Table for Trillions With Chef Maya Okada Erickson

Welcome to Table for Trillions: A Series of Seasonal Recipes To Nourish You and Yours. Today, we’re sharing recipes from Maya Okada Erickson—a pastry chef for the acclaimed restaurant Langbaan in Portland, Oregon, who was featured on the recent Netflix documentary Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut.

The holidays are traditionally a time for indulgent, over-the-top meals that leave us feeling less than our best. However, it is possible to make seasonal meals that are delicious and celebratory while still being good for you, your soul—and your gut. These recipes are proof.

From a moist ginger cake flavored with warming spices to an umami-rich soup that’s full of fungi, they are all part of my regular holiday dinner party rotation. I invite you to make them part of yours, too:

Wild Mushroom Soup

This is a soup my mother makes every year for Thanksgiving, and every year it is one of my favorite things on the menu. 

Ingredients:

• 10 tbsp. olive oil (divided)
• 2 onions, sliced thin
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 10 oz. mixed mushrooms (I use a mix of cremini and shiitake), sliced*
• 4 c. mushroom broth 
• 4 oz. wild mushrooms (chanterelle, maitake, black trumpet, etc.), sliced*
• Lemon slices (for garnish)
• Thyme leaves (for garnish)

Method:

1. Heat 4 tbsp. of olive oil on medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Once the oil is hot, add in the sliced onions and reduce the heat to medium-low. Continuously stir the onions until they start to caramelize and brown. (If they begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, you can deglaze it with a bit of dry white wine or water.) When your onions are caramelized, remove from heat and set aside.
2. Heat 4 tbsp. of oil on medium-low heat in a large sauce pot. Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté until the shallots have become translucent and fragrant. Add in your cremini and shiitake mushrooms, trying to keep them in a single layer. When they release water and begin to turn golden brown, add in the caramelized onions and the mushroom broth. Simmer for 10–15 minutes until the mushrooms are tender, then blend with an immersion blender or a high-powered blender until silky.
3. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp. of olive oil and sauté the wild mushrooms. When they’re golden brown, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. 
4. To serve, float a generous amount of the sautéed mushrooms on top of the purée. Garnish with slices of lemon and some thyme. 

* A note on mixed vs. wild mushrooms: In this recipe, “mixed mushrooms” refers to mushrooms that are typically farmed, like crimini and shiitake. I usually use these as umami boosters. “Wild mushrooms” are varieties that are usually foraged, like black trumpet, chanterelle, or porcini. These add different types of flavors as well as interesting textures.

Radicchio, Blood Orange, Fennel and Pomegranate Salad With Pistachio Dressing

This salad proves that winter produce can still be vibrant and exciting. It will add color to your holiday table and lend a bright, bitter note to offset any of the heavier dishes on the menu.

Ingredients:

For the salad:

• 1 head of radicchio, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced
• 1 fennel bulb, halved, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1 pomegranate, seeds removed

For the dressing:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil 
• 2 tbsp. whole grain mustard
• 1 tbsp. champagne vinegar
• 1 tsp. honey or pomegranate molasses
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 c. roasted and chopped pistachios

Method:

1. To make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, combine the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, honey or molasses, and minced garlic. Whisk or shake until well combined and thickened slightly. If you have any herbs languishing in your fridge, chop them up and fold them in along with the chopped pistachios. Set aside.
2. To assemble the salad, slice your radicchio into bite-sized pieces. Use a mandolin or knife to (carefully!) thinly slice your fennel into ribbons. Use a knife to remove the peel and pith of your blood oranges, and slice into 1/4-inch thick pieces. Finally, remove the seeds from your pomegranate. (Hot tip: to quickly remove seeds from a pomegranate, slice it in half. Hold one-half cut-side-down in your hand over a bowl and using the back of a wooden spoon, whack it until all the seeds fall out into the bowl.)
3. Layer all of your elements into a bowl and drizzle with your dressing.

Fresh Ginger Cake

This cake highlights ginger in its dried and fresh form, as well as other dried spices that pack a nutritional punch.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. (280 g.) molasses
• 1 c. (200 g.) sugar
• 1 c. (237 g.) neutral oil
• 2 1/2 c. (313 g.) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground clove
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 c. (237 g.) water
• 4-oz. piece of fresh ginger (about 4 inches), grated
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 large eggs

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 350℉.
2. Combine the molasses, sugar, and oil in a large bowl and whisk well to combine.
3. Sift or whisk together the flour, spices, and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring water and grated ginger up to a boil. Add baking soda and whisk well to combine. The mixture will naturally stat to foam.
5. Add the baking soda mixture to the molasses mixture and stir until completely combined. Whisk in the eggs.
6. Add to the flour/spice mixture and mix until combined.
7. Pour batter into a prepared cake tin. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40–60 minutes.
8. Eat with whipped cream, powdered sugar, or just straight up. Enjoy!