Holiday recipes from the chefs of Camana Bay’s restaurants

It’s that time of year, where the oven works overtime and friends and family gather to share gratitude, love and seasonal wishes while breaking bread and enjoying all of their holiday favourites.

The holidays may be looking a little different depending on where you are, but however many people you are cooking for this year, there is still the opportunity to enjoy nourishing and flavourful food to mark the festive season.

In the run-up to Christmas, with schedules as busy as ever, remember that in Camana Bay there are more than 15 eateries, restaurants and cafes with meals and treats to enjoy while dining in or taking out. The chefs of these eateries kindly provided some of their favourite holiday recipes as inspiration, so whip out that apron and read on below.

Carnivore Premium Meats: Holiday turkey brine

Often the centrepiece of a holiday meal, cooking a turkey can cause some anxiety for first-time chefs. Chef Dylan Benoit of Carnivore has provided a recipe for a brine to help keep turkey moist and flavourful throughout its roasting, so everyone is wowed at carving time.

Ingredients (makes enough brine for a 12-14lb turkey; double the recipe for a larger turkey):

• 8 quarts water
• 4 ounces kosher salt
• 4 ounces brown sugar
• 4 ounces garlic cloves, whole
• 1 ounce black peppercorns, whole
• 5 ounce fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 lemons, halved
• 25 ounce ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1 ounce chili flakes (optional)

Method:

• Put all ingredients except for the lemons in a pot.
• Squeeze the juice out of the lemons into the pot and throw the spent halves in, along with the rest of the ingredients.
• Bring all ingredients to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer for five minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Transfer to a container large enough to accommodate the brine and the turkey.
• Put in the fridge to cool.
• Once cold, place the turkey in and submerge completely.
• Allow to rest in the brine for 24 hours.
• After 24 hours, remove from brine and place on a tray with a wire rack in the fridge until ready to cook (up to 12 hours).
• Roast turkey as you normally would.

The Waterfront Urban Diner: Scalloped potatoes

Every holiday table needs an array of scrumptious side dishes. Scalloped potatoes offers a comforting creamy way to present potatoes, with a cheesy flavour that has everyone reaching for seconds. The chefs at The Waterfront Urban Diner have provided a recipe everyone can make at home to impress guests.

Ingredients (serves 10):

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup warm chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, picked from stems

Method:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
• In a tall pot, melt butter on medium heat. Add onion and cook for five minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Do not colour the onions or garlic, turn the heat down if colouring.
• Sprinkle in flour, stir to combine, and continue to cook for one to two minutes. Ensure the flour doesn’t burn by stirring ingredients. It is also important to cook the flour mixture once incorporated to give it the right flavour.
• Carefully pour in the stock and whisk to combine with flour mixture until smooth. Add in the milk, salt, and pepper, whisking all together. Bring the mixture up to a simmer and continue to whisk until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat.
• Layer half of the potatoes in the prepared dish. Sprinkle on half of the thyme and Parmesan cheese. Ladle over half of sauce and repeat layer of potatoes, remaining sauce, thyme and cheese. Once layered knock the dish and let it sit for five minutes to let the sauce get into all the crevices.
• Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove foil and continue to cook for 30 minutes until bubbly around the edges. Set oven to broil and cook for one to two minutes, until potatoes are golden brown on the top.
• Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes.

*Chef’s tip: Let the dish cool completely then store in fridge overnight. It will be easy to slice the next day into pieces and can be warmed in oven with more delicious cheese.

Gelato & Co. Cremeria Italiana: Homemade zabajone (Italian eggnog)

While there are certainly cultural differences to enjoy between how various countries celebrate Christmas, there are also similarities! Chef Stefano Franceschi of Gelato & Co. has provided a recipe for zabajone, which is Italy’s version of eggnog, made in a creamy, thicker texture to allow it to top desserts or provide a layer in trifle or other treats.

Ingredients:

• 500g whole milk
• Slice or two of lemon peel
• 450g egg yolks
• 350g sugar
• 500g marsala or Porto sweet wine
• 25g cornstarch
• 25g rice starch
• 1 vanilla pod

Method:

• With a sharp knife, cut the vanilla bean lengthwise; wash and dry the lemon peel and cut into strips of zest. Put the vanilla bean and lemon zest in the milk, bring to a boil and boil for a few seconds. Turn off, filter, and set aside.
• In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, sugar and starches with a whisk. Add the marsala and boiling milk, mixing well.
• Place the bowl on a pan and cook the mixture in a double boiler (bain-marie method), stirring constantly with a whisk until the cream has formed.
• Remove from heat and cool the zabaglione quickly by pouring it into a cold bowl (just removed from the fridge, but make sure it is made of a material resistant to temperature changes, such as steel or Pyrex) until it reaches 50°C.
• The zabaglione is ready, you can keep it in the refrigerator and serve it alternating with chocolate custard or use it to fill cakes and cream puffs, adding whipped cream or mascarpone.
• This recipe is amazing served on a warm slice of our Panettone cake, on top of gelato or with our homemade cookies.

*Chef’s tip: If you want to enjoy this treat this season but simply don’t have the time to prepare it at home, Gelato & Co. is selling it in 200g and 500g jars, in store now.

Tomfoodery Kitchen & Bar: Cuatro leches cake with coquito and dulce de leche

Coquito

Ingredients:

• 4 oz raisins
• 12 oz dark rum
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk (or coconut condensed milk)
• 1 (15 oz) can cream of coconut
• 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
• 4 oz evaporated milk (or coconut evaporated milk)
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon coconut extract

Method:

• Combine the raisin and rum and allow to soak or at least an hour.
• Mix all the ingredients for the coquito in a blender and puree until very smooth.
• Keep cool until ready to use later.

Cuatro leches cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 7 eggs, separated into whites and yolks
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 limes, zested (zest only to be used)
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Other ingredients:

• 2 cans dulce de leche* (see notes)
• Crushed cookies of your choice

Method:

• Sift together flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites and first cup of the sugar until thick and smooth.
• In a separate bowl whip egg yolk, lime zest, vanilla and remaining sugar until very thick.
• Fold flour into the yolk mixture.
• Fold 1/3 of the whipped whites into the yolks.
• Then fold the remaining egg whites into the yolks, being cautious not to overmix the batter.
• Spray and flour two four-inch hotel pans.
• Divide the mix evenly and bake in a convection oven at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Let the cake cool for five minutes.
• Invert the cake onto a sheet pan, scrape off the brown bottoms. Flip the cake over and scrape of the brown parts. Trim all the edges and return the cake to the baking pan.
• Cool completely. Pour the milk over the cake.
• Wrap the cake to allow the milk to soak well. Drain the milk carefully. Pour the milk over the cake again and let it soak overnight.
• Transfer the cake to a plate that can hold some of the coquito. Allow the dulce de leche to get to room temperature and place in a piping bag with a star tip. Pipe on to the cake.
• Top with crushed cookies and any other garnishes you would enjoy. If you don’t have a piping bag, just spread the dulce de leche on top of the cake generously.

*Chef’s tip: You can buy prepared dulce de leche, but if you cannot find any, you can make it quite simply. First remove the label off a can of sweetened condensed milk, then submerge in boiling water and cook for 6 hours. Allow to cool and open the can to reveal dulce de leche!

About the author

Anna Wootton is the Digital Marketing & PR Manager for Dart’s business development and real estate companies and assets, including Dart Real Estate, Provenance Properties, Cayman Alternative Investment Summit (CAIS), Camana Bay and The Residences at Seafire. Born in the Cayman Islands, with British heritage and a Canadian passport, Anna is multinational with a Caymankind heart. Anna has a background in journalism and a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from University of British Columbia. She has worked in Camana Bay for the past six years and can be found at an afternoon Ryde class or getting her paint on at 3 Girls & A Kiln.