This year, Christmas and the first night of Hanukkah landed on the same night, calling for a celebration and feast. This meal has two parts: cocktail hour with snacks while we exchanged presents and did some reflections, and a sit down dinner with dessert. A bit of early morning prep and a partner (or two) in the kitchen for the latkes are key to relaxed but deliberate time cooking.
Menu:
Cocktail Snacks:
Potato latkes with assorted toppings (NYT Cooking). Applesauce is a great vegan topping, with smoked fish and creme fresh for non-vegan diners.
Blistered shishito peppers
Olives
Seated dinner (all served family style):
Orange and garlic infused carrots (No Meat Disco, subbed tahini sauce for yogurt base)
Cauliflower steaks with caramelized shallots (Rainbow Vegan Life, I cooked and served the florets with the steaks)
Crispy seared mushrooms with garlic and thyme
Leafy green salad (red leaf lettuce, radish, herbs, scallions, avocado, pistachio; dressing: balsamic vinegar + infused oil from carrots)
Butternut squash risotto (Love and Lemons)
Dessert:
Olive oil cake (NYT Cooking, subbed oat milk for whole milk, 1:1 gluten free flour)
Preparation Steps:
Morning:
Chop butternut squash, season with salt, pepper, and paprika, and bake in oven until soft. Transfer to bowl and store in fridge.
Prepare cauliflower tahini sauce, store in fridge.
Prepare carrot base (I did the same tahini sauce with chili oil instead of herbs).
Peel potatoes for latkes and carrots.
Toast pecans for cauliflower.
Finely chop pistachios for carrots.
Roughly chop pistachios for salad.
Chop radish for salad.
Chop onions, garlic and herbs for various recipes.
Mid-Day:
Assemble and fry latkes. (I delegated this to a kitchen helper and served as support, it requires fairly constant effort.)
Assemble and cook carrots. These cook for a long time at low heat. Once soft, transfer to heat drawer and increase oven heat.
Assemble cauliflower steak and garbanzos and place in the oven after carrots are finished.
Assemble salad, but do not dress.
Tear / chop mushrooms.
Plate latke toppings and olives.
Right before time to serve, pan sear shishitos.
Serve latkes, olives, and shishitos. Keep a timer on the cauliflower. If finished during cocktail hour, turn oven off and leave mushrooms and carrots in warm oven.
Final Prep:
Prepare risotto using already cooked butternut squash. Delegate to a helper (little skill required) to keep stirring/adding vegetable broth.
Make cake, cooking while guests eat dinner. Delegate this to a self-sufficient kitchen helper.
Prepare caramelized shallots for cauliflower steaks.
Sear mushrooms in groups seasoning with salt and pepper. Add portion of minced garlic near end of searing for each group, and mix in chopped thyme after cooked. While cooking in batches, assemble the other dishes.
Spread tahini sauces on separate servings dishes.
Plate carrots, top with pistachios. Reserve infused olive oil in jar. Right before serving, toss salad with some olive oil, storing the rest for other uses.
Plate cauliflower, top with pecans, shallots, and herbs.
Dress salad with infused olive oil from carrots, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper.
Serve dishes family style. Enjoy!
Once cake is ready, serve topped with lemon zest.
Ingredients:
Grocery: | Pantry: |
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| Spices: cumin seed, coriander seed, paprika, ground cumin, red pepper flakes |
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