Holiday Recipes from our Celebrity Chefs and Foodies

Holiday Recipes 2024

If you’re looking for some holiday menu inspiration — look no further! Straight from our celebrity chefs comes a holiday meal worth celebrating over.

David Rocco, Matt Basile, and Anna Olson shared some of their favourite holiday recipes with us, plus Jennifer Valentyne shared one of her favourite festive drinks to serve when hosting holiday fêtes. Enjoy!

David Rocco’s Struffoli Recipe

For David Rocco, Struffoli represents family and the holidays. This festive treat, which includes deep-fried dough balls coated in honey and decorated with sprinkles, is a delicious Italian holiday tradition sure to wow as a pre-dinner treat or dessert.

An internationally recognized celebrity chef, David shares his passion for food, travel, and adventure through his worldwide hit television programs, David Rocco’s Dolce Vita, Dolce India, Dolce Africa, Dolce Southeast Asia, and David Rocco’s Dolce HomeMade. He is also the author of three internationally bestselling cookbooks and an avid content creator who regularly shares his favourite Italian recipes across his social platforms — including this favourite holiday treat.

For the dough:

• 2 cup flour, all purpose, plus extra for dusting
• 1 orange, zested and 1/2 squeezed juice
• 2 lemons, zested
• 4 eggs
• 2 tbsp white wine
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp peanut oil

 For frying:

• Peanut oil for deep frying

To finish:

• 1 cup honey
• 1 orange, zested
• 2-3 tbsp candy sprinkles

1. In a boil or stand mixer, add your flour, orange zest, 1/2 squeezed orange juice, lemon zest, eggs, white wine, salt, sugar, and peanut oil. Mix until you have a sticky dough.
2. Remove dough from bowl, add some flour to a work surface and continue to knead until uniform and dough doesn’t stick to your hands. Let dough rest and cover with plastic wrap for 45 minutes.
3. Cut the dough into little pieces and roll into logs about the thickness of your pinky finger. Cut into little pieces, the size of marbles. Make sure you don’t crowd the marble-sized dough balls or they will stick together.
4. In a deep rimmed pan, heat up the peanut oil and add in the marble sized dough balls and cook until golden. Do not overcrowd. Cook in batches and when golden, remove dough balls from oil and let drain on absorbent paper towel. Continue until all the balls are fried.
5. In a large frying pan, heat honey and add orange zest. Add in the crispy golden dough to the honey and make sure they get all covered in the honey.  You may have to work in batches to cover all the struffoli.
6. Spoon the honey-covered struffoli into a serving platter and top with candy sprinkles. 
7. Leave the struffoli out at room temperature and let rest for a few hours before serving.

Matt Basile’s Smothered Pork Roast Recipe

“Growing up Italian Canadian, my family has gone through phases of being pretty traditional for the holidays (to a certain degree), and a little less traditional — like having glazed ham for Christmas dinner, but then also making the feast of seven fishes or serving fettucine pomodoro. So, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve tried to use that non-traditional upbringing to bring a new perspective to holiday dishes. It doesn’t need to be dry turkey and stuffing all the time.

This smothered pork roast is a perfect example. It’s a smoked and braised pork shoulder roast in onion gravy served on velvety smooth mashed potatoes — a simple recipe that’s absolutely packed with flavour. And don’t worry if you don’t have a smoker, this can easily be made in a cast iron pan or pot in the oven.

I always try to push the boundaries of tradition in my cooking and figure why not apply that to your holiday meals too.” 

Chef Matt Basile is the former owner and operator of Toronto’s most recognizable food truck brand, Fidel Gastro’s, and popular gastropub, Lisa Marie. A grill master, he is currently the co-founder of Alchemy Grills, the first simultaneous live-fire barbeque and smoker for home chefs.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs pork chuck roast (pork butt)
• Balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp pepper
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp paprika

Mashed potatoes

• 4 Yukon gold potatoes
• ¼ cup butter
• 250ml cream
• 1 clove garlic, shaved
• Salt to taste

Onion Gravy

• 5 onions
• 1 cup butter
• 3 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
• Juice and zest from 1 lemon
• 1 ½ cup beef stock
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp browning sauce

For garnish

• Chives, chopped
• Black pepper
• Maldon salt

1. Set smoker to 300°F.
2. Score all sides of the pork roast and drizzle with balsamic vinegar to use as a binder. In a shallow bowl or container, mix the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Fully coat the pork roast in the seasoning. Sear on all sides on the flattop with some oil, then place in the smoker for 40 minutes.
3. Thinly slice the onions. In a hot cast iron pan on the elevated grill rack, add the butter and let it melt. Add the onions and fresh chopped sage and mix. Add the zest and juice from one lemon and mix. Allow the onions to cook and soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add the beef broth and wine and mix, season with salt and pepper and mix. Allow to simmer and reduce about 10-15 minutes.
4. Add the browning sauce and stir, continue to simmer and reduce another 10-15 minutes.
5. While the onion gravy simmers, peel the potatoes and cut in half, add to a large pot with salted water, bring potatoes to a boil until fork tender.
6. Lay a large piece of tin foil on your work surface, place the cast iron of gravy in the center, then remove the pork roast from the smoker and place it into the pan with the gravy. Spoon the onions and gravy over top of the roast, place a piece of parchment paper on top of the meat, then fold the tin foil over to cover the pan. Place back in the smoker, covered for 1.5 hours.
7. When the potatoes are ready, remove from the pot with a slotted spoon, drain the water and then using a ricer, rice the potatoes back into the pot (or use a fork or masher to mash). Grate in a clove of garlic then add the butter. Slowly pour in the cream while mixing. Once fully incorporated and desired consistency is reached, season with salt and mix.
8. Remove the pork roast from the smoker after 1.5 hours, unwrap, remove the parchment and place back in the smoker, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
9. When the roast is done, remove from the smoker and place the meat onto a cutting board to slice. On a platter, spread the mashed potatoes. Place the sliced meat on top and pour the onion gravy over. Top with chopped chives and season with Maldon salt and pepper.

Anna Olson’s Matcha Swiss Roll Recipe

Offer a modern take on a traditional holiday dessert this year — the Buche de Noel — with Chef Anna Olson’s Matcha Swiss Roll with Raspberry Cream. The lovely pink and green colours look festive without being overdone, Anna writes, and the green tea and raspberry flavours complement each other beautifully.

You can also double the raspberry cream recipe and cover the outside of the dessert to make it look more like a traditional Yule log.

Anna is one of Canada’s most recognizable television chefs. She was the host of Food Network’s hit television series, Bake with Anna Olson, Fresh with Anna Olson, and Sugar. She is also the bestselling author of several cookbooks, with her latest, Anna Olson’s Baking Wisdom, having just been awarded a Taste Canada Gold Medal.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup 2% milk
• 1 tbsp matcha green tea powder
• 3 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• Green food colouring gel, powder, or paste (optional)
• Icing sugar, for dusting

Raspberry cream:

• 1¼ cups whipping cream, divided
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• ¼ cup icing sugar
• 4 tsp freeze-dried raspberry powder
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line the bottom of an ungreased 10×15-inch baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Heat the milk and matcha tea in a small saucepan over low heat for 5 minutes, then set aside (it can be warm when used).
3. Whip the egg whites using electric beaters on high speed until frothy. Slowly pour in ¼ cup sugar and continue to whip until the whites hold a stiff peak when the beaters are lifted. Set aside.
4. Whip the egg yolks with the remaining ¼ cup sugar on high speed until they turn buttery yellow, thicken, and hold a ribbon when the beaters are lifted. Whisk in the warm milk by hand. Sift the flour and cornstarch over the eggs and whisk in by hand.
5. Fold in a third of the whipped whites until almost incorporated and then add the remaining whites, folding gently but quickly until no streaks of the whites are visible. Add food colouring, if using. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread the batter to make it as level as possible. Note: Matcha green tea gives the batter a pea-green colour. If you prefer a brighter green, add a drop or two of food colouring.
6. Levelling the cake batter in the pan is important because this thin cake shows every detail and unevenness of the cake once rolled and sliced. When first spreading the batter in the pan, push the batter into the corners to get it to fasten to the edges, then use your palette knife to spread it evenly over the entire surface. Try not to lift your palette knife until you reach the edge of the pan, to keep the batter smooth and level.
7. Bake the cake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the cake springs back when gently pressed. Cool the cake on a rack for 5 minutes.
8. Shape the cake while warm. Run a palette knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Dust the surface of the cake with icing sugar and place a clean tea towel overtop. Place a cutting board or second baking tray on top of the towel and invert everything together. Remove the pan (now on top) and peel away the parchment paper. Dust the cake with icing sugar and, using the tea towel to help, roll up the cake from a short side, rolling the towel in with it. Set the cake back on the rack to cool completely before filling.
9. Whip the cream with the cornstarch. In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk ¼ cup whipping cream with the cornstarch, whisking constantly until it thickens and just starts to bubble, under 2 minutes. Transfer the thickened cream to a dish to cool for 5 minutes (it can be warm).

From Anna Olson’s Baking Wisdom, Appetite by Penguin Random House, 2023. Photo credit: Janis Nicolay Photography.

Jennifer Valentyne’s Holiday Punch Recipe

This guaranteed crowd-pleaser is a must in Jennifer Valentyne’s house. For an added touch, she also makes ice cubes with cranberries and raspberries.

For over 25 years, Jennifer was a beloved television and radio host, having hosted some of Canada’s most popular morning shows. Today, she is a lifestyle content creator — sharing her favourite recipes, life hacks, décor inspiration, and more — with millions of followers around the world.

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle cranberry juice
• 3 cups orange juice
• 1 bottle lemon lime soda
• 2 cups vodka (optional)
• Orange slices
• 1 cup fresh cranberries

To serve:

• White corn syrup (or honey)
• Sanding sugar

1. Mix all your cranberry juice, orange juice, lemon lime soda, and vodka (if using) in a big punch bowl. Add your orange slices and 1 cup of cranberries.
2. To serve, rim your glasses in white corn syrup (or honey) and sanding sugar.

Our culinary talent love nothing more than to share their passion for food with others. Contact us to learn more about our celebrity chefs and foodies, and how to book them for your next partnership or event.