Sides and Appetizers

[tv-note]

BBQ Sauce

• While I like to MAKE MY OWN BBQ sauce, ATK or CC tested sauces.
• Bulls Eye came out the winner, Stubbs was the runner up, and Kraft was the looser.

Mozzarella Cheese

• Pre-shredded cheese is tossed in cellulose to keep it from sticking together
• Plus it dries out, losing some of that incredible meltability
• Do a taste test yourself
• Low moisture is stretchier and is 45-52% moisture
• Fresh is about 60% moisture
• Your best bet is to buy your own block or ball of mozzarella and shred it yourself.

Sour Dough Oven Stuffing

• 1 TBL salt
• 1/2 C shredded carrot
• 1 C chopped celery
• 1 C diced pears
• 1 C diced onion
• 1/2 C fresh cranberries
• Sauté above 2 minutes
• Add 1 tsp each thyme, sage, rosemary, parsley
• Add 1 TBL chopped pecans
• Toss 6 C bread crumbs with 3/4 C EVOO
• Combine all with 2 C chicken broth and 1 TBL balsamic reduction
• Spread out in 9×12 baking dish
• Bake covered for 1/2 hour
• Finish bake uncovered for another 1/2 hour

Date and Gorgonzola Prosciutto Roll

• Slice dates lengthwise and remove pit
• Stuff with a piece of gorgonzola cheese
• Wrap in prosciutto
• Lay in pan
• Brush all with garlic, olive and EVOO mixture
• Bake 400º for 5-8 minutes

Truffle Notes

• OK to wash truffle, then pack in rice to dessicate
• Black truffle should be used to accent a more complex dish
  – $2,000 per pound
• White truffle should be featured and be used in a simple dish
  – $6,000 per pound – $400 per ounce
  – October, Nov and Dec in Piedmont Italy
• Black Périgord truffles cost $575 per pound from farmer’s markets and $2000 per pound from retail sellers.
• Black summer truffles cost $670 per pound
  – Year round in Umbria Italy and Burgundy France
• Pecan truffles cost $100 per pound
  – Australia, Oregon and Tennessee

Simple White Truffle Recipe

• Egg, butter, cream – shave white truffles over the top

Puff Pastry Baskets

• Puff Pastry squares 4″ each side
• Put in center – turkey, mozzarella, pesto
• Wrap up and tie in four or eigh sections
• Bake 15 minutes at 400º
• Remove string – top with rosemary sprig

Cranberry Salad

• Jello and hot water
• Lemon zest
• Chopped raw cranberries
• Orange
• Grapes – light chop
• Apple – diced

Refrigerate 4 hours