If you’re needing some edible inspiration for this season’s holiday parties, we’ve asked some local chefs for some of their favorites.

Alamo Beer & Black Garlic Smoked Turkey Legs

Recipe by Chef Stephen Paprocki of Texas Black Gold Garlic, which you can find at the Pearl Farmers Market. Alamo Golden Ale is another locally-made product.

• 6 each turkey legs
• 1 6-pack Alamo Golden Ale
• 4 cloves Texas Black Gold Garlic (or other)
• 2 cups mayonnaise

Puree one Alamo Golden Ale with the two cups of mayo and 4 cloves of Texas Black Gold Garlic. Rub the turkey legs entirely until well coated. Ideally, use a wood smoker with cherry and maple and alder wood chips. You are going to smoke your turkey legs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. This means that the coldest part of the turkey is 165 degrees F. This isn’t a suggestion. Test in at least two places (or more) and remember that turkey bones heat faster so keep the thermometer away from bone. Run the smoker at a temperature range of 235 degrees F to 250 degrees F. Plan on 30 to 40 minutes per pound.

Roasted Kabocha Squash with Ancho & Guajillo Rub

This recipe comes to you from Rodrigo Salas of Mölli, a sauce company based in Dallas. You can find the Mölli sauces at Central Market.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Mölli Acapulco Marinade
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 kabocha squash (about 2 1/2 pounds), partially peeled, seeded, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

 

Directions

Heat oven to 375° F. Combine Acapulco marinade with bay leaf and paprika in a blender and process briefly. Add sugar and salt and process to combine. Set aside. Toss squash with oil, then Acapulco mixture. Spread on 2 baking sheets and roast until tender, about 25 minutes. Serve roasted kabocha squash in a bowl. Provecho!

Pumpkin Latte Soup

 By Chef Walda Collins, Strategic AllignMint (Personal Chef & Health Coach)

Ingredients

 1 whole roasted pie pumpkin (also called a sugar pumpkin) – with top cut off and halved.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion – chopped
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp pumpkin spice
• 1 tsp ground coffee
• 1 tsp Hungarian paprika

 

Directions

 Sauté onion in the olive oil until tender. Scoop pumpkin into a blender. Add additional ingredients. Blend until smooth. Pour into a crockpot or pot on a stove and let it simmer for approximately 30 minutes to let the flavors blend. Serve when ready. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon.

Pumpkin Meringue Pie

Okay so this recipe isn’t local, but it’s just so good we had to include it for the ultimate holiday dessert.

CRUST:

• flour, for the work surface
• dough for single 9-inch pie crust
• ¼ cup heavy cream, for glazing

 

FILLING:

• 1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin purée
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• ½ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream

 

MERINGUE:

• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• Pinch salt
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

 

Directions

Make the pie crust:

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. On a clean, lightly floured work surface with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough until it forms a 10-inch circle. Fold the circle in half, place it in a 9-inch pie plate so that the edges of the circle drop over the rim, and unfold the dough to completely cover the pie plate. Using your thumb and index finger, crimp the edges of the pie shell. Lightly brush the edges of the pie shell with heavy cream (this will create a perfect, golden brown finish). Set aside while you make the filling.

Make the pumpkin pie filling:

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, combine the pumpkin purée and eggs until really well mixed. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg. Mix the ingredients together, scraping the bowl down several times. Add the heavy cream and mix once again, until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the unbaked pie shell. Carefully slide the pumpkin pie onto the baking sheet. Bake the pumpkin pie for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the filling is firm in the middle but still soft to the touch. Transfer the pie to a wire cooling rack and let cool for at least 2 hours.

Make the meringue:

When the pumpkin pie has finished cooling, preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat the egg whites until they become foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt and continue mixing until soft peaks form. Slowly add the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Once all the sugar has been added, add the vanilla and beat for 30 more seconds. It should be light and fluffy. To test it, insert a spatula into the mixture and quickly pull it out. If it forms little peaks but does not fall, you have achieved the desired consistency. Place the meringue on top of the pumpkin pie, forming a mound of meringue in the middle of the pie. Use a spatula to pat and lift it across the top of the pie, forming peaks. Take care to spread it all the way out to the edges of the crust. Place the pumpkin pie on the middle oven rack and bake for 6 to 10 minutes, or until the desired brownness has been achieved. You’ll want to check the meringue frequently, keeping an especially careful eye on it as soon as the tippy tops of the peaks begin to turn brown. (If you have a kitchen torch, you can also use this method as an alternative, but be careful to spread the flame evenly across the entire surface to achieve a uniform look.) The pumpkin pie is best served the same day.

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