Family Style: A Winter Dinner

On the Menu

Goat Cheese and Tomato Salsa Bruschetta
(from Capital Celebrations: A Collection of Recipes by the Junior League of Washington, p.19)

Mandarin Spinach Salad with Almonds
(adapted from Capital Celebrations: A Collection of Recipes by the Junior League of Washington, p.55)

Dried Porcini Crusted Salmon

(adapted from Emeril Lagasse's Dried Porcini Crusted Salmon with Tomato Cream Sauce recipe)

Pecorino-Romano Roasted Asparagus

(adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style recipe)

Wild Rice with Shitake Mushrooms and Almonds

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake

(loosely adapted from Southern Living's Our Best Five-Star Recipes, pp.67, 78 and The Essential Cook Book pp.393-394)

The Recipes

Two of my go-to dishes come out of Capital Celebrations. These are the Goat Cheese (p19) and Tomato Salsa Bruschetta and Mandarin Spinach Salad with Almonds (p55). The cookbook is still available from a variety of sources and at less than $3 used is well worth the investment so I'm not going to republish these recipes here.

The other recipes - especially the Dairy-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake - are very loosely tied to the inspiration recipes so are posted here (in the case of the Dairy-Free cheesecake my recipe doesn't use any Cream Cheese).    

Dairy-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake

Loosely adapted from Southern Living's Our Best Five-Star Recipes, pp.67, 78 and The Essential Cook Book, pp.393-394.

Ingredients (Makes 6 to 8 servings)

• 2 – 9 inch graham cracker pie crusts, chilled
• 2/3 cup Fructose
• 1/4 cup maple sugar crystals
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 4 – 8 oz Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese substitute
• 4 Tbsp unsweetened soymilk
• 1 – 12 oz Tofutti Milk Free Better than Sour Cream substitute
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup Booker’s
• 2 cans (15 oz) Trader Joe’s Organic Pumpkin, drained

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and place the oven rack in the center of the oven.
2. Combine Fructose, maple sugar crystals, allspice, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, salt, and flour.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, with a hand mixer on low speed, beat the cream cheese, soymilk, and sour cream until smooth (about 2 minutes).
4. Gradually add the spice mixture and beat until creamy and smooth (1 to 2 minutes).
5. Slowly add the eggs; beat well (about 30 seconds) after each addition.
6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
7. Beat in the vanilla extract, Booker's, and pumpkin puree. 
8. Pour mixture into prepared chilled graham cracker crusts.
   NOTE: Do not overfill. Fill no more than one half to two-thirds full. If too full, the edges will bake before the center is done.
9. Place springform pans on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
10. Place a cake pan, filled halfway with hot water, on the bottom shelf of your oven to moisten the air.
11. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
12. Reduce heat to 325 degrees; bake 35 to 45 additional minutes or until the edges of the cheesecake are puffed but the center is still wet and jiggles when you gently shake the pan. 
    NOTE: To prevent overbaking, you should start checking pie doneness at 30 minutes.
    NOTE: The center will seem slightly unset when shaken, but will firm upon standing.
13. Continue baking until a knife inserted into the filling 2 inches from the center comes out clean.
14. Remove pies from oven to a wire cake rack.
15. Let cool completely on a wire cake rack.
16. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight. Do not freeze.

Graham Cracker Pie Crusts

Ingredients (makes 2 9 inch pie crusts)

• 2 – 8 oz sleeves Mi-Del graham crackers, crushed
• 4 Tbsp Fructose
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup Earth Balance, room temperature

Instructions

1. Put the graham cracker squares in a large plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin until they are fine crumbs.
   NOTE: You don't want to taste the Mi-Del graham crackers. They're dairy and refined-sugar free and before cooking are dry.
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, fructose, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; stir well.
3. Add Earth Balance.
4. With a pastry blender, mix the crumbs with the Earth Balance until completely mixed and the consistency of stiff dough.
5. Press mixture firmly on bottom and up sides of 2 – 9-in. springform pans.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.NOTE: Crust should be lightly colored and dry to the touch.
7. Remove and cool on pie racks.
8. Cover and chill in refrigerator.

Wild Rice with Shiitake Mushrooms and Almonds Side Dish

Ingredients (makes 6 to 8 servings)

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance
• 1 cup Wild Rice and Brown Rice, uncooked
• 8 oz Shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbsp green onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Add Earth Balance to broth and boil on stove to melt Earth Balance.
3. Add other ingredients.
4. Bake, covered at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
   NOTE: It is done when all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender and fluffy.

Pecorino-Romano Roasted Asparagus

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style recipe 
Ingredients (serves 6)

• 2 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus (about 30 large)
• 2 Tbsp EVOO
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup Pecorino-Romano, freshly grated

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the asparagus in a 9x13 baker and drizzle with EVOO.
3. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
4. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender.
5. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Pecorino-Romano.
6. Return to the oven for another minute or two.

Dried Porcini Crusted Salmon

Adapted from Emeril Lagasse's Dried Porcini Crusted Salmon with Tomato Cream Sauce recipe 
Ingredients (serves 6)

• 1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms, finely ground
• 1/2 cup Colombo dry breadcrumbs
• 3 Tbsp Pecorino-Romano, finely grated
• 1/2 tsp Sea salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance, melted
• 1 Tbsp EVOO
• 6 – 6 oz. salmon fillets

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt Earth Balance.
3. Combine ground porcini mushrooms, breadcrumbs, Pecorino-Romano, half of the sea salt, half of the freshly ground pepper, shallot, garlic, and thyme in 10-cup measuring cup.
4. Drizzle mushroom mix with melted Earth Balance. Stir to combine.
5. Season salmon fillets with remaining sea salt and ground pepper.
6. Heat EVOO in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
7. Add salmon fillets, skin-side up, to the pan and cook until golden (approximately 2 minutes).
8. Carefully turn the fillets over in the pan and top with porcini mixture, gently pressing to adhere.
9. Place the skillet in the oven. Bake until salmon flakes easily (approximately 5 to 6 minutes).

Ingredient Lists

Before you get started, make sure you have all the ingredients you need.

From the Grocery

• 2 tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 8 oz Shiitake mushrooms
• Asparagus 2 ½ lbs (30 large)
• Spinach
• Green onions
• Fresh basil
• 3 lemons
• 6 – 6 oz. Salmon filets

From the Refrigerator

• 4 eggs
• Earth Balance
• Unsweetened soymilk
• Pecorino Romano
• Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese substitute
• Tofutti Milk Free Better than Sour Cream substitute

From the Pantry

• Fructose
• Maple sugar crystals
• Mi-Del graham crackers 
• Flour
• Vanilla extract
• Allspice
• Cinnamon
• Ground cloves
• Ground ginger
• Ground nutmeg
• Sliced almonds
• Slivered almonds
• Iodized salt
• Sea salt
• Ground black pepper
• Balsamic vinegar
• Fig balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar with herbs
• EVOO
• Chicken broth
• 2 cans Trader Joe’s Organic Pumpkin
• Booker’s or Maker’s Mark
• Wild rice and brown rice mixture
• 1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 onion, medium

Necessary Equipment

• 1 large Ziploc bag
• Rolling pin
• Wooden spoon
• Whisk
• Tongs
• Spatula
• 2-cup measuring cup
• 10-cup measuring cup
• Medium mixing bowl
• Large mixing bowl
• 2 – 9-in. springform pans or 3 – 9-in. pie plates
• 1 – 9 -in. cake pan
• 9x13 baker
• Medium ovenproof saucepan 
• Large ovenproof skillet
• Baking sheet
• 2 – wire cake racks
• Large salad bowl
• Serving platter

Preparation Notes

Here's roughly what we did to present 3 of our friends with a four-course plated meal.

1. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven. 
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Crush graham crackers (approximately 10 to 15 minutes).
4. Prepare Graham Cracker Piecrusts (approximately 5 to 10 minutes).
5. Bake piecrusts at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crust is lightly colored and dry to the touch.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
7. Cover and refrigerate graham cracker crusts while you make the filling.
8. Prepare Dairy-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake.
9. Prepare salad dressing; combine vinegar, EVOO, lemon juice, Fructose, and parsley in 2-cup measuring cup and refrigerate.
10. Dice medium onion, 2 tomatoes, 1 red bell pepper, and 1 yellow bell pepper. Chop fresh basil (approximately 10 minutes).
11. Prepare Tomato Salsa.
12. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
13. Slice baguette into 1/4-inch thick slices.
14. Place baguette slices on baking sheet and toast lightly at 250 degrees until slightly brown.
15. Process dried porcini mushrooms in small food processor or spice grinder until finely ground.
16. Combine ground porcini mushrooms, breadcrumbs, Pecorino-Romano, half of the sea salt, half of the freshly ground pepper, shallot, garlic, and thyme in 10-cup measuring cup.
17. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
18. Rinse and dry spinach, remove stems and gently tear into a large salad bowl. Add mandarin oranges, green onions, and almonds.
19. Slice Shiitake mushrooms and chop green onions (approximately 2 to 3 minutes).
20. Melt Earth Balance in chicken broth (approximately 5 minutes).
21. Add other ingredients for Wild Rice with Shiitake Mushrooms and Almonds Side Dish.
22. Bake Wild Rice with Shiitake Mushrooms and Almonds Side Dish (approximately 1 1/2 hours).
23. Prepare asparagus. If stalks are thick, peel the bottom half of each.
24. Lay asparagus in a 9x13 baker and drizzle with EVOO. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
25. Spread baguette slices with Goat cheese.
26. Top Goat cheese with a spoonful of tomato salsa.
27. Plate baguettes and serve immediately.
28. Add dressing to spinach salad a little bit at a time.
29. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
30. Roast asparagus for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender.
31. Remove asparagus from oven.
32. Sprinkle asparagus with Pecorino-Romano.
33. Cover asparagus and put aside.
34. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
35. Return Wild Rice with Shiitake Mushrooms and Almonds Side Dish back to oven to warm (approximately 10 minutes).
36. Return Pecorino-Romano Asparagus to the oven for another couple of minutes.
37. Remove asparagus from the oven and set aside.
38. Melt Earth Balance.
39. Drizzle mushroom mix with melted Earth Balance. Stir to combine.
40. Season salmon fillets with remaining sea salt and ground pepper.
41. Heat EVOO in a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
42. Add salmon fillets, skin-side up, to the pan and cook until golden (approximately 2 minutes).
43. Carefully turn the fillets over in the pan and top with porcini mixture, gently pressing to adhere.
44. Place the skillet in the oven. Bake until salmon flakes easily (approximately 5 to 6 minutes).
45. Plate scoop of wild rice with crossed asparagus spears and top with salmon filet. Serve with a wedge of lemon.