Govind Armstrong's New Year's Eve Goodies

Chef's Fancy Finger Foods Won't Put A Strain On Your Wallet

(CBS) 

Roasted Sunchoke Soup with Blue Cheese Croutons and Pear
Serves 8

2 pounds sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes)
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
2 cups heavy cream
4 sprigs plus one-half teaspoon chopped thyme
6Whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Pinch of crushed red chili
1 baguette, sliced on the diagonal into 8 pieces
Walnut oil, to brush
2 small onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cup dry white wine
1 bouquet garni
4 cups vegetable stock or water
3 Bosc pears, cut into small dice
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Poire William or brandy
1/4 cup Point Reyes Blue cheese, room temperature (Substitute: Cambozola for the Point Reyes Blue Cheese)

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

To prepare the roasted sunchokes, split them in half and place them into a large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and a pinch of the salt and pepper, and roast in a covered pan in the oven until very tender, about 45 minutes. Once cooked, reserve a few pieces for garnish.

In a medium sauce pot, add the cream and the 4 sprigs of thyme, the peppercorns, bay leaves, and crushed red chili. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and reserve the seasoned cream, discarding the herbs.

For the croutons, brush the baguette slices with walnut oil, then season with cracked black pepper and the chopped thyme. Bake in the oven (while the sunchokes are roasting) until crisp and golden, about 10 minutes.

To prepare the soup, cook the onions in a medium sauce pot over medium heat in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes, then add the white wine and the bouquet garni and reduce until all the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the roasted sunchokes, then the vegetable stock. Turn the heat to medium low and cook for 30 minutes.

Add all but one-quarter cup of the diced pears and all of the seasoned cream and cook for an additional 20 minutes, or until the cream coats the back of a spoon. Puree the soup, strain through a fine mesh strainer and adjusted the seasoning with salt and pepper.

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, sauté the remaining pear in the butter for 2 minutes. With confidence, flame with the Poire William, and place the pears in the bottom of each bowl with the remaining sunchokes. Spread the blue cheese on the croutons and set aside. Pour the soup into the bowls, and then top with the croutons.


Warm Winter Greens with Sweet Gorgonzola and Quince Vinaigrette
Serves 8

4 ounces quince paste (membrillo), cut into small pieces
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup plus 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and cracked black pepper
2 Belgian endive, cored and sliced crosswise
1 head escarole, inner leaves torn into bite-size pieces and outer leaves discarded
2 small heads frisee, torn into bite-size pieces
1 small head radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces
4 medium cloves garlic, smashed
4 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled

In a food processor or blender at a low setting, puree the quince paste with one-quarter cup of the balsamic vinegar. Slowly drizzle in one-half cup of the olive oil and process until fully emulsified.

Put the endive, escarole, frisee, and radicchio in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Divide into 4 batches for sautéing. Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil n a large sauté pan. Add 1 of the garlic cloves ad over medium-high heat, cook until the garlic is brown, or about 4 minutes. Discard the garlic. Add one-quarter of the greens to the oil and sauté for about 1 minute, allowing the greens to get a bit of color. Add 1 tablespoon of the balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and remove from the pan. Repeat this process three additional times.

Arrange the greens on a platter or in a large bowl. Drizzle the vinaigrette around the warm greens, crumble the Gorgonzola dolce on top, and serve while still warm.

Prosecco Pomegranate Cocktail
Serves 1

3 ounces Prosecco
1 ounces gin
1/4 ounce lemon juice
1/4 ounce POM pomegranate juice
1/4 ounce simple syrup

Optional garnish: pomegranate seeds and/or pomegranate molasses.

Pour all ingredients into a martini shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 25 seconds.

Lightly rim a chilled martini glass with the molasses and strain the cocktail into glass and garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds.