At the center of the table in holidays past: the turkey, the goose, the ham, roast pork, beef Wellington, the vegetarian loaf, the seafood feast. Every one of them kept you involved in the kitchen while your guests clinked glasses and nibbled on cashews.
If you’re willing to put in the advance work, we have options designed to free the cook as soon as the doorbell rings: casseroles so swell, a simple green salad is all that’s needed on the side. Banish notions of 9-by-13s with canned-soup fillings.
With the recipes here, you’ll find hearty stunners from some of our favorite Washington Post Food section contributors — and possibly, the start of a new holiday tradition.
Crepe lasagna with mushrooms and spinach
8 to 12 servings
From cookbook author and food journalist Domenica Marchetti.
For the crepes:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon fine salt
Pinch freshly ground pepper
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or more as needed
For the sauce:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
56 ounces canned whole tomatoes, passed through a food mill to puree and remove seeds
Fine salt
5 large fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
For the filling
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced paper-thin
1 pound mixed fresh mushrooms, such as creminis, shiitakes and portobellos, coarsely chopped
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
10 ounces frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed to remove excess liquid
12 to 16 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
For the crepes: Sift the flour into a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, milk, parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a separate bowl. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the flour, whisking all the while to prevent lumps. Once the batter is smooth, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: Combine the oil and crushed garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat. Press down on the garlic to release its flavor and swirl the pan to infuse the oil, but don’t let the garlic brown. Carefully pour in the strained tomatoes (the oil will spatter). Stir in 1 teaspoon salt; increase the heat to medium-high, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce cook gently, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have thickened into sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil.
Back to the crepes: Melt a little of the butter in a 9-inch nonstick skillet (or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet) over medium heat, tilting the pan to cover the bottom with a thin film of the melted butter. Once the pan is hot, pour a small ladleful of batter (a scant 1/4 cup) into the center of the pan. Quickly swirl it around so that it completely coats the bottom of the skillet, forming a thin pancake. Cook for 30 to 45 seconds, or until lightly browned and set.
Carefully flip the crepe with a spatula and cook for 20 to 30 seconds on the second side, until lightly browned. Transfer the crepe to a plate. Continue making crepes until you have used all the batter, making sure to grease the skillet lightly from time to time with a thin film of melted butter. Stack the crepes as you work; they won’t stick. You should end up with 22 to 24 of them. Cover the plate with plastic wrap.
For the filling: Put the porcini in a small heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes or until softened. Drain the porcini in a fine-mesh sieve lined with damp paper towels, reserving the liquid. Coarsely chop the rehydrated mushrooms.
Combine the oil and 1 sliced clove of garlic in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring often, until the garlic is softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the fresh mushrooms and the reserved porcini and their liquid. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.
Increase the heat to medium-high and pour in the wine. Let it bubble for a minute or so, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Transfer to a bowl.
Return the (empty) skillet to the stove top over medium-low heat. Melt the butter with the remaining sliced clove of garlic; cook briefly so the garlic softens but does not brown. Stir in the spinach and 1/4 teaspoon of salt; cook for about 5 minutes or until the spinach is warmed through and has absorbed the butter. Remove from the heat.
If you’re going to bake the lasagna right away, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 12-inch round or deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter.
If desired, find and discard the crushed cloves of garlic in the sauce. Spoon a thin layer of sauce into the baking dish. Arrange 5 or 6 crepes, overlapping, in the bottom of the dish. Scatter one-quarter of the mushrooms, one-quarter of the spinach and one-quarter of the mozzarella over the crepes. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the mozzarella.
Cover with a layer of 4 slightly overlapping crepes, then spoon a thin layer of sauce on top. Create two more layers of mushrooms, spinach and mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano, covering them each time with 4 crepes and a thin layer of sauce. Make a final layer of mushrooms, spinach and cheeses. Cover completely with the remaining crepes. Spoon a final layer of sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the lasagna is hot and bubbly and the cheese on top has melted and is lightly browned. Let stand at least 5 minutes before serving.
Ingredients are too variable for a meaningful nutritional analysis.
Polenta gratin with ham, greens and smoked cheddar
12 servings
From food writer Tony Rosenfeld.
12 cups water, or more as needed
3 cups dried polenta (about 1 pound)
Kosher salt
8 ounces smoked cheddar, grated (about 2 cups)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, more for greasing
Freshly ground black pepper
3 red bell peppers
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 ounces baby kale (stems stripped, if desired)
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 pound thinly sliced ham
8 ounces creme fraiche, for serving (optional)
Finely grated zest and juice from 1/2 lemon (about 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, about 2 tablespoons lemon juice), for serving (optional)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives, for serving (optional)
Bring the water to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Gradually whisk in the polenta and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the polenta thickens and softens. Add water as needed if the mixture becomes too dense or if the polenta is still gritty. Stir in three-quarters of the cheese and three-quarters of the butter until well incorporated. Season generously with salt and pepper; reserve the remaining cheese and butter.
Meanwhile, prep the bell peppers: Position an oven rack 8 inches from the broiling element; preheat the broiler.
Arrange the peppers on a large rimmed baking sheet, then toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning the peppers over every minute or so, until the peppers brown and soften without burning. Let cool.
Toss the kale with one tablespoon of oil and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut the broiled peppers into quarters, discarding their stems and seeds. Then thinly slice the peppers and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the garlic and the thyme.
Use a little oil to grease a 3-quart baking dish (such as a 9-by-13-inch). Spread one-quarter of the polenta (about 3 cups of it) on the bottom of the baking dish, using a spatula to spread it evenly into the corners. Use the kale to create the next even layer. Cover the kale with another layer of the polenta, then create a layer with the ham. Spread a third layer of polenta, then use the strips of broiled peppers (and any garlic-thyme oil) to create the next layer. Top with the final layer of polenta. Scatter the remaining cheese and butter evenly over the top.
If you’re making the gratin in advance, let cool to room temperature, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. If the gratin has been refrigerated, place it on the countertop to come to a cool room temperature while the oven is heating up. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the gratin bubbles around the edges and browns a bit on top. The cheese should be melted. Let cool for 5 minutes.
If desired, combine the creme fraiche with the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, the chives and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Taste and add lemon juice, salt and/or pepper as needed. Serve squares of the warm polenta with dollops of the lemon creme fraiche.
Nutrition information per serving: 320 calories, 13g protein, 31g carbohydrates, 16g fat, 7g saturated fat, 45mg cholesterol, 1000mg sodium, 2g dietary fiber, 2g sugar