Good morning! Today we have for you:
It’s tamales timeWhatever the weather, you can hear those sleigh bells in the distance: Christmas dinner is mere days away. Unlike Thanksgiving’s fairly fixed menu, Christmas tables draw from all sorts of traditions, old and new. When I was growing up, my Jewish New York family celebrated every year with bagels and lox and Chinese food. Only as an adult did I get to try out other possibilities, as I did in my youthful Swedish glögg years, and my party-going German stollen era (stollens make great gifts). With my ex and his extended Italian-American family, every year brought an ebullient Feast of the Seven Fishes. These days, though, my family goes full-on Christmas Carol with Charles Dickens’s flaming punch. One unforgettable Christmas Eve about a decade ago, a friend made us her Mexican-American family’s tamales stuffed with pork and chiles. They’ve haunted me like the Ghost of Christmas Past every year since, so thank goodness Rick Martínez has gifted us with his classic tamales recipe. Made from soft masa molded around chile-braised pork shoulder, they’re perfect for any celebration — holidays, baptisms, weddings, Thursdays. It’s true that they take a bit of work, but gather some friends and family in your kitchen to help with the folding. Put out a few snacks while you’re at it and make it a party. It’s merrymaking of a most cherished tradition. Featured Recipe TamalesMore food for thoughtSheet-pan chicken with fennel and sweet potatoes: Fine, but what are you going to make for dinner tonight? You can never go wrong with a recipe by Yewande Komolafe. Next up for me is her easy sheet-pan dinner with its snappy, pecorino-filled dressing coating soft roasted sweet potatoes and golden-skinned chicken breasts. It’s a win for white-meat fans, and the people who love them, too. Buttered noodles with jammy eggs: So much for chicken, now let’s talk eggs. I’ll spare you the quip, but whichever comes first, these herby buttered egg noodles are topped with the best egg salad you’ve ever had. Be sure to keep the yolks nice and runny so they can meld with the lemon juice and sour cream in the dressing; scallions and poppy seeds add a pop of color and texture. Worth crossing the road for! Creamy cauliflower soup with rosemary olive oil: Lidey Heuck’s vegan soup is a velvety miracle that takes advantage of the silky texture a head of cauliflower gets after being simmered in stock and puréed until smooth. Croutons toasted in rosemary oil are a crunchy, savory counterpart to all that sweet creaminess in the bowl. Simple yeasted waffles: These are the waffles my family and I make for brunch on Christmas morning. You do need to let the batter rise for a few hours, which is just enough time to open presents, then get back into bed with a stack of new books. We serve them with warm maple syrup, salted butter, and a platter of oven-cooked bacon. Classic Philadelphia Fish House punch: Our friend Dave Wondrich always brings flaming Dickens punch to our Christmas Eve dinner. But if you don’t happen to have a cocktail historian coming over for dinner, you could make Rebekah Peppler’s take on this 18th century classic. Made with rum and Cognac mixed with peach brandy, lemons and nutmeg, it’s festive without having to light anything on fire, and a lovely way to toast your friends with warming holiday cheer. That’s all for now. If you need any help with a technical issue, reach out to cookingcare@nytimes.com. And I’m at hellomelissa@nytimes.com if you want to get in touch. I’ll see you on Wednesday.
|
