund’s cookbooks.   Feasts for All Seasons by Roy Andries de Groot was published in 1966.  At that time cooking seasonally was a unique concept.  It was the era of canned and boxed convenience foods.  The recipes are interesting and reflect concepts that we are espousing today.  To sample the cookbook I made the author’s Pork Chops with Apples and Apricots.

The apples, onions, apricots and cranberries make an aromatic chutney similar to the fruit salsas that I have used with meat before.  The thick pork chops cook in the mixture and remain moist and delicious.  It was a very good dish and a great cookbook.  I’m looking forward to perusing the tattered copy of Helene Sailer’s Own Recipe Book.  I wonder what story that book could tell.

I would like to think that by purchasing well loved items from an estate sale, memories of the previous owners are honored.

PORK CHOPS WITH APPLES AND APRICOTS (Adapted from Feasts for All Seasons)

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 1-inch thick center cut pork chops
3 medium onions chopped
3 medium tart apples
1/3 cup brown sugar
6 ounces each of dried apricots (chopped) and dried cranberries
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In an oven proof casserole brown pork chops in 1 tablespoons of olive oil until browned on both sides.  Remove to plate.  Add more oil to pan.  In it cook onions and apples until they are softened.  Add the seasonings and stir.  Return the chops to the casserole.  Add the broth and wine.  Place a lid on the casserole and place in the oven.  Bake for approximately 1 hour, checking once to be sure there is enough liquid.  Add more broth if needed.

Remove casserole from oven.  Turn the oven to broil and adjust rack so that casserole will be 3-inches from heat.  Mix soy sauce and olive oil and with a brush paint the tops of the pork chops.  Place casserole back in oven and broil for a few minutes to brown the tops of the chops.  Serve from casserole.

Note:  I halved the recipe

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Sometimes, all I want for breakfast is a warm biscuit, scone or corn muffin.  There is something satisfying about a hot cup of coffee and bread that is not too sweet, but just right.  Biscuits have a long history in the South and any Southerners worth their salt can make biscuits in their sleep: dump, mix and kneed.  They have not been easy for me because I grew up in Michigan and biscuits never crossed my Mother’s table.

I have had many disasters with biscuits and was sure that I did not possess the biscuit gene.  But the secret to great fluffy biscuits is not to worry about them.  Don’t handle them too much and cut the butter into them with abandon.  Now I get it.

These pumpkin-Parmesan biscuits were featured in The Food Network Magazine.  They are perfect for this time of year with a hint of pumpkin, nutmeg and Parmesan.  The pumpkin lends them a light orange color and they are delicious hot out of the oven or warmed up the next morning.

The pumpkin-Parmesan biscuits are great with just butter.  But they would be great split and stuffed with sage flavored sausage patties for a brunch or served in a basket for a Thanksgiving dinner.  But I am enjoying them for breakfast for the next few days.  Wish you could join me.

PUMPKIN-PARMESAN BISCUITS

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or 1/8 tsp dry nutmeg)
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced, plus melted butter for brushing
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Whisk in 1 tablespoon Parmesan.  Add the diced butter and work it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.  Mix the pumpkin and cream in a small bowl and pour over the flour mixture.  Mix with your hands or a fork to make soft dough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out into 3/4-inch-thick rectangle using a floured rolling pin.  Cut out biscuits using a 2-inch-round cutter and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.  (You will need to gently re-roll scrapes to get all of your biscuits).  Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan.  Bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.  Transfer the baking sheet to a rack and let the biscuits cool slightly before serving or cool completely and freeze.

Makes 12 to 14 biscuits

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Photo Courtesy of The New York Times

I picked up a copy of The New York Times while traveling recently.  It was the Wednesday edition which always includes the Dining section.  It featured a column by Melissa Clark on making a brisket you can be proud of; one that is not dry and chewy.  You can read the article here.  The key to a good brisket is in the cut that you use.  Most supermarkets carry the first cut, which in our lean-conscious era is the preferred choice.  But the fattier second cut of the brisket, sometimes called the deckle, braises better and retains the juiciness that the first cut often lacks.  But finding the second cut can be a problem.  This is where having a friendly butcher shop comes in handy.

Photo courtesy of Mountain Xpress

We are fortunate to have such a butcher shop in our area.  The Chop Shop in Asheville is there to serve all of the needs of people who are looking for a personal touch when it comes to buying meat.  Owner Josh Wright and butcher Karen Fowler buy whole carcasses of meat from local purveyors.  Buying locally ensures quality and buying whole carcasses makes it possible to fulfill orders for every cut available.  They are there to answer questions about cooking methods and suggestions on uses of lesser known cuts of meat.  Karen was pleased with my request for the second cut of brisket.  She said that most people judge a piece of meat by how lean it is.  That might be a criteria when the meat is cooked quickly, but if you are braising meat slowly, the extra fat melts and keeps the leaner portions moist.

I made some changes to the original recipe, but the most important step suggested is critical.  This is a recipe that benefits from cooking it at least a day ahead.  The fat layer that forms when it is refrigerated can easily be removed.  The sauce becomes fat free and is delicious drizzled on the tender meat and potatoes.  What I omitted were the plums.  It was suggested that the plums would add a sweet overtone to the dish, but I was looking for a more meaty flavor.  You can find the original recipe in the article listed above.  Here is my version.

BRAISED BRISKET WITH PORT (adapted from The New York Times)

1 brisket (4 to 5 pounds), preferably second cut
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup ruby port
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bunch of thyme, tied with twine
2 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
Beef broth if needed if sauce reduces too much
Thyme leaves, for garnish

Season brisket all over with salt and pepper.  Heat oven to 325 degrees F.  Place a very large Dutch oven over high heat.  Add oil.  Place brisket in pot and cook, with moving, until browned, about 7 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate.

Add onions to pot and reduce heat to medium-high.  Cook onions, tossing occasionally, until golden brown around the edges and very tender.  Add sliced garlic near end of cooking time.  Pour in port and wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.  Stir in thyme, whole cloves, and bay leaves.  Return meat and any juices to the pot.  Cover pot and transfer to oven.  Cook, turning occasionally until meat is completely fork tender about 4 hours.

Let brisket cool completely in the pot, then refrigerate, covered, overnight. (This makes it easier to remove the fat from the top with a slotted spoon.)  Put meat on a plate and reheat sauce.  Add beef broth to the sauce if it has reduced too much.  Strain sauce.  Return to pot.  Return meat to pot and reheat the casserole in a 300 degree oven for about 45 minutes.  Slice meat and serve with the sauce garnished with thyme leaves if you like.

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