While it’s the most wonderful time of the year, it’s also a holly jolly, logjammed season filled with anxiety, angst, perpetual motion and time crunches.
So for all the whirling dervishes out there, let’s celebrate the holidays with some stress-free, warm and cozy cheer in some festive dishes that can be whipped up ahead of time to be shared at potluck parties or enjoyed in a pinch by pop-over guests or family during hectic weeknights.
Roll call
My immigrant grandma’s Old World recipe for stuffed cabbage rolls is truly a holiday treat. Many countries lay claim to the origins of the dish, which s for the several renditions throughout the lands.
She called her darlings holishkls, a concoction of ground beef, rice and raisins enveloped in steamed cabbage leaves and simmered in a sweet and sour tomato-based sauce that traces back 2,000 years when served in Eastern European kitchens in celebration of fall festivals.
Other cultural versions include the Romanian sarmale, which combines ground pork, caramelized onions and rice nestled in pickled sauerkraut leaves and smothered in dill and tomato sauce and topped with smoked sausage.
Ukrainian holubtsi are typically vegetarian, filling pickled cabbage leaves with either buckwheat and wild mushrooms or whole grains and root vegetables, braised in vegetable stock and paired with perogies.
The Asian variation wraps Chinese cabbage around mixed seafood, tofu and shiitakes.
Mine are stuffed with organic ground turkey in a sassy tomato sauce with tart lemon juice, woodsy cinnamon and smoky brown sugar to warm the cockles of your heart on chilly December evenings (see the recipe at the end of this article).
This can be reheated a few days later, no worse for wear — in fact, more hearty and delicious as the dish develops intense flavors over time.
Fingers in many pies
Shepherd’s (or cottage) pie, once an Irish comfort food for penurious families, has been elegantly elevated with ground lamb or sirloin, petite English peas, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and Simon and Garfunkel herbs (parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme). It also can be prepared in a jiff and enjoyed days later.
Same with a family-style turkey or chicken pot pie with a buttery crust (high-quality store-bought is an effortless cheat), pearl onions, assorted fingerlings and seasonal roots such as parsnips, celeriac and rainbow carrots.
For die-hard carnivores, a traditional British steak and kidney pie would hit the spot with a robust, savory stew enveloped in flaky puff pastry (also store-bought).
There’s more. Real men do eat quiche, particularly if it’s tricked out with goodies such as diver scallops, local spiny lobster chunks, asparagus tips, artichoke hearts, maple-cured bacon or baby broccoli in any amalgamation, along with fontina, Gruyere, Swiss or cheddar cheeses.
For the gluten-intolerant, there’s pre-made, gluten-free shells, or bake a crustless frittata. These one-dish wonders are equally delicious served chilled or piping hot for brunches or dinners.
Finally, there’s everyone’s favorite pie — the pizza, with simple, scratch-made dough easily dressed with jarred sauce and shredded mozzarella. Add a dollop of your favorite caviar in the center for a festive indulgence.
A feast for the eyes
At least 200 potato varieties sprouting around the world include the grainy, white-fleshed russets, rosy-skinned, creamy reds, buttery Yukon golds and the chefs’ favorite Kennebecs.
This multi-tasking tuber contains “resistant starch” that becomes a prebiotic warrior amping up gut health, more immune-boosting vitamin C than a tomato, and other mighty antioxidants, particularly in the skin and pigmented flesh of certain varieties.
‘Tis the season to fry up a batch of potato latkes (pancakes) or a giant one in a cast-iron skillet. Serve in pie slices with traditional toppings of chunky applesauce or lip-puckering sour cream.
Or bake a comforting, protein-packed Hungarian holiday delight called rakott krumpli, which translates to “put down potatoes.” Simply layer slices of boiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs and smoked sausage with sour cream and butter and bake until brown and crisp.
Another quick Hungarian dish called grenadier marche (which fortified the marching grenadiers during the Napoleonic Wars) provides a carb-loaded blend of pasta and potatoes, caramelized onions and broccoli florets tossed in a golden olive oil and turmeric-based sauce.
Use your noodle
Lasagna, a beloved dish that originated in Naples, Italy, in the Middle Ages, has universal appeal, is easy to construct and ideal to freeze, either whole or in individual portions. It can be adjusted to suit a variety of tastes and dietary restrictions.
The classic recipe layers noodles with beef Bolognese and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Vegetarians can swap out the meat sauce for a robust, plant-based Bolognese using assorted immune-boosting mushrooms, including meaty king trumpets, woodsy shiitakes, earthy lion’s manes and beefy Portobellos.
For a change-up, do a creamy bechamel or garlicky Alfredo sauce, and for the gluten-sensitive, there are plenty of wheat alternatives for the noodle part — even thinly sliced, grilled eggplant.
Recipe
Stuffed cabbage rolls
Ingredients (rolls):
• 1 head green cabbage
• 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
• ½-cup cooked basmati rice
• 1 sweet onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• ½-cup Thompson raisins
• Sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste
Ingredients (sauce):
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/3-cup brown sugar
• 18 ounces whole tomatoes (jarred)
• 8 ounces crushed tomatoes (jarred)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼-teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions:
• Remove core from cabbage. Steam in pot of simmering water until soft. Gently separate leaves and set aside.
• In a large pot, sauté onion and pepper in oil until tender. Add tomatoes, sugar, juice, seasonings. Simmer.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine meat, rice, onion, garlic, oil, raisins, seasonings. To prepare rolls, lay each leaf flat and form logs with the meat at the root end. Roll envelope-style and tuck in edges.
• Place rolls in sauce and simmer one hour or until cooked through.
• Serve over basmati rice.