Gift Giving Goodies

Recipes

As a gourmet chef, I learned many years ago not to worry that people would be unappreciative if I gifted them with food. I had worried that they would somehow think I simply tossed off one of my recipes to them rather than putting a lot of thought and effort into finding just the right gift. Wrong!

People love to receive food as gifts. And all the better if it is a really good recipe prepared especially for them on their birthday, anniversary or whatever.

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Here are some great recipes to use as gifts for friends and loved ones:

Lemon Curd

This makes a lovely gift with a loaf of homemade pound cake

1 cup sugar

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits

4 large eggs, beaten slightly

½ cup fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons fresh grated lemon zest

In a metal stainless steel bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, cook sugar, butter, eggs, lemon juice and zest, whisking frequently, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk and the first bubble appears on the surface, 12 to 15 minutes. Strain curd through a sieve into a bowl and cool. Lemon curd may be made up to 1 week in advance if kept cold and covered.

Olive Oil and Sherry Pound Cake

Don't be afraid of the olive oil: extra virgin olive oil with sherry and a hint of fresh orange zest produces a subtle and flavorful cake, not overly sweet, with a satisfying close-grained texture. This cake improves after a day or two, and toasted slices are nice for breakfast even as much as a week later.

3 cups (13.5 ounces) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups sugar

1 cup flavorful extra-virgin olive oil (fruity)

2 teaspoons grated orange zest (from 1 medium orange)

5 large cold eggs

1 cup medium (amontillado) sherry

Equipment:

1 10-12 cup tube or Bundt pan or two 8x4 inch (4 cups) loaf pans.

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the pans. (Or, if you prefer, line the bottom and sides of the loaf pans with parchment.)

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt thoroughly in a large bowl and sift together. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (with the whisk attachment if you have one), beat the sugar, oil and orange zest on high speed until well blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; continue to beat until the mixture is thick and pale, 3 to 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and add one-third of the flour mixture. Beat on low speed just until blended. Stop the mixer and add half of the sherry. Beat until just blended. Repeat with another third of the flour, followed by the remaining sherry, and then add the remaining flour.

Scrape the batter into the pan(s). Bake until the cake tester comes out clean, 50-60 minutes for either the tube pans or the loaves. Cool the cake in the pan(s) on a rack for about 15 minutes before unmolding.

If using a tube pan, slide a skewer around the tube. If the sides of the pan are straight, slide a thin knife or spatula around the sides to release the cake (unless lined with paper). If using a Bundt or other decorative pan, tap one side of the pan against the counter to release the cake, and then tap on the other side. Invert the cake onto a rack. Turn the preferred side up before cooling the cake completely. Wrapped airtight, the cake keeps well at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Fig & Lemongrass Compote

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

5 stalks fresh lemongrass, sliced

½ teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled

½ lemon (unpeeled), thickly sliced, seeded

1 ½ lbs. fresh ripe figs, halved (about 4 cups)

2 ¼ cups sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

In a small saucepan, bring the water, sugar and lemongrass to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Simmer until syrup is reduced by half. Strain and allow syrup to cool. If you must use dried figs, pour the warm syrup over the dried figs to reconstitute them and wait 30 minutes before putting them in the food processor. Finely chop lemon in a food processor. Add the figs. Using on/off turns, process until figs are coarsely pureed.

Transfer mixture to a heavy saucepan. Add 2 ¼ cups sugar, cinnamon, minced ginger and ground cloves. Stir in the lemongrass syrup. Simmer until mixture thickens to jam consistency and a candy thermometer registers 200 F, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Divide hot preserves among hot clean jars. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 2 months.

Herbed Cheese and Cracker Bits

2 packages oyster crackers

½ cup vegetable oil

1 (1-oz) package salad dressing mix (Hidden Valley Original Ranch)

1 heaping tablespoon dried dill

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon celery salt

Place the crackers in a large sealable freezer container. In a bowl, mix the oil, salad dressing mix, dill, garlic powder, and celery salt. Pour this mixture over the crackers. Cover the container, and invert it to coat the crackers with seasoning. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning the container every so often to keep the crackers coated. Let the mixture come to room temperature. Transfer to individual containers to give as gifts.

Bittersweet Raspberry Vodka Truffles

These simple but exquisite chocolate truffles are bite sized and very bittersweet. Liberally laced with vodka, they are dense and smooth, with a simple cocoa coating. They make wonderful gifts!

8 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate* chopped fine

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 egg yolk, at room temperature

2 tablespoons boiling water

2 tablespoons raspberry Vodka

1/3 cup premium quality unsweetened cocoa powder

*If using high percentage chocolates, adjust the recipe as follows: Use only 6 oz. chocolate marked 64% to 66%; use only 5 ½ oz. chocolate marked 66% to 72% and dissolve 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar in the boiling water before adding it to the egg yolk.

To make the truffles, place chocolate and butter in a 4-6 cup heatproof bowl set in a wide skillet of barely simmering water, over low heat. Stir frequently until chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the water bath. Place a fine strainer over it and set it aside. Leave skillet on low heat.

Place the egg yolk in a small stainless steel bowl. Gradually stir in the boiling water. Place the bowl in the skillet and stir constantly until the yolk mixture registers 160 F on an instant read thermometer. Remove from the skillet and scrape the yolk mixture immediately into the strainer over the melted chocolate. Add the vodka and stir gently (without whisking or beating) just until the mixture is smooth. Pour into a clean shallow bowl. Cover and chill until firm, two hours or more.

To form truffles: Remove the truffle mixture from refrigerator and allow it to soften about 30 minutes or until the mixture is soft enough to scoop. Pour cocoa into pie plate. Dip a melon baller or small scoop into a glass of hot water; wipe off excess water and scrape across surface of chilled truffle mixture to form a rough ¾-inch ball. Pinch the truffle into shape with your fingers if necessary, it should not be perfectly round. Deposit truffle into cocoa. Repeat with remaining truffle mixture. Gently shake pie plate to coat truffles with cocoa. Store truffles tightly covered, and refrigerated up to two weeks, or freeze up to 3 months.

Lip Smackin' Trail Mix

2 cups granola (recommended: Hudson Valley Dessert Company)

¾ cups coarsely chopped pecans

¾ cups coarsely chopped walnuts

1 (3 ½-oz.) can flaked coconut (1 ½ cups)

½ cup sunflower seeds (meat only)

½ cup wheat germ

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk

¼ cups vegetable

½ cup banana chips (optional)

½ cup dark raisins

½ cup golden raisins

½ cup dried cherries

½ cup dried apricots, diced

Preheat oven to 300 F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except banana chips and raisins, cherries and apricots. Mix well. Spread evenly in an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven; stir in banana chips, raisins, cherries and apricots. Cool thoroughly. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Bread and Butter Pickles

12 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced paper-thin (use mandoline)

3 large or 6 medium white onions, sliced paper-thin (use mandoline)

Combine and let sit 3 hours, drain.

1 ½ quarts white vinegar

6 cups sugar

½ cup mustard seed

1 tablespoon celery seed

Combine vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and celery seed in a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Add cucumbers and onions and bring liquid back to a simmer. Do not boil!

Pack while hot into sterilized jars, leaving 1-inch headroom space in jars. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath according to standard canning procedure. Place kitchen towels on counter. Remove jars from hot water bath carefully, setting down each jar on towels. Leave on counter and do not disturb. Caps will "pop" in an hour or so.

Texas Christmas Pickles

1 gallon dill pickles (my favorite is Best Maid)

4 pounds sugar

1 small bottle Tabasco sauce (the original red kind)

¼ cup dried garlic chips

Drain the juice from the jar of pickles. Add sugar, Tabasco and garlic and reseal jar. Let mixture sit for five days in the refrigerator, shaking or inverting the jar at least twice a day to blend ingredients and insure an even coating.

Repackage into smaller jars for gift-giving or convenience and store in fridge.

To store pickles at room temperature, pack into sterilized canning jars and process for 10 minutes in boiling water, following all standard canning procedures.

Vanilla Coffee Liqueur

1 ½ cups packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup instant espresso powder

3 cups vodka

½ vanilla bean, split

Combine sugars and 2 cups water. Bring to boil and boil for 5 minutes. Gradually stir in coffee using a wire whisk; cool. Pour into a bottle or jar; add vodka and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Cover and let stand at least 2 weeks. Remove vanilla bean. Good as a liqueur, over fruit or over ice cream!

Peach Ginger Jam

4 cups finely chopped peaches (about 3 pounds, or 9 medium)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger-root (about a 1-inch piece)

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 (1.75-oz.) package no-sugar-needed fruit pectin

1 cup sugar

4 half-pint jars

1. Prepare boiling-water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Set bands aside. 2. Combine peaches, lemon juice, crystallized and fresh ginger, cardamon, cinnamon and salt in a medium sauce-pan. Gradually add pectin. Bring mixture to a full, rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. 3. Add sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard for three minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam if necessary. 4. Ladle hot jam into jars. Leave 1/4 inch of head space. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar and screw on band until fit it tight. 5. Process in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal.

Canning Tips:

Jams are an easy entree into canning because you can do a few pints in your soup pot.

If you do make jams or jellies, cook the fruit slowly to a boil, and keep stirring or the fruit will pop.

Jars can be reused indefinitely as long as they are resterilized and have no cracks.

Read through recipes and set up equipment before starting.

Have a funnel handy to make filling jars easier.

Use the absolute freshest and best produce you can get. The better the fruits and vegetables are when you get them, the better the canned foods will be. Remove blemishes or bad spots before processing.

Honey-Preserved Clementines

Jars of preserved clementines make great gifts (if you can bear to part with them). These clementines are preserved in a syrup made from honey, sugar and spices. It cures the clementines, drawing water out of them and preventing the growth of harmful bacteria. It also makes their rinds ultratender and their flesh silky soft. This way, you can eat the entire clementine, rind and all, for many months to come.

Honey-preserved clementines are delicious for dessert all on their own (or with a dollop of mascarpone or creme fraiche), but there are many other culinary uses for this versatile preserve. Chop and:

• stir into yogurt or rice pudding
• add to frosting for a cake, or decorate with thin slices
• use as a topping for vanilla ice cream
• stuff into cored apples before baking
• stir into beef stew
• add to lamb tagine
• use in a stuffing for roast turkey, chicken, or duck

Yields 1 quart

1 cup honey

1 cup granulated sugar

5 whole cloves

2 green cardamom pods

1 4-inch cinnamon stick

1 1/2 lb. firm clementines (5 to 7), cut horizontally into 3/4-inch-thick slices.

In a 4-quart saucepan, bring 1 cup water and the honey, sugar, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamom stick to a boil over high heat.

Gently slip the clementines into the liquid without stirring. (If any slices are mostly rind, place them rind down.) Return to a full boil and then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and set aside overnight, at least 8 and up to 12 hours.

Spoon and gently pack the slices into a 1-quart canning jar. Bring the syrup in the saucepan back to a boil over medium-high heat; boil 3 minutes to concentrate the flavors.

Pour the syrup over the slices to cover; discard any excess syrup. Cool to room temperature. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 week before using. The clementines will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

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