Trimmings and Tradition

While the chef always wants new, the guests demand the tried and true. Turkey may forever be on the menu, but there is still room to try something new. Here, we present recipes to make your holiday table sing.

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Salsa Verde

3 oz. capers, drained

3 pieces anchovies, drained of oil

1 large bunch flat leaf parsley (chop roughly, include stems, about 2 cups )

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic

Put all of the above in a blender and blend until smooth. Store in a clean, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Luxe Crab Dip

1 tablespoon butter

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 teaspoon salt

juice of half a lime

8 oz. cooked crabmeat

1/2 cup light sour cream

4 oz. chevre (soft goat’s cheese)

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

Set aside one heaping tablespoon of crabmeat. Melt butter in a small saucepan, and stir in garlic slices. Cook until golden. Now blend all of the ingredients to a smooth and creamy consistency. Stir in the tablespoon of crab flakes. Store in a clean, airtight container.

Roasted Red Beet Dip

1 bunch of beetroots (approximately 3 good-sized beets)

1 teaspoon cumin powder

2 teaspoons lime juice

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

salt and pepper to taste

Discard leaves and stems, peel the beets and wrap loosely in foil. Bake in a hot oven until soft (about 1 hour; test with a skewer for softness). When cool, chop roughly, and blend with the other ingredients. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Keeps for a week.

Devils on Horseback

2 dozen large pitted prunes

1/2 cup good quality Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup pecan nuts

3 cloves garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon water

1 dozen rashers bacon cut in half (about 5 inches long each)

Blend together the Parmesan cheese, nuts, garlic, water, salt and pepper. With a narrow spoon, or using the end of a butter knife, stuff the prunes with this mixture.

Wrap the prunes with a bacon rasher each, and ensure the ends are underneath the prune. Place on a greased tray, and cook for 20 minutes in a medium oven, about 365 degrees. Serve warm.

Turkey Stuffing

1 packet spicy French Andouille sausages (about 4 sausages)

1 cup plain bread crumbs

1 cup polenta grits

2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup chopped fresh sage

1/2 cup chopped fresh oregano

1 cup whole pecan nuts

1/2 cup cooked wild rice

1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

Rind of one grated lemon

salt and pepper to taste

Chop up the four sausages roughly. Mix together all of the above ingredients, except the chicken stock. At this point, if you are going to stuff your turkey with this mixture, add only one cup of chicken stock, mix well, and proceed with stuffing the turkey. If you are going to bake your stuffing separately, add the entire 2 cups stock, combine well and bake in a covered 8-inch square dish on a med/high oven for about 45 to 50 minutes.

Relinquish the usual roasted vegetables that accompany the Christmas turkey! British television chef Delia Smith’s salad is so versatile, combining grain, root vegetables and salad leaves with an earthy dressing, that your roast turkey will want for nothing more. Here is an adaptation of it:

Roasted vegetable and couscous salad

2 pieces of each of your favorite roasting vegetables (I always include sweet potato, pumpkin, small purple onions, potato and parsnips, about 1 1/2 lbs. in all)

1 1/2 cups couscous

2 cups water

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons cumin powder

salt and pepper to taste

juice of one lime

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 packet of your favorite greens (try baby arugula, or romaine)

1 cup of feta cheese crumbles

1/2 cup toasted almond slivers

1 cup sun-dried tomato, quartered

1 cup cilantro leaves with some tender stalks

Peel and roast the root vegetables and onions. When cooked and cooled, cut these up into cubes (about 1/2 inch). Set the water to boil. On a rolling boil, add butter and a teaspoon of salt. In a steady stream, pour in the couscous. Stir the couscous only once or twice, cover and remove from heat.

To make the dressing: Combine in a bowl the tomato paste, olive oil, lime juice, cumin powder, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk till all the ingredients are evenly blended. Set aside till ready to use.

To serve:

Using a large platter, layer the dish first with the roasted vegetables, then the salad greens. Sprinkle an even layer of couscous over this. Garnish with slivered almonds, feta, sun dried tomato and fresh cilantro. Pour the dressing over a little at the time, tossing well to attain a nice coating, but not enough to make the salad too soggy.

A sauce to enhance a tender slice of turkey:

Cranberry, ginger and onion jam

1 small Spanish (purple) onion, sliced fine

1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

1 400-gram can of cranberry jelly

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Cook the onions until soft and translucent, but not brown. Add the ginger, and cook for a little longer, about 1 minute. Add the cranberry jelly at this stage. Break up with the back of your cooking spoon, and stir until well blended with the other ingredients. Add the vinegar, sugar and chili powder. Turn heat to very low, and stir constantly for about 2 minutes. You can store this mixture in a clean, air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.

The perfect accompaniment to a ham:

Egg and mustard sauce:

5 cooked egg yolks

1/4 cup virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon sugar

Blend the above ingredients until smooth. You may need to add a tablespoon or two of warm water to get a custard-like consistency.

And to top off the meal, a slice of this sophisticated cake will make you glad you put on your party clothes!

Chocolate Glamour Cake

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup Scotch whiskey

(soak the raisins in the Scotch overnight)

1 lb. good quality bittersweet cooking chocolate

9 oz. unsalted butter

6 eggs

1 1/3 cups sugar

4 oz. plain flour

1 1/3 cups ground almonds

1 cup warm water

Prepare a 10-inch spring form pan, greasing, flouring and lining it well. Set oven to 365 degrees. Place broken-up chocolate and butter in a pan over hot water to melt. Stir occasionally. Stir in half-a-cup of warm water. When melted and mixed thoroughly, remove from heat and leave to cool. Separate eggs. Beat yolks and sugar until creamy. Add melted chocolate mixture. Pour in half-a-cup of warm water. Add flour and almond meal. Mix all these ingredients well, and add raisin and whisky mixture. Finally, whisk egg whites to soft peaks. Fold the whites into the cake mixture, and stir gently. Pour mixture into the pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before lifting cake carefully from tin. Garnish with raspberries, and serve with your favorite custard or good quality vanilla ice cream.

While the adults indulge in the chocolate and whiskey cake, delight younger merry-makers with a colorful trifle. The adults are sure to want a taste of this, too.

Trifle

2 packets red Jell-o

2 packets green Jell-o

1 pint heavy whipping cream, beaten to a good thickness

1 store-bought pound cake, about 1 pound (preferably stale)

1/4 cup orange juice

1 small bar of your favorite milk chocolate

1 cup berries of choice

A clear glass bowl (roughly 6 inches tall and 10 inches wide)

In the glass bowl, set the red Jell-o, following instructions on the packet.  In a separate bowl, set the green Jell-o by following instructions on the packet. Break up the stale cake into crumbs, and stir the orange juice through it. Arrange an even layer of this (about 1 inch high) over the well-set red Jell-o. Now scrape up the set green Jell-o from its own bowl, and layer spoonfuls lightly over the cake crumb mixture. Stir the cool whipped cream well, and layer this over the green Jell-o, about an inch thick. Scatter your favorite berries all over. Finally, using a clean potato peeler, scrape the chocolate bar over the top of the trifle for swirls of pretty chocolate flakes.

All recipes are for about 6 to 8 people.