Despite what most people think, I usually play only a supporting role in my family’s kitchen during the holidays. Ever since my restaurant career began some 20 years ago, my mother has made a point of not putting me to work at the stove. She takes care of the big items—the turkey or the roast—and lets me fiddle with the stuffing or the vegetables. For these dishes, I avoid overly complicated, “chefy” preparations. I prefer to stick with classic dishes and keep things simple. But I always like to add a little something—a fancy garnish or an unusual ingredient— to mark the specialness of the occasion.
This holiday menu, which combines family favorites with a few beloved menu items from my restaurants, is in tune with this spirit. While all the dishes are straightforward at heart, a few twists make them feel elegant and unusual. Take the soup: It’s a simple purée of white beans—nothing too fussy. But top it with some earthy sautéed wild mushrooms and a dollop of herbed mascarpone cheese, and it becomes a refined first course. A smooth, silky texture also sets it apart from your average bean soup. The trick to getting that texture is to purée the beans and vegetables with only a small amount of the cooking liquid first, and then to slowly pour in more liquid until you get a nice, creamy consistency.
We’ve always been a roast-beef-at-Christmas kind of family, so I decided to play a bit with this tradition for the main course. I bury a three-bone prime-rib roast under a big pile of smashed garlic, butter, and fresh herbs, and then I slowcook it in a low oven for at least two hours. The results are luxurious. The meat becomes meltingly tender, and the herbs and garlic infuse it right to the core.
For a twist on classic mashed potatoes, I borrowed a technique we use at my restaurant AOC, where I boil tiny fingerling potatoes, crush them slightly, enrich them with butter, and top them with crème fraîche. Here, I add a little horseradish—an obvious winner with the beef—to the crème fraîche. To play counterpoint to the richness of both prime rib and potatoes, I toss roasted carrots and shallots with oil-cured olives and a vibrant gremolata of garlic, lemon zest, and parsley.
As a chef, I’m used to breaking recipes down into steps so that they can be mostly made ahead. For this menu, I’ve done that for you with the timeline. If you follow it, you’ll have plenty of time to do all the cooking and still enjoy some quality time with your guests.
Fresh Produce 4 oz. radicchio (about 1 medium head) 1/2 lb. baby arugula 1-1/2 lb. small fingerling potatoes or baby potatoes (such as Yukon golds or red bliss) 2 lb. medium carrots 1/2 lb. wild mushrooms (such as shiitake, oyster mushrooms, chanterelles, black and white trumpets, and maitake) 1 lemon 2 apples (preferably Gala, Fuji, or Pink lady) 1 yellow onion 6 medium shallots 1 fennel bulb 2 heads garlic 1 chile d’árbol 2 bunches fresh thyme 1 bunch chives 2 bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 bunch fresh mint 7 6-inch sprigs rosemary
Meat, Eggs & Dairy 6 lbs. 3-bone beef rib roast, preferably close to the loin and prime grade 1 large egg 3 sticks unsalted butter 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 quart heavy cream 1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese 1-1/4 cup crème fraîche
Other Groceries 2 cups dried cannellini beans 3 Tbs. prepared horseradish 3/4 cup walnuts 3 Tbs. fleur de sel 1 Tbs. fennel seeds 1/2 cup oil-cured olives 1-1/4 cups macadamia nuts 1/2 vanilla bean 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate
Pantry Staples 1-1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar 1-1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1/4 cup light corn syrup Kosher salt Black pepper
This menu isn’t difficult, but it does have a lot of steps. The key to making it do-able and stress-free is to plan ahead, do your shopping early, and organize yourself. Here’s a strategy for making it happen.
One week ahead: Make, roll out, and freeze the tart crust
The day before: Make the soup Clean and dry the mushrooms Make the chive mascarpone Clean and prep the carrots Slice the shallots for the carrots Slice the olives Make the horseradish cream Make the buttermilk dressing Defrost the tart crust in the fridge
The morning of: Wash and spin-dry the salad greens Toast the walnuts Make the gremolata Boil the potatoes Cut the herbs for all the recipes Make the tart Take the beef out of the fridge to come to room temperature
In the afternoon: Sauté the mushrooms Prepare the butter for the beef Smash the garlic for the beef Heat the oven Sear and roast the beef (begin about 2 hours and 45 minutes before you want to serve it)
Just before dinner: Slice the apples and assemble the salad (don’t dress it until ready to serve) Reheat the soup and the mushrooms Open the wine Roast the carrots and finish the potatoes while the roast is resting Make the whipped cream just before serving the tart
photo: Scott Phillips
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