Food Gifts
Food Gifts
From the book Food Gifts by food stylist and best-selling author Elle Simone Scott, here, a selection of irresistible recipes for crafting personalized presents.
“I grew up in a food-gifting household. My family has been potlucking for as long as I can remember. Even though I was young, I fully understood that “bringing a dish” to someone’s home was vitally important and deeply traditional. So much intentionality went into the planning and preparation of the dishes, and even more so into how they were presented.”
Cinnamon-Ginger Spiced Nuts
Makes about 3 cups
INGREDIENTS
- ⅔ cup superfine sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 pound raw whole almonds, cashews, walnuts and/or shelled pistachios
PREPARATION
Step 1
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat to 275 degrees F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix sugar, cinnamon, ginger and coriander in small bowl.
Step 2
Whisk egg white, water and salt in large bowl. Add nuts. Toss to coat. Sprinkle sugar mixture over nuts, toss to coat, then spread evenly over prepared sheet. Bake until nuts are dry and crisp, about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool completely on sheet, about 30 minutes. Break nuts apart.
HOW I GIFT THIS
Packaging These look great in a glass jar with a clip top lid or packed into decorative paper bags or nut cones. You can even package them in a repurposed glass or plastic supermarket nut container.
Storage The spiced nuts can be stored at room temperature for about 3 weeks.
Make It A Duo Pair nuts with a wheel of Brie or with the spices used in the nut mix.
Smoked Trout Pâté
Makes 2 cups
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces smoked trout
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces and softened
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 scallion, sliced thin
- 4 teaspoons minced jalapeño chile
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
PREPARATION
Using hands, finely shred trout in a medium bowl, discarding skin and bones. Add cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, scallion, jalapeno, lemon juice, horseradish, pepper, Tabasco and salt. Stir and mash vigorously with fork until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Transfer to 2-cup container.
HOW I GIFT THIS
Packaging This packages well in an airtight, sturdy deli container or a Weck-style canning jar.
Storage The pâté can be refrigerated for about 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
Make It A Duo Pair with sturdy crackers or a tin of smoked trout.
Make It A Trio Combine with bagels and cream cheese.
Make It A Basket Put together an elegant snack basket with the pâté, bagel chips, assorted tinned seafood, a bottle of vino or palo cortado sherry and a nice spreading knife.
Ginger Syrup
Makes 8 ounces
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces fresh ginger, unpeeled, chopped coarse
- ¾ cup sugar
- 5 ounces water
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
PREPARATION
Step 1
Process fresh ginger in food processor until finely chopped, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Step 2
Heat sugar and water in small saucepan over medium heat, whisking often, until sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes; do not boil. Off heat, stir in chopped ginger and ground ginger and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.
Step 3
Set fine-mesh strainer over medium bowl and line with triple layer of cheesecloth that overhangs edges. Transfer ginger mixture to prepared strainer and let drain until liquid no longer runs freely, about 10 minutes. Pull edges of cheesecloth together to form pouch, then firmly squeeze pouch to extract as much syrup from pulp as possible; discard pulp. Stir in lemon juice.
HOW I GIFT THIS
Packaging This is sticky, so store in a leakproof bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Storage The syrup can be refrigerated for about 1 month.
Big-Batch It This recipe is easily scaled up.
Make It A Duo Pair with a bottle of black rum or a chai tea blend.
Add To A Basket Put together a cocktail basket with the syrup, vodka, crystallized ginger, limes, a mint bouquet, a jigger and a pair of Moscow mule mugs.
