Downton Abbey Smoked Salmon Mousse

My good friend Gayleen and I recently exchanged Christmas gifts (belated, but no less appreciated). We have both enjoyed Downton Abbey, and she knows I love to cook, so this is what I got:

I tried out a couple recipes today. Since the Smoked Salmon Mousse recipe is already a page posted on Barnes & Nobles' website, I suppose there's no copyright infringement in including it here as well. Besides, as a teaser, it may entice you to invest in the book itself. Photo of MY preparation of the recipe (at right) -- I had crackers on hand, not crostini this time. Photo of the recipe in the book (...with silver platter and crystal goblet!) is below.


Note: I'm not sure why it's called Smoked Salmon Mousse as there's nothing smoked or smokey in it (aside from the fact that the paprika I have in my pantry happens to be smoked paprika)...though I'm inspired to try smoked salmon instead of poached the next time I make this as that sounds delicious!

With recipes for upstairs service, downstairs dishes, and a whole section on Afternoon Tea at Downton, I'm anxious to try more!

Thanks, Gayleen! :)

Downton Abbey Cookbook: Crawley Sisters' Stuffed Mushrooms

This is another recipe from the Downton Abbey cookbook I got for Christmas...

Salted Caramel Sauce with Bourbon

I already have a basic caramel sauce -- buttery, lightly salted, fairly thick. I LIKE it. But I was intrigued by a couple others I've seen lately. The bourbon in this one is very apparent. I like bourbon, but...not sure if I like it this much in my caramel sauce because I LIKE my caramel! But depending on what I'm serving it over, that might be a nice twist.

This recipe comes from the Food Network magazine: Cook 1 1/2 C sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan but not stirring, until dark amber, about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in 1 C heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Whisk in 2  tablespoons bourbon. Let cool completely; transfer to jars to refrigerate. Makes about 2 cups.

Lavender & Fleur de sel Caramel Sauce

After making the Salted Caramel Sauce with Bourbon which had a good kick from the bourbon, I tried out this lavender & fleur de sel version. In this one, I could use a bit more lavender; it's there, but it's subtle. It's always a risk, bumping up florals; you don't want it to taste like soap or a mouthful of perfume. But next time with this one, I'd bump up the lavender a bit, or maybe just smash them up more before adding them to release more flavors.

The original recipe for this one is from Martha Stewart:
Heat 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1/4 cup corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves, 3 to 4 minutes. Bring to a boil, and cook, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming, until medium amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and add 3/4 cup heavy cream. Return to heat. Cook, stirring, until combined. Remove from heat, and stir in 5 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon lavender, and 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel. Let stand for 15 minutes. Strain. 

Granita

A Fresh & Frosty Happy New Year to you! (new DECADE)

Simple is sweet. You can dress up a granita, or just go 'naked'. Sometimes simple and classic is just as good. In it's simplest form a granita is nothing more than frozen fruit juice (That's it; your complete ingredient list is fruit juice. I used cran-raspberry). As it freezes, the juice is raked with a fork about every 30 minutes so it sets up in large chunky crystals...a classic frozen dessert easy to make withOUT an ice cream maker!

Dress it up if you want...go for mixed fruit juice flavors; add a splash of lemon or lime to brighten sweeter juices with a touch of zestiness; add a little extra sweetness from sugar, honey, maple or another syrup; or add herbs or spices -- even a kick of chile or pepper. Splash in some liquor if you want, but don't go too heavy handed since too much alcohol will keep it from freezing.

Have fun experimenting!

Caramelized Onion Dip

Ingredients
1 T oil
1 large sweet onion
8 oz cream cheese, softened
¾ C sour cream
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ t garlic salt
½ t onion powder
pinch pepper
1 scallion

Directions
Thinly slice the onion. Sauté the onion in oil until it browns (5-7 minutes). Stir in ½ cup water, gently scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Continue to cook until onion is golden brown, translucent and very soft.

While the onion is cooking, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, Worcestershire, garlic salt, onion powder and pepper. Stir until creamy. Stir in onion. Chill until serving. Before serving, slice green part of scallion; top dip with scallion slices. Serve with chips or fresh veggies...

Apple Fries

Apparently, you can get Apple Fries at Legoland amusement park in Carlsbad, CA. This recipe was part of a collection in Food Network Magazine this past summer with recipes of amusement park favorites. 

Even with Granny Smith apples, these were a little too sweet (which is NOT usually a problem for me). Maybe not entirely too sweet, just...kind of one-note sweetness. I added a sprinkle of salt and it balanced the flavors to my liking. I'd add salt in with the cinnamon sugar next time around. I also had some cream whipped already (beyond soft peaks, as you can tell in my photo, but I wanted to use what I had rather than whipping up more); tasted fine, though a little tougher to dip in than the softer, creamier version would be.

I'd also like to play around with a SINGLE frying, instead of the twice-fried process in this recipe. (Fry first, bake second?) Mine were nicely crispy on the outside -- other than one batch where the temperature dropped in the first frying, which already starts at only 300°...definitley lower than I would typically deep fry anything. I even made sure the apples sat and came to room temp before I made these. The cornstarch should help create a seal even in the lower temp oil -- seal in the apple juices and seal OUT the oil -- but that batch of fries was greasier than the rest. I'd bump up the temp for that first frying!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/apple-fries-6607082

Apple-Maple Cider Cocktail or 'Mocktail'

Ingredients
3 C apple cider
3 T lemon juice
3 T maple syrup
optional: 2 or 3 sprigs of thyme for steeping; extra thyme sprigs and/or very thin apple slices for garnish, if desired

1 C ginger beer or gingerale (mocktail)
    or
¾ C bourbon (cocktail)

Directions
If stronger thyme flavor is desired, steep apple cider with thyme first: Bring apple cider to boil with 3 or 4 sprigs of thyme; remove from heat. Chill. Remove thyme sprigs. (Maple flavor is more pronounced without steeping thyme.)

Add lemon juice and maple syrup to apple cider, stirring until maple syrup is dissolved. Add ginger beer, gingerale, or bourbon. Pour into glasses over ice. Garnish with apple slices and/or thyme sprigs.

Cheesy Mushroom Pasta

The original recipe called for pappardelle pasta, which I love -- wide noodles that catch and stand up to a good deal of sauce. But I had some mixed veggie noodles which were wide and rippled enough to do the same. Either, I believe would do very well; it was a hearty meal, very balanced flavor; great with a side salad. Would probably be fine even without the ham steak if you needed a vegetarian meal (not vegan, with the milk & cheese); the mushrooms give it a meatiness. Might need a little extra salt.

Ingredients
2 T butter
4 ounces ham steak, small diced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
s&p to taste
12 oz buttom mushrooms, sliced
2 T flour
3 C whole milk
8-10 oz pappardelle pasta
2 oz (½ C) grated havarti cheese
3 oz (6 T) grated parmesan
2 T chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Begin bringing large pot of salted water to boil (for pasta).
Melt butter in large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add ham, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent (3-5 minutes). Add mushrooms, cook another 3-5 minutes until tender.

Sprinkle in flour, stirring to coat ingredients. Gradually add milk, stirring; bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer, stirring gently, until thick and creamy. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat broiler. Add pasta to boiling water; cook until al dente. Reserve ½ C pasta water; drain pasta. Add pasta to skillet with mushroom sauce. Also add havarti, parsley and half of the parmesan. Fold together pasta, sauce, cheeses and parsley until well coated. Use reserved pasta water to thin sauce if/as needed. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan. Broil until bubbly and lightly browned.

"Butter Beer" (?) -- Butterscotch Soda (Non-alcoholic)

Apparently, "butter beer" is a creation from the Harry Potter world. Having never been much of a fan, I've no insights to offer as to any authenticity to descriptions from the text. The actual beverage was, it seems, created after the fact...so Universal Studios would have something to sell along side their theme park attractions. Probably a smart move on their part; I understand they sell both hot and cold versions. I've only tried this cold. I have no idea how 'butter beer' is described in the fantasy novels, or how it is 'supposed' to taste. But this is a flavorful butterscotch soda...perfect for crisp, sunny, fall days where the blue skies and sunshine are still lingering from summer, but the season is inviting rich, warm, buttery flavors.

Ingredients
1 C brown sugar
1 C heavy cream, cold
1 T powdered sugar
3 T butterscotch sauce
pinch salt
½ t butter extract
¼ t vanilla extract
6 C club soda

Directions
Mix brown sugar in small saucepan with ½ C water; bring to low bowl and simmer to dissolve sugar. Refrigerate until cold.

Beat heavy cream with powdered sugar to soft peaks. Fold in butterscotch sauce and salt; beat to medium-stiff peaks. 

Add extracts to chilled brown sugar water.

To serve, pour ¼ C brown sugar mixture into glass; add 1 C club soda and top with whipped butterscotch cream

Buttered Bourbon Spiced Cider

A hot-buttered-rum-twist on spiced cider. I like this better than hot buttered rum!

Ingredients
½ C butter, softened
 C brown sugar
 t each nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon
4 C applie cider
1 C bourbon

Directions
Mix the brown sugar and spices into the softened butter. Shape into a 1" thick roll/log, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for an hour.

Heat the apple cider. Divide the cider and bourbon between 6 mugs. Add a slice of spiced butter.

The sugared and spiced butter sinks to the bottom and as it melts, drop by drop, floats to the surface where it spreads out in a delicious, spiced butter layer to sip through with each swallow!

Apricot Rosemary Jam

Ingredients
6 C (about 2.5 lbs) juicy, ripe apricots
2 C sugar
½ t salt
3 T pectin
3 T lemon juice
~12" fresh rosemary sprigs

Directions
Halve apricots and remove pits; rough chop into large pieces. Combine sugar, salt, pectin and lemon juice in large sauce pan. Add apricots and stir to coat thoroughly. Add rosemary sprigs. Let sit at least 2 hours and up to overnight (refrigerate).

Stir to combine juices with sugar that may have settled to bottom of pot.  Bring to boil; boil 6-8 minutes sstirring frequently (reduce heat if needed to prevent jam from boiling over or excessive spattering).

Remove from heat. Remove rosemary sprigs and discard (some loose leaves in the jam is fine, but they can be removed if preferred). Mash with potato masher for chunky jam, or purée with immersion blender for smoother jam.

Return to heat; continue boiling until jam is reduced to 4½ C; skim foam off top if/as needed.* Scoop or pour jam into sterilized jars.

* You can test jams for consistency: Scoop a little jam onto a spoon and place it in the freezer for 3-5 minutes to reach room temperature. Tip the spoon on end; if it's too thin and runny, continue boiling another 3-5 minutes and retest.