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This time of year, we tend to crave comfort food and festive treats. We checked in with several local foodies and chefs to find out a few of their favorite recipes for the holidays and cold weather (recipes have been lightly edited for clarity and length.)
Salted pecan-toffee crunch
Anthony Secviar, chef and co-owner of Palo Alto’s Michelin-starred Protégé restaurant, shared his recipe for salted pecan-toffee crunch – a holiday treat that’s a beloved tradition in his family.
“Seriously, my wife can’t make enough of this during the holidays,” he wrote in an email. “If you are going to a party, or on the fence about what to give out this year, take it from a Michelin-starred chef and make this. Just be prepared to make it again next year – they will come calling!”
Ingredients:
- Saltine crackers, as needed*
- 3 cups almonds, toasted with skin on
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ vanilla bean, split and seed scraped (alternatively: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 ounces dark chocolate chips
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
- Line a quarter sheet pan with foil and cover with a piece of pre-cut parchment. Arrange a single layer of saltine crackers to completely cover the bottom of the pan (you may need to trim crackers to fit evenly in one layer). Distribute the toasted almonds over the crackers (there should only be one layer) and put aside.
- Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom saucepan, combine sugar, butter, vanilla and salt, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook until the caramel turns the color of toasted almond skins (7-9 minutes).
- Once the color is achieved, remove from heat and immediately pour the hot toffee over the almonds and crackers, carefully spreading to form an even layer that coats the nuts. Allow to cool at room temperature for approximately 2 minutes and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the toffee. The chocolate will melt to form an even layer over the toffee and nuts (you may need to gently spread the chocolate with a plastic spatula to form an even layer and aid with the melting).
- Finish the toffee by sprinkling the finely chopped pecans over the top before chocolate has cooled. Transfer tray into the refrigerator and allow to cool until chocolate and toffee has set (20-30 minutes). Remove from refrigerator, lift out the parchment paper with toffee, remove parchment and break into desired shapes/sizes. Store in airtight containers at room temperature.
*To make a gluten-free version, replace the saltines with gluten-free pretzel sticks. This requires more patience to evenly line up all the sticks to cover the bottom of the pan.
Pasta e fagioli with crispy polenta
Chef Donato Scotti of Redwood City’s Donato Enoteca shares a favorite seasonal recipe that reminds him of his youth in Italy.
“My mom used to make beans all of the time in the winter months because they’re quick, cost-effective and can feed a large family over many days. So I think of this as the ultimate comfort food that reminds me of my childhood in Bergamo,” he wrote in an email.
Scotti adds crispy polenta to give this bean soup extra crunch. He prefers using Lamon beans when available but said traditional borlotti beans work great as well with their pleasant, nutty flavor.
“In Italy, legumes are often combined and cooked with various cereals, such as spelt, barley and rice, but much more commonly they are used with pasta – in fact, almost all 20 regions of Italy have a dish of pasta and legumes,” he wrote in an email. “I use fresh tagliatelle noodles, but you can use any favorite pasta shape. The holidays are so busy for me at the restaurant that I like to have this available as a nourishing meal in between events at Donato Enoteca and Christmas shopping.”
Soup ingredients (serves 4-6):
- 1 cup dried fagioli di Lamon, borlotti or cranberry beans
- 4 ounces guanciale, chopped
- 10 cups cold water
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 rib celery, chopped
- 1 medium potato, whole and peeled
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces dried tagliatelle or fettuccine egg pasta, broken up
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
Crispy polenta ingredients:
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 cup Italian cornmeal, plus extra for dredging
- 2 cups of oil for frying
- Soak beans in cold water for at least 8 hours, then drain and discard the water. Rinse under cold water and drain again.
- To prepare the crispy polenta, bring water and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Turn off heat and let rest for 1 minute. Slowly add cornmeal and whisk until there are no lumps. Turn heat to medium and bring polenta to a simmer while stirring gently. Turn the heat very low and simmer for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer polenta to a 9×13 (quarter-size) sheet pan and set aside to cool.
- To make the soup, in a heavy 6-quart soup pot or casserole dish over medium heat, sauté the vegetables in olive oil. When vegetables start to soften, turn heat to high and add beans, guanciale and cold water. When the water begins to boil, lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, about 1½ hours, until the beans are very tender. Transfer half of the soup and the whole potato to a blender or food processor, or use a food mill or immersion hand blender, and process until almost smooth. (It’s OK to have some texture in the soup.) Return pureed beans to the pot and season the blended soup mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cut polenta into small cubes, dredge in cornmeal and deep-fry in 350 degree oil for 3-4 minutes or until crisp and golden.
- Bring soup to a boil. Add the pasta and cook 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the pasta is tender but firm to the bite (al dente).
- Divide soup into individual serving bowls, drizzle with olive oil and add freshly ground black pepper and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to each serving; top with crispy polenta cubes.
Khoresh gheymeh
Nina Sarazin is the founder of Nourish & Flourish, a Menlo Park-based cooking program for children. She shared a recipe for a cold-weather family favorite.
“My mum was Iranian and always incorporated Persian foods to any meal, which was almost always showcased at our family holiday gatherings,” she wrote in an email. “Khoresh gheymeh is delicious, warm, and the perfect soul food for cold weather. Put over basmati rice, or eat plain. This recipe is easily made vegetarian or vegan, which my mother often did; just omit the meat.”
Persian dried limes can be found at Middle Eastern grocery stores or ordered online, she said.
Ingredients (serves 4-6):
- ¾ cup yellow split peas, picked over and rinsed
- 3¾ cups water, divided
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 pound stewing meat (preferably eye of round), cut into 1/2 inch cubes (omit for vegetarian recipe)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- ¼ cup tomato paste, mixed with ½ cup warm water
- ¼ teaspoon ground saffron steeped in 2 tablespoons hot (not boiling) water
- 5 small limoo omani (Persian dried limes), each pierced in a couple of spots
- Zest of 1 small orange
- Juice of ½ small orange
- Place the yellow split peas in a small pot and cover with 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium-low and partially cover. Cook until the yellow split peas are al dente — not completely cooked through; softened but with a bite to them. This can take anywhere between 15-30 minutes depending on the quality of your yellow split peas. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, meat, pepper, turmeric, ginger and 1 teaspoon salt. Saute for about 6-8 minutes until onion softens (but doesn’t brown). Add 1¾ cups water and bring to a very gentle boil. Cover and simmer on low for 30-40 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste/water mixture, saffron water, limoo omani and orange zest. Stir to combine. Cover with the lid ajar and simmer on medium-low for 30-45 minutes. Occasionally gently press down on the limoo omani with the back of a wooden spoon so they release their juices into the stew. Add the yellow split peas in the last 20 minutes of cooking. Taste for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary. If the stew gets too thick, add more water. If you like it on the thicker side, remove the lid and allow some of the water to evaporate.
- Add the orange juice right before turning off the heat. The stew is ready when the meat is very tender and the yellow split peas are cooked through but not mushy.
Tagliolini with truffle
Maico Campilongo and Kristjan D’Angelo, two members of the team behind Palo Alto’s iTalico and Terún Pizzeria as well as San Carlos’ Impasto, shared a favorite recipe that’s perfect for late autumn and early winter – tagliolini (or “tajarin” in Piemontese dialect) pasta with truffle.
Executive chef D’Angelo was born in Puglia, in southern Italy, but grew up in Asti, in the northern region of Piedmont, and it was there that he honed his culinary skills. The region is famous for its high-quality truffles, which are most available this time of year, Campilongo said.
Ingredients (serves 4):
- ~¼ cup salt for cooking pasta (Campilongo said his tip for cooking pasta perfectly is to use 10 grams of salt per 100 grams of pasta per 1,000 milliliters of water)
- 12 ounces tagliolini/tajarin
- 1 white or black truffle, 2-3 ounces
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup grated Parmigiano
- Sweet Italian sausage, seared (omit for vegetarian recipe)
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the tagliolini until al dente. Save ⅓ cup cooking water before draining.
- Clean the truffle with a damp cloth, and grate half. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan until it foams. Add grated truffle to the butter and 1 or 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water. Add the cooked pasta to the butter and sprinkle with grated Parmigiano. Cook and stir on a gentle flame to coat pasta with sauce (seared sausage optional).
Tandoori roast turkey
Chef Ajay Walia and Reena Miglani, co-founders of Rasa in Burlingame, Saffron Indian Bistro in San Carlos and Amara in Belmont, shared a recipe for a variation on a seasonal favorite.
“This tandoori roast turkey offers a flavorful twist on a holiday classic, blending the rich spices of India with a comforting, traditional roast,” according to Walia. “It’s a perfect choice for impressing guests who enjoy bold flavors and unique culinary experiences.”
Ingredients:
- 4 turkey legs (bone in, skin on)
Brine mix:
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 ounces lemon juice
- 3 cups water
- 4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
Tandoori marinade:
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 3 tablespoons ginger paste
- 3 tablespoons garlic paste
- Juice of 1 lime, freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 3-5 tablespoons mustard oil
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
Garlic mashed potatoes:
- 3-4 boiled potatoes (peeled and mashed)
- 3 ounces butter
- ¼ cup chopped garlic
- ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Sautéed veggies:
- 8 ounces broccoli
- 8 ounces asparagus
- 8 ounces baby carrots
- 8 ounces green beans
- 4 ounces butter
- 5-6 cloves garlic, chopped
- Salt, to taste
- ½ bunch cilantro, chopped
Cranberry sauce:
- 3 cups cranberries
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- For the brine: Mix all the brine ingredients together.
- Clean turkey legs, rinse and pat dry. Place them in the prepared brine mix and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, preheat oven to 350°F and make the tandoori marinade: Mix yogurt and mustard oil with ginger and garlic paste until smooth. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
- Remove turkey legs from the brine, pat dry and coat with tandoori marinade. Place marinated turkey legs in a baking pan, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 2-2½ hours until tender.
- While the turkey cooks, make the garlic mashed potatoes: Peel and mash the boiled potatoes, set aside. In a pan on low heat, melt butter and sauté chopped garlic. Add mashed potatoes and milk, stirring until smooth. Add salt to taste.
- For the sautéed veggies: Clean and parboil all veggies in hot water, then immediately transfer to ice-cold water to cool. Drain and set aside. In a pan on low heat, melt butter and sauté chopped garlic with salt and cilantro. Add parboiled veggies and sauté briefly before serving.
- For the cranberry sauce: Roughly puree cranberries. In a pot, combine cranberries, water, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt and paprika. Cook until thickened into a sauce.
- Serve the turkey legs on a platter with garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed veggies and cranberry sauce.
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