Holiday Entertaining: Festive Food

Enjoy this collection of fresh, fun and festive ideas for entertaining this holiday season from Pumpernickel Pickle and Blue 5 Restaurant.

Thanksgiving Dinner

Flank Steak Marinade

• 1 cup Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup red wine
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• Pinch of BBQ seasoning
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions:

Mix all ingredients except rosemary and thyme. Put rosemary and thyme in Ziploc bag with meat and pour in liquid mixture until covered. Marinate for 12 to 24 hours, flipping package twice.

Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding

• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ¼ ounce dried mushrooms
• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• ½ yellow onion, cut into small slices
• ½ teaspoon minced shallots
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 ounces sliced wild mushrooms (Shiitake)
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 3 eggs, beaten
• ½ teaspoon creole seasoning
• Tabasco, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups stale bread, diced
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Bring cream and dried mushrooms to a boil; reduce to a simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Over medium-high heat sauté onion, shallot and garlic in oil until the onion is slightly caramelized. Add fresh mushrooms and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Add molasses and creole seasoning. Allow to cool.
4. Strain cream through fine mesh sieve into the beaten eggs. Season well, then add the bread to the egg-cream mixture, allowing to set for 5 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture and adjust seasoning.
5. Pour mixture into 16-ounce buttered mold and top with cheese.
6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 16 to 18 minutes. Remove foil and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Let rest for 2 minutes; serve warm.

Pumpkin Pie Martini

• 1 ½ ounces vanilla vodka
• 3 ounces pumpkin liqueur
• ¾ ounce butterscotch liqueur
• Cinnamon and sugar, for rim
• Fresh nutmeg

Combine the first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into cinnamon-sugar-rimmed martini glass and garnish with a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.

Christmas Brunch

Turkey gravy

• 1 pound leftover cooked, shredded turkey meat (white or dark)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon ground mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 ½ cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, mustard, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
2. Stir in turkey; heat through. Place two cheddar cheese biscuits on each serving plate; top with gravy.

Virginia Country Ham and Caramelized Onion Frittata

• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon butter
• ½ cup caramelized onions
• ½ cup chopped country ham
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to broil setting.
2. In a medium bowl, using a fork, blend together eggs, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Heat 12-inch non-stick, oven-safe sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add butter to pan and melt. Add onions and ham to pan and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour egg mixture into pan and stir with rubber spatula. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the egg mixture has set on the bottom and begins to set up on top. Sprinkle with parsley.
3. Place pan in oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly browned and fluffy. Remove from pan and cut into 6 servings. Serve immediately.

Snowflake Martini

• 1 ½ ounces vanilla vodka
• 1 ½ ounces coconut rum
• Pineapple juice
• Half-and-half
• Simple syrup
• Toasted coconut flakes, for garnish

Combine the vodka and rum with a splash each of pineapple juice, half-and-half and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with toasted coconut flakes.

New Year’s Eve Cocktail Party

Bacon Onion Marmalade

• 4 strips thick-cut bacon (smokier the better), diced
• 2 pounds white onions, sliced
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup red wine
• ¾ cup white sugar
• ¾ cup dark brown sugar
• 10 drops liquid smoke

Directions:

1. Place a pot over medium heat. Add the diced bacon. Cook until crispy. The bacon fat will get a bit foamy as it renders. Sift out the bacon bits with a slotted spoon and put aside.
2. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add onions. Stir well, covering the onions with the rendered bacon fat. Cook until the onions are golden brown.
3. Add the sugar, brown sugar, red wine and balsamic vinegar. Cook over medium-low heat until it thickens. Stir regularly so the sugar doesn’t burn.
4. A couple of minutes before it fully thickens, add the bacon back into the pan along with liquid smoke.
5. Once thickened, remove from heat and pour into glass jars. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Yields 18 to 20 ounces, or about a pint; should store in refrigerator for a couple of months.)

Maple Glaze

• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
• ½ teaspoon maple extract, optional

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and maple syrup together, whisking occasionally. Once the butter as melted, remove from heat and whisk in the sifted confectioners’ sugar. Taste the glaze—if you want a stronger maple flavor, add the maple extract. Set glaze aside and allow to cool and thicken.

Pomegranate Spritzer

• Glass of champagne of your choice over ice
• 1 ½ ounces pomegranate liqueur
• Splash of lime-flavored soda
• Mint sprig, for garnish

Combine the champagne, pomegranate liqueur and soda in a glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint.