Sometimes it feels like holiday cooking can get a little stale. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole… the same old holiday dishes we all know and love, but have tried a million times. To help shake things up this holiday season, I reached out to some of my favorite local chefs for some not-so-traditional recipes that you’ll want to cook for your next festive family gathering.
Raul Sanchez is the executive chef and owner of Maya Del Sol Kitchen, and his recipe is a Mexican holiday classic:
RECIPE: LOMO ALMENDRADO
(Almond Stuffed Pork Loin with Mango Sauce)
Serves 6-8 people
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large or 2 small mangoes
- 3 cayenne peppers or a half teaspoon of cayenne powder
- *Optional* 1 guajillo pepper or you may substitute ancho peppers *Not required*
- 1 garlic clove
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 2 small pork tenderloins around 1.5 lbs each
- 1/2 cup toasted almonds
- 1/2 cup of golden or regular raisins
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
PREPARATION
- Peel Mango/Mangoes
- Remove fruit from pit
- Put in saucepan and cover with water
- Boil for 10 minutes
- Once mangoes are cooked, add mangoes and boiled water to blender with peppers and garlic clove
- Blend for 4 minutes
- While sauce is blending, heat the oil in a saucepan and add sauce to hot oil
- Bring to boil and salt to taste
- If sauce is not as sweet as you would like, add a teaspoon of sugar
- Set aside
- With a knife, poke thumb-size holes halfway through tenderloin
- Stuff each hole alternating raisins and almonds (you can never overstuff) set aside once done
- In a small bowl, mix peppers, sugar, salt and black pepper
- Cover tenderloin with all seasoning
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees F
- Bake for 10 minutes at 500 and then drop temp to 350, bake for 10 minutes
- After the 10 minutes, take out of oven, cover with foil and let rest
- Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and vegetable of choice
Marcie Rosenberg is the owner/chef of Dining In Inc, Charleston’s premier kosher catering company, and this is her recipe for mouthwatering potato latkes:
POTATO LATKES
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pounds russet potatoes
- 3/4-pound yellow onions
- 4 eggs
- 3/4 cup of matzo meal
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- Oil for frying
PREPARATION
- Peel the potatoes and onions
- In a food processor, using the “S” blade, put all the onions and half of the potatoes and puree with the eggs. (Divide in batches depending on size of processor)
- Once pureed, grate the rest of the potatoes and mix into the pureed mixture
- Add the matzo, salt and pepper.
- Add about 1” of oil to a frying plan and make a small test latke to check seasoning levels, adjusting as needed
- Using a large spoon, place potato latke mixture into hot oil, then cook until golden brown on each side
- Hold in warm oven on a sheet tray until ready to serve
SPARKLING CRANBERRY MARGARITA
Cantina 76
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 oz of Cranberry Juice
- 1 ½ oz of Blanco tequila
- 1 oz of orange liqueur
- 1 oz of lime juice
- 1/2 to 1 oz of agave to taste
- 1 1/2 oz of sparkling water
- Ground Clove & Sugar Rim
- 2 to 3 Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
- Rosemary Sprig
PREPARATION
- Combine cranberry juice, tequila, orange liqueur, agave, and lime juice into a shaker with ice. Shake hard.
- Wet the rim with lime juice, then rim the glass with a mixture of ground cloves and cane sugar.
- Add ice to the rimmed glass and pour desired amount from shaker, leaving room to top it off with sparkling water. Then give it a little stir.
- Garnish with 2 to 3 fresh or frozen whole cranberries and a Rosemary sprig. Cheers!
By Sherry Whiting
Leave a Reply