Get in on the bean trend. Home entertaining and holidays are a natural mix. Domenica Marchetti’s “Big Night In” is out just in time for holiday ideas.

She takes Italian way beyond pizza and into polentas, chowders, stews and vegetables in this book, subtitled “More than 100 Wonderful Recipes for Feeding Family and Friends Italian-Style.” After a story about how Tuscans once cooked beans in a glass flask in the fireplace ashes, she admits availing herself of the canned variety in the kind of white bean dip that is as trendy to this season’s tables as pomegranate drinks are to the bars. Here’s how she does it:

White Bean Dip with Rosemary

2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves

1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste

Freshly-ground pepper

2 tablespoons water, optional

Combine beans, oil, garlic, herbs, salt and a liberal grinding of pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Process to a thick puree. If the mixture seems to dense, drizzle a little water in through the feed tube while the processor is running and process until smooth. Spoon the dip into a decorative bowl and drizzle with a little more olive oil.



TOPS Tips

Take Off Pounds Sensibly members recently convened in Groves and celebrated 60 years of existence for the nation’s oldest, nonprofit weight-loss education and support group. TOPS has tips to get healthy eaters through the holidays.

 • Instead of using 1 cup of butter when cooking or baking, use 1?2 cup of butter plus 1?2 cup of applesauce, other fruit sauce, or baby food. If cooks replace all butter in a recipe with pureed fruit, they will sacrifice taste, texture, and appearance. Some flavor ideas to consider - prune puree pairs well with chocolate, spice and carrot cakes; mashed bananas work nicely in carrot or banana cake or muffins.

A cup of whipping cream can be replaced in one of three ways:

• 1 cup of very cold skim milk whipped with 1 tablespoon of flour,

• 1 cup of very cold whipped evaporated skim milk, or

• 1?2 cup of low-fat yogurt mixed with 1?2 cup of low-fat, salt-free cottage cheese.

• To replace cream in cream soup, Ruelle suggests thickening with mashed potatoes or cooked rice. First, blend the potatoes or rice with a little soup and then stir the mixture back into the soup pot; it will have a great texture without the guilt.

• To replace 1 cup of sour cream, mix 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese with 2 tablespoons of skim milk and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, or simply use fat-free sour cream.

 

A kosher surprise

I’ve recently shared two rice cracker brands in this column, and now here’s how Susie Fishbein uses them: to toss over Rice Cracker Slaw. Go for the a blend that has kicky wasabi peas. She inspired me to use them as croutons in green salads.

New Years spreads make me think of cabbage Asian style, and she also has a recipe for Bok Choy Slaw with Craisins, almonds and pumpkin seeds. She’s got ideas on a cranberry couscous salad and a sweet potato salad with pancake or maple syrup. All this gourmet fare comes in her book, “Kosher by Design Lightens Up.” If I haven’t made you want to try these things, the photo spreads will. I want to sit at table with this woman and her family.



Make Dry Sack the punch in your punch

Dry Sack medium dry sherry from Spain has been in production since 1906, but it’s all new to me. The best selling aperitif is said to be a stylish alternative to white wine for pairing with hors d’oeuvre, tapas, meats and cheeses. I served it simply, alongside a Christmas tree and company. Palomino and Pedro Ximenez grapes give a toasted nut aroma. Makers offer recipes designed for holiday entertaining. Here’s one:

                                                

Spiced Winter Punch Bowl

(serves 10-20 people based on 5 oz. glasses)

Recipe: Chris Hannah, French 75 Bar, Arnaud’s, New Orleans 

4 cups gold rum

2 cups Dry Sack

1 cup clove tea*

1 cup orange juice

1 cup)lemon juice

4 cups whole cranberries (raw or cooked)

2/3 cups cinnamon syrup* 

Combine ingredients in a large punch bowl with cubed ice. 

*To make clove tea, steep 1 tablespoon of whole cloves in 8 ounces of boiling water for 5 minutes, strain. 

*To make cinnamon syrup, bring one cup of water to boil with 5 cinnamon sticks in the sauce pan. Once water is at full boil, add 2 cups sugar. Stir until dissolved. When syrup is room temperature take out cinnamon sticks.

 ddoiron@panews.com