Let them eat steak . . .

It is simply too beautiful a day to cook. High 50s and the bluest sky ever in mid-March? Makes a body want to dance. It's an "assemble the meal" day here in the Northeast Kingdom if there ever was one.
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So, steak salad is on the menu. Simple and satisfying. Get yourself a London broil. Marinate if that's what you're all about, but because you'll be slicing very thinly, it's not all that necessary. Broil to your personal taste of rareness (I'm a 'pink-red' in the middle sort myself), and set aside while you make the sauce.
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And that's easy, too. One part soy sauce, one part good balsamic vinegar, seasoned with a little minced garlic and freshly ground black pepper, plus a splash of hot Chinese chili sauce to add some heat if you like. Needs nothing else, though feel free to doctor with some Worcestershire for a bit more of a traditional taste.
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But let's revisit that 'good' balsamic vinegar. What makes for 'good'? There's lots of rotgut stuff out there. "Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena" and "Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Reggio Emilia" are reductions that have been aged for at least a dozen years. Expensive to produce, they are frequently imitated by pucker-producing pretenders that contain colors and thickeners.
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So what's to be done? Shop around and compare. You are more likely to find affordable, good quality balsamic vinegars at your local co-op than grocery store. Find a 'daily use' balsamic for mixing into dressings and sauces. Use the best quality sparingly where it will really count.
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However. My mother had a trick that I will share with you. It won't fool the purists, but it will provide a rich and lovely ingredient to add to dressings and the simple sauce we're pouring on our steak salad today.
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Mom would take a bottle of inexpensive balsamic vinegar, pour it into a saucepan, add a few tablespoons of brown sugar, and let the whole thing reduce until somewhat thickened. The aroma at first will be off-putting, but persevere. Watch carefully and taste-test often, because as you reach the desired thickness, you run the risk of over simmering and burning the reduction. Allow to cool and pour it into a pretty bottle. See what a few spoonfuls do for your regular salad dressing.
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Back to today's steak salad: slice the meat quite thinly against the grain. Assemble the slices over a salad of baby greens, sliced red pepper, mushrooms, onion -- whatever you like best. Toss together the dressing and spoon over the salad. Serve immediately with a hunk of bread and a glass of something luscious and red.
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And that, my friends, is dinner.
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Pictured above: Charlotte-Aglaé d'Orléans, 18th Century duchess of Modena, from whence the loveliest balsamic vinegar comes. Most likely the cup she's raising held something other below the rim, but when you're a beautiful duchess, I suspect life splashes its share of the bitter and the sweet.
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Happy 21st Birthday, Marion and Elizabeth . . .

Marching On . . .

Upper Valley has given us the nod, and our March issue is going to press! And in its pages, we'll be off to Italy. Pictured, a Sicilian courtyard, courtesy of Carol Egbert, who's taking a break from the end of winter in Vermont to paint and cook and blog from Siracusa . . . those of us who can't jet over can visit via her blog, www.carolegbert.com

A talented artist and home cook, North Country Cooking is pleased to offer her first article in this issue.

We're also happy to feature articles and recipes from Nat Tripp, Joyce Mandeville, Bill Biddle, Ruth Allard, Sue Greenall, Elizabeth Brown, Isobel Swartz, Susan Millar-Williams, and poet Gibbons Ruark.

Thank you, readers, for your patience. Look for the new NCC on the stand and in your mailbox soon.

On newstands next week . . .

Our March issue of North Country Cooking goes to press next week.
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We'll feature a selection of Italian recipes, sources for the best cheese and beef in the Kingdom, plus the latest from Nat Tripp, Joyce Mandeville, Ruth Allard and Bill Biddle.
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Look for us at Newport Naturals, Ray’s Market, Lake Country Store, Currier’s, Busy Bee, C & C Market, Barton Village Store, Depot Street White Market, Green Mountain Books, The Freighthouse Restaurant, St. Johnsbury Bagel Depot, St. Johnsbury Co-Op, Diamond Hill Store, Hastings Store, and Galaxy Bookstore.
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To subscribe, send $18 for one year, six issues ($9 for seniors) to:
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North Country Cooking
PO Box 24
Lyndonville, VT 05851

Coming soon . . .

OUR NEXT ISSUE -- in a new, bound, magazine format -- will be out soon!

We've devoted a section to Italian food featuring recipes from television chef and author Nick Stellino and a cookbook roundup, columns from your favorite Northeast Kingdom writers, poet Gib Ruark's take on basil, and information on sources of locally produced artisan cheeses and the finest grass-fed beef.

We hope you'll enjoy our transformation, and we thank you for your patience. Look for us on the stands or in your mailbox in about ten days.

Dreaming in Italian

OUR FEBRUARY / MARCH ISSUE will signal a transition for us: we're changing our format, shaking up editorial, stretching our wings a bit.
We'll still have some of the best of local doings: we welcome Sal DeMaio to our pages as he recounts his latest cheese making efforts; Charlotte Albright weighs in on whey, too.
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Bill Biddle takes a walkabout and shares his deepest thoughts on meatloaf making. Dan Swainbank takes us to Badger Brook, and Nat Tripp leads us full circle, to the root cellar and beyond, as only he can do. Ruth Allard treats us to five-cent candy and Kreamy Ice Kream at the old general store in Lyndon Center.
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But most of us living in the North Country are products of 'elsewhere,' through heritage or geography or both, and so, with this issue, we begin a series of side trips. The first: Italy. We'll feature recipes from television chef and cookbook author Nick Stellino, poet Gibbons Ruark's take on basil and his stay in Fiesole, family memories from Gianna Fregosi, and my own longing for lemons and the Isle of Capri. February in Vermont, beautiful as it is, fairly calls out for a little fantasy, a little dreaming, a little escape.
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And so, I ask for your patience! The move to a magazine format is taking a little time, and we've got those pesky day jobs to attend. Our next issue should be out in about two weeks. Hope you'll be pleased.
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Above, Marion Brown on the Isle of Capri.

Richard's Vermont Made Game Sauce

NEW FAVORITE THING:

RICHARD'S VERMONT MADE GAME SAUCE.

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Discovered on a recent trip to White's Market right here in the bustling metropolis of Lyndonville, this lively blend of tomato, brown sugar, Worcestershire, peppers, garlic, onions and assorted spices is simply wonderful. Not one to have a lot of game meat hanging around, I've found it makes an ordinary turkey burger a genuine treat.

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Richard's Vermont Made offers a line of marinades as well as hot, barbecue and pasta sauces.

Hunt down a bottle in your local store, or contact them at their site: http://vtmaderichardsauce.com/index.htm

Baked cabbage soup

INSPIRED BY A RECIPE FOUND IN THE MAGAZINE OF La CUCINA ITALIANA: a simple and very satisfying winter soup to serve with sandwiches.

Slice 8 ounces of center-cut bacon into 1/2 inched pieces. In a Dutch oven (might I add how deeply in love I am with my Emeril Lagasse Dutch oven, which I found for a steal at T J Maxx?), saute bacon over medium heat until somewhat crisp. While bacon cooks, remove core and outer leafs from a large head of cabbage. Cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick and a few inches long. When the bacon is done, add the cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast 4 slices of hearty bread, and heat to boiling about 10 cups of good quality chicken broth. When cabbage is quite wilted and cooked down, add the chicken broth and stir well. Top the soup with the bread. Cover and bake for 40 minutes.

Remove from oven. Stir the bread into the soup to thicken it. Top with 8 ounces of cheese: shredded or sliced fontina or mozzarella would work well. Return to oven and bake until browned and bubbly. Serve immediately.

The original recipe calls for a little pancetta, and placing the bread at the bottom of the Dutch oven before adding back the remaining ingredients, and no mixing before topping with cheese. But certainly there's lots of room for variation. Next time I will try adding the cheese directly to the softened slices before returning the pot to the oven to brown.

Bison chili with quick sweet cornbread

OUR INTREPID TRAVELING GOURMET BILL BIDDLE writes for our February/March issue about using bison as one of the four meats in his 'serious' meatloaf. Insists upon it, as a matter of fact. Bison.

I confess to being new to bison, that is beyond their existence on the small and big screen. Recently, I was saddened to see one bison calf lose track of his mother and nearly drown during a river crossing and distraught to witness another dispatched rather handily by two hungry wolves on a PBS nature program. I could never man the camera for such a series -- I'd be forever shouting "look out!" or "shoo."

But I digress.

So, we were minding our own business at Price Chopper the other day, and there was a pound of ground bison. Kind of pricey. But given a refresher course about what actually goes into the stuff we take for ground beef these days (added to the meat -- ammonia-treated by-products that heretofore made their way only into dog and cat food), I am keen to select healthier alternatives.

And I'm told bison is healthier. Far less fatty. Grass fed. No hormones. Tastier and better for you all around.

Chili was on tap for the day. So I rustled up some, using that pound of bison. And I was not at all disappointed. The meat was very tasty, and there was simply no fat to be strained from it. The recipe that follows, served with a sweet and easy cornbread made with a doctored up mix, will feed four.

Season with a little salt and pepper, and, in a Dutch oven over medium heat, saute in a little olive oil until tender (or to your own taste) 1/2 chopped sweet onion, 1 chopped red pepper, and 1 chopped green pepper. When nearly tender, add 1 or 2 cloves of minced garlic.

Remove to a bowl. Add a little more olive oil to the Dutch oven, and, over medium-high heat, brown the bison. Return the sauteed vegetables. Add two cans of 'petite' diced tomatoes (those seasoned with chilis are perfect), one jar of your favorite salsa or picante sauce, 1 cup of beef broth or 1 small can of tomato sauce, if you like your chili on the 'saucy' side. Season as you like: either with a teaspoon or two of prepared chili mix, or some oregano, cumin, garlic, red pepper flakes, chili powder, salt and pepper. A shake or two of Tabasco or other chili pepper sauce works for those that like it hot.

Simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, covered. Spoon into bowls and top as desired with chopped raw onion and peppers, more salsa, sour cream, and grated cheddar cheese. Serve immediately.

For a quick cornbread treat, try this:

2 packages of "Jiffy" cornbread mix

2 beaten eggs

1/3 to 1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

4 tablespoons melted butter

Mix all ingredients together until just blended. Pour into a well-buttered pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.

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Caramel Corn with Pecans

INSPIRED BY A RECIPE in this month's issue of Food and Wine Magazine: Caramel Corn with Pecans. So easy and fun. Why don't we make this more often?

In a very large bowl or roasting pan, mix together about 12 cups of air popped popcorn (1 average microwavable bag) plus 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans. Set aside and make the caramel.

In a medium-sized pan over medium heat (I used a pan with a non-stick coating), bring to a boil 1 stick of butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup Lyle's Golden Syrup (corn syrup will do, but Lyle's has such amazing flavor). Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until just golden brown in color. Don't let it darken too much. Carefully stir in a pinch of salt, if desired, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (caramel will foam up -- be careful).

NOW. What they don't tell you: don't pour the caramel over the popcorn all at once into a gob in the middle and expect to distribute the sweet stuff evenly. Pour slowly, stirring stir well but gently until all the popcorn is covered. You don't want to break up the corn into little pieces. I ended up pouring the popcorn out onto a long stretch of parchment paper and using my hands and the paper to facilitate this process.

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When cool enough to handle but still pliable, gather as necessary or break the caramel corn into small clusters or ping-pong ball sized balls and compact slightly. Either shape will make for a pleasing presentation.

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Many recipes call for baking in a slow oven for up to an hour, stirring occasionally, after mixing the caramel with the popcorn in order to dry and harden it. I did not find this necessary, but the step could help distribute the caramel.

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Not the wisest choice for folks with lots of dental work, perhaps, but awfully nice as a snack for Netflix night.

Apple Toffee Celebration

I had apples, I had toffee, and I was home alone with the KitchenAid . . . and so, Apple Toffee Cake was born. Inspired by a recipe found on "The Canadian Baker" blog.
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Beat together until light and fluffy 1/2 cup butter, softened, with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Add 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 1 3/4 cups flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder with a pinch of salt. Fold in gently to butter and sugar mixture, alternating with 1 1/2 cups whole milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Then, gently add about 3 cups chopped apples (about 4).
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Spread into a well-greased 13 by 9 inch baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 15 minutes.
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While cake is baking, make the topping. Combine 1 package (about 1 1/2 cups) toffee bits with 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, and 4 to 6 tablespoons of melted butter. Add 2 teaspoons cinnamon if desired. Mix well. Remove cake from oven and sprinkle evenly with topping. Return cake to oven to complete baking -- another 15 to 20 minutes.
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Cool slightly before serving -- a scoop of ice cream finishes the dessert beautifully.

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Illustration by Vermont artist and writer Sharon Biddle.

Julia's Boeuf Bourguignon

OVER THE WEEKEND, I convinced a member of the opposite sex to suspend his better judgement and sit through two-plus hours of Amy Adams and Meryl Streep chopping, whisking, and braising in "Julie & Julia" (Read: I plied him with alcohol, peach-almond cobbler, and a promise to watch all three Rambo movies).


Having read Julie Powell's book, and given a half-hearted look at Child's memoir, My Life in France, I happily anticipated Nora Ephron's take on the women's parallel lives. And I wasn't disappointed. Food lovers, as well as fans of either or both actresses, who've been waiting for the DVD release should gobble it up. One reviewer stated that menfolk would be more likely to enjoy sticking a fondue fork in an eye than the movie itself; while it's true the film has a number of lines anyone would find hilarious, it's chick flick, and a good one, and Streep brings Julia Child to life as perhaps only she could do.


"This is a book for the servantless American cook," Mastering begins, "who can be unconcerned on occasion with budgets, waistlines, time schedules, children's meals, the parent--chauffeur--den-mother syndrome, or anything else which might interfere with the enjoyment of producing something wonderful to eat." In short, it's a complete education in 700 pages. Having myself no intention of working my way through the entire tome (especially the section on sweetbreads and brains), I admire Julie Adam's determination to see the cooking through that led to her blog, her book, and ultimately the big-budget movie.


Cooks eager to recreate Julia's Boef Bourguignon, the dish the young chef prepares (twice) and speaks of in such referential terms, can follow this link to a PDF of the recipe, courtesy of Knopf Doubleday.

http://cooking.knopfdoubleday.com/2009/07/13/julia-childs-boeuf-bourguignon-recipe/

Bon Appetit!

Cornbread stuffing with cranberry topping

WE WERE INSPIRED BY THE CORNBREAD and cranberry stuffing served with a crispy half duck at the Loon Lodge in Rangeley, Maine, and so, crafted a simple version to have at home. First, we baked a dish of cornbread, using a basic recipe of 1 1/4 cup flour, 3/4 cornmeal, 1/4 sugar, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. We sifted these ingredients together, then added 1 cup whole milk, 1 beaten egg, and 3 tablespoons melted butter, and stirred until just mixed. We baked this, for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, in a well-buttered ten-inch spring form pan, to make a thinner bread with a crispier crust, perfect for a stuffing. A half-cup or more of whole fresh or thawed frozen berries would have made a fine addition, but, to be honest, we sort of didn't think about it . . .

So, let the bread cool. Meanwhile, saute in a little butter or corn oil until tender some sliced onion, celery, and mushrooms. I used 8 ounces of the later and under a half-cup of each of the two former, as that's what I had on hand. I seasoned with salt, pepper, and celery seed. Add 1/2 cup of water or chicken stock, stir and heat through.

While that's cooking, combine 1 1/4 cups each of fresh or frozen cranberries and sugar along with 1/2 cup orange or grapefruit juice and 1/4 cup Triple Sec in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat and simmer about 10 minutes, until sauce thickens and berries are tender as desired.

Remove half the cornbread from the pan and chop into 1 inch squares. Place in a bowl along with any crumbs. Combine with sauteed vegetables. If mixture is too dry, moisten with a little melted butter or soupcon of water or more broth. Place in a buttered baking dish and bake at 35o degrees until heated through and, if desired, browned on top.

Serve the stuffing topped with warm cranberry sauce. Serves 3 or 4 as a side dish. Double for hungrier appetites. Don't wait for duck; this was lovely along side a plain old pot roast.

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2010 -- Here We Go

SO A PLATE OF PASTA WITH THE SIMPLEST SAUCE served with frozen rolls tossed under the broiler and gussied up a bit with some butter and garlic might not have been the most traditional or memorable New Year's Day dish, it satisfied the appetite of travelers returning home, especially when consumed along with a bottle of Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Heredad Cava that had been chilling in the fridge for, well, months, awaiting some special occasion.

And while the meal our sparkling wine accompanied might not have been anything to write home (or blog) about, the evening's that preceded it was nothing short of wonderful. And where had we been for New Year's Eve? Why, the Loon Lodge in Rangeley, Maine, a lovely town just under a three-hour drive from the Northeast Kingdom, hugging a beautiful lake and surrounded by ski slopes and endless miles of parkland.

I had the roast duck half atop a stuffing of cornbread, cranberries, chorizo sausage, mandarin oranges and pecans, with an orange and cranberry ginger sauce. My dashing escort dined on one of the evening's specials, a succulent Pork Wellington. A modestly priced Graffigna Malbec (Mendoza Argentina) went down very smoothly, I might ad.

Cornbread stuffing is nothing new, but the wholesome corn combined with two fruits and the unexpected spice of sausage lifted the ordinary to sublime. We'll try some variation of this soon and report back.

In the meantime, we hope you'll break open a bottle of whatever bubbly strikes your fancy and get a head start on the loveliest year ever.

Loon Lodge, a Yankee Magazine 2008 Editors' Choice: www.loonlodgeme.com

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