Kensington Park invites you to a series of virtual culinary experiences to inspire you from the comfort of your own kitchen this fall. There’s never been a better time to learn how to perfect your avocado toast, create that classic Old Fashioned or spice up your Thanksgiving dinner.
Thanks to our Executive Chef, Morissa Harris, you can learn to prepare different autumn-inspired meals that will ignite your taste buds and encourage your creativity.
Episode 4: Holiday Happy Hour
GOUGERES CHEESE PUFFS
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 stick butter, unsalted
Pinch of salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of pepper
Preheat oven to 400. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In medium saucepan, combine milk, water and butter then bring to boil. Add salt and flour, stirring with spoon until dough forms. Continue to stir over low heat until dough dries out and pulls away from pot.
Let cool and add eggs 1 at a time. stirring in between each egg. Add cheese, pinch of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Use small cookie dough scoop to make balls, 2 in. apart and sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 20 min., or until puffed and golden.
FENNEL PUFF PASTRY BITES
1 fennel bulb, tops removed & sliced thin
2 leeks, sliced thin
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. fresh Thyme
1 tsp. sugar
Sheet of puff pastry, defrosted
4oz. Fontina cheese, shredded
4oz. Mascarpone cheese
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Sauté with butter fennel, leeks, Thyme, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper until translucent. With cookie cutters, cut 8 round circles in puff pastry and line on parchment paper. Once fennel mixture has cooled slightly, place on each round and top with Fontina. Bake 15 min., then top with Mascarpone. Use fennel fronds for garnish. Serve immediately.
KENSINGTON MULLED WINE
1 bottle dry red wine
10 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
1 orange, sliced in rounds
3 tbsp. honey
1/4 cup of brandy
Combine all ingredients and stir well until it simmers; you don’t want to boil or it will cook out alcohol. Strain and enjoy!