If you or your guests prefer a meatless holiday cornucopia, this menu is perfect for showcasing hearty seasonal flavors—its centerpiece a stunning, elegant vegetable galette.
Butternut Squash Soup
This soup boasts the concentrated, caramelized flavor of roasted squash without actually roasting the squash—the cooking all happens in the microwave and on the stovetop. It's also perfect for making ahead (for up to 2 days). We like garnishing each bowl right before serving with a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of fried leeks. Get the Recipe
Mushroom and Leek Galette with Gorgonzola
Our delicate-yet-hearty tart steals the spotlight as the main course. To punch up its flaky texture and introduce more structure, the crust is pleated and pinched around the circumference to create numerous interlocking layers. The flavorful filling pairs mushrooms and leeks with rich, potent binders like Gorgonzola cheese and crème fraîche. Get the Recipe
Slow-Cooked Whole Carrots
If there were ever a carrot dish to impress, this is the one. It only takes a little bit of technique and a lot of time (over an hour) to produce superbly concentrated carrot flavor and dense, meaty texture from end to end. You also get to make a cartouche, a parchment paper lid with a small hole in the middle, which ensures the top of the carrots cook at the same rate as the underside. Get the Recipe
Roasted Broccoli with Optional Garlic
The secret to evenly cooked broccoli pieces with concentrated flavor and dappled browning is all in how the vegetable is prepared. We slice each crown in half, and then cut each half into uniform wedges; the stalks are cut into slightly smaller rectangular pieces. The result? Blistered, sweet, full-flavored stalks and crisp-tipped florets. Get the Recipe
Pan-Roasted Pear Salad with Watercress, Parmesan, and Pecans
This is the best pear salad recipe, and it's especially impressive during the holidays. We take quartered ripe-but-firm Bartlett or Bosc pears, toss them with sugar to encourage better browning, and cook them in a skillet to caramelize the fruit. A bit of balsamic vinegar, which is added to the hot pan as well, reduces into a glazy coating on the pears. Get the Recipe
