Spruce up your holiday menus with these recipes from some of Charlotte’s best chefs

Can you believe the year is almost over? Yes, we’re already gearing up to prepare our Thanksgiving menus and gather with family and friends around the table once again. It seems like we were just saying “Happy New Year” last week.

Whether you pull out the decades-old family stuffing recipe or you decide this is the year you want to experiment a little, holiday meal planning can be overwhelming. But thanks to some of Charlotte’s best chefs and culinary talents, Thanksgiving dinner just got a little less stressful.

From a flavorful lamb loin dish to something for the vegan and plant-based folks to white chocolate pecan cookies, here are some food and drink recipes to help take your holiday spread to a new level.

Appetizer/soup course

Chicken and Pork Caribbean Souse

Chef Cleophus ‘Ophus’ Hethington, 3rd and Fernwood CLT

A popular dish for those of Caribbean descent, souse is a soup-like dish that is traditionally served cold. In the Dominican Republic, locals will use pigs’ feet, although as you can see here, chef Ophus Hethington, executive chef of 3rd and Fernwood, adds in chicken and pig ears. Try this recipe for a little island flare this holiday season.

Ophus’ Chicken and Pork Souse recipe

Ingredients for pork stock:

• 2 lbs. pork necks
• 1 lb. pig ears, julienne
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 2 yellow onions, cut in half
• 5 Tbs. garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbs. ginger, peeled and minced
• 10 sprigs of oregano
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 Tbs. coriander
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 Tbs. kosher salt
• 1 cup sherry vinegar

Ingredients for souse:

• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 4 skin-on chicken thighs
• ½ Tbs. sherry vinegar
• 1 qt. cream of sherry wine
• 2 qts. water
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cup lime juice
• 2 tsp. serrano chile, seeded and diced
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced
• 1 medium sweet potato, diced
• 5 Tbs. garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups green bell pepper, diced
• 5 Tbs. ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 ½ pound boudin sausage, diced
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 4 unripe green plantains, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• ½ cup oil
• 1 cabbage (julienne)
• 1 Tbs. smoked paprika
• ½ Tbs. dark chile powder
• ¾ cup sherry vinegar

Method of preparation:

Rinse the ham hock, pig ears and pork neck thoroughly with water. (Change the water at least five times.) Place all the ingredients for pork stock in a stock pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 2 hours, or until the pig meat is tender. Strain, reserving the liquid for later use.

Toss chicken thighs in 1 cup of lime juice, 1 Tbs. of kosher salt, dark chile powder and paprika. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

Once pork stock has cooled, pull meat off of the bones using a fork or tongs and set aside for use later. Note: There will be more skin, bones and cartilage than meat, but the broth will have great flavor, so don’t be discouraged.

In a pot, add ½ cup of salt to 3 quarts of water, and cook sweet potatoes and green plantains. Cook for about 20-minutes, or until slightly tender. Strain and set aside.

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Brown the marinated chicken thighs on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside. In that same pan, add yellow onions, green peppers, garlic, ginger and serrano chiles, and cook until fragrant. Then add in boudin sausage, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Deglaze with the cream sherry wine and bring to a simmer. Add browned chicken thighs and pork stock into the pan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and continue simmering for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Add shredded pork saved from pork stock, blanched sweet potatoes, green plantains, and ¾ cup of sherry vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving. Serve with a side of lime wedges and finely chopped onion and serrano chilies (optional).

Holiday main courses

Roasted Lamb Loin in Provencal Sauce

Chef Cristian Medrano, Coquette

For a new spin on your main dish this year, chef Cristian Medrano, executive chef of Coquette, offers his roasted lamb loin in provencal sauce. He suggests pairing it with a few seasonal veggies, as well. His favorites right now: baby carrots, fennel and petite mustard greens.

Medrano’s Roasted Lamb Loin and Provencal Sauce recipe

Ingredients for lamb loin:

• 1 lamb loin
• 6 Tbs cup ground black pepper
• 4 Tbs. ground caraway seed
• ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 ¼ cup ground cumin
• ⅝ cup fennel seed
• ¼ cup sumac
• ½ cup smoked paprika
• ¾ cup coriander
• ¼ allspice
• ⅓ cup aleppo pepper
• 2 Tbs. chili flakes

Ingredients for provencal sauce:

• 1 20 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 20 oz. can sun-dried tomatoes, diced
• ½ cup minced garlic
• 1 ¼ cup white wine
• ⅔ cup crushed Kalmata olives
• ½ cup chopped capers
• 2 Tbs. herbs de Provence

Method of preparation for lamb loin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grind all the whole spices together until smooth. Mix in remaining spices and season lamb loin to your preference, using the spice mix. Let lamb loin marinate for six hours before adding additional salt and pepper. Bake in roasting pan for 1 hour, or until internal temperature is 140. Let lamb loin rest before slicing and adding to a serving dish with provencal sauce.

Method of preparation for provencal sauce

In a large sauce pot, sauté onion, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Once vegetables begin to sweat, add in white wine and cook until liquid is reduced to nearly dry (au sec). Add diced tomatoes with juice and simmer on low heat. Take your sauce pot off of the heat and fold in capers and Kalmata olives. Season with herbs de Provence.

Not Your Mama’s Meatloaf

Chef Joya Courtney, chef and author of “Baby, It’s Just Vegan”

Meatloaf is always a great choice for Thanksgiving. But those who are plant-based or vegan can often feel left out. Viral vegan sensation and former Food Nework “Supermarket Stakeout” contestant Chef Joya drops her meatless meatloaf dish just in time for the holiday season.

Joya’s vegan meatloaf recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. vegan ground meat
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• ½ cup onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
• ¼ cup of red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 flax eggs
• 1 package onion soup mix
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 cup ketchup
• vegan beef bouillon paste
• 2 Tbs. almond milk
• 3 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp. liquid smoke
• 2 Tbs. brown sugar
• 1 Tbs. vegan butter

Method of preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, crumble the vegan ground meat. Prepare flax eggs according to the package instructions, and set to the side for 5 minutes.

Heat the butter in a saucepan and add the onion, bell peppers and onion soup mix. Cook for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add the heated mixture to the vegan ground meat. Add flax eggs and bread crumbs to the combined vegan ground meat mixture and mix well.

Season the mixture with vegan Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, chili powder, vegan beef bouillon and almond milk.

Form the meat into a loaf. Use two bread loaf pans, and be sure to spray them with nonstick spray. Place loaf in preheated oven for 18 minutes, covered with aluminum foil.

In the meantime, mix the ketchup, remaining Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar to form a glaze. Uncover the meatloaf and spread the glaze over the top. Cook uncovered for an additional 15 minutes.

Remove the meatloaf from the oven, and allow it to sit for 20 minutes before serving.

Thanksgiving side dishes

Baked macaroni and cheese

Chefs Jamie Barnes and Greg Williams, What The Fries

Mac and cheese will always be a staple Thanksgiving and holiday menu item. The guys from What The Fries, chefs Jamie Barnes and Greg Williams, lend their highly-requested restaurant recipe but tweak it slightly into this baked version.

Barnes and Williams’s Mac & Cheese recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Cavatappi pasta
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 ¼ cups Boursin cheese, garlic & fine herb flavor
• 2 cups Gouda cheese, freshly shredded
• 2 cups Monterrey jack cheese, freshly shredded
• 2 cups Gruyère, freshly shredded
• 1 Tbs. seasoning mix of your preference (be sure to add salt to that mix)

Method of preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta al dente.

Shred cheeses, mix evenly and divide into three piles. Set aside 4 cups of mixed cheese blend for the topping.

Cook the butter over medium heat and mix in flour until combined. Pour in milk and let mixture thicken. Season to your liking. Slowly pour in the remaining half-and-half and the whole milk while whisking constantly, until combined and smooth. Stir in the leftover milk and cream, then add cheese, minus the 4 cups set aside for topping. Add in Boursin cheese and whisk until creamy.

Strain pasta and add cheese sauce and top with shredded cheese. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until top is golden and melty. Garnish with chopped parsley and enjoy.

Black and white greens

Chef Joya, chef and author of “Baby, It’s Just Vegan”

Avoid the whole, “you need a vegetable on your plate” conversation with this all-vegan greens dish from Chef Joya.

Chef Joya’s vegan collard greens recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs collard greens, cleaned and chopped
• 1 small cabbage head, sliced thin
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• ½ jalapeño, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 2 Tbs. agave nectar
• 1 tsp. smoked salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs. garlic powder
• 1 Tbs. onion powder
• 1 tsp. thyme
• ½ tsp. liquid smoke
• 1 Tbs. olive oil

Method of Preparation:

Add olive oil to a 6-quart pot over medium heat. Sauté onions, garlic and red bell pepper

in the oil. Add the collard greens and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and apple cider vinegar. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Mix in the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and simmer for 35 minutes. Add the sliced cabbage, agave nectar and liquid smoke. Cook on low for an additional 15 minutes.

Holiday dessert

White Chocolate & Pecan Farro Cookies

Chef Jasmine Macon, Beyond Amazing Donuts

While pecan, sweet potato or pumpkin pie will always remain crowd favorites — and tradition — add Jasmine Macon’s Farro cookie recipe to the mix, especially for more informal holiday gatherings and dinners.

“Flour farro is an ancient wheat that makes great scones, biscuits, waffles and other baked goods,” Macon says. “It has a hardy wheat flavor, so it pairs well with the sweetness of white chocolate.”

Macon’s cookie recipe

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups farro flour
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. salt
• 12 oz. room temperature unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ cup granulated white sugar
• 4 whole eggs, room temperature
• 1 ½ cup chopped pecans
• 1 ½ white chocolate chips

Method of preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix both flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugars until well combined and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time (about 1 minute). Mix in the dry ingredients until combined. Add white chocolate chips and chopped pecans, and mix well.

Roll 2–3 tablespoons (depending on how large you like your cookies) of dough at a time into balls and place them evenly spaced on your prepared cookie sheets.

Bakers tip: You can bake immediately, or — for best results — freeze dough overnight and bake from frozen. (This ensures a consistent cookie shape and less spreading.)

Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. Take them out when they are just barely starting to turn brown. Let cookies sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. The recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Cocktail and mocktail recipes for holiday gatherings

Holiday Bells mocktail

Mixologist Alejandro Ibanez, Dilworth Tasting Room SouthPark

Looking for a festive drink that everyone can enjoy? Alejandro Ibanez of Dilworth Tasting Room SouthPark shows us how to whip up the perfect spiced mocktail for all of your upcoming holiday parties and gatherings.

“The aromatics in the Seedlip Spice 94, along with the spiced syrup, embrace most of the flavors used in holiday cooking, Ibanez says. “The pomegranate juice is a taste of the fall + winter seasons. This combination is a great way to welcome the holidays!”

Ibanez’s “Holiday Bells” mocktail recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Seedlip Spice 94 “aromatics”
• 0.75 oz. pomegranate juice
• 0.5 oz. spiced syrup
• 0.5 oz. lemon juice
• 4 basil leaves
• 1 dehydrated lemon wheel

Ingredients for spiced syrup:

• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup water
• 2 tsp. all-spice berries
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Method of preparation for mocktail:

Combine all the liquid ingredients along with three basil leaves into a cocktail tin. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with the dehydrated lemon and a basil leaf floating on top of the lemon.

Method of preparation for spiced syrup:

Bring all the ingredients to a boil in a sauce pan, then simmer it for 5 minutes. Let it cool down and strain before using.

Pretty in Pink cocktail

Mary Wilson, beverage director for Little Mama’s and Mama Ricotta’s

Of course, for your post-dinner needs, a nice cocktail is the perfect ending to a day filled with friends, family and food. Mary Wilson of Little Mama’s Charlotte shares this “pretty” vodka-based drink.

Wilson’s cocktail recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. Haku Vodka (This Japanese rice vodka creates a creamy texture.)
• 1 oz. fig & vanilla bean simple syrup
• ½ oz. St. Germain elderflower liqueur
• ¼ oz. fresh lemon juice
• Top with prosecco
• Garnish w/ fresh fig

Method of preparation

Add the vodka, fig and vanilla bean syrup, St. Germain and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously with ice, strain into a rocks glass with a big rock of ice and top with Prosecco. Garnish with a slice of fresh fig.

This story was originally published November 15, 2023 at 6:00 AM.

DeAnna Taylor

The Charlotte Observer

DeAnna Taylor is a NC attorney turned travel blogger and writer. She writes for Travel Noire, XONecole, CharlotteFive, and a few others. She is a native of Charlotte and loves highlighting the city whenever she can. You can find her on social media at: @brokeandabroadlife.