Hosting with Style
The holidays are the perfect time for gathering with friends and family and reflecting on the things that matter most. In the latest issue of NEST Magazine, we shared simple tips for holiday hosting along with recipes from the region’s top chefs. Our friends at Southern Development Homes graciously opened up their model home, where we hosted our dream soirée…
FOOD
Whether you’re hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, a Hanukkah feast, or a New Year’s Day brunch, keep things fresh with a new recipe this year. We’ve sourced recipes from acclaimed chefs in our region…from top-rated menu items to family favorites, these dishes are sure to be crowd pleasers.
RECIPE: Silk Handkerchief Pasta
with Roasted Wild Mushrooms, Porcini Cream, Tomato Marmalade and Cojita Cheese
CHEF: Zachary Meloy
RESTAURANT: Find Chef Zach at the Goat Farm Arts Center, where he hosts his “Pulpit Suppers” supper club. This 14-seat multi-course meal served on plates made by Zach himself is an experience you can’t miss!
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning sauce
- 6 egg yolks
- 3 TBS whole milk
- 4 TBS plus 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup dry Polenta, for dusting baking sheet
- 2 pounds mixed mushrooms, cleaned and cut or torn into similar size pieces
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 4 large cloves garlic, grated
- 4 TBS porcini mushroom powder
- 8 TBS Tomato Marmalade (see recipe)
- 4 TBS cojita cheese
- 16 snap pea shoots
TOMATO MARMALADE:
- 1 pound tomatoes, very finely chopped
- 5/8 cup granulated sugar
- 5/8 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
Salt, to taste
PREPARATION:
TOMATO MARMALADE: In medium saucepan combine all marmalade ingredients. Bring to
boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to simmer. Cook until liquid is reduced and syrupy, approx. 2 hours. Watch carefully towards the end of cooking, as mixture could begin to burn at this point. Remove from heat, allow to cool and season to taste with salt. Set aside.
PREPARE DOUGH: In a food processor, combine flour and salt, pulse to combine. In small bowl, whisk egg yolks until blended, then with the food processor running, drizzle
the yolks into the flour mixture. Drizzle in milk and 2 tsp olive oil. Let machine run until a smooth dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper, form into a ball and knead a few times. Form a ball, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Allow to rest at least an hour.
ROLL OUT PASTA: Set rollers on pasta machine to widest setting. Divide dough in half. Rewrap one half and set aside. Working with first half of dough, run it twice through the rollers at the widest setting, keeping it flat. If dough begins to stick, dust rollers very lightly with flour. Reset rollers one width narrower, pass dough through twice. Repeat, continuing to narrow roller setting until you reach second to last setting. Cut the length of dough in half, if needed for easier handling. Once dough is rolled, lay it flat on work surface and cut into 6” pieces. Lay pieces on baking sheet, dusted with polenta. Dust polenta between layers to keep pasta from sticking. Repeat with second half of dough.
COOK PASTA AND MUSHROOM SAUCE: Bring large pot of water to boil. On second burner, heat very large skillet over medium high heat. Add remaining 4 TBS olive oil and heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms, sauté until they begin to color around the edges. Add cream, garlic, and porcini powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer
until mixture is reduced by half, approx. 20 minutes. When sauce is almost done reducing, drop sheets of pasta into boiling water one by one, stirring to be sure they don’t stick together. Cook pasta 1-2 minutes. Remove from water and add directly to sauce. Toss to combine.
PLATE: Divide pasta and mushroom sauce between four serving plates, top with 1 TBS
tomato marmalade, cojita cheese, and pea shoots. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
DIFFICULTY: ♦♦♦♦♦
RECIPE: Biscuits with Seared Ham and Red Eye Gravy
CHEF: Katy and Joe Kindred
RESTAURANT: KINDRED, Lake Norman, NC
RED EYE GRAVY:
- 1 TBS unsalted butter
- 1 tsp flour
- 1/2 tsp fresh sage, chopped
- 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 3/4 cup coffee
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
BUTTERMILK BISCUITS:
- 5 cups high-quality all purpose flour
- 1 TBS plus 2 tsp high-quality fresh baking powder
- 1 TBS kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold
- 1 1/2 cup whole fat buttermilk, cold
- 3 TBS butter, melted
PREPARATION:
RED EYE GRAVY: In small skillet, melt butter, add sage and thyme, toasting herbs for 45 seconds. Add flour to butter mixture, whisk until smooth, cook for an additional 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in cream, coffee, salt, and sugar. Let cook until reduced by half, whisking periodically. Remove from heat.
BUTTERMILK BISCUITS: Preheat oven to 500°F. Sift flour and baking powder into large bowl. Sprinkle kosher salt into flour mixture. Cube 1 cup cold butter into 1” cubes. Add butter cubes to flour mixture by squeezing the cubes and massaging them into the dough, until the cubes become flat leaves of butter. Place flour mixture into fridge for 5 minutes. Remove from fridge, make a well in the center and add cold buttermilk. Using a rubber spatula, turn the bowl, mixing the dry ingredients from the outside of the bowl into the well in the center. Dough will look dry and crumbly. Pour dough onto floured surface, scraping down edges of the bowl to get every bit. Using your hands, form a flat oval with dough, and begin to fold over onto itself down the middle. Gently fold it over 10 times until a solid mass has formed. Roll dough to 1.5” to 2” thick. Use biscuit cutter to cut circles out of the dough, do not twist the cutter—cut straight down. Cut as many biscuit as possible and place on an ungreased baking sheet close together (almost touching). Melt 3 TBS of butter, set aside. Bake for 6 minutes, then rotate 180 degrees. Bake for additional 3 minutes, then remove, brush on melted butter on top, and place back in oven until golden
brown (approx. 15 minutes total). Serve immediately.
FINISH: Slice spiral ham into thick slices and sear in a buttered non-stick pan until golden brown. Split biscuits and top with seared ham, finish with gravy on top.
DIFFICULTY: ♦♦♦♦
“Our biscuits and gravy are a Christmas morning tradition for our family. We hope it becomes one for you, too!”
-Katy and Joe Kindred
RECIPE: Thanksgiving Turkey
CHEF: Katie Button
RESTAURANT: NIGHT BELL, Asheville, NC
TURKEY:
- Spatchcock* the turkey.
DRY BRINE:
- 3 cups kosher salt
- 3 cups brown sugar
- 1 orange peel
- 12 sprigs thyme
- 12 sprigs rosemary
- 4 TBS fennel seeds
PREPARATION: Two days ahead of serving, combine dry brine ingredients, ripping apart the thyme and rosemary sprigs when adding to release aromatics. Let sit covered with plastic wrap at room temperature to meld flavors. One day ahead, place spatchcocked* turkey on a sheet pan and rub brine mixture evenly all over bird—on top, and underneath. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight up to 24 hours. Day of, remove
turkey and wash off the brine with warm water. Pat turkey dry thoroughly with paper towels and place on sheet pan. Preheat oven to 450°F. Place turkey in oven and roast, rotating occasionally for even browning until proper cook temp is achieved. Turkey will cook much faster with this spatchcocked method, so begin checking temp frequently after 1 hour.
DIFFICULTY: ♦♦♦
EXTRA CREDIT: When spatchcocking turkey, trim the excess fat and skin around the neck and back, cut into small pieces and render in a saucepan with a little water ahead of time. Baste turkey every 20 minutes with the rendered turkey fat. You will end up with evenly browned and crispier turkey skin.
* Spatchcock
Spatchcocking a turkey cuts down on cooking time and still packs plenty of flavor. The process of removing the backbone and breaking the breastbone allows you to lay the bird flat on a sheet pan, greatly reducing the cooking time.
Step 1: Cut the Backbone
Place the whole turkey on a cutting board with the breast-side down. Locate the backbone along the center of the bird, and starting at the tail, use a sharp pair of kitchen shears to cut alongside the spine. If you need extra leverage, stand on a foot stool, and use just the tip of the shears to slowly cut through. Rotate the turkey 180°, and cut along the other side of spine.
Step 2: Remove the Backbone
Remove the backbone from the turkey. Set aside the backbone, along with any excess fat and skin around the neck and back to later use for stock.
Step 3: Open the Turkey
Take hold of both newly cut edges, and open the turkey. Remove any large pieces of fat. Flip the turkey breast-side up.
Step 4: Flatten the Bird
With two hands, press down firmly on the center of the bird until you hear a crack. This is the wishbone breaking. Twist the wings to tuck them underneath the body of the bird, preventing the wingtips from burning and allowing the bird to lay flat.
Step 5: Brine Turkey
Follow along with the rest of our recipe to brine and roast the bird.
RECIPE: Baked Masonboro Oysters with Roasted Shrimp and Palm Oil
CHEF: Dean Neff
RESTAURANT: PINPOINT RESTAURANT, Wilmington, NC
- 1 pound of NC shrimp, cleaned and deveined (heads and shells reserved)
- 2 TBS butter
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly shaved
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 2 TBS all purpose flour
- 2 TBS cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 TBS lemon juice
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
- 1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 cup canola oil
- 3 TBS palm oil (sustainably sourced)
- 24 Masonboro oysters
- Panko bread crumbs
- Lemon wedges
PREPARATION: Clean and devein shrimp. Reserve shells and heads.
TOPPING: In 3-4 quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add shrimp, minced onions, garlic, chili flakes, and smoked paprika. Sauté until shrimp are cooked and garlic is just about to brown. Remove shrimp with slotted spoon and set aside. In pan, add flour and cook over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring until completely combined. Cautiously add cream, milk, and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir well to remove any lumps of flour. Return shrimp to pan. Add the fresh thyme and oregano, season with salt to taste.
ROASTED SHRIMP PALM OIL: In 3-4 quart saucepot, heat canola oil to 325°F. Add reserved shrimp shells and heads, fry until golden and crispy. Remove, pat dry on clean towel. In a food processor, add the crispy shrimp shells and heads and palm oil. Process until mixture is smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
OYSTERS: Shuck the oysters, making sure that they are free from shells. Flip the oysters in the shell while detaching the adductor muscle. Top each oyster with 2 tsp of the shrimp topping, a small sprinkle of panko
bread crumbs, and a pea-sized ball of the palm oil-shrimp shell mixture. Bake the topped oysters at 375°F until the oyster is hot throughout and the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve with fresh lemon squeezed on
top of each oyster.
DIFFICULTY: ♦♦♦
RECIPE: Basic Tea Scones
CHEF: Shaena Muldoon
RESTAURANT: PALISADES, Eggleston, VA
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 TBS unsalted sweet butter, cold
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 TBS milk
PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut butter into the flour mixture, until pea size crumbs are formed, set aside. In a different bowl,
whisk together buttermilk, 1 egg, vanilla extract (and whatever fruits/spices*, listed below, that
you want to add). To the flour mixture, fold in hard ingredients like white chocolate chips and
candied ginger. Gently mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients to form your dough. With
floured hands, pat dough to a ¾” thickness onto a floured board. Use biscuit cutter or your
preferred cookie cutter. Dipping the cutter into flour each time helps prevent stickiness. Make
egg wash by whisking one egg and 1 TBS milk. Lightly brush top of the scones with egg wash.
Bake 12 to 18 minutes until lightly golden brown. Baking time will vary according to the size of
your scone. Yields: 12 full size scones or 24 small size scones.
MIX-INS/TOPPINGS:
STRAWBERRIES & CREAM:
- 1 cup of diced strawberries, peaches, or raspberries
- ½ cup of white chocolate chips
ORANGE SPICE:
- 1 tsp orange extract
- 1 1/4 tsp of cardamom
- ½ cup of chocolate chips
LEMON GINGER:
- 1 cup ginger puree
- 1 tsp lemon extract
- ¼ cup diced candied ginger
CINNAMON:
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 cup cinnamon morsels
DIFFICULTY: ♦♦♦
RECIPE: Vegan Cafe Yogurt Parfait
CHEF: Christian Zammas
RESTAURANT: KATORA, Fredericksburg, VA
PREPARATION:
In chilled mug or parfait glass, place half of yogurt in bottom. Stir cold coffee into
yogurt. Carefully layer granola on top. Place sliced strawberries and bananas on top of granola. Layer remaining yogurt on top, add pumpkin seeds. Drizzle agave nectar on top for extra sweetness.
DIFFICULTY: ♦
BEVERAGES
Choose one signature cocktail for your occasion and make it in batches. This keeps you from playing bartender all night. Serve this alongside an assortment of local wines and some fun non-alcoholic
options. We love this minty hot cocoa recipe from C’ville favorite, Tavola.
REIPCE: Holiday Branca Menta and Clove Hot Chocolate
CHEF: Rebecca Edwards, Assistant Bar Manager
RESTAURANT: TAVOLA RESTAURANT, Charlottesville, VA
- 1 cup water
- 1 TBS of ground dried cloves
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup semisweet cocoa powder
- 3 cups whole milk
- 3 cups Branca Menta (a digestif amaro)
- whipped cream and peppermint sticks for garnish
PREPARATION:
In a small pot on medium heat, bring water and cloves to a soft boil. Whisk in sugar until dissolved, then whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk until combined. Reduce heat to low, and whisk in Branca Menta. Ladle into mugs—garnish with whipped cream and a peppermint stick!
DIFFICULTY: ♦♦
For a printable PDF of these recipes, click here.
Check back next week when we share tips for holiday decor and floral arrangements. We shared this story with you in our Fall/Winter 2018 Issue of NEST Magazine. To view the full issue, click here.