The Holiday Table
deliciously cozy recipes for holiday dinners
For my holiday recipe edition I’m diving into my archives of holiday favorites.
The holidays look a lot different for me these last few years, and I’m not celebrating with family, or planning the dinner. I opt to enjoy the lull in work and event production and travel to see friends and hit the ski slopes – but that’s doesn’t mean I escape the stove entirely.
This is why I know these recipes are fool-proof. I’ve cooked versions of them at altitude, or with whatever ingredients I can source internationally or in small towns, in kitchens that are not my own and they still come out delicious. Which is why I am recommending them to you, because this is what I’d be making if I wasn’t going to be in London with family friends.
These recipes are crafted to help you host well: things that can be made in advance are noted, dishes designed to be par-cooked and finished once guests arrive, so that you can work on creating that warm, cozy, holiday dinner. When I host at home it’s about the entire experience – not just the food. Each element from the food, drink and atmosphere have equal weight in my book. The ceremony of setting the table, cooking a day in advance, and designing the table make me feel alive, so I hope this post inspires you to do the same, and enjoy the process.
Reminder that the chat box is open, or DM on Instagram with questions.
Happy Holidays!
x Olivia
Herbed Beef Tenderloin
Ingredients
4-6 lbs Beef Tenderloin - center cut, tied off
4 cloves garlic
2 sprigs of rosemary
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ c extra virgin olive oil for marinade
Sea salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
Horseradish Crème Fraîche
8 oz crème fraîche
¼ c prepared horseradish
1 lemon zest
Sea salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
Method
Preheat oven to 275º
Tie the tenderloin off with kitchen twine (the butcher will do this for you by request)
Make a paste from the garlic in a mortar & pestle or with a knife and place in a small bowl. Finely chop the rosemary leaves into the garlic paste, add the cumin, sea salt & freshly cracked pepper and combine. Then mix in the olive oil. Slather the beef tenderloin with the garlic & herb paste, allow beef to rest at room temperature for at least 20 min. You can marinade the beef for up to 8 hrs earlier.
Sear all sides of the beef in a pan (I like to use cast-iron skillet) on the stove top to seal in flavor & juices. Once browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the tenderloin to the oven and roast for 25-40 minutes. Pull the beef out when the meat thermometer reads 120º (I check at 25 mins).
While the beef is cooking, make the horseradish crème fraîche. Place the crème fraîche in a small bowl, whisk in the lemon zest and season with salt & freshly cracked pepper. Store in the fridge until ready to serve. This can be made up to 8 hrs in advance.
Allow the beef to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing, and serve with horseradish crème fraîche.
PRO TIPS: beef tenderloin is also delicious at room temperature, you can make up to one day ahead and serve at room temperature. If making a day ahead, wait to slice until serving.
Cioppino
Ingredients
1 lb skinless halibut filet
.5 lb black mussels (cleaned & rinsed)
.5 lb lb clams (cleaned & rinsed)
.5 lb squid: tubes & tentacles
4-6 lobster claws
1lb uncooked shrimp
16 oz seafood stock
1 can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
1 yellow onion
1 fennel bulb
1 shallot
4 large cloves of garlic
1 tsp toasted fennel seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
2 bay leaves
1 pinch saffron threads
1 c dry white wine
For serving: chopped flat leaf parsley & good quality, crusty bread
Method
Finley chop the onion, shallot, garlic and fennel. Heat a large pot with a glug of olive oil, sweat the onion, shallot, garlic, and fennel with a big pinch of sea salt. In a small frying pan, toast the fennel and coriander seeds, remove from the heat and crush into a coarse powder. Stir in the spice mix, with a pinch of chili flakes, until the onion and fennel mix is translucent.
Pour in the wine and wait for the alcohol to burn off, about 2-3 minutes, then add the seafood stock and saffron threads and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes and reduce heat to a medium-high heat. Check the seasoning (depending on what type of seafood stock, it may already be quite salty).
Chop the halibut into 1 inch cubes, slice the squid tubes into 1/2 inch ribbons. Add all the seafood to the pot and cover. Reduce the heat, and simmer for about 20-30 minutes until all the flavors have deepened. Serve warm with freshly chopped parsley and crusty bread.
*A note on seafood stock, homemade is best (but who’s got time) so I always hunt down the “homemade” ones at my local fishmonger. Most gourmet markets or seafood shops will make their own stock and it’s superior in flavor than the boxed stock on the shelf. If that’s all you can find, it works in a pinch and I promise your stew will be t-a-s-t-y.
Turkey Roulade
Ingredients
4-8 lbs Butterflied Turkey Breast (ask the butcher to de-bone)
1 yellow onion
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tsp red chili flakes
1/4-1/2 c finely chopped herbs: rosemary, sage, thyme or oregano, parsley
1 c dry white wine
Sea salt & cracked pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°
Finely chop the onions and herbs.
Prep the turkey breast by placing it skin side down, lay a sheet of plastic wrap and pound the breast to an even thickness. Best as you can get to 1-1.5 inches thick concentrating on the thicker parts of the breast. Remove the plastic wrap and set aside.
Toast the fennel seeds in a pan on a medium heat, then sauté with the onions in EVOO with the herbs, and chili flakes. Once browned, add the wine to deglaze the pan. Once the liquid has mostly cooked off, turn off the heat.
Salt & pepper the meat side of the turkey breast. Make sure the skin side is down (on the surface) meat side up.
Spread the onion mixture in a thin layer onto the breast, and roll the meat finishing with the open seam down on the surface. Tip: when rolling the butterflied turkey breast. The breast is cut in half, you’ll see part of the skin side that faces down does not have skin, begin rolling the breast from this edge. You can use a layer of cheese cloth or butcher twine to tie off the breast to hold its shape while cooking. Generously salt & pepper the outside skin.
Place the breast seam side down on the pan and roast at 350 for 45-1.5hrs depending on how large the breast is. Use an instant read thermometer and remove from the oven when it reads 145° (I check a few spots). Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. If there are juices in the pan spoon over the turkey or use in your gravy.
Kale & Fennel Salad
Ingredients
2 bunches of Lactino kale, de-stemmed
1 fennel bulb
2 bunches green onions/scallions
1 fennel bulb
1/4 c castelvetrano olives, pitted & chopped
1/4 c toasted nuts: pine nuts, almonds or hazelnuts
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c champagne vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp raw honey
1 large garlic clove
Flaky salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
Method
Make the dressing: chop the white parts of the scallions on the bias. Heat the olive oil in a small pan and fry the scallions until golden brown, be careful not to burn. Remove from the heat, and strain out the scallions, reserving the oil. Place the fried scallions on a paper towel to dry out. In a small bowl, whisk together the champagne vinegar, honey, sea salt and microplane the garlic into the mixture. Slowly whisk in the scallion oil. Set aside.
Rinse and de-stem the kale, and chop into fine ribbons and place into a large salad bowl. Shave the fennel bulb into the salad. Add the chopped olives.
Toast the nuts with a touch of olive oil and sea salt. Toss the salad with the dressing and garnish with shaved ricotta salata cheese, toasted nuts and fried scallions.
Persimmon & Radicchio Salad
Ingredients
1-3 Firm Fuyu Persimmons
4 Belgian Endive or 1 bunch Watercress
1 head Radicchio
½ c toasted Walnuts or Hazelnuts
For the vinaigrette:
makes 1 cup
2/3 c good quality extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c champagne & apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 a lemon zested & juiced
1/2 tsp raw honey
1 large garlic clove
1 shallot, minced
Flaky salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
Method
Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the champagne vinegar, lemon juice, dijon mustard and raw honey with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Using a microplane, grate garlic into the small bowl. Next, slowly whisk in the olive oil. Finish with cracked pepper and lemon zest. This can also be done in a blender.
Slice the radicchio into thin ribbons and place in a large serving bowl. Add the watercress or if using endive, chop into 1 inch ribbons and toss with the other ingredients. Shave the Fuyu persimmon on the mandolin over the salad.
Toss the entire salad with the vinaigrette, then garnish with a few more slices of persimmon and toasted nuts.
Celery, Fennel, & Apple Salad with Stilton
Ingredients
Salad
1 bunch (or whatever you have) celery stalks & leaves
2 Belgian endive
1 head fennel
1 firm Asian or Bosc pear
4-6 Deglet dates
¼ c toasted walnuts
A few slices of Stilton blue cheese
Dressing
makes 1 cup
2/3 c good quality extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c sherry vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp raw honey
1 large garlic clove
1 shallot, minced
Flaky salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
Method
Tear the leaves off the celery, slice the stalks thin and on the bias, shave the fennel and Asian pear, slice the endive and dates into ribbons. Toast the walnuts in a bit of EVOO and salt, toss everything together in a chic bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar, dijon mustard and raw honey with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Using a microplane, grate garlic into the small bowl, then mince the shallots and place into the same bowl. Next, slowly whisk in the olive oil. Finish with cracked pepper. Whisk until emulsified, this can also be done in a blender.
Crispy Parsnips & Gremolata
Ingredients
4 large parsnips
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
¼ c extra virgin olive oil, plus more for roasting
Sea salt & freshly ground pepper
Flaky salt
Method
Heat oven to 400º
Peel and chop the parsnips into thick “french fries” and place onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast in the oven for 20 - 35 minutes, flipping halfway through until golden-brown and crispy.
While the parsnips are roasting make the gremolata. Roughly chop the entire top half of flat-leaf parsley bunch and place in a small mixing bowl. Zest the lemon into the bowl, pour ¼ c of EVOO into the mixture and finish with flaky sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir and set aside.
Right before serving, top the crispy parsnips with the gremolata and toasted pine nuts.
Red Kuri Squash
I made this for my holiday dinner with Mascot Wine, and we cooked it at many of our events this fall. It’s been a fan-favorite, so if you haven’t made it yet try it this winter.
Recipe HERE
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1” pieces, at room temperature, plus more for baking pan
¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided, plus more for pan
10 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (61%–72% cacao), coarsely chopped
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 large eggs
2 tbsp natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp ground espresso beans
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ tsp kosher salt
Topping
1 cup chilled heavy cream
8oz creme fraîche
Pinch of flaky sea salt
Candied Ginger (optional)
*a 9-inch spring-form pan and electric mixer or whisk
Method
Preheat oven to 350º.
Using some extra butter, coat the pan with butter and dust the interior with 2 tbsp of granulated sugar. In a double boiler (place a heat safe bowl in a pot with 1-2inches of water and bring to boil) melt the chocolate and butter, remove the bowl from the pot and set aside.
Separate 4 of the eggs into two medium mixing bowls. Using the remaining 2 whole eggs and crack them into a medium bowl with the egg yolks, then add the cocoa powder, espresso, vanilla extract, and granulated sugar, whisk until smooth. Slowly stir the melted chocolate into the egg yolk mixture.
Whip the egg whites until the mixture begins to foam and become white, with the mixer continually running, gradually add the sugar until fully incorporated and a stiff meringue begins to form. In two batches, fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Make sure that no white ribbons of egg whites can be seen.
Pour the chocolate batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake at 350º for 35-40 mins. Cake should puff-up and rise, and the edges will pull away from the pan. Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool before serving, can be made 1-2 days in advance.
To make the topping: using a whisk or electric mixer, whip the chilled heavy cream and creme fraîche together with a pinch of salt. Serve with the whipped cream mounded on the center of the cake with julienned candied ginger (optional)