Holiday Menu for Hosting Guests

When given the opportunity to cook a dinner when there are no dietary restrictions, my mind tends to wander (in the best of ways) and I get to be really creative with what I put together. Depending on the group I have over, I’ll sometimes test recipes I haven’t made that often, or even try out something totally new. However, when it comes to the holidays, I like to stick to the tried and true- the old faithfuls that I have tweaked and edited over the last few years so that way everyone leaves with a guaranteed great meal. This may seem like the easy way out, but I like to view it as being as best prepared as possible!

With this menu, I decided to stray away from the traditional turkey, or ham, or fish, and go for something a little brighter! Each dish is warm and feels like you’re eating a hearty home cooked meal. With the weather being colder, I wanted to make sure my guests would be comfortable, and leave comfortable. Also, I wanted to make sure this was a meal I could mostly put together on the stovetop! Using Frigidaire’s induction stove top made these a breeze: I can always count on fast and even heat = a delicious result every time.

Here is my menu for my second holiday dinner:

Starter:

Creamy Mushrooms on Toasted French Bread

Main:

Dry Rub Flank Steak with Corn Salsa

Dessert:

Blueberry Galette

Creamy Mushrooms on Toasted French Bread

This is such a versatile dish- you can have it for breakfast, lunch, you can use it as a side or even on its own. For the purpose of this meal, I’m going to be using it as the starter for my guests. I wanted to make sure they had something warm as soon as they sat down that would cling to their insides while the rest of the food is being prepared. Using Frigidaire’s induction stove top makes heating up the cream really easy– it is really responsive and can go from simmering to boiling on-demand, ensuring you end up with the perfect finished product every time.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Olive Oil + 2 Tbsp for brushing
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
2 Garlic Clove
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
8 Tbsp 35% cream
800 g Finely Chopped Cremini Mushrooms
2 French Sticks (Cut into ~24 rounds)
(Sprouts optional)

Steps

1. Heat oven to broil
2. Place the oil and butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the mushroom  and cook for a further 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the cream and parsley to the pan and bring to a simmer.
5. Cook until the cream has started to reduce, and you have a thick mushroom mixture- you don’t want it super runny.
6. While cooking, brush the cut up bread with olive oil and place in the oven for 3-4 minutes or until broiled and golden brown.
7. Serve the mushroom mix on the toasted bread and enjoy

Dry Rub Flank Steak with Corn and Jalapeño Salsa

Ingredients:

Dry Rub:
2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar
1.5 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1.5 tablespoon paprika
2.5 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1.5 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 heaping teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon thyme

Steak and Salsa:
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for grill
3 cups corn
1/4 large red onion,finely chopped
2 jalapeño finely chopped (I keep the seeds)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 limes
freshly ground pepper
1 medium sized flank steak (about 1.5lbs- ask your butcher to get you the right size).

Dry rub:
Combine brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne, granulated garlic, mustard powder, thyme and cumin in a small bowl.

Salsa:
Add your corn and jalapeño to a medium sized skillet on medium high heat. Cook for 5-10 minutes (closer to 10 if frozen corn). This will get everything hot and release some flavour from the pepper. Remove from heat and add in your onion, tomatoes, cilantro and juice the limes. Add in pepper and stir until well mixed. Set aside (or put in the fridge covered if you’re making your steak later)

The Rest:
Take your spice mix, and rub into each side of the steak (I lay it all out in a tray, and drag the steak through it, and then I packed the spices it didn’t catch and rub it into the steak by hand until it no longer falls off. Add a bit of olive oil to each side to keep everything on. Pre-heat your grill or grill pan until very hot. You only need about 4 minutes per side if you want medium rare (a bit longer if you have a thicker or bigger cut). Once cooked to your liking, remove from heat. DO NOT CUT RIGHT AWAY. Leave it for 10 minutes so the juices seal in. Once that’s done, I put it in the broiler on high for 1 minute or so. Serve by cutting against the grain and top with the salsa.

Blueberry Galette

I always like to end my meals with something that has a bit of acid  to help with digesting, especially if there have been fatty foods. I find that this dessert sits nicely after a large meal and doesn’t feel too overwhelming. You definitely don’t feel bad going back for seconds.

Ingredients:
1 refrigerated pie crust (frozen works as well, just let it thaw briefly before using)
2 Cups of blueberries (fresh or frozen)
⅓ cup sugar
2 Tbsp  cornstarch or Tapioca powder
Juice of ½ Lemon
Zest from ½ Lemon
Pinch of salt
1 Tbsp butter divided into pea sized amounts
1 Egg
2 Tbsp raw sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 450F.
2. Prepare a baking dish with parchment paper and lay out the pie crust onto the baking sheet and set aside.
3. In a bowl mix the berries (if you’re using frozen berries, let them thaw shortly first on the counter), sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest and pinch of salt.
4. Spoon the berry mixture onto the center of the pie crust.
5. Gently pinch up the sides of the pie crust to make crust bowl for the berry mix (remember, you’re not putting another crust on top, and want the sides to act like a partial crust coming in)
6. Pull the edges in towards the center as you pinch around the outside of the pie crust. Dot the top of the galette with the pea-sized butter pieces. When completed, set aside
7. In a small bowl whisk the egg and a splash of water together. Paint the edges of the pie crust with the egg wash (when baking, this will give the crust a nice golden color without overbaking). When done, sprinkle the edges with the raw sugar (be generous, if you need more sugar, use more).
8. Place in the oven on the center rack and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove when the crust is golden and the center is bubbly.
9. Let cool and serve with a sprig of fresh mint, or a scoop of your favorite ice cream.

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