The Holiday Dinner Party Masterclass

A holiday dinner party is a beautiful thing to give and a daunting thing to cook, unless you plan it the way this menu does. Here the whole feast is mapped out to be made largely ahead: a cumin-crusted salmon as the centerpiece, a generous spread of roasted vegetables brightened with vinaigrette, a cool tarragon sauce to tie it together, and a cranberry jam cake waiting in the wings for dessert. Do the work in stages and the evening itself becomes yours to enjoy.

The Salmon and Its Sauce

Coat the salmon in its cumin spice rub ahead so the flavors settle in, then roast it to a tender, spiced finish when your guests are near the table. The creamy tarragon sauce can be whisked well in advance and kept cold, ready to spoon over the fish — a bright, herbaceous counterpoint to the warm spice.

The Vegetables and the Cranberry Jam Cake

Toss each vegetable in its own seasoning and roast them so they can be served warm or at room temperature, one less thing to time at the last minute. And the cranberry jam cake is a make-ahead marvel — baked and frosted in advance, it waits patiently to close the meal on a festive, tart-sweet note.

Jorj Morgan

The Holiday Dinner Party Masterclass

This holiday dinner party masterclass features a magnificent cumin-crusted salmon with a bright tarragon caper sauce, vibrant oven-roasted harvest vegetables, and a showstopping cranberry jam cake. Each element is crafted for deeply satisfying flavors and a truly memorable occasion.

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Main Course, Dinner Party

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

The Salmon

• 1 (2 ½ pound) center-cut whole salmon fillet with skin
• juice of 1 large lemon, about 3 tablespoons

The Cumin Spice Rub

• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

The Creamy Tarragon Sauce

• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons capers, drained
• 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped

The Vegetables

• 16 to 20 Brussels sprouts
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• juice of ½ medium lemon, about 2 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the other veggies
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the other veggies
• ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper, plus more for the other veggies
• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets, about 5 to 6 cups
• 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 garlic cloves, minced, about 2 teaspoons
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 16 to 20 whole baby carrots
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground curry powder
• 16 to 20 asparagus spears
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 large yellow onions
• 1 large fennel bulb

The Cranberry Jam

• 1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries, about 3 to 3 ½ cups
• 1 (12-ounce) jar cherry preserves (substitute with raspberry)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• juice of 1 large orange, about ¼ cup

The Orange Cake Batter

• 8 large egg whites
• 3 ½ cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• zest of 2 large oranges, about 2 to 3 tablespoons
• juice from 1 medium orange, about ¼ cup
• 1 cup milk

The Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks, room temperature
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (32-ounce) package powdered sugar, about 7 ½ cups
• juice of 1 large orange, about ¼ cup
• 1 to 2 tablespoons half-and-half (optional)

Method

 

The Make-Ahead Cranberry Jam

1. Add the filling ingredients to a deep pot. Stir and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the cranberries soften and begin to pop, about 20 minutes.
3. Use a potato masher to mush up the cranberries.
4. Remove the pot from the heat and cool.
5. Spread the filling into a shallow pan. (A cake pan or pie plate works well for this.)
6. Place the pan into the freezer to cool thoroughly while you make and bake the cake.

Bake the Cranberry Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 375°.
2. Spray 2 (9-inch) square cake pans with vegetable oil spray.
3. Place a square of parchment paper in the bottom of each pan and spray again.
4. Use an electric mixer to whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, about 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Use a spatula to gently transfer the whipped egg whites to a large bowl.
6. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small bowl and set aside.
7. Use the mixer to combine 1 cup butter and the granulated sugar.
8. Stir in the orange zest and orange juice.
9. Add ⅓ of the flour followed by ⅓ of the milk. Continue until all the flour and milk are added. The batter will be quite thick.
10. Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer.
11. Use a spatula to gently fold the egg whites into the batter, using about ⅓ of the whites at a time. This will make the batter light and airy.
12. Use a spatula to scrape and smooth the batter into the two pans.
13. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes.
14. Cool the cakes in the pan for 10 minutes.
15. Transfer the cakes to a rack, remove the parchment paper, and cool completely.

Frost & Fill the Cake

1. Now is a good time to remove the cranberry filling from the freezer. You want it to be chilled—not frozen!
2. For the frosting, use an electric mixer to combine 1 cup butter with cream cheese until fluffy.
3. Add the vanilla and ¼ teaspoon salt.
4. Mix in the sugar, a cup at a time, alternating the sugar and the remaining orange juice.
5. If the frosting is too thick, you can thin it with a bit of half-and-half.
6. Now here’s the fun part. You can turn this into a four-layer cake by horizontally slicing each of the square cakes in half.
7. Set one of the cake layers onto your cake platter. Generously slather with frosting. Spoon some of the cranberry jam over the frosting. Place a second cake layer on top. Repeat with frosting and jam. Do the same with the third cake layer. Top with the last cake layer. Slather frosting on the sides and top of the cake.

The Vegetable Steam & Roast

1. Preheat your oven to 425°.
2. Cut each Brussels sprout in half and steam (or blanch) until they begin to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Toss with balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet.
4. Toss the cauliflower with mustard, Parmesan cheese, garlic, thyme, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the baking sheet.
5. Toss the carrots with brown sugar, curry powder, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the baking sheet.
6. Toss the asparagus with mayonnaise, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the baking sheet.
7. Cut the onion into wedges, leaving the root intact. This will help to keep the onion together. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the baking sheet.
8. Remove the tops and tough core from the fennel bulb and cut into thick slices. Season with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to the baking sheet.
9. You can prepare the vegetables to this point several hours in advance and stick the pan in the fridge. When you are ready to serve, roast the veggies until they begin to crisp and brown, about 20 minutes.
10. You can serve them warm or at room temperature.
11. Preheat your oven to 400°.

The Salmon Sear

1. Lay the whole fillet, skin side down, on a rimmed baking sheet coated with vegetable oil spray.
2. Drizzle the lemon juice on top.
3. Combine the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
4. Rub this mixture all over the salmon, coating well.
5. Drizzle the top with olive oil.
6. Put the salmon into the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 350°. Roast until the salmon is rare in the center, about 8 minutes per inch of thickness, or about 15 to 20 minutes for the whole fillet.
7. For the sauce, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, cream, capers, tarragon vinegar, and fresh tarragon in a small bowl.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Use two spatulas to transfer the salmon to a platter and serve with the sauce on the side. Garnish with fresh lemon or orange slices and fresh tarragon sprigs.