Made of ingredients you probably have in your pantry at all times, these savory gems can bring a salty accent to poultry or a Seven Fishes main. You can also be whip up these Crispy Artichokes in a few minutes as an hors d’oeuvre to serve with a flinty rosé or a light red. Start with artichokes from Western PA-based DeLallo Foods. Add more local appeal with Brunton Dairy butter; we quietly confess that we pile on an extra pat to top off each artichoke when they come out of the oven.
Let the flavor and texture of the artichoke shine.
Ingredients
Scale
2 cans artichoke hearts
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 lemon, zested
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Drain and rinse both cans of artichokes. Gently pat them dry to make sure there is no excess liquid. You may need to gently squeeze each artichoke heart to make sure all the liquid between each layer is removed.
In a bowl combine panko bread crumbs, melted butter, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and herbs.
Top each artichoke with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 400 degrees until the bread crumbs are golden brown.
The savory appeal of roasted mushrooms is undeniable. The popularity of a roasted potato is, too. So far, we’re on familiar ground. What takes this vegan-friendly side dish from ordinary to extraordinary is a chimichurri sauce you can make days ahead. Its well-balanced combination of herbs, heat, and acid transforms the staples of mushrooms and potatoes into something positively gourmet. And should some of that sauce stray onto the holiday turkey or ham … we ascend into the territory of memorable meals.
Roasted Wild Mushrooms and Potatoes with Chimichurri Recipe
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE MUSHROOMS AND POTATOES:
1 lb peewee potatoes
1/2 lb wild mushrooms
1/2 lb baby bella mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE CHIMICHURRI:
1/2 cup chopped parsley
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 small red chili, seeded and diced (or 2 tsp red pepper flakes)
1 tsp salt
Black Pepper to taste
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE MUSHROOMS AND POTATOES:
Toss mushrooms and potatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast at 400 degrees until the potatoes are tender and the mushrooms are starting to brown.
FOR THE CHIMICHURRI:
Add the chopped parsley, garlic, shallot, oregano, red chili (or crushed red pepper), red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper to the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely minced. Make sure not to turn it into a thick paste from over-processing).
Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and pour the extra-virgin olive oil over the mixture. Gently mix to combine.
Serve over the roasted mushrooms and potatoes.
Story by Keith Recker / Recipe and Styling by Anna Franklin / Photography by Dave Bryce / With Support From Buy Fresh Buy Local Western PA
An eye-catchingaddition to a holiday table, this dish will have all your Instagramming guests posting and tagging and trending. It couldn’t be simpler: once you’ve halved and cored the pears, you can hand over the rest to grandkids or to friends willing to help. A little company in the kitchen makes the day more fun for the cook, and, as the saying goes, many hands make light work! If blue cheese skeptics are present, consider grating up a handful or two of Manchego or Beemster Gouda with Cumin Seeds instead.
A bit of roasted garlic on the table gives everyone a chance to add caramelized flavor to bites of turkey or roast beef. Cheesy bread elevates and ennobles the traditional scarpetta, the trusty, crusty scrap that scrapes up every drop of gravy or sauce. Having both garlic and bread on the table is a boon to all enthusiastic feasters… but you also could deploy this savory wonder as a bite to accompany a glass of sharp, acidic Sauvignon Blanc or Prosecco as an aperitif.
Cut tops off of each garlic bulb, exposing each clove. Place on a sheet tray and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Tightly cover with a piece of foil. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cloves are browned on the tops and very soft in the center.
While the garlic is roasting, slice the baguette into thin slices, being very careful to not slice the bread all the way through. You want to leave a very thin layer attached so the bread is still one whole loaf. Speed each slice apart and stuff with shredded mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil. Finish roasting garlic.
Remove the foil from the tray and place prepared baguette next to the garlic. Bake at 400 degrees for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and slightly brown. Garnish with chopped herbs and serve immediately.
Recipe and Styling by Anna Franklin Photography by Dave Bryce
Hélène’s cookbook, though traditional and authentic, does not sing songs of personal family stories. Instead, it delves deep into Jewish history to illuminate dishes that were once prepared in times fraught with anti-Semitism: food was a way to reveal and preserve Jewish identity.
The recipes shared by Hélène with TABLE readers link back, through frying, to the miracle of the oil that kept a menorah in Jerusalem aflame for eight days almost 2200 years ago. These traditional foods spread around the Mediterranean when Sephardic people were forced to be pushed out of their homes in Iberia in the 15th century. Jews who chose expulsion over conversion to Catholicism moved to Portugal, Southern France, Italy, Morocco, and Ottoman Turkey.
This movement left its mark on food traditions. Tortitas de acelga, chickpea flour croquettes with Swiss chard, speak with the flavors of Spanish Sephardic cuisine. Maqrut, a sweet dessert with dates and walnuts, is tied to the foods of Morocco, while ifseng, a fried pastry common during Hanukkah, has roots in Morocco and Israel.
While expressing Hanukkah’s love and light, these recipes also call for reflection on how traditions survive and adapt to times of strife and difficulty. Each recipe ties to a piece of the past, encouraging us to engage in “cooking the history.” Each bite, to Hélène, becomes a little sweeter, more intense, and flavorsome with a deeper connection to the past. She writes in her beautifully researched cookbook that “to eat is to remember.”
A magical Hanukkah dinner. At center, a Hanukkah 75 cocktail.
The buffet-style feast included a fresh endive salad garnished with marigolds and herbs, as well as Tortitas de Acela and Sweet Fried Eggplant from Sephardi, Hélène Jawhara Piñer’s cookbook.
Hanukkah would not be complete without sweets! At left, Makrùt and at far right, Nebulas Encanonadas, recipes from Sephardi, Hélène Jawhara Piñer’s cookbook.
With the number of vegetarians rising, planning a substantial veggie side dish like our Stuffed Winter Squash is always a good “host” idea. It’s also a good idea for your and the planet’s health! Holding back a bit on meat consumption can give our bodies a digestive break, and relying more on plant-based foods can help ease the environmental stress on the planet.
Philosophy aside, this squash is DELICIOUS! Drizzle it with the roasted ginger and turmeric vinaigrette — and/or a bit of pomegranate molasses. Plus, don’t forget to sip a glass of Grüner Veltliner. Wunderbar!
3 cups brioche or challah, cut into large cubes (let it sit in the air overnight for optimal results)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tomatillos, minced fine
1 tsp sweet chile powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup golden berries, cut in half, for garnish
Squash Recipe Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350. Rub olive oil into the flesh of one-half of the squash—dust with salt and pepper.
Peel the other half of the squash. Cube the flesh. Add the cubed squash and all ingredients except golden berries in a large bowl. Toss until well combined. Add extra melted butter if you think you should!
Stuff the squash with the mixture. Place in a roasting pan. Bake until squash is tender. Serve hot, drizzled with ginger turmeric dressing.
Ginger Turmeric Vinaigrette Recipe
Ginger Turmeric Vinaigrette Ingredients
1 cup peeled ginger, use a spoon to scrape the skin off
1/2 cup fresh turmeric, found in speciality grocery stores
1 cup avocado seed oil
2 large cloves of fresh garlic
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
If the two vinegars above are unavailable, use apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp sesame oil
Juice of 1 lemon and zest
Salt to taste
Vinaigrette Instructions
Roast ginger in oil over the stove; heat oil over high heat for 2 minutes to jumpstart, then reduce to a low simmer and roast ginger until lightly brown. Let cool before using. Strain oil from ginger.
Combine ginger, garlic, vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, zest, and sesame oil in a blender. Blend until smooth, drizzle some oil to help break down. Add oil slowly until emulsified and season with salt to taste.
Styling and Recipe by Rafael Vencio / Photography by Dave Bryce
This year’s party season is in full swing and when you’re walking about, chatting with friends and family, you want a snack you can hold in your hand. Charcuterie, dessert, and snack boards have grown to be a popular choice for a fulfilling yet simple serving. Not to mention, a wider variety of food means a better chance of there being something for everyone to eat. Kick off your gathering with hearty party trays made by Pittsburgh specialists or stop by other local businesses for the ingredients to make your own.
A boutique veggie-forward catering company from widely renowned Chef Kate Romane. One of their popular boards is their Deviled Egg Board which is a perfect side or appetizer for the holidays.
Cheese is the star at Chantal’s, with a huge variety of offerings from all over the world. But order a plate and mix in some charcuterie and apricots to really elevate your next gathering.
This beloved Strip District shop, which almost always has a line at the cheese counter, also offers catering trays. Grab the 12-inch condiment tray and delight your guests with marinated artichokes, stuffed banana peppers, prosciutto, provolone, and more.
Using a local-first approach, charcuterie and cheeses from as close as the Strip and Allison Park and as far away as Central Pennsylvania are curated into season-right boards replete with house-made dips, spreads and jams.
Elevate your picnic in one of Pittsburgh’s many beautiful parks with an assortment of cheese, berries, chocolate, and more. In addition to charcuterie boards, picnics also include tables, pillows, blankets, candles, flowers, cups, plates, an ice bucket, ice, napkins, and utensils.
Modern Charcuterie was founded by Christi Pletcher during the pandemic. Once she started posting images of her elaborate boards for fun, she discovered that people were interested in purchasing her services. Bonus: She donates 10% of all sales to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Pittsburgh and Morgantown.
Who wouldn’t love a charcuterie board subscription as a gift? Receive local seasonal cheeses with tasty accompaniments once each month. Or if you’d just like a one time purchase opt for their Brunch Board filled with bagels, various spreads, fruit, and vegetables.
This little Italian grocery store in the heart of Oakland has a full fresh deli featuring imported meats and cheeses. Plus, they have plenty of fresh bread and spread options to top off your holidays with a genuine Italian finish.
Load up your next party board with Greek, Italian, and Middle Eastern foods like Marinated Olives, fresh Figs, and Hot Red Pepper Spread. There’s a bakery in the store as well in case you wish to make a sweet dessert board featuring fresh baked goods.
When you shop at East End Food Co-op, you know you’re getting organic, quality ingredients and deli products. Pick from a wide range of smoked meats like dry salami and pepperoni or soft and hard cheeses.
In Pittsburgh’s Little Italy you’ll find this specialty shop with a hot and cold food deli. Pick up pre-made foods like meatballs and sausages. You could even take a unique spin on a board and do a ravioli board with their in-house made pasta.
Here you’ll find perfectly ripe, locally grown fruits and vegetables along with other treats of handmade cheese and soups. If there’s a specific ingredient you’re looking for just ask and the staff will be happy to point you in the right direction.
Not only does this infamous shop carry pre-made boards but you can also find a stocked deli counter carrying imported dried meats and freshly sliced cheese. Needless to say, Pennsylvania Macaroni Company is home for the Italians in the area.
Story by Kylie Thomas / Photography by Dave Bryce / Styling by Anna Franklin
December in Pittsburgh means a month of holiday celebrations, especially when it comes to the arts. Take your family out to explore the winter wonderland of the city through musicals, plays, ballets, art showcases, and so much more.
Catch one of the most hilarious musicals based on the movie starring Robin Williams. It’s a fun theatrical experience made for the whole family. Plus, don’t miss Rob McClure reprising his Tony-nominated Broadway performance for this run of shows.
Through the use of dance, music, drag, performative storytelling, and audio from first-person interviews with trans women, the healing process of the Black community is showcased in this moving and innovative performance.
Over 200 of the best of the best in the region’s creative maker community come together for this annual holiday marketplace. Check out hands-on demonstrations, DJs, raffles, and, of course, plenty of small business shopping.
Kick off the month of December with Santa at Freedom Farms. With over 50 local craft vendors, in addition to activities like tractor rides and a corn pit, you and the kiddos can launch into the holidays.
SUPERCELL, a multidisciplinary quintet performance responding to climate change, premiers in Pittsburgh on December 8 and 9. Kelly Strayhorn Theater celebrates the upcoming dance performance with a dinner and talks with the artists behind the project.
Our voices are an influential and beautiful asset—One-Long Bridge taps into this power to explore immigration, race, and resilience in the Asian American experience.
We’re seeing visions of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Marie, and her Nutcracker Prince, dance in our heads. Don’t miss this holiday tradition for the city of Pittsburgh.
Presented by filmmaker Amber Bemak, this film series offers alternate stories to those shown in mainstream media. You’ll learn true portraits from the US-Mexico border, the relationship between North and South America, and more.
Can Scrooge learn from the error of his selfish ways? Maybe with the help of the Muppets, he can. Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents the complete film with a live musical score.
Ahead of Pittsburgh Public Theater’s performance of A Christmas Story: The Play, Barrel and Flow’s Day Bracey visits for a curated beer tasting with guests.
The world may have lost music legend Tina Turner earlier this year, but the Queen of Rock and Roll’s biggest hits can be heard in a live setting for one high-octane tribute night.
No need to leave the warmth of your home to see Rebecca Makkai in the Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures Ten Evening Series. Grab a blanket and experience the author of the National Book Award finalist The Great Believers, appearing virtually. Don’t forget to dive into her latest, I Have Some Questions for You, ahead of time.
You can’t spell the most wonderful time of the year without Highmark Holiday Pops. Well, maybe you can. But it’s more fun to experience this musical Pittsburgh holiday tradition featuring all your favorite holiday songs.
Every season is the season to dine at Sazón, where Chef Fernando Olea, 2022 Best Chef of the Southwest James Beard Award Winner, creates magic on a plate. But Sazón takes on a special feeling in winter, as you brush the snow off your coat and are welcomed into the art-filled dining room for an evening of celebratory food and drink. The menu–deliberately small–pays homage to Chef Olea’s roots in Mexico but with a decidedly Southwestern vibe.
Mole
You can’t talk about Sazón without talking about mole. At Sazón, you’re in the hands of a master with such inspired creations as Chef Olea’s deep red-and orange-hued Coloradito, based on a traditional recipe made by his family in Mexico. It showcases both guajillo and árbol chilies with tomato, garlic, and other ingredients. Or his vibrant Mole Verde with tomatillos, spinach, jalapeño, and spices. For a cold winter’s night, perhaps his deep, earthy Mole Poblano–a complex blend of chile pasilla, mulatto, and ancho with plantains, raisins, Mexican dark chocolate, herbs, and spices. Just the thing to warm the darkest day.
Pulpo
Octopus, sautéed in olive oil with smoky richness from pork belly and a hit of Thai chili. It’s a winning combination that makes Sazón’s Pulpo a perennial favorite. The octopus is happy to make room for the powerful double act of pork and chili. And it’s these back-up singers that make this dish a hit. “The octopus itself is great, but most of the guests, they really like to dunk the bread–the crostini that we serve with it–in the oil. It’s a very, very good flavor with the pork belly,” says Chef Olea. And, while pork belly may not be the star of the show, it more than holds its own. “What cannot be good with pork belly?” he asks, laughing. “What else do you need?”
Sopa De Amor
This is Chef Olea’s signature soup–and with good reason. It’s a masterful combination of contrasting flavors, textures, temperatures and seasonings. He starts with a cream of poblano soup and adds a generous dollop of lump blue crabmeat that speaks of the sea. There is an amaretto foam and a dusting of cinnamon and chocolate. “I play with sweet, hot, cold, savory and some heat,” he says about this dish. Whatever you do, don’t stir, just dip your spoon in so you can taste every component–distinct, yet in perfect harmony. “All of the flavors they really blend beautifully. At the same time that they blend, they have their own place in the palate,” he says. Does he ever take this dish off the menu? A resounding “no.” “People come for my Sopa de Amor,” he says simply. And with good reason.
Costillas De Cordero
Costillas de Cordero, or rack of lamb, is one of Chef Olea’s signature dishes, cooked to perfection and served over his own creation: a New Mexico mole. “You taste the lamb, even though it’s over a mole sauce. The mole sauce isn’t there to fight or take the place of the lamb, it’s to complement the lamb,” he says. With medium heat and a balance of both sweet and savory notes, it’s the ideal companion for the lamb. He’s proud of his New Mexico mole and justifiably so. He created it to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Santa Fe as a riff on a classic mole, but with decidedly Southwestern heritage. True to the name, the ingredients are rooted in the soil of the state, redolent of apricots, roasted pecans, piñon nuts, white chocolate, and of course, red chile.
Flor Del Desierto, Infierno, and Horchata Martini
If you’re feeling remotely Grinch-like this holiday season, might we suggest a cocktail at Sazón? It’s guaranteed to put the ho-ho-ho into your ho-hum. Perhaps start with a Flor del Desierto (pictured on the left). It’s this year’s favorite color, Barbie Pink, thanks to prickly pear. While it might look sweet, Damon Lobato, manager/sommelier at Sazón, says it’s actually not. “You know the fruit is there but it’s still a little dry on the back palate.” If you’re feeling fiery, there is the Infierno–think margarita goes spicy with jalapeño essence and a rim garnished with black lava salt. Or raise your glass with a Horchata Martini (pictured far right): a very adult dreamy cocktail with horchata, a beverage made from rice, then spiced with cinnamon and vanilla, Casa Del Sol silver tequila and Crema De Sotol. All the cocktails at Sazón are eminently quaffable on their own but also pair perfectly with the dishes on the menu. “I think the key to all our cocktails and food is balance,” Damon says. Cheers to that!
Filet
Think of some dishes as an ensemble cast, where each ingredient shares the billing. And then there are others–like Sazón’s Filet – where one ingredient is the star. Here it’s undoubtedly the beef tenderloin. Chef Olea starts with the finest Black Angus beef which is coated with a pepper crust. It’s served with a spinach, bacon, and piñon sauce that brings out the best in the beef. “You come and eat beef tenderloin and you have other flavors to complement it, not take over or to fight,” says Chef Olea. While the filet takes center stage, the other parts of the dish are critical. The sauce is luscious and complex and works beautifully, not only with the beef, but also with the microvegetables and subtle jasmine rice. Together they make for a show-stopping dish that is eye-catching and definitely greater than the sum of its parts.
Camaron-tini
While some of his flavors may speak of Mexico, Chef Olea’s cuisine doesn’t, he says. He likes to call it New World. “What I’ve been doing in my adventure is incorporating flavors of the world.”
Take his Camaron-tini, for example. He starts with colossal–and we mean colossal–shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico, coats them in a light batter and serves them with a generous swirl of sweet Thai chili aioli. “What we have in the Camaron-tini,” says Chef Olea, “is my version of tempura.” Picture classic tempura crunch, but with Chef’s riff, thanks to an inspired combination of spices and herbs that he adds to his tempura batter. It’s served simply and elegantly so the shrimp is the star.
Story by Julia Platt Leonard / Photography by Tira Howard
Photo courtesy of The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
The hectic holiday season continues but there are some Pittsburgh events that let you stop and take a breath. Sit back and watch a hilarious musical, walk through gorgeous twinkling lights, or let your heart feel all the big feelings the air with a night of requiems.
Catch one of the most hilarious musicals based on the movie starring Robin Williams. It’s a fun theatrical experience made for the whole family. Plus, don’t miss Rob McClure reprising his Tony-nominated Broadway performance for this run of shows.
Photo courtesy of The Westmoreland Museum of American Art
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, November 30
Explore the magic of holiday lights in the backyard of the museum. Celebrate the season with free hot drinks and exclusive discounts in the museum shop. On this special opening night, you have an opportunity to solve a seasonal mystery with clues, codes, and riddles. Can you figure out the Winter Lights Heist?
Feast on a delicious dinner while becoming immersed in the world of a mystery murder. A criminal lurks somewhere in the dining room and you must figure out whodunit before it’s too late. This comedy show puts you right in the action while eating a three course meal.
David L. Lawrence Convention Center, December 1 – 2
Support local artisans while checking family and friends off your gift list at Pittsburgh’s largest holiday market. The market features over 275 vendors in categories like sustainable clothing, ceramics, innovative home decor, body products, and much more.
Photo courtesy of The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
Join The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh alongside pianist Behzod Abduraimov for a night of reflection and beautifully chilling selections. The concert will include Ēriks Ešenvalds’ Lux Aeterna, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20, and end with Brahms’ A German Requiem.
