Note that if you purchase something via one of our links, including Amazon, we may earn a small commission.
We’ve collected a handful of recipes to see you through the holiday season and its varied celebrations. Cheers!
RECIPE: Forbidden Rice Salad
- Yield: Serves 8
Description
I belong to a wonderful book club. For over a decade we have shared advice, laughed and cried together, had meals together, oh, and read books, too. There are seven of us. We’re a somewhat eclectic group comprised of one vegan, two pescetarians, a vegetarian, and the rest who eat almost everything. We have a monthly potluck where the host prepares the main dish. One November, our meal took on epic proportions and resembled a vegetarian Thanksgiving feast. I made this hearty, jewel-like forbidden rice dish to share with these terrific women. Thank you, ladies, for all the great meals, discussions and books we have shared together over the years!
Ingredients
The salad
- 3/4 cup uncooked black rice (sometimes called forbidden rice), rinsed
- 1 large pomegranate, peeled and seeded
- 1-2 Fuyu persimmons, diced (about the size of the pomegranate seeds)
- 1/3 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
- 6 Tbsps chives, finely chopped
- 1 small lemon, zested and juiced
The vinaigrette
- 1 1/2 tsps pomegranate molasses
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar or pear Champagne vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Place the well-rinsed rice in a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed. Transfer the cooked rice to a medium-sized serving bowl.
- Add the pomegranate seeds, chopped persimmons, pistachios, and chives. Stir to combine. Add the lemon juice and zest and stir once more.
- Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl. Stir into the rice mixture. Let rest at least 15 minutes before serving.
RECIPE: Genius Latkes With Chives
- Yield: Makes 8
Description
In addition to not having to squeeze or mess with onions, a major benefit of this recipe is that everything but frying can be done in advance. I like to sprinkle chives or scallions into the grated potatoes, giving them color and flavoring the oil, so oniony-latke lovers will have one less complaint to make.
Ingredients
- 4 large Idaho or russet potatoes, washed and dried
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup snipped fresh chives
- Vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil, for frying
- Crème fraîche or sour cream, for serving
- Smoked salmon, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and put the rack in the middle of the oven. Bake the potatoes directly on the rack for 30 minutes, then flip and bake them for another 15 minutes, or until they are hot throughout but still raw in the middle. Remove them and let them cool for about 30 minutes.
- Slice the potatoes in half widthwise, and begin grating the cut side on the large holes of a box grater. (As you grate, the potatoes should open up, leaving the skins intact; save them to prepare potato skins if you like.)
- Sprinkle the grated potatoes with the salt and pepper, then stir in the chives. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
- Take about 1/2 cup grated potato in your hands, and gently squeeze between your palms to form a patty. Press the patty until it’s about a 1/2-inch thick, and carefully set it on a plate. Repeat with the remaining grated potatoes, to make about eight latkes. Cover, and refrigerate them for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.
- Just before serving, pour about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil into a large, heavy skillet set over medium-high heat. (When it is hot enough, a shred of potato dropped into the oil should sizzle immediately.) Working in two batches, gently fry four latkes until they’re crisp and deep golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer them to paper towels or a wire rack to drain. Repeat with the remaining latkes.
- Serve them hot, topped with crème fraîche or sour cream and smoked salmon.
The recipe is from the book, My Life in Recipes: Food, Family, and Memories (on Amazon).
Print
RECIPE: Warmed Sweet and Spiced Nuts
- Yield: Makes 4 cups 1x
Description
We love serving these nuts as hors d’oeuvres when friends and family gather in our home. Maple syrup, rosemary, and chili powder combine with other spices for a lovely sweet and savory flavor. Since nuts are a great source of protein, fiber, vitamin E, and magnesium, they not only taste delightful but also pack a nutritional punch.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw shelled pistachios
- 1 cup raw shelled pecan halves
- 1 cup raw hazelnuts
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 3 Tbsps pure maple syrup
- 3 Tbsps unsalted butter or non-dairy substitute
- 3 Tbsps chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 tsps New Mexican red chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard-sized baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Mix the pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts, and almonds in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Combine the maple syrup and butter in a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring a few times during the process, until the mixture is melted, smooth, and slightly thickened, about 6 minutes total.
- Turn off the heat and add the rosemary, chili powder, smoked paprika, and pepper to the maple syrup mixture, and stir well to combine.
- Pour the maple syrup mixture over the nuts. Use a large spoon to toss and coat the nuts completely in the mixture, then spread out over the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast the nuts, tossing once or twice during the cooking process, until the nuts are evenly toasted, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the nuts all over with flaky salt to taste. Allow the nuts to cool in the pan until slightly warm, about 15 to 20 minutes, or room temp, about 1 hour.
- Transfer to a bowl to serve immediately, or store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. If reheating to serve warm, place in a 350°F oven for about 3 minutes.
RECIPE: Jerk Black Beans
- Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
Description
Cozy up to this hearty, flavourful meal that’s easy to make and low-impact. Beans are an excellent, potentially locally grown option to include on your plate. Don’t want to go through the trouble of soaking them? No problem! Black beans are even better when they’re not soaked before cooking: They retain their color, have a more toothsome texture, and taste a little more flavorfully “beany.”
Ingredients
- 3 cups water for pressure cooker (7 cups for stovetop)
- 2 cups dried black beans, picked through
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 sweet red pepper, chopped
- 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, or any hot pepper, quartered and seeded
- 2 Tbsps Caribbean-style Madras curry powder
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
- 3 Tbsps lime juice
- 2 tsp jerk seasoning paste
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions
- In an electric pressure-cooker, combine water, black beans, onions, red pepper, Scotch bonnet or other hot pepper, curry powder, bay leaves, thyme, garlic powder, allspice, and cumin. If you don’t have a pressure-cooker: In a large saucepan, combine ingredients above, including 7 cups water, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, about 1 hour (continue with step 4).
- Close and seal the lid; set manually to cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
- Let steam release naturally for 15 minutes. Then vent steam with the valve to release remaining pressure.
- Stir in tomatoes, lime juice, jerk seasoning, and cilantro. Season with salt to taste. Let stand for 5 minutes.
- Serve with rice or roti and a crunchy fresh salad or slaw.
Notes
Caribbean-style curry powder: You’ll find it in what many supermarkets label the “International” section, in West Indian grocery stores, or online.
RECIPE: Meyer Lemon Chicken With Fingerling Potatoes and Wilted Greens
- Yield: Serves 8
Description
Several friends have prolific lemon trees, and I often open my front door to find gift bags of fruit sitting on my doorstep. I make marmalade with most of it, and this lightly mouth-puckering lemon chicken. The great thing about Meyer lemons is that you can eat the flesh, and I urge you to do so, as well as the peel if you like. It will be tangy and add a punch to the dish. Please don’t skimp on the shallots either, as they become meltingly tender and succulent when roasted alongside the chicken and lemons.
Ingredients
The chicken
- 8 whole chicken legs
- 6-8 Meyer lemons, cut into sixths
- 16 shallots, any extra papery layers removed but essentially left whole and unpeeled
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsps herbes de Provence
- Coarse sea salt
- Black pepper
The fingerling potatoes and wilted greens
- 2 lbs small fingerling potatoes
- Coarse sea salt
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Black pepper
- 2 Tbsps finely chopped chives
- 2 Tbsps finely chopped chervil or parsley
- 1 lb spinach or pea sprouts
- 2 Tbsps crème fraîche
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the chicken legs, lemon pieces, and shallots in a large, shallow, ovenproof dish or sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken, turning it once or twice to ensure it is well coated. On top, scatter the herbes de Provence, 3 or 4 pinches of salt, and 6 to 7 grinds of pepper. Roast for 1 hour.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and 2 pinches of salt. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the water away and return the potatoes to the same pan. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, a large pinch of salt, 3 to 4 grinds of pepper, the chives, and chervil (or parsley), and toss to combine.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet or wok placed over medium heat. Add the spinach or pea sprouts and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, or just enough time to wilt the greens. Stir in the crème fraîche. Combine the wilted greens with the potatoes and serve hot.
- Serve the chicken with the whole shallots and pieces of lemon, spooning up any jammy pan juices. To eat the shallots, cut them in half and squeeze out the tender inner part. Serve with fingerling potatoes and wilted greens.
