Happy Holidays!

What makes a holiday meal festive ?

“Peace”, linocut, 4 x 6”, M.A. Erickson

As I sit down to plan holiday meals to share, I find myself trying to find dishes that feel festive and elevated, yet remain approachable enough to make at home without stress. How to strike that balance? After all, the holidays are about celebration and connection, not just a culinary tour de force. In my years as a chef, I created dishes that people wouldn’t ordinarily or easily make at home, offering something unique enough to justify dining out. That often meant crafting special occasion meals, but also everyday comfort foods that had a little something extra going on, a subtle, unique twist.

Take a simple roast chicken, for example. It might sound basic but paired with sautéed mushrooms, chunky bacon lardons and glazed pearl onions it becomes “poulet rôti grand-mère”, or chicken like grandma used to make, (if she happened to be French). A sprinkle of truffle salt on roasted potatoes, or a drizzle of brown butter with sage on butternut squash, Voila! Break out your holiday candles and a festive tablecloth, little touches like this give a sense of occasion without hard-to-find ingredients or hours in the kitchen that could be spent catching up and celebrating with friends and family.

Mary Anne swears that it’s the sauce that elevates many a dish from ordinary to special and I have to agree. The extra touch of the right condiment or sauce can certainly make all the difference. Who doesn’t want a little extra gravy on their turkey or au poivre on their steak?

With that in mind, here’s a festive suggestion that can brighten just about any holiday dish. It’s colorful, flavorful, and wonderfully versatile, perfect alongside a cheese or charcuterie platter, roast chicken, turkey, pork, ham… in short, almost anything except seafood. Make a big batch, spoon into fancy or mason jars, and you’ve got a great homemade holiday gift as well.

MOSTARDA DI FRUTTA

This is a sweet, savory and slightly spicy condiment made with fresh and dried fruits, popular in Northern Italy. Don’t let the name scare you away, it’s a wonderful addition to any table and comes together quite quickly. It’s an especially great condiment for the holidays because of all the colorful fruit. And it keeps practically forever refrigerated in a glass jar so all the more reason to make a big batch.

Ingredients:

4 cups diced crisp firm apples and/or pears
1 cup dried apricots, halved or quartered
1 1/2 cups dried cherries and/or cranberries

Liquid:

1½ cups sugar
1 cup white or apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
Optional: a few bay leaves or a sprig of rosemary if you like

Cooking on the stove

Method:

1. In a large stainless steel pot, combine sugar, vinegar, and water with a pinch of cayenne and the bay leaves, bring to a simmer

2. Add dried fruits and simmer until plump, about 10-15 minutes

3. Add fresh fruits and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes more

4. Mix in 3-4 tablespoons of Dijon and coarse mustards, or more to taste

5. The final consistency should be syrupy, similar to honey, thick and glossy.

   Fruits should be soft but still hold their shape. If needed adjust the thickness by reducing the liquid or adding a bit more water if the dried fruits have absorbed everything.

6. Let cool and transfer to clean glass jars for storage. Yields about 6 cups

   

   Happy Holidays , Richard & Mary Anne