What the Pros Are Cooking for the Holidays

A great alternative to boring mashed potatoes.

Recipe: Potatoes au Gratin

We use ketchup and mustard to flavor the mashed potato, fold in cooked sweet crab, and lastly add raw white onions for texture. We eat it with tonkatsu sauce, pickled ginger, and a cabbage slaw. 

Recipe: Mitsuko’s Crabmeat Korroke (Croquette)

The technique of blooming the spices and pistachios in the oil not only adds a wonderful crunchy texture but also creates an infused oil that acts as the dressing. Using fresh spices makes all the difference.

Recipe: Delicata Squash with Burrata and Toasted Pistachios

Pork and green beans are a perfect pairing to pick up the flavors of the hot, sweet, and savory flavors of the sauce and the char of the wok.

Recipe: Long Beans with Pork Belly

The holidays are a great time to bring everyone together—all cultures, faiths, nationalities—and create something new. It is so joyful to combine foods and traditions. Here’s our kind of taco night.

Recipe: Roti Tacos

We use fresh masa in Sonoran flat enchiladas topped with salsa de chile colorado

Recipe: Enchiladas Sonorenses

Unlike most traditional moles that use chocolate to sweeten the dish, this one is a bright red mole that is both full of flavor and extra spicy because of the variety of chiles and spices added to the dish.”

Recipe: Mole de Pollo Maria Cruz 

This is a fun and simple dish that Saito san still makes with his family to this day.

Recipe: Imoni

This is an easy recipe that my family loves me to make every year. This serves two but can be scaled up.

Recipe: Chipotle Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Labneh

Homemade hummus is easy to make and so much better than store bought. Since it isn’t always possible to soak and cook chickpeas beforehand, canned work just fine. Serve with pita wedges.

Recipe: Traditional Hummus