Although Green Door Gourmet executive chef Richard Jones originally hails from Adelaide, South Australia, some of his holiday traditions translate nicely to the U.S.
He shares, “One tradition we have is to make a pork, caramelized onion and sweet potato lattice pie with dried cranberries for Christmas Eve. If I have friends over I mull some wine or apple cider with brandy/rum/spices, and it makes the whole house smell amazing and welcoming when folks walk in. Something I usually make is "Fall Dip" and garnish with sorghum, pepitas and more spices -- fabulous with slices of fresh apple & carrot, as well as plantain chips etc.”
For main courses, Jones goes all out, particularly with a brined chicken dish served with skillet root vegetables that would be at home at any holiday table. For a vegetarian option for non-turkey eaters that can also serve as a centerpiece for your table, he offers up a Stuffed Tennessee Cheese Pumpkin that is designed to be craved at the table just like your holiday bird.
And since the holidays are all about giving, we persuaded Chef Jones to share these recipes to make your holiday even more special!
PUMPKIN HUMMUS
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Cups drained cooked Chickpeas, or 1 x 15oz can
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Tahini
¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground Ginger
½ teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Sorghum
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
up to ¼ Cup Water
DIRECTIONS
Combine first 9 ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add water until lighter in texture and color- you may not need it all. Season to taste with more Salt if necessary. This is best made the day before to allow the flavors to infuse. Serve garnished with Pomegranate Molasses or more Sorghum and toasted Pumpkin Seeds or Sunflower Seeds.
SKILLET ROOT VEGETABLES & BRINED #SMFCHICKEN
INGREDIENTS
CIDER BRINE:
1 bottle Cider (Peach, Cherry, Apple)
3 Cups Water ½ Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Kosher Salt
1 Orange, quartered
½ medium Onion, chopped
1 4-inch stick Cinnamon
2 Cloves Garlic, halved
SKILLET CHICKEN & VEGETABLES:
1 x whole Springer Mountain Farms Chicken, defrosted
4-5 pounds mixed root vegetables
DIRECTIONS
Combine all Brine ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate before pouring over whole Chicken in a tight-fitting container. Brine Chicken overnight. The next day, remove from brine and pat dry inside & out. Place Onion & Orange into cavity and then rub Olive Oil all over the bird and then season with Salt & Pepper. In a cast-iron skillet, pour in a little Olive Oil and then arrange root vegetables, such as Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots etc. Place Brined Chicken directly on top and place it all in an oven at 400F for 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325F and continue to roast for another 25-30 minutes. Cover with foil when the Chicken is looking nice and brown on top. Remove from oven and insert a thermometer into the thigh to ensure that the Chicken is cooked through at 160F. Allow to rest before serving for 20 minutes, or cool to room temperature before refrigerating for the next day. Garnish Roasted Vegetables with herbs and a little finishing salt.
STUFFED TENNESSEE CHEESE PUMPKIN
INGREDIENTS
1 6-8 pound Tennessee Cheese Pumpkin
3 ribs Celery = 1 Cup diced
1 large Onion = 1 Cup diced
1 large Carrot = 2 Cup diced
1 Cup Pecans, toasted
1 whole Star Anise, crushed
1 teaspoon Coriander
2 Tablespoons minced Fresh Rosemary (about 4 sprigs)
2 whole Eggs, beaten
½ Cup warm Apple cider
DIRECTIONS
Oven 350F Cut out the top of the Pumpkin and remove seeds & pulp from the interior (as you would for a Jack-o-lantern) Place into a deep baking pan and pour in 1 Cup Water. Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn upside down to let the accumulated juices run out. Meanwhile, dice Onion, Carrot & Celery. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add the Coriander and crushed Star Anise and heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour into a Spice Grinder or Mortar & Pestle and let cool before grinding finely. Return the pan to the stove and add 1 Tablespoon Oil and the vegetables. Allow to cook slowly until the Onion is translucent without any golden-brown coloring. Pour vegetables into a large mixing bowl with Rosemary and Ground Spices. Add crumbled Cornbread, ½ Cup of Crushed Pecans, then Eggs and stir to combine. Pour in warm Apple Cider and mix well. Stuff the par-baked Pumpkin and then return to the oven, covered, for a further 45-60 minutes. Check the internal temperature has reached 155F. Garnish with remaining whole Pecans and bake uncovered for a further 10-15 minutes. Drizzle with honey before serving.
