Cardamom & Beaufort Brussels Sprouts Lollipuffs

by Barraud Caterers

Here’s a great vegetarian amuse-bouche that speaks to omnivores and vegetarians alike. Vegetables wrapped in pastry! What’s so special about that? Well, it’s like dressing up your sprouts in finery so they’re ready for the party. Read on!

Yield: six portions as an amuse-bouche offering before a meal

Equipment: Small sauce pan, paring knife, cutting board, chef’s knife, measuring spoons and cups, three small mixing bowls, small pastry brush, plastic or metal ruler, small strainer, small whisk, wooden skewer, half sheet tray, slotted spoon, small skewers for service.

Ingredients:
2 cups water
3 whole thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons torn basil leaves
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 pint brussels sprouts – about 12 + pieces

2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 large egg, beaten
Freshly ground black pepper

Half cup flour

2/3 cup dried brioche or bread crumbs
1 ½ cups grated Beaufort cheese or a mixture of Fontina & Parmesan
3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
2/3 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt & freshly ground black peppercorns to taste

1 sheet store bought raw puff pastry
Egg wash from above

Directions:

1. For the poaching water, combine the first six ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat, partially covered for half an hour to infuse the flavors into the poaching water. Strain and place in clean pan.
2. For the garlic egg wash, on a chopping board sprinkle the kosher salt over the minced garlic and mince and press with the sides of the knife to create a paste. Add this to the beaten egg and grind fresh pepper over.
3. For the crumb, combine the dried crumbs, grated cheese, thyme and spices. Reserve.
4. Remove the outer leaves of the brussels sprouts. Using a paring knife trim the stem so it is flush with the bulb. Criss-cross cut the base of the stem of the sprout with a paring knife to facilitate even cooking with the bulb.
5. Bring the poaching liquid to a boil. Add the trimmed sprouts. Bring back to the boil and turn heat down to a simmer. Cook until just al dente – about 10 minutes depending on size. Test with a wooden skewer. You are looking for just tender, not tough nor soft. Drain the sprouts and place them on a chilled plate & place at the top of the fridge to cool.
6. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Have ready a half sheet tray.
7. Place the flour, egg wash and crumbs in separate bowls. Liberally butter the mini-muffin tins. Dust well with flour, knocking out any excess flour. Have ready the cooled sprouts.
8. To prepare for assembly place the puff pastry squares on a lightly floured board. Using a small pastry brush “wash” the pastry with the garlic egg wash.
9. Toss three or four sprouts in the flour to cover lightly. Transfer them to the egg wash and roll until covered with egg lightly but completely. Using a slotted spoon, drain each sprout against the side of the bowl and place into cheese crumb mixture. Toss around until well-coated with crumb.
10. To assemble, place a crumb-coated sprout into the center of the pastry square. (Professional tip: Taste test this first sprout, completing and cooking it and then taste for seasoning before proceeding. Add seasoning to the crumb as necessary. Continue recipe.)
11. Repeat until you have at least four sprouts. With clean, dry fingers lift the corners of the pastry and fold them over the sprout to completely enclose. Place the puff-wrapped sprout seam-side down into the muffin tin. Repeat until all sprouts are installed. With a small pastry brush egg wash the tops of the puffs.
12. Place the muffin pan on the half sheet tray and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and brush again with egg wash. Replace in the oven for a further three or four minutes until a light golden brown.
13. To serve pierce the puffs with a short wooden skewer. Wait for a few minutes to serve warm, not hot from the oven. The center of the sprouts will retain their heat for some minutes.

Chicken Liver Mousse

by Barraud Caterers

How many times do you wonder what you can serve as a simple amuse-bouche for your guests before dinner and come up with pâté as an easy option? This new approach to an ancient recipe speaks of elegance and plain fun and is far more impressive than difficult to prepare! All you need is a local grocery store that carries decent pâté. Spices, those dried seeds, roots and bark of plants, are used for their preservative qualities as well as wonderful mouth-warming flavors on cold days. Traditionally ingredients were preserved at the end of the summer to store for winter consumption so pâtés, dried fruits and nuts are most acceptable to Thanksgiving purists.

Yield: six portions as an amuse-bouche offering before a meal

Equipment: Four small bowls, cutting board, chef’s knife, measuring spoons, small rubber spatula, 1″ ice cream scoop or two demitasse spoons, 12 Chinese soup spoons or dessert spoons, serving plate.

Ingredients:
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice berry
1/8 teaspoon gr cinnamon
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 oz good quality chicken liver mousse pâté

3 tablespoons toasted fine bread crumbs
2 tablespoons toasted walnuts, finely chopped

1 teaspoon toasted chopped walnuts or pecans
1 tablespoon chopped raisins
1 teaspoon chopped dried apricots
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons simple syrup

Directions:

1. For the spice mix, combine the ground spices and salt and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Soften the chicken liver mousse pâté with a rubber spatula in a bowl. Sprinkle in the spices and mix to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Smooth uniformly in the bowl. Refrigerate to stiffen mousse.
3. While the mousse is chilling combine the toasted bread crumbs and fine toasted walnuts in a small bowl.
4. Using a very small ice cream scoop (1″ in diameter) or two small demitasse spoons, scoop the mousse into balls and place on chilled plate. Refrigerate till stiff, about 10 minutes.
5. Place the walnut-crumb mix in a bowl. One by one toss the mousse balls in the crumb till completely covered. Replace on chilled plate and refrigerate until service.
6. For the candied fruit and nuts, combine all the ingredients and mix well.
7. To serve place the mousse balls on dessert spoons or Chinese soup spoons. Garnish with a sprinkle of the candied nuts and fruit.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

by Barraud Caterers

Butternut squash soup is the quintessential soup for Thanksgiving. It wears a pale orange shade, is sweet, warm and comforting in flavor, but to complete the magical trifecta the texture must be nothing less than perfecta! So puree well and pass the soup through the drum sieve. You will be rewarded with perfection.

Yield: six portions as an appetizer

Equipment: Roasting pan or half sheet tray, chef’s knife, cutting board, tinfoil, wooden skewer, measuring cups and spoons, small bowls, large heavy bottomed sauce pan, long handled wooden spoon, medium bowl with fine mesh drum sieve/tamis, hand held burr blender, food processor and/or blender, pastry scraper or large rubber spatula, small fine wire whisk, small rubber spatula, small sauce pan, small wooden spoon, nutmeg grater or fine edge microplane, soup ladle, medium ice cream scoop.

Ingredients:
1 large or two small butternut squash
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice berries
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons Madeira

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped onion
½ cup peeled, chopped carrot
½ washed, chopped whites of leeks

4 cups chicken broth
2 cup water
½ peeled Idaho potato, chopped
2 tablespoon Madeira
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup fresh young chevre
2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tablespoon fine bread crumbs
½ teaspoon butter
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. To roast the squash, halve the squash and discard the seeds. Rub with oil. Sprinkle with dry ingredients. Sprinkle with Madeira. Place on a roasting pan or half sheet tray. Bake loosely covered with tinfoil for about an hour. Test with wooden skewer. Bake further if needed. The squash should be very tender.
3. While the squash is roasting prepare the soup base. Over moderate heat add oil to a large heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Add the chopped vegetables. Sweat over moderate heat, stirring to prevent scorching. When the onion and carrots are softening and the leeks well wilted add the garlic. The heat should be moderate and the vegetables will give exude liquid.
4. When the squash is tender, scrap the flesh into the vegetable pan and stir well to combine. Add the liquids and seasoning. Stir and cover to finish cooking. When all is very tender, taste for seasoning.
5. Transfer the soup to cold containers to cool speedily and place in a cold bath or fill the sink with cold water and place the pan into the cold water to help cool the soup.
6. While the soup is cooling set up a fine mesh drum strainer/tamis sieve in a bowl slightly larger than the sieve so it sits comfortably.
7. Puree the soup to very fine using a food processor and/or blender or a hand held burr mixer. If the soup is too dense, dilute it with a little cold water or cold chicken stock. Taste and do your final seasoning.
8. Process the soup in small batches and transfer to the sieve. Using the straight side of a pastry scraper or a rubber spatula scrape the puree through the tamis to the bowl beneath. Keep an eye on it so the level of the liquid beneath does not touch the mesh.
9. Transfer to a plastic container to refrigerate or if serving immediately, pour into a clean sauce pan to reheat.
10. For the whipped chevre, whip till light and fluffy with a fine wire whisk. (For larger amounts whip in a mixer.) In a separate small bowl whip the heavy cream to soft peak. Using a small rubber spatula fold the cream into the chevre. Refrigerate till ready for service.
11. For the crumbs, heat the butter in a very small pan. Add the crumbs and toast till light golden. Add the cocoa and nutmeg and reserve for service.
12. To serve reheat the soup over gentle heat, keeping an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t boil. Boiling will coagulate the proteins which will fleck the soup and make it unsightly.
13. Ladle into warmed bowls. Place a medium (one tablespoon) scoop of whipped chevre into the center of the bowl and dust with the spiced crumbs.