I think one of the best things about my family is that we all sit down for a Sunday Supper! I consider my mother a gourmet cook- scratch that CHEF, she has no formal training, but her meals are by far restaurant quality! Our Sunday Suppers are not mac and cheese but pork loin, whole chicken, different cuts of beef... not for small appetites!
Some of you (family and friends) know that my mom is recovering from lymphoma and this summer was a scare for my family. Despite my mom being sick, she still had a passion for cooking and for planning her Sunday Supper. Planning starts mid week by watching her favorite channel, the Food Network. The other day my mom said to me " I do not remember what I watched before the Food Network!"
My mother's lymphoma was on her spine between her shoulder blades. She had an emergency surgery to cut out a tumor because she loss sensation in her legs and suddenly could not walk. I can say with much gratitude that my Mom is cancer free and survived her chemo treatments this summer. But her body will need to recover and it will be a long journey.
On Sundays I am usually the assistant or sous chef. My mom never really needed my help before but I think of it as time to be creative with my Mom. Sunday mornings are usually spent watching our favorite channel trying to get some inspiration on our final decision of what to cook that night. This may seem odd to some, but the other quality time I spend with my mom is at the super market, picking up special ingredients or doing weekly shopping.
I think some of my closets friends know what I do and that cooking for someone or taking them out to eat is a sign of love and affection. I have a friend, Melissa, her mother Shamira, cooked these elaborate Persian meals when I visited her in Connecticut. I felt like Hansel and Gretel after I left her house. She would serve us fruit,tea and cookies. Then she would sent out us out to shop, when we returned there was a Persian feast for us! Stuffed was an understatement. I tried food at her house I never had before and it was all delicious. I know she did the same as my mom and prepare her meal days before, shopping, and cooking, to me it is the ultimate form of love and affection. I am always honored to be sitting at her table eating her creation.
So with all this reminiscing I will be eating Persian food this week, and helping my Mom tomorrow in the kitchen. I think I will be doing some sides and dessert and leave the pot roast to my mom. I think even though we had popovers, Thursday, I will make them again with a roasted potatoes and some string beans. For dessert, I will be making Claire Robinson's Pineapple Sorbet and Giada's Poached Pears, both recipes are below! Click on the titles for the link!
Be well my friends and cook for someone you LOVE! - and a quick shout out to my friend Melissa, who has ESP and knows when I am thinking of her, just got off the phone with her!
Ingredients
- 1 (750-ml) bottle Moscato wine or other sweet dessert wine
- 2 cups simple syrup , recipe follows
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken in 1/2
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 (3/4-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled, and finely chopped
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 6 small, firm, ripe Anjou pears, peeled
- Serving suggestion: vanilla ice cream or gelato
Directions
In a saucepan large enough to hold all the pears, combine the wine, simple syrup,
cinnamon stick halves, honey, and ginger. Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the bean and seeds to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the honey has melted. Add the pears and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pears are tender. Remove the pears from the liquid and allow to cool.
Continue to simmer the liquid until it thickens and is reduced by half, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon stick halves and the vanilla bean and discard.
Place each pear on a small serving plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Drizzle with the honey, ginger and cinnamon syrup. Serve immediately.
- Simple Syrup
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool.
Yield: 2 3/4 cups
Simple Pineapple Sherbet
Ingredients
- 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water or pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 quart lowfat buttermilk
Directions
In a small heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add the pineapple, sugar, water or pineapple juice, lemon juice and zest. Stir just until sugar melts. Let cool to room temperature.
Transfer pineapple mixture to a food processor, with 1 cup buttermilk. Puree until smooth. With the motor running, gradually add remaining buttermilk, until smooth and well blended.
Pour into a freezer-safe dish and place in the freezer. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. Eat and enjoy!
