Slow-Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Double-Mushroom Ragout - January 2010

Our January meal was a huge hit, thanks to the efforts of everyone who helped plan and host the meal. The Cosmo, shrimp and beef would be a hit on any table, the portions can be scaled to fit your gathering, enjoy.

Champagne Cosmo

Crab & Scallion Stuffed Shrimp

Slow-Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Double-Mushroom Ragout

Lemon - Thyme Spinach

Individual Savory Horseradish Bread Puddings

Ginger Cake Trifles with caramelized Apples, Cranberries & Whipped Cream

Champagne Cosmo

Sip this festive sparkler - a champagne twist on a Cosmopolitan - before dinner or while you enjoy the first course.

Cranberry juice, Grand Marnier, lime juice mixture can be made ahead and stored in refrigerator until ready to combine remaining ingredients.

1 ½ cups cranberry juice cocktail, chilled

½ cup Grand Marnier (call Sophia to pick up your portion if you do not have on hand)

3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

8 thin strips of lime zest (from 2 limes), each about ¼ inch wide and 3 inches long

2 bottles (750ml) brut sparkling wine or Champagne, chilled

Combine the cranberry juice, Grand Marnier and lime juice in a small pitcher and mix well. Hold a lime strip over a tall Champagne flute, twist or tie it into a single knot to release the essential oils and drop the zest into the flute. Repeat with the remaining zest and seven more flutes. Divide the juice mixture equally among the flutes. Top each flute with the sparkling wine (depending on the size of your flutes, you may not need all of the wine).

Serve immediately.

Crab & Scallion Stuffed Shrimp Serves 8

3 ½ Tbsp. unsalted butter; more for the baking sheet

1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions (white and light-green parts only; from 5 to 6 scallions)

Kosher salt

½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Two drops hot sauce (or other Asian chile sauce)

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. coarsely shopped fresh parsley, plus 20 whole leaves or small sprigs

1 lemon (cut in half- to be juiced )

1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (from above lemon)

½ tsp. Dijon mustard

Freshly ground black pepper

½ lb. crabmeat, drained and picked over for shells

1 ¼ cups fine fresh breadcrumbs

16 jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per lb.), butterflied (pre-ordered at Succulent Seafood)

1 small head frisee lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Make the stuffing: In a small saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the scallions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes (don't brown). Take the pan off the heat and stir in the Worcestershire sauce and the hot sauce. Cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. of the chopped parsley, 1 tsp. lemon juice from the half lemon, the lemon zest, the mustard, ¼ tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir in the cooled scallion mixture. Add the crab and mix gently but thoroughly.

In a 10-inch skillet, melt the remaining 1 ½ Tbsp. butter over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in the remaining 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley and ¼ tsp. salt.

Stuff the shrimp: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and rub lightly with butter. Arrange the butterflied shrimp on the baking sheet. Using a spoon or your hands, mound a heaping tablespoon of the crab mixture onto each shrimp. Sprinkle and pat the breadcrumbs over the crab. (This will be messy; don't worry if there are crumbs on the baking sheet.) Flip the tail of each shrimp up and over the crab.

Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to transport.

Bake the shrimp: Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through, the crabmeat is hot and the crumbs are golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes.

While the shrimp are in the oven, toss the frisee and the whole parsley leaves with the remaining half lemons juice, the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. On 8 small plates, arrange a small pile of the salad and two shrimp. Serve right away.

Make ahead: You can butterfly the shrimp, make the stuffing and breadcrumb topping and stuff the shrimp up to a day ahead. If stuffing ahead, don't top with the crumbs or flip up the tails until ready to bake. Cover and refrigerate the shrimp and stuffing; store the crumbs airtight at room temperature. Remove the stuffed shrimp from the fridge while the oven is heating.

Lemon - Thyme Spinach Serves 8

A generous amount of lemon zest adds a touch of brightness to sautéed spinach.

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

4 tsp. coarsely chopped fresh thyme

2 lemons-used for finely grated zest

½ tsp. minced garlic

Kosher salt

2 1 lb. packages/containers organic baby spinach

In a small bowl, combine the butter, thyme, lemon zest, garlic and a generous pinch of salt and mash with a fork or spoon until well blended.

Put several large handfuls of the spinach in a 12-inch nonstick stir-fry or saute pan.

Season with ½ tsp. salt. Turn the heat to medium high and cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach is mostly wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add another few handfuls of spinach and another ½ tsp. salt and continue to cook, tossing, until wilted. Repeat until all of the spinach is wilted. Turn off the heat, but leave the pan on the burner. Add the butter mixture and toss just until it melts and coats the spinach. Season to taste with salt and serve immediately.

Slow-Roasted Beef Tenderloin with double-Mushroom Ragout Serves 8

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 tsp. coarsely chopped fresh thyme

2 tsp. minced garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 lb. beef tenderloin roast, preferable from the thicker end, trimmed of silver skin

1 recipe Double-Mushroom Ragout

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, thyme, garlic, 1 tsp. salt and several generous grinds of black pepper. Put the tenderloin on a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet or in a small roasting pan and rub the oil mixture all over it.

Roast the tenderloin until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 130 degrees for medium rare, about 1 hour. Note: we recommend that you bake the roast at 6:00 pm until 7:00 pm. Once the guests arrive take out the roast and let rest (covered with foil) on top of stove while the shrimp is baking and the bread puddings are re-heating.

When ready to serve, transfer to a carving board, or leave in roasting pan and cut the tenderloin crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Two slices per person per plate. Serve with the ragout.

Make ahead: You can season the tenderloin up to 6 hours ahead cover and refrigerate. If you make ahead, please allow the roast to reach room temperature before baking.

Double - Mushroom Ragout

Yields 2 to 2 ½ cups

1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 cup) (2 - ½ oz. packages)

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

20 oz. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick (2 - 10 oz. bags)

Kosher salt

1/3 cup finely chopped shallot

1/3 cup dry Marsala

1 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh thyme

¾ cup heavy cream; more for reheating

Freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Soak the porcini in 1 ½ cups very hot water, stirring occasionally, until they're dehydrated, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer them to a cutting board and chop coarsely. Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter or through a small tightly messed strainer into a small bowl and set aside.

In a 10-inch straight-sided sauté pan, heat 2 Tbsp. of the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the cremini and 1 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have softened and released their liquid, 5 to 8 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring more frequently, until the mushrooms are shrunken and very well browned, 8 to 10 minutes more.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots and the remaining 1 Tbsp. butter and cook, stirring, until the shallots are softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the Marsala, thyme, porcini and ¼ cup porcini-soaked liquid (reserve the remaining soaking liquid if making ahead). Cook and stir until most of the liquid evaporates, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream and cook until reduced to a saucy consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make ahead: You can make and refrigerate the ragout up to 2 days ahead. Just before serving, reheat it in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1 or 2 Tbsp. of the reserved mushroom-soaking liquid and 1 or 2 Tbsp. heavy cream, letting both reduce slightly until the ragout is just loose and saucy enough to spoon around the tenderloin. Stir in the parsley.

Individual Savory Horseradish

Bread Puddings Yields 12 individual puddings

For this menu, you will need only 8 puddings, but you'll have 4 extra for anyone who wants seconds.

2 tsp. unsalted butter, softened

1¼ cups heavy cream

6 large eggs, at room temperature

¼ cup prepared white horseradish

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cups small-diced white sandwich bread, such as Pepperidge Farm Original (about 5

slices), with crusts

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano - Reggiano

3 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh chives

Grease a 12-cup nonstick muffin tin with the butter.

In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, thoroughly whish the cream and eggs. Whisk in the horseradish, 1 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper and set aside.

Portion half of the bread cubes evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Portion half of the parmigiano and half of the chives evenly among the cups. Repeat with the remaining bread, cheese and chives.

Whisk the custard again and carefully pour it into the muffin cups, distributing it evenly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 10 minutes before you take out of refrigerator…position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Bake until the puddings are set and the tops are nicely browned and puffed. 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the puddings from the pan, running a paring knife around the edge of the puddings if they stick.

Transport the baked puddings to the Host's home in the tins covered in foil. Keep warm in oven at Host's home till ready to serve.

Make ahead: The puddings can be assembled and refrigerated up to 6 hours before baking. They can also be baked a day ahead, refrigerated and reheated, wrapped in foil, in a low oven.

Ginger Cake Trifles with Caramelized

Apples, Cranberries & Whipped Cream Serves eight

While these trifles are delicious made with warm gingerbread and warm apples, they are equally good made a few hours ahead and chilled, which makes serving dessert a snap.

FOR THE APPLES AND CRANBERRIES:

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 ½ lb. Granny Smith apples (about 4 small), peeled and cut into large dice

Kosher salt

1 ½ cups fresh cranberries (12 oz. package)

½ cup pure maple syrup

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp. finely chopped crystallized ginger

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM:

2 cups heavy cream, chilled

1 pkge. Dr. Oetker "Whip it " whipped cream stabilizer (found at Dominicks)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 recipe Ginger Cake…see below

Cook the apples and cranberries: In a 10-inch straight-sided skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the apples and ¼ tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally at first and then more frequently, until the apples are nicely browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Add 3 Tbsp. water to the pan, remove it from the heat, and stir to incorporate some of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add half of the cranberries, the maple syrup, cinnamon, a pinch of salt and 2 Tbsp. water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, lower the heat to medium low and simmer until the syrup has thickened a little and most of the cranberries have popped, about 2 minutes. Add the other half of the cranberries (add more water 1 Tbsp. at a time if syrup is to thick) and simmer until about half of the new cranberries have popped, 2 to 3 minutes more. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the ginger. Let cool to room temperature.

Make the whipped cream: Using a chilled bowl and beaters, whip the heavy cream and vanilla with a hand-held or stand mixer on medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Slowly sprinkle in the sugar and package of Whip it stabilizer and continue whipping until soft peaks form another 1-2 minutes. Refrigerate if not using right away.

Assemble: Using a serrated knife, cut the ginger cake into ¾-inch cubes. Portion about half of the cake among eight 10-ounce glasses. Portion about half of the whipped cream among the glasses, spooning it over and around the cake and top with about half of the apple mixture. Repeat with another layer of cake, whipped cream and apples. (You will have some leftover cake.)

Make ahead: The apple mixture can be made a day ahead and refrigerated (return it to room temperature before using). The cream can be whipped an hour before using. The trifles can be assembled and refrigerated up to 2 hours ahead.

We recommend that you assemble desserts at your home as close to gourmet time as possible and transport to the Host's home. Keep dessert glasses covered and refrigerated until dessert time.

Ginger Cake

Yields one 8 x 8- inch cake; serves eight

This cake is very much like a traditional gingerbread, except that it's made with buttermilk and is extra tender and moist.

4 oz. (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature; more for the pan

6 ¾ oz. (1 ½ cups) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. ground cloves

¼ tsp. table salt

1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger

¼ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

½ cup mild molasses

¼ cup canola or vegetable oil

½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the sides of an 8 x 8-inch square cake pan and line the bottom of the pan with parchment. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves and salt. Set aside.

Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the fresh ginger and mix until just combined. Add both sugars and beat on medium speed until well combined and fluffy, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and mix on medium speed until well combined. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the molasses. Add about one-third of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add one-third of the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Add oil to the buttermilk mixture. Add the remaining dry and wet ingredients in four more additions, finishing with the buttermilk and mixing until just combined after each addition. Scrape the batter into the cake pan and spread it evenly.

Bake the cake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let the cake cool completely in the pan, at least an hour.