Menu
The wild mushroom soup, the contrast and color of pistachio on salmon, the jewel rubies of pomegranate with wild rice make this an elegant dinner.
The first bite of a Christmas Lane Cake slice is a delightful surprise with its bourbon-soaked cherries and apricots, coconut and walnuts. It is more time-consuming than I usually choose but is over-the-moon delicious and worth the effort.
Appetizer
Eggplant Red Bell Pepper Dip with Almonds
with pita wedges, fresh feta and olives
Dinner
Wild Mushrooms Soup with Thyme
Pistachio Crusted Salmon from Sweet and Savory Pursuits
(Double the recipe)
Holiday Wild Rice with Pomegranate
Skip the pine nuts given the pistachios on the salmon
(Double the recipe. Skipped the eggs, used green onion instead of shallot and a fresh lime vinaigrette)
Dessert
(Reduce sugar by half in batter, in filling and in frosting)
Three Day sBefore
Bake cake
Roast red bell peppers and eggplant
Peel pomegranate
Toast pine nuts
Two Days Before
Make roasted red bell pepper eggplant dip
Make cake filling, fill the cake
Chop pistachios for salmon
Prep mushrooms (wash, trim and slice)
Day Before
Make frosting and frost cake
Make mushroom soup
Steam green beans
Make salad dressing
Slice green onion for salad
Slice pita into wedges, store in closed container
Cut up feta cheese bite-size
Day of
Place feta and olives on serving plates, cover and refrigerate
Place Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Eggplant Dip on serving plate and bring to room temperature
Cook wild rice
Prep salmon with pistachios
Toss arugula, green beans and green onion
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Produce
Eggplant
Red bell pepper
Garlic
Jalapeno
Onions 4
Wild mushrooms (ie. crimini, oyster, shiitake) 1 lb
Button mushrooms 1 lb
Arugula
Green beans 1 lb
Green onion
Fresh thyme
Pomegranate 1 large
Pine nuts 1/2 cup
Pistachio 1 cup shelled
Pecans 2 cups
3/4 cup tart cherries
3/4 dried apricots
Refrigerated
3 ½ – 4 lb salmon fillet
Milk
Butter 1 1/2 cup (3 sticks)
5 oz cream cheese
Heavy whipping cream 1 1/2 cup milk
Pantry
Bittersweet chocolate 4 oz
Nutmeg
Coconut 1 cup
Wild rice 2 cups
Chicken broth 2 quarts (8 cups)
Honey 1/4 cup
White wine
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