'; veggies += 'The arrival of fall means root vegetables for the home cook. Think beets, carrots, celeriac, parsnips, rutabaga, sweet potatoes and turnips, to name a few. Since they\'re creatures of the deep earth, roots often scared the uninitiated cook with their knobby, dusty and sometimes hairy appearance. However, given an extra moment of consideration (and a good rinse), roots offer depth of flavor, versatility and lots of nutrients.
'; veggies += 'My favorite way of eating roots is when they\'ve been roasted in the oven. After a fairly short stint in a roasting pan, the roots become sweet and tender, and just scream FALL. Pair it up with quinoa (pronounced keen-wa), an ancient Incan grain loaded with protein, and you\'ve got a vegetarian\'s dream dinner. While the veggies are roasting, you can cook the quinoa, which is boiled just like rice. Dinner is ready in an hour.
'; veggies += 'For the root vegetables:
'; veggies += 'A variety of veggies is not necessary but more colorful and interesting for the palate. In the video, I use a combination of celeriac, sweet potatoes, turnips and carrots. Any combination will work.
'; veggies += 'Wash all roots, peel and dice into similar size, about ¼ inch thick.
'; veggies += 'For extra sweetness and contrast in flavor, roughly chop an onion or two and a few cloves of garlic.
'; veggies += 'Mix all vegetables with a splash or two of olive oil, salt and pepper and some sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary. Place in a roasting pan and into a pre-heated 400-degree oven.
'; veggies += 'Cook until vegetables are fork tender, about 40 minutes.
'; veggies += 'For the quinoa:'; veggies += 'For one cup of quinoa (which serves 4), use two cups of water.
'; veggies += 'Rinse quinoa several times before using, to wash away any remaining saponins, which are naturally produced insect-repelling compounds.
'; veggies += 'Bring water (and a dash of salt, if using) to a boil and pour in quinoa. Give it a stir. Cover, lower heat and let simmer about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. It cooks just like rice. Grains will become translucent and starry in shape.
'; veggies += 'Serve with roasted veggies.
'; turkey = 'Brined Roast Turkey
'; turkey += '"Why doesn\'t turkey taste as good as it smells?" someone asked me recently. His complaint is common among home cooks, who every Thanksgiving, belly up to the roasting pan with a combination of anxiety and dread. The turkey ends up too dry, flavorless, undercooked or perhaps all three.'; turkey += 'The good news is there\'s a way out of tasteless turkey land. Go the way of the brine and you\'ll end up with the flavorful, moist meat that you\'ve been waiting for all these years. '; turkey += 'Although brining a turkey takes time (this is not a last-minute job) and physical space in the fridge, it\'s easy to prepare. The work is in making the brine, a solution of sugar, salt and water brought up to a boil, then infused with a variety of aromatic goodies like star anise and peppercorns. '; turkey += 'I\'ve been brining my holiday bird since 1999, when I read an article about Alice Waters and her passion for this method. The recipe below is hers, with a few slight adjustments and personal notes. The amounts for brine ingredients are for a 12-to-14-pound turkey (naturally fed, free range variety is preferred), so if your bird is significantly different in size, adjust accordingly.'; turkey += 'Make the brine:'; turkey += 'Bring 2 gallons of water to a boil in a stockpot (at least 8 quarts in size, but preferably larger to prevent spillage and other accidents).'; turkey += 'Add ¾ cup sugar and ¾ cup kosher (or coarse) salt; stir until completely dissolved.'; turkey += 'Cool solution before placing in refrigerator to chill. IMPORTANT NOTE: COLD BRINE, COLD TURKEY. NO IFS, ANDS and BUTS. You can make brine a few days in advance; otherwise, estimate 2-3 hours for the brine before turkey gets soaked.
'; turkey += 'Brining the turkey:'; turkey += 'Estimate your brine start time against the day you want to roast (see note below).'; turkey += 'When you\'re ready, remove the sack of giblets and stuff that\'s usually located in the cavity of the bird. Rinse turkey under cold water, inside and out, and place into a pot or tub large enough to accommodate bird AND brine. Remember: liquid volume takes up a lot of space! I used a 16-quart pot with plenty of room to spare. '; turkey += 'Pour brine over bird. Ideally, the brine should cover the entire bird. If not, you may need to weigh it down with a plate to keep it under the liquid\'s surface. Cover and place in refrigerator, for a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 72 hours. I have never done the max because I never have that much fridge space, but I have done 24, 36 and 48-hour brines, all with success. '; turkey += 'When ready to roast, remove the turkey from the brine, making sure it\'s free of liquid, and pat dry. Place on a rack in a roasting pan. '; turkey += 'Preheat oven to 425 for 20 minutes. Place turkey in oven, legs in first (this allows dark meat to cook thoroughly). Roast at this temperature for first 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350. Add an ounce or two of water or stock to bottom of pan periodically- this helps keep drippings moist and loose, so you can make gravy. '; turkey += 'Estimate approximately 12-15 minutes per pound, so a ten-pounder will take about 3 hours. Do not use the pop-up timer to gauge doneness; instead, rely on an instant read thermometer. You are looking for 165-170 degrees on the deep part of the leg.'; turkey += 'Remove from oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes before carving.'; // // // // // // pie = 'Apple Pie with Rosemary and Pinenuts'; pie += 'Dough adapted from "The Pie and Pastry Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum'; pie += 'For a 2-crust, 9-inch pie dough'; pie += 'Dough: '; pie += 'Ingredients:'; pie += '11.25 ounces all-purpose flour'; truffles += 'The ingredients are few, yet the rewards are many with chocolate truffles. It\'s hard to believe that something so decadent and magical can be so easy to make. It\'s also a great group activity, for kids and adults alike.
'; truffles += 'Essentially, you are making a ganache, a mixture of melted chocolate and cream. Additional enhancers, such as coffee, liquor and butter, are optional. The recipe below is derived from my days at culinary school, then revamped after various experiments. I like the intensity and richness of flavor that coffee powder, butter and liquor (think bourbon or cognac) bring to the ganache, but feel free to experiment.
'; truffles += 'A note on chocolate: I prefer the taste of, and the results with, darker chocolate, which contains at least 50 percent chocolate liquor (meaning fewer milk solids). Milk chocolate can be used if preferable.
';
truffles += 'Ingredients:
';
truffles += '16 ounces good quality, bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (Valrhona, El Rey, Scharffen Berger, Guittard, Callebaut are some excellent choices)
';
truffles += '6 ounces heavy cream
';
truffles += '2 tablespoons espresso powder
';
truffles += '1 ounce unsalted butter
';
truffles += 'splash liquor: cognac, bourbon, rum, brandy
';
truffles += 'for rolling: confectioner\'s sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon
';
truffles += 'Method:
';
truffles += 'Coarsely chop chocolate and place in a large, shallow bowl. Heat cream and espresso powder in a medium size saucepan until bubbles appear on sides. Remove pan from heat. Pour mixture over chopped chocolate. Stir gently with a clean rubber spatula. Add butter, stir. Add liquor (if using), stir. Mixture should be smooth, shiny and thoroughly blended.
'; truffles += 'Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until mixture is able to hold a shape but is not hard.
'; truffles += 'Spoon half of the ganache into a pastry bag or use a melon baller dipped in cornstarch to scoop out balls. You are making mounds about ¾-1 inch in diameter. Drop mounds onto a waxed or parchment paper-lined baking tray. Cover with plastic and chill again, at least 30 minutes.
'; truffles += 'With hands or latex gloves, roll mounds until desired roundness, then dip in small dishes with a few ounces of cocoa powder, powdered sugar, cinnamon, shredded coconut or nuts. The choice is yours.
'; truffles += 'Serve immediately, or store truffles in an airtight container in refrigerator, where they will keep for up to one month.
'; truffles += 'For details, consider "The Art of Chocolate" by Elaine Gonzalez.
'; // // // // // // tart='Onion-Goat Cheese Tart
'; tart += 'With its rich flaky dough and a warm baked filling of ingredients that inspire you, a savory tart can be a great antidote to a blustery winter day. One of my favorites is made with caramelized onions paired up with goat cheese. Thinly sliced onion "half moons" become meltingly sweet, almost jam-like, after some time on low heat over the stove, and they go beautifully with only a few ounces of goat cheese (or shredded gruyere). In the video, I top the tart off with glistening ruby-red pomegranate seeds (available in markets until late December), which offer glorious color contrast and a welcome piquancy against the fat in the filling. The dough recipe, also used in my apple pie video, comes from "The Pie and Pastry Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum. The amounts below are for a 2-crust, 9-inch pie dough, or twice the amount that\'s needed for this tart. You may freeze the rest of the dough for another day.
';
tart += 'Ingredients:
';
tart += 'Dough:
';
tart += '11.25 ounces (or 2 ¼ cups) all-purpose flour
';
tart += '¼ tsp. baking powder
';
tart += '¼ tsp salt
';
tart += '14 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
';
tart += '1 tablespoon cider vinegar
';
tart += '5-7 tablespoons ice water
';
tart += 'Equipment:
9-inch tart pan, with removable center
';
tart += 'Method:
';
tart += 'In a chilled bowl, mix: flour, baking powder and salt.
';
tart += 'Incorporate (also called "cutting") 9 tablespoons of the butter with hand, fork or spoon, until mixture achieves pellet-like consistency. You may also use a food processor, but be careful: it works fast.
';
tart += 'Cover mixture with plastic wrap and chill for at least 15 minutes.
';
tart += 'Remove from fridge and add remaining 5T butter and "cut" until mixture looks like cornmeal. Let rest again, covered, in fridge or freezer.
';
tart += 'Add cider vinegar. Add ice water; go gradually. Add first 5 tablespoons and check for moistness of dough. If it feels adequately wet, then you have added enough water. The climate will determine the absorption rate.
';
tart += 'Press gently to combine and form into a disc. Wrap in a Ziploc-type bag and press to make flat. You may chill or freeze.
';
tart += 'ROLLING OUT DOUGH:
';
tart += 'When ready make sure your work surface is cool. Dust surface and rolling pin lightly with flour. Cut dough in half with a knife. Return one half to fridge.
';
tart += 'With your rolling pin, pound on the dough to flatten and soften. Rotate after each pounding or two. If the dough begins to stick, add a touch of flour. When it\'s flattened to an inch thickness or so, you may begin to roll out. Begin from center, always. After each roll, rotate dough and check for stickiness. Roll until you have approximately a 12-inch circle shape about ¼ inch thick.
';
tart += 'Fold the circle in half or in quarters and place into your tart pan.. Unfold and mold to the pan, pressing gently.
';
tart += '"BLIND BAKING":
';
tart += 'Place a piece of parchment paper that\'s been trimmed to fit inside the pan and fill the paper with dried beans or rice. This helps to weigh down dough so it doesn\'t leaven (rise) all the way. Place pan in a preheated oven of approximately 400 degrees. Keep an eye on the crust. You want it to get slightly tan, not really brown. This will take about 10 minutes.
';
tart += 'Remove from oven. Turn down heat to 350 degrees to prepare for baking of the entire tart.
'; tart += 'Brush crust with one egg white mixed with a few tablespoons of water. This will give some moisture to the crust.
';
tart += 'Filling:
';
tart += 'Ingredients
';
tart += '1/2 stick unsalted butter
';
tart += '3 cups onion (one very large onion or 2 medium onions)
';
tart += '4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
';
tart += 'Approximately 3 ounces goat cheese, plus a little extra for topping, at room temperature
';
tart += '1 pomegranate, seeded
';
tart += 'Method:
';
tart += 'Slice onions in half, through the root, so that you have two flat halves. Make thin slices vertically, so that you have "half moons." Heat butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet on medium heat. Add onions and thyme. Turn heat down to low and let onions cook on their own, stirring occasionally to allow for even coverage. With heat on low, you will notice how quickly the onions soften and reduce, working toward the goal of a meltingly soft, intensely flavored and thickened heap. The entire process may take up to one hour. When onions have arrived at desired state, season with salt and pepper. Remove thyme sprigs.
'; tart += 'Let cool for a few minutes and spoon into a mixing bowl. Add goat cheese, a small portion at a time, and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined. Taste. If mixture is too thick, you may add a splash of milk or cream to loosen it.
'; tart += 'Pour mixture into \'blind-baked\' tart shell and smooth with a spatula to cover evenly. Dot with goat cheese, if desired. Place onto a baking sheet and into the oven. Bake for about 15 minutes.
';
tart += 'Remove and garnish tart with pomegranates. Slice and eat.
';
lamb='Lamb Shanks With Tomato and Rosemary
'; lamb += 'From "Modern Classics Book 1" by Donna Hay
'; lamb += 'The shank is the lower part of the leg of the lamb. It is surrounded by a lot of connective tissue, which can make it a very tough cut of meat. However, if braised, it becomes tender and silky on the mouth. Braising means browning meat and then cooking over very low, slow heat in a covered pot. This can be done in the oven or on top of the stove.
'; lamb += 'Cooked in a comforting brew of tomatoes, herbs and red wine, lamb shanks make a wonderful dish for a cold evening.
'; lamb += 'The original recipe suggests two shanks per person, but after testing, I found that one is more than enough, especially when paired with a starchy side such as couscous or potatoes.
';
lamb += '4 lamb shanks
';
lamb += 'salt and pepper
';
lamb += '2-3 tablespoons olive oil
';
lamb += '1 medium onion, thinly sliced
';
lamb += '4 cloves garlic, chopped
';
lamb += '1 cup red wine (any type you enjoy drinking)
';
lamb += 'At least 2 cups beef stock
';
lamb += '1 14-ounce can whole tomatoes
';
lamb += 'Approximately 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, finely chopped
';
lamb += 'Approximately 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
';
lamb += '1 box instant plain couscous
'; lamb += 'Season the meat with salt and pepper. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat olive oil and sear the meat, until brown on all sides. This may take about five minutes.
'; lamb += 'Remove meat from the pot. Add red wine and gradually add the stock, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen the bits of meat and fat that may stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add garlic, onions, and let cook for a minute or so, letting them soften up. Return shanks to pot, and add tomatoes (and juice) and rosemary. Add more liquid if necessary; shanks should be barely covered. Bring up to a boil. Then reduce to very low heat and cover. Cook until fork tender, about one hour.
'; lamb += 'Prepare instant couscous according to box directions. When ready to eat, spoon couscous into a shallow bowl, topping it with one lamb shank and sauce.
'; thanksgiving='Thanksgiving
'; thanksgiving = '