On the First Day of Christmas

My true love gave to me a Partridge in a Pear Tree. The symbolism here is not lost. The partridge is singular – as there is only one Lord and Savior, there is only one partridge in the pear tree.

Did you know a partridge will sacrifice themselves to save their offspring from prey? Just as Christ died for us. Our true love that is woven throughout the Twelve Days of Christmas is our Heavenly Father, our one true love. The gifts we receive each day of the Christmas Season are spiritual gifts. Christmas Day is the first day of the Christmas Season. On this day we celebrate the birth of Christ.

It’s pretty much a given that in all likelihood Christ was not born on December 25. It really doesn’t matter when He was born, but that He was made flesh, and came down from Heaven to restore man’s inheritance – the Kingdom of God.

Alleluia, alleluia
I proclaim to you good news of great joy;
Today a Savior is born for us,
Christ the Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia

Today we celebrate with great joy. For God so loved the world, He sent to us His only begotten Son. This speaks volumes as to the value placed by God on every person. None is more valuable than another, and all are priceless. Yet we must remind ourselves to be humble. For in our humility our souls sing the praises of salvation.

To represent the First Day of Christmas, deviled eggs seemed the appropriate recipe to share. Besides, today is also National Kiss the Cook Day and deviled eggs set the stage for an amazingly elegant yet simple Christmas Supper to follow.

First Day of Christmas Deviled Eggs
Deviled Eggs
14 hard-boiled Eggs
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
2 teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
Kosher Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste

Place eggs in a saucepan and add enough water to the pan to cover the eggs. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 15 minutes.

While the eggs steep, prepare an ice bath. After 15 minutes, remove eggs from the saucepan with a slotted spoon. Tap each egg to crack the shell, then plunge into the ice bath. Let cool for 20 minutes.

Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Remove egg yolks and place yolks in food processor fitted with a blade. Pulse until egg yolks are a pasty consistency.

Add the mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard; mix until creamy. Mix in the red wine vinegar one teaspoon at a time. Season to taste. Store yolk filling in the refrigerator until ready to fill the colored egg whites.

Colored Whites
Red Food Coloring, as needed
Green Food Coloring, as needed
2 teaspoon White Vinegar
2 cups Water
2 large Mugs or 2 small Bowls

Mix water, 1 color of food coloring and 1 tablespoon of vinegar into each mug to desired hue.

Divide egg whites into thirds. Dip one-third into the green coloring, one egg white at a time until the desired color is reached. Remove, turn egg shell up-side-down on paper towels to drain. Repeat with each egg white to be colored green.

Repeat again with the red coloring.

Once the colored shells are completely dry, place into the egg tray, alternating colors between red, white and green. Fill shells with egg mixture, piping if desired for a fancy finish.

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On the National Front December 25 is Kiss the Cook Day. Personally, I think every day should be Kiss the Cook Day. After all, home cooks have a special ingredient you can’t bottle – love. Each meal is prepared with love. While every meal is special, this one is extra special. So pucker up for a beautiful Steak Supper worthy of a kiss.

Christmas Steak Supper
Classic House Salad
Christmas Porterhouse
Rosemary Hassleback Potatoes

Classic House Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Buttermilk Dressing
2 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
3/4 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1 teaspoon Parsley Flakes
1/2 teaspoon Dried Minced Onion
Pinch Kosher Salt
Dash of fresh Black Pepper

Peel and finely mince garlic cloves in the bowl of a small food processor or mince by hand.

In small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and buttermilk until smooth.

Stir in the minces garlic, parsley flakes, and dried onion. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste.

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors. Store covered in refrigerator.

House Salad
2 Green Onions, chopped
½ Cucumber, sliced
4 White Mushrooms, sliced
1 Package Iceberg Mixed Greens
1/2 cup Grape Tomatoes
1/2 cup Butter Croutons
1/2 cup Mild Cheddar Cheese, grated

Chop green onions, separating green tops from onion, and set aside. Slice cucumber, set aside. Wash and slice mushrooms, set aside.

Toss mixed leafy greens with the white parts of the green onions in a large salad bowl. Tuck cucumber slices around outer edge. Sprinkle sliced mushrooms and tomatoes on top of leafy greens.

Serve salad on chilled plates, sprinkle with remaining green onions.

Garnish salad with croutons and cheese, if desired. Serve with Buttermilk Dressing on the side.

Red and Green Christmas Steak
Salsa Roja
2 small Roma Tomatoes
1 small Jalapeno
1/2 small White Onion
2 Garlic Cloves 
4 cups Water
2 cups Beef Stock
1/4 teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar 
Kosher Salt to taste
Fresh Black Pepper to taste

Core tomatoes, set aside. Stem jalapeno, remove seeds and slice pepper in half, set aside. Cut onion in half from root to tip. Reserve half for another use, cut remaining half in half again, set aside. Peep garlic, set aside.

Add the tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno and onion to a medium saucepan. Add water and beef stock, bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer until the vegetables are softened, about 15 minutes or so.

Drain the vegetables, add to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; stir in the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Chimichurri
4 Garlic Cloves
1 Jalapeno Pepper
1/2 cup packed Parsley Leaves
1/2 cup packed Cilantro Leaves
2 tablespoons packed Oregano Leaves
3 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
Kosher Salt to taste
Fresh Black Pepper to taste
1/4 cup Ice Cubes
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 tablespoons additional Olive Oil

Peel and roughly chop garlic, set aside. Stem, seed and roughly chop Jalapeno, set aside. Pluck parsley leaves from the stems, pack into a ½ cup measuring cup. Empty and set aside. Repeat with cilantro leaves, set aside. Strip oregano leaves from stems, set aside.

In a blender, blend the vinegar, garlic and a generous pinch of salt on low until smooth. Add the parsley, cilantro, ice, oregano and jalapeno; blend on medium speed.

With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary, until smooth, about a minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the chimichurri to a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Christmas Steak
1 (2 lb) Porterhouse Steak (about 2 inches thick)
Kosher Salt to taste
Fresh Black Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon Canola Oil 
3 tablespoons unsalted Butter 
3 Garlic Cloves 
2 sprigs fresh Thyme

Let the steak sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking. 

Pat the steak dry, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. The steak should be almost completely white from the salt.

Position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler.  

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil to the hot skillet and when it begins to smoke, add the steak. Cook the steak until browned and crusty on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.

While the steak cooks, dice butter into small cubes, set aside. Peel and finely mince garlic, set aside.

Remove steak from the skillet to a cutting board. Cut the strip steak from the bone, carve the meat across the grain. Do not disturb the way the strip has been cut, the steak will be reassembled shortly. Cut the tenderloin filet from the bone; carve the meat across the grain.

Place the bone back in the center of the skillet; arrange the sliced steak around the bone in its original formation so that it looks like a full steak. Scatter the butter and garlic over the steak. Top each half with a thyme sprig. 

Broil until the butter is melted and a thermometer inserted sideways in the center of the filet side registers 120 degrees for medium rare, about 3 minutes. Remove from broiler, carefully lift filet side from skillet while retaining its shape. Return skillet to the oven, broil another minute or 2 until strip side has reached 120 degrees.

Note: The tenderloin filet will cook faster than the New York Strip side. For even doneness, remove tenderloin to broil strip side longer.

Tilt the skillet slightly to pool the butter, then spoon it over the steak several times to coat. 

Transfer the steak to a serving platter and pour the melted butter over top. Top one half of the steak with the chimichurri and spread evenly. Top the other half with the salsa roja and spread evenly. Serve with the remaining chimichurri and salsa roja on the side.

Rosemary Garlic Hasselback Potatoes
2 large Russet Baking Potatoes (about 1 lb each)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Kosher Salt to taste
Fresh Black Pepper to taste
5 Garlic Cloves
4 sprigs fresh Rosemary
Rosemary Sprigs for garnish

Note: Select potatoes that are more elongated rather than short and round.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Scrub potatoes, pat dry. Thinly slice the potatoes three-fourths of the way through for the entire length of the potato.

Lay the potatoes in a cast-iron pan or on a lined baking sheet and brush all over with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, brush them generously with more olive oil and bake for 30 to 35 more minutes.

While the potatoes continue to bake, peel and finely mince garlic, set aside. Strip rosemary needles from the sprigs, mince and set aside.

Remove the potatoes one last time from the oven; carefully sprinkle the garlic and rosemary all over, while gently pushing most of it into the crevices of each slice. Bake for 10 to 15 more minutes,

Plate potatoes garnished with fresh rosemary, serve and enjoy.

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Finally, today is also National Pumpkin Pie Day. Now you would think Thanksgiving would be the obvious choice for Pumpkin Pie. No one is sure who created National Pumpkin Pie Day, so that is a question we might never answer. Perhaps they drew inspiration from the Christmas song Home for the Holidays. Remember the man who lives in Tennessee? He was heading for Pennsylvania, and some home made pumpkin pie. There’s no place like home for the holidays, yet nowhere in the song does it mention Christmas.

Anyway, I say give the cook a break after such a lovely Steak Supper – bring a Pumpkin Pie Home for the Holidays from your favorite bakery.