Comfort Is Served (Part 2)

green beans & hazelnuts

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound green beans, cleaned and trimmed
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup hazelnuts, shelled, halved, and chopped
• 2 lemon wedges, for garnish

In a large sauté pan, combine the butter and oil, and set over moderate heat. Add the green beans to the pan, coating them in butter and oil. Season with salt, cover with a lid, and steam for 4 to 5 minutes.

Transfer the green beans to a serving plate. Add the hazelnuts to the pan, coating them in the remaining oil. Cover and return the pan to low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle hazelnuts over the plated green beans. Garnish with lemon wedges, and serve.

butternut squash salad

Serves 2

• 5 ounces 50/50 salad mix
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
• 1 cup (5 ounces) small-diced butternut squash
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup cranberries
• ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1 tablespoon shelled pumpkin seeds

Place the salad greens into a large mixing bowl. Pour the vinegar over the greens and toss to coat, then drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the greens before tossing again.

In a frying pan over moderate heat, preheat 1 teaspoon olive oil, coating the surface of the pan in oil. Add the butternut squash, toss it in oil. Season with salt and steam covered for 2 minutes. Remove the lid, increase to moderately high heat and slightly brown the squash on all sides, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from heat, add the cranberries to the pan, cover and let steam for an additional 3 minutes. Remove the lid and let cool before adding the mixture to the salad greens.

apple cider bread pudding

Serves 4

• ¼ fluid ounce melted butter
• 4 cups small-diced brioche bread

Custard

• 7 fluid ounces well-beaten eggs
• 14 fluid ounces heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup + 1½ teaspoons brown sugar, divided
• ¼ cup fine-diced apple
• 1½ teaspoons granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Apple Cider Glaze

• 32 fluid ounces apple cider or pressed apple juice
• 2 fluid ounces heavy cream

Brush the lining of your baking vessel with butter (use a loaf pan or 8 fluid-ounce mugs or ramekins for individual servings). Layer the bread in the cooking vessels.

Prepare the custard mixture by combining the eggs, heavy cream, vanilla, salt and ⅓ cup brown sugar, mixing well to dissolve the sugar.

Divide the prepared custard among the baking vessels. Pour it over the bread so the bread is submerged in custard. Sprinkle diced apple on the top of each bread pudding. In a bowl, mix the granulated sugar, remaining brown sugar, and cinnamon. Use a sifter or fine mesh strainer to sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top of each vessel, then place the baking dishes in the refrigerator to rest for 1 hour to allow the bread to soak up the custard.