Holiday Rum Cake

I don't have to do much cooking for Thanksgiving. It's a "bring a dish" gathering with our family but when my son and daughter-in-law arrive late tonight, I like to have something for them.  I prepare 'do ahead' grazing recipes for feeding impulses and the extra pounds that come with those impulses.  I'm cooking a turkey breast for sandwiches and making a big pot of Pasta Fagoli soup (see Jan 2012 post) as a light but comforting 'welcome home" meal.  I settled on Rum Cake for dessert.  A patient of my husband used to give his office a rum cake every year that was divine.  I love anything with rum in it. It's the sort of cake that can sit under the cake stand dome and beckon you any time with it's moist rummy flavor.

Now for the awful truth.  It's the recipe that is made with yellow cake mix and Jello pudding mix.  I thought about a scratch version but knew it would never quite match the classic posted so many times on the internet.  If it ain't broke don't fix it.  I had some caramel sauce in my refrigerator and added half a cup on rum to make the glaze (see Caramel Confidence, Oct. 19, 2014).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan and set aside.

4 eggs beaten
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dark rum

Mix these ingredients with and electric mixer until well blended.
Add:

1 box 18.5oz box of yellow cake mix
1 oz box Jello vanilla pudding mix

Pour into prepared bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and poke hole with a skewer over the surface.  Pour 1/2 cup of caramel  rum glaze over the warm cake.  Turn out onto cooling rack with parchment or something to catch the excess glaze.  Poke holes over the top and pour the remaining 1/2 cup over the top. Garnish with toasted pecans or walnuts.

Braised Chipollini Onions

Braised Chipollinis

Chipollini Onions are a sweet surprise.  Next to the Vidalia, they are almost equal in flavor but not size.  Their small, flat shape lends them to stews and braises and they make a excellent side to any red meat.  I served them with grilled lamb chops last weekend for a hearty fall meal.  They have an earthy quality but delicate flavor that allows them to stand alone on any plate.

They are a bit of a pain to peel but a minute in a pot of boiling water and a sharp knife makes swift work of the onion skin, root and stem.  They are well worth the effort.

Peeling a blanched chipollini

12 Chipollini Onions, blanched, trimmed and peeled.
2 tbls unsalted butter
1/4 cup beef or chicken stock
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper

Melt the butter in a small sauté pan and add the onions.  Cook over medium heat until the begin to brown.  Reduce the head and add the stock and balsamic and cook until the liquid is reduce and the onions are glazed and brown.  Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.