Food

This dish is a plant-based showstopper, with tender mushrooms in a sweet-and-sour glaze soaking into ultra-thick roasted parsnip purée. The parsnip is extra savoury and sweet thanks to a quick dunk in a pot with baking soda, whose alkaline nature makes for a stronger Maillard reaction, a.k.a. more caramelization when the parsnips are roasted.  Balsamic swap Pomegranate molasses or Turkish or Iranian grape molasses are excellent replacements for balsamic vinegar and don’t need to be reduced before using.

This delicious appetizer is a terrific hors d’oeuvre for the holiday season. Dungeness crab is just being harvested at this time of year, and it’s a light delicacy that’s so easy to transport. For extra freshness, carry the crab filling and Belgian endive leaves in separate containers, and simply spoon filling into spears when you arrive.   Seafood substitutions If crab is scarce, feel free to substitute with shrimp, smoked salmon, or tuna. Looking for a vegan twist? Replace mayo and yogurt with equal amounts of vegan mayo, and sub out seafood with chopped jackfruit, hearts of palm, or canned artichokes.

Many of us are familiar with age-old sweet and sour meatballs, regular fare on the buffet line or served from a slow cooker or fondue pot with long-handled forks. Roasted meatballs anyone? This version is definitely upscale and will have everyone hovering with forks in hand.  Marvelous marmalade Red Onion Marmalade is a delicious accompaniment to many different dishes. For the vegetarian, warm it up and serve over Camembert or goat cheese. And for a vegan touch, cube and brown tempeh or tofu and spoon warmed onion marmalade overtop. 

This spice cake is the perfect accompaniment to any holiday gathering. It’s not only deliciously perfumed with orange and a heady mixture of spices, reminiscent of gingerbread, but also perfect for those who have food sensitivities, as it’s gluten free and vegan. You can use your favorite brand of dairy-free yogurt for the frosting, but keep in mind that, for this recipe, the thicker the better. For added thickness, you can strain your yogurt through some cheesecloth set in a colander placed over a deep bowl. Depending on how loose your yogurt is, it may take up to overnight to drain. Garnish with ganache For a little more indulgence, forgo the frosting and instead drizzle with some chocolate ganache made by whisking together 1 cup (250 mL) warmed coconut cream with 10 oz (285 g) chopped dark chocolate.

Puréeing ripe persimmons into a creamy dressing makes for a sweet and juicy salad without excess oil. Persimmons are a seasonal treat with a local heritage. Native to the southeastern US and Asia, but able to be grown in Canada, and now grown around the world, much of what’s available in this country comes from California, Spain, and South Africa and starts appearing in markets in late fall and early winter. The most common cultivars are Fuyu and Hachiya persimmons, and either can be used for this recipe. Just keep in mind that Fuyus are ripe when firm whereas Hachiyas are ripe when their skins are begging to break and their tongue-tying astringency has turned to sugar-sweet juice. The only downside of being so juicy is that Hachiyas can be tricky to slice at that point, so if you’re going for presentation, choose Fuyus instead. If you can’t find persimmons, use sliced grapes. And feel free to top this salad with dukkah for a nutty, crunchy touch.  A multitude of greens You can use any greens you like for this salad, from tender Boston lettuce to arugula to hardy kale, massaging the greens as much or as little as needed to soften them. Tender lettuces need just a gentle toss in the dressing (think relaxation massage) while kale needs something akin to deep-tissue. For tender greens, dress the salad just before serving so the leaves don’t wilt; hardier greens can be dressed well in advance.

In this plant-based stuffing, fresh herbs and dried fruit replace the depth of flavour usually infused by chicken juices, so use fresh thyme and rosemary if possible to maximize the flavour return. By baking the stuffing in a shallow dish, the bottom stays wonderfully soft and moist while the top becomes addictively crunchy, as opposed to an in-bird stuffing that ends up monotonously mushy. Sweet and not-too-salty For a more exotic flavour, skip garlic and add small pieces of dark chocolate. To keep sodium levels down, be careful that you don’t add too much salt. If your bread already contains a decent amount of sodium, you might not need to add extra, but taste stuffing before baking to make sure it won’t be bland. And err on the side of under-seasoned if you plan to eat it with a salty gravy or sauce.