During the holiday season, we all have those unexpected get-togethers, whether it’s your cousins who suddenly decide after a five-year absence they are popping over, or you suddenly decide to have an impromptu neighbor party.
It happens. Being prepared is as simple as having some frozen, homemade fare ready in the freezer and some drinks on hand for impromptu entertaining.
We all need an easy appetizer that we can whip off on a moment’s notice. Who doesn’t like cheese? Who doesn’t like warm cheese? My cheddar cheese puffs are a Canadianized version of gougeres, the classic French cheesy treat made with surprisingly few ingredients. The big difference in my recipe is the use of cheddar. The French more commonly would use Comté, Gruyère or Emmentaler. These cheese puffs are easy to make, can be served on their own or will add a personal, warming touch to a charcuterie board.
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As far as the main course, the holidays aren’t the holidays in my home without tourtiére, the Acadian meat pie seasoned with savory and baking spices. While I always have a walk in the freezer, sometimes it’s a great idea to have individual meals on hand. My version, served in individual ramekins, makes for easy entertaining, no matter the party size. You never know if it will be a group of two or eight visiting.
Finally, enjoy my recipe for frozen dulce de leche. It’s delicious and almost too easy.
Cheese puffs
6 to 8 servings
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup water
- pinch salt & pepper
- 1 cup AP flour
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups Cheddar, grated
Directions: Place butter, water, salt and pepper in pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Whisk in the flour until a dough forms. Let’s cool. Transfer to a bowl. Then mix in the eggs one at a time followed by the cheese. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag. Pipe 1 inch diameter mounds onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake in oven preheated to 400 F for 20 minutes. Serve warm or freeze and reheat for unexpected guests. It takes about 5 to 7 minutes in oven set to 400 F to reheat from frozen.
The host bar
It’s always a good idea to have some holiday beer, wine and spirits on hand. You never know who is coming over, so this isn’t a time to get to eclectic in your choices. A case of a nice local craft lager or lighter style ale makes a great choice for both the craft and domestic beer lover.
1. Crowd-pleasing white wines: For white selections, veer away from anything too sweet or oaky. No surprise, Pinot Grigio is a crowd favourite. I tend to look for higher quality versions of Pinot Grigio such as those from Italy’s alpine Alto Adige region. Italian whites are a safe bet as they tend to have less exaggerated flavor profiles, which can be divisive. If you want a little more flavor than simple Pinot Grigio, also look to Soave Classico (be sure to buy Classico versions) and Verdicchio from the Marches region.
- Mark’s pick: Pieropan Soave Classico (Italy)
- valuepick: La Vielle Ferme Blanc (France)
2. Fruit-forward red wines: Again, nothing too earthy or woody is the right move. A fruit-forward Argentinean Malbec will appeal to the masses, and other New World regions such as Chile, California and South Africa make safe selections. If you want a little old world charm, consider the ripe, crowd-pleasing reds of Southern Italy from grapes such as Montepulciano and Primitivo, a Cabernet blend of Penedes (Spain) or, for a little more finesse, a juicy Rioja Crianza.
- Mark’s pick: Torres Ibericos Rioja Crianza (Spain)
- Valueselection: Pairs Balta Mas Petit Cabernet (Spain)
3. Signature cocktails: In terms of spirits, you can’t stock a full bar so have your own signature cocktail. In a recent edition of Wined & Dined, I made a festive rosemary old fashioned. The nice thing about this cocktail is you don’t need perishable ingredients. My cocktail involved mixing rosemary infused simple syrup, which lasts about three weeks refrigerated, with a couple of dashes of bitters and some whiskey. It’s a festive cocktail that’s quick and easy to make.
- Mark’s whiskey pick: Basil Hayden’s Dark Rye
4. Pre-made drinks: Who wants to have buy bottles of gin, vodka and other spirits in hopes someone may want a mixed drink? One of the biggest trends in the alcohol business is canned and bottled pre-mixed cocktails.
- Mark’s pre-mix pick: On the Rocks Old Fashioned
5. Keep it crafty: All of your friends may not be craft beer fans, but everyone can appreciate supporting local. Our local craft brewers are also increasingly making crisp, flavorful lagers and lighter ales that will appeal to the craft beer loyalist and domestic beer consumer alike.
- Mark’s Pick: Tatamagouche Brewing Hippie Dippie Pale Ale
Inspired By tourtière: Individual shepherd’s pie
6 to 8 servings
- 2 lb any combination of ground lamb, beef, veal or pork
- 1 onion, minced, lightly sautéed
- 2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp summer savory
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3 to 4 oz stock
- 3 cups creamy mashed potatoes
Directions: In a large sauté pan, brown the ground meat. When the meat is cooked, drain the excess fat and add the sautéed onion. Transfer to a large bowl and add the seasoning and spices. Mix thoroughly. Moisten with the stock as needed (the meat mixture should be moist, but not dripping in liquid). Spoon into ramekins (6 to 8). Place mashed potatoes into a piping bag and pipe onto the top of ramekins. Place in oven preheated to 400 F and bake for 20 minutes or 40 minutes if from frozen.
Frozen sweet milk mousse
8 servings
- 2 cans condensed milk
- 6 egg whites
- 2 cups of sugar
- pinch jump
- 1½ cups whipping cream
Directions: Place the two cans of condensed milk in a large pot of simmering water. Be sure the cans are fully submerged. Simmer the condensed milk for three hours; carefully remove and let cool. This simple process creates the Dulce de Leche. Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a metal bowl. Whisk the mixture using an electric mixer. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. Place the whipping cream in another bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Fold the whipping cream into the meringue. Add the dulce de leche and mix. Place the mixture into a loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze until ready to serve.
Mark DeWolf is SaltWire Network’s creative director of food and drink.