The Splendid Grain: Splendid Book for the Holidays

Product Spotlight: Books
The Splendid Grain:
Splendid Book for the Holidays

The Splendid Grain, by Rebecca Wood, is chock full of wonderful information and beautiful recipes that will make any gathering around the table a holiday.

Cooking all sorts of grains from the well known to the exotic (rice to Job’s Tears) is elevated to a fine art in this book. The recipes are simple and easy to understand and help you to prepare gourmet dishes that are as beautiful as they are delicious.

A great holiday gift, the book is available on Co-op bookshelves. Come win your own copy at either Co-op Holiday Gathering. Just enter the raffle at the Info Desk on Dec. 6th at Nob Hill and Dec. 13th at the Valley. Some holiday recipe specialties are reprinted below.

Roast Duck with Kasha, Chestnut, and Parsnip Stuffing

1 duckling, well cleaned (5-7 lbs.)
1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into medium dice
4 Tbs. (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1-1/2 cups steamed kasha
1-1/2 cups chopped, boiled chestnuts
3 scallions, trimmed and chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley
2 Tbs. minced fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash and trim the duckling of all excess fat.

Pat dry and set aside.

Put the parsnip in a steamer basket over boiling water and steam for about 2 minutes, or until almost cooked.

Plunge into cold water to cool.

Place on a small baking dish, toss with 1 tablespoon of the butter, and spread out. Bake for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Remove from the oven. Raise the oven temperature to 400°F. Combine the parsnip, kasha, chestnuts, scallions, celery, parsley, thyme, and nutmeg.

Stir in the remaining butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Lightly fill the duckling cavity with stuffing. Lace the opening closed. Place the duckling, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow baking pan.

Roast for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F. and roast for about 1 hour, 45 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 180°F for well done.

Let rest for 5 minutes.

Place on a serving platter. Carve as desired and scoop the stuffing from cavity. Serve.

Christmas Hens with
Spicy Barley

4 small Cornish game hens
1 Tbs. freshly grated lemon zest
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. Hungarian paprika
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1 Tbs. sea salt
1 medium onion, quartered
4 sprigs each, of sage, rosemary,and parsley
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 tsp. turmeric
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup chopped leeks
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 red New Mexican or poblano chilies, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 green jalapenos, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 cup pearl barley, well rinsed
2-1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
Sprigs of parsley, for garnish

Wash and dry the hens.

Combine the lemon zest, cumin, paprika, allspice, pepper, and 2-1/2 teaspoons of the salt.

Sprinkle each hen, inside and out, with the mixture. Place an onion quarter and sprig each of sage, rosemary, and parsley in each cavity. Tie the legs together with twine.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the hens and fry, turning occasionally, for about
10 minutes, or until golden on
all sides. Transfer the hens to
a roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes.

Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the remain-ing butter in a Dutch oven large enough to hold the hens with room to spare over medium-high heat.

Add the turmeric and garlic and stir for a few seconds. Add the leeks and saute for 10 minutes, or until limp. Add the mushrooms, New Mexican jalapenos, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.

Saute for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables soften and the mushroom liquid cooks away. Stir in the barley and saute for
3 minutes more, stirring as neces-sary.

Add the stock. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for
15 minutes.

Place the hens and their juices in the barley. Cover and continue to cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the hens and barley are cooked and all the juices have been absorbed.

Form a bed of barley on a large serving platter and arrange the hens on top. Garnish with parsley and serve.