Special Edition: Holiday Recipes
Spiced Pecans
Pork Carnitas
Festive Mandarin Pomegranate Christmas Wreath Salad
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Shallots and Bacon
Italian Pistachio Cake
A Holiday Break
With the holiday season upon us, we decided to do things a little different for this issue of DIMENSIONS. Instead of our usual articles, we would like to share a collection of our favorite holiday recipes. We hope you are able to try them out with your family and friends. From the Behavioral Health & Wellness team, we wish you the very best.
Spiced Pecans
For my family, the smell of spiced pecans roasting in the oven signals the beginning of the holiday season. This recipe from my mom can be whipped up in under 20 minutes (including roasting time), so they make a quick snack. These pecans are mostly savory with a touch of sweet and a hint of spicy. They are incredibly rich, so a small handful goes a long way. They make also make great gifts! I love watching friends and family discover these tempting treats as they wander through the kitchen during holiday gatherings (Just don’t leave them sitting on the kitchen counter for too long, or they’ll disappear and no one will eat their dinner!).
Spiced Pecans
4 cups of pecan halves 
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup melted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper (adjust to taste)
½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
¼ cup dark brown sugar
Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss well. Place pecans in a single layer on a rimmed cookie sheet, and roast for about 6-8 minutes. Watch these carefully so they don’t burn.
Pork Carnitas
It’s hard to explain to people how much I love carnitas. I really love them. So much. I can tell you I fell in love with them in Mexico. For a few months, I studied Mexican art and film in Guanajuato. After my return, I refused to eat anything but Mexican food, most of which I cooked on cast iron I had scavenged from a neighbor’s garage and repaired.
During my time in Mexico (and the years that followed), carnitas had remained a dish I could never get right. I tried various methods and spice combinations and nothing worked. Until I discovered America’s Test Kitchen method described below. Serves 6.
Pork Carnitas
3 pounds of pork shoulder, cut into 2” cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon oregano, dried
½ teaspoon coriander, ground
¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
Optional sage and thyme, dried (¼ teaspoon each or ½ teaspoon of one)
Optional cayenne and paprika (to taste)
½ onion, halved
½ orange, halved
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, whole
¼ cup vegetable oil (plus a bit more)
Salsa
½ onion, halved
6 tomatillos (with the papery husks removed), rinsed and halved
2 garlic cloves
2 jalapeño peppers, peeled, halved, and seeded
Toppings
12 small flour tortillas
1 onion, finely diced
½ cup cilantro, chopped
3 limes cut into wedges
Queso fresco (or hard goat cheese, something crumbly and a little tart)
Preheat the oven to 275°F. Combine the cubed pork, the dried spices, and a small amount of vegetable oil to evenly coat the pork. Place the seasoned pork into a 9×13 casserole dish. The pork should fit pretty tightly into the dish with very few spaces.
Quarter one orange and onion. Squeeze the juice from the orange onto the pork. Add the crushed orange quarters and 2 of the onion quarters into the pork (save the other two quarters for the salsa). Add two bay leaves and a couple of garlic cloves too. Put the pork, orange, onion, garlic and bay leaves into an even layer and drizzle with ¼ cup vegetable oil. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about 3.5 hours. You’ll want to cook the pork until it’s “fork tender”— gentle pressure from a fork will cause the cubes to fall apart.
While the pork is in the oven, prepare the toppings for the carnitas. Finely dice one medium onion and mix with ½ cup chopped cilantro. And cut 3 limes into wedges. Set both of these aside in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Now, it’s time to finish the pork and also create a salsa.
Once the pork is fork tender, remove the orange peel, onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Then, strain the pork, reserving the liquid in a bowl. Once drained (it will take a while to drain all of the liquid out), transfer the pork back into the casserole dish. Skim the strained liquid transferring the fat back into the casserole dish with the pork. Then, shred the pork.
To make the salsa, combine all ingredients with the liquid drained off the pork in a saucepan. Add water until it is about an inch below the top of the vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes). Blend the mixture into a salsa.
Place the pork under the broiler until the edges are crispy (3-6 minutes), stir and broil again until crispy. Serve on warmed tortillas with the salsa, onion-cilantro mix, queso fresco, and a lime wedge.
Festive Mandarin Pomegranate Christmas Wreath Salad
For the past 30 years, my husband and I have hosted our traditional family Christmas Eve gathering. I’m typically tasked with preparing salads and side dishes to complement my husband’s wonderful menu of entrees. I find that the Mandarin Pomegranate salad pairs well with most white meats and, when presented in the shape of a Christmas wreath, adds color and charm to any holiday meal. Serves 8.
Festive Mandarin Pomegranate Christmas Wreath Salad
3 bags mixed baby greens
2 English Cucumbers, thinly sliced
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
3 mandarin oranges, peeled and sectioned
2 pomegranates (1 cup of arils)
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup walnut halves
Citrus Vinaigrette
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
2 small shallots, finely minced
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon each, salt and pepper
To make a wreath shaped salad, place a small bowl for vinaigrette in the center of a larger round serving platter. Arrange baby greens in the bowl around the small dish. Add arils from one pomegranate, mandarin oranges, English cucumbers, and avocados, finishing with feta cheese and walnuts.
Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together and pour into the small bowl in the center of the serving platter. Serve and drizzle vinaigrette over all just before serving.
Take the remaining pomegranate and place it outside on a tree limb or fence post where it won’t take long for the hungry, snow dredged squirrels to discover it. Experience the gift of giving as you watch the excited little creatures open the fruit and gulp down the luscious seeds.
Winter solitude–
in a world of one color
the sound of wind.
Matsuo Basho
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Shallots and Bacon
It’s the age-old story: someone, or everyone, in your family wrinkles their nose when the words “Brussels sprouts” are mentioned during the planning stages of a holiday menu. My family was no different, until the introduction of this dish created converts of all the doubters. I believe it is the shaving of the sprouts, transforming them from the dreaded mini-cabbages, that does the trick. An added bonus in using this method is that there is one less dish to add to the game of Oven Tetris.
If, like me, you have trouble adhering to a recipe, feel free to get creative: try different nuts, acid, or meat (or leave the latter out entirely, substituting a different fat for a vegetarian version), or go crazy and top with some shaved parmesan or romano cheese at the end. Serves 8-10.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Shallots and Bacon
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed (cored if very large)
8 ounces bacon (or pancetta, or prosciutto), finely chopped
6 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
4 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Working in small batches, place Brussels sprouts in feed tube of processor fitted with thin slicing disk; slice (or use a mandolin – watch your fingers!). Sauté bacon in large skillet until crispy; remove. Add shallots to skillet; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts; increase heat to medium-high and sauté until tender and slightly browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in pine nuts, lemon juice, and zest to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl.
Italian Pistachio Cake
On a recent vacation to Northern Italy, when faced with a delicious selection of sweet and savory treats for breakfast, I selected a slice of a simple nut cake lightly coated with powdered sugar. While this may seem like an odd selection when considering the array of choices, I have a distinct childhood memory of a particular almond cake from our local bakery that guided my hand. Moments later, I became aware that I chose correctly. The cake was delicate with just enough texture provided by the nuts and a hint of sweetness. I struggled to identify the nut in the cake, not almond, walnut, or pecan. Maybe, hazelnut? Turns out it was pistachio. After a substantial holiday meal, this dessert offers a simple and satisfying conclusion. 
Serves 8-10.
Italian Pistachio Cake
1 ⅔ cups pistachios, shelled, roasted, and salted or raw
6 large eggs, separated, room temperature
Pinch of salt, fine
¾ cup sugar, granulated
Lemon zest from one lemon, grated
Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Preheat oven to 325°F with the rack in the center. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan.
Process the pistachios in a food processor until the nuts are fine. A finer texture will ensure a more delicate cake. Set aside.
Using a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt, starting on low and increasing to medium, until they hold soft peaks. Increase the speed to medium-high and gradually add 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Continue to beat until medium-firm peaks form. Be sure it is not too dry. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the yolks with the remaining 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar with a mixer until it is thick and pale. Mix in the lemon zest to combine. Use a large spatula to gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites. Then fold in the ground pistachios in three additions, gently incorporating them each time.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is golden and firm to the touch, about 40 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Then remove the sides of the pan and allow to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar.
For an extra special touch, serve with a dollop of ricotta cream:
Ricotta Cream
1 cup packed, well-drained whole milk ricotta
⅔ cup heavy cream
½ cup mascarpone
⅓ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Beat ricotta on medium speed using the whisk attachment until creamy. Add the cream, mascarpone, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat until the mixture is stiff. Enjoy!