Elegant holiday recipes for two

Holiday entertaining doesn’t always mean cooking a big meal for a crowd. With the following recipes, you can create a festive meal for two.

Using these right-size recipes means you won’t have mountains of leftovers filling the fridge, you’ll reduce food waste (and your budget) and you’ll still have plenty of room for holiday cookies.

RECIPES

These festive dinner recipes accommodate a range of active cooking times and dietary needs. The vegetarian lasagna requires a lot of hands-on time, but can be made in advance. The pescatarian scallop and risotto dish will require your full attention, but it only takes about an hour, start to finish. And the meaty braised short ribs roast without intervention for several hours.

Credit: Aaliyah Man

Credit: Aaliyah Man

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna for Two

This vegetarian lasagna gets its luxuriousness from a Parmesan-enhanced bechamel and whole-milk mozzarella. A loaf pan is the ideal vessel for a small lasagna; it offers the depth needed to build a few substantial layers of pasta and filling while corralling the ingredients.

Soaking the lasagna noodles simplifies the cooking process and makes the dish easier to assemble. Don’t substitute no-boil noodles; there is not enough liquid in the recipe to cook those noodles to tenderness. You can assemble the lasagna up to three days in advance and refrigerate. Add 20 minutes to the bake time if cooking straight from the refrigerator.

This recipes makes two extra-large portions or three typical servings. Enjoy any leftovers cold or rewarmed; they taste even better the next day.

6 dried lasagna noodles (5.5 ounces)
3 to 4 quarts boiling water
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
4 ounces fresh baby spinach
Freshly ground black pepper
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
4 ounces grated whole-milk mozzarella (about 1/2 cup)

Heat the oven to 425 degrees with a rack in the middle and a rack 6 to 8 inches from the broiler. Spray a broiler-safe 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Grease a 9-by-13-inch sheet of aluminum foil.
Place the noodles in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover the noodles with boiling water and let soak while preparing the vegetables and sauce.
Make the vegetables: In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. When the butter is foamy, add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the spinach to the now-empty skillet and cook until wilted and water is released, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the spinach to remove as much water as possible. Add to the bowl with the mushrooms. Stir to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make the sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Add the shallot, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is foamy and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Stir in the bay leaf, nutmeg and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened and flavorful, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Add 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, whisking until melted.
Assemble the lasagna: using tongs or clean hands, remove the noodles from the water and thoroughly pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Pour 1/4 cup of sauce into the prepared loaf pan. Top with 2 noodles, trimming off excess length to fit (reserve the trim). Top with 1/3 of the mushroom-spinach mixture. Cover with 1/2 cup sauce spread evenly, followed by sprinkles of 2 tablespoons mozzarella and 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Repeat two more times, then top with the pasta trim, the remaining sauce and the remaining cheeses. Cover tightly with the prepared aluminum foil.
Transfer lasagna to the oven’s middle rack and bake until the sauce is bubbly, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and remove the foil. Switch the oven to broil. Return the uncovered lasagna to the oven on the top rack and broil until well-browned, 3 to 5 minutes.
Let lasagna cool for 15 minutes before serving. Keeps in a refrigerated, airtight container up to 3 days.

Makes three servings.

Per serving: 665 calories (percent of calories from fat, 49), 27 grams protein, 58 grams carbohydrates, 12 grams total sugars, 4 grams fiber, 37 grams total fat (22 grams saturated), 105 milligrams cholesterol, 847 milligrams sodium.

Credit: Aaliyah Man

Seared Scallops With Butternut Squash Risotto

Scallops and risotto may sound like an intimidating combination, but, by cooking the risotto in the oven, you can sear the scallops in the last few minutes without stress.

Diced butternut squash, which roasts alongside the baking risotto, and a punchy gremolata add color and flavor to the meal.

Be sure to use arborio rice, and keep a bit of extra broth handy to adjust the final risotto consistency.

2/3 cup Italian parsley leaves
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste
3 cups peeled and diced butternut squash (about 1 pound)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth, plus more as needed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 shallot, minced
3/4 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
6 to 8 large sea scallops, tendons removed

Make the gremolata: Use a chef’s knife to finely chop the parsley. Grate the garlic over the parsley using a microplane. Chop the parsley again to thoroughly combine. Grate the zest of half the lemon over the parsley mixture and chop to combine. Reserve the remaining lemon. Transfer parsley mixture to a bowl, season to taste with salt.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees with racks in the upper- and lower-middle positions. Combine the squash, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper on a quarter sheet pan. Toss to thoroughly combine. Transfer to the lower-middle rack of the oven and roast until tender and lightly browned, 30 to 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the vegetable broth until just simmering.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. When the butter is foamy, add the shallot and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until shallot is translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until opaque, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Remove saucepan from the heat, add the warm broth and stir to combine. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, transfer to the upper-middle rack of the oven, and bake above the squash until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons butter into the risotto. Whisk in additional broth to thin the risotto if desired. Stir in the squash and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sear the scallops: in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. When the oil just starts to smoke, use tongs to transfer the scallops to the hot pan. Cook without touching until deeply browned on the first side, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Flip and cook until the scallops are opaque and the centers register 115 degrees, 30 to 60 more seconds. Transfer to a plate.
To serve, transfer the risotto to serving plates and top with scallops and gremolata. Serve immediately.

Serves two.

Per serving: 848 calories (percent of calories from fat, 48), 18 grams protein, 91 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams total sugars, 9 grams fiber, 46 grams total fat (18 grams saturated), 72 milligrams cholesterol, 556 milligrams sodium.

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Credit: Aaliyah Man

Braised Short Ribs With Root Vegetables

Short ribs are a cut of beef that may seem intimidating, but are actually very easy to cook. All they need is a low-and-slow braise with plenty of flavorful ingredients like root vegetables and wine.

You can use either a large 3-quart saucepan or a small Dutch oven for this recipe, just be sure that it has a lid to cover the pot while braising in the oven. You can braise the short ribs and vegetables up to 3 days in advance. Warm the pot back up, covered, over medium heat before finishing the sauce and broiling the ribs.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 meaty English cut bone-in beef short ribs (about 8 ounces each), trimmed
1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups bite-size potatoes, or larger potatoes cut into 2-inch pieces
About 2 cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oven to 325 degrees with a rack in the middle and a rack 6 to 8 inches from the broiler.
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Pat the ribs dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. When the oil is shimmering, add the ribs, meat-side down, and sear until deeply browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and thyme and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste begins to caramelize on the bottom of the pot, about 1 minute. Add the wine, bring to a simmer and cook, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the wine has mostly evaporated and no longer smells like alcohol, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the carrots, parsnips, potatoes, seared short ribs and any accumulated juices. Add enough broth to come three-quarters of the way up the sides of the meat. Bring to a simmer.
Cover the saucepan with a lid, leaving a slight crack to let steam escape, and transfer to the oven. Cook about 3 hours, until the beef is tender enough to fall off the bones and the vegetables are soft.
Meanwhile, line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and top with an oven-safe cooling rack. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the butter and flour in a small bowl. Use your fingers to thoroughly work the flour into the butter.
When the braise is finished, carefully remove the saucepan from the oven. Switch the oven to broil. Use tongs and a slotted spoon to carefully move the short ribs to the prepared rack, bone-side down. Use the slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a serving platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Use a large spoon to skim off and discard excess fat from the top of the sauce. Return the pot to medium heat and bring the sauce to a simmer. Add the butter-flour mixture to the simmering sauce, whisking until smooth. Continue to simmer until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Brush about 1 teaspoon of sauce on the top of each rib. Transfer the ribs to the broiler and cook until browned, about 30 seconds. Transfer the browned ribs to the platter with the vegetables. Drizzle the short ribs and vegetables with all of the sauce, garnish with parsley and serve.

Serves two.

Per serving: 789 calories (percent of calories from fat, 49), 51 grams protein, 48 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams total sugars, 7 grams fiber, 42 grams total fat (14 grams saturated), 144 milligrams cholesterol, 1,065 milligrams sodium.

About the Author

Southern cheese straws get a better-for-you makeover

This popular nibble for holiday gatherings is typically piped through a cookie press into textured wafers or short rods. But for this version, no cookie press is required.

RECIPE