Holiday Appetizers & Side Dishes | Holiday Guide 2019

Makes 15 To 18 Two-Inch Biscuits

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. In a separate, large bowl, mix the sweet potatoes, cane syrup and butter. Add the flour mixture to the potato mixture and mix with fingertips to make a soft dough (don’t use warm palms!!). Add buttermilk a tablespoon at a time and continue to mix together.

3. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and toss lightly until the outside of the dough looks smooth. Roll the dough out to ¾ inch thick and cut with a biscuit cutter.

4. Place the biscuits (make sure they are touching so you get the rise you want) on a buttered pan, in a cast iron skillet or on a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper, and brush tops with heavy cream. Bake for about 15 minutes. Watch the biscuits closely in the oven. They all cook differently and temperatures may need to be adjusted. If the biscuits are browning too fast, lower the temperature.

5. Serve with country ham or warm butter and cane syrup.

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INSTRUCTIONS:

MAKE BEEF STOCK:

1. Prep oxtails:

• Blanch oxtails to rid of impurities (boil on high heat for 5-7 minutes)

• Drain and rinse 3 times in clean water, use your fingers to rub off an impurities clinging to the oxtail. Set aside.

2. Char aromatics over open flame: onions, ginger

3. Toast dried spices in a hot, dry skillet – you’ll know when it’s properly toasted by the aroma.

4. Put oxtail, aromatics, and dried spices in the Instant Pot. Add napa or daikon, sugar, ¼ C Red Boat fish sauce. Add water so that it just covers the ingredients.

5. Pressure for 45 minutes.

6. Remove oxtails and transfer to a colander set inside a bowl of ice water. Let soak in ice water for 15 minutes. Remove oxtails and let drain. Reserve the ice water.

7. Strain beef stock into another pot. Add ¼ C Red Boat fish sauce. Add reserved ice water to bring stock to 3 ½ QT. Bring back to a gentle boil and cook for 5 minutes, then take off heat.

ASSEMBLE PHO:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then reduce to a very low simmer. Using a wire mesh strainer, blanch pho noodles for 20 seconds. Let drain and transfer to a soup bowl.

2. Add oxtail, green onions, white onions, and cilantro. Then ladle stock into bowl.

3. Serve with chilies, limes, and a small ramekin of black pepper with fresh squeezed lime juice.

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Serves 4-6 people

DIRECTIONS:

1. Toast pecans: on the stovetop, heat pecans in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Toss frequently until pecans are golden-brown.

2. Cook bacon in a large skillet or cast-iron Dutch oven, stirring occasionally. Once the bacon is crispy, transfer to a plate and drain grease onto paper towels.

3. Remove excess bacon fat from skillet, leaving 1 tbsp. Cook pears in bacon fat over medium heat for 10 minutes or until pears are tender and brown on all sides.

4. Once pears are finished cooking, turn off heat and add Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar glaze, pecans, bacon, and fresh thyme. Toss ingredients together until well mixed.

5. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and shaved parmesan cheese.

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Makes one 8 x 11-inch gratin, serves 8 to 12

*Finely grind together the bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns.

*Make ahead: The gratin can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

DIRECTIONS:

1. To make the gratin: Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper. Butter a 2-quart (8 x 11-inch) baking dish and set it on the lined half sheet pan.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat with the butter, then add the spice blend and season with salt. Stir well, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the milk and cream, stir well, and reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes to infuse the liquids with the spices. Season very generously with salt. Taste it; it should taste very salty – the potatoes will remain unseasoned, so this mixture provides all the flavor.

4. While the cream simmers, cut the potatoes into 1/16-inch-thick slices using a mandoline, food processor fitted with a slicing blade, or very sharp knife. If you’re still slicing after the cream has simmered for 5 minutes, simply turn the heat to low to keep it warm. Put the sliced potatoes in a very large bowl and pour the cream over them. Gently fold to ensure the slices are coated. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the potatoes to absorb the liquid and soften slightly.

5. To assemble the gratin, you can either go more freestyle, dumping all the potatoes and the cream into the prepared baking dish and pressing them down, or shingle the potato slices, along with any onions clinging to them, laying them in the pan in rows and overlapping them slightly. After each layer, press the potatoes flat. (I prefer the later method because it ensures that the gratin will hold together.) Pour the spiced cream remaining in the bowl evenly over the potatoes. Set aside while you grate the Gruyere. Sprinkle the Gruyere evenly on top.

6. Bake until the top is dark golden brown, the liquid is bubbling, and the potatoes are tender, about 1 ½ hours. If you insert a metal cake tester or thin-bladed knife into the center, it should slide through easily.

7. Cool completely. Set it on a clean half sheet pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Find a pan that fits snugly on top and put heavy cans or a small cast-iron skillet on it to weigh it down and compress the gratin. Refrigerate until very cold and set, preferably overnight and up to 2 days.

8. Unwrap and cut the gratin into 2-inch squares. Transfer the squares to a cutting board and trim any curved sides to form straight edges. (you can snack on the scraps).

9. Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon salted butter. As soon as the butter melts, add as many squares as will fit comfortably, cut-sides down. Fry until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Flip and brown another cut side. Repeat until all the cut sides are browned, 6 to 8 minutes total, adding more oil and butter as needed. Repeat with the remaining gratin.

10. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

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Print Recipe

Mediterranean Tapenade

Course:

Side, Appetizer

Cuisine:

Mediterranean

Serve with: Pita wedges, cucumbers, Rice & Nut Crackers, flatbread/lavash crackers

1. In a food processor, place roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, both olives and capers, lime juice and lemon juice; and pulse to an even chunky consistency, salt to desired taste.
2. Add parsley and pulse one more time.
3. Remove from food processor and transfer into serving bowl or ramekin.
4. Garnish with feta cheese crumbles and serve with a variety of chips, pita and cucumbers.

Serve with Long bias-cut toasted Baguette, Corn Chips for dipping (like Fritos), Red Bell Pepper Slices and Apples.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Evenly place onions into a room temperature sauté pan

2. Turn stove top setting to low heat.

3. Evenly sprinkle a thin layer of Kosher Salt over the onions

4. Do not turn up heat; allow the onions to slowly cook, sweat; first releasing natural liquids which will eventually be reabsorbed. There is no need to over stir or work this process. Do not rush.

5. Once liquids are released from the onions, light browning should start to occur and some caramelization will occur in the pan.

6. At this time, add garlic powder and some cracked pepper.

7. To release the “Fond” (or the sticky brown stuff stuck to the pan), add white wine and use the onions to act as bristles to gently release the flavor. Allow the wine to evaporate as to cook out the alcohol. By now, the onions should look lightly golden brown.

8. Turn off the heat and add cream cheese to the pan, stirring until consistently incorporated with the onions.

9. Add sour cream and mayonnaise and parmesan cheese.

10. It is important to not return to heat as to prevent cheese from over-melting and fat oils to be released.

11. Serve warm or at room temperature. If served cold, keep in mind that the dip will be slightly thicker.

12. Garnish with chives, more parmesan and cracked pepper as desired.

13. Serve in a bowl on a platter with corn chips, toasts, crackers, vegetables and/or apples.

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INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place walnuts, water and garlic in a small blender. Blend until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add parmesan cheese and salt and blend again until fairly smooth. (may be prepared 1 day ahead and stored tightly covered in the refrigerator.)

2. Preheat oven to 400°f. Brush one side of each baguette slice with equal amounts of oil. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

3. Top each with about 1 teaspoon pesto and 1 1/2 teaspoons walnut cream.

4. Sprinkle with tomatoes and walnuts and garnish with basil or micro-greens.

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DIRECTIONS:

1. In a bowl, mix chickpea flour and water together then stir in all the greens, herbs, and lemon (juice/zest)

2. Heat an 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1 tablespoon olive oil.

3. Pour half of the batter into the pan, then cook for about 4 minutes. Flip the pancake and cook on the other side for 3-4 minutes.

4. Put the cooked socca on a plate while you cook the second one.

5. Serve with a dollop of lemon garlicky aquafaba on the side.

LEMON GARLICKY AQUAFABA:

1. In a small food processor, whip together the aquafaba, lemon juice, salt, and garlic.

2. While the processor is spinning, slowly pour in the oil and keep the blades spinning until the aquafaba is thick and creamy.

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DIRECTIONS:

1. In a soup pot, place the olive oil and garlic clove and place pot over high heat.

2. Cook until garlic is golden brown.

3. Remove garlic and discard.

4. Add onions, carrots, and celery and cook for approximately 3-4 min, or until vegetables start to soften.

5. Lightly season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper.

6. Add prosciutto and rosemary, stir for 15 seconds.

7. Add tomato paste, stir for 15 seconds.

8. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 15-20 min.

9. Bring soup back to a boil.

10. Add pasta, cook until tender.

11. Add beans to reheat.

12. Turn heat off...the soup will start to thicken.

13. Taste and adjust seasoning.

14. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley, cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil.

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PREP TIME: 15 Minutes

TOTAL TIME: 24-36 Hours (Yes, That Long)

SERVINGS: 12-16

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all of the dry-cure ingredients in a medium bowl (that’s everything but the salmon & bourbon).

Place a piece of foil down, big enough to wrap around the entire fillet.

Top with a piece of parchment paper, & then a piece of plastic wrap.

Sprinkle a third of the dry cure in the middle to create a bed for the fish.

Place the salmon skin side down on the bed.

Pour the rest of the dry cure over the fish to fully submerge & cover it.

It’ll look like a lot, because it is & it’s supposed to.

Pour the bourbon evenly over the entire thing. (it all swims more in the rub than in the booze.)

Wrap the salmon tightly in each layer & transfer to a baking dish (or something else that will catch juice).

Place a weight on the wrapped fish & put the entire situation in the fridge.

Get creative with the weight: you can use bagged rice, paperweights, your old 1970s encyclopedia yearning for its sense of purpose etc.

Refrigerate overnight & flip after 12 hours.

After another 12 hours, give it a check.

Remove the fish from the fridge, open it up, and poke it.

It’s supposed to be firm around the edges but should still bounce back so there’s a thin crust around the fish and it isn’t dry all the way through.

When this consistency has been achieved (usually in 24 to 36 hours, depending on how thick the fillet is and how much weight you have on it), rinse it off, pat dry, and thinly slice at an angle.

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BAKED BRIE

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Score the top of the brie wheel and place in a small cast iron skillet. Place slices of figs in between brie cubes.

2. In a small bowl, gently combine the fig jam and orange zest. Dollop across the brie. 

3. Bake until the brie melts. About 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves and crushed pistachios. Serve with bread or crackers. Enjoy!

HOLIDAY MOCKTAIL

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rosemary simple syrup recipe: 1/2 c water, 1/2c granulated sugar, 4 sprigs of rosemary. 

2. Bring to a boil in a small sauce pan. Remove from heat and let sit. Strain herbs and let cool. 

3. Thin slice of pear & spring of rosemary for garnish. 

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Makes about 30 Tots

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 450˚F.

2. Put the potatoes in a large bowl, add the 2 tablespoons oil and ½ teaspoon of the salt, and toss well to coat. Spread the potatoes out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the bottoms are browned but the tops are a little undercooked, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

3. Pour oil into a depth of 4 inches into a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry or candy thermometer inserted into the oil reaches 375˚F.

4. In the meantime, transfer the cooled potatoes to the bowl of a food processor, along with any oil from the baking sheet, and pulse about 30 times until the potato pieces are pea-size or smaller.

5. Pour the potatoes into a large bowl, add the potato flakes, butter, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and stir to combine.

6. Scoop up about 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture and, using your hands, form it into a tot shape; place the formed tot on a plate or rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining potato mixture.

7. Fry the tots in batches of 10 until crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes per batch. (make sure the oil temperature returns to 375˚F before frying each additional batch) let drain and cool slightly on a cooling rack. Serve hot.

VARIATION: OVEN-BAKED HOMEMADE TOTS

To bake these homemade tots instead of frying them, use a mini muffin tin. Because the tots have contact with the tin on most sides, they get nicely browned and crispy. Keep the oven on after baking the potatoes in step 2. Grease the cups of the mini muffin tin with oil and pack 2 tablespoons of the tot mixture into the bottom of each to make coin-shape tots. Bake at 450˚F until crisp on the bottom and the sides, about 20 minutes.

SPICY CHEESE SAUCE DIRECTIONS:

Makes about 1 ½ Cups

1. Combine the milk, milk powder, and cornstarch in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Continue to cook, whisking until the sauce thickens and the milk powder has dissolved, about 1 minute.

2. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese. The cheese should melet, no problem, but if it doesn’t, return to the pot to low heat and whisk until it does. (be careful with the heat at this point because the sauce could separate if heated too rapidly.)

3. Allow the cheese sauce to cool slightly, then stir in the hot sauce, jalapenos, and red pepper flakes. Serve warm.

NOTE: Resist the temptation to use pre-shredded cheese here. Yes, it’s easier, but it won’t work in this recipe.

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan until just melted.

2. Add salt. Add pecans on a medium high heat, and keep the pecans moving, being careful not to burn.

3. Swirl pecans in butter until the butter has browned and pecans are toasted, the aroma will let you know when they're done.

4. Remove from heat, add in chopped sage. Reserve pecans for later use.

5. Take brown butter and add to rolled oats, additional butter, honey, molasses, canola oil, salt, black pepper and sage leaves in a large mixing bowl.

6. Combine in stand mixer with paddle attachment until well combined.

7. Spread mixture on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, toss ingredients halfway through.

8. Once done, combine with pecans and save for topping.

9. In a foil packet, arrange yams.

10. Top with butter, sugar, 1 tsp of the salt.

11. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour then let rest with the lid on (or closed foil) for minimum 1 hour (longer is better).

12. After the waiting period, peel yams with your hands (the skins should come right off).

13. Make a slit down the middle. Put into a bowl and mix with a rubber spatula, add a bit of fleur de sel, black pepper, and brown butter leftover from cooking the yams if desired.

14. Spread into a casserole dish and heat in oven until warmed through.

15. Then top with brown butter pecan and sage granola.

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Start to Finish: 40 minutes, plus soaking time

Makes about 18 Fritters

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine the peas with 8 cups of water and 1 tablespoon salt. Soak at room temperature for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.

2. With the peas still in soaking water, rub them together with your hands to release as many skins as possible. Pour off the water and loosened skins, then drain the peas in a colander and rinse well, you should have about 3 cups drained peas.

3. In a food processor, process 2 cups of the peas and 2 tablespoons water until nearly smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the remaining peas and process until coarsely ground, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the baking powder, scallions, chilies and 2 teaspoons salt. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

4. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet and line half of the rack with a triple layer of paper towels.

5. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat the oil to 350 degrees f.

6. Working quickly, drop 8 heaping tablespoons of the bean mixture into the hot oil, then use a wide slotted spoon to flatten each mound into a round about ½ inch thick.

7. Cook until the bottoms are deep golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 350 degrees f.

8. Using 2 forks, flip each fritter and cook until the second sides are deep golden brown, another 1 to 2 minutes.

9. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to the paper towels and let drain for 20 to 30 seconds, then transfer to the other side of the wire rack.

10. Return the oil to 350 degrees f and repeat with the remaining bean mixture. Sprinkle the fritters with salt and serve with the dipping sauce.

Tomato-Curry Dipping Sauce

Start to finish: 10 minutes
Makes about ¾ cup

1. In a small skillet over medium, toast the curry powder, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Transfer to a small bowl and add the ketchup, sugar, lime juice, hot sauce and 3 tablespoons water. Whisk until the sugar dissolves, then taste and season with salt and pepper.

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Recipe courtesy Kelly Minter -- from her new cookbook, “A Place at the Table”

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES | COOK TIME: 40 MINUTES | SERVES: 6–8

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a soup pot, add the bacon fat and onion. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add garlic, squash, apples, and chicken broth. Salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer, covered, until squash is very tender.

2. Remove from heat and puree soup in blender (or use immersion blender). Then transfer back to the soup pot and add more chicken broth if needed. Just before serving, stir in the bacon and heavy cream.

3. To make croutons: preheat oven to 350 degrees.

4. Cut the bread into crouton shape. Toss croutons with the apple butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

5. Shake the baking sheet, turning the croutons around, and bake for another 10 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and add croutons to soup bowls.

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