November 2006

This month, we have two recipes that will delight family and friends visiting for Thanksgiving. Greg Robeson˜you may remember him as the guy who went on the road and blogged about his gustatory adventures˜has graciously decided to share two of his top-secret recipes with us. They are enough to turn your thanksgiving day table into a five star restaurant. Enjoy!

Recipe 1: Oregon Pear and Hazelnut Stuffing (serves a bunch!)

There's nothing like pears and hazelnuts in the fall. You can definitely taste autumn in this take on a classic Thanksgiving stuffing. A topping of Oregon cheese gives the dish an unexpected twist.

- 2 teaspoons butter
- 4 cups Oregon Bosc or Anjou pears (about 3 1/2 pounds), peeled and diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup dry sherry
- 1/2 cup Madeira wine
- 5 cups rustic bread (about 8 ounces), 1/2" cubed
- 1 cup homemade chicken stock or canned broth
- 1/2 cup toasted Oregon hazelnuts, coarse chopped
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups Willamette Valley Cheese Company Havarti, grated

Preheat oven to 200 degrees

Place bread cubes in a 200-degree oven until dried and firm (about 1 hour).

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pear slices, and cook, without stirring, 2 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully turn pear slices; cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Add onion and garlic; sauté three minutes or until lightly browned. Add sherry and brandy, and cook until liquid reduces by half. Remove from heat; cool.

Increase oven heat to 350 degrees.

Combine pear mixture, dried bread, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, tossing gently. Spoon the stuffing mixture into a large casserole dish. Cover with lid, and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Remove lid, sprinkle top with cheese, and cook for 5 minutes more or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately.



Recipe 2: Green Beans with Wild Mushroom Sauce and Crispy Fried Leeks (serves a bunch!)

Who hasn't suffered through grandma's rendition of green beans with canned cream of mushroom soup and dried onions? This is my take on that dish, with tender baby beans, seasonal fresh mushrooms and a topping of fried leeks.

- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 leek, white portion only
- 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup shallots, minced fine
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 pounds wild mushrooms (mix of Chanterelles, Oyster, Portobello and Criminis), diced
- 1 cup Marsala wine
- 1 cup homemade chicken stock or canned broth
- 1/2 cup half and half
- sea salt freshly and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup Italian flat parsley, chopped fine
- 1 1/2 pounds haricot verts or small green beans

In a small bowl, soak porcinis in 2 cups of very hot water for 15 minutes. Remove mushrooms from the liquid, squeezing to remove excess juice. Strain liquid to remove grit and set aside. Rough chop the porcinis and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the porcini liquid, Marsala and chicken stock. Heat to a boil and reduce liquid by half.

In a small heavy skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Cut leek lengthwise down the middle so you have to halves. Lay one half flat side down, and, beginning on one edge, cut the leek into matchstick-sized strips. Repeat with second half of the leek. Place half of the cut leeks in the hot oil and fry, stirring frequently, until a golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat for balance of cut leeks. Set aside for later garnish. (Note: this step can be done the morning of your dinner. Simply let cool, place in a bowl and cover loosely with foil).

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook until limp, about 3 minutes. Add the butter. Once it has melted, add the mushrooms and stir until they have released their liquid and wilted slightly. Mix in the chopped porcinis and reduced liquid. Bring to a low boil and reduce by half to the consistency of a thin creamy soup. Whisk in the half and half and half and continue reducing until medium-thick. Remove from heat, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in parsley.

On a serving platter, arrange the green beans that have been steamed to an al dente texture and tossed with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the mushroom mixture over the top, sprinkle with the crispy leeks, and serve immediately.