It's the holidays - a time when we all pull out those time-tested recipes and add a few new twists as well.
A good time, too, to clear through some of those frequently asked questions about recipes, cooking, and other such things.
I'm frequently asked why, as an innkeeper, I post recipes for dinner and lunch dishes but not breakfast dishes. That's easy. I think most B&B innkeepers are already pretty adept at dishing out breakfast. And when they need to find inspiration, there are already plenty of places to go for that. Plenty.
But more and more innkeepers tell me that they have begun serving light dinners for guests, both as a means of establishing new revenue streams (or increasing the room rate, for all inclusive inns) and as a treat for late arriving guests who may not have the option of going out for dinner.
And most often it's the homey, comfort foods that innkeepers tell me they're looking for. Rich soups, winter casseroles like Shepherd's Pie or Pot Pies. Anything that can be essentially prepared in advance, that freezes well, and will be welcomed by late arriving guests.
Another frequent question is what to do about vegetarians. Here's a secret. I was a vegetarian for years. Years. And during those years, I threw more dinner parties than you can possibly imagine. I'm fairly certain that no one missed the carcass, as I would call meat in those days.
The secret to pulling that off? Easy. Don't forget the courses: a wonderful soup, a tasty first course, a filling main meal, and a dessert or cheese course. These days there are so many veggie recipes out there that planning is a snap. Just focus on the best vegetables of the season, mix the textures and flavors up a bit through the courses, and intrigue with complex sauces.
The trick to creating an unexpected vegetarian dinner masterpiece is to balance each plate the same way you would balance a meat-based meal: varying colors, textures, and flavors that work together but don't compete with each other. You can do that.
And perhaps the most frequently asked question of all. Are all of your recipes butter based? Seriously, folks do ask that. And the truth is, while I think butter is an indispensable ingredient in many dishes, I also constantly look for ways to substitute the bad fat for the good, the heavy for the light. Since I never use processed foodstuffs, having an essential and complete set of kitchen ingredients helps.
My favorites?
Coconut oil Still fat but it's the good kind, with the good LDL that reduces the bad. Full of flavor, it's great in curries, soups, fried rice, jambalaya, and many other recipes where a touch of coconut not only adds flavor, but health. I use coconut oil instead of butter to make an insanely rich granola that's low in guilt and high in raves. Coconut oil in cookie and cake recipes - I generally substitute 80 percent of the butter with coconut oil - brings in the flavor, and tosses out the guilt. Who needs all that fatty guilt anyway? I just want it to taste fattening, not really be fattening. And that's surprisingly easy to accomplish with coconut oil.
Almond meal Fresh broth made rich and creamy with a touch of almond meal and a tablespoon of olive oil makes a super substitute for cream and butter. Also a great way to make an indulgent sauce for vegans. Add garlic, basil, and peas and it's the perfect sauce for a fresh pasta.
Half and half mixed with a rich broth can generally be substituted for full cream in most dishes. Sometimes, in fact, I like the complexity of flavors created by the broth even better than full cream.
Roasted veggies Roasted veggies are the perfect balance for an otherwise heavy meal. Steaks, sausages, pork roasts, whatever fatty dish you're serving, they'll all be safer for the guest and infinitely more interesting in flavor with some roasted veggies. In summer we roast almost all veggies and some fruits as well. In winter, we roast potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes. You name it, the flavor is made more intense with roasting. Just toss in your own mix of olive oil, garlic, and spice. Herbs de Provence is a favorite around here. The secret to perfectly roasted veggies every time? Blanch the veggies first. (Remember to save the water you've blanched them in - the light broth has many uses in the kitchen)
Don't forget the roasts Roasts are a perfect welcome dinner for a guest and are a frugal alternative to cooking one meal at a time. So cook up a pork roast, even if it's just for 2 guests. Warm the house later with a slow roasting pulled pork that can be frozen and used as needed for a quick sandwich. Make pork sandwiches for picnic lunches tomorrow. I almost always roast pork with fresh tomatoes (or summer canned tomatoes) and fresh pears. The compote created is a sublime addition to the meat - sans fattening gravy - and roasts down the next day to a wonderful barbeque sauce. For sandwiches, I'll use that compote instead of lettuce and tomato for a sandwich that surprises with delight.
And almost any roast - and its accompanying roasted veggies - can make a superb base for a pot pie for that late arriving guest tomorrow night.
Dried beans Having a supply of black beans, white beans, flageolets, and other tasty varieties around means that when the budget is blown on a good cut of meat, we can make up for that with a nutritious side dish that's inexpensive but delicious. Add a few good tablespoons of olive oil to the cooking broth for a rich flavor, guilt free.
Broth, broth, broth There's not a bone or piece of fat that comes through my door that is not destined to become broth. I constantly have a selection of broths in the freezer and in the fridge, each labeled clearly with the date made. Lamb broth is great for use with just about any dried beans, beef broth is super for creating an especially flavorful polenta, chicken broth is used for just about everything.
So there we have it. Even more innkeeper secrets.
Now I'm outta here. A pot of split pea soup is calling my name.
