Ho-Ho Holiday Hosting Handbook

MasterChef Canada winner and cooking show host Mary Berg shares entertaining favourites fit for the festive season.

THE HOLIDAYS ARE a time when we put our kitchen skills to the test and channel the master chefs inside of us. Whether you’re contending with a wonky oven at your in-laws, ad-libbing ingredient replacements for your cousin’s latest food intolerance or quadrupling your favourite appetizer recipe, holiday meal prep can feel like we’re competing for some unidentified crown with our most discerning family members serving as the judging panel.

But Mary Berg, a MasterChef Canada winner herself and host of the cooking show Mary’s Kitchen Crush, promises us that hosting a celebratory meal doesn’t have to be as daunting as an on-air cooking competition. With her new cookbook Kitchen Party: Effortless Recipes for Every Occasion ($32, chapters.indigo.ca), Berg shares recipes that’ll impress a crowd while still being approachable to those of us that don’t consider ourselves expert chefs.

Kitchen Party is inspired by Berg’s notion that dinner parties revolve around the kitchen with friends popping in to help, chat or grab another drink from the fridge. In our experience, the best parties end in the kitchen too with that nth bottle of wine getting uncorked while guests fork at leftovers of your tasty creations. Although, given Mary Berg’s delectable recipes, there might not be any leftovers to pick at.

Divided into sections like 'Cocktail Parties' for indecisive hosts and 'Special Occasion' menus, this cookbook is a gift that will keep on giving long after the holidays are over. f

Mary Berg’s SHAKSHUKA PUTTANESCA

Adding capers and black olives to the traditional shakshuka combination of tomatoes and eggs gives this dish a satisfying lift to an anytime-of-the-day meal.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cooking onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

½ red bell pepper, diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

2 Tbsp tomato paste

Kosher salt

2 Tbsp vodka

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes

8 anchovy fillets, finely minced

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp dried chili flakes

½ cup chopped kalamata olives

½ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish

2 Tbsp capers

1 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp smooth dijon mustard

8–12 eggs

5–7 oz feta cheese

Pita bread, warmed, for serving

Method

1 In a large sauté pan or frying pan with a tight-fitting lid, warm the oil over medium-low heat. Cook the onions, garlic and bell peppers until soft and starting to lightly caramelize, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and tomato paste and season with a bit of salt. Cook for another 3 minutes or so and then add the vodka and sugar, followed by the crushed tomatoes, anchovies, smoked paprika and chili flakes. Pop the lid on the pan and turn the heat to low. Allow the sauce to simmer away for 20 to 25 minutes to develop the flavours.

2 When you’re ready to poach the eggs, stir in the olives, parsley, basil, capers, lemon juice and dijon mustard. Crack the eggs into the sauce, pop the lid back on and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the whites of the eggs are set and the yolks are still lovely and runny.

3 Scatter chopped parsley, basil and feta on top to garnish and serve with warmed pita bread. f

Mary Berg’s HERBED MUSHROOM AND CAMEMBERT SKILLET

Use your broiler for an easier, cheater's version of cheese fondue – the perfect centrepiece for a casual party this holiday season.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

3–4 cups assorted mushrooms, cleaned, sliced or torn

1 sprig rosemary, minced

3 sprigs thyme, minced

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 clove garlic, finely minced

¼ cup dry white wine

8 ½–10 ½ oz Camembert cheese, cubed

Crusty French bread

Method

1 Position a rack in the top third of your oven and preheat the broiler.

2 Set a cast iron, or other ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and melt the butter and oil. Toss in the mushrooms, rosemary and thyme and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook the mushrooms until they have released their liquid and all of it has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to caramelize, about 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and add in the garlic and then the white wine. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze, until the wine has evaporated.

3 Scatter the cheese on top of the mushrooms and place the pan in the oven. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve hot from the oven with lots of crusty bread for dipping. Note: Any mushrooms or combo of mushrooms would be delicious, but shiitake, Portobello, cremini and king oyster are my favourites for this recipe.

Mary Berg’s PANCETTA PORK TENDERLOIN

The overnight marinade and herb-and-pancetta wrap turns up the flavour on pork tenderloin, a new kitchen staple.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE MARINADE

1 cup hard cider

⅓ cup smooth Dijon mustard

⅓ cup pure maple syrup

¼ cup olive oil

1 Tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

8 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs rosemary

4 cloves garlic

3 pork tenderloins (1 lb each)

1 small cooking onion, thinly sliced

FOR THE ROAST

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 ½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp olive oil

36 thin slices pancetta (about 7 oz in total)

Method

1 For the marinade, combine the cider, Dijon, maple syrup, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl or a large heavy-duty resealable plastic bag and mash it around to bring it all together. Using the back of a large knife, whack the thyme and rosemary a few times to bruise it all up a bit. This will help the herbs release more of their flavour in the marinade. Smash and roughly chop the garlic and add it, along with the herbs, tenderloins and onions, to the marinade. Make sure the pork is completely submerged and cover or seal it all up to sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, to allow the flavours to marry.

2 When you’re ready to cook, remove the pork from the marinade, dry it with paper towel, and let it sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

3 Preheat your oven to 425 F, line a baking sheet or roasting pan with a wire rack and get to work on your pancetta wrap.

4 For the roast, in a small bowl, mix together the garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and oil. Set aside.

5 Arrange 12 pancetta slices on a work surface so that they overlap slightly and form a rectangle. Evenly scatter one-third of the herb and garlic mixture over the pancetta and place 1 pork tenderloin along the center. Wrap the two sides around the pork tenderloin, flip it over, and place on the rack-lined pan. Repeat this step with the other 2 tenderloins, making sure to leave some space between each on the pan.

6 Roast the pork tenderloins for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 145 F.

7 Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes under a loose piece of aluminum foil before slicing it into 1-inch pieces for serving.

Mary Berg’s FOOD PROCESSOR CHOCOLATE CAKE

Baking this cake the day before your festive gathering gives it the chance to settle and make space for you to top it and present it with breezy élan.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE

¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp cocoa powder

10 ½ oz dark chocolate, at least 55% cocoa

1 cup granulated sugar

¾ cup very hot coffee

6 eggs, separated

1 cup unsalted butter

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

Grated zest of one orange

1 tsp kosher salt

FOR THE TOPPING

1 cup marscapone

1 cup whipping (35%) cream

¼ cup icing sugar

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Grated zest of one orange, divided

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 Tbsp orange liquer or orange juice

2 pints of whatever fruit your heart desires

Method

1 Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan with cooking spray and dust the inside with the 1 tablespoon of cocoa.

2 For the cake, place the remaining cocoa, chocolate and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and blitz until finely ground. Pour in the coffee and process until smooth. Add the egg yolks, butter, vanilla, orange zest and salt and blitz. Transfer to a bowl.

3 Meanwhile, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold about one-third of them into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the remaining whites, taking care to be very gentle. Pour the mixture into your prepared pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until souffléd and the top of the cake looks dry and matte. Let the cake cool to room temperature and then refrigerate overnight.

4 When you’re ready to serve, make the topping. Whip together the mascarpone, cream, icing sugar, vanilla and half of the orange zest until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining zest, sugar, liqueur (or juice) and fruit. Dollop the mascarpone cream onto the cake and top with fruit.