Monthly Cooking Thread, December 2021

I happened to hit on this Russian Crepe Torte recently – it has chicken, mushroom and cream cheese filings, and looks like a ton of work and time – but I can’t think of a better time than Christmas (or maybe New Year's Eve?) to try out something so extravagant:

I have had several cookie-presses – my first one was a Mirro, which I had in the 1960s when I first became interested in cooking. It was all metal, with the giant screw that you had to crank down for each cookie. After that, I had several of the plastic gun-type ones, and they usually broke after a short while.

Recently I had a birthday, and someone gifted me an Italian Marcato ‘biscuit maker’, which is supposed to be the G.O.A.T. of cookie presses. I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but it’s all metal and very sturdy, and has great reviews.

Here is the Spritz recipe from the little book that came with my old ‘Mirro’ press; I’ve used this since I was a kid, and one of my friends still wants nothing else for Christmas except a box of these cookies:

Sift flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together in a bowl. Cut in your shortening – it should resemble biscuit or pie crust, but very small particles.

Measure the egg in a measuring cup – a large egg should measure ¼ Cup; if it doesn’t, add water to measure ¼ Cup.

Add egg and vanilla to the flour mixture and beat well. Fill your press and press out cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, and remove immediately to a cooking rack.

(You may have to do your dough in portions, while keeping the rest regrigerated. Different cookie presses function differently.)

I’m not really crazy about turkey at holidays – maybe because I’m so tired from roasting and watching over it and all of the sides. But I love Thanksgiving and Christmas leftovers, and would like to hear your recipes for leftover turkey.

GLAZED SALMON

Legendary Seattle Pike’s Place Fish Market has great smoked salmon and something called
“Salmon Candy,” a sweet smoked salmon. Recipe variation: enough for 2 very small fillets.

STEPS: Fork/Combine T thyme (fresh), clove garlic (crushed), T dk br/sugar, T honey, 5 t smoked paprika, sea salt/p to taste. Really mash it. Then, slather it on salmon fillets patted dry. Grill on unglazed side. Foil over the grill and flip to glazed side to finish cooking. Skin salmon when it is light and flaky, yet still moist. Transfer it to a plate and serve with lots of oven-roasted potatoes.

Recipe from PHILIPPE FORCIOLI, executive chef at Cliffbreakers Riverside Resort, Rockford, Illinois. Good do ahead, Mushrooms and asparagus provide B vitamins, and pesto contains heart-healthy, unsaturated fat. “Keeps in the frige a week,” says Chef Forcioli.

Portobello and Asparagus Pasta

Roasted Asparagus and Mushroom Pasta - Cooking Chat

ING 2/3 cup pine nuts 20 large, fresh basil leaves 2/3 cup parsley 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 cup Parm 4 whole, peeled garlic cloves Kosher salt and black pepper to taste 1 1/2 pounds penne or tortellini 32 medium asparagus spears, chopped, pieces 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 large portobello caps, sliced (remove gills with a spoon) 4 teaspoons chopped parsley

STEPS Make the pesto by pureeing the first seven ingredients till medium smooth. Boil a pot of salted water. Add pasta. Five minutes later add asparagus. In a saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add portobello; cook till tender [seven minutes]. When pasta is cooked, strain it and asparagus, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Transfer pasta and asparagus back to the pot along with half of the reserved water. Mix in pesto. Drizzle with remaining water, and top with portobello and parsley. Serves six.

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