You probably associate the festive season with hearty meals and sinful pleasures, but you can always choose to serve something delicious and good for the heart too. Here are five varieties of dishes that are great enough for snacking and meals.
Pumpkin Soup
Adapted from All Recipes
Heat six cups of chicken stock with salt, 4 cups of pumpkin puree, chopped onions, thyme and garlic. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Puree the soup using a food processor in a blender, then boil again. Simmer and stir in heavy cream, serve and garnish with fresh parsley.
Asparagus Tarts
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Get a couple sheets of frozen puff pastry from the supermarket and place them over a floured surface. Cut them into 4×4 inch squares and brush each of them lightly with beaten egg. Sprinkle salt and ground black pepper, topping it with a generous amount of cheese. Press four to five spears of asparagus onto the pastry, then brush with olive oil and sprinkle more pepper.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until asparagus is cooked and pastry is browned, and serve.
Roasted Carrots in Cardamom Butter
Adapted from Eating Well
Combine some salted butter, oil, cardamom and some salt in a medium bowl, stirring well until ingredients mix well. Add sliced carrots in the bowl and toss them well to coat. Spread the carrot slices evenly on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast them in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve while hot.
Mushroom Pâté
Adapted from BBC Good Food
Heat butter in a large frying pan, adding shallots, leek and garlic, sautéing them until soft. Increase the heat and add in chestnuts and finely chopped shiitake mushrooms, cooking for 10 minutes until juices have evaporated. Stir in two tablespoons of mustard and creme fraiche, and simmer for another 2 minutes.
Serve in a bowl and garnish with freshly chopped tarragon. Prepare canapés or toasted baguette to dip.
Creamy Chicken and Spinach Pasta
Using penne or short pasta, cook pasta al dente. Reserve the pasta in the pot after draining the water.
Melt butter in pasta pot over medium heat, adding in garlic, cooking for over 30 seconds. Add cream, chicken slices, spinach, peas, and salt and pepper to taste. Leave it over on low to medium heat until spinach is wilted and chicken is cooked. Add a little water to give it a little gravy. Once it’s cooked completely, serve with parmesan.
Are you going to be trying any of these recipes? Or you serving some special? Share with us in our Forum.
