Farm to Table Holiday Dinner & Recipes

Before we can even talk about this fun holiday dinner party on our lifestyle blog today, we have to mention the incredible recipes that go with it! Scroll through the mouth watering images of the farm-to-table spread and then learn how to cook up the roasted brussels sprouts and a spicy cocktail to go with! Yum.

From the stylist, Tasha, of Virtuous Events…

“Farm-to-Table” is an everyday lifestyle for my sister, who I call the modern day “Rosie the Riveter”. I could picture her dinner table full of amazingly warm and rustic dishes, with food straight from her own fields, just like the menu items she created for this shoot. There are so many local resources available for achieving a DIY “farm-to-table” menu.

I tend to be a “more is more” kind of person and the holidays are the perfect opportunity to flood the table with all things beautiful. I’m a firm believer that when it comes to décor, simply put, there are no rules. Be creative and mix and match china, patterns and textures to build a table that speaks to your individual style. I wanted to incorporate my style by blending modern touches to this farm-to-table inspiration. By adding subtle geometric shapes, while keeping the place settings neutral in blacks, whites and golds, the LENOX line by Kate Spade New York offered a variety of complimentary pieces that were soft and elegant, but looked stunning against the rich handcrafted wood table.

Cocktail: Heat of the Night

An intriguing balance of sweet, sour and spice blends Journeyman Humdinger Jalapeno Vodka with grated ginger, crisp English cucumber ribbons, freshly squeezed lime juice and topped with ginger ale.

Ingredients:

2 oz Journeyman Humdinger Jalapeno Vodka (or any yummy vodka will work, just add a slice or two of fresh jalapeno to infuse your own)
1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp freshly minced ginger
2 English cucumber ribbons (or med cut slices)
3 oz Ginger Ale

Mix it up!

Pour the vodka over ice into a tin or shaker. Add the cucumber, ginger and jalapeno (if desired) and lime juice. Do NOT add the ginger ale, unless you want to clean up a mess. Shake for a few seconds, or just stir it if you want it to taste a little more potent 😉

Strain it into a martini glass, or empty shaker into a rocks glass. Then top it with the ginger ale and garnish with a cucumber ribbon and jalapeno if you can take the heat!

It’s that simple!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Crispy Onion Strings

Ingredients:

2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed, cleaned, and
halved
4 strips thick cut Applewood smoked bacon,
diced
6 oz. sliced fresh wild mushrooms, such as
chanterelle, shiitake, or oyster
8 slices prosciutto or pancetta
3 tbsp Canola Oil
1 cup dried cranberries or cherries
½ cup champagne vinegar
½ cup dry white wine
¼ cup light brown sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

Onion Strings:

1 large yellow onion, sliced whole and thin (instructions to follow)
½ cup flour for dusting onions
½ tsp salt and pepper
Oil for frying, peanut or canola

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425.

Preparing the onion— Remove the outer skin carefully by cutting a ¼ slice off the top and bottom of the onion. Peel onion only until it shows all yellow. Using a mandolin, or carefully cutting with a knife, slice the onion in whole rings 1/8-1/4 inch thick, separating each ring individually. Heat oil to 350 degrees in a large Dutch oven or heavy duty sauce pan.

Add 1/2 cup flour to a brown bag or large bowl and season with ½ tbsp each of salt and pepper. Toss onions in flour to coat and fry for 3-4 minutes until crispy and brown, keeping careful as onions are largely water and can cause a lot of spitting in the oil. Watch closely (at a distance) if you don’t have a thermometer. Remove onions from oil and toss with salt and pepper leaving them to rest on paper towels.

Preparing the Brussels Sprouts— Toss Brussels with canola oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place the seasoned Brussels in a large cast iron pan. Arrange the sliced wild mushrooms and diced bacon over the top of Brussels and roast in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. While the Brussels are roasting, arrange your prosciutto onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the oven until crispy, about 7 minutes. Set prosciutto aside.

After the Brussels have baked for 20 minutes, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a bowl or pan. Using the same cast iron pan from the Brussels, heat the pan on a medium high flame. Add the white wine and reduce by half. Once half of the wine has evaporated, add the vinegar, cranberries and sugar, and cook till bubbly and slightly thick, about 3 minutes, remove pan from the heat and briskly whisk in the butter. Toss the Brussels mixture with the sauce, top with prosciutto and crispy onion string then finish in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Serve immediately or keep warm in a 200 degree oven.

Vendors

Styling: Tasha Raylene, Virtuous Events
Photography: Joshua Albanese
Menu: Melody Kwiatkowski, Village Side Farm & CSA
China and Tableware: Table + Dine
Hair & Calligraphy: Suzy Galazka, Hairspray Revolution–
Makeup: FOXY by Alex Garcia
Wine: 12 Corners
Location: The Flat at Journeyman Distillery
Original Publication: Inspired Living Magazine