merry merry

Merry Christmas my darling readers! I woke up well before the sun was out this morning and raced down to the computer to start filling you in on today's menu as I so irresponsibly forgot to post it earlier. But, ahh. Oops!

Smoked Salmon Crostini with Mustard-Dill Sauce

Swedish Meatballs

Assortment of Artisinal Cheeses

Pork Tenderloin Marinated in Maple Syrup and Dijon

Pear and Apple Chutney

Danish Braised Red Cabbage (taken from a near ancient scandinavian cookbook)

Potato-Fennel Gratin

Baby Greens with Parsley-Red Onion Vinaigrette*

The meatballs, red cabbage, and vinaigrette were all taken care of yesterday so that leaves the rest to, well, right about now. I'm off to start prepping but will be tweeting the progress so check in every now and then in between throwing wrapping paper balls at your sibling(s), trying on any or all of your Christmas gifts at the same time, and dozing in and out of a nap.

You deserve it.

Merry Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones. XO.

My gift to you is this recipe for Parsley-Red Onion Vinaigrette. I cannot take any credit here, it all goes to our close family friend and caterer (Festivities), Bill Kaliff whom my mom worked with years and years ago but has kept this recipe, along with many others of his, in an overstuffed silver folder. This dressing is nothing short of divine. The bright, fresh flavor of the parsley with the subdued pungency of the red onion is straight up special and will perk up any plate. I urge you (once again) to serve your salad right on the dinner plate along with the rest of your Holiday spread because swirling your forkful of a perfect bite into your salad dressing is sure to make you tingle with joy.

Bill's Parsley-Red Onion Vinaigrette

*This makes a TON so you might want to halve it. Me? Whole batch, baby.

1 medium red onion

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

salt + pepper

3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 bunch parsley

In a food processor, blitz the red onion and garlic until finely chopped. Add in the parsley and pulse till combined. Add in balsamic, salt, and pepper and blend. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Taste for seasoning. Call Kiira and thank her (but really Bill) for making this the best Christmas ever.

god jul

If there's one season in particular that I can get most people on board to try Swedish food, it's undoubtedly Christmas. No one can turn down a Swedish Meatball. Or potato pancake, apparently. (Although I'm not entirely sure how authentically Scandinavian they are, no one can deny the Swede's love of the potato. So there. There's that.)

So for this year's Swedish spread, I whipped up the following: Mor Mor's Meatballs with Lingonberries, Potato Pancakes with Apple Sauce and Dilled Sour Cream, and Smoked Salmon with Mustard-Dill Sauce. Obligatory Glogg (spiked mulled wine) was kept warm and served sparingly due to extreme potency.

To me, this is the epitome of comfort food. An undeniably delicious balance of flavors that makes you feel warm, cozy, and festive all at the same time. Plus, everything was done ahead of time, making you look like the most calm, cool, and collected of hosts or hostesses even if that might not even be remotely close to being the case.

The Mustard-Dill Sauce ended up being a huge hit and could not be easier to throw together. I took a combination of honey mustard, dijon, and a coarse grain mustard (totaling about a cup of mustard) and stirred in about 2 Tbsp. of sugar and 2 Tbsp. of dill. And that, my friends, is it. A gorgeous accompaniment that packs a seriously sweet heat to smoked salmon but just as delicious on a sandwich or with a piece of chicken or fish. Give it a try and while you're at it, God Jul!