Four area chefs were kind enough to share some favorite holiday recipes with us. Some are off the menu at their respective establishments and some are home specialties, for Christmas, Hannukah, Thanksgiving or simply the best the season has to offer.

From Trudy Stern, owner, Tru-Teas

(810 Elmwood Ave.):

TRUDY’S LATKES

These are very popular at our house. Anything with this much oil is popular at my house. (Hannukah is about a miracle involving oil, when the holy light in the reconsecrated Temple in Jerusalem burned for eight days on oil enough for just one). We cook these with enough oil to keep the holy lights burning very long and bright. I see lots of low-fat versions of latkes (potato pancakes) around but my philosophy is this: Once a year I make latkes. I’ll make them lacy, crisp and traditionally, with plenty of hot oil. These fed my children’s souls, their taste for history, both culinary and spiritual. These hark to the days when my eastern European and Russian ancestors needed to survive cold winters with few resources. Latkes are a golden treat to be eaten by cheery candle light on the longest nights of winter solstice time. I serve them with sides of sour cream and hot home made apple sauce. Sweet and sour red cabbage is a perfect foil for the latkes.

Makes about 16 pancakes:

6-8 servings

4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

1 large yellow onion

1 large carrot -peeled

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons flour

Kosher salt

Fresh Black pepper

Oil for frying (peanut, canola, olive)

Grate potatoes, carrot and onion using fine grating disc of food processor or mandoline. Transfer to a colander over a bowl and squeeze the mixture to press out as much liquid as possible. Let the mixture sit for ten minutes and squeeze it dry again.

In a large bowl mix the potato mixture with 3 eggs, flour, salt and pepper.

Heat oil until fragrent and almost smoking. The amount depends on the size of your pan. For my big 16 inch cast iron skillet it takes over a cup to have about 1/3 inch of oil hot and ready for frying.

For each pancake drop about 2 tablespoons of batter in oil and spread and flatten to 3 inch diameter. Turn down heat to medium and fry 4-5 minutes on each side. (If the oil is hot enough, the pancakes will be crisp, light and golden brown. If it cools down too much the pancakes will absord the oil and be greasy.) Drain on paper towels in warm oven to keep until all the pancakes are done. Serve immediately with sour cream and warm apple sauce.

SWEET & SOUR

RED CABBAGE

Can be made a day in advance.

Serves 6-8:

3 cups finely julienned red cabbage

1 large yellow onion - chopped coarsely

1⁄4 cup olive oil

1⁄2 c. honey

1⁄2 c. raisins

1⁄4 c. good red wine vinegar

1⁄4 c. wine

2 T. tamari

1⁄2 c. veggie stock or water

Kosher salt

Fresh Black pepper

Sauté onion in oil until translucent. Add cabbage, stir until wilted, Add remaining ingredients and cover. Simmer over medium heat until cabbage is tender. Add stock or wine if necessary. Correct seasoning.

CARROT-GINGER SOUP

We only use organic carrots. They really do give a superior product:

2 onions sliced

2 T. olive oil

1 T. peeled chopped fresh ginger

3 large peeled, chopped carrots

1 peeled potato, sliced

2-3 cups veggie stock

Soy milk

Salt

Pepper

Tamari

Use large stock pot. Saute onions in olive oil until limp. Add ginger, carrots, potatoes and stock. Bring to boil, turn down heat and simmer until carrots are butter soft.

Put batches of soup in food processor and process until creamy smooth. Adjust taste with salt pepper and tamari. Adjust consistency with soy milk. This soup should be creamy.

Garnish with crème fraîche, gomazio and snipped chives.

From Dunbar Berdine, head chef,

DiGiulio’s (1673 Hertel Ave.):

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

BISQUE

2 large butternut squash

1 Spanish onion, diced

2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock

1/2 lb. butter

6 sprigs fresh thyme

salt & pepper

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

In a heavy stock pot over medium heat melt butter and sautee the onion and thyme with a small amount of salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low and peel the squash. Make a cut with a large knife that separates the shaft of the squash from the seed pod. Use an overhand peeler or small knife to skin the shafts and dice evenly. Same for the seed pods, cutting around the seed sac closely without piercing it. Cut the seed sac in half and remove seeds and connective tissue. Toss seeds in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Add squash to the pot with the onions and thyme. Cook about 30 minutes, or until tender. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Using either an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree until smooth. Serve garnished with the toasted seeds and fresh nutmeg.

From Jim Guarino, chef/owner, Shango (3260 Main St.):

CRAB & ARTICHOKE DIP

1/2 cup chopped peppers

1/2 cup onions

olive oil

3/4 cup chopped artichokes

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 chopped green onion

1/4 chopped roasted red peppers

1 cup parmesan cheese

3/4 tbs lemon juice

3/4 tbs worcestershire sauce

1/8 cup chopped pickled jalapeno

1/2 pound crab meat

Sautee onions and peppers until soft.

Mix all ingedients together, heat in oven or micromave until warm and bubbly. Serve with sliced baguette or crackers.

SWEET POTATO SOUP

1 cup chopped onion

1 tbs chopped garlic

1 can sweet potato puree

2 tsp salt

1/2 gal chicken stock

1/8 cup maple syrup

1/2 tbs dried chipotle pepper

1 cup heavy cream

Sautee onion in olive oil until soft.

Mix all ingredients together in soup pot, simmer for half hour. Whirl in belnder and then serve

Yields 3 quarts.

SOUTHERN PECAN PIE

4 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

6 ounces corn syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup melted butter

2 cups roasted pecans

1 9” pie shell

Cream eggs and sugar together, add remaining ingredients. Pour into prepared pie shell. Bake 10 mintes covered in 400 degree oven. Uncover and lower temperature to 375 degrees. Bake for one hour. Allow to set and cool before serving. Garnish with whipped cream or ice cream.

From Mary Tomaselli, chef/owner,

La Tee Da (206 Allen St.)

PUMPKIN/SQUASH TURBAN

This dish has been one of our signature dishes at La Tee Da since we opened. Most people love it and ask for the recipe! Since Thanksgiving is the time for giving thanks I feel as though this is a great time to share it. You can use one kind of squash or a mix of all three.

1 Acorn, butternut, or pumkin squash

1 cup milk or cream

4 eggs

1/4 cup maple syrup

cinammon, salt & pepper to taste

Bake the sqash at 400 degrees until tender (I insert metal skewers to conduct heat and speed up cooking time).

Once cool, cut in half and remove the seeds. Scrape the flesh of the squash into a food processor (you should have about 2 cups) and add 1 cup of milk or cream. Add eggs, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt & pepper.

Blend until smooth. The mixture can now be placed in individual ramekins or one casserole dish. Place ramekins or casserole in a Bain-Marie (water bath, a baking tray filled with an inch or two of warm water) and bake at 325 degrees until puffy and golden brown.

Many thanks for all of your support and encouragment during our first year at LA TEE DA!