Chefs’ Christmas Menus

Adults look forward to Christmas, often more for the food than for the gifts. While Thanksgiving menus are generally similar for most New Yorkers — turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie — Christmas menus are unique, inspired by family memories, many originating from points outside of the city. Three local chefs share their favorite recipes for the holiday. LAURENT TOURONDEL: MOM’S BLACK & WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE For chef Laurent Tourondel of the BLT restaurant group, there are two reasons to eat cake on December 25. Not only is it Christmas; it’s also Mr. Tourondel’s birthday. As a result, his parents gave him the middle name Noël. “Well, it was either that or Jesus,” Mr. Tourondel said, with a laugh. When he was growing up in France’s Auvergne region, Christmas Eve dinner was always a family affair. His father made a civet de liève, or hare stew, starting to prepare it days in advance. His mother made the traditional bouche de Noël , or yule log-shaped cake, and a black and white chocolate birthday cake. “I was an only child, and a little bit an enfant terrible,” Mr. Tourondel said. “But it was always a big party, much better than just a birthday.” Making the Mousse: 7 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped into rough pieces 1 tbsp instant espresso powder 1/3 cup Strega*, kirsch, or rum 1/4 cup heavy cream 5 large eggs, separated 6 tbsp sugar To make the chocolate mousse: 1. Melt the chocolate in the top half of a double boiler, set over simmering water. 2. Add the coffee and Strega and let stand uncovered until the chocolate is softened. Stir until blended. Transfer the chocolate to a large bowl. 3. In a separate large chilled bowl, whip the cream with chilled beaters on high speed for four minutes, or until soft peaks form. 4. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks (with an electric mixer on medium speed) with 2 tablespoons of the sugar until pale (about 3 minutes). 5. In a separate large mixer bowl, beat the whites (on medium speed) until frothy. Gradually add the remaining four tablespoons of sugar, and increase the speed to high. Whip until soft peaks form. 6. Add the egg yolk mixture to the chocolate. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Gently fold the whites into the chocolate mixture. Assembling the cake Chocolate mousse 20–25 ladyfingers, halved 3/4 cup simple syrup 1/2 cup Strega, kirsch, or rum Crème Anglaise Chocolate curls 1. Mix the simple syrup and Strega. 2. Dip half the ladyfingers in the syrup until slightly softened. 3. In a 2-quart, glass serving bowl, place mousse and ladyfingers in alternate layers, finishing with the mousse. 4. Cover and chill at least 8 hours or up to 2 days. 5. Serve with crème anglaise and chocolate curls. *Strega is an Italian liqueur made from herbs, spices, and saffron. Serves 6 — Adapted from the cookbook, “Bistro Laurent Tourondel” (Wiley, $34.95) BRAD FARMERIE: PORK RILLETTE As youngsters growing up in Pittsburgh, brothers Brad and Adam Farmerie relished staying up for the late supper that followed Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. “Our mother would make pâtés and rillettes,” which is similar to pâté, said. Brad Farmerie, of Public restaurant (210 Elizabeth St., between Prince and Spring streets, 212-343-7011). “It was supposed to last through the holidays, but we’d eat it all.” Their mother taught herself to cook by reading Julia Child cookbooks and recipe-centric magazines. “She would bake bread every day and make these amazing meals,” Adam, a partner in the design firm, AvroKO, which helped develop the concept and create the décor for Public, said. “Wethought everyone ate like this; we didn’t realize how special it was until later on.” Each Christmas, the brothers get together on Christmas Eve. These days they’ve upgraded their mother’s rillette recipe — supplanting pork with salmon and foie gras. “It’s still always late, only now we skip the Mass and go right to the food,” Adam said. 1 pork belly (5–6 pounds), skin removed and diced into 1-inch cubes 2 cinnamon sticks 5 cloves 10 star anise 8 cardamom pods 15 cloves garlic 3 thumbs of ginger, peeled and finely sliced 1 cup soy sauce 1 3/4 cup rice vinegar 1/2 cup cold water 1. Place pork belly into a heavy bottom pot. 2. Place cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and cardamom onto a piece of muslin (cheesecloth) and tie it closed. Add to pork belly. 3. In a food processor or blender combine the garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Blend to a fine purée. Add to pork belly. 4. Add vinegar and water to pork belly. Stir to mix the ingredients thoroughly. 5. Cover the pot and place over low heat, slowly bringing the mix to a boil. Reduce heat to a very low simmer and continue to cook covered for 10 minutes. 6. Remove the lid and cook for an additional 2 hours. Stir the pot every 10–20 minutes making sure ingredients aren’t sticking to the bottom of the pot. (At the end of the cooking time, the pork should be falling apart and most of the liquid should be evaporated.) 7. Allow the mix to cool slightly. Remove the spice sachet and discard. 8. Working in batches, scoop the mix (meat, fat, and liquid) out of the pot and place into the food processor. 9. Pulse the mixture into a purée, then spoon into six sterilized jars or ramekins. (The easiest way to sterilize is to take them directly from the dishwasher after a cycle or to boil briefly.) 10. Chill in the refrigerator for two hours before serving. (May be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.) The dish can be served with toasted bread, cornichons, and a green salad, or spread some on toasted rounds of bread, topped with sliced radish or pickled chilies for a canapé. Yields about 3 quarts JODY WILLIAMS: MOLASSES TAFFY “It was the only time of the year she would ever cook,” chef Jody Williams said, referring to her mother on Christmas. “Otherwise it was a lot of TV dinners.” Her mother’s specialty was sweets, making copious amounts of candies, fudge, cookies, and cakes. One of Ms. Williams’s favorite childhood memories is of sitting around the kitchen table with her two sisters, pulling taffy with buttered hands. Regardless of how many confections they created in their Northern California home, “It’d all be gone by the New Year.” Ms. Williams of Morandi (211 Waverly Place, between Charles and Perry streets, 212-627-7575) recalled. 2 cups molasses 2 tbsp. butter 1 cup sugar 1 tbsp. vinegar 1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. 2. Stir with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved. 3. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, until it reaches 260 Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer, or until 1 teaspoon of the mixture dropped in cool water makes a hard ball. 4. Pour taffy into a large buttered pan. 5. Fold the edges of the taffy over and into the center of the pan with a spatula, until it is cool enough to handle. 6. While the taffy is still warm, with buttered hands roll the taffy into a log, and cut into four pieces. 7. Pull the taffy by stretching it back and forth until it softens, and turns creamy and opaque. 8. Cut with buttered scissors into bite-size pieces, and wrap in wax paper. Makes 24 pieces, which can be stored in an airtight container for up to one month.

Chefs’ Christmas Menus

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