Elm Creek Quilts [13] The Quilter's Kitchen
Page 7
Anna imagined the wives and mothers of the Elm Creek Valley coming in horse-drawn wagons with baskets of food to share, the farmers’ bounty seasoned with the flavors of autumn, waiting eagerly or apprehensively to see how their efforts compared to their neighbors’. Recipes were surely exchanged as readily as compliments, just as quilt patterns were passed along from friend to friend at a quilting bee. Long-time rivals would keep a watchful eye on the serving tables to see whose recipe received the most returns for seconds, while young girls would wait anxiously to see if a favorite young man enjoyed her shoofly pie or chose another girl’s spice cake. And after the dancing and celebration had ended, how proud each cook would have been to take home an empty dish at the end of the night, evidence that their recipe had won over the crowd—and how chagrined to take home a pan still half full of a recipe that had failed to impress.
If she had been one of those farm women of long ago, Anna would have prepared her roast duck with raspberry coulis, or if that would have been showing off, she would have made pumpkin soup or German potato salad. As for a dancing partner, she hadn’t dated anyone since breaking up with her last boyfriend several months before. If Summer were still away at graduate school, maybe Anna could ask Jeremy to go, just as friends, of course.
Anna smothered a laugh. Sylvia’s story was so vivid that Anna could easily imagine herself in the midst of a celebration that probably was no longer observed. Unless…“Waterford doesn’t still hold these Harvest Dances, right? I think I would have heard of them.”
“No, the tradition faded out in the 1940s. So many young men were off fighting in the war that it seemed pointless to have a dance, and with the rationing of staples such as sugar and flour, the women of the Elm Creek Valley had enough trouble putting a decent meal on the table for their own families.” Sylvia rested against the counter, her gaze far away. “But every autumn until then, we Bergstroms enjoyed the Harvest Dances tremendously. I remember my mother preparing bratwurst with apples and onions at the contraption that preceded this one—” She gestured to the old oven, shaking her head in disbelief at the thought that it had once been considered an upgrade. “She tried to follow Gerda’s recipe precisely to win the approval of her in-laws, but my father interrupted her every few minutes to dance her around the kitchen. She laughed and protested that he must leave her alone or she would burn the food and become the laughingstock of the Elm Creek Valley, but my father declared that no one would dream of laughing at her, so light and graceful she was on the dance floor, so adored by all who knew her.”
When Sylvia’s expression became wistful, Anna said, “It sounds like your parents loved each other very much.”
“They did, indeed.” Sylvia shook off her reverie, smiled at Anna, and returned to her work. “Most people dream all their lives of finding such a love, but only the fortunate few find it. My parents sowed love in each other’s hearts, and joy was their bountiful harvest, a harvest they shared with all who knew them. Thus their happiness was multiplied a hundredfold.”
Anna watched Sylvia smiling to herself as she worked, and it occurred to her that she had missed the point of the Harvest Dance, a point that Sylvia’s parents had understood implicitly. Naturally, Anna had focused on the competitive element of the event first, for as a professional chef she had a particular incentive to bring the tastiest dish to any friendly gathering. She suspected that unlike her, Sylvia’s mother and most of the other women who had attended the Harvest Dances of years past had been happy simply to share the bounty of the family’s farm with their friends and neighbors, to celebrate the work of the season now behind them, and to come together one last time before long nights and winter storms kept them indoors and apart from their beloved friends.
The Harvest Dance had brought them together for a joyous night of sharing and celebration, with music, laughter, love, and the flavors of autumn filling their hearts with sustenance for the long winter to come.
Pumpkin Soup
Yield: 10 cups
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped gingerroot
2 pounds fresh pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 5 to 6 cups)
6 cups chicken broth
½ cup orange juice
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Place a 4-quart soup pot over medium-high heat and when it is hot, add the butter. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and gingerroot and cook until they have softened, about 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin and chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the pumpkin is tender, about 40 minutes. Transfer the solids, in small batches, to a blender and process until smooth; gradually stir in the liquid, orange juice, cream, and maple syrup and serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate in a storage container up to 2 days.
Roast Duck with Raspberry Coulis
Serves 6
1 whole duck (about 7 pounds), excess fat and skin removed from neck and cavity
Kosher salt and black pepper
¼ cup molasses
Juice and rinds from 2 oranges
3 garlic cloves, minced
For the raspberry coulis:
12 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries (if frozen, thawed and drained)
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon brandy
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Using a sharp knife, carefully score the breast of the duck, about four times on each side, cutting through the skin to allow the fat to render. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Place the molasses, orange juice, and garlic in a small bowl and stir to combine. Place the orange rinds inside the cavity of the duck. Place the duck in a small roasting pan or large ovenproof skillet and brush with about one-quarter of the molasses mixture.
Transfer the duck to the oven and roast, basting every hour with the molasses mixture, until very tender and the legs move easily in their joints, about 4 to 5 hours.
Prepare the coulis: While the duck is cooking, place the raspberries, sugar, molasses, and brandy in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Press the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Bratwurst with Apples and Onions
Serves 4 to 6
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 raw bratwurst
1 large onion, sliced thin
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon caraway seeds
One 12-ounce bottle lager beer
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and when it is hot, add 2 tablespoons oil. Add the bratwurst and cook until browned on all sides but not quite cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bratwurst to a plate.
Reheat the skillet to medium high, and when it is hot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onion and cook until browned and beginning to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the apples and cook until browned on all sides, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and when it has melted, add the flour. Stir to combine. Add the browned bratwurst, caraway seeds, and beer. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the bratwurst is cooked through and the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Chestnut Dressing
Serves 8 to 10
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
8 cups packaged herb stuffing, such as Pepperidge Farm
One 16-ounce jar chestnuts, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup vermouth
1 to 2 cups chicken broth
/> 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a casserole dish.
Place the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and when it has melted, remove all but 1 tablespoon to a small bowl. Set aside. Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the skillet and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. Off the heat, add the stuffing mix, chestnuts, parsley, vermouth, and enough broth to moisten the bread crumbs.
Mix the chestnut-stuffing mixture with the vegetables in the skillet. Transfer to the casserole and drizzle with the reserved butter. Place in the oven and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.
Apple-Spinach Salad
Serves 6 to 8
For the dressing:
½ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
For the salad:
2 pounds flat-leaf spinach
2 large tart apples, cored and diced
½ cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions
To make the dressing: Place the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well.
To make the salad: Put the salad ingredients in a large bowl, add the dressing, and gently toss. Serve immediately.
German Potato Salad
Serves 6 to 8
2 pounds small new potatoes, halved
¼ to 1/3 pound bacon
1 small red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
Place the potatoes in a medium-size pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (after the water boils). Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, place the bacon in a large skillet and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel, crumble when cooled, and remove all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat from the pan. Reheat the pan and add the onion. Cook until tender and starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt, and pepper and whisk together. Pour over the still hot potatoes and very gently mix. Add the reserved bacon, parsley, and dill, toss gently, and serve immediately.
Roasted Autumn Vegetables
Serves 6 to 8
2 red onions, sliced
4 red bell peppers, sliced
2 yellow bell peppers, sliced
2 yellow squash, sliced diagonally
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Put all the ingredients together in a large bowl and toss well. Transfer to a baking pan. Transfer to the oven and roast until tender, about 50 minutes.
Shoofly Pie
Serves 8 to 10
For the crust:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut in slices
¼ cup cold water
For the filling:
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut in slices
¾ cup molasses
2 large eggs
½ cup hot water
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
To make the crust: Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle. Add the butter and mix on medium speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand, about 1 minute. Add the water and mix until just combined and the dough comes together, less than 1 minute. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Place the dough in a 9-inch pie tin and trim the overhang to 1 inch. Fold under the rim of dough and decoratively crimp. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
To make the filling: Place the flour and brown sugar in a small bowl. Add the butter and mix with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Place two-thirds of the mixture in the bottom of the piecrust.
Place the molasses, eggs, ½ cup hot water, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a large bowl and whisk until the mixture begins to foam. Pour the molasses mixture into the pie shell and top with the remaining flour mixture.
Transfer to the oven and bake until set, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack.
Spice Cake
Serves 8 to 12
For the cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups light brown sugar, loosely packed
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk or full-fat yogurt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (1 lemon)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of ground cloves
1 cup toasted walnuts or pecans (measured whole), then finely ground (optional)
For the soaking syrup:
½ cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
¼ cup water
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt
Confectioners’ sugar for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter and flour a 9-inch Bundt pan.
To make the cake: Place the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle and beat until well creamed, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs and beat again.
Place the buttermilk, lemon zest, and vanilla in a bowl and beat well.
Place the dry ingredients in a bowl, toss to combine, and add, in three additions, to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between additions. Add the nuts, if using, and mix again.
Place in the prepared pan, transfer to the oven, and bake until a tester comes out clean, 45 to 60 minutes.
Prepare the soaking syrup: While the cake is baking, place the ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil over high heat for 2 minutes.
Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, invert, and then prick the surface of the cake with a toothpick. Brush (don’t pour) on the soaking syrup and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and serve immediately or set aside for up to 2 days, turning it over every half day or so. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
Mulled Cider
Serves 8
½ gallon apple cider
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground ginger or ground cardamom 2 cinnamon sticks
Strips of peel from 1 orange
½ cup to 1 cup Calvados, rum, or brandy
Place the cider, spices, cinnamon sticks, and orange peel strips in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, depending upon how strong you want the cinnamon to be. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons Calvados to each cup and top with the hot cider.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Thanksgiving
When Anna finished clearing out the last of the
cabinets by the window, she rose, stretched, and brushed off the seat of her jeans, wondering what part of the enormous workload she should tackle next. Her thoughts lingered on Sylvia’s story of the Harvest Dance, on the flavors of the season—pumpkins, squash, apples, roasted potatoes—and the importance of sharing one’s blessings with friends and loved ones. The Bergstroms had apparently understood this well, and that spirit of sharing and gratitude infused Elm Creek Manor even into the present day, nurtured and strengthened by Sylvia and the Elm Creek Quilters.
“That’s it for the champagne flutes,” Sylvia said, closing the box. “I thought we had another dozen more but I suppose we must have broken a few through the years.”
“We have lots of other cupboards to search,” Anna said, gesturing to the cabinetry lining the walls on both sides of the stove and the refrigerator.
Sylvia eyed all those they had not yet emptied, hands on her hips. “That’s encouraging in one regard and quite discouraging in another.”
“We’ll finish in time,” Anna reassured her. “If we have to, we’ll postpone the work a bit.”
“And find ourselves rescheduled for February or March? Absolutely not. We’ll clear out the kitchen on time even if it means throwing everything into boxes entirely at random and sorting it out later. I’d rather not operate in such haphazard fashion, but if it comes down to the wire…” Sylvia opened another cabinet, shaking her head. “I must stop distracting us from the task at hand. Less rambling and more work is the order of the day, I think.”
“I enjoy your stories,” Anna protested. “They don’t distract me. They motivate me.”
“I can’t imagine why,” scoffed Sylvia, reaching deep into a cupboard.
Anna couldn’t bring herself to explain. The Elm Creek Quilters had a long, shared history—and Anna had a lot of catching up to do. Sylvia’s stories helped her learn more about the manor and the people who had made it their home, past and present. The other Elm Creek Quilters might have heard these stories and others like them many times through the years, but it was all new to Anna. She would never feel like a true Elm Creek Quilter if she didn’t understand the common history they took for granted.