Join Idaho Matters as we taste some delicious holiday treats and learn how to make them! Special guest Chef Joyce Doughty is in studio with Gemma Gaudette and George Prentice to share some of her favorite holiday recipes and you can follow along below.
“This is one of my favorite Christmas desserts,” says Le Cordon Bleu-trained Chef Doughty as she opines about her Raspberry-Walnut Tart. At holiday time, she also recommends her Light Lemon Curd, “which makes a wonderful holiday gift and is great on crepes, pancakes, tart filling, cake filling, ice cream and so many wonderful uses.”
Chef Doughty has been part of the Boise State Public Radio family for years, having hosted Food for Thought and dropping by for several Membership Drives. Since her much-loved Doughty’s Bistro in Boise closed down, she’s been writing cookbooks, like The Chef Within, Dinner Edition, packed full of mouthwatering recipes.
Before dessert, Chef Doughty suggests beef, pork or chicken topped with her Black Peppercorn and Currant Sauce. “It was on our menu at the bistro for many years and was always very popular and well received,” and might even be tasty with a fish dish!
And for snacking during the holiday season, she suggests her Fruit Bars, which include nuts, cloves, and very tasty chopped dates, which she says “in my opinion they are the food of the gods and so often overlooked,” Chef Doughty points out, saying dates work in all kinds of desserts.
Here are the recipes we taste-tested!
Black Peppercorn and Currant Sauce
1 14-ounce beef broth (or 1 ½ cups)
1 14-ounce can chicken broth (or 1 ½ cups)
1 ½ cups dry white wine (Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc)
1 ½ tablespoons coarsely ground black peppercorns
¼ cup currants
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
In a medium to larger sized saucepan combine beef broth, chicken broth and wine and reduce by half by simmering over medium heat (from 4 ½ cups to 2 ¼ cups) Add cream and pepper. Continue to simmer until the mixture has a thin sauce consistency. In a small cup, dissolve the cornstarch in the water by stirring with your finger and then add to the cream mixture. When mixture comes to a boil, remove from heat, and add the currants. Cool. Store in a small container in the fridge until ready to use. Reheat when needed. Great served with beef, pork or chicken, maybe even fish!
Light Lemon Curd
(recipe can also be found in The Chef Within Breakfast Edition)
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Zest of one lemon, passed over a micro plane or another grater with tiny holes
2 tablespoons butter
Pinch of salt if using unsalted butter
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the first four ingredients and place over a low to medium heat. Using a whisk, combine those ingredients well and continue to whisk often as the mixture comes to a boil. The moment there are signs of boiling bubbles, remove from the burner and add the butter. Stir until melted and pass through a fine sieve. Cool. Place in an airtight container and store in the fridge until ready to use. Will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks or can be taken to the freezer where it will last for a couple of months. Use as filling for French toast, tarts, cream puffs, cakes. It is delicious anywhere!
Raspberry-Walnut Tart
1 cup plus 1/4 cup flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
½ cup salted butter
10 ounces frozen unsweetened raspberries (thawed, with juice reserved) (you can purchase additional raspberries for a greater amount of sauce.)
¾ cup walnuts, chopped
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 with a baking rack in the center of the oven. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour, powdered sugar and butter. Crumble well with fingers. Press evenly into a 9x13 pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool. Drain raspberries and save juice. Spoon berries evenly over the crust, then sprinkle with nuts. Set aside for a moment.
For the topping: In a medium bowl beat eggs with sugar until fluffy. Add salt, remaining flour, baking powder and vanilla. Pour over nuts and berries as evenly as you can. Bake for 30-35 minutes. For this dessert it is better to overbake than under bake the meringue crust. The underside of the top crust should be dry. It will be puffy and will crack as it expands and then again when it is cut. That is a good thing. Cool and then cut into squares and serve with berry sauce and vanilla ice cream.
For raspberry sauce: In a small saucepan combine ¼ cup water, ½ cup sugar, remaining raspberry juice and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Whisk and cook until ingredients come to a simmer. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. If you care to increase the amount of sauce, add additional frozen berries to these ingredients and increase the sugar and cornstarch, as needed. Strain mixture to remove the seeds. Delicious!
Fruit Bars
1 cup shortening (or half butter for additional flavor)
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons water
8 ounces chopped dates
3 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Cream sugar and shortening in a larger bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, combining well after each addition. Add soda, water and dates and mix again. Add dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Add nuts, cover and chill for several hours or overnight. Press into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes or until just barely done Cool and cut into bars Or for diamond shape pieces, cut six or eight vertical strips and then cut on a diagonal for the final cut.
