Simple effort, Sophisticated and yet Christmas...

In the Renfro family we do it big, but we do it real simple at the same time. After spending Thanksgiving tied to the stove like a slave, we needed a neccesary revolt, we chose to do simple effort, yet sophisticated christmas dining style. Cocktails, bacon wrapped scallops, crab legs in butter, new york strip steak, escargots, butternut squash puree, chanterelle mushroom gravy, balsamic roasted brussel sprouts. This meal was made possible from the gift of a Barilla Panini Grill, the meat was all cooked on the grill and came out backyard style in the pouring rain on christmas day. God bless..

Supplies:

Cokteezy Drink:
ice cubes
mango juice
grapefruit juice
1 shot skyy vodka
mix ingredients well in a shaker, strain, and serve. Flavor vodka with juice according to tastes preferences of alcohol strength. Drink chilled..Hmm delish.

Foods:

Butternut squash puree:
2 butternut squashes, smalled sized
1/3 cup heavy cream
salt to taste
1 teaspoon ginger powder
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 400. Halve squash, clean out the guts, put faceside down in cooking pan, add about 1 cup water to bottom of pan and a dash of salt. Bake until fork goes easily through, about 30 minutes. remove from oven. Let cool. Scoop out squash into bowl. Add butter, ginger, cream, salt, blend until well smoothed as possible. Set aside and serve hot with rest of meal.

Brussels coming hot out the oven...

Brussell sprouts:
2-3 cups brussel sprouts
2 tablespoons butter
1 chopped thin cippolini onion
4 tabespoons balsamic vingear
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Halve brussel sprouts sprinkle with salt and pepper, pour melted butter and balsamic over sprouts, mix well. Pour onto baking sheet and bake until tops brown about 15 minutes in oven. Serve hot, goes good with mushroom gravy.

Mushroom Gravy (makes about 1 1/2 cup):
1/2 cup chantrelles chopped
3/4 cup trumpet mushrooms
1-2 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 small cippolini onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup bacon fat
1 heaping tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 heaping tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped
1 cup water or so
1/4 cup flour

In a small cast iron skillet over medium heat, add water and mushrooms, garlic, onions, heat up, add bacon fat, flour, and herbs, stir well. Cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, keep adding water to thickness and flavor liking, until becomes a creamy consistency.

Bacon wrapped scallops

Bacon-Wrapped scallops:
5 slices of black forest maple bacon
5 medium sized scallops (fresh not frozen)

Sear bacon first until browned, then wrap around scallop, sealing with toothpick, sear bacon wrapped scallop for about 2-3 minutes on a panini press on "sear" in remnants of bacon fat or over medium heat on stove. Serve immediately.

Steak sitting in salt and pepper

New York Strip:
salt and pepper to taste
1  10 oz. new york strip steak

Let steak sit for a minute at room temperature to absorb salt and pepper. On a panini press sear steak on sear setting for about 2-3 minutes on each side for a medium rare steak. Let rest out of panini press for 5-10 minutes, then cut and serve.

Crab Legs:
1 whole crab, cleaned, pre-cooked
3-4 tablespoons melted butter

Steam crab for about 2-3 minutes to re-heat. Serve immediatly with butter.

Escargots:
4 escargots, pre made
We bake them in a muffin tin at 350 for 5 minutes, serve hot with bread.

The trick is to get all the food hot at the same time. We suggest cooking the butternut squash first, make puree, meanwhile, prep steak with salt and pepper, begin cooking mushroom gravy, Prep brussel sprouts, clean and chop them, season and set aside. Sear bacon for scallops, then wrap around scallop, set aside. Roast brussel sprouts and pre-heat panini press. Cook steak, while steak is resting, after about 5 minutes steam crab and sear scallops, add escargots to the oven and cook. By the time you are done cooking the scallops and crab, the steak has rested, brussel sprouts and escargots are ready and just heat the butternut squash up and eat. Delish...

Christmas Cooking in 2010

Merry Christmas to all, may your belly's be warm and your hearts happy!!!