Feel that chill in the air? Autumn is upon us, which means it’s nearly time for fuzzy sweaters, striking red-gold foliage, and all things pumpkin. It’s also the season for cozying up at intimate gatherings with family and friends, something all the more meaningful after so much time apart. For many of us, these IRL hangouts will be some of the first we’ve enjoyed face to face in far too long. Delicious food is an absolute must. Finally, it’s the chance to show off the latest dishes and cooking techniques in our repertoires. It’s Firstgiving!
But what is Firstgiving, exactly? Simple: it’s a celebration of fall, Thanksgiving, and the winter holidays all rolled into one. It’s about getting together over tables brimming with fantastically tasty things and experiencing togetherness anew, as if for the first time. More than a single day, Firstgiving is a whole season dedicated to crafting new traditions with imaginative, fresh-faced recipes and unexpected ingredients—and trying them out on hungry friends and family for the first time.
But there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Farm-fresh products from Shamrock Farms have the power to make every dish better, transforming them into something entirely new and different. Want to see what we mean? Read on for the lip-smacking details.
If you’re wondering if a crowd-pleasing dish like crème brûlée could possibly be any better, the answer is “yes.” Shamrock Farms Irish Whiskey Eggnog puts an unexpected twist on this time-honored dessert, enhancing its custard base with festive notes of whiskey and vanilla. Meanwhile, Shamrock Farms Half & Half ensures everything is as creamy and farm-fresh as can be. Don’t be intimidated by the cooking process—all you need is a whisk and a steady hand to pull it off. The most important step is tempering the quintessential egg yolks, because no one likes scrambled eggs in their crème brûlée. And don’t skimp on the caramelized sugar topping—cracking it open with a spoon is one of life’s greatest pleasures.
Armed with these Firstgiving recipes, your fall season is sure to be delicious—and full of first-time, unexpected flavors perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 ½ cup Shamrock Farms Half & Half
- ½ cup Shamrock Farms Irish Whiskey Eggnog
- 4 tsp granulated sugar
Preparation
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Boil water for a water bath, easiest to use a tea kettle. Place four 5- ounce ramekins into a baking dish.
2. Whisk sugar and egg yolks in a medium sized bowl until the color lightens and there is a thickened, creamy texture. Heat Shamrock Farms Half & Half and Irish Whiskey Eggnog in a saucepan on medium heat until bubbles begin to form around the edges. Stir occasionally for about 5 minutes. Do not let boil.
3. Temper the eggs by slowly adding ½ a cup of the heated half & half-eggnog mixture to the egg and sugar while whisking constantly. Once incorporated, repeat with another ½ cup half & half-eggnog mixture. Add the yolk and half & half-eggnog mixture back into the pot of remaining hot cream, still stirring constantly to not get scrambled eggs.
4. Pour the custard equally among the 4 ramekins. Pour the heated water into the cake pan until it’s half way up the ramekins, creating a water bath.
5. Bake in the water bath for 40 minutes or until the centers are set. Cool at room temperature and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
6. When ready to serve, evenly cover each custard with 1 tsp granulated sugar and use a kitchen torch or oven broiler to caramelize the tops.
Have a hankering for pie, but don’t want all the fuss? Opt for a galette:, an elevated, freestyle pie that somehow manages to be both rustic and elegant at the same time. Making these treats is so easy, even the kids can help out: Roll out your pie dough (store-bought is fine!), arrange your filling in the center, fold up the crust around it (just enough to safely contain the filling), and bake! This particular interpretation of the classic French pastry is bursting with ruby-red raspberries, tart cranberries, and citrusy orange zest, while a sprinkling of turbinado sugar lends a satisfying crunch to its flaky crust. Kick things up a notch with a special silky topping, using Shamrock Farm’s silky Vanilla Bourbon Whipping Cream. Simply whip the cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form, then fold in tangy Shamrock Farms Sour Cream for balance.
Ingredients
- 1 recipe pie dough, rolled out to 12” and ⅛” thickness
- 1 ½ cup fresh raspberries
- 1 cup frozen cranberries, thawed or fresh
- 2 tsp orange zest
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- Turbinado cane sugar
- ¾ cup Shamrock Farms Vanilla Bourbon Whipping Cream
- ¼ cup Shamrock Farms Sour Cream
Preparation
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Place the unbaked pie crust on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- In a medium sized bowl, gently mix raspberries, cranberries, orange zest, granulated sugar, and salt. Spoon into the center of the crust in an even layer, leaving approximately 1 ½ inches around the edge. Fold crust around the filling overlapping dough as needed. Brush dough with Shamrock Farms Vanilla Bourbon Whipping Cream, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden and the berry juices begin to bubble. In the meantime, whip Shamrock Farms Vanilla Bourbon Whipping Cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Fold in the Shamrock Farms Sour Cream.
- Serve galette with the whipped cream.
Few ingredients say “fall” better than sweet-savory butternut squash. We dig it roasted with salt and pepper, pureed, and stuffed inside tender ravioli for a festive entrée. Make it from scratch if you like, but store-bought versions can also be fantastic, too. Here’s where the twist comes in: dress ravioli in a velvety sauce of Shamrock Farms Heavy Whipping Cream and—wait for it— Shamrock Farms Traditional Eggnog. We know what you’re thinking: eggnog, in ravioli? But trust us, eggnog is precisely what’s required to find the perfect middle ground between savory and sweet. Packed with a custom blend of aromatic spices, Shamrock Farms Traditional Eggnog delivers a restrained hit of creamy sweetness that heightens the butternut squash’s candied notes. To balance out the dish, we top it with an umami-rich Catalan sauce called picada, which marries earthy hazelnuts and fried sourdough bread crumbs with aromatic lemon zest, herbaceous parsley, garlic, and olive oil.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sized slices sourdough bread
- 6 tbsp EVOO
- ½ cup hazelnuts, toasted, and coarsely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest, grated
- 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- Fresh ground pepper
- 12 oz frozen butternut squash ravioli
- Kosher salt
- 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
- ½ cup reserved pasta water
- ¼ cup Shamrock Farms Heavy Whipping Cream
- ¼ cup Shamrock Farms Traditional Eggnog
- 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 tbsp parmesan, finely grated, more for serving
Preparation
- Tear or cut the sourdough slices into roughly ¼-inch pieces. In the saucepan heat 2 Tbsp oil. When it is shimmering add your breadcrumbs. Allow to fry to a golden color, about 2-3 minutes, and transfer the crumbs to a plate with a paper towel to soak up the oil. Clean pan to use again.
- Mix the hazelnuts, bread crumbs, lemon zest, parsley, 2 Tbsp olive oil, garlic, and ⅛ tsp ground pepper in a bowl. Season with ½ tsp salt and set aside.
- Heat 2 Tbsp oil in saucepan over medium-low. Add the shallots, stirring often until they are translucent and softened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and be sure to not add color.
- Cook ravioli in a large pot of salted boiling water until the ravioli floats to the top. Reserve ½ cup pasta water.
- Add the Shamrock Farms Heavy Whipping Cream, Shamrock Farms Traditional Eggnog, and pasta water to the shallots. Increase the heat to medium-high and let simmer for 4 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
- Remove from the pan from the heat. Add butter, parmesan. Season with black pepper and salt.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the ravioli into the pan of cream sauce. Toss to coat ravioli in the sauce.
- Divide ravioli among bowls. Garnish with hazelnut picada and more parmesan.