Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed
4 oranges
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (1 cup)
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped (1/3 cup)
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 5-oz. pkg. baby arugula
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp. walnut oil or olive oil

Directions

1. In food processor cover and pulse cranberries 5 times to coarsely chop (or coarsely chop by hand). Transfer to bowl.
2. Cut peel from oranges. Section oranges over bowl to catch juice.
3. Add sections and juice to cranberries. Stir in celery, onion, sugar, lemon juice, and ginger. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
4. Toss arugula with mint and oil. Top with cranberry mixture.

Serves 8.

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Ingredients

2 (2 to 2 1/2 pound) center-cut pieces beef tenderloin – ask the butcher to give you 2 pieces for use in a Chateaubriand recipe
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning for Steak by McCormick)
5 whole roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped, well drained and pat dry
2 cloves garlic, popped from skin
Handful flat-leaf parsley
1 cup good quality pitted black olives, from bulk bins, such as kalamata, drained well
Salt and pepper
Crusty bread, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven as high as it goes, 500 degrees F.
2. Liberally coat the meat with extra-virgin olive oil and grill seasoning. Place the meat on a roasting rack or in a roasting pan and place in oven. If you are cooking in a pan with no rack, add a splash of water to the pan.
3. Roast the meat 10 minutes on high then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and cook 30 minutes more. Do not open oven during those first 10 minutes. Remove meat from oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
4. Place roasted peppers in food processor and add garlic, parsley, olives, salt and pepper. Turn the processor on and stream in extra-virgin olive oil, about 3 tablespoons.
5. Thinly slice meat against grain and serve with crusty bread and sauce.

Serves 8.

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Ingredients

For lemon pesto
1 lemon
1 1/2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup (1 ounce) freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper
For prawns
About 3 cups rock salt
24 medium prawns or shrimp in shells

Directions

1. To make the pesto: Grate the zest from the lemon and squeeze 2 tablespoons juice. Put the basil, cheese, olive oil, pine nuts, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor fitted with the metal blade; process until the mixture forms a smooth paste. (Pesto can be made ahead, transferred to a bowl, covered, and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
2. Preheat the oven to 550 degrees F. Spread the rock salt on the bottom of a 10-inch gratin dish or other shallow decorative ovenproof dish; the layer of salt should be about 3/4 inch thick. Place prawns in a single layer, on their sides, directly on the salt, pushing them down slightly to partially bury. Roast until prawns are pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the dish and let the prawns cool a few minutes.
3. Place the pesto in a small heatproof bowl and nestle it in the center of the baking dish with the prawns and salt around it; serve immediately. (Or, if desired, remove the prawns, cut down the backs of the shells with sharp kitchen scissors, and peel off the shells to just above the tails. Serve the peeled shrimp on a platter with the pesto.)

Makes 24 shrimp.

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Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter, plus more for the baking dish
1 pound elbow macaroni
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups whole milk
2 cups grated gruyere (8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar (6 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or some other shallow 3-quart baking dish.
2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
3. Wipe out the past pot and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes (do not let it darken). Still stirring, slowly add the milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce slightly thickens, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Add the gruyère, cheddar, cayenne, and 1½ teaspoon salt and cook just until the cheeses melt. Mix in the pasta. Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Serves 6.

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Ingredients

Peppermint Ice Cream:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1/2 cup crushed candy canes or hard peppermint candy
Sundaes:
Hot fudge sauce
Whipped cream
Candy canes, optional for garnish

Directions

1. Make the peppermint ice cream: Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Make sure the sugar and salt completely dissolve.
2. Pour the cream into a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and place a medium-mesh sieve on top.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
4. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a wooden or heatproof rubber spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula, about 5-7 minutes.
5. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Then stir until cool over the ice bath. Chill mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.
6. One the mixture is thoroughly chilled, add peppermint extract, a 1/4 teaspoon at a time, tasting the mixture after each addition, until you reach the desired level of peppermintiness. (Different peppermint extracts vary in strength.) Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
7. Once the ice cream has been formed in the ice cream maker, it will be fairly soft. Fold in the crushed peppermint candy. Put in an airtight plastic container and place in the freezer for at least an hour, preferably several hours. If it has been frozen for more than a day, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften it before serving.
8. To assemble the sundaes: scoop several large spoonfuls of the ice cream into a festive serving bowl. Drizzle liberally with the hot fudge sauce. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream, garnish with a candy cane, and enjoy!

Makes 1 1/2 quarts enough for about 10 sundaes.

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