Here’s What Jarrett Melendez Is Cooking This Month
It’s December, which means I will now only be accepting tidings of comfort and/or joy, thank you very much. What's comforting to me? Chocolate. Cheese. Meticulously putting together meals with enough pageantry and drama to dazzle the senses of my party guests (listen, comfort comes in many shapes and sizes—entering a trance as I work in the kitchen is one of my many sources). I love cooking for friends, and December is probably my cooking-est month of the year, filled with dinner parties, both planned and impromptu. Here’s a luscious list of all the things I'll be shoveling down my friends’ gullets lovingly feeding my friends this month.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege1/11Instant Pot Braised Lamb With White Beans and Spinach
This homey, comforting braise takes all of the fuss and pageantry out of my usual lamb prep without sacrificing flavor. Though the recipe says crusty bread for serving is optional, I’m hereby declaring it mandatory—you won’t regret it.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Kate Buckens2/11Savory Cheese-Filled Croquembouche
I am nothing if not a drama queen and entertainer, so you bet your sweet bippy this show-stopping appetizer will be making an appearance on my holiday party table this year. All the exquisite razzle dazzle of a classic dessert croquembouche, but filled with cheese and held together (and decorated) with black pepper salted caramel.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi3/11Hot White Russian
If a regular White Russian is essentially a boozy chocolate milk, then this version is basically boozy hot cocoa. The verdict? This Dude abides.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne4/11Cardamom-Pistachio Bûche de Noël
Since I’m opting for the dramatic pageantry of a savory croquembouche as an appetizer, I’ll be bookending my holiday meal with an equally dramatic, crowd-pleasing bûche de Noël. I adore a project, and the holiday break from work is the perfect time for me to get into the kitchen and spend Too Much Time cooking for friends.
Photo by Christopher Baker5/11Gnocchi Gratin with Gorgonzola Dolce
Any time I’ve got leftover blue cheese from my holiday cheese plate, I figure out fun ways to incorporate it into other meals. This gnocchi is one dish that benefits from cheese plate leavings, and it can be made even simpler by using store-bought gnocchi, a move I turn to with zero shame for a weekday dinner in December.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell6/11Chocolate-Hazelnut Napoleons
One of my favorite grocery store candies is Ferrero Rocher, and my family would always make sure I got some every Christmas. This dessert is essentially a reconstructed version of something that carries a lot of nostalgia for me, and isn’t terribly difficult to make, so it’ll certainly be making an appearance at the end of a December meal or two.
8/11Winter Squash Wedges With Gorgonzola Butter and Hazelnuts
Listen, I am an absolute sucker for a compound butter, but making one with gorgonzola is some galaxy-brain thinking that has me furious I didn't think of it myself. Pair that with crunchy, toasted hazelnuts and naturally sweet roasted winter squash, and you’ve got a winner of an appetizer or side dish.
Photo by Romulo Yanes9/11Udon With Chicken and Scallions
Sometimes you just need something simple and easy to break up the assembly line of roasts and cookies and all the other things that December and the holidays entail. The three main elements of this dish (chicken, noodles, and broccoli) all cook in the same pot at separate stages, making cleanup a breeze.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell10/11Porcini Popovers
These popovers are gently elevated with the addition of powdered dried porcini mushrooms, giving them an umami kick that’ll have your guests endlessly guessing at the secret ingredient. A great conversation starter, but an even greater side dish.
Photo by Molly Yeh11/11Chicken Pot Tot Hotdish
My friend Mary Jo Pehl, of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 fame, was the first to introduce me to the concept of Tater Tot hot dish, and versions of it have since become part of my regular rotation of winter comfort foods. This one combines hot dish with my other favorite comfort food, chicken pot pie, proving that “too much of a good thing” is a made-up idea.
