The Culinary Olympics Christmas Menu and Recipes

In the 1980 event–which judged dishes on the basis of
preparation, taste, presentation, originality, and
nutritional value–the 14-member United States team
(representing the American Culinary Federation and
sponsored by the Foodservice Division of Kraft, Inc.) won
gold medals in both the hot- and cold-food competitions. We
were, therefore, quite interested when Klaus Friedenreich
(captain of the American team . . . owner/chef of Klaus’
Cuisine in Daytona Beach, Florida . . . and winner of an
individual gold medal for cold-food preparation) offered to
design a special Christmas feast just for MOTHER and all
her readers.

The master chef’s menu begins with Fresh Vegetables With
Dip, followed by Cold Strawberry Soup and Kiwi Salad. Then
comes Stuffed Turkey Breast “Abington”–a spectacular
entree–accompanied by Potatoes With Cheese Filling,
Green Beans in Ginger Sauce, and Cranberry Orange Baskets.
And for the grand finale there’s Apple Cheese Torte.

Now we realize that Klaus’s bill of fare produces a
downright extravagant repast that most folks would probably
put together only for a super-special occasion. But we also
thought that–whether you ever prepare the entire
feast or not–you’d like to see just how elegant such
wholesome, natural foods can be . . . and we’re sure lots
of folks will want to sample at least a few of the
different dishes during the forthcoming holiday season.

The following recipes are designed to serve five or six
people, but the quantities can be increased to accommodate
additional guests.

FRESH VEGETABLES WITH DIP RECIPE

Marinate 1 pound of fresh whole mushrooms for several hours
(or overnight) in lemon juice and olive oil.
Cut one large zucchini, 1 large yellow squash, 1 stalk of
celery, and 2 medium carrots into 2 inch strips . . . make
“roses” out of 15 radishes . . . and clean 8 scallions
(reserving the tips).

To make the luscious concoction that’ll be scooped up with
your fresh vegetables, combine 1 cup of sour cream, 1/4 cup
of the marinated mushrooms (finely chopped), and the tips
of the scallions (minced). Season the mixture to taste with
Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, oregano, and white
pepper.

COLD STRAWBERRY SOUP RECIPE

Process 2 cups of fresh (or unsweetened frozen) strawberries
1 cup of yogurt
1 cup of milk
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Mix all in a blender until the mix is smooth. (Be sure to reserve 5 or 6 berries to slice and serve as a garnish on top of the soup.)

KIWI SALAD RECIPE

This treat is composed of 4 heads of bibb lettuce cut in quarters
8 cherry tomatoes
2 Kiwi fruit (pared and sliced)
1 cup of alfalfa sprouts.

And such tasty salad makings deserve a great dressing. To
prepare it, first combine 4 egg yolks, 2 tablespoons of
lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Slowly
whip in 1 cup of salad oil, using a wire beater. Then stir
in 1/2 cup of sour cream, 1 teaspoon of chopped tarragon
leaves, and salt and pepper to taste . . . and adjust the
mixture’s thickness, if necessary, with up to 1/2 cup of
water.

STUFFED TURKEY BREAST “ABINGTON” RECIPE

This is the pièce de résistance of Klaus’s menu.
To get started, cut a 3- to 4-pound whole turkey
breast off the bone, leaving the skin on.

Remove the loose fillet and set it aside.

Now, laying the meat out flat–skin side down–butterfly both sides, cutting almost through the thickest portion of each half and folding it back

Slice off any high spots to make the entire slab evenly thick throughout (you can cut away as much as a third of the meat if necessary).

Next, grind the fillet and all the scraps of breast meat with 8 to 10 ounces of salt pork.

With that done, mix the processed meat with 1/4 cup of peeled pistachios

1 cup of mixed dried fruit

1/2 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries.

Then sauté 1 small onion (diced) with 1 cup of bread crumbs and 1/2 cup of sliced celery, and add these ingredients to the meat
mixture.

Now, lay 6 thin slices of ham on the skinside-down turkey breast, and pile the meat stuffing on top of the ham before closing up the turkey (almost like shutting a book) and tying it securely with butcher’s string.

Finally, put the “package” in a roasting pan with some celery, carrots, and onions. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, and place it in a 375 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 1 to 1-1/4 hours . . . making sure you maintain enough water to baste the meat every 10 minutes or so. When the turkey is done, strain off the juices and thicken them with cornstarch for a natural gravy.

POTATOES WITH CHEESE FILLING RECIPE

Wash 8 medium-sized red potatoes, coat them with oil, and bake them until they’re tender.

After they’re cool enough to handle, cut the potatoes in half and remove a melon-ball-sized amount of potato meat from the center of each section.

Go on to mix this with 2 ounces of crumbled blue cheese

2 ounces of shredded Parmesan
2 ounces of shredded provolone

1/2 cup of yogurt.

Then use a cake decorator bag to pipe the cheese mixture in and on the potato halves . . . and put them back in a 375 degrees Fahrenheit oven for about 15 minutes.;

GREEN BEANS IN GINGER SAUCE RECIPE

Cut up 2-1/2 to 3 pounds of fresh green beans and blanch them in boiling, salted water
Then heat 4 ounces of cottonseed or peanut oil to a slow simmer
Add 1 ounce of chopped fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon of wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of brown sugar

Sauté the beans in this mixture . . . season them with salt and pepper . . . and–finally–toss them with sliced almonds before serving the dish.

CRANBERRY ORANGE BASKETS RECIPE

To make a colorful accompaniment for our holiday menu:
Chop the peel of 1/2 orange and combine it (mixing thoroughly) with an 8-ounce jar of whole cranberries.
Serve the tart relish in baskets made from hollowed-out oranges.

APPLE-CHEESE TORTE RECIPE

Start the crust for this delicious dessert by creaming together:
1/2 cup of butter
1/3 cup of sugar
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla

Then blend in 1 cup of flour and spread the resulting dough over the bottom, and halfway up the wall, of a 9 inch spring-form pan.
Next, prepare the filling:
Combine 8 ounces of cream cheese
1/4 cup of sugar (you could, of course, use a date sugar if you prefer)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla

Pour the mixture into the crust. Over this, spread a topping made from 1/3 cup of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of
cinnamon, and 4 cups of peeled and sliced apples. Sprinkle the surface with 1/2 cup of sliced almonds.

Bake the torte in a preheated 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 10
minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and allow the
dish to cook for 25 minutes more. Let the finished delicacy
cool before removing it from the pan . . . cut it into
slices . . . and put a big dab of heavy whipped cream,
garnished with a few more sliced almonds, on top of each
serving.

Bon appetite.