Thanksgiving Side Dishes

[Anna N]

Whoa. I don’t even celebrate Thanksgiving not even Canadian Thanksgiving but that dish is going to show up  in my menu very soon. I have a gorgeous cauliflower in the refrigerator, some sharp cheddar and even some bacon.  Thanks for posting.  I am certain it will be 100 times tastier than a turkey. 

[Nyleve Baar]

One more thing. I make cranberry sauce from fresh cranberries - using the recipe on the bag but substituting red wine for all of the water. Also throw in a strip or two of orange peel. The wine does something very nice to the cranberries and the whole business takes about 10 minutes.

 

 

Edited November 12, 2017 by Nyleve Baar (log)

[barolo]

22 minutes ago, Nyleve Baar said:

One more thing. I make cranberry sauce from fresh cranberries - using the recipe on the bag but substituting red wine for all of the water. Also throw in a strip or two of orange peel. The wine does something very nice to the cranberries and the whole business takes about 10 minutes.

 

 

 

Port is also a good choice. 

[cakewalk]

I love fresh cranberries and currently have 10 bags hogging up space in the freezer. I'll probably buy a few more, I like to have them all year long. So it is very possible, contrary to "the rules," that I will have fresh cranberries in almost every dish on Thanksgiving, from appetizer to dessert. So far I've made cranberry ketchup (I love it, make it every year, and it's great on turkey sandwiches) and cranberry chutney, which I've also been making for years, it is simple and wonderful. Links to the recipes are below, I think the chutney recipe is from someone who was an original eGulleter from way back when. That cranberry sauce with red wine sounds like it needs to be on my table with its sisters.

 

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/cranberry-ketchup-105755

 

http://acookinglife.typepad.com/a_cooking_life/2008/12/cranberry-chutney.html

 

 

 

[kayb]

Cranberry ketchup sounds fascinating. I am SO trying this.

 

Thanks!

 

[Nyleve Baar]

1 hour ago, barolo said:

Port is also a good choice. 

Oh yes!

 

[PassionateAmateur]

On 11/6/2017 at 12:49 AM, quiet1 said:

On the subject of other side dishes - I'm wondering about doing something fairly hearty with mushrooms. I have no idea what, but if we had a fairly substantial mushroom dish along with the turkey then the mushroom whatever could act as more of a main dish for those that are not turkey fans? (Luckily, they are all mushroom fans.) Any ideas for a relatively hearty mushroom something that wouldn't seem weird on a thanksgiving table? Something more interesting than just a bowl of sautéed mushrooms. And bonus points if it can be prepared in advance and reheated to serve.

 

Quiet1, last year I made herbed spaetzle (I think the recipe was from the Scarpetta cookbook) with roasted mushrooms - total winner, and nice that you can do everything ahead of time except the final saute on the spaetzle - use a big enough pan and you can toss in the (already roasted) mushrooms at the last moment to bring them up to temp.

[quiet1]

2 hours ago, PassionateAmateur said:

 

Quiet1, last year I made herbed spaetzle (I think the recipe was from the Scarpetta cookbook) with roasted mushrooms - total winner, and nice that you can do everything ahead of time except the final saute on the spaetzle - use a big enough pan and you can toss in the (already roasted) mushrooms at the last moment to bring them up to temp.

 

Oh, that sounds lovely. Although now I think we're not having Thanksgiving at home, so I'll save this idea for Christmas instead.

[Smokeydoke]

I'm having an Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad as an appetizer. I'm trying to find some balance to a traditionally heavy meal.

 

https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/apple-cranberry-walnut-salad/

[cakewalk]

I made some cornbread over the weekend that sucks.  I can't use dairy in anything I'm making for TG, so I found a cornbread recipe that uses coconut milk. I actually split it in half, made half with coconut milk, half with almond milk. They both suck. It's not because of the recipe per se, which I think is okay. The instructions said to bake at 350 F. As soon as I saw that I thought, no, that is much too low, this is not going to bake well, raise the oven temp to at least 400 F. But did I actually do that? No. I figured, well, follow the recipe. Taste is okay, it's the texture that sucks. Because of the low temp. Or maybe because coconut milk/almond milk does that to corn bread? So I'm wondering what to do with it. I'd rather not throw it out. I wasn't planning to make stuffing, but I might have to adapt ...

 

I made cranberry sorbet. 

 

I am so making that mashed sweet potato dish with chipotles in adobo. I stopped caring about the rest of the food when I read this.

 

I've done my shopping (mostly) and have tons of food. Somehow this will sort its way into actual edible dishes. Ever notice how that happens? 

 

 

[Toliver]

17 minutes ago, cakewalk said:

I made some cornbread over the weekend that sucks.  I can't use dairy in anything I'm making for TG, so I found a cornbread recipe that uses coconut milk. I actually split it in half, made half with coconut milk, half with almond milk. They both suck. It's not because of the recipe per se, which I think is okay. The instructions said to bake at 350 F. As soon as I saw that I thought, no, that is much too low, this is not going to bake well, raise the oven temp to at least 400 F. But did I actually do that? No. I figured, well, follow the recipe. Taste is okay, it's the texture that sucks. Because of the low temp. Or maybe because coconut milk/almond milk does that to corn bread? So I'm wondering what to do with it. I'd rather not throw it out. I wasn't planning to make stuffing, but I might have to adapt ...

 

I made cranberry sorbet. 

 

I am so making that mashed sweet potato dish with chipotles in adobo. I stopped caring about the rest of the food when I read this.

 

I've done my shopping (mostly) and have tons of food. Somehow this will sort its way into actual edible dishes. Ever notice how that happens? 

Do you think the lack of fat or protein from the missing dairy impacted the recipe?

 

As for the leftover cornbread, like you I was thinking cornbread croutons...for the stuffing/dressing or for salads.

Or there's my usual answer...make a trifle with it. I was going to suggest using a nice pumpkin custard with it with chopped pecans, drizzled with a caramel sauce but the custard would  have dairy in it so that would be a no-go.

[cakewalk]

Just now, Toliver said:

Do you think the lack of fat or protein from the missing dairy impacted the recipe?

 

As for the leftover cornbread, like you I was thinking cornbread croutons...for the stuffing/dressing or for salads.

Or there's my usual answer...make a trifle with it. I was going to suggest using a nice pumpkin custard with it with chopped pecans, drizzled with a caramel sauce but the custard would  have dairy in it so that would be a no-go.

It has oil. Most cornbread recipes use melted butter, so I figure the oil added the same fat (a bit more). As did the coconut milk, I guess. I still suspect the oven temp.

 

You're right about the custard, otherwise that trifle is a nice idea.

 

I think cornbread croutons are going to happen. Thanks!

[Toliver]

Cornbread croutons work well with chili, too (turkey or otherwise). Yum.

[Baron d'Apcher]

Smoked turkey consommé

 

Turkey Rillettes

 

Cauliflower Polonaise

 

Turkey Leg Ballotine with chestnuts, Brussels sprouts and cranberries.

 

 

Pan Coudon (bread with candied quince inside)

 

Glazed root vegetables with dried cranberries, sourdough, walnuts and vinegar

 

Edited November 21, 2017 by Baron d'Apcher (log)

[rustwood]

Now that the day is upon us (for those of us in the USA), how many and what sides are you actually serving today?

 

I got to wondering after Sam Sifton from the NYT mentioned that he is making 4 sides for a dinner for 30 - including lobster mac and cheese.  We added one extra, but a couple of them are quick/easy to make and we roasted the sweet potatoes and apples last night - along with some other prep work:

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples
Crispy Brussels Sprouts Hash
Roasted Cauliflower w/ Romesco Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
Copes Corn

 

Of course also turkey, stuffing/dressing, gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce, and desserts.

 

I am feeling good about the plan for today, but I may feel differently in about 8 hours.  Nothing is all that difficult to make, but the last half hour or so always seems to be a mad dash.  I am sure no one will go hungry, so hopefully I will be able to keep calm and enjoy myself today.  I admire those of you who have truly mastered that particular skill.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Edited November 23, 2017 by rustwood (log)

[Alex]

Pan-roasted small Brussels sprouts w/dill

Maple-bourbon mashed sweet potatoes

 

--vegetables (and cranberries, apples, eggs, and turkey) from our big farmers market; Blis Bourbon Barrel Maple Syrup (also local)

 

Also cranberry-apple chutney and cornbread dressing; Oaxaca mole rojo instead of gravy

 

starter = black bean soup (Rancho Gordo Midnight beans)

 

dessert = Reine de Saba torte

 

Adult beverages = Rick Bayless's Margarita (well, not his personally) with the soup, 2012 Piane (primarily Croatina grape) with the turkey; Alvear PX with the torte

[lindag]

I didn’t get any mince pie at Thanksgiving so while I was in town yesterday I picked one up at my favorite grocery store...they have an in-store bakery and their goods are excellent.

So this morning it was a slice of pie for breakfast!!!  

 

[ProfessionalHobbit]

@Baron d'Apcher - j'adore the ballotine. 

 

We had a non-traditional menu, and the sides were

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Caramelized sweet potatoes cooked with orange juice and ginger
Roasted potatoes with rosemary oil (olive oil whizzed with fresh rosemary and chopped garlic)
Beet greens with slow-cooked onion, anchovy and raisins

[ProfessionalHobbit]

There was also this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brandied butternut squash pie

 

Recipe for those who are curious: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015413-brandied-pumpkin-pie substituting one 3 lb. butternut squash for the pumpkin called for in that recipe. Next time, I will remember to crimp the pie edges more often. I had forgotten that dough shrinks when baked. And I probably went hog wild too much pricking the bottom of the pie crust but not the sides. I also clearly need lessons in fluting.

 

Good first effort though. Folks raved about it so I must have done something right.  

 

 

[Lisa Shock]

46 minutes ago, ProfessionalHobbit said:

I had forgotten that dough shrinks when baked. And I probably went hog wild too much pricking the bottom of the pie crust but not the sides. I also clearly need lessons in fluting.

 

Good first effort though. Folks raved about it so I must have done something right.  

 

 

 

The dough won't shrink if you change how you handle it. (Shrinkage is caused by stretched out gluten strands snapping back like rubber bands. Given time, and cold temperatures, it will relax.) When you have the dough rolled out, chill for about 15 minutes. I roll on a silicone mat that I transfer to a small sheet pan and pop it into the fridge or freezer before placing in the pie pan. Using a wooden  tart tamper will help form the crust without exposing it to heat from your hands.

 

HERE are some crimping and edging tips. I personally like attaching small cut out shapes (leaves, flowers) with egg wash. I pick them up with my small offset icing spatula to avoid heat from my hands. But, the fork method is speedy, and helps keep the crust cold.

 

Good luck!

[ProfessionalHobbit]

Thanks Lisa!