Seasonal delights: a selection of local recipes for celebrating the holidays

No holiday celebration would be complete without scrumptious food. It sustains us, entertains us, and brings us together. So in the spirit of the season, we asked some local food lovers to send us their favourite holiday or seasonal recipes to share as a gift to you. Read them below and click on the links at the end of each recipe for a printable PDF version.

A decadent cheesecake becomes a delicious appetizer when given a savoury treatment (pictured above):

Smoked Salmon Cheesecake
Chef Dave Kealey, Café Wilgress

Ingredients:

1 kg cream cheese, room temperature
200 ml milk
3 eggs
200 g smoked salmon, chopped
100 ml grated Parmesan
50 ml salt
50 ml chopped parsley
400 g bread crumbs, rye or pumpernickel
100 ml butter, melted

Instructions:

• Place cheese, eggs, milk and Parmesan in a bowl. Mix on low until combined.
• Add salt, parsley and salmon. Mix until fully combined.
• Mix bread crumbs and butter together. Press into a lined springform pan. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes.
• Pour the cheese mixture into the pan and bake at 325F for 1 hour.
• Remove from oven and let cool completely, preferably overnight covered with plastic film.
• Cut and serve with a horseradish mustard mayonnaise and finely diced onion and capers.

Serves 20-24 depending on hunger!

Printable version

Whether it’s your main course or served as part of a multi-course meal, classic tourtière is always a crowd-pleaser. Dale’s former mother-in-law was French Canadian and taught her to make this dish when Dale was in her early 20s. Dale’s mother-in-law and her oldest friend – another Francophone who owned a small resort in Port Sydney – were both incredible cooks who did all the cooking and baking for the resort for many years.

Classic French Canadian Tourtière, contributed by Dale Peacock

Classic French Canadian Tourtière
Dale Peacock, Contributor, Huntsville Doppler

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 large baking potato
1 large onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground savoury
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
dash ground allspice
1/2 cup water
1 recipe pastry for a 9-inch double deep dish pie crust
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Instructions:

1. Bake the potato until done, 30 – 45 minutes in a preheated 400F (205C) oven. Peel and mash the potato.
2. Place the potato, ground pork, onion, spices and water in a large frying pan and simmer until very thick, for about one hour.
3. Meanwhile, prepare your pastry. Use lard.
4. Line a deep-dish pie plate with pastry. Spoon in filling, spreading evenly. Cover with top crust.
5. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Cut steam vent. Bake for 50 minutes at 350F (175C). If edges brown too fast, cover with a strip of foil. Serve warm.

Serve with pickled beets.

Printable version

Looking for an alternative to turkey this year? How about this locally created, mouth-watering vegetarian option?

Tofu “Turkey” Holiday Dinner Casserole
Created by Michelle Ainsworth, Muskoka Vegetarian Association

This is a festive recipe for any holiday or gathering and it’s easy to make and low cost. Impress your vegetarian or vegan friends by making this easy to follow protein-enriched recipe for them.

During the holiday season people who don’t eat meat are often left to eat just vegetables – we all know that protein is important and this recipe is a great way to get your protein in a meat-free way!

Tofu “Turkey” Holiday Dinner Casserole by Michelle Ainsworth, Muskoka Vegetarian Association

Ingredients:

For tofu turkey:
12 cups water
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp soy sauce
3 packs firm tofu drained and cut into 1-inch by 5-inch triangle-shaped chunks
2 tbsp oil
1 1/2 tbsp oregano
4 tbsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp thyme
3 tbsp sage
1 veggie bouillon cube
2 tbsp Worcester sauce

For veggie mix:
1 small onion cut into chunks
1 medium onion cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups uncut mini yellow potatoes
4 cups carrots, cut into chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sage

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
2. In a large, wide pot heat all tofu turkey ingredients except for tofu and bring to a rapid boil.
3. Add tofu chunks to liquid and boil on high for 45 minutes, making sure the liquid does not boil away. DO NOT STIR TOFU!! Using a wooden spoon gently turn the tofu about 20 minutes into boiling.
4. In a large casserole dish, place all veggies around and toss, add the olive oil and sage and toss. Place veggies all along the side of the casserole dish.
5. When the tofu is done boiling, with a slotted spoon take out pieces of tofu from liquid and place in the middle of the casserole dish.
6. Using a ladle, scoop two scoops of the liquid over the veggies and tofu, equally distributing it over all. Reserve the remaining liquid.
7. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, then remove from oven and gently flip the ingredients and cover again. Bake for another 30 minutes, checking periodically to ensure it does not dry out. If it appears dry, add more liquid from the pot.
8. Use the remaining liquid to make a brown gravy.
9. Remove tofu turkey dinner casserole from oven and garnish with kale or parsley. Serve with gravy.

Enjoy!! Happy Holidays!!

Printable version

Hardy local vegetables make for hearty seasonal meals. Eat Local Muskoka and The Spring Farm both have community-supported agriculture programs that provide subcribers with weekly food boxes full of local goodness, perfect for these two comfort-filled recipes.

Eat Local Chicken Stew
Contributed by Colin Sober-Williams, Eat Local Muskoka
Recipe by Dave and Denise Connell

Ingredients:

2 cups chicken stock
3 cups raw chicken cut in one-inch cubes
1 medium to large onion, sliced
4 potatoes, cut in one-inch cubes
3 large carrots, chopped
1 cup kohlrabi, diced
1 large white radish, chopped
2 cups frozen peas and corn
1 sprig each of: thyme, parsley, rosemary and basil
Whole wheat flour, salt, pepper, paprika to coat chicken
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. Place chicken broth in large stewing pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, carrots, kohlrabi, radish, and herbs to pot.
2. Coat chicken in mixture of whole wheat flour, salt, pepper and paprika. Brown coated chicken in 2 tbsp oil in a separate pan. Add chicken to pot.
3. Saute sliced onion in oil and then add to pot.
4. Bring mixture in pot to a boil then simmer for one hour, adding peas and corn after ½ hour.
5. Serve with salad made from greens, kale, carrots, green onions, radishes, and tomatoes.

Printable version

Butternut Squash Sauce with Pasta and Greens (Image: ohsheglows.com)

Squash Macaroni (Vegan / Gluten-Free)
Contributed by Jenny Spring, The Spring Farmer
Recipe inspired by Oh She Glows

Ingredients:

1/4 cup raw cashews, soaked
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
3/4 cup water
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional, but recommended)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Fresh dill
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste
1 (450g) package mini shell or macaroni pasta (use gluten-free, if desired)
Red onion, sliced (optional)
Roasted broccoli or sauteed kale leaves, to stir into pasta (optional)
Sliced avocado (optional)

Directions:

1. Place cashews in a small bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight or for at least 3-4 hours, until soft and plump. Drain and rinse before use.
2. Preheat oven to 425F.
3. Toss cubed squash with olive oil and salt. Roast on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 30-40 minutes, flipping once half way through baking, until squash is fork tender. Let cool for at least 5 minutes.
4. Place the soaked and drained cashews, water, garlic, nutritional yeast (if using), lemon juice, paprika, and 2 cups of cooked squash into a high speed blender. Blend on high until smooth. Add the salt and blend again. Set sauce aside.
5. Cook pasta per package directions and drain.
6. Add the drained pasta back into the pot. Pour on your desired amount of sauce and stir to combine.
7. Add sliced broccoli, red onions and sliced avocado if desired.
8. For crispy macaroni, add to a baking dish and bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Adding chopped kale on top is a nice addition to a crispy dish.

Printable version

It’s the holidays, why not eat dessert first? It’s tempting with these yummy recipes…

Holiday Eggnog Crème Brûlée
Executive Chef Ashley Stenabaugh, Hidden Valley Resort

Ingredients:

8 egg yolks
1L 35% cream
1 oz of your favorite rum
1/2 cup sugar + 4 tbsp
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (or fresh grated)
1/2 tsp allspice

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Heat cream, rum, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and allspice just until boiling, and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, slowly add cream mixture into egg yolks while whisking constantly (adding the hot liquid too quickly will begin to cook your eggs, this technique is called tempering).
4. Pour mix through a mesh strainer, and pour equally among 8-10 oven-safe ramekins.
5. Place in a deep pan that will hold all your ramekins, fill the pan with boiling water to halfway up the sides of the ramekins, and cover with tin foil.
6. Bake in water bath for 40-50 minutes, or until middle has set.
7. Remove from water bath and chill for at least 4 hours, add remaining sugar to tops, and either torch or broil (watching very closely) in oven. Garnish as desired and ENJOY!

Yields: 8-10

Printable version

Coconut Dream Balls by Alison Dumont, Strive Holistic Nutrition

Coconut Dream Balls
Alison Dumont, RHN, Strive Holistic Nutrition

Ingredients:

1 cup high-quality unsweetened dried coconut
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp “Rainforest Butter” (nut butter containing Brazil nut, coconut, and cashew)
1 tsp vanilla
dash salt

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients into food processor and mix until a rough paste.
2. Roll into one-inch balls or press into shallow pan. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour.
3. If using pan, cut into bars.
4. Optional: roll balls in cocoa powder or drizzle either bars or balls with melted chocolate!

Printable version

Whipped Shortbread Cookies by Helena Renwick, Downtown Huntsville BIA

Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Helena Renwick, Downtown Huntsville BIA
(This recipe first appeared in the Toronto Star in 1985)

Ingredients:

2 cups salted butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 325F
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and icing sugar, blend well. Stir in the cornstarch. Using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon beat well.
3. Add vanilla. Gradually stir in the flour.
4. Form into one-inch balls and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet two inches apart. Flatten each cookie with the bottom of a glass or a shortbread press or stamp. (This is optional – you can leave them in a small mound or press them.)
5. I like to press half a maraschino cherry into the top before they go into the oven….it adds a little colour and flavour.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, cool for 10 minutes.
7. Dust with icing sugar.

Printable version

Enjoy, Doppler readers, and happy holidays!

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