Editor’s note: We’re excited to share these recipes by Nik Sharma, a James Beard-nominated cookbook author, columnist for Serious Eats, New York Times Cooking contributor and the man behind A Brown Table. His new book, The Flavor Equation, is out October 27, and you can pre-order it here. See more from Nik Sharma’s holiday dinner party here!
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Spiced Pomegranate Cider
Playing off my mantra of keeping things unfussy and saving on valuable time, this spiced cider incorporates that theme along with the dark pomegranate juice and bright sweet flavors of apples and citrus. In my opinion, this cider actually tastes even more wonderful the day after that in itself is a blessing in disguise because you can work on this the day before and warm it up when you’re ready to serve. I keep the garnishes for the cider quite simple but by all means, feel free to tweak and make it your own. Use a citrus zester to get the zest of the orange, it avoids the underlying bitter white pith that hides under the colorful scented skin.
Makes 6 servings
You’ll need:
– 3 cups pomegranate juice
– 2 cups apple juice
– 1 cup orange juice, no pulp
– 2 tablespoons lime juice
– ¼ cup dark brown sugar or honey
– 12 black peppercorns
– 2 star anise pods
– 2 green cardamom pods, cracked
– 1 cinnamon stick
– Zest of one orange cut into strips, pith removed and discarded
– 1 orange cut into slices, for garnishing
Instructions:
Stir the fruit juices, sugar, black peppercorns, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, and orange zest in a large and deep saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let sit covered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat, strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer set over a large container, and discard the whole spices and zest. To serve, fill a glass with the warm spiced pomegranate cider and garnish with a slice of orange. You can make the cider a day ahead of time, store it an airtight container, and warm it up over low heat when you’re ready to serve.
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Roasted Cauliflower with Smoky Salt and Pistachio Romesco
Cauliflower is somewhat of a blank slate when it comes to taste, but it’s this very feature that makes it so special. Roasting cauliflower makes the vegetable shine as the spices weave in different layers of aroma and taste. The addition of smoked salt is somewhat of a shortcut, it helps add smokiness skipping a few extra steps that would otherwise be needed.
While this romesco is by no means the classic sauce, here the bright green and sweet and sour flavors of this pistachio based sauce creates a colorful and dramatic contrast to the warm bed of roasted cauliflower. Since the cauliflower gets roasted and also contains a generous dose of smoky flavor, I steer away from roasting the bell pepper in my version of this romesco.
To save yourself sometime, prep the sauce a day or two in advance. Chop the cauliflower the day before, store it an airtight container, and assemble the mixture an hour before you’re ready to serve dinner.
Makes 4 servings
For the cauliflower:
– 1 lb cauliflower
– ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
– 1 teaspoon garam masala
– 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
– ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
– ¼ teaspoon cayenne
– Smoked salt flakes or any type of smoked salt
– ¼ cup raisins
– ¼ cup pistachios, chopped
– 2 tablespoons lime juice
– 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley or cilantro
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet or tray with foil.
Remove and discard any leaves from the cauliflower. Break the cauliflower into bite-sized florets and place them in a large mixing bowl.
In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, garam masala, paprika, turmeric, and cayenne in a small bowl till smooth. Drizzle the mixture over the cauliflower in the bowl. Season with the smoked salt flakes and toss to coat well. Spread the mixture out on the baking sheet. Roast the cauliflower in the heated oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and add the raisins and pistachios and cook for an additional 5 to 8 minutes, till the florets are tender on the inside but golden brown and slightly crisp on the outside. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes, transfer to a serving dish, drizzle the lime juice, and garnish with the parsley or cilantro. Serve warm with the romesco (recipe follows).
For the Pistachio Romesco
– 1 medium green bell pepper
– ½ cup blanched pistachios (see note)
– 1 bunch cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, stems and leaves chopped
– 4 garlic cloves, peeled
– ¼ cup lime juice (you won’t use it all)
– 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
– ½ teaspoon ground chipotle
– ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
– Fine sea salt
Instructions:
Core and discard the stem and seeds from the bell pepper. Dice the bell pepper into large chunks and place it in the blender with the pistachios, cilantro or parsley, garlic, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, olive oil, chipotle, and black pepper in the bowl of a food processor or a blender. Pulse at high speed for a few seconds till the mixture turns smooth. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if needed to get the mixture moving. Taste and add salt. Add additional lime juice if needed. This sauce can be prepared a day or two in advance, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and leave it out to warm at room temperature before using.
Note: If blanched pistachios are unavailable, cover the pistachios with enough boiling water in a heat-proof bowl and let them sit for 30 minutes. Drain and discard the water and rub the softened skins off with your fingers or a clean kitchen towel.
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Green Olives + Chouriço Stuffing
I love the concept of stuffing; it’s a blank slate waiting to be painted in flavors that depict who you are. Green olives are my ode to California, while the chouriço, saffron, and vinegar speak for the India I grew up in.
Serves 8 to 10
You’ll need:
– 1 lb ciabatta or sourdough bread
– ½ cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
– 20 strands saffron
– Fine sea salt
– 11 oz chouriço
– 1 leek, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
– 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
– 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
– 2 Granny Smith or other firm, tart baking apples, cored and diced
– 3 oz dried tart cherries
– ½ cup walnut halves
– ¼ cup apple cider or malt vinegar
– One 6 oz can medium green olives, drained and halved
– 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
– 2 large eggs, lightly whisked
– 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro, for garnish
– 2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut or tear the bread into ½ in cubes, spread them out in a single layer on the baking sheet, and dry in the oven, about 1 hour. Remove and let cool completely. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Increase the oven heat to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2 in ceramic or glass baking dish with a little butter.
Grind half of the saffron to a fine powder with a little salt and set aside. Remove and discard the casing from the chouriço and break the sausage into small bits. Heat a medium saucepan over low heat and sauté until the sausage starts to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the butter and stir until it melts. Increase the heat, add the leek and onion, and sauté until they start to turn translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the whole and ground saffron strands.
Add the apples, cherries, and walnuts and sauté until the cherries get plump, 1 minute. Add the vinegar and remove from the heat. Gently fold in the olives, followed by the dried bread. Season with salt. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup of the stock with the eggs, then whisk in the remaining stock. Pour the liquid over the bread mixture in the baking dish and fold in gently to distribute. At this stage, you can let the baking dish sit for 30 minutes before baking, or cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to bake the stuffing, discard the plastic wrap. If chilled, leave the baking dish out on the kitchen counter to warm to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Cover the baking dish snugly with a sheet of aluminum foil to form a tight seal and bake for 40 minutes. Lower the heat to 300°F, remove the foil, and continue to bake, uncovered, until the top is golden brown and crispy and the liquid has completely evaporated, 20 to 30 minutes. A skewer or knife inserted into the center should come out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes. Garnish with the cilantro and parsley and serve warm.
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Gingerbread Cake with Date Syrup Bourbon Sauce
I’m of the opinion that all gingerbread cakes must have ginger in both the ground spice form and a bit of the crystallized form. The Date Syrup Bourbon Sauce gives it that extra edge of smooth richness and is inspired by one of the top-ten desserts I’ve eaten: the date cake with whiskey sauce at Gjelina in Los Angeles. Use a Microplane zester for the lime zest to get a fine grate.
Serves 12 / Makes one 9-in [23-cm] square cake and 2 cups [480 mL] sauce
For the cake:
– ¾ cup [165 g] unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
– 1 Tbsp ground ginger
– 1 tsp ground black pepper
– 1 tsp ground green cardamom
– 1 tsp lime zest
– 2½ cups [350 g] all-purpose flour
– 1½ tsp baking soda
– ½ tsp fine sea salt
– 2 oz [55 g] crystallized ginger, chopped
– ¼ cup [50 g] sugar
– ¼ cup [85 g] honey
– 1 cup [320 g] unsulfured molasses or sorghum
– ½ cup [120 g] crème fraîche
– 2 large eggs, at room temperature
– 1 cup [240 ml] water warmed to 158°F [70°C]
For the date syrup bourbon sauce:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup [240 ml] date syrup, homemade (page 324) or store-bought
1 cup [240 ml] heavy cream
2 Tbsp honey bourbon or whiskey
¼ tsp fine sea salt
For serving:
Lightly sweetened crème fraîche
Fresh lime zest
Instructions:
Grease a 9 in [23 cm] square baking pan with a little butter and line with parchment paper. Grease the parchment paper.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the ginger, black pepper, cardamom, and lime zest. Let steep for 10 minutes.
Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl. Reserve 2 Tbsp of the flour mixture in a small bowl, add the crystallized ginger to it, and toss to coat well.
Preheat the oven to 325°F [163°C]. Place the sugar, honey, and molasses in the bowl of a stand mixer. Scrape out the melted butter from the saucepan with a silicone spatula and add it to the mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed until it turns a toffee-brown color, 4 to 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl, add the crème fraîche, and mix on low speed until combined, 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the bowl. Mix in 1 egg at a time on medium speed until combined. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, add the water and mix until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape the sides. Fold in the crystallized ginger and transfer the cake batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake until the cake is golden brown on the surface and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan. Run a knife along the edges of the pan to release the cake and transfer to a serving plate.
To prepare the date bourbon sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Swirl the butter in the saucepan until the milk solids start to turn red. Whisk in the date syrup and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream, followed by the bourbon and the salt. Transfer to an airtight jar and refrigerate until ready to use. You can make this sauce 2 days ahead of time.
To serve, cut the cake into slices and serve with sweetened crème fraîche, a little lime zest, and a generous drizzle of the date bourbon sauce.
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Reprinted from The Flavor Equation by Nik Sharma with permission by Chronicle Books, 2020
Photography by Nik Sharma
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