From Us to You: Thanksgiving Recipes from the EHS Culinary Department

Recipes gathered by Catherine Grosdidier »

Cheese Gourgeres

Makes 24 medium gourgeres

Ingredients

1 cup (8 ounces) water

8 tablespoons (4 ounces / 1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into several pieces

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder (optional)

1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cup (6 ounces) grated cheese, like gruyere or cheddar

Equipment

2- to 4-quart saucepan

Long-handled spoon

Standing mixer (optional)

Baking sheets

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 450࿁F. Combine the water, butter, salt, and mustard (if using) in a 2- to 4-quart saucepan and bring to a rolling boil.

2. Once all the butter has melted, remove the pan from heat and add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously until the mixture comes together and resembles mashed potatoes.

3. Return the pan to medium-low heat and stir for 3-5 minutes to dry out the dough. The dough is ready when it glistens and is thick enough to hold a spoon upright. Some starch buildup on the bottom of the pan is normal.

4. Transfer the dough to the bowl of a standard mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. (The following steps can also be done with a hand mixer or by hand with a stiff spatula.) Beat the dough on a medium-low speed for one minute until it stops steaming and is just warm to the touch.

Continue beating and add the egg in four additions. Wait for each addition to be absorbed and for the dough to smooth out before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed between additions. In the end, the dough should come together in a very smooth, creamy batter. Beat in the cheese.

5. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto sheet pans lined with silicone mats or parchment paper. Space them at least an inch apart. Bake the gougeres for 5 minutes and then turn the heat down to 350࿁F. Bake for another 20-25 minutes, rotating the pans once during baking. The finished gougeres will be puffed, deep golden-brown, and dry to the touch (the cheese may still be bubbling a bit). They will also feel light and hollow when picked up.

6. Transfer the sheet pan to a cooling rack. Serve warm or room temperature. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and re-crisped in a warm oven before serving or frozen for up to three months.

Green Beans

Ingredients

1 LB Green beans

2 Cloves Garlic, Minced

2 Tbs Butter, separated

2 cups Chicken stock or water

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Pepper

¼ cup Sliced almonds

Instructions

Pick off stems of beans, and rinse. Heat a saute pan on medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and beans. Stir around for 1 minute then add your liquid and simmer for 3 minutes; for more cooked beans, go for 5 minutes. Drain and place empty pan back on stove, melt butter, add garlic and beans and cook for 2 minutes. Stir and add salt and pepper. Stir in almonds and serve.

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

3 lb. Potatoes, cut into chunks.

3 lb. Sweet potatoes, cut into chunks.

15 tablespoons butter

4 teaspoons salt

1 cup of cream

1/4 cup of maple syrup

Instructions

Peel and cut potatoes. Simmer potatoes until soft. Drain. In mixer, blend with other ingredients until smooth.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: 2 dozen at 1 1/2 oz.

Ingredients

1/2 stick of butter

1 cup of brown sugar

3/4 cup of white sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

2 1/2 cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 cup of chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Cream butter with both sugars in a mixer, with a paddle attachment. Make sure to scrape down the sides.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda with a whisk.

4. Add egg to creamed butter and sugar and mix until incorporated, again scrapping down the sides as you mix.

5. In batches, slowly add flour mixture until it is all added in.

6. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in chocolate chips with spatula.

7. With the scale set to measure an ounce, weigh out 1 1/2 ounce portions and roll into balls. Place said portions 1-2 inches apart on parchment paper placed in the pan.

8. Put in oven for 8-10 minutes. When done, let the cookies cool for 2 minutes on the pan. Then move them to a cooling rack, until cooled completely.