Holiday Eats

by Shana Neesvig

Do you ever wonder what food famous chefs prepare for the holidays? "The Ledger" got some insider information from a few of the county's finest on what their belly-pleasing recipe favorites are.

Katrina Campbell, owner of Big Eddy's, let the cat out of the bag on one of her favorites from last year. "Shrimp Hugged Andouille Sausage with Cajun Remoulade Sauce" is sure to please those looking for a little Cajun kick this season. The recipe calls for:

Shrimp Hugged Sausage

Cooked, deveined shrimp (21/25 count size) rinsed and dried

Redneck Andouille sausage – cut into ½ inch thick circles

Skewer shrimp hugging sausage, 4 each

Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning

Wrap tightly in tin foil and grill 3-4 minutes

Serve on white saucer with ½ ounce torn lettuce and drizzle with Cajun remoulade sauce

Garnish with black pepper

Cajun Remoulade Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

Zest from 1 lemon

Juice from 1 lemon

½ tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 cloves garlic, minced; equates to 4 teaspoons prepared

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

1 teaspoon Cajun spice mix

Put everything in a mini chopper/food processor and blend until completely pulverized. Pour into a squeeze bottle for easy application.

Another one of Sanders County's finest is Stefanie Martin from the Wayside Bar and Grill. She shared one of her favorites, a two-part affair, combining Cheddar-Pecan Crackers and Pimento Cheese Spread. Martin stated that "both come together fairly quickly and keep for several days, so they can be useful to have on hand during the rush of the holiday season." In addition, she stated that this is a nice change from all the sweet foods we tend to overload on during the holiday.

Cheddar-Pecan Crackers

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt (smoked salt adds a nice flavor if desired)

1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili flakes

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature

4 oz. (1.5 cups) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons milk (or unsweetened almond milk for nutty flavor)

Pecan halves (one per cracker)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients except for the milk and pecans in a food processor and mix until it begins to clump together.  Slowly add milk until mixture comes together in a ball.

To shape the crackers, there are two options:

On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼-inch thick and punch circles with a cookie cutter; or form the dough into a log and slice ¼-inch thick discs.

Place discs on a parchment-covered baking sheet, and press a pecan halve into the center of each wafer.

Bake until lightly golden-brown, 17-20 minutes.

Let cool, and then store in an airtight container for about a week.  They can be re-crisped before serving in a warm oven or toaster oven.

Pimento Cheese Spread

4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded

4 oz. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded

7 oz. smoked gouda cheese, finely shredded

¼ cup pimentos, drained and minced

¼ cup roasted piquillo peppers, drained and minced

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 cup spicy preserved peppers, drained and minced (optional, the Wayside uses Mama Lil's Peppers, but any spicy pepper will add zest)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix with a spatula or fork until thoroughly combined.

Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

This may be stored in a tightly-lidded container in the refrigerator for a week, and works well with crackers, vegetable trays, or as a sandwich (or grilled sandwich) filling.

Nancy Masten at Amber Bear Inn stated she doesn't really do much in the appetizer areas, as she is more traditional. She shared that a favorite from her scullery is "Kitchen Sink Dressing." According to Masten, she adds onions, celery, mushrooms, pecans, cranberries, and sausage to liven up the cubed bread and add a variety of flavors. She did not give a specific recipe, but mixing these ingredients up to your personal preference is certain to complement any holiday feast.