Chef Walter's Christmas Dinner
Are you in charge of Christmas dinner and don't know where to start. Chef Walter Staib is here to help with a recipe for pineapple glazed ham, smashed red potatoes, creamed green beans and béchamel sauce.
Makes enough for one ham:
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup honey
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
8 ounce fresh pineapple, finely chopped
1 Dietz & Watson® Chef Carved Ham
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Remove from the heat, pour 1/3 of the glaze over the ham.
3. Preheat oven to 350
4. Remember the ham is already cooked, you are only warming the meat through. Approximately 30 to 45 minutes for a 3 to 5 pound ham.
5. Continue to glaze the ham every 7-8 minutes. This will allow the glaze to flavor the ham as well as create a tasty crust.
Smashed Red Potatoes
From The City Tavern Cookbook: Recipes from the Birthplace of American Cuisine ©2009 by Walter Staib
Serves 8
2 pounds red skinned potatoes, halved (quartered if large)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1 bunch fresh chives, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until fork-tender.
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, shallots, and chives. Stir until smooth and reserve.
Drain the potatoes and smash them with a potato masher or the back of a large spoon. Do not completely mash the potatoes. Stir in the sour cream mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Creamed Green Beans
From The City Tavern Cookbook: Recipes from the Birthplace of American Cuisine ©2009 by Walter Staib
Serves 8
3 pounds fresh tender green beans, such as haricots verts
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup Béchamel Sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until crisp-tender. Drain and reserve.
Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes, until translucent.
Slowly stir in the Béchamel Sauce, cream, and cayenne pepper. Gently stir in the green beans and cook for about 3 minutes, until they turn bright green.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with the chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Béchamel Sauce
From The City Tavern Cookbook: Recipes from the Birthplace of American Cuisine ©2009 by Walter Staib
Makes about 1½ cups
1½ cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 whole clove
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground white pepper
Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Remove from the heat, and set aside to keep warm.
Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat, add the onion, and sauté until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Gradually stir in the flour to form a roux, and cook, stirring frequently, until well combined, about 1 minute.
Gradually whisk in the warm milk, bring the mixture to a boil, and add the salt, clove, bay leaf, and nutmeg. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.
Season with salt and white pepper and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Set aside to keep warm for serving, or pour into a jar or plastic container and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
