Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook (30 page)

1.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Set oven rack to middle position.

2.
Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat until foaming. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, until softened, stirring often. Add thyme, salt and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sliced potatoes, broth, milk and bay leaves; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, until potatoes are almost tender. Discard bay leaves.

3.
Transfer mixture to a buttered 2-quart casserole or 8-inch square baking dish; sprinkle with cheese. Bake until casserole is bubbling around edges and top is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then sprinkle with chives before serving.

TIP

You want the potatoes to be sliced very thinly. Keep them from sticking to the knife by spraying a little cooking spray on the blade before slicing.

1.
In a glass measuring cup, whisk shallot, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper until combined. Slowly pour oil in a stream until blended.

2.
In a large serving bowl, combine arugula, pomegranate seeds and pecans. Add dressing; toss to coat. Top salad with cheese; toss once.

TIP

Extra-virgin olive oil, which comes from the first cold pressing of the olives, has a stronger, purer flavor than virgin olive oil. Since it is more expensive, most cooks prefer to use it only for salad and other uncooked dishes. Virgin olive oil is better for sautéing.

1.
In a small bowl, combine yeast with ¼ cup warm water and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Stir and let stand 5 minutes. Yeast should be creamy and bubbling slightly.

2.
In a 1-quart glass measuring cup, heat buttermilk in microwave until just warm. Stir in yeast mixture, melted butter, eggs and remaining sugar until combined.

3.
In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Fold with a spatula to form a craggy dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic.

4.
Lightly butter a large bowl. Place dough in bowl; turn to coat dough with butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 ½ hours, or until doubled.

5.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down dough; knead quickly in bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; cut into 18 pieces. Using your palm and fingers, roll each piece into a ball, tucking the dough underneath itself as you roll to form a taut ball. Repeat with remaining pieces. Transfer balls to prepared pan; cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm spot for 40 minutes, until about doubled.

6.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush tops of rolls with melted butter and bake 20 minutes, until golden brown.

TIP

To test whether the dough has risen sufficiently, poke your finger in the dough; the impression should remain.

1.
Warm oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add beans, salt and pepper. Cook 6 minutes, shaking the pan often, until beans are brown in spots. Add ½ cup water; cover pot and cook 2 minutes, until beans are bright green but still crisp. Uncover; cook 1 minute, until water evaporates.

2.
Add butter, garlic and tarragon; cook 2 minutes, until beans are crisp-tender and coated with butter. Transfer to serving bowl; sprinkle with almonds.

TIP

To toast almonds, cook them in an ungreased skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until golden.

1.
Warm oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Remove from heat; let rest until cool. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

2.
Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, salt and pepper; cook 5 minutes, until softened, stirring often. Add mushrooms; cook 10 minutes, until liquid is released and cooked off, stirring often. Add sherry and cook 4 minutes, until mixture is dry. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper, stir in parsley and let cool completely.

3.
Lay both sheets of puff pastry end to end on a lightly floured countertop. Pinch the two ends together to seal and roll out pastry to form one 12-by-20-inch rectangle.

4.
Spread half of the mushrooms over the puff pastry, leaving a 1-inch edge on all sides. Place the tenderloin in the center of the rectangle. Spread pâté over top and sides of tenderloin. Spread remaining sautéed mushrooms over the pâté. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg, then fold the long edges over the tenderloin, pressing lightly to seal. Fold up and seal short ends of pasty. Use any excess dough to decorate the top as you like. Transfer meat, seam side down, to baking sheet. Refrigerate 2 hours, or overnight.

5.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Place another baking sheet on the middle rack in the oven until hot, about 15 minutes. Brush entire roast with remainder of beaten egg. Make 2 to 3 slits in pastry. Sprinkle with salt. Carefully transfer roast to preheated baking sheet.

6.
Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F. Bake 10 minutes longer, or until a thermometer registers 130°F for medium-rare and the pastry is cooked through. Let rest on a cutting board 10 minutes before slicing.

TIP

To save time, sear the beef and cook the mushrooms the day before. Both should be stored in the refrigerator.