Free State Studios:

CELEBRATE THE SEASON

Salad Greens with Apple, Stilton and Toasted Hazelnuts with Shallot and Thyme

Ingredients: Shallot and Thyme Dressing

2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/3 cup shallot, thinly sliced
pinch salt & black pepper
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredients

6 to 7 cups mixed salad greens including arugula
1 large, tart red apple, cored and diced
1/3 cup finely diced celery
1 cup Stilton blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted*

Shallot and Thyme Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, sherry vinegar, mustard, thyme, shallot, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

In a large salad bowl, combine the salad greens, apple, celery and blue cheese. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Arrange the salad greens on six salad plates. Garnish with the toasted hazelnuts. Serves 6.

*To toast the hazelnuts: Put the hazelnuts in a shallow baking pan. Place them in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the skins begin to flake and the nuts are lightly browned. To remove the skins, enclose the nuts, a few at a time, in a tea towel and rub vigorously to remove most of the skins. Cool the hazelnuts briefly, then coarsely chop.

Roasted Pork Rib Chops with Apples and Madeira

3 tart red apples
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/3 cup Madeira
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 6-ounce bone in pork rib chops, to 1-inch thick
salt & black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped

Peel and core the apples. Slice each into 12 to 16 equal slices. Heat 3 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apple slices and cook, turning frequently until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a stainless steel skillet or braising pan (must be oven-proof) over medium-high heat. When hot, season the pork rib chops with salt and pepper and place them in the skillet. Sear the chops on one side until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the chops over and remove the pan from the heat. Spoon the cooked apples around the pork chops. Warm the Madeira slightly and pour over the pork and apples. Ignite, shaking the pan gently until the flames die out. (Or, pour the Madeira over the pork and apples and simmer for 1 minute over medium heat.) Sprinkle the rosemary and thyme over the pork and apples. Place the skillet in a 400 degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes, until the pork is cooked, but still rosy in the center. Serve the pork chops and apples with the Cr�me Fraiche Mashed Potatoes. (Recipe follows.) Serves 6.

Créme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

2 pounds Yukon gold or russet potatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup half & half
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup cr�me fraiche
salt & white pepper, to taste

Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks. Place them in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and add 2 teaspoons of salt. Boil the potatoes until they are tender.

When the potatoes are ready, heat the half & half and butter together in a small container in the microwave until the butter melts. Drain the water from the potatoes, leaving the potatoes in the warm pan. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Stir in the cr�me fraiche. Stir in as much of the warm half and half and butter mixture as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Season the mashed potatoes with salt and white pepper. Serves 6.

Cranberry Sorbet

Ingredients

1 12-ounce package fresh cranberries
3 1/2 cups water, divided
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup orange juice
2 cups sugar
fresh mint sprigs

Place the cranberries in a large saucepan and add 1 cup of water. Heat the berries over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they pop and the skins split. Drain off the water. Pour half of the cranberries into a wire mesh strainer placed over a large bowl. Using the back of a large spoon, press the cranberries through the strainer into the bowl to separate the pulp from the skins. Repeat with the remaining berries. Stir 2 cups of water, lemon juice and orange juice into the cranberry pulp. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Cover the mixture and chill in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours before making the sorbet.

To make the sorbet, pour the cranberry mixture into an ice cream freezer canister and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. After freezing the sorbet, transfer it to a freezer-proof container and place in the freezer for at least 8 hours before serving. Serve scoops of the cranberry sorbet garnished with mint sprigs. Makes about 1 quart.