A Christmas menu
Featuring cheesy fennel gratin with pancetta breadcrumbs and a boozy chocolate orange affogato
Hi, friends. As I’m writing this it’s Friday, and almost time to pick Sasha up from her last day of school this year. I have that giddy pre-holiday-break feeling — two weeks with no school! — mixed a little bit with panic because… two weeks with no school. But mostly I’m excited. Denis and I have both decided to take it easy for the rest of the year (that sounds monumental but it’s really just 11 days) and we have some fun day trips and a potential New Year’s family getaway to the mountains planned.
Plus, it’s Christmas! My favorite holiday. Halloween is fine and Thanksgiving is great but really, I’m a Christmas gal. An elaborate dinner on Christmas Eve, mimosas while we open gifts on Christmas morning followed by cinnamon rolls, another elaborate dinner that night, all wrapped up in a feeling of fleeting, glowing, warm-and-fuzzy, once-a-year, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it joy. Christmas feels even more special now that Sasha can understand the concept of it, and I’m beyond stoked for Nora’s first Christmas, though at just over six weeks old I doubt she could care less.
Last Christmas Eve, we managed to make what I would call a perfect dinner. Simple enough with just the right amount of fancy, it managed to strike that perfect balance between special, elegant, and fuss-free. And today, I’m sharing that with you. My plan was originally to make it all ahead of time, film and photograph every step and every dish, but developing recipes, creating content, and taking care of a newborn has proven to be a bit more difficult than I anticipated. So while today’s newsletter may be short on photos of every dish, it isn’t short on the wow factor you’re looking for in a holiday meal.
The menu
To start: Caviar with all the accouterments. For me, this consists of the caviar itself (duh), thinly sliced chives, minced shallot, chopped capers, and crème fraîche, as well as very crunchy kettle cooked chips (either just salted or salt and vinegar). If you are having a bigger group of people, I’d add a cheese and charcuterie board as well because caviar is great but it’s also expensive.
To drink: Signature drinks are great but I’m a big fan of just letting people drink whatever they like. For me that usually starts with a very dirty martini garnished with olives *and* a twist, followed by some sort of crisp, cold Italian white wine. I did make everyone a batch of these amaro spritzes last year, complete with festive ice cubes, and they were a hit.
Main course: Porchetta!! You can get a pre-made porchetta roast at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s (or I’m sure many other stores, I’m just naming the ones I’ve seen), but making one is honestly so simple and so good. We used New York Times Cooking’s recipe last year and will be using it again this year. You basically just score your meat, rub it with a paste made of herbs, lemon, garlic, and olive oil, let it marinate overnight, then cook it for a few hours and get a juicy on the inside, crackly on the outside showstopper.
Sides: Fennel gratin with pancetta breadcrumbs (recipe below!!) and fondant potatoes. The fennel gratin is decadent — exactly what you want in a holiday side — with a delicate sweetness that perfectly complements the pork. It starts with a béchamel sauce, which we’ll add our fennel to and throw in the oven to bubble away. At the same time, we’ll make some pancetta breadcrumbs (sounds fancy, but we’re essentially just using the rendered fat from pancetta to toast up some breadcrumbs) and throw those on for the last stretch of cooking.
Fondant potatoes are where we get a bit more fancy. I like to use the round cutter method to make it a bit easier and more uniform, but they actually don’t need to be uniform at all. This recipe is always a winner.
A salad is always necessary in my opinion, and my go to is a mix of bagged greens, herbs, and a simple garlic vinaigrette that has just a hint of sweetness. Recipe is also below.
Dessert: I love an elaborate meal and I love an elaborate dessert, but if I’m making everything I’m not gonna do both. Last year, Denis made the porchetta and the potatoes, so I took care of the appetizer spread, fennel gratin, and a few desserts. First, I made my baklava rice krispies treats (recipe here, a must!) but you could also do my rosemary and thyme brown butter rice krispies treats. I also made a coconut cake using Dolly Parton’s boxed mix and a homemade cream cheese frosting.
This year, I’ll be going super simple with boozy chocolate orange affogatos. Recipe below!
The recipes
Super Simple Side Salad
This is my go-to with richer dishes and meals because the combo of fresh herbs, pungent garlic, and zippy acid is like a breath of fresh air between bites. I’ve never made this without having someone ask for the recipe, and the truth is you barely need one! Scale this up or down depending on how many mouths you’re feeding.
1 part lemon
1 part white wine or red wine vinegar
2 parts olive oil
Drizzle of agave or maple syrup, or a sprinkle of sugar
Grated garlic (start with half a clove and work your way up for more of a garlic punch)
Greens of choice
Fresh tender herbs like mint, dill, basil, parsley, cilantro — mint + basil is my favorite combo here
Whisk together the lemon, vinegar, olive oil, sweetener, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and adjust seasoning and ingredients as needed. This is meant to be on the more acidic side to really cut through the rich holiday dishes you’ll be serving.
When you’re ready to serve, toss the dressing with greens and herbs. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Boozy Chocolate Orange Affogato
I’m obsessed with the combination of chocolate and orange, and it feels especially festive right now. An affogato is a dessert that needs no introduction, but we’re going to make them special occasion-worthy with a little bit of booze — chocolate and orange liqueur, to be exact — and the best chocolate ice cream you can find. A sprinkle of Maldon salt ups the fanciness just a tad, as does serving these in cocktail coupes. Add the booze and espresso just before serving, but remember they’re supposed to get a little melty.
For 1 affogato:
1-2 scoops chocolate ice cream
1/2 ounce chocolate liqueur (I used Bailey’s Chocolate Liqueur)
1/2 ounce orange liqueur (I used Cointreau)
1 shot espresso
Maldon salt
Add ice cream to your serving bowl. Top with liqueurs and espresso, then sprinkle with salt. Enjoy immediately.
A couple tips:
Don’t have an espresso machine? Brew a very strong pot of coffee, or head to your local coffee shop earlier in the day for as many as you need, then gently warm them on the stove before serving.
To make this even easier when it’s time to serve, you could scoop up your ice cream ahead of time, place your scoops on a baking sheet or plate, and freeze them until ready to serve. This will also ensure it doesn’t melt as fast because you won’t be working with already softened, scoopable ice cream.
Cheesy Fennel Gratin With Pancetta Breadcrumbs
Serves: 4
Cook time: 1 1/2 hours
3 tbsp butter
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
3 tbsp flour
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
Sprinkle of nutmeg, optional
2 cups grated cheese (I used 1/2 cup gruyere, 1/2 cup sharp cheddar, and 1 cup parmesan)
2 large bulbs fennel, cut into eighths
4 oz pancetta
1 tbsp EVOO
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375. In a large, oven-safe skillet, melt your butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and a generous sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes until soft and starting to caramelize. Add in your thyme and cook for one minute, then add in flour. Stir with a whisk until it creates a paste, then cook for 3 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste. Slowly add in your milk little by little, whisking the whole time to prevent clumps of flour from forming. Then add in your cream along with salt and lots of freshly cracked black pepper. Raise heat to medium high and bring to a simmer. Add in 1.5 cups of cheese and whisk until combined. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Add your fennel to the pan and stir to coat. Cover with a lid or two layers of tinfoil and move to the oven. Cook for 40-45 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare your breadcrumbs. Heat a small pan over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp and fat has completely rendered. Add 1 tbsp EVOO and heat, then add the breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring frequently so they don't burn, for 5-7 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Remove gratin from the oven and raise heat to 415. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs, then return to the oven. Bake uncovered for 15-20 more minutes until top is brown and bubbly. Serve warm.