Tradition with a Twist: Holiday Meals with Modern Flavor

Content provided by our sponsor: Manda Fine Meats

The holiday season means taking things to another level, food-wise — it’s a big part of what puts the “special” in special occasions when you’ve got a houseful of family and friends. Every cook has their own lineup of classic standbys that have to be part of the spread every year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t branch out a little bit to spice things up.

To inspire your thinking, we reached out to some food stars for holiday recipe ideas that put a new spin on traditional offerings. Perhaps these will even find their way into your regular holiday lineup.

Cranberry Sauce with Ginger and Local Citrus

Cranberry sauce is a staple on holiday tables, but the canned version is a long way down most people’s lists of favorites. Baton Rouge native Katie Juban, sous chef at Sylvain in New Orleans, offers a way to put cranberries back on everyone’s radar with a homemade cranberry sauce that incorporates local citrus for a perfect pop of fun and flavor.

Cranberry Sauce with Ginger and Local Citrus

• 4 cups fresh cranberries, stems removed (substitute frozen, unsweetened whole cranberries if needed)
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated raw ginger
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 ripe Satsuma (“Mandarin”) oranges, peeled, segmented and juice reserved
• 1 1/2 cups shelled native pecan halves
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Use a baking sheet to toast the pecans for 12 minutes, then remove and cool.
2. If using frozen cranberries, rinse them in a colander under cool running water until thawed. If using fresh, ensure that all stems are removed.
3. Use a vegetable peeler or soup spoon to scrape off outer skin on the ginger, then grate with a box grater’s larger circle face. Mix well with lemon juice and sugar.
4. Combine cranberries, ginger, lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring often and keeping watch so the sugar does not stick or burn. Simmer five minutes, then transfer to a plastic container to cool.
5. With a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife, remove all rind from the oranges. Carefully peel away the white pith with a paring knife, then cut the citrus into segments, working over a bowl to capture all the juice.
6. Put the cooled cranberry mixture in a food processor and pulse gently until incorporated, then add the toasted pecans and pulse gently until the nuts are folded in. Pour mixture into a bowl, then gently fold in orange segments, juice and black pepper. Cover and chill for 2 hours before serving.

Cane Syrup Glazed Ham

And then there’s the star of the show. For some folks the holidays mean turkey time, but for our money there’s nothing better than the glory of a beautifully glazed ham — which also eliminates turkey’s inconsistency of dryness vs. doneness and the messy ritual of carving and eating around so many bones. Holiday hams traditionally call for a brown sugar glaze, but Patrick Yarborough of Manda Fine Meats offers a twist with a glaze that combines it root beer and cane syrup for a great flavor.

Cane Syrup Glazed Ham

• Manda Fine Meats ham (half or whole)
• 1 cup Louisiana cane syrup
• 1 cup root beer
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 orange
• 2 Tbsp mustard
• Ground cloves
• Cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Mix the syrup, root beer, brown sugar and mustard, then squeeze the juice from the orange into the mixture, removing any seeds. Sprinkle in cloves and cinnamon to taste.
3. Place the ham in a baking dish and spread the mixture over it. Cover with aluminum foil and bake, following package guidance on baking times according to weight. (In general, expect 3-4 hours for a whole ham or 2-3 hours for a half ham.)

Green Bean Casserole with Diced Ham

Don’t forget the sides! Here’s an easy twist on a traditional green bean casserole, which pumps up the flavor by adding diced ham.

Green Bean Casserole with Diced Ham

• 1 package Manda diced ham (12 oz)
• 28 oz cut green beans
• 1 can cheddar cheese soup
• 1 can cream of mushroom
• 1 can french fried onions

1. Divide the can of french fried onions in half.
2. Mix half of the onions with all of the other ingredients and place into a casserole baking dish.
3. Top with the remaining half of onions.
4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

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