Authors: Carol Kicinski
• The Skillet Dressing and Cranberry Gravy can be made while the hens and beans are in the oven. Start the dressing first as it takes a bit longer.
Roasted Cornish Game Hens
3 Cornish game hens
1
1/2
teaspoons kosher or fine sea
salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Remove everything from the cavities of the game hens and either discard or reserve for another use. Halve the hens by cutting each of them along both sides of the backbone with scissors or kitchen shears. Cut along one side of the breastbone to separate it into two halves. Rinse the halves and pat dry with paper towels. Combine the salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning and rub all over the game hen halves.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the hen halves skin side down. Sauté in batches (do not crowd the pan) until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn and sauté the opposite side for 2 minutes. Transfer the hens to a roasting pan, skin side up, and roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted at the thickest part of the breast registers 165 degrees, and the juices run clear when the hens are pierced with a sharp knife. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Skillet Dressing
4 tablespoons (
1/2
stick) unsalted
butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1
1/2
teaspoons poultry
seasoning
1/2
teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper
1¼ to 1
1/2
cups gluten-free
chicken stock
2 cups gluten-free, panko-style
bread crumbs
Kosher or fine sea salt, if needed
Melt the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, poultry seasoning, and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add 1¼ cups of the chicken stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the bread crumbs and stir to combine. Remove from the heat, cover the pan, and let rest for 8 to 10 minutes. If the dressing seems too dry, add a little more chicken stock. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
Cranberry Gravy
12 ounces (about 3 cups) fresh or
frozen whole cranberries
1 cup freshly squeezed orange
juice
1
1/2
cups gluten-free chicken stock
1/3
cup sugar
Kosher or fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Combine the cranberries, orange juice, chicken stock, and sugar in a large skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by half and the berries pop, 8 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.
Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled
and chopped
1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
1/2
teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons maple syrup
4 to 6 tablespoons cream,
half-and-half, or milk
Put the cut-up sweet potatoes in a large pan and cover with cold water. Cover the pan and place over high heat, bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the sweet potatoes and return them to the hot pot. Return the pot to the stovetop over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute to evaporate excess moisture. Season with salt and pepper and mash the sweet potatoes coarsely. Add the butter and maple syrup and mash to combine. Add the cream, half-and-half, or milk, a little at a time, and mash until you reach the desired consistency.
Oven-Roasted Balsamic Onion Green Beans
1
1/2
pounds green beans, stem
ends snapped off
1 medium red onion, peeled,
halved, and each half cut into
6 wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
1/2
teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place the green beans and onion wedges on the prepared baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the vegetables out into an even layer and roast for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar with the honey. When the beans and onion have roasted for 10 minutes, remove them from the oven, pour the vinegar-honey mixture over the top, and toss with tongs to coat. Return the baking sheet to the oven and continue to roast for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the onion and beans are dark golden brown in spots and the beans start to shrivel. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.
Pumpkin Mousse Pie
One 8-ounce package gluten-free
graham crackers (or 1
1/2
cups gluten-free, graham-style
crumbs, firmly packed)
¼ cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted
butter, melted
¼ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
4 ounces cream cheese, at room
temperature
One 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2
cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons whiskey (optional)
1 to 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
extract
1/2
teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
A grating of nutmeg
2
1/2
cups heavy whipping cream
2 to 3 tablespoons Heath English
Toffee Bits
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Break the graham crackers up and place in food processor fitted with the steel blade and grind into crumbs. Or place the crackers in a plastic food bag and crush with a rolling pin. Combine the crushed crumbs with the granulated sugar, melted butter, and salt and mix well. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie plate, pressing it down firmly and making sure to press the mixture up the sides as well as on the bottom. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool 5 minutes, then put it in the freezer for 10 minutes to finish cooling and firm up.
Using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese, pumpkin, brown sugar, whiskey (if using), vanilla (if not using whiskey use 2 teaspoons, otherwise use 1 teaspoon), cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until smooth and creamy.
In a clean bowl, using clean beaters, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Mix a little of the cream into the pumpkin mixture, then fold in the rest. Fill the cooled pie with the mixture and smooth the top. Refrigerate until serving time. Just before serving, garnish the top of the pie with the toffee bits.
MENU
Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Red Onion Gravy
Mini Yorkshire Puddings
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Glazed Carrots
Quick Black Forest Trifle
C
hristmas dinner for me means roast beef. Fortunately, roasting a tenderloin could not be easier, is practically foolproof, and is much quicker than using other cuts of beef for roasting. Yorkshire pudding is a traditional British accompaniment to roast beef. It is typically made with the meat drippings of a standing rib roast. Olive oil is used in place of beef fat in this recipe, and the puddings are quickly cooked in a muffin pan.
The rest of the meal follows in the same British tradition. Best of all, this entire meal can be made in an hour. After all, who wants to spend Christmas Day slaving in the kitchen?
Serves 6
Quick-Cook Strategy
• Preheat the oven and remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator to take the chill off. Everything that is cooked in the oven is cooked at the same temperature.
• Prepare the trifle and refrigerate until time for dessert.
• Prepare the Brussels sprouts and the roast beef and place them in the oven at the same time; they take roughly the same amount of time to roast. Transfer the Brussels sprouts to an ovenproof serving bowl and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm; if needed they can be reheated in the oven briefly just before serving.
• While the beef and Brussels sprouts are roasting, prepare the batter for the Yorkshire puddings. Put the pan for the puddings into the oven to preheat as soon as you remove the beef and Brussels sprouts; this way they will be done at the same time as the roast beef is served. You can also prepare the gravy at this time, keep it in the pan, and warm it back up on the stovetop, if needed, just before serving.
• The carrots are cooked on the stovetop and can be made while the puddings are baking.
Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Red Onion Gravy
One 2
1/2
- to 3-pound center cut
beef tenderloin, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher or fine sea
salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper
4 tablespoons (
1/2
stick) unsalted
butter
1 medium red onion, halved and
thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
¾ cup dry red wine
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
¾ cup gluten-free beef stock
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a 13 × 9-inch roasting pan with foil.
Brush the tenderloin with the olive oil. Combine the salt and pepper on a plate or on a cutting board and roll the tenderloin in it to season it on all sides. Place the tenderloin in the prepared roasting pan and roast approximately 25 minutes for rare (120 to 125 degrees on an instant-read thermometer) or approximately 30 minutes for medium rare (125 to 130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer). Remove the roast from the oven and wrap it with the foil you covered the roasting pan with. Let the meat rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes.
While the meat is resting, prepare the gravy. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until it is soft and starts to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and rosemary and increase the heat to medium-high. Boil until the liquid has reduced to
1/2
cup, about 3 minutes. Add the beef stock and continue to boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, remove and discard the rosemary sprigs, and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until the butter has melted and the gravy is glossy.
Remove the foil from the meat, pour any accumulated meat juices into the gravy, and stir in. Taste the gravy and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Slice the beef thinly and place on a serving platter. Ladle a little of the gravy over top and serve the rest on the side in a gravy boat.
Mini Yorkshire Puddings
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2
teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
1 cup
Sweet Rice Flour Blend
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put
1/2
teaspoon olive oil in each cup of a standard 12-cup muffin pan. Place the muffin pan in the oven for 5 minutes to preheat the pan and the oil.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the eggs well. Add the milk and salt and whisk to combine. Add the flour, a little at a time, whisking well after each addition. Pour the mixture into a pitcher or large measuring cup with a spout.
Carefully remove the muffin pan from the oven and pour some batter into each cup, filling each halfway. Bake the Yorkshire puddings for 14 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. While they are baking, refrain from opening the oven door. Remove the puddings from the pan and serve immediately.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
1
1/2
pounds Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
¾ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
1/2
teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.