Holiday Feast with Four Bold, Show-Stopping Courses

The executive chef at Cafe Modern shares some of his favorite holiday dishes.

by

Jett Mora, executive chef at Cafe Modern, shares a festive lineup of dishes perfect for holiday feasting. From a porcini-crusted prime rib to ginger-pumpkin bread, these recipes bring family gatherings to the next level.

Standing Bone-In Porcini Prime Rib Roast

Ingredients:

  • 3 bone-in prime rib (tied), 11-15 pounds
  • 2 cups chopped garlic
  • 2 cups chopped shallots
  • 1 cup dried porcini, rehydrated, drained, chopped
  • ½ cup chopped rosemary
  • 1 cup chopped thyme
  • 1 1/2 cups canola oil
  • ½ cup salt
  • ¼ cup cracked black pepper

Instructions: 

  1. Combine chopped garlic, shallot, porcini, rosemary, thyme, canola oil, salt and black pepper until it forms a paste
  2. Rub the paste around the roast (tied with butcher twine) and allow to sit over night
  3. Four hours before cooking, allow roast to sit loosely covered at room temperature.
  4. Cook roast for approximately 3 hours at 275 F until the internal temperature reads 115 for medium rare
  5. For 15 minutes, raise the temperature to 375 F until a crust forms on exterior of roast. Pull out of the oven earlier if the roast gets too dark
  6. Allow roast to rest for at least 30 minutes before serving
  7. Slice to desired thickness and enjoy with Armagnac Sauce 

Popovers

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups milk
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2¼ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Gruyère cheese, grated

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 190°C 
  2. Place 24 mini, 2-ounce aluminum cups on a sheet tray and heat in oven
  3. In a stand mixer, whip the eggs on speed No. 4 for 30 minutes
  4. Warm the milk (warm, not hot)
  5. Sift together the flour, salt, and cayenne
  6. Slowly drizzle the warm milk into the eggs while mixing on low speed
  7. Remove from the mixer and fold in the sifted flour
  8. Pass the batter through a China cap strainer
  9. Remove molds from the oven and spray with grease
  10. Fill each cup about ¾ full
  11. Sprinkle grated Gruyère on top of each popover
  12. Bake for 25 minutes, rotate the tray, then bake an additional 15 minutes
  13. Popovers are done when the bottoms and tops are golden brown.
  14. Serve immediately

Robuchon-Style Potato Puree

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces
  • 3 cups heavy cream, warm
  • 1-pound cold butter cubes
  • Salt

Instructions:

  1. In a vacuum-sealed bag or Ziploc bag, put in the potatoes and salt and remove as much air as possible (sous vide)
  2. Bring a pot of water to 212 degrees and insert bag of potatoes
  3. Cook for 30 minutes or until fork-tender, ensuring the potatoes stay sealed and away from the water. Remove potatoes from the bag
  4. After cooking, pass the potatoes through a fine sieve or tamis for the smoothest texture possible.
  5. Warm the cream to 175 degrees
  6. In a bowl or pot, combine the cream and potatoes
  7. Slowly incorporate the cold butter with a rubber spatula
  8. Adjust salt to taste 

Ginger-Pumpkin Bread with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

By Chef Gabriela Damian

Ingredients:

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger 
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 ¾ cup pumpkin puree
  • 2/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F
  2. Grease a ¼ sheet tray and line with parchment paper
  3. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg
  4. In a separate bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla — whisk until well combined
  5. Pour pumpkin mixture into the dry mix and mix until combined
  6. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs, and the center springs back when lightly pressed

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

  1. 2 pounds butter 
  2. 2 pounds cream cheese 
  3. 1 teaspoon salt
  4. 1 to 2 pounds powdered sugar
  5. 1 teaspoon vanilla
  6. Instructions: 
  7. Place butter in a pot, turn it into brown butter, and let it come to room temperature
  8. In a mixer bowl, whip room-temp butter with salt
  9. Once salt is dissolved, add cream cheese and vanilla
  10. Add sugar as needed