Three Delicious Holiday Recipes

Potatoes Au Gratin

Mashed potatoes might be the go-to holiday side dish, but if you really want to impress your guests, try these potatoes au gratin. Infused with garlic and thyme and layered with Gruyère and Parmesan, a bubbling dish of these rich and creamy potatoes will truly steal the show.

Potatoes au gratin sounds fancy and looks impressive, but it's actually very simple to make. While it takes some time, most of this is hands-off baking during which you can tackle other tasks. And if you don't have that time on the day you want to serve it, you can even make it in advance.

How To Make Potatoes Au Gratin

INGREDIENTS

• 1 shallot, peeled and quartered

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 2 cups whole milk

• 2 to 3 thyme sprigs, plus 1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, divided

• Unsalted butter, for greasing

• 2 1/2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes (about 5 medium)

• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt

• 6 oz. Gruyère, coarsely shredded (about 1 1/2 cups), divided

• 2 oz. Parmesan, finely shredded (about 1 cup), divided

Yukon Gold Potatoes: While many recipes call for the more starchy russet potato, Yukon Golds are preferred here. They have a medium starch content that still provides plenty of thickening power—and they offer a creamy, buttery texture that takes this dish over the top.

Heavy Cream & Milk: A 1:1 ratio of heavy cream and milk provides the perfect creamy base for this gratin. If you have half-and-half, you can just use that.

Shallot: The sweeter cousin of onions, shallot is perfect for infusing a mild onion flavor into the milk and cream.

Garlic: Crushed garlic will infuse better into the cream than whole garlic cloves, while still remaining easy to strain out.

Thyme: Fresh is definitely the way to go here. If you only have dried, leave it out of the steeped milk and cream mixture and only sprinkle 1/4 tsp. between each gratin layer.

Kosher Salt: This recipe uses Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you have Morton or need to use table salt, cut the salt quantity in half, since these salts are denser by volume.

Gruyère: Cheese is traditional in potatoes au gratin (in fact, it's what differentiates it from scalloped potatoes). With its rich nuttiness and slight funk, Gruyère brings the perfect balance to all the creaminess.

Parmesan: A little Parmesan adds pops of salt and acidity to balance out the Gruyère. Fresh grated from a block is always best.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring shallot, garlic, cream, milk, and thyme sprigs to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep 30 minutes.

Step 2: Meanwhile, arrange a rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°. Grease a 13" x 9" baking dish with butter. Peel and slice potatoes into 1/8"-thick slices. A small handheld mandoline works well for this—it's the best tool for getting super-even, super-thin slices. As long as you use the guard, you should be just fine. One huge perk of Yukon Gold potatoes is that they don't oxidize like russets do, so simply transfer the potatoes to a bowl and keep uncovered at room temperature until ready to use.

Step 3: Strain cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, then return to pot and discard solids. Stir in salt, then add potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. This simmering step kick-starts the cooking of the potatoes, but it also activates their starch, drawing it out and using it to thicken the sauce.

Step 4: Pour one-third of potato mixture into prepared dish. Top with one-third of Gruyère and one-third of Parmesan. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. thyme leaves. Repeat the layers once more. Finish by topping with remaining potato mixture (making sure to add all the cream), Gruyère, and Parmesan; reserve remaining 1/2 tsp. thyme. For the prettiest potato gratin, pick out some super gorgeous potato pieces and set them aside for the top layer.

Step 5: Bake potato gratin, uncovered, until golden brown on top and bubbling, 40 to 50 minutes. Wait about 5 minutes before topping with reserved thyme and serving.

Recipe Tips

• Use a mandoline: A mandoline cuts the prep time in half and delivers perfectly sliced potatoes—which, in addition to looking nicer, will also cook more evenly.

• Don't be afraid of the salt: A whole tablespoon might seem like a ton, but it's not a misprint. Potatoes absolutely drink salt, and the richness of the heavy cream and whole milk demand it too. Please note though, that if you're using table salt or Morton kosher (which are saltier by volume), you should decrease the salt by about half.

Make Ahead & Storage: If you'd like to make these potatoes in advance, cook the entire dish all the way through, then let it cool completely before covering and refrigerating it for up to 3 days. When you'd like to serve, reheat them, covered, in a 350° oven. Smaller leftover portions can be stored in an airtight container and reheated in the microwave.

Puerto Rican Pernil

For a lot of Latin American households, pernil is synonymous with the holiday season. Boasting a combination of succulent, flavorful meat and shatteringly crisp skin, this impressive bone-in, skin-on roast pork dish has earned its place as the centerpiece of a Christmas dinner spread.

Aside from plenty of pork fat, pernil gets its flavor from marinating for at least a few hours in wet adobo seasoning. The time spent is well worth it—the result is ultra flavorful, tender shredded meat with the signature crispy skin.

How to Make Pernil

INGREDIENTS

• 8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 2 Tbsp. kosher salt, divided

• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice

• 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

• 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

• 1 Tbsp. plus 1 1/2 tsp. dry adobo seasoning

• 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 (7- to 8-lb.) skin-on, bone-in pork shoulder

Aside from crispy skin, robust, well-seasoned meat is a must-have for good pernil. The shoulder is a tougher cut, which means it benefits from marination as well as a low and slow cook to break down fat and muscle fibers. Here are the top tips to ensure your pernil is as flavorful as can be:

• To make sure the seasoning is evenly distributed throughout the meat, the pork should be lightly pierced with a knife before marinating (2 hours at least but overnight is a game-changer) to allow the marinade to seep into and deeply flavor the meat.

• The classic seasoning for pernil is a wet adobo made from a simple combo of garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano ground together with a mortar and pestle with the occasional addition of sour orange juice. This recipe starts with those flavors as a base and amps it up even more by adding dry adobo seasoning, which you can buy or make yourself.

How to Get Crispy Skin on Pernil

The shattering, crispy skin is the reward for a well-roasted pernil. There are two keys to achieve a perfectly browned and crisp layer of skin.

First, roast the pork uncovered. While you might typically cook pork shoulder covered to retain moisture in the pot, covering pernil with foil as it roasts will almost always result in the skin sticking to the foil, ruining your chance for a perfect cap of skin.

The second key is to end the roast with a blast of high heat to drive any last bits of moisture out of the skin. You'll know your pork is ready when tapping the skin with a wooden spoon sounds like knocking on a small door. Be sure to remove the skin and cut it before serving to make sure that everyone gets a piece.

How to Serve Pernil

For a full spread, serve this with arroz con gandules and tostones or maduros with coquito to wash it all down.

Creamed Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts used to be the most polarizing side at Thanksgiving, but they've entered a renaissance over the past several years. Modern renditions of this cruciferous vegetable often include shaving them into a salad or roasting them and developing a deep char. We're certainly not opposed to eating Brussels sprouts that way, but we also love giving them the traditional Thanksgiving treatment—with plenty of butter, cream, and cheese.

This method upgrades even the most humble vegetables while still allowing them to be the star of the show. It also helps the Brussels sprouts retain their moisture in the oven—even the staunchest Brussels sprout skeptics will be asking for seconds.

How to Make Creamed Brussels Sprouts

INGREDIENTS

• Kosher salt

• 2 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

• 2 shallots, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• Pinch of grated fresh nutmeg

• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided

• 1/4 cup sliced fresh chives

This version starts with blanching the Brussels sprouts, which is the process of quickly boiling the vegetable before shocking it in an ice bath. It may seem like a superfluous step, but it's essential if you want to retain the bright green color of the sprouts.

This recipe veers toward the simple side, so it can really pair with any Thanksgiving menu. But it's also incredibly adaptable. Want something sharper than mozzarella? Feel free to swap it for another melty cheese like cheddar or gouda. Not a fan of thyme? Use rosemary or sage instead. Want to boost it with bacon? Be our guest!

One ingredient, however, is nonnegotiable: sour cream. The light lactic tang is a necessary counterbalance to the rich and delicate heavy cream.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°. Bring a large pot filled with water to a boil and generously season with salt. Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Cook Brussels sprouts in boiling water until leaves turn bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain sprouts, then immediately transfer to ice water. Once chilled, about 5 minutes, drain well and transfer to a 13" x 9" baking dish.

Step 2: In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter. Cook shallots, garlic, thyme, and pepper, stirring occasionally, until shallots soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in heavy cream, sour cream, nutmeg, and 2 teaspoons salt. Remove from heat. Add Parmesan and 1/2 cup mozzarella and stir until melted and smooth.

Step 3: Pour cream mixture over Brussels sprouts and toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella.

Step 4: Bake sprouts, uncovered, until bubbly and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle with chives and serve warm.

Make Ahead: Our favorite part of this recipe is that it's a Thanksgiving side dish you can make ahead of time. Simply assemble the creamed Brussels sprouts in your baking dish, cover, and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you're ready to serve, pop it in the oven until it's bubbly and lightly golden.