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JuliKellner
Juli Kellner
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Courtesy Elizabeth's Chophouse
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Tom and Elizabeth Wahlstrom, Elizabeth’s Chophouse
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Courtesy New Scenic Café
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Scott Graden, New Scenic Café
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Courtesy Ledge Rock Grille
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Chef Tom Linderholm and Dan Little, general manager/camp director of Larsmont Cottages
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Courtesy Gargoyles Grille & Ale
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Matt Wilkins, Gargoyles Grille & Ale
The turkey, roasted to a fragrant bronze, sits ready to carve on its platter. The potatoes are mashed, the gravy is golden and lump free, the side dishes are hot, the salads cold and the holiday punch chilled. Hungry guests wait at the elegantly laid holiday table.
Just one problem: The only thing in the kitchen that got any rest is the turkey.
Can there be a holiday at home without getting up at 4 a.m. to put the turkey in the oven, without being too busy to visit with guests and without ending the day gravy-stained, sweaty and elbows-deep in a mountain of dishes?
Yes, according to a few regional experts. I asked four chefs in restaurants recognized for quality food and service for their advice on holiday hosting without the hassle. They also each threw in a quick-and-easy recipe to make ahead or when unexpected guests arrive to make things even more hassle free … and tasty.
Make It Ahead
“The key is to make it as pre-made or pre-assembled as you possibly can,” advises Tom Wahlstrom of Elizabeth’s Chophouse in Marquette.
Tom and his wife, Elizabeth, opened the Chophouse in 2007. Both have years of experience in the restaurant business, and Tom’s father also owned a restaurant beginning in the 1940s. When we asked a Marquette resident where people go for a “fancy” meal in the city, his answer was swift and certain: Elizabeth’s Chophouse.
Tom says that holiday cooks can reduce their in-the-kitchen time by choosing a cooking method that doesn’t need much monitoring. “Braising is an excellent technique that you don’t have to be a chef to master. For instance, veal or lamb Osso Bucco goes into the oven well before everyone arrives and can easily hold while you enjoy your guests.”
In braising, the main ingredient (meat, vegetable or both) is browned in fat, or seared, and then simmered in liquid on low heat in a covered pot. The great thing is that after the searing, the remaining cooking time doesn’t require much attention.
Cooking with the best fresh ingredients is Tom’s passion. “The key to any delicious dish is starting with quality ingredients, and in this case the best lamb or veal you can find and braising it slowly at a low temperature. Start with the right ingredients, don’t hurry and you can’t go wrong.”
As a recommendation for a party hit, Tom has found an absolute winner with one of their appetizers.
“The response we get at parties to our Marinated Tuna is just crazy. Normally we do a tray of assorted appetizers, but it quickly became clear that we needed to do trays of just the marinated tuna tostadas, with guacamole and crème fraiche. Also the nice thing with this appetizer is that you can use elements of it all by themselves, like the guacamole, or in different combinations.”
Keep It Simple
“When it comes to holiday entertaining I feel that simple food is the way to go,” says Matt Wilkins, chef at Gargoyles Grille & Ale in Thunder Bay. “The focus should be on spending quality time with your friends and family, which can be rather hard to do if you’re slaving away in the kitchen all night.
“A surefire way to please with minimal preparation time and without having to run all over town looking for ingredients is to prepare an antipasto platter. You can pretty much get everything you need for an impressive spread at any of your local butcher shops. I like to use an assortment of cured meats (hot capicollo, prosciutto, salami, genoa), a selection of aged cheeses – my personal favorite being locally produced Thunder Oak Extra Old Gouda (from Thunder Oak Cheese Farm outside the city) – and some slightly milder ones as well, such as brie or havarti.”
Matt suggests a nice assortment of olives and pickled goods, such as kosher pickles, hot pickled eggplant and preserved artichoke hearts. “Serve all of these with buttered and grilled slices of baguette and you’re good to go.”
Gargoyles Grille & Ale, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2010, is known for fine dining, creative Canadian fusion cuisine (combining traditional Canadian recipes with different ethnic ingredients and cooking styles) and live music in the evenings. Matt has worked in restaurants since he was 16 and is inspired by great locally produced goods.
In keeping it simple, Matt suggests treating drop-in guests to a selection of fresh fruit or a fine assortment of milk and dark chocolate. “Combine this with your favorite Ontario wines and craft beers and your guests will love you and you can actually have time to enjoy the party.”
Do the Work in Advance
“Preparation is a big thing. You don’t want to be scrambling as your guests arrive,” advises Tom Linderholm, executive chef for several restaurants owned by Odyssey Development on Minnesota’s North Shore.
“I suggest a spread of appetizers that includes a good assortment of cold dishes you can make ahead, and then a couple of knock-out hot items. Then you can really relax and enjoy your guests and the food!”
He also has recipes for some warmed beverages that are welcome additions to winter gatherings.
Tom was inspired by his mother’s phenomenal talent as a home cook. He trained under Phillip Dorwart, executive chef of Minneapolis’ acclaimed Table of Contents Restaurant and worked at such prestigious restaurants as Beano’s Cabin in Beaver Creek, Colorado, rated among the state’s top restaurants by Bon Appetite, and Bennett’s on the Lake. He now has responsibility for Splashing Rock Restaurant at Grand Superior Lodge in Two Harbors, Ledge Rock Grille at Larsmont Cottages, and Mogul’s Grille and Taproom at Caribou Highlands in Lutsen.
“Remember it’s in your hands as you design the menu for your gathering. You can make it as hard or as easy as you like,” says the executive chef. “And you can always enlist help. Don’t try to do it all by yourself. Just make certain you fit the person to the job.”
Relax & Enjoy Your Guests
A common mistake for those hosting a holiday or any party is trying too hard to impress your guests, says Scott Graden, owner and chef of the New Scenic Cafe on the North Shore Scenic Drive in Minnesota.
“The common mistake is trying to do too much. Wanting to impress on a high level … and having it collapse on you.”
Also, too often people choose difficult recipes and then try them for the first time at the party, then apologize when it doesn’t work. Try any new recipe on family first, suggests Scott. “Practice first and then don’t reach so far so that you have to apologize.”
To add to fun for you and your guests, Scott suggests making the meal a potluck or putting guests to work. “Make the cooking aspect part of the party itself. Have help. It adds to the whole social side of it,” he says. This is especially true with family. “I think it’s fun to be together in the kitchen. It adds a real element of enjoyment for me to bump elbows with my siblings. … The enjoyment will be increased by having that social and loving atmosphere.”
Even the children can get involved by setting the table or collecting dishes after the meal.
Scott describes his culinary skills as “self-taught.” He worked for corporations doing menu development and purchased the gourmet New Scenic Café in 1999.
Scott also advises that if you’re hosting the family’s holiday dinner, you need not be bound by traditions. Have prime rib instead of a holiday turkey or ham, he says. “With me, you’re probably going to get braised lamb shanks.”
Scott admits, though, “I enjoy going to my grandmother’s house and having the Jello salad. That’s probably the only place I get that.”
Juli Kellner, our regular Recipe Box columnist, substituted this special, expanded holiday edition of her usual recipe offerings.
Elizabeth’s Chophouse’s Seared Tuna Tostadas
- 12 egg roll skins, cut into fourths and fried
- 3 c. soy sauce
- 3 c. sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp. minced ginger
- 6 tuna steaks (6 oz. each)
Combine soy and ginger in food processor. While blending, add sesame oil in slow drizzle. Cut tuna into 4 equal strips, add to marinade at least 4 hours or overnight.
Mock Crème Fraiche
- 4 c. sour cream
- 1 c. heavy cream
Blend sour cream and heavy cream together.
Elizabeth’s Chophouse Guacamole
- 3 avocados, halved, seeded & diced
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne
- 4 oz. diced onion
- 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded & diced
- 1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
- 1 clove minced garlic
In a large bowl, put diced guacamole, add lime juice, toss to coat. Add salt, cumin, cayenne, onions, tomatoes, cilantro and garlic. Fold all ingredients together, check seasoning.
Tuna
Quickly sear tuna on each side, very quickly, do not overcook. Sear all pieces, reserve. Can be chilled or returned to marinade.
Cut tuna into 1/2-inch squares, place 2 to 3 squares on a tostada, guacamole on tuna, crème fraiche on guacamole. Garnish with sliced green onion and black sesame seeds.
New Scenic Café’s Prosciutto-wrapped Figs
- 24 fresh black mission figs
- 6 slices prosciutto
- 1 c. herbed goat cheese mousse
Preheat an oven to 350° F. Cut the top flat on each fig, so that when set upright, they have a nickel-sized flat surface on top. Using a melon-baller carve out a small bowl in the top of each fig. Lay down each slice of prosciutto and cut into 4 long strips. Wrap 1 strip of prosciutto around each fig. The prosciutto will stick to itself. Arrange the figs on a baking sheet and bake them for 6-7 minutes, until the prosciutto begins to brown a bit. Remove figs from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Before serving, fill the “bowl” in the top of each fig with the herbed goat cheese mousse. Arrange on a platter, serve and enjoy.
Herbed Goat Cheese Mousse
- 8oz. goat cheese (chevre)
- 4 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
- 1tsp. dried chives
- 1tsp. white truffle oil
- 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
Rest the goat cheese and cream cheese at room temp for 1 hour prior to mixing. Place all of the ingredients in an electric mixer. Using a paddle attachment, whip on low speed for 1 minute. Whip on high speed for 1 more minute. Remove from bowl and place into a zip-sealed bag. (Hint: the tip of the bag can be cut off in order to “pipe” the mousse into different things)
This recipe can be used in many, many other ways. We also serve it in Asiago nests, with cucumber and smoked salmon, and have used it with entrees and other dishes.
Ledge Rock Grille’s Warm Winter Glogg
- 4 c. red wine (cabernet sauvignon, an inexpensive brand)
- 2 c. brandy (any inexpensive brand)
- 8 cardamom pods
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Peel of 1 orange
- 2 c. brown sugar
- 2 cloves
- 1/2 c. raisins
- 1/2 c. dried figs
Heat the wine and brandy, spices and fruit in a pot, being careful not to boil the mixture. Let it simmer for about 45 minutes. Then, strain through a fine mesh strainer or cloth to remove all additions and serve hot.
Splashing Rock Restaurant’s Smoked Salmon Mousse
- 1 lb. smoked salmon
- 12 oz. cream cheese
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme
- 2 Tbsp. milk
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Combine above ingredients in food processor until smooth. Place mixture in your favorite serving piece and serve with crackers, crostinis or bagel crisps.
Gargoyles’ Simple Grilled Baguette
- 1 French baguette, fresh, cut horizontally into slices about 1 cm. thick
- 1 lb. butter, softened
- handful of fresh herbs, chopped (“Do not use dry, fresh is essential to good flavour,” says Matt. Choose to your taste, but Matt recommends curly leaf parsley, tarragon and thyme
- 6 cloves of garlic, chopped (add more or less depending on your preference)
- 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
Preheat your grill (or grilling surface) to medium heat. Mix all ingredients with softened butter until evenly distributed. Butter both sides of each slice of baguette while you wait for the grill to come to temperature. Once grill is hot, cook each side of baguette for about 1 minute (time depends on the heat of the grill. Be careful, the bread can burn fairly easily!). Serve bread in a bowl with cured meat, fruit and pickled vegetables on the side.
Poached Pear Créme Brulé
From the Landmark Restaurant, Old Rittennhouse Inn.
Serves 6.
Poached Pears
- 3 pears, halved and cored
- 2 c. Chardonnay
- 2 c. Simple Syrup (e.g. 2 c. water + 2 c. sugar, boil for 2 minutes)
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Start with simple syrup by adding 2 cups sugar to 2 cups water and boil for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except pears. Bring liquid to just under a boil. Add pears and poach until tender when pierced with knife tip. Poaching time will depend on ripeness of pears.
Créme Brulé
- 2 c. heavy cream, very hot
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 1/4 c. vanilla sugar, divided
- 2 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
- 2 large eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/8 tsp. Salt
Mix yolks and eggs, sugar and salt together in mixing bowl. Add hot cream slowly, beating constantly. Pour into 10x6-inch baking dish about 2 inches deep. Bake at 300° F in a water bath for 25 to 30 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Scoop portions into serving dishes (on top of poached pear halves) and sprinkle with reserved vanilla sugar. Use a blowtorch to lightly brown top, and serve with Port Wine Caramel Sauce.
Port Wine Caramel Sauce
- 1 bottle port wine, reduced to 1/2 cup
- 1 lb. brown sugar
- 1/2 lb. butter
- 1/4 c. cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Reduce port slowly in heavy bottom pot (do NOT let boil) until reduced to about 1/2 cup and let cool. In separate heavy bottom pan, melt butter. Add brown sugar and mix. Add vanilla and cream, and heat on mid-low heat until smooth and all sugar crystals have dissolved.