Chef Richard Blais Shares Tips with Cuisineist.com on cooking memorable holiday recipes that will become new traditions in your family.

TASTY ADDITIONS TO HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

Chef Richard Blais Shares Tips with Cuisineist.com on cooking memorable holiday recipes that will become new traditions in your family.

Perhaps most recognizable as the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars, Richard Blais is a successful chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and television personality. Blais is currently starring in Bravo’s “Life After Top Chef” and will be publishing his first cookbook, Try This At Home: Recipes From My Head To Your Plate, with Clarkson Potter in February. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Blais went on to train at French Laundry, Daniel and el Bulli.

Chef Richard Blais

He currently owns and operates Trail Blais, a forward-thinking culinary company that has consulted on, designed, and operated some of Atlanta’s most popular eateries including multiple outposts of Flip Burger Boutique, HD1 and most recently, The Spence. Blais currently resides in Atlanta with his wife Jazmin and their two daughters Riley and Embry. When not behind the stove, Blais may be found training for his next marathon or cheering on his favorite European soccer team

 

 

 

“As a chef, it’s important for me to make sure my recipes taste great. I’m also always looking for ways to make dishes nutritious without sacrificing taste. What better time to have this mindset than the holidays. With its creamy, rich texture, fresh taste, and at least 80% less fat than regular mayonnaise, sour cream or cream cheese, Dannon® Oikos® Greek nonfat yogurt offers endless ways to shake up, lighten up and modernize some of our favorite traditional holiday foods. Here are some of my tips on how to incorporate this tasty addition to your holiday traditions. “

 Chef Richard Blais’ Tips for Cooking with Dannon Oikos Greek nonfat  Yogurt

•             Swap out the dollop of regular sour cream on your mashed potatoes with Dannon Oikos® Greek nonfat yogurt for a nutritious and creamy-thick taste.

•             Dannon Oikos Greek nonfat yogurt is a great addition to any casserole; the nonfat greek yogurt provides calcium that acts as a binder.

Dannon Oikos Greek nonfat yogurt can be used in dips and dressings as a substitute for regular mayonnaise or sour cream to provide a nutritious twist to your recipe

•             Use Dannon Oikos Greek nonfat yogurt in marinades – it’s a great tenderizer!

•             A holiday meal isn’t complete without dessert! Whether you’re making a spiced apple cake, or a creamy cheese cake, Dannon Oikos Greek nonfat yogurt is a great substitution for some holiday staple ingredients such as oil, butter, cream cheese or ricotta cheese.

•             If incorporating yogurt when cooking, avoid using aluminum products – the acidity of yogurt can react negatively with aluminum.

 

Acorn Squash Soup
With Cranberry, Chorizo & Dannon® Oikos® Greek Nonfat Yogurt

Acorn Squash Soup

With Cranberry, Chorizo & Dannon® Oikos® Greek Nonfat Yogurt

By Richard Blais

Acorn Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 whole acorn squash

¼ white onion, chopped

1 bay leaf

4 cloves garlic

2 tbsp celery, chopped

1 ½ quart chicken stock

1/2 cup Dannon Oikos plain Greek nonfat yogurt

1/2 cup whipped yogurt (page 2 for recipe) optional

¼ cup chorizo, crumbled

2 tbsp cranberry canned jelly

3 leaves cilantro

1 tsp smoked paprika

Pomegranate seeds for garnish

Lime for garnish

Instructions

1. In a stockpot, cook the onion, bay leaf, garlic and celery in some olive oil until garlic releases aroma.

2. Add the chopped acorn squash and then the chicken stock and simmer. When the acorn squash is cooked, swirl in Dannon Oikos plain Greek nonfat yogurt and remove from the heat.

3. In a separate pan, cook the chorizo and paprika.

4. When the squash is cooked thoroughly, purée the soup and pass through a sieve so it is smooth.

5. Garnish with the crumbled chorizo, the cilantro, pomegranate seeds, a squirt of lime and cover with the whipped yogurt, or alternatively just add a dollop of Dannon Oikos plain Greek nonfat yogurt.

Yield

4-6 servings

 

Roasted Beet Salad with Orange, Avocado &
Dannon® Oikos® Greek Nonfat Yogurt Dressing

 

Roasted Beet Salad with Orange, Avocado &

Dannon® Oikos® Greek Nonfat Yogurt Dressing

 

 

 

By Richard Blais

Salad

2 cups beets, roasted and peeled (or canned)

½ cup orange wedges

½ cup avocado, diced

2 tbsp almond slivers, salted

Dressing

2/3 cup Dannon Oikos plain Greek nonfat yogurt (or use a 5.3 oz. single serve container)

1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

2 tbsp scallion, sliced

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 ounce rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp jalapeño, diced

1 tsp cumin, ground

1 tsp coriander, ground

1 tbsp honey

2 tsp sesame

Instructions

1. Combine salad ingredients (beets, orange and avocado) in one container. Set aside.

2. Mix ingredients and spread the dressing over beets, orange and avocado.

Yield

4-6 servings

 

Lamb Tartare


Lamb Tartare
with Dannon® Oikos® Greek Yogurt Spheres

with Dannon® Oikos® Greek Yogurt Spheres

By Richard Blais

Lamb Tartare

1 pound lamb loin, hand ground

2 tbsp harissa sauce

1 tsp mint, chopped

1 tbsp parsley, chopped

½ tsp coriander, ground

½ tsp cumin, ground

1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

1 tbsp basil, chopped

1 tbsp cornichons, chopped

2 tsp red onion, minced

1 Baguette (optional)

1. Mix all ingredients and keep cold.

Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt Spheres

2/3 cup Dannon Oikos plain Greek yogurt, made with whole milk (or use a 5.3 oz. single serve container)

1000 grams cold water

5 grams sodium alginate

1. For the spheres, mix the alginate and water in a blender and chill overnight or for a few hours.

2. To make a yogurt sphere, simply fill a squeeze bottle with the yogurt and using a slotted spoon, squirt the Dannon Oikos plain Greek yogurt onto the spoon and dip in the alginate solution.

To plate:

1. Spread the tartare on toasted or grilled pieces of baguette and top with the Dannon Oikos plain Greek yogurt spheres.

Yield

4-6 servings

 

Roast Holiday Turkey

Glazed with Dannon® Oikos® Greek Nonfat Yogurt & Lemon Curd

By Richard Blais

 

 

 

Brine

1 turkey (approximately 8-10 lbs)

1 gallon chicken stock

1 gallon ice water

1 ¼ cup sea salt

¼ cup poultry seasoning

½ cup sugar

Instructions

1. Heat the salt, sugar, and spices to dissolve the salt and sugar.

2. Chill this and add the ice water. Submerge your bird in this brine overnight or for at least 6 hours. Remove the bird and rinse under cold water.

**To brine a turkey: use a large brining bag, a tall cooking pot, or even a clean plastic bucket, depending on the size of your turkey.

Marinade for Basting

3 cups Dannon Oikos plain Greek nonfat yogurt

2 cups lemon curd

½ cup dried oregano

¼ cup fresh sage, chopped

¼ cup fresh rosemary fresh, minced

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients. Place the bird on a rack, season with white pepper and cook at 400F to start browning the bird. After an hour, turn heat to 275F.

2. Collect the drippings and mix with the lemon curd, Dannon Oikos plain Greek nonfat yogurt and herbs. Brush this on the bird, really lather the tur-key up and finish roasting for 3-4 hours depending on the size of the bird.

3. When the bird is finished, glaze the bird with some of the remaining marinade, or alternatively save it for dipping and leftovers!

Yield

4-6 servings

Malted Dannon® Oikos® Greek Nonfat Yogurt Panna Cotta
with Clementine & Chocolate Almonds

 

Malted Dannon® Oikos® Greek Nonfat Yogurt Panna Cotta

with Clementine & Chocolate Almonds

By Richard Blais

 

Ingredients

5 fluid oz. heavy cream

2/3 cup Dannon Oikos vanilla Greek nonfat yogurt

( or use a 5.3 oz. single serve container)

1 oz. sugar

1 oz. malted barley

1 gelatin sheet

Instructions

1. Heat the heavy cream and sugar together until the sugar dissolves.

2. Remove the liquid from the heat and add the malted barley. Let this steep for an hour.

3. Strain the mixture into a clean pot and stir the Dannon Oikos vanilla Greek nonfat yogurt into the pot.

4. Bloom the gelatin in an ice bath. Meanwhile, bring the strained mixture to a simmer.

5. Remove strained mixture from heat and add gelatin.

6. Pour the liquid into four small containers. Let this chill for 2 hours or until the panna cottas have set.

Per serving container, garnish with:

A few slices of clementine

A scattering of candied ginger

Chocolate dusted almonds

Yield

4 servings

Enjoy and Happy Holidays !