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With festive chicken and rice, potato gratin, apple galettes, and more, Los Angeles home cooks are making Thanksgiving their own. (Katrina Frederick/Image) |
When Thanksgiving hits each year, a few things are certain: turkeys are roasted, potatoes are mashed, and so many pumpkin pies are baked on the big day. But not everyone's holiday table looks so Rockwellian.
In LA's kitchen, chefs embrace the Thanksgiving mantra of "getting together with loved ones while enjoying great food," creating dishes inspired by past vacations and family heritage. Or someone brought in an unusual word one year that now has a permanent place on the Thanksgiving table. It is a dish that makes you feel more at home on holidays.
We asked six Los Angeles chefs for their must-have holiday recipes and the stories that inspired them. There are classics such as the bubbly cheese potato gratin and the savory and elegant charred apple galette. At the same time, the seasonal offerings include an elaborate Palestinian upside-down chicken and rice dish and broiled pheasant under bacon. There are also traditional celebratory dishes to match. Other nostalgic favorites include a nutty salad dressing from school days, a beautiful seasonal fruit tart, and a rich custard reminiscent of desserts from the grocery store sweets case. Information is also provided.
These dishes are the expression of their respective chefs, showcasing festive gaiety and respecting the traditions that have brought them to where they are today. Without them, Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same.
Home Cooks
- Cara McConnell, 42, design firm vice president, Atwater Village
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Cara McConnell, 42, design firm vice president, Atwater Village. (Dania Maxwell/Image) |
Before coming to LA, I lived in Chicago after college. My boss Michan split his childhood between Dublin and Paris. Dinners at his house in the fall were always roasted with a little game and a bird pâté as an appetizer.
Michan always welcomed me to his home in Chicago. , not only as an architect but as a mentor who opened my eyes to refined cuisine and entertainment. He was fascinated by my story and life's journey. We think of him especially at Friendsgiving as we happily loosen up on decades of traditional family foods and come together to experience the holidays in an equally delicious variety of ways.
- Sorina Vaziri, 31, artist, Mid-City
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Sorina Vaziri, 31, artist, Mid-City. (Dania Maxwell/Image) |
Many of my friends in LA are from the University of Florida and have a Friendsgiving potluck every year. So I make this salad every year to return to a simpler time ten years ago when we were all broke and hungry. "
- Fabienne Toback, documentary filmmaker, Arts District
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Fabienne Toback, documentary filmmaker, Arts District. (Dania Maxwell/Image) |
“I grew up in Manhattan's West Village and was an only child, so I spent much time alone. That's where my love of cooking began, my grandma let me concoct whatever I wanted under the sole proviso that it was baked (why just bake I'm not sure, but I have a vague memory of a charred pan soaking in the sink for weeks...)
Since I don't like sweet things very much, I prefer a salty taste, so gratin has been the touchstone of salty taste since that time. I don't remember if anything was particularly delicious. Still, I do remember the uninterrupted hours of food and flavor exploration and the unconditional embrace of grandma's love and support while I tinkered in her Brooklyn kitchen.
On my mother's side, I spent the summer in Switzerland. [My grandmother] Satsi, as she affectionately called her, lived in Lausanne, a beautiful urban town on Lake Geneva. Long summer days were spent hiking in dense forests, cool Alps, or lakeside in glacier-cold water. No matter where I was or what I was doing, I packed a sandwich for on-the-go enjoyment. Gruyère cheese was always used, whether it was milk bread or baguette.
My gratin dauphinoise is a memory of the food I made myself and has become a signature dish of Thanksgiving. It's arguably always a crowd-pleaser, and a little scoop on your Thanksgiving plate goes a long way. Thick and creamy. It's comfort food you didn't know you were craving.
When I make this dish, it acts as a meditation imbued with childhood memories, allowing me to communicate with the women who helped me become the woman I am today. For that, I am grateful.
- Hythum Kiswani, 53, commercial real estate broker, Playa del Rey
- Karla Subero Pittol, 31, chef, Historic Filipinotown
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Karla Subero Pittol, 31, chef, Historic Filipinotown. (Dania Maxwell/Image) |
- Fuyuko Kondo, 65, pâtissière, Pasadena