Cupcakes and Cashmere

For a wide selection of cheeses, visit Harmons or Whole Foods.

Ingredients

1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. thyme leaves
4 or 5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4” thick sticks
1 cup water (half vegetable or chicken broth, if desired)
1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Instructions

Cook the carrots in the olive oil over fairly high heat until they brown a little. Add the onions and garlic and sauté over low heat for several minutes. Add the salt, spices, herbs, and the water. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the carrots are tender–about 25 minutes. When the carrots are tender, add the chickpeas. Continue simmering until the chickpeas are heated through and the sauce is reduced and thick. Stir in 1/2 cup almonds. Taste, adjust seasoning, sprinkle the remainder of the almonds over the top. Garnish with a sprig of thyme.

Warm Cauliflower Salad:                                                             

Steam small cauliflower florets until just tender. Toss with cooked, diced bacon, sautéed chopped onion, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of mustard, salt, a teaspoon or so of honey, pepper and chopped parsley. Serve warm.

Cauliflower “Couscous”:

Wash cauliflower florets and pulse in the processor until they resemble couscous. Sauté cauliflower kernels in olive oil with garlic clove until al dente. Season and top with mixed roasted vegetables and pine nuts.

Roasted Cauliflower:

Toss cauliflower florets in olive oil and place in an ovenproof pan with mashed garlic. Roast at 500 degrees for about 15 minutes, turning frequently so cauliflower browns lightly. Squeeze lemon juice over the florets and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Cauliflower Mash:

Boil cauliflower florets until tender; drain thoroughly and pat dry. Do not let cool. Put florets in food processor with 2 Tbsp. cream cheese, 2 Tbsp. salted butter, 1 clove minced garlic and pulse until smooth. Thin with chicken or vegetable stock, if  necessary. Season liberally with pepper. Garnish with chopped chives.

Ginger Snap Aquavit Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 thumb size piece of ginger
• 5 cinnamon sticks
• 30 cloves
• zest of ½ orange
• 750 ml vodka

Intstructions:

1. Scrub ginger, then slice into coins.
2. Add sliced ginger to a glass jar or bottle along with cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange zest, and vodka.
3. Seal and store in a cool place, out of direct light, for 5-7 days.
4. Strain before enjoying.

1 oz Vida Añejo
2 oz Kahlua
2-3 oz cream
1 oz Baileys Irish Cream
1/4 oz peppermint simple syrup

Cuisine Unlimited

Call with your ideas for a stress-free holiday dinner or family party with Cuisine’s Christmas Dinner to Go. Pricing is a la carte and orders must be placed by Monday, Dec. 22 and prepaid. Pick up or delivery on Christmas Eve is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Christmas Day from 9 a.m. to noon. Delivery in the Salt Lake Valley is $40 and delivery to Park City is $55.

Main courses include herb roasted turkey with cranberry-orange chutney, cinnamon pork tenderloin with dried cherry vinaigrette; brown sugar and clove spiral ham; and prime rib with horseradish cream and au jus.

For Salt Lake Valley orders call 801-268-2332, and for Park City orders call 435-647-0010.

Wasatch Front

Caffe Niche

On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, Niche will be open for brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On New Year’s Eve, enjoy a special four-course dinner, beginning at 5 p.m. Main courses include Morgan Valley lamb osso buco with creamy polenta and haricots verts green beans; sautéed scallops with green pea croquette, jumbo lump crab, bacon and lemon caper agrodolce; and house made pumpkin and ricotta filled ravioli, citrus brown butter beurre blanc, sage, roasted pumpkin seeds, house pickled jalapeños and roasted butternut squash.

Oasis Cafe

Three-course dinners, featuring poached escolar over Brussels sprouts and carrot risotto, with peach and coconut strudel for dessert, will be served Dec. 22 to 28 for $25 per person. If you make it to Oasis before Dec. 22, the three course dinner will be sautéed lobster meat over capellini pasta with balsamic reduction and saffron infused pear with a soybean sauce.

On New Year’s Eve, a special four-course prix fixe menu will be served starting at 5 p.m. Cost is $40, not including wine pairings. Main courses include grilled salmon over Yukon gold mashed potatoes with roasted fennel, dill hollandaise sauce with balsamic reduction; truffle beef wellington with roasted red potatoes, baby carrots and port wine demi-glace; and stuffed chicken breast with bacon, feta cheese, roasted red peppers and spinach over soft polenta with hickory tomato sauce.

Bambara

On Christmas Eve, enjoy breakfast at Bambara from 7 to 10 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5:30 to 9 p.m. From Friday, Dec. 26 to Sunday Dec. 28, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Bambara will serve Chef Powers’ weekend brunch, along with dinner each evening starting at 5:30 p.m. Brunch items include Croque Madame, grilled chicken club sandwich, grilled king salmon salad and an all new brunch entree that’s to be revealed.

On New Year’s Eve, Bambara will be open for breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner starting at 5:30 p.m. Special offerings include short ribs or veal cheeks with dungeness crab and truffles; kumamoto oysters from Washington with champagne mignonette; endive, stilton and blood orange salad; and buckwheat blinis with caviar.

Bambara will be open for brunch on New Year’s Day, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Faustina

On Christmas Eve, Faustina will serve lunch, followed by dinner from 4:30 to 8 p.m.

On New Year’s Eve, join Faustina for a four-course menu of traditional American favorites starting at 5 p.m. The cost is $50 per person with $20 wine pairings. The third course, paired with Hob Nob Pinot Noir, includes your choice of herb crusted prime rib with wild mushroom au gratin, applewood bacon wrapped asparagus and port wine demi glace; pan seared Arctic char and butter poached lobster with roasted fennel and tarragon risotto and braised Swiss chard; and pork tenderloin roulade stuffed with spinach, caramelized onions and bacon, braised root vegetables and peppercorn demi glace.

Wasatch Back 

Powder at Waldorf Astoria

This year, Powder is offering a special four-course Christmas Eve dinner on Dec. 24 from 5 to 10 p.m. The price is $69 for adults, and a children’s menu is available.

On Christmas Day, join Powder for brunch, including breakfast favorites, soups, salads, seafood, hot and cold entrees and dessert, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The cost is $65 for adults and $25 for children. Santa will be at the Waldorf Astoria Park City greeting kids on Saturday, Dec. 20, 3 to 5 p.m.

On New Year’s Eve, Powder will serve a six course dinner and champagne, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. $95 per person.

Cisero’s

Enjoy a prix fixe Italian dinner, including a house salad, Tuscan bean soup or broccoli cheddar soup, three-cheese ravioli, butternut squash ravioli, chicken parmigiana or penne pollo, on Christmas. The meal is $45 and $5 for desserts, including tiramisu, lady fingers, coffee, Kahlua and whipped cream or lemon cream cannoli. Kids meals run $18 and include a house salad or broccoli cheddar soup and roast turkey or three-cheese macaroni and cheese.

On New Year’s Eve, Cisero’s three course prix-fixe menu includes choices like Carpaccio with Niman Ranch top sirloin and Agnolotti en Brodo with Niman Ranch beef. For dessert, choose between honey-ricotta cheesecake or apple cobbler with Bee’s Knees vanilla ice cream. $45 prix fixe, $5 dessert.

The Brass Tag at Deer Valley

The Brass Tag’s delicious holiday cuisine includes steamed mussels and a brick-oven shrimp skillet with curry chorizo, saffron-roasted red pepper and fresh tarragon parmesan, oven-roasted fresh fish and a local Chop of the Day.

Deer Valley Gorcery Cafe

Get your holiday meal to go, from $9.75 to $14 per four-person item. Options include lemon thyme turkey gravy, huckleberry chutney, Deer Valley roasted garlic mashers, roasted beet salad, green bean au gratin, roasted baby carrots and homemade Struan stuffing.

Grub Steak

On Christmas, enjoy Grub Steak’s prix fixe menu for $41.75. Start with a choice between the salad bar, wild-rice-and-mushroom soup or hearts of romaine salad. Then enjoy a special entrée of grilled elk sirloin with dried cherry and gala apple chutney. For dessert, enjoy Christmas log cake with mocha cream ice cream.

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with Grub Steak, and enjoy the prix fixe menu for $63.75. Start with the salad bar, wild-rice-and-mushroom soup or Caesar salad. Follow it up with surf-and-turf with slow-roasted prime rib of beef with béarnaise sauce and cold-water lobster, along with a side of potatoes au gratin and roasted butternut squash. Finish your meal with chocolate lava cake with a side of creamy Haagen Dazs vanilla ice cream.

The Mariposa at Deer Valley

On New Year’s Eve, The Mariposa will serve a special four-course prix fixe menu for $125 per person with an optional $50 wine pairing. Reservations begin at 5:45 p.m., and the last reservation can be made for 9 p.m.

Montage Deer Valley

Enjoy a four-course prix fixe Christmas Eve or Christmas Day dinner, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. each day, at Apex for $125. A $45 kids menu will be available for ages 5 to 12.

On New Year’s Eve, Apex will serve a five-course prix fixe menu, $195 for adults, $65 for children.

Make reservations for New Year’s Eve at Yama Sushi, and enjoy a selection of a la carte options.

Kick off 2015 with a dinner buffet, featuring live entertainment, mouth-watering food stations, dancing and a midnight balloon drop in the Vista Lounge. The celebration runs from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. and costs $175 per person.

Stein Eriksen Lodge

On Christmas Eve, there will be two seatings for a special prix fixe menu in the Glitretind. The first seating is between 5:30 and 6 p.m., running until about 7 p.m., $140 adults, $30 kids. The second seating is between 7:30 and 8 p.m., $155 adults, $30 kids. Musicians will perform from 6 to 9 p.m.

On Christmas Day, Glitretind will serve its traditional Christmas Buffet, $75 adults, $30 kids.

On Christmas Night, Stein Eriksen will hold its Christmas Night buffet, starting at 5 p.m., $80 adults, $35 kids.

On New Year’s Eve, Glitretind will serve a prix fixe menu and hold two seatings. The first will be at 6 p.m., $175 per person, and feature a four-course menu and a special kids menu for $50. The second seating will include a five-course menu for $225 per person. A kid’s menu will not be served for the second seating.

And on New Year’s Day, enjoy Stein Eriksen’s Sunday Brunch, $50 adults, $25 kids.

IN VOGUE… AGAIN

The champagne cocktail proves the classics never go out of style. Good sparkling wine can make a celebration out of any occasion. The current vogue for cocktails has revived interest in the champagne cocktail, and new versions of this classic are on bar menus all over Utah.

The Classic Champagne Cocktail Recipe:

3 oz. champagne or sparkling wine
1/3 oz. cognac
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 sugar cube

Place the sugar cube in a champagne glass. Saturate with Angostura bitters. Add champagne and cognac. Enjoy.

BUDGET BUBBLIES

Three wallet-friendly bubblies when concocting a champagne cocktail.

1. Gruet Winery in New Mexico makes several styles of sparkling wine, but the flagship is the Gruet Brut, NV, a crisp but complex, classic wine; food-friendly, but great alone and a deal at $14.99.

2.  Simonnet-Febvre produces several made in the methode champenoise but called Cremant de Bourgogne. One of my faves is the 100% pinot noir, with a food-friendly sturdiness sometimes lacking in less expensive bubblies. $18.99

3.  Gloria Ferrer’s newish sparkler, Va de Vi Ultra Cuvee, is slightly sweet at first sip, but the sugar fades immediately to a tart fruit flavor with a toasty backbone. $17.99

How to make liqueurs 

Start with a high-proof, mild to no-flavored alcohol. For a 750 ml. bottle of limoncello, you’ll need the peel of 7 or 8 lemons. Just the zest—none of the white part. Put the peel in the alcohol in a glass bottle and close tightly. Set it aside in a dark place for 5 or 6 days. If you want it stronger, let it steep longer. When the alcohol is lemony enough, add some simple syrup (sugar and water boiled to the syrup stage), about 1 part syrup to 3 parts alcohol. Strain it through a sieve, strain it again through a coffee filter, and store it.

How to make flavor pearls 

Mix 1 teaspooon sodium alginate with 1 cup desired liquid (we used Campari). Stir vigorously until dissolved. Mix 2 teaspoons calcium chloride with 2 cups of distilled water. Chill thoroughly. Using a squeeze bottle or plastic syringe, push drops of the flavored liquid into the calcium water. Let set a few minutes, then strain off liquid and rinse gently. Float on a drink. Impress everyone.

How to make bitters

Bitters are essential to mixology. Keep a bottle of Angostura on hand, but try making your own—Frida’s Stephanie Hatfield makes chocolate-chipotle bitters. Here’s a simple recipe—but the fun is experimenting. Place 8 oz. citrus zest in a mason jar. Add a teaspoon each of whole cardamom and coriander, some star anise or caraway. Cover with 2 cups of high-proof white alcohol, seal the jar and let stand in a cool, dark place for two weeks. Strain through cheesecloth and use.

Taking this one from my good friend Val Rasmussen, who wrote this recipe for an issue of Utah Bride & Groom.

Seared Romanesco, just one of the recipes served by caterters The Blended Table, partnering with Chef Tom Grant of Martine.

Ingredients

• 4 heads romanesco
  salt and pepper
  2 cloves garlic
  olive oil
  herbes de Provence

Instructions

Trim the outer leaves of the romanesco, then blanch for three to five minutes in boiling water or until tender. Immediately, chill in an ice bath.  Heat olive oil, garlic and seasoning in a saute pan, add romanesco and sear until golden brown.