Consider the Oyster (Stuffing)!

                        
Back in 1941, M.F.K. Fisher wrote vibrantly, wickedly, about love, death (and stew) amongst the molluscs in her seminal tome Consider The Oyster. So, I got to thinking...how about considering an oyster stuffing for Thanksgiving this year?

If you are curious as to what it’s all about, the recipe is below. Whatever you serve, have a wonderful time with family, found family, and friends. And THANKS for reading Evenings with Peter!

“The oysters were curious too, weren’t they...”
Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Oyster Stuffing

In a large pot, melt 4 tbsp butter over high heat until it smokes gently. 

Add 2 ribs diced celery, 1 large diced onion, 1 diced bell pepper, 1 1/2 jalapenos (seeded and minced), 7 cloves minced garlic, and 2 1/2 tbsp poultry seasoning. Lower to medium heat and saute until browned and tender, 15 minutes. 

Stir in 3 cups shucked oysters (purhcase a tin, already shucked!) and their liquid. Cook until edges curl, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Stir in 8 cups crisp bread cubes, followed by 1 cup chicken or turkey stock. Add 1 more pack of stuffing mix and 4 eggs to incorporate. 

Season with salt and pepper. Fold in 2 cups chopped parsley, 2 sliced green onions, and 1 1/2 tsp minced rosemary.

Stuff in a 12 lb turkey. Or, bake in a greased casserole at 350 F until golden, 30-45 minutes.

Darling Clementine

Get a little Tipsy this Thanksgiving! Sweet Potato Tipsy, that is, courtesy of Clementine Paddleford.

Although she was once considered the pioneer of American food writing, Ms. Paddleford is largely forgotten today. I first encountered her in the pages of Saveur magazine some years ago and among the other recipes featured in the article, I was particularly enamored with these creamy sweet potatoes shot with a solid dose of sherry. 

I like to celebrate her memory by serving Sweet Potato Tipsy over the holidays, and I think you’ll agree this wonderfully warming dish is perfectly suited to a Thanksgiving table.  

Below is a picture of Miss Paddleford’s cookbook How America Eats, peeking out from under a platter of her scrumptious ginger cookies. Bake a batch to keep the kids busy this season! Click here for the recipe and to learn more about the great Clementine Paddleford. 

P.S. If you would like to make further use of sweet potatoes, click here.

Sweet Potato Tipsy
Serves 6-8

Ingredients
8 medium sweet potatoes
2 pinches of salt
7 tbsp butter
1⁄2 cup half and half
1⁄4 cup dry sherry
3 tbsp brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Put 8 medium sweet potatoes into a large pot, cover with cold water, and add 2 generous pinches of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium, and cook until soft when pierce, 30-40 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

2. Peel potatoes and transfer to a large bowl. Coarsely mash potatoes with the tines of a fork, then add 5 tbsp. softened butter, 1⁄2 cup half-and-half, 1⁄4 cup dry sherry, and 3 tbsp. brown sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

3. Transfer sweet potato mixture to a buttered medium baking dish, dot with 2 tbsp. butter, and bake until top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.


First published in Saveur in Issue #62

 

Lentilles du Puy

Sometimes I feel lentils are the lost legumes because short of being stuffed in a veggie burger or hiding out in a hearty stew, lentils are difficult to find on a menu, shining on a plate of their own.

Café de Bruxelles in the West Village used to serve the most delicious grilled brook trout paired with a side of lentils and I have served them together at dinner parties as a result. I think it’s a great combo. Mercato further uptown currently serves luscious lentils lounging in a shallow pool of olive oil and anchovy paste to accompany table bread, but I have yet to experiment with that at home.

However, a dish of Lentilles du Puy needs no supporting cast—or indeed, even a plate! Sometimes I just spoon it right out of the roasting pan.

Instead of adding three cups of water to the lentils as in the recipe below, I suggest using two and a half cups stock (such as mushroom, vegetable, or chicken) and about half a cup of white wine.

Fresh is best, but canned or vacuum-sealed beets are fine to use in a pinch (and you don’t have the bother of peeling them). I’ve also added bacon, because why not? Fry three strips of bacon ahead of time, remove them from pan and sautée the carrots and beets in the bacon grease with a little butter instead of the suggested oil. Crumble the cooled bacon and toss into the mix at the end.

C’est magnifique!


Lentilles du Puy with Roasted Carrots and Beets
Adapted from Saveur, Issue #18
Serves 6 as a side dish

“This recipe was developed for the esteemed lentils from Le Puy (which have been granted an appellation d'origine contrôlée by the French government), but any French-style lentil will do.”

Ingredients
3 small beets, peeled and diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
4 shallots, peeled and halved
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 sprigs fresh parsley
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 lb. lentilles du Puy, or other French-style green lentils, picked over and rinsed
3 tbsp. sherry vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Method
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Place beets, carrots, shallots, and 1/2 cup oil in a medium roasting pan. Stir to coat vegetables evenly with oil. Add parsley and thyme, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring once, until vegetables begin to brown, about 20 minutes. Add lentils and 3 cups of water, stir, then cover pan with foil. Cook until lentils are tender and all water is absorbed, about 1 hour.

2. Remove pan from oven. Remove and discard herb sprigs, then dress lentils with vinegar and remaining oil. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Variation—Different vegetables and dressings can be used for this salad. For instance, roast 2 cups peeled small pearl onions for 20 minutes as in step 1 above. Dice 4 celery stalks. Add celery and lentils to onions with 3 cups water, cover, and continue roasting. Meanwhile, mix 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice with 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a small bowl. Stir in 1 minced peeled garlic clove and 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme. When lentils are tender and liquid has been absorbed, toss with dressing. Adjust seasoning and serve.

COOKBOOK/A TABLE - Chicken Livers a la Française!

Bonjour! I love chicken livers, preferably with onions, and I love that it is such a simple and satisfying dish to make. For this adventure, I looked to Julia Child for inspiration, as I so often do, and The French Chef Cookbook (which features recipes from her show, by episode—Chicken Livers a la Française is The Eighteenth Show).

 

Julia’s recipe calls for sauteed mushrooms and ham, but I substituted sauteed onions for those and set to work. I also used a fine Amontillado we had lying around instead of Madeira (that we didn’t have). My version below is definitely less involved than Julia’s. You’ll work quickly, but your guests might think you’ve spent hours in the kitchen to prepare such a sumptuous, elegant meal in the French method. 

Serve on top of a molded ring of rice or a bed of spinach, and perhaps garnish with peas or asparagus tips!

Do enjoy!

Sauteed Chicken Livers

For 4 to 6 people
Ingredients
1 lb chicken livers, about two cups
Salt and pepper
½ cup flour in a plate
A large sieve
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon cooking oil
A heavy 10-inch enameled or no-stick skillet
1 cup onions, sauteed in butter until yellow and tender
Half cup beef stock or bullion
1/3 cup Amontillado (or Madeira, or a dry sherry)
One tablespoon fresh minced parsley

Method
Dry chicken livers on paper towels. Just before cooking, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then shake in a sieve to remove excess flour.

Melt the butter and oil in the skillet over moderately high heat. When you see the butter foam begin to subside, add the chicken livers. Toss frequently for three to four minutes until livers are lightly browned; They are done and just springy to the touch of your finger. Do not overcook. Add onions, pour in the stock and the Amontillado, and simmer for one minute. Taste and correct seasoning. Reheat just before serving, then remove from heat and toss with parsley.