White Lily Biscuits

My White Lily Flour arrived today just in time for the holidays; 20 pounds of it, two bags of all-purpose and two bags of self-rising! I couldn't be more thrilled if Santa had delivered it himself. You see, I'm a flour snob, a Southern flour snob at that, and just any old flour won't do for my holiday baking, and particularly for the biscuits. If you don't have White Lily Self-Rising Flour for the biscuits, why bother?

When I was growing up in Georgia, we didn't know there was any other kind of flour. Well, we might have heard that catchy little stick-in-your-ear Grand Ole Opry jingle for "Martha White Self-Rising Flour...for goodness sake," but we didn't know anybody who used it. Or if we did it was somebody "way out in the country," and we for sure didn't want to be eating any of their biscuits.

What's special about White Lily? It's a fine white "soft" flour, "made from, 100% soft winter wheat" according to the the label on the bag. It's so soft they even insist that you need to add an additional 2 tablespoons of flour for every cup called for in a non White Lily specific recipe. All I know is that is makes the very best cakes, pies, cookies, biscuits, pastry of any kind, and that they don't distribute it in the West, which makes me want it all the more.

Even worse, in California self rising flour of any kind is hard to find, and that's what you have to have if you're going to do biscuits up right. For those who don't know, self rising flour is flour with salt and baking powder already added for leavening. It's very popular in the south but not so much elsewhere, though I'm betting that's only because they can't just walk into Von's and grab a bag!

I used to satisfy my White Lily fix by having friends and family haul a bag or two out whenever they came to California, and every time I was in the south I'd stock up and stuff my luggage full of five pound bags of the fluffy white stuff. (I have long been amused, and somewhat apprehensive, imagining what the TSA folks might be thinking as they x-ray my bags.) But alas, with the new bag and weight restrictions recently imposed by the airlines, this is no longer a viable option. (Seriously, twenty pounds of flour doesn't leave you much room for clothing or boiled peanuts or even your cell phone charger.) As with most things these days, a quick Google search yielded a mail order outlet and, wow, I only have to pay 60% of the actual cost of the flour in shipping charges. What a deal!

Still, it's worth it to me, and when my friends brag on my biscuits it makes an interesting story to tell. These are the best biscuits in the world, and probably the easiest you'll ever make, (just three ingredients), short of dumping them out of a bag or a can. I swear to you, it's all in the White Lily Flour, and the Crisco, of course. These are "southern" biscuits after all, ya'll.

WHITE LILY BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

2 cups White Lily Self-Rising Flour
1/4 cup Crisco
2/3 to 3/4 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Coat baking sheet with baking spray.

In a large bowl, cut Crisco (or other shortening) into flour until the mixture has the texture of coarse crumbs.

Add milk a little at a time until dough leaves the side of the bowl and will form a ball.

Move dough to lightly floured surface and knead two or three times. Roll out to 1/2 inch thick, cut with biscuit cutter. (Don't twist. It's tempting, but the biscuits will rise higher if you don't.)

Place biscuits on prepared baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown on top.

Makes one dozen 2-inch biscuits. The best you've ever eaten.

A Creole Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving at our house has a distinctly New Orleans flavor. Most people assume that's because my husband hails from the Crescent City, but, truth be told, I was doing the Creole Thanksgiving thing long before I met him. (I joke that's why he married me, and, quite frankly I'm not altogether sure it's not true.!)

Back in November 1987, Bon Appetit magazine featured "Thanksgiving with a Creole Touch," and, dog eared and gravy stained, it's been my Turkey Day Bible ever since. Of course over the years I've changed the recipes substantially and adjusted the menu and seasonings to suit our specific tastes. However, the two main courses, Creole Roast Turkey and Jambalaya Stuffing, remain essentially the same. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

A few words about the turkey. I'm not a turkey snob when it comes to the actual bird, but rather believe it's all in the preparation. Over the years I've tried them all -- organic, free-range, fresh off the farm, happy birds, Kosher turkey, the old reliable Butterball, and the $5 Thanksgiving gobbler special from Ralph's. Truth be told, we can't tell the difference. However, I swear by my "method." I'm a briner. I think brining insures a moist, juicy, turkey and is more than worth the trouble. I use a large ice chest, fill it with enough cold water to cover the turkey, add about 2 cups of Kosher salt to the water, and plop the thawed bird inside for about 12 hours. (Overnight the night before T'Day will work well.) Every few hours you might want to add a tray of ice cubes to the mix, just so it stays cold, but other than that just leave it alone until cooking time, dry it, inside and out, and prepare as below. (For more specifics on brining, here's a link.)

Jambalaya is a Creole dish with French and Spanish influences (think Paella, southern style). This recipe will work well inside the turkey and out, and it makes a lovely stand alone dish for any occasion, be it festive or just family fare. My recipe uses sausage and shrimp, but crab, chicken, even leftover ham or turkey can be used with equal success.

About the sausage. It's worth it to seek out real Audouille sausage. We have a great source here in Los Angeles, The Sausage Kitchen over on Pico, but if you can't find it at a local butchery or meat market, Savorie's makes a totally acceptable Andoullie that is available online by mail order.

Finally, a word about the spices. You will need to experiment and adjust them to your taste, depending to a great extent on how spicy your sausage is. (Andouille can vary greatly in hotness according to who makes it.) The pepper measurements I have specified are less than was called for in the original recipe, and we like spicy foods, so that should tell you something! My best suggestion is taste as you go along. (Such a chore, but somebody has to do it!)

JAMBALAYA STUFFING
(Serves 8)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound Andouille sausage, sliced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 large sweet onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon file powder
5 cups chicken stock (canned low-sodium is perfectly fine)
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1 cup sliced green onion
1 pound shelled shrimp, deveined, tails removed (Or 1 pound crab meat)

Heat oil in heavy 5-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add Andouille and stir until crisp and brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl using slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Add bell peppers, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, black pepper, white pepper, file, and cayenne pepper to saucepan. Cover and cook over low heat until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Mix in chicken stock, tomatoes and salt. Bring to boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until rice has absorbed all the liquid, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Transfer rice to bowl. Mix in andouille sausage and green onions. Cool. (NOTE: Can be prepared to this point 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)

Lightly saute shrimp in a couple of tablespoons olive oil, (with a little chopped garlic, if you like). Drain and add to rice mixture.

Reserve 6 to 7 cups of jambalaya for stuffing the turkey. Spoon the remaining jambalaya into a buttered baking dish. When ready to cook, cover tightly and bake in 375 degree oven for 40 minutes.


CREOLE ROAST TURKEY
(Serves 8)

1 16-pound turkey
Creole Butter (recipe follows)
6 to 7 cups Jambalaya Stuffing (recipe above)

Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 325 degrees.

Pat turkey dry. Slide fingers between turkey breast skin and meat to loosen skin. Rub Creole Butter under skin over breast meat.

Spoon jambalaya stuffing into cavity, packing firmly. Truss turkey. Roast, breast side up on rack in roasting pan, basting about every 20 minutes with pan juices, about 3 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh registers 170 degrees. (Note: You will probably find the breast meat begins to brown before the rest of the turkey. In this case, once the breast is nicely browned, tent the breast with tinfoil for the remainder of cooking time to retain juices and prevent over-browning.)

Transfer turkey to heated platter, tent with foil, and let stand 30 minutes before serving. Save pan juices for gravy, if desired.


CREOLE BUTTER
(Makes about 2/3 cup)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 medium garlic cloves, pressed
2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tabasco preferred)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth. (Note: Can be made 4 days in advance and refrigerated or frozen for up to one month. Bring to room temperature before using.)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, ya'll!

Gnocchi 103 - Deep Gnocchi

Grumento Nova is a little town in the southern Italy, built on the site of the Roman settlement of Grumentum, thus the name Grumento Nova. As for Grumento Nova the gnocchi, one must assume it is somehow associated with the town, or one of its 1,839 residents, 39.4% of whom share the surname, Caputi. Exactly how, I couldn't say.

Grumento Nova gnocchi is the proverbial Ugly Duckling of gnocchi, irregularly shaped lumps of dough that look more suitable for throwing at the dogs than eating. But do not be deceived, bathed in butter and kissed with sage and truffles, it becomes the most sophisticated comfort food imaginable; "toothsome" without being chewy, distinctly flavored but not overpowering, and sinfully rich. Because it is so "big" and filling, I recommend serving it as a side dish rather than the main course. It's the perfect companion for a roast pork loin, for instance.

This is serious gnocchi for the serious gnocchi lover, and proof that delicious things do not always look as good as they taste. (Consider the truffle, for instance. I mean, who would've thought?) The truffles in the brown butter-sage sauce are optional, but I recommend them highly. If you can get them, use them. If not, order them on-line and use them next time.

Try this dish. If you don't like it, I'll come over and take it off your hands.

GRUMENTO NOVA GNOCCHI
(8 servings)

3 eggs
3/4 cup Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Dash of black pepper
Pinch of kosher salt
2 cups milk (or more)
2 pounds all-purpose flour

Mix first five ingredients together in a large bowl.

Gradually add milk, alternating with the flour. Mix together until the mixture is the consistency of a VERY thick pancake batter.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest of 5 minutes.

Prepare a large pot of generously salted boiling water. Use a tablespoon or a small scoop, (I recommend a melon ball or very small ice cream scoop with a mechanical release), drop lumps of dough into the pot one at a time. (If the dough is sticking to the spoon, dip the spoon in a glass of warm water to continue. Another reason to use a scoop with a release feature.) Be careful not to overcrowd the pot. (The dough will not, repeat, will not, be little round balls, but rather irregularly formed lumps. Deal with it.)

Cook the gnocchi for 5 minutes. Drain and serve with brown butter-sage sauce.

If you are going to freeze some of this gnocchi, cook it for 4 minutes. Then, after it has defrosted, dunk it in the boiling, salted water for 1 minute to warm and complete cooking.


BROWN BUTTER SAGE SAUCE
(4 servings -- double for 8 servings)

1/2 pound (1 stick) Unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons Fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1 Black truffle, shaved (or use dried truffles) -- Optional
Salt and black pepper to taste

Heat butter in a large (11 or 12-inch) skillet, without stirring, until the butter stops foaming and turns a light brown.

Add sage, truffle (optional) and salt and pepper to taste. (If using dried truffles, place about 3 tablespoons in a bowl and soak in hot water for at least a half hour before using.)

Add gnocchi to pan and shake and stir to just coat with butter mixture.

Remove from heat and serve. Sublime.

Gnocchi 102

I'm a big fan of basil pesto, so imagine my delight when I discovered yet another pasta with which it makes the perfect match.

Ricotta gnocchi is a denser, heavier gnocchi than potato gnocchi, but no less satisfying, and, as a bonus a lot easier to handle given its' sturdier composition. And, by the way, ricotta "cheese" isn't really a cheese, but rather a cheese by-product, namely whey, and therefore has less fat than cheese making it a "healthier" option. (I guess "Little Miss Muffet, sat on her tuffet, eating her curds and ricotta" just didn't catch on.)

Finished with a basil pesto this makes a delightful side dish or, just add a salad, a loaf of crusty French or Italian bread, a bottle Pinot Gris, of course, and make it a meal!

Ricotta Gnocchi is probably the easiest gnocchi to make, takes well to any kind of sauce, and is certainly one of the most delicious. So what are you waiting for?

RICOTTA GNOCCHI
(6 to 8 main servings)

2 pounds whole milk ricotta
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 eggs
1 whole nutmeg, grated
Pinch Kosher salt

Mix ricotta and flour in a large bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, salt and grated nutmeg.

Make a "well" in the flour/ricotta mixture and place the egg mixture into the center. Gently knead the mixture together. Cover the dough and let rest for 5 minutes.

Roll the dough into several long ropes about 3/4-inch thick. Cut each rope into 3/4-inch pieces. Using back of fork, gently press prongs onto one side of each gnocchi to make a dented design.

Place gnocchi on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper and continue until all dough has been used. (Gnocchi may be stacked in several layers separated by waxed paper.) At this point you can either cook or freeze the gnocchi. (It makes a lot so you'll probably want to freeze some for later.)

To cook, prepare a large pot of generously salted boiling water. Drop gnocchi into the pot. When it rises to the top, cook for 5 minutes. (Don't overcrowd the pot.)

Drain and serve with pesto sauce (below) or your favorite Italian sauce.

BASIL PESTO
(Enough for about 6 servings)

2 1/2 to 3 cups (packed) fresh basil leaves
4 or 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Put garlic and pine nuts into food processor with blade attachment. Process until garlic and nuts form a paste. Add parmesan cheese, process until well mixed. Add basil leaves. Pulse processor until basil leaves are roughly chopped but not pulverized. Gradually add olive oil, pulsing gently after each addition until well mixed. (I like my pesto kind of "chunky," but if you're a smooth pesto person, feel free to process it longer.)

Toss with gnocchi or your favorite pasta and serve. Yummmm....

Gnocchi 101

Gnocchi means "lump" in Italian, and that's exactly what it is, lumps of dough, (we southerners would call them dumplings), cooked in boiling water and served with any number of scrumptious Italian sauces. Sound simple? Hardly. The road to gnocchi is littered with the bodies of cooks (myself included) who thought, "oh, I can do that," and tried, without doing their culinary homework. That being said, it's well worth the effort to learn to prepare gnocchi properly, and once you master a few little tricks, it becomes almost as easy as it sounds.

My love affair with gnocchi began, appropriately enough, in a lovely little restaurant in Siena where they served the most delicate little puffs of dough in a spicy Arrabbiata Sauce as an "entree" (that's appetizer for us here in the US). It was so good that we ate there three nights in a row, paired the gnocchi with a trip (or two) to the Antipasto table and made a meal of it.

Back home I bought a popular Italian cookbook, followed the recipe for potato gnocchi to the letter, and had a heart stopping moment of absolute despair as I watched them fall apart in the boiling water. Fortunately I had a box of dried pasta to serve with the delicious Bolognase Sauce I had prepared, but it was years before I mustered up the courage to try making gnocchi again.

Then, for our anniversary this year the husband gave me a "Gnocchi Workshop" cooking class at Sur la Table, and I learned what had possibly gone wrong. There are three reasons gnocchi might dissolve in the water. First of all, never, but never, use a gnocchi recipe that doesn't call for egg! It's an essential binder and although you'll find gnocchi recipes galore, (like the one I had previously used), that omit the egg, you are courting disaster. Secondly, my potatoes may have been overcooked. You want them just done, not falling apart mushy. And finally, maybe I needed more flour. If your dough is sticky after you've added all the flour, add a little more so the dough is firm but still moist.

Anyway, I'm happy to say you won't need to go to Italy to fall in love with gnocchi. (Although it's not a bad idea at all!) Just use the recipes I'll be sharing over the next few days and start your love affair with gnocchi in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Another great thing about these recipes is that they make a pile of gnocchi, (enough to serve 6 as a main course or many more as a side dish), and you can freeze them. I usually make up a batch and freeze them in three or four bags of two-servings each. Then when we want it, I can just take it out of the freezer, whip up (or defrost) a sauce, and make a quick meal.

For starters, here's a nice, fluffy, classic, potato gnocchi recipe, (although, interesting to note, the Italians didn't use potatoes to make gnocchi until the potato was introduced to Europe in the 16th century), and a rich, meaty Bolognese Sauce. (Though any tomato sauce or pesto will complement it nicely.) Enjoy.

POTATO GNOCCHI
(6 servings)

6 large Russet potatoes
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt

Boil whole, unpeeled, potatoes in a large, partially covered, pot, with boiling water and a dash of salt. Cook until potatoes can be easily pierced through with blade of a paring knife. (Do not overcook)

As soon as the potatoes are cool enough to touch, but are still warm, (the hotter the better), rice them in a potato ricer. (The peeling will be caught in the ricer. Pick any bits that fall through out of the potatoes.) Put riced potatoes in a large bowl. Add the butter, baking powder and salt. Mix well.

In another bowl, beat eggs and milk together. Add to potato mixture and mix well.

Gradually add flour to form a firm but moist dough. (Dough should not be sticky. If sticky, add more flour.)

Roll dough into long ropes about 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 1/2 inch long pieces. After cutting the gnocchi, press each piece lightly with your thumb to form a small indentation on one side. Place gnocchi on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Cover with another sheet of waxed paper and continue to form dough. (You can actually stack a couple of layers of gnocchi, separated with waxed paper, on the same baking sheet.)

Gnocchi may be frozen or cooked within 3 hours. Cook in batches in a big, deep pot of boiling, generously salted water. (Don't overcrowd the pot.) When the gnocchi float to the surface, cook for 5 minutes, lift from water with a slotted spoon, drain and add sauce. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese,

To freeze, put the tray with the gnocchi in the freezer. When they are solid, scrape them into a plastic freezer bag, seal and use as you wish. To thaw, place in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Gnocchi thaw quickly, in a couple of hours. Cook as above.

No time to thaw, just dump the frozen gnocchi into the pot of boiling water, add about a minute to the cooking time, and you're good to go. What could be simpler?

BOLOGNESE SAUCE
(6 to 8 servings)

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 ribs celery, finely diced
2 medium carrots, finely diced
2 medium sweet onions, finely diced
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
2 cups red wine
12 ounce can tomato paste
2 cups milk
Salt and black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil a heavy medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Cook celery, carrots and onions until soft and lightly browned, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add ground meats, turn heat to high and cook until meat is done and all the fat has cooked off, about 15 minutes. Add red wine and cook until liquid is evaporated. Add tomato paste. Cook with meat for about 5 minutes.

Add milk, season with salt and pepper, and cook over low heat for about 1 hour. Adjust seasoning and serve over gnocchi or your favorite pasta.

If you're only making a couple of main dish servings or side dish servings, it freezes well for later use.