S Sysco Cookbook Exciting holiday entrées provide new perspectives on traditional tastes. The time-honored flavors of the season are as bold and rich as ever, but these recipes offer a fresh twist on the old favorites. Celebratory center-of-plate dishes, intriguing salads, and creative desserts seamlessly blend the familiar tastes of holiday comfort foods with unprecedented depth and vigor. Even starters add a hint of festive flair for an unforgettable menu. Who wants the same-old, same-old anyway? Grilled Vegetable Quesadilla Grilled Shrimp Skewers Pistachio Wisconsin Peppercorn Feta Crostini Fall 2007 SYSCO TODAY 29
Festive American Lamb Crown Roast with Oven-Roasted Vegetables American Lamb Board Yield: 6 8 servings 2 heads garlic 2 T. olive oil, divided 2 T. butter 1 c. Panko bread crumbs 3 T. herbs (rosemary, basil and thyme), chopped 1 American Lamb crown roast, cap removed from ribs Salt and coarse-ground pepper Oven-roasted vegetables Cut half an inch off the tops of the garlic heads. Place them in a small metal pan and drizzle with one tablespoon of oil. Roast in the oven at 350 F for one hour. Cool and squeeze the soft garlic cloves into a small bowl. Mash with the remaining one tablespoon of oil. Set aside. In a small skillet, melt two tablespoons butter and add bread crumbs. Stir and cook until browned. Pour mixture into a bowl. Mix in the chopped herbs. Place the American Lamb crown roast into a roasting pan. Rub the garlic mixture over the outside of the roast. Generously season with salt and pepper. Pat on the bread-crumb mixture. Roast at 375 F for about 45 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove the roast from the oven, pour roasted vegetables into the center, cover, and let stand for 10 minutes. Carve and serve 2 to 3 chops per serving. Trade Tips A crown roast of American Lamb is a specialoccasion roast, created when two frenched racks of lamb are curved and tied together in a circle. The crown roast s hollow center section is perfect for holding traditional bread stuffing or roasted vegetables. 30 SYSCO TODAY Fall 2007
Pistachio Wisconsin Peppercorn Feta Crostini Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board Yield: 24 servings Small Bites Crostini originated in Italy. Sometimes referred to as bruschetta, these little toasts make perfect appetizers but are versatile enough for other uses. They can garnish soups and accompany steak tartare. Many cooks prefer to bake their own loaves to toast or grill into crostini, but French loaf and ciabatta bread work well. As a general rule, each crostini should fit easily in your hand, and can even be cut into bite-sized snacks. 1 c. Wisconsin feta cheese with peppercorns, crumbled (or 1 c. feta cheese, crumbled and mixed with 1 t. cracked peppercorns) 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 1/3 c. pistachio nuts, chopped 1 loaf French bread (12" long), cut in 1/2" slices 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil Combine cheeses and nuts. Mix well, then set aside. Brush both sides of each bread slice with olive oil. Preheat broiler, and place oven rack at least four inches below the heating element. Broil the bread slices until lightly browned on both sides, turning them once. Spread each slice with the cheese mixture. Fall 2007 SYSCO TODAY 31
Grilled Calypso Shrimp Skewers Cattlemen s Yield: 12 servings 36 wooden skewers, soaked in water 72 pieces shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on Salt and pepper, as needed 3 c. Grilling Glaze (see sidebar) Coconut, toasted and flaked, as needed 3 c. Dipping Sauce (see sidebar) Thread two shrimp per skewer and refrigerate until needed. For each serving, season three skewers with salt and pepper. Grill the skewers until the shrimp are opaque, basting with 1/4 cup grilling glaze (see sidebar) and taking care not to burn the glaze. Remove the skewers from the grill. Roll each skewer in coconut and serve with 1/4 cup dipping sauce (see sidebar). For a dramatic presentation, stand the skewers upright in a pineapple plank. Grilling Glaze 2-1/2 c. Cattlemen s Sweet Barbecue Sauce 1/4 c. Frank s RedHot 1/2 c. lime juice 2 T. curry powder 1 T. cumin, dried Whisk together all ingredients. Reserve until needed. Dipping Sauce 2 c. Major Grey s Chutney 1 c. mango, finely diced 1/4 c. scallions, chopped 1/4 c. horseradish, squeezed dry Whisk together all ingredients. Refrigerate until needed. 32 SYSCO TODAY Fall 2007
Sweet Potato Cran-Apple Crisp Bright Harvest Created by Chef Richard Blythe Jr. SYSCO Food Services of Central Pennsylvania Yield: 1-1/4 quarts Crisp Topping 1/2 c. flour 1/2 c. oatmeal 1/2 t. kosher salt 1/2 c. candied walnuts 1/2 t. cinnamon 1/2 c. butter Combine ingredients and mix until butter is approximately pea-sized. 1-1/2 lbs. SYSCO Classic Cut Frozen Sweet Potatoes 3 lbs. SYSCO Classic Apple Pie Filling 1 T. cinnamon sugar 2 T. lemon juice 1 T. balsamic glaze 1 t. fresh mint, chopped 1 t. salt and pepper 1/2 c. cranberries, dried Crisp Topping (see sidebar) Pan-spray a casserole dish. Combine the ingredients (except the crisp topping) well. Place them into the pan and top with the crisp mixture. Bake at 325 F for 45 minutes to an hour. Fall 2007 SYSCO TODAY 33
Harvest Stuffed Loin of Pork with Dried Fruit and Pomegranate Au Jus Created by Corporate Chef Matthew C. Lucchetti SYSCO Food Services of Connecticut Yield: 8 12 servings 6 lbs. White Marble Farms Pork Loin, center-cut 1/2 c. infused blueberries 1/2 c. Craisins 1/2 c. dried apricots, julienned 1/2 c. Simplot flame-roasted apples 1 c. pecans, chopped 6 fresh sage leaves 2 t. Imperial/McCormick Cinnamon 3 T. Imperial/McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning 2 T. rosemary 2 T. melted butter 2 T. maple syrup 1 c. chicken stock Butterfly the pork loin so it lays flat on a cutting board. Combine blueberries, Craisins, apricots, apples, pecans, cinnamon, butter, maple syrup and chicken stock together in a large bowl. Place the stuffing on top of the pork loin, then layer the sage leaves. Roll up the roast in a spiral, then tie with butcher s twine. Season the top of the roast with Montreal Steak Seasoning and rosemary. Sear the pork on all sides, then transfer to a sheet pan. Bake in a preheated 375 F oven until the internal temperature reaches 160 F, approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before carving. Pomegranate Au Jus Pan drippings 2 oz. port wine 16 oz. chicken stock 2 oz. pomegranate puree 2 oz. butter 2 T. fresh sage, diced Deglaze roasting pan with port wine. Whisk in chicken stock and pomegranate puree. Reduce by half. Finish with butter and chopped sage. 34 SYSCO TODAY Fall 2007
Grilled Vegetable and Onion Strip Quesadilla McCain Foods Yield: 8 servings Black Bean Corn Salsa 2 c. canned black beans, rinsed 1-1/2 c. frozen corn, reheated and cooled 1/2 c. red bell peppers, diced 2 T. vegetable oil 2 T. cilantro, chopped 2 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped Salt and black pepper, to taste Mix all ingredients together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Lime Sour Cream 2 c. sour cream 2 T. lime juice, or to taste Pinch of salt, or to taste Mix all ingredients together and season to taste with salt. For a variation, add two tablespoons chopped cilantro to make Cilantro Lime Sour Cream. 8 flour tortillas (8") 8 T. vegetable oil 16 T. sour cream 8 T. prepared salsa 2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 4 c. mixed grilled vegetables 8 16 oz. SYSCO Imperial Battered Onion Strips (SUPC 9272790) 4 c. Black Bean Corn Salsa (see sidebar) 16 oz. Lime Sour Cream (see sidebar) Brush each 8-inch flour tortilla with one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Place the tortilla on the work surface with the oiled side down. Spread two tablespoons of sour cream onto the un-oiled side with the back of a spoon. Spread one tablespoon of prepared salsa onto the sour cream, then sprinkle on 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese. Fill with 1/2 cup grilled vegetables and transfer, open-faced, onto the grill. Grill over medium heat until the tortilla is slightly crispy and the cheese starts to melt, then remove from heat. Add onion strips and fold over. Serve with 1/2 cup Black Bean Corn Salsa and 2 ounces Lime Sour Cream (see sidebar). Fall 2007 SYSCO TODAY 35
Blue Field Salad Schreiber Foods Yield: 4 servings 8 oz. mixed salad greens 3/4 c. walnuts, chopped 8 oz. SYSCO Imperial Blue Cheese, crumbled 2 tart green apples, cored and thinly sliced 8 oz. raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing In a large bowl, combine salad greens, walnuts, apples and blue cheese. Pour into a serving bowl and drizzle with raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Serve chilled. Did You Know? People have been enjoying apples in hundreds of ways for thousands of years. The apple tree probably originated in southeastern Europe, but it wasn t introduced to America until the 1600s, when European settlers brought apple seeds with them across the Atlantic. Today the United States produces more apples than any other country except China. 36 SYSCO TODAY Fall 2007