Lax Pudding

Martha Stewart Living

SERVINGS: 10

CASSEROLE

• 3 pounds medium russet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped, and stalks reserved
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, divided, plus more for dish
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/4 pound gravlax (sliced 1/8 inch thick)
• Freshly ground white pepper, for sprinkling
• 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

DILL BUTTER

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

PREP: 40 MINS TOTAL TIME: 2  HOURS  40 MINS

Casserole: Place potatoes in a large pot, and cover with 2 inches water. Add salt and dill stalks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until you can just pierce potatoes with a fork, 7 to 10 minutes. Pour off water, and discard dill stalks. Place paper towel across top of pot (not directly on potatoes), and let potatoes steam and cool 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel potatoes, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a saute pan, and saute onion until softened, about 10 minutes.

Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer potatoes and gravlax, beginning and ending with potatoes, sprinkling each layer with chopped dill, sauteed onion, and pepper.

Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and cream; season with pepper. Pour egg mixture over potatoes and gravlax, and dot with remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Bake until golden on top and bubbling around the edges, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Dill butter: Meanwhile, mix all ingredients together, and roll into a log.

Let casserole cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes, and serve warm with dill butter.

Swedish Meatballs

Martha Stewart Living

These meatballs, drizzled with cream sauce, are light, juicy, and quick to disappear. You can also serve them as a main course, with mashed potatoes, lingonberry sauce, and quick-pickled cucumbers.

YIELD: makes 72

MEATBALLS

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 1/4 pound ground pork
• 1/4 pound ground veal
• 1 cup finely ground fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 cups boiled, peeled, and mashed potatoes (from 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes; use a ricer for best results)
• 1/4 cup grated onion (from 1 small onion)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

CREAM SAUCE

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

PREP: 1 HOUR / TOTAL TIME: 2 HOURS

Meatballs: Stir together eggs, cream, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix in ground meats, breadcrumbs, potatoes, and onion with your hands. Cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Form meatball mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls, and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Working in batches (do not crowd skillet), brown meatballs all over, about 30 seconds on each side. Transfer to another rimmed baking sheet, and bake 20 minutes.

Cream sauce: Meanwhile, add cream to drippings in skillet, and simmer until reduced by half, 25 to 27 minutes. Add soy sauce, and simmer until sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper. Transfer meatballs to a platter, and drizzle with cream sauce. Serve with beets, cucumbers, and lingonberry sauce.

Pork Loin with Tea and Prunes

Food & Wine

SERVINGS: 4

12 pitted prunes
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 English Breakfast tea bags
4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch dice
4 medium Yukon God potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
4 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
3 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 small red onions, cut into 1-inch dice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 4-rib, bone-in pork loin roast (about 3 pounds)
One 3-inch cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

ACTIVE: 35 MIN TOTAL TIME: 2 HRS 45 MIN 

In a saucepan, add the prunes, vinegar and 3/4 cup of water; bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Off the heat, add the tea and let steep for 1 hour; discard the tea.

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the carrots, potatoes, turnips and celery for 2 minutes; drain and transfer to a roasting pan. Add the onions and stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper.

In an ovenproof skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Season the pork with salt and pepper and cook, fat side down, over moderately high heat until browned, 4 minutes. Turn the pork and cook until browned, 3 minutes.

Set the pork in the center of the roasting pan, fat side up. Pour off the fat from the skillet. Roast the pork for 1 hour and 20 minutes, until it is almost done; return to the skillet. Increase the oven temperature to 450°. Roast the vegetables for 15 minutes, until tender.

Add the prunes and their liquid to the skillet with the cinnamon; bring to a boil. Spoon the liquid over the pork. In the upper third of the oven, roast the pork for 8 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 140°. Transfer the pork to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Add the broth to the skillet and simmer, reducing the sauce to 3/4 cup. Discard the cinnamon; season the sauce with salt and pepper. Carve the pork into chops and serve.

Sticky Carrot Puddings

Martha Stewart Living, 2005

Makes 8 servings

    Toffee Sauce                                                   
    1 stick unsalt butter softened                                 
    2/3 cup golden raisins                                         
    1/2 cup boiling water                                          
    2 cups flour                                                   
    1 teaspoon salt                                                
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon                                     
    1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon                                   
    1/2 teaspoon pepper                                            
    1 cup packed dark brown sugar                                  
    3 lg. eggs                                                     
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract                                     
    1 1/4 cups fine grate, peeled carrots (2-3 med.)               
    1/3 cup shelled, unsalt pistachio nuts coarse chop             

Preheat oven to 350" with rack in middle. Lightly butter 8 (6-ounce) ramekins.

Soak raisins in the hot water until plump, about 15 minutes. Drain.

Whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and pepper; set aside.

Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time. Mix in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Mix in flour mixture. Mix in carrots, nuts, and raisins.

Pour into ramekins, filling each three-quarters full. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until just set, about 30 minutes.

Transfer ramekins to a wire rack. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Turn puddings out onto dishes. Spoon about 1/4 cup toffee sauce over each, and garnish with carrot ribbons.

Shepherd's Pie

Martha Stewart Living

Makes 8 servings

    2 tablespoons olive oil                                        
    2 tablespoons unsalt butter                                    
    2 tablespoons melted butter                                    
    2 med. onions coarse chop                                      
    3 carrots slice 1/3-in thick                                   
    2 pounds ground lamb or beef                                   
    1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce                              
    1 tablespoon tomato paste                                      
    1 teaspoon salt                                                
    1/2 teaspoon pepper                                            
    1/4-1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce                              
    2 cups chicken broth                                           
    10 ounces frozen peas                                          
    6 cups mashed potatoes                                         

Preheat oven to 425°. In a large skillet heat oil and 2 tablespoons butter over high heat. Add onions and carrots, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add lamb and cook, stirring and breaking up lamb with the back of a wooden spoon, until lamb is beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and Tabasco sauce. Cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Add stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in peas and return to a simmer.

Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spoon or pipe mashed potatoes evenly over meat mixture. Brush with melted butter. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until top is golden and juices are bubbling, 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 20 to 30 minutes before serving.