Grilled Shrimp with Green Chile–Condensed Milk Sauce
Inspired by a dish from 2018 F&W Best New Chef Kevin Tien, cookbook author Andrea Nguyen's sensational grilled shrimp are brushed with a garlicky, basil-infused butter during grilling. The shrimp get an extra punch of flavor from the dipping sauce, which is spiked with Thai green chiles and tempered with sweetened condensed milk, which lends a beguiling, creamy roundness that tames the feisty, fiery condiment.
Calamari Toast with Hawthorn Sweet-and-Sour Sauce
This crunchy party appetizer from 2021 F&W Best New Chef Lucas Sin, of Junzi Kitchen and Nice Day in New York City, is inspired by classic Chinese shrimp toast. Here, Sin combines calamari and shrimp for the toast topper; a quick blitz in the food processor yields a tasty mixture that fries up perfectly crisp. Haw flakes, Chinese sweets made from the fruit of Chinese hawthorn, are a sweet and tangy snack usually served to guests with tea or as a treat for children; here, Sin uses them to flavor a dipping sauce for the toasts. The sauce can be used immediately, but Lucas recommends refrigerating it overnight for the best flavor. For a store-bought alternative, Sin recommends Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce.
Roasted Soy-Citrus Chilean Sea Bass
This tender, flaky oven-roasted Chilean sea bass is the headliner on musician Patrice Rushen's holiday table. To make it, Rushen bakes butter-rubbed fillets in a citrus-forward mixture of freshly juiced oranges, ponzu, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic, which infuses the fish with a lovely flavor without overwhelming it. Seek out Chilean sea bass with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification label to ensure it was caught sustainably, or substitute salmon or halibut, which are also good choices for this preparation. Timing will vary depending on thickness of your fish; for thinner fillets, begin checking fish after about 12 minutes into the cooking time.
Oyster Casserole with Cracker Crumbs
In this quick, simple recipe from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook by Marion Cunningham, tender and juicy oysters are drizzled with a bit of cream and hot sauce, then baked in a sumptuous, buttery crumb mixture for a bit of crunch. Serve as an appetizer for a dinner party, or as a side dish with ham or turkey. For individual servings, the mixture can be divided among 4 ramekins instead of one baking dish. Read more about how this casserole stars at one Food & Wine editor's Thanksgiving.
Pomegranate-Lacquered Salmon
Spiked with a pinch of cayenne, tart pomegranate molasses and savory-sweet date syrup give this gently roasted salmon layers of flavor and a gorgeous bronzed exterior. Choose higher-fat king or Atlantic salmon for best results; if using a skinless fillet, spray the baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray first.
Gefilte Fish
Gefilte Fish is a dish made from a poached seasoned ground fish and served as an appetizer in Ashkenazi Jewish households, most traditionally during Passover. This recipe starts with a whole whitefish, turning the fillets into flavorful gefilte fish, and the trimmings into stock. You can find whole whitefish at some supermarkets and delis, and can ask your fishmonger to grind the fish for you at the store—just make sure to ask them to reserve the bones, head, skin, etc. for making stock.
