Sumptuous, Southern-Style Christmas Brunch

Gourmet Magazine's John Willoughby Shares Recipes

(CBS) 

Crisp Winter Lettuces with Warm Sweet-and-Sharp Dressing

Serves 8

Active Time: 30 minutes; start-to-finish: 40 minutes

In keeping with the rest of the menu, this is no shy salad. The sweet and acidic vinaigrette unites with the salty bacon and, along with the lettuces, produces fireworks in the mouth.

12 cups mixed salad greens such as romaine, watercress, and Bibb and/or Boston
1 large bunch arugula (optional), coarse stems discarded
6 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
9 bacon slices (1/2 lb)
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Tear greens into large pieces and put in a large salad bowl with arugula, scallions, and chives.
Cook bacon in a 12-inch non-reactive skillet (see Tips, page 113) over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, then stir vinegar, sugars, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into fat in skillet. Boil, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, 10 to 12 minutes. (Dressing should be syrupy and bubbling.)

Crumble bacon over salad, then toss with enough warm dressing to lightly coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Cooks' Note:

The vinegar, sugars, and seasoning (without bacon fat) can be boiled to reduce (by half) 2 days ahead. Add to hot bacon fat, then bring to a boil just before making salad.

Crusty Buttermilk Biscuits

Makes about 15 biscuits

Active Time: 15 minutes; start-to-finish: 30 min

The cliché, in this case, turns out to be true: Biscuits benefit from TLC. Peacock recommends White Lily flour, one of the lightest available, along with lard for a flaky texture so fluffy and airy that the biscuits almost float off the plate. One bite may well move you to tears-either with memories of your southern grandmother, or with regret for not having had a southern grandmother. For more on making biscuits, see Kitchen Notebook, page 106.

5 cups sifted White Lily flour or unbleached all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder (preferably homemade; recipe follows)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cold lard
1 1/2 cups well-shaken cold buttermilk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in middle.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add lard, coating it with flour, then rub between your fingertips until coarsely blended with some 1/2-inch lumps.

Make a well in flour mixture, then add buttermilk, stirring just until a dough forms (it will be soft and sticky). Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 8 to 10 times. Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round (1/2 inch thick) and, using a fork dipped in flour, prick all the way through about every 1/2 inch.

Cut out as many rounds as possible with a 2 1/2 to 3 1/2-inch round cookie/biscuit cutter dipped in flour (do not twist cutter).

Bake, almost touching, on an ungreased heavy baking sheet, rotating sheet after about 6 minutes if browning unevenly, until crusty and golden-brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Brush tops with melted butter and serve warm or at room temperature.

Cooks' Note:

Flour mixture with lard can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

[runningralph]

Keithle1,
Jesus believed in God. He called for obedience to the law. That''s Republican. Though he forgives sinners which some would say is Democratic, he will only accept them into heaven if they accept Him as Lord. No atheists allowed. The loudest atheists hate Republicans. Are atheists Democrats? Probably. I don''t think the Democratic party would be his choice. On the other hand The Republican Party has had some glaring hypocrits exposed lately. Many rich people vote Republican- the party of Lincoln, staid, conservative. Jesus was poor and always kept poor working people around him. Honest poor people, not conniving tricksters. Still not sounding Democratic. If you believe in Jesus you would have to say he would be above politics. If you don''t beleive in Jesus you will believe whatever you choose.

[keithle1]

Would Jesus be a Democrat or a Republican?

[mh4cbs1]

A Christmas message from George Bush...

Merry Christmas! Let''s not forget the teachings of Jesus on this holy day.

For Jesus taught us to "Do shock and awe with death and destruction unto others, before they might harm us, or plan to harm us.

Let us rejoice our fear hatred and revenge, for it gives us the power of pride.

Let God give us the wisdom to spend our hundreds of billions of dollars on massive arsenals of weapons, rather than squander it on lesser causes like poverty, infrastructure, health or education.

God Bless America, and to hell with the rest of the world or anyone else who gets in the way of our interests or plans.

And finally, Merry Christmas to Haliburton, Blackwater and the War Industry. Your $686 Billion is yours to spend in 2008. Have fun.

[whitecat151]

It figures... the politically crazy even seem to find ways to associate these wonderful holiday foods into their own world of extreme confusion.

It''s really sad.

The next thing you know, these political idiots will find a way to blame someone for blue sky and green grass.

[runningralph]

Christians would do better to steer clear of the sumptuous meals and spend more time on their knees asking Jesus for deliverance from evil.