Be the hero of the potluck with these festive offerings.
Do you call it friendsgiving, chrismukkah, or just a holiday potluck when friends, family, or co-workers come together to share dishes from diverse backgrounds and family traditions? No matter what the moniker, you’ll want to contribute a top-tier dish to help ensure a tasty memory for all.
Sure, you could do the same old mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. Or, this year, you could try something a bit more special — such as an elevated mashed potato dish made with Yukon golds, a show-stopping sweet potato bisque with a spicy twist, or a deceptively simple cobbler to melt everyone’s hearts.
“I really like the buttery flavor of the Yukon gold potatoes, but the texture doesn’t quite hold up for regular mashed potatoes — too mashy, if that’s possible?” says Brad Allured, owner of Reno’s Just Legit Soap, as well as a scientist and, arguably, the best turkey smoker in Midtown. “Red potatoes are bland but have the perfect texture and hold up well to mashing. A 50-50 blend gives you the best of both worlds.”
Allured’s mashed potatoes haven’t won any awards yet, but they will convince you never to use russets again.
Clint Jolly, owner of Butcher Boy Meat Market in Reno and longtime catering chef, created his personal sweet potato recipe for parties. The ingredient that really sets it apart? Turmeric. The use of turmeric and ginger root, plus some additional finishing spices, makes this bisque a memorable side dish.
“The recipe is easily made ahead of time,” Jolly says. “You can roast the squash one day, then complete the rest the day of the party. Or finish the soup ahead of time and reheat and garnish for service.”
Finally, a simple-but-delicious fruit cobbler from The Fox Brewery & Pub in Reno rounds out the day. The cobbler is meant to be made in individual dishes for each guest, which can be wrapped and refrigerated, then reheated and topped when people are hungry for more. Take along a tub of ice cream, too, for a melty finish.
This holiday season, try these twists on the old standbys and bring some magic to the meal.
Brad’s Golden Mash
(courtesy of Brad Allured, scientist and owner, Just Legit Soap in Reno. Serves 12 … or 6 potato lovers)
1 gallon water
⅓ cup kosher salt (do not substitute with table salt)
2½ to 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
2½ to 3 pounds red potatoes
Cloves from ½ to 1 full head of garlic (as desired)
2 sticks butter (unsalted or salted)
1 16-ounce block full-fat cream cheese (optional)
White pepper (optional)
Add gallon of water and salt to stockpot and bring to a simmer. Water should taste like the ocean, to flavor the potatoes while enabling a smoother mash.
While you wait, peel Yukon gold potatoes, and only halfway peel the red potatoes, removing any bruises or eyes.
Cut all potatoes into 1½-inch chunks. Peel and smash garlic cloves with the flat of your knife. Amount of garlic used is a matter of preference. Gently toss potato chunks and smashed garlic into simmering salt water, then bring to a boil. Boiling the garlic with the potatoes creates a more subtle garlic flavor. Cook for 20 minutes, or until potato chunks easily break in half with a fork. Drain in a colander and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Cut 1 stick of butter into 4 smaller pieces and bury them in the hot potatoes. Use paddles of hand mixer (turned off) to gently smash ingredients. Turn hand mixer on low setting just to incorporate the butter, but do not overmix.
Add ½ of the cream cheese (broken into 2 to 3 chunks), if using, and mix on low for the shortest amount of time possible to incorporate. Taste, then add more butter and cream cheese as desired. Cream cheese will make potatoes stickier. Mix with the hand mixer to desired consistency. Optionally, add white pepper for some spice.
Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque
(courtesy of Clint Jolly, chef and owner, Butcher Boy Meat Market in Reno. Serves 6 to 10)
5 pounds butternut squash
2 shallots
1 knob fresh turmeric
1 knob fresh ginger
6 sprigs fresh tarragon
1¼ cups heavy cream
2 cups sour cream
½ gallon vegetable stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil
Peel and seed squash, then cut into 1½-inch cubes. Toss squash with olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Roast on a foil-lined sheet pan at 400 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes, tossing every 10 to 15 minutes. The pieces should be caramel brown at the edges.
Peel and dice shallots, then peel turmeric and ginger. In a large stockpot, heat a bit of olive oil over medium heat, then sauté shallots in it until soft. Grate turmeric and ginger into pot and sauté for 1 minute. Add squash to pot and mix well; sauté 2 minutes.
Working in batches, blend squash with veggie stock to thin it enough for smooth blending. Reserve some stock. Return all blended squash to pot, and add heavy cream, then cook over low heat. Use veggie stock and/or water to thin as needed. The bisque should evenly coat a spoon, but not stick. Season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, top with chopped fresh tarragon leaves and spoonful of sour cream.
Fox Reno Fruit Cobbler
(courtesy of The Fox Brewery & Pub in Reno. Makes 1 single-serving cobbler)
2½ ounces pie crust cut to fit into small serving dish
4 ounces fruit filling of your choice (from scratch or a can, no one needs to know)
Cobbler topping (recipe follows)
Vanilla ice cream
Follow box instructions to bake crust in a Welsh dish, ramekin, or single-serving, oven-safe dish, until the crust is golden brown. Add fruit filling, then top with 2 ounces cobbler topping (recipe follows). Wrap each cobbler in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
To serve, remove plastic wrap, and cook cobbler in microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and add 1 heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream.
For cobbler topping
¾ ounce butter, softened
½ ounce cream cheese, softened
½ cup walnuts
½ cup flour
1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
Bring butter and cream cheese to room temperature and cut into ½-inch cubes. Toast walnuts and allow to cool. Chop walnuts into pea-sized pieces. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix together by hand until the topping is crumbly. Chill 2 hours in a container. Store until ready to use.
