Unique Holiday Recipes from Your Neighbors’ Kitchens
By Mary Frances Cassidy
The inspiration for an article about uncommon holiday recipes came about as the result of a telephone conversation with my good friend Jennifer the day before Thanksgiving last year. Discussing the menus we had planned, Jennifer mentioned making a family favorite side dish — her famous Carrot Puff.
Carrot Puff? I had never heard of it. Jennifer’s description simply didn’t do it justice, and it wasn’t until she generously made it for my family, that I discovered the incredible deliciousness of this dish, despite its simple ingredients. Especially unique, in that it can be served either as a side dish or a dessert, I immediately asked for the recipe and have shared it several times, always receiving rave reviews!
This piqued my curiosity about other interesting holiday recipes waiting to be discovered and shared. Perhaps a dish you’d never think to make? A neighbor’s cherished family recipe? A regional favorite from a place you’ve never visited? The results went considerably beyond traditional stuffing and mashed potatoes. Here are some hidden gems . Enjoy!
Carrot Puff
Yields: 8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
2 lbs carrots
1 cup melted butter
6 eggs, room temperature
6 Tbsp flour
1 ¾ cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Clean, peel and cut carrots into 1-inch pieces.
Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Add ¼ tsp of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until very tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain well.
Place butter, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder and vanilla in a blender. Add carrots a few at a time and puree.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 45 minutes uncovered, or until golden brown around the edges and slightly firm. Remove from oven and allow it to set. Cut into squares and serve.
Nun’s Puffs
Ask anyone who knows Eleanore Marano, affectionately known as Mommom to her grandchildren and all of their friends, and they’ll likely tell you two things about her: She can bake absolutely anything, and her generosity knows no bounds! Family and friends famously request her legendary pound cake and banana split cake most often, along with the dozens upon dozens of Christmas cookies she lovingly bakes each December.
Eleanore shared this little known “pâte à choux” based recipe, originating from France in the 16th century. It’s the perfect vehicle for just about any filling you choose. This versatile pastry is similar to one originally called “religieuse” (meaning nun) which resembled the look of nuns in their habits, hence the name Nun’s Puffs.
Yields: 12 Puffs
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 stick butter (½ cup)
1 cup milk
¾ cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, room temperature
Granulated sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a regular size muffin pan, including the rim, with oil. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the milk and bring to a low boil.
Add the flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, keeping the saucepan on low heat, until the dough comes together in a ball that stays together.
Transfer to a bowl and cool for approximately 10 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, using a wooden spoon, until each egg is evenly mixed in. Initially, the dough will separate into chunks, but will then become smooth, after about 1-2 minutes of constant stirring.
Divide the dough evenly among the greased muffin cups. Sprinkle each puff with sugar.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until puffy and golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Fill with whipped cream, custard, chocolate mousse, berries, ice cream, Nutella or any other filling of your choice. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
Clam and Cheese Crostini
Pat Meeney’s cooking strongly reflects her New England roots. “My grandmother owned a seafood restaurant on Rhode Island for over 30 years and I’m so lucky to have many of her recipes that I cherish dearly.”
There’s an old school of thought among many traditional chefs that seafood and cheese don’t mix, but this easy to prepare appetizer proves that some rules are made to be broken. Pat’s family celebrates Christmas Eve with small plates and appetizers, always including her grandmother’s Clam and Cheese Crostini on the menu.
Yields: Approximately 18 individual appetizers
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5-7 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
1 loaf of Italian or French Bread
8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 6 ½ cans chopped clams
1 ½ Tbsp chopped chives
3 Tbsp chopped parsley
2 cloves minced garlic
Dash or 2 of red pepper
Dash black pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450°F.
In one bowl, combine cheese, clams, chives, parsley, garlic, red pepper and black pepper. Blend well.
Cut bread into approximately 18 (1- inch) rounds.
Spread 1 heaping teaspoon of mixture onto each round of bread and place on baking sheet.
Bake for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.
