Looking for some last-minute holiday recipes? Look to the stars — literally. That’s what Laura and Danielle Kosann are doing.
In May of 2013, the two sisters launched the New Potato, a food Web site they call the “anti-foodie food blog.” Rather than exhaustively cataloguing 52 ways to use cranberries or breathlessly reporting the latest restaurant gossip, the New Potato focuses on celebrities and tastemakers and what they like to eat and drink.
“Food is the great equalizer, which is something people forget. It’s something personal that everyone experiences in their own way, so when you see what and how a celebrity is eating, it offers a window into their personality,” says Laura, 25, who lives in the Financial District. “The voyeurism of it all is fun — everyone has to eat!”
Here, some recipes — some traditional, some surprising — from top tastemakers for Thanksgiving.
Lentil soup from Lauren Bush Lauren
“This is a cozy lentil soup recipe I’ll be making for Thanksgiving,” enthuses model and philanthropic entrepreneur Lauren Bush Lauren. “It’s from my mother-in-law’s cookbook called ‘Ricky Lauren: Cuisine, Lifestyle, and Legend of the Double RL Ranch.’ ”
1. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large stockpot. Stir in 1 pound green lentils to coat with oil.
2. Add 1 large onion, diced; 4 large carrots, diced; and 4 stalks celery, diced, and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent burning or sticking.
3. Add 10 cups vegetable stock and 4 sprigs thyme. Bring to a boil and then simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove thyme. Season to taste. Enjoy and be thankful!
Serves 6.
Apple-orange-cranberry relish from Katie Lee
“This is a recipe that my mom shared with me,” says the Food Network star of this recipe, from “The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions.”“I never really liked cranberry sauce — now, I can’t get enough! It has great texture and nice bright flavors that go well with turkey.”
1. Grate the zest from a whole orange, and set aside. Cut off any remaining pith from the orange. Cut the orange into chunks.
2. In a food processor, combine 3 cups fresh cranberries, the orange chunks and zest, 1 medium apple (a sweeter variety such as Gala or Fuji), and 1 stalk celery (cut into 1-inch pieces), and process until finely chopped. Be careful not to process too long, because mixture will become mushy.
3. Add ½ cup shelled walnuts, and pulse until chopped.
4. Stir in ¾ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon orange liqueur.
5. Refrigerate unit serving time.
Makes 3 cups.
Zwieback crust pie from Elettra Wiedemann
“This recipe is inspired by ‘Grandad’ Wiedemann and should be served with a dollop of Greek yogurt!” explains the model and founder of the food blog Impatient Foodie, which helped develop this recipe along with Haven’s Kitchen.
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Make the crust: Crush one 4-ounce package zwieback toast into crumbs. In a medium bowl, combine the crumbs, ½ cup sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon and ½ cup melted butter. Mix well, and press into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
3. Make the filling: In a large bowl, cream together 3 1/4 cups ricotta cheese and 1 1/4 cups sugar until smooth. Add in 7 1/2 ounces organic pumpkin purée, and mix well. Beat in 4 eggs, one at a time. Beat in 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 1 pinch salt. Mix in 1 cup heavy cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
4. Pour batter into crust, and bake in preheated oven for up to 1 hour. In a convection oven, cooking time will be less (probably about 35 to 40 minutes). The center of the pie should feel solid to the touch. Cool completely before removing from the pan.
Sweet potato souffle from Kris Jenner
“A holiday side dish staple at the Jenner house,” says the TV personality and master momager. “For Thanksgiving dinner, here’s the only sweet potato dish you’ll need!”
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly butter two large ramekins.
2. Quarter 6 sweet potatoes and boil until soft. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
3. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove skins, then mash with a handheld mixer until smooth.
4. Add 1 cup melted, unsalted butter, ½ pound light brown sugar, 2 cups white sugar, one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon nutmeg. Blend well.
5. In a separate bowl, beat 6 eggs until pale yellow, then fold into the potato mixture.
6. Divide mixture between prepared ramekins, and bake about 1 hour. When done, the mixture puffs a little and doesn’t wobble when shaken gently. Serve with fresh whipped cream on the side.
Serves 10 to 12.
Citrus salmon with kale chips from Misty Copeland
“It’s really easy to prepare, delicious and healthy,” says American Ballet Theatre soloist Misty Copeland of her fishy Thanksgiving meal. “It’s also high in protein and low in fat, so you’re getting everything you need in these two foods.”
Cook the salmon:
1. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup orange juice, 1 cup brown sugar, ¾ cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon ground white pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar and 1 bunch scallions (sliced thin). Whisk well.
2. Add a 1-pound salmon fillet to the marinade, so that it is completely covered. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat broiler while salmon is marinating.
3. Place salmon in an ovenproof casserole dish, skin-side down. Place under broiler for 12 minutes or until salmon flakes when tested with a fork.
4. While salmon is in broiler, take about half of the remaining marinade and pour into a small saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes over medium-high heat until slightly thickened.
5. Pour sauce over salmon, and serve immediately.
Make the kale chips:
1. Place oven rack on lowest shelf, and preheat to 350 F.
2. Spread 2 bundles fresh kale — washed, de-stemmed and roughly chopped — on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil and apple-cider vinegar over kale. Toss to coat completely. Bake for 10 minutes.
3. Remove from oven, and stir to give every piece of kale a chance to crisp. Bake another 10 minutes or until kale is crispy to the touch and slightly browned.
4. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately.
