A Memorable Christmas Menu
(c)1999 Henry M. Summers
The Reverend Allen Hinman and his wife Marion are famous for their dinner parties, which they put on at the slightest excuse. But Christmas is the time that their turn-of-the-century Victorian home is at its most lovely, and the table, set for eighteen, at its most lavish. And of all the Christmas feasts I shared with them, 1996 is the most memorable.
Marion’s sister and brother-in-law were then living in Alaska. During the week preceding Christmas, a moose tilted with a train, lost the encounter, and almost instantly became frozen to the tracks. The resourceful natives came a-running with their chain saws, quickly converting the hapless beast into steaks, chops and roasts. A large roast cut from the leg was shipped to the Hinmans via Newark Airport along with a 29-inch-long rainbow trout that the brother-in-law had just caught.
While the trout defrosted in the Hinman’s bathtub, I inspected my first specimen of moose meat. I recalled reading somewhere that the moose’s most prized morsel is its muffle: that rubbery-looking appurtenance covering the creature’s nose. But other than that, my cookbook collection was mute on the matter of moose. In as much as the moose is the largest member of the deer clan, however, I decided to treat it in the manner customary for deer, marinating it in red wine with vegetables and herbs, then braising it.
After the trout had defrosted sufficiently to permit some exploratory surgery, I opened up its belly and discovered that it was a mother-to-be, filled to bursting with roe. I carefully removed the roe sacks and set them aside to use as a garnish for the fish. This was far too spectacular a creature to serve any way except whole. But how, and in what, to cook two and one-half feet of sea-run steelhead? My ploy was to cut her in two, poach her in halves, then reassemble her on a plank suited to her fully-extended size, garnished with her own roes. I would base a simple velouté sauce on the white wine court bouillon in which I would send her for her last swim.
Fortunately, you don’t need an Alaskan brother-in-law, or even a chain saw, to create your own facsimile of my Bullwinkle braisé. It turned out that similar to elk, moose is far less gamey-tasting than our local deer. Indeed, it could easily have passed for USDA Choice bottom round of beef; a state of affairs that would have been much more disappointing if it hadn’t been quite so delicious.
Pinch-hitting for the parturient Mrs. Trout (since this was a minister’s table, we’ll give her marital status the benefit of the doubt) is a much more easily managed fillet of farm-raised North Atlantic salmon. For our garnish, we will use flounder roes. Like the farm-raised salmon, flounder roes are readily available from fish stores and supermarket fresh fish departments. However, you will most likely have to ask your fish monger to save them for you. It will be well worth the trouble, since flounder roe is similar to shad roe, minus the festival committee and fancy price tag.
Our meal opens with the fish, followed by the meat with its vegetable garnish and red potatoes boiled in their jackets. A salad of chicory dressed with walnut oil and lemon juice will cleanse the palate, but unlike vinegar-based salad dressings, will not conflict with our wine selections. Our menu concludes with a tart, sweet lemon granita, your favorite cookies, and coffee. And surprise! This feast happens to be extremely low in fat. And should you choose to misrepresent your beef round as moose muffle, it’s between you, your conscience, and your chain saw.
Poached Salmon Fillet with Sautéed Flounder Roes, Sauce Velouté
Ingredients
1 fillet of farm-raised salmon or rainbow trout, between 1 ½ and 2 pounds
1 bottle dry white table wine
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 onion, peeled and sliced
parsley, a few sprigs
thyme, a few sprigs (or small pinch dried)
½ bay leaf
6 peppercorns
1 lemon, sliced
potato starch (look next to the corn starch or in your supermarket’s kosher aisle)
1-1 ½ pounds flounder roes
butter
When you buy your fillet, inquire if the pin bones (the tiny, troublesome bones that run in parallel rows along the fish’s sides) have been removed. If not, ask your fish monger to remove them. (If you must, you can feel for them with your fingertips, and pull them out with a needle-nose pliers. Rubbing the flesh side of the fillet with kosher salt will make the pin bones much easier to locate by touch and to grab with the pliers.)
Place your fillet in a fish poacher or pan of suitable size. If you only have a round pan, it may be necessary to cut the fillet in half, in which case it can be reassembled for serving, and the incision concealed with parsley. Add the wine, and if needed, enough water to barely cover the fish. Add the carrot, onion, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, lemon, and flounder roes. Place over medium-high heat. As soon as it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a bare simmer, remove the flounder roes to a plate with a paper towel on it, and simmer the fish for 10 minutes for every inch of thickness.
While the salmon is simmering, dry the roes off and dust with potato starch or flour, patting off any excess. Have a few tablespoons of butter in a pan, and cook the roes gently so that they color but don’t break apart.
Remove the cooked fish to a long serving dish, and cover loosely with foil or an inverted plate to keep it warm and prevent it from drying out. Strain the contents of the poacher into a clean saucepan and bring to a boil. Add a tablespoon of potato starch to ¼ cup of cold water, stirring until completely dissolved. Add a little at a time to the boiling liquid until slightly thickened. Taste, and if desired, add salt and pepper. Optionally, you may add a light lashing of cream.
Pour some of the sauce over and around the fish. Dispose the roes around the fish, sprinkle lightly with finely chopped parsley, and send to the table with the rest of the velouté in a sauce boat.
A fish course of such subtle refinement merits a noble wine. A perfumed, sotto-sweet German Riesling of Kabinett quality, perhaps; or if you prefer your table wines in a drier style, a Riesling from Alsace. If you’re willing to float a loan, a great white Burgundy would be wonderful; or a California Chardonnay not too long in the wood. A juicy and economical Muscadet would be right on the money, too.
Sirloin of Alaskan Moose Braised in Red Wine with a Macédoine of Winter Vegetables
Ingredients
3-4 pound piece of bottom round, rump or brisket of moose (or beef)
1 bottle dry red table wine
¼ cup of cognac, armagnac or scotch
4 large carrots, peeled and diced (see method)
1 large onion, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, peeled with a swivel peeler and diced
2 white turnips, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
a few parsley sprigs
several branches of fresh thyme, or pinch dried
6 peppercorns
2-3 cloves
10 juniper berries (or 1 shotglass gin), optional
oil, preferably peanut or grape seed
potato starch
Method
"First a moose, then a macédoine! If I can’t find a moose, where the hell am I going to get one of those prehistoric elephants?" Calm down. A macédoine is merely a diced or minced mixture of fruits or vegetables. Our macédoine of root vegetables will flavor our marinade. But because it will also serve as a garnish, the vegetables should be cut carefully into cubes ½"- ¾" on a side, or "turned" in the classic French style.
Sauté the carrot, onion, celery and turnip in some peanut oil with the bay leaf, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, cloves and the optional juniper berries (if using gin instead, ad it later with the liquid ingredients). When the vegetables begin to soften and color, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Put the meat in a heavy plastic freezer bag with the contents of the sauté pan, wine, cognac, and optional gin. Seal and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, preferably 24 to 48.
Remove the meat from the marinade, dry it well with paper towels, and if desired, tie it with string to give it an attractive shape. Heat some peanut oil in a casserole just large enough to hold the meat, marinade and vegetables. When the oil is hot, brown the meat until richly colored on all sides. Remove the meat to a plate, add the marinade and vegetables, and scrape the bottom of the casserole to loosen any bits of meat and solidified juices. Replace the meat, bring the casserole to a boil, cover snugly, and cook at a bare simmer on top of the stove, or in the oven at 250 degrees.
Check the meat every half hour or so, turning it over in the casserole. After it has cooked for 1½ hours, check it for tenderness with a fork. Continue to cook until the fork penetrates easily, then remove it from the casserole to another freezer bag. Press out the air, and seal. The meat may now be refrigerated, or placed in mold, such as a loaf pan, covered with another loaf pan or plate, and weighted down (cans make handy weights). This last optional step will help create attractive, even slices. Strain the gravy into a covered container and chill. Remove and discard the bay leaf, parsley, thyme, peppercorns, cloves and juniper berries, reserving the vegetables. Place the vegetables in a separate container or bag and refrigerate.
Let the meat chill for at least 24 hours, or up to 3 days. When you are ready, remove the meat from the refrigerator, cut and discard the string, and with a very thin, sharp knife, carve against the grain into even slices ¼" to 1/3" thick. Arrange the meat on an oven-proof serving platter. Remove the fat from the gravy, which will have solidified and risen to the top of the container. Place the gravy in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat. Mix a tablespoon or so of potato starch with ¼ cup of cold water, stirring until dissolved. Add this a little at a time to the simmering gravy until it has thickened slightly. Taste and correct the seasoning.
Add the reserved vegetables to the saucepan, and simmer until heated through. Cover the meat with the sauce, arranging the vegetables attractively around the sides. Cover tightly with foil, and place in a 250-300 degree oven until piping hot. Send to the table with any remaining gravy in a sauce boat. Serve with a bowl of small new California or red potatoes that have been boiled separately, lightly buttered and/or moistened with some of the gravy. Alternately, the entire meat course can be reheated to perfection in the microwave.
This is the time to uncork that St. Émilion you’ve been hoarding. You would not be amiss, however, to serve a Rioja Reserva (Spain), Barolo (Italy), or Cabernet from California or Chile.
Chicory with Walnut Oil and Lemon Juice
Chicory is a frizzy relative of escarole. Its frilly edges and touch of bitterness make it a most effective palate cleanser. The more tender, lighter-colored inner leaves make a less challenging salad than the tougher, darker outer leaves. Wash the chicory carefully, as it is apt to be sandy. Shake, spin, or blot dry, and place in the refrigerator to chill.
If desired, rub the inside of a bowl with a cut clove of garlic. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Whisk in some walnut oil (which must always be refrigerated once opened), and taste. Add the chicory, turning it in the dressing till evenly coated, and serve.
Lemon Granita
Lemon ice in the Italian style satisfies your craving for a sweet after a big meal without taxing an already overloaded digestive system with additional fat and calories. A few cookies, a cup or two of excellent after-dinner coffee, perhaps a brandy or cordial, and you can leave the table with your arteries and clear as your conscience.
Ingredients
1 quart water
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup lemon juice, pits removed
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel, yellow part only
Method
Warm the water, add the sugar, and stir till dissolved. Add the juice and rind. Place in a bowl or tray and freeze, stirring every half-hour or so, until it reaches a slushy consistency. At this point, it may be served. Alternately, it can be made well ahead, then taken out of the freezer 15 minutes or so before it is required. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs if desired.
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