Putting the ‘dish’ in tradition Local chefs share the family recipes that warm their hearts during the holidays By: Eva Wasney  Posted: 7:00 PM CST Friday, Dec. 11, 2020

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This article was published 10/12/2020 (1477 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Food has always been the centerpiece of the holidays for Wendy May.

The owner of the Oakwood on Osborne Street had a hard time picking just one dish when the Free Press reached out asking for a close-to-the-heart holiday recipe.  

In the end, the choice was obvious: her grandma’s Polish Chrust, also known as Chrustiky or Lovers Knots. The deep-fried, sugar-dusted pastries made an appearance at Christmas and Easter, piled high inside a large enamel roasting pan — the only vessel big enough to hold an entire batch.

“She would keep them downstairs in her cold room and we would always sneak down and grab a few,” May says, her brother being the faithful accomplice.

Grandma Helen Haidish died in 2000 and May has since taken over the Chrust tradition, armed with Haidish’s vintage roasting pan and handwritten recipe book. The plain black cookbook is filled with dishes passed down through generations and her grandma’s immaculate penmanship.

“When people pass away the recipes and the memories… die as well,” she says. “I’m very happy to be able to keep that going for our family.”

Christmas Day is usually spent with her small extended family, opening presents in the morning and reconvening in the evening for a full dinner. Exchanging gifts of food — like cookies, kielbasa rings and chocolate bars — is also a cornerstone of the event.

While they can’t gather this year amid code red, May is still making a batch of Chrust to drop off on doorsteps.

“This recipe is one that’s going to invoke the same memories for all of us,” she says. “Even if we’re eating them in separate places.”

Polish Chrust

3 egg yolks at room temperature
1 whole egg at room temperature
30 ml (2 tbsp) full fat sour cream or plain yogurt (do not use reduced- or no-fat version)
45 ml (3 tbsp) sugar
15 ml (1 tbsp) rum or brandy (any flavouring you like is fine and optional)
5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla
420 ml (1 3/4 cup) white flour
5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder
450 g (1 lb) lard or 1 litre (1 quart) vegetable oil for frying

Mix ingredients together and knead by hand until dough starts to blister (7-10 minutes). Let stand covered in a cool place for 2 hours.

Divide dough into quarters and keep unused portions covered with plastic wrap until needed. Roll on a very lightly floured surface until you can see the counter or table top through the dough.

Cut into strips 2.5 cm by 7.5 cm (1 inch by 3 inches) or close to. Make a slit in the middle and pull one end through the slit. Place on a clean tea towel and keep covered while you repeat with the rest of the dough.

In a heavy-based, deep pot fill with oil or lard to 1/3 full. Heat over high heat until the surface of oil is shimmering (you can test readiness by putting a scrap of dough into the oil and if it starts to bubble immediately the oil is ready). Fry a few at a time until lightly browned, turning once during cooking.

Drain onto paper towel. Sprinkle with icing sugar and enjoy!

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Aaron Bernstein was 12 years old when he made potato latkes with his aunt for the first time.

“I remember the oil splattering everywhere and how good it smelled and how delicious it tasted to eat them right away when they’re still hot,” says the “prodigal son” and managing partner of Bernstein’s Deli.

The River Heights delicatessen makes latkes year-round but the lead-up to Hanukkah, which began on Thursday, is peak season for the crispy potato pancakes. Even though the pandemic has reduced demand, kitchen staff were still making hundreds of latkes daily for customers to serve at home during the eight-day Jewish holiday.

The Bernstein family Hanukkah celebrations, which involve at least two large gatherings throughout the holiday, are going virtual this year — although some traditions will remain unchanged.

“There’s always relatives that aren’t there, so we always have someone passing around a phone with someone on FaceTime,” he says. 

Although he’s an avid cook, Bernstein won’t be making his own latkes this holiday.

“It happens to be one of the messier things to make,” he says. “And it’s just me and my fiancée at home, so I don’t know how many we would eat.”

Instead, he’ll bring a few home from the deli to enjoy with apple sauce and sour cream.

For those willing to make a mess, Bernstein recommends cooking on a large griddle, if possible, or multiple frying pans, and letting the latkes sit for maximum crispness.

 

Bernstein’s Deli Potato Latkes

(Makes 15-30 latkes depending on the size; larger latkes will take longer to cook)

2.25 kg (5 lb) of potatoes, peeled and shredded (use a food processor as a shortcut or cheese grater)
10 eggs, beaten to smooth consistency
160 ml (2/3 cup) matzo meal
7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) ground black pepper, to taste
7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) kosher salt, to taste
1 medium onion, liquified in food processor
500 ml (2 cups) cooking oil of choice (olive or canola)

Add all ingredients except the potato into a large bowl, whisk together well. If you have the patience, you can leave it covered in the fridge overnight to let the flavours really meld together, but once whisked you can make the latkes right away.

Shred the potatoes and squeeze out the excess liquid. Add the shredded potatoes to the bowl and mix in (you may want to do 1/3 at a time, the bowl should get close to full by the end). You should make the latkes immediately after shredding the potato as they will turn brown quickly.

Heat a skillet or large shallow fry pan to medium. Heat a generous amount of olive or canola oil on the grill. You will need to add more each batch, possibly even each flip of the latkes — these will need to sit in oil.

Using a 1/4 or 1/3 cup dry measuring cup, fill generously and empty onto the griddle. Start in one corner and work in rows so that you can easily judge how long each has been on. Space each latke by 2.5 cm (1 inch) for easy flipping.

Cook until well-browned on both sides (you may end up flipping 3 to 4 times; that is fine), adding oil on each flip. When they look crisp they are done.

You can line a tray with paper towel to soak up excess oil (ideally 3 to 4 sheets thick) as you take latkes off.

Repeat until finished.

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Tomato ginger chutney entered chef Ben Kramer’s life in 2006 when he was cooking at the former Dandelion Eatery near Confusion Corner and it’s been a staple in his fridge at home ever since. The condiment also followed him to Diversity Foods at the University of Winnipeg, where it was featured in the cafe’s bestselling chickpea wrap. 

“It’s one of my favourite, most versatile recipes,” Kramer wrote in an email. “It is great with crackers, in wraps, as a condiment for meat or vegetable-based dishes, as a canapé base or topping or with eggs. It is a great component in a charcuterie board.”

Kramer doesn’t have many holiday traditions other than getting together with his kids and eating.

“Sometimes we make tacos. Sometimes we get takeout. Sometimes we just snack all day,” he says. “My personal favourite is snacking all day.”

The chutney is always a major player in the latter.

While the recipe might seem like a big batch, Kramer says it usually gets eaten quickly. 

For those who don’t feel like pulling out the food processor, he is selling jars of the tomato ginger chutney through his online pantry at chefbenkramer.com.

 

Tomato Ginger Chutney

20 roma tomatoes, halved
500 ml (2 cups) sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
3 small onions, chopped
1 head garlic, minced
80 ml (1/3 cup) ginger, grated
22 ml (1 1/2 tbsp) cumin
5 ml (1 tsp) chili flakes
1 cinnamon stick (broken in half)
180 ml (3/4 cup) balsamic vinegar
180 ml (3/4 cup) of honey, or sugar or 60 ml (1/4 cup) of agave if you don’t get down with honey

Preheat oven to 325 F. Season tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast them for about an hour.

Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in really hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and save the liquid.

Sauté onions for 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, cook for another 2 minutes.

Add cumin, chili flakes, cinnamon stick and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the roasted tomatoes to the onions. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Add balsamic vinegar and honey.

Remove the cinnamon sticks and pulse the entire mixture 10 to 15 times in your food processor. You will have to do this in several in batches.

Taste and season with salt, if needed.

Best served cold or room temperature.

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Chef Christa Bruneau-Guenther’s signature stuffing recipe was born 10 years ago out of a desire to liven up the Christmas staple with some of her favourite pantry ingredients, including bannock, cranberries, sage and wild rice.

“I think it’s the caviar of all grains,” the owner of Feast Cafe Bistro says of wild rice. “It really represents Manitoba and it was a staple in every First Nation and Métis home for a very long time.”

Bruneau-Guenther is a member of Peguis First Nation and grew up in Winnipeg. Her stuffing is one of many original recipes that embodies her heritage and culinary journey thus far.

“I’ve had a really wonderful journey of reconnecting to my culture through food,” she says. “So when I can include as many traditional ingredients in a dish, it just warms my heart and I feel a sense of pride and warmth when I do that.”

Bruneau-Guenther’s home is the go-to gathering spot for Christmas. The day is often spent tobogganing with her kids, nieces and nephews on the hill behind her house, followed by a potluck meal. She’s always in charge of the turkey, stuffing and gravy.

This year, she’s expecting a perogy delivery from her mom and is planning a scaled-down dinner for her household.

“Even though it may look different… it’s a very special time for us to celebrate,” she says.

 

Wild Rice Bannock Cranberry Stuffing

Makes: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes

1.5 to 2 l (6-8 cups) bannock croutons or regular bread croutons (seasoned croutons are better)
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced or 5 ml (1 tsp) garlic powder
2 celery stalks, sliced small
3 ml (1/2 tsp) pepper
5 ml (1 tsp) sea salt
500 ml (2 cups) chicken or turkey stock (or more as needed)
6 fresh sage leaves minced or 15 ml (1 tbsp) dried sage
5 ml (1 tsp) dried thyme (or poultry seasoning)
180 ml (3/4 cup) cooked wild rice; use 60 ml (1/4 cup) dried wild rice, boil in large pot of water until puffed out and cooked through
80 ml (1/3 cup) dried cranberries
60 ml (1/4 cup) toasted walnuts (optional)
30-45 ml (2-3 tbsp) olive oil or grapeseed oil

Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat large pot to medium. Add oil, onions, celery, salt, pepper, dried thyme and fresh sage (if using dry sage add later). Cook 5 to 7 minutes until onions are soft. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add croutons. Mix together stirring 2 minutes.

Add chicken stock 125 ml (1/2 cup) at a time, stirring crouton mixture in between. Depending on crouton size, add more stock. Mixture should appear slightly wet throughout. Add dried sage now if not using fresh.

Add dried cranberries, wild rice and nuts (if using). Mix together.

Once all stock is added, transfer mixture into a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 25 to 35 minutes, remove foil and broil in oven for a couple minutes for a crunchy top (watch closely so it doesn’t burn).

Stovetop method: once all ingredients are in the pot (step 3) you could cover with a lid and turn heat to low, cook 10-15 minutes stirring often. Baking is preferred, though!

Tip: Stuffing can be prepared a couple days before and baked in the oven day-of.

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Mulled cider was the family beverage of choice for many years until one fateful Christmas when chef Kelly Cattani spiked the batch with red wine.

“A couple of years ago I adapted our tried, tested and true cider recipe to use wine as a base instead of juice,” she says via email. “The extended family was darn pleased with the test run. This mulled wine has now become a staple for our holiday gatherings.”

Cattani is chef at the new Wow Hospitality venture, Bluestone Cottage and Alena Rustic Italian, in Charleswood. She recommends using Grayson Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon — which the aforementioned restaurants can add to any takeout order — as the base for her mulled wine recipe because it has “a perfect balance of dark fruit with a soft note of toasted oak and just a touch of black pepper.”

At home, mulled red wine makes an appearance as soon as the temperature drops below freezing and will remain a key part of her socially distant Christmas celebration.

“Even though we have to be apart from each other this year, I know we will all be putting on a batch of this heady brew by mid-afternoon to enjoy with some chocolate and cookies,” she says.

 

Mulled Red Wine with Orange and Cranberry

500 ml (2 cups) Grayson Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon or another red wine
250 ml (1 cup) apple juice
250 ml (1 cup) cranberry juice
250 ml (1 cup) water
1 2-inch cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
3 whole allspice
1 orange, cut in slices
10 frozen or fresh whole cranberries

Place all the ingredients in a heavy bottomed pot. Let the liquid come up to a simmer (do not boil) and then turn it down to medium low heat. Allow it to mull for about 2 hours, uncovered. Ladle it into warm mugs and enjoy!

The best food pairing for this particular wine beverage is a large piece of super dark chocolate as an appetizer, followed by a few shortbread cookies for your main course.*

* Please note: Bluestone Cottage and Alena Rustic Italian do not encourage the replacement of turkey dinners with cookies. Cookies should always be considered an additional holiday meal, not a replacement for a holiday meal. Please eat cookies responsibly. 

eva.wasney@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @evawasney