Christmas Dinner (Recipes)

Recipes from my previous post Remember, This December, That Love Weighs More Than Gold.

Enjoy!

Lima Bean Mash with Lemon and Olive Oil

Makes 1 ½ Cups

2 cups fresh shelled or frozen baby lima beans

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

Salt

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon

Freshly ground black pepper

Country style bread, toasted and cut into small squares or triangles- or Pita chips

1.     Combine lima beans, garlic, ½ cup water and a generous pinch of salt in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until beans are very soft, about 15 minutes.

2.     Coarsely puree beans and garlic in a food processor. Transfer to a small bowl and gradually beat in olive oil. Remove zest from lemon, then finely julienne zest and set aside. Halve lemon and add lemon juice to puree and taste, then season with salt and pepper. Serve with bread or chips on the side.

Beet and Goat Cheese Napoleons

Serves 4

5 large red beets, roasted, peeled, and cut crosswise into ¼” thick slices

1 cup rice vinegar

1 cup sugar

9 oz. goat cheese, softened

4 tsp. minced fresh chives

4 tsp. minced fresh parsley

2 ½ tsp. minced fresh thyme

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup fresh orange juice

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

¼ tsp. orange zest

1 small shallot, minced

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

3 tbsp. hazelnut oil

Kosher salt, to taste

3 tbsp. chopped hazelnuts

1.     Using a 2 5/8” round cookie cutter, cut out 20 of the beet slices. In a skillet, bring rice vinegar and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook beet slices, turning once, about two minutes. Transfer slices to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Pat dry and let chill.

2.     Stir goat cheese together with the chives, parsley, 2 tsp. thyme, and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

3.     Bring orange juice to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to a 1/3 cup. About 4-5 minutes. Let cool. Transfer juice to a bowl along with remaining thyme, balsamic vinegar, zest, and shallots. While whisking, drizzle in olive oil and hazelnut oil; whisk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper; let chill.

4.     To serve: put 1 beet slice on work surface and spread about 1 tbsp. cheese mixture over beet. Top cheese with another beet slice, pressing down so cheese oozes to edge. Repeat to create a stack with 4 layers of cheese between 5 beets slices. Make 4 stacks in all. Slice each stack into 4 wedges; transfer to 4 plates. Drizzle vinaigrette over each plate; garnish with nuts. Serve with mixed greens if desired.

Seven-Hour Leg of Lamb

For the Lamb:

1 4-lb. shank end leg of lamb of a 4-lb piece of shoulder, trimmed

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

750-ml bottle dry white wine

20 cloves of garlic, unpeeled

10 sprigs each fresh rosemary, thyme, and savory

5 fresh or dried bay leaves

For the Salsa:

2 cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves

1 tbsp. salt-packed capers, soaked, rinsed, drained, and finely chopped

¼ tsp. crushed red chile flakes

6 oil-packed anchovy filets, drained and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1.     Cook the lamb: Heat oven to 300°. Rub lamb with oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a 6-qt Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add lamb and cook, turning occasionally until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer lamb to a plate. Add wine and 2 cups water to the Dutch oven; scrape up browned bits from bottom of pot. Nestle garlic and herbs into a large oval casserole; place lamb on top of herbs; add pan juices from Dutch oven. Cover lamb with foil; transfer to oven and roast, basting frequently, for 3 ½ hours. Uncover, flip lamb and continue to cook, basting frequently, until lamb is very tender, 3-3 ½ more hours. Transfer to a rack and let cool for 20 minutes.

2.     Meanwhile, make the salsa verde; combine mint, parsley, tarragon, capers, chile flakes, anchovies, and garlic in a medium bowl. Slowly drizzle in remaining oil while stirring with a fork to make the salsa verde; set aside.

3.     Serve the lamb sliced or torn into chunks, alongside the beans.

Ratatouille

Serves 6

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp. dried herbes de Provence

6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

2 large yellow onions, quartered

1 bay leaf

2 medium zucchini cut into 2” pieces

1 medium eggplant cut into 2” pieces

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and quartered

1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and quartered

10 whole peeled tomatoes from the can, drained

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves

1 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1.     Heat oven to 400°. Heat oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium heat. Add herbes de Provence, garlic, onions, and bay leaf; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes.

2.     Increase heat to high; stir in the zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Uncover pot, transfer to the oven, and bake, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 1 ½ hours.

3.     Stir in basil and parsley, transfer ratatouille to a serving bowl, and serve warm or at room temperature.