A One Year Later House Warming Dinner Club at 42 Murdock Street - November 2013

Sweet Tea Mint Juleps

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-tea-mint-juleps-50400000128146/

• Yield: Serves 8 (serving size: 1/2 cup)
• Hands-on:20 Minutes
• Total:50 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 Earl Grey tea bags
• 1 (1-ounce) package fresh mint (about 1 cup)

• 1 1/4 cups bourbon
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 3/4 cups chilled sparkling wine
• Mint sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at high 3 minutes, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add tea bags and mint to sugar syrup; steep 20 minutes. Discard tea bags and mint. Stir in bourbon and juice; chill. Pour tea mixture into a pitcher; stir in sparkling wine. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired; serve immediately.

Mini Cornmeal Cakes with Heirloom Tomato Relish

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cornmeal-cakes-tomato-relish-50400000128147/print/

• Yield: Serves 8 (serving size: 2 topped pancakes)
• Hands-on:25 Minutes
• Total:25 Minutes

Ingredients

• Relish:
• 2 small heirloom tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped (about 1 pound)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Pancakes:
• 1.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)

• 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 1/2 tablespoons whole buttermilk
• 1 large egg, separated
• Cooking spray
• Remaining ingredient:
• 4 teaspoons crème fraîche or reduced-fat sour cream

Preparation

1. Combine first 6 ingredients.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon pepper) in a medium bowl. Combine buttermilk and egg yolk; add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring with a whisk just until moist.

3. Place egg white in a bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until medium peaks form. Fold one-fourth of egg white into buttermilk mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg white.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Spoon about 1 tablespoon batter per pancake into pan, spreading slightly. Cook 1 minute or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges begin to set. Turn and cook 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter for a total of 16 pancakes. Top each pancake with 1/4 teaspoon crème fraîche and 1 1/2 teaspoons tomato relish. Serve immediately.

Roasted Cider-Brined Pork Loin with Green Tomato Chutney

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cider-brined-pork-loin-50400000128149/print/

• Yield: Serves 10 (serving size: 3 ounces pork and about 3 tablespoons chutney)
• Hands-on:35 Minutes
• Total:19 Hours, 30 Minutes

Ingredients

• 2 quarts water, divided
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 2 quarts apple cider
• 1 (2 1/2-pound) pork loin roast, trimmed
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup diced red onions

• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3/4 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 pound green tomatoes, diced

Preparation

1. Combine 1 quart water, granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup salt in a large stockpot; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar and salt dissolve. Add remaining 1 quart water and cider; cool to room temperature. Add pork; refrigerate 12 to 18 hours, turning occasionally.

2. Preheat oven to 375°.

3. Remove pork from brine; pat dry with paper towels. Place pork on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 55 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of pork registers 140°. Remove pork from pan; let stand 15 minutes. Cut crosswise into thin slices.

4. Combine brown sugar and remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 hour and 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad With Basil-Cilantro Purée

http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/recipes/roasted-beet-and-carrot-salad-with-basil-cilantro-pur-e/article_98b9df48-4876-5fca-b2fb-34ac40c98fed.html
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
For the purée
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro
1 or 2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed
Freshly ground black pepper

For the vegetables
4 medium beets, peeled or scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 large carrots, peeled or scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch rounds

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make the purée. Put the basil, cilantro and garlic into a food processor or blender and pulse a few times. With the motor running, pour in the oil and process until you have a nice purée, like a loose pesto.
2. Add the salt and a few grinds of pepper, pulse twice to blend, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and chill while you roast the vegetables.
3. Toss the beets with half of the olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper and spread onto a rimmed baking sheet so that there is one even layer of beets. Do the same with the carrots on a separate baking sheet so you can control the cooking time for each vegetable. Roast the vegetables until tender and slightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring or shaking the pans once or twice as the cook so that they brown evenly. Remove from oven and let cool.
4. Toss the roasted beets and carrots together and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle with the purée. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Per serving: 445 calories; 42g fat; 6g saturated fat; no cholesterol; 2g protein; 15g carbohydrate; 9g sugar; 5g fiber; 835mg sodium; 60mg calcium.
Adapted from “Fresh Food Nation,” by Martha Holmberg

Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pumpkin-banana-mousse-tart-recipe/index.html

Prep Time: 30 min
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hr 30 min
Cook Time: 20 min 

Serves: 10

Ingredients
For the crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (14 crackers)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
 

For the filling:
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 extra-large egg yolks
1 package (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1 ripe banana, finely mashed
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/2 cup cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar

For the decoration:
1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Orange zest, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl and mix well. Pour into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press evenly into the sides and then the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes and then cool to room temperature.

For the filling, heat the half-and-half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the hot pumpkin into the egg yolks to heat them, then pour the egg-pumpkin mixture back into the double boiler and stir well. Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. You don't want the eggs to scramble. Remove from the heat.

Dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Add the dissolved gelatin, banana, and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool.

Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture and pour it into the cooled tart shell. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.

For the decoration, whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the tart and sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest. Serve chilled.