I hear you. My sis-in-law, also a dear friend, is going through the same thing and we are all trying to help. No one could be more honored, though, in the ways you have remembered her and shared with us.
Thanks, Antonia, for any further details you are able to post. But I saved the link you mentioned here.
Will contact SeaJambon to see if we can carpool to your house.
Pegeen, I decided not to turn this one into a true mostarda either. The bay leaf + cranberry + figs and cherries are somewhat delicately balanced (though I may do a test with a small portion, using a bit of Riesling + white wine vinegar). So you should just use the compote recipe I linked, adapting to: coarsely chop 4 ounces of cranberries (they need a bit of help to release their juices) and simmer/steep in 1 cup of white wine + water to cover: 1/2 cup each of dried cranberries, chopped dried figs (dark or light) and yellow raisins, with 3 nice bay leaves. I love the ones from Oaktown Spice Shop, but Penzeys provides an agreeable alternative. I'll let you know how the mostarda test drive turns out. It needs 4 - 5 days to mellow, so stay tuned. ;o)
@Pegreen, maybe it was onions. I was young, and she's long gone but she was the only one in family to make it. As a kid, I flat out refused the entire dish and she would make me my favorite sandwich with a side of cookies.
SeaJambon, you're invited! Invigorating hike beforehand in the East Bay Regional Park (spectacular views of five bridges likely) will be optional but highly recommended. Thanks so much. ;o)
Pegeen, I'll try to do it tonight, posting photos tomorrow. It's amazing, but really benefits from at least a week's "cure" (or whatever it is that condiments do over time to get so much better). I put very little mustard in it, however, because the bay leaf is so elegant standing alone. Here is its first cousin: http://food52.com/recipes/24974-bay-infused-cranberry-and-dried-fruit-compote -- made without figs and dried cranberries, or mustard. I loved discovering how nice cranberry sauce can be without any spices. ;o)
We won't have enough guests for a crown (shaped and tied), so I'm doing standing pork roast this year, just as I did last year. I'll give it a dry rub with rosemary, fennel and lemon zest and will put thinly sliced fennel, onion and garlic in the roasting pan, to flavor the pan juices. On the side we're having
(i) Risotto - http://food52.com/recipes/3679-butternut-squash-risotto-with-pancetta-manchego-sage
(ii) Brussels sprouts (brined, roasted in olive oil and salt, splashed with red wine vinegar right before serving),
(iii) a bright green salad with pecans and apples,
(iv) a mostarda made with fresh and dried cranberries, dried figs and cherries, and bay leaves (using this method: http://food52.com/blog/8577-how-to-make-mostarda-without-a-recipe ) and
(v) a simple pureed celeriac soup to start.
Dessert has not been finally settled, but I'm fairly certain it will be Elizabeth Friend's Almond Cake (Amanda Hesser's "Thank You Cake") served with satsumas and homemade soft ganache truffles (from Alich Medrich's early cookbook, "Bittersweet"), and vin santo. ;o)
Brussels sprouts should be good -- classic pork roast pairings are cabbage (like sourkraut -- how is that spelled?!) and apples (perhaps applesauce). You can use cabbage and apples as a starting point and branch out in many directions...
Spinach or another dark green. If not stuffing, can make creamed spinach (if stuffing, too rich). Some sort of potato, browse the potato contest, it has so many killer recipes that I have gained four lbs just looking at them. An orange vegetable like squash, sweet potatoes or carrots. Home made rolls. A light dessert that is fruit based, like Emily C's elegant Gingered Cranberry Pear Pie.
Red wine and strong coffee with dessert and cheese.
I wondered the same as easantillo, if you were stuffing it, or making a gravy?
Sweet potatoes pair well with pork. I haven't made this Sweet Potatoes Anna with Prunes but it has a lot of fans. http://food52.com/recipes/1625-sweet-potatoes-anna-with-prunes
If you make a regular potato dish instead of sweet potato, carrots with a honey and orange-juice glaze, with some rosemary or thyme to temper the sweetness, could work.
Are you stuffing it? If there's stuffing, then maybe serve mashed potatoes and gravy with an elegant steamed or roasted green vegetable (broccoli is my favorite!). Or instead, maybe scalloped potatoes and Brussels sprouts fancied up with bacon and/or some type of nut?
18 Comments
Will contact SeaJambon to see if we can carpool to your house.
(i) Risotto - http://food52.com/recipes/3679-butternut-squash-risotto-with-pancetta-manchego-sage
(ii) Brussels sprouts (brined, roasted in olive oil and salt, splashed with red wine vinegar right before serving),
(iii) a bright green salad with pecans and apples,
(iv) a mostarda made with fresh and dried cranberries, dried figs and cherries, and bay leaves (using this method: http://food52.com/blog/8577-how-to-make-mostarda-without-a-recipe ) and
(v) a simple pureed celeriac soup to start.
Dessert has not been finally settled, but I'm fairly certain it will be Elizabeth Friend's Almond Cake (Amanda Hesser's "Thank You Cake") served with satsumas and homemade soft ganache truffles (from Alich Medrich's early cookbook, "Bittersweet"), and vin santo. ;o)
Red wine and strong coffee with dessert and cheese.
Sweet potatoes pair well with pork. I haven't made this Sweet Potatoes Anna with Prunes but it has a lot of fans. http://food52.com/recipes/1625-sweet-potatoes-anna-with-prunes
If you make a regular potato dish instead of sweet potato, carrots with a honey and orange-juice glaze, with some rosemary or thyme to temper the sweetness, could work.