Thanksgiving Sides

[gknl]

I use Bradley Ogden's cranberry relish recipe: cranberries, orange juice and zest, sugar, vanilla, and mace.

Other vegetable dishes:

Green beans and carrots sauteed in butter with some hot sauce and dry sherry. Something about the butter, hot sauce (I use Crystal) and sherry that's really tasty. Sometimes I add some thyme too.

Cauliflower blanched and then baked with a white sauce made with roux, milk, dijon mustard, and nutmeg and covered with bread crumbs. The sauce melts into the cauliflower making it really creamy.

We usually do a corn pudding too, kinda like a savory custard. I used to use the Frugal Gourmet recipe, but found one I like much better in James Villa's My Mother's Southern Cooking.

At a party once, I had pureed acorn squash flavored similarly to pumpkin pie but without the sugar, served in hollowed out squash halves. I'm too lazy to do that myself, though I've made the puree part. It was a pretty presentation though.

PM me for any recipes.

[Jaymes]

LOVE corn pudding. Would like that recipe for sure.

We have never had that with our dinner, but think it would go well.

We have:

Turkey, cornbread dressing, giblet gravy made with all the giblets and the neck meat.

Waldorf salad (ambrosia is traditional in the south, but we like the less-sweet Waldorf better)

Creamed peas with mushrooms

Sweet potatoes candied with bourbon, orange zest, butter, brown sugar, marshmallow topping

Cranberry sauce

Creamed onions with chopped peanuts on top (a Yankee came to Thanksgiving dinner once and we made this for him and everyone liked it and it's now a staple)

Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie

Dang dinner makes you proud to be American, don't it just???

[Jaymes]

Waldorf Salad - How do you make yours?

Specifically, what kind of apples???

And, for the dressing, do you use just mayo? Or maybe mayo with a little sugar, lemon, and Durkee's?

Or what???

[guajolote]

This is my favorite Thanksgiving veggie:

Saute a diced medium onion and red pepper in some butter. Add a two diced zuchinnis and a bag of frozen corn (or if youive planned ahead auguist corn that you froze yourself). Season with cumin and juice of one lime.

You can also make this into a gratin.

[Jason Perlow]

Jim Dixon's roasted cauliflower recipe, which many people have tried and fallen in love with, should make an awesome non-traditional side for Thanksgiving.

http://forums.egullet.org/ibf/index.php?ac...t=ST&f=3&t=3608

I've got a bunch of simple vegetable recipes (I actually don't think of them as recipes, but more like cooking techniques) on my site. I cook this one about once a week, and it's really good...

tossed a sliced head of cauliflower (trim base, set upright on cuttng board, and cut 1/4 inch slices...okay if pieces break up, actually better if they do) with a bit of your cooking grade extra virign olive oil and a little salt

spread in single layer in baking dish (I like to use a cast iron skillet for this, but I use one for almost everything else, too)

roast in hot oven (375-400F), stirring occasionally, until browned around the edges, about 20 minutes.

drizzle with really good olive oil, more salt if like, and eat hot

Two of us easily devour a single head, and when we have any boys home, I always cook two and there are never leftovers.

Jim

[lelenovy]

Not a fan of turkey so I usually roast smaller chickens with a mixture of chicken livers, prosciutto,onion, garlic, bread, sage, rosemary and parsley tucked under the skin. The chicken goes into the oven huge and lumpy all-over, and comes out deeply golden with wildly crispy skin.

(yeah, I know, this is about sides...)

With the chicken I serve:

beet greens sauteed with red onion, garlic, zante currants & mint

sweet potato and parmesan pavé

baby romaine with anchovy dressing

cranberry sauce with orange (not too sweet)

brussel sprouts with toasted walnuts

( We start with fresh corn cakes with cured and grilled line-caught salmon. And caviar.)

[KarenS]

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!

green beans with brown butter and toasted hazenuts

cranberry tangerine sauce

mashed butternut squash with lots of ground black pepper

brussel sprouts grated and sauteed with leeks, fennel, and butter

wild rice and levain stuffing with dried cherries, dried apricots, fresh apple and pear, thyme and sage

green salad with lemon parsley vinaigrette

(brined and roasted turkey)

(pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, cranberry- raspberry linzer torte)

now I'm hungry...

[foodgeek]

Other than the standard sides...I like to use greenmarket fall veggies. Often i'll do mashed turnips or rutabegas, and/or pickled beets w/garlic.

[stellabella]

someone mentioned earlier the "same old cloying sweet potatoes"....i used to feel the same--i hated the whipped casserole my mom made and now feel i was riped off of sweet potatoes my whole life, til i got this recipe. i now make it every year and watch my husband and his brothers shovel helping after helping onto their plates.

Sweet Potato Casserole

3c. mashed sweet potatoes

1/2 t. salt

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/3 stick soft butter

1/2 c. sweet milk

1 t. vanilla

add all ingredients and pout into buttered casserole; top with:

1 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. melted butter

1/3 c. flour

1 c. chopped nuts [pecans!]

cook 35 mins. @ 350F.

this is the best sweet potato recipe.

[Double 0]

Boy I envy you guys. I make Thanksgiving 4 out of 5 yrs for the last 20, and with my family anything thats out of the ordinary is rejected without even a taste. Tried cranberry relish, it had to Ocean Spray jellied (like jellyfish). Tried real stuffing with chestnuts, sausage, and fresh sage from my garden, it had to be Pepperage Farm bags. The list goes on and on, steamed broccoli, boiled stringbeans, and (gaaack) candied yams(canned) with cornflakes and marshmellow topping (don't forget the maraschino cherries). And before anybody suggests that its my cooking just ask anyone who has been to my house for a meal on that subject. My family just has tastebuds that are left over from the 1950's. Somebody please save me.

[Jaymes]

someone mentioned earlier the "same old cloying sweet potatoes"....i used to feel the same--i hated the whipped casserole my mom made and now feel i was riped off of sweet potatoes my whole life, til i got this recipe.  i now make it every year and watch my husband and his brothers shovel helping after helping onto their plates.

Sweet Potato Casserole

3c. mashed sweet potatoes                 

1/2 t. salt                                               

1 c. sugar                                               

2 eggs                                                   

1/3 stick soft butter                               

1/2 c. sweet milk                                     

1 t. vanilla

add all ingredients and pout into buttered casserole; top with:

1 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. melted butter

1/3 c. flour

1 c. chopped nuts [pecans!]                                             

cook 35 mins. @ 350F.

this is the best sweet potato recipe.

Almost identical to mine -- but I add a little bourbon and some orange - either orange zest, or a couple spoonsful of frozen OJ concentrate.

[awbrig]

hey Karen

can I have your brown butter green beans w hazelnuts recipe...that sounds awesome!

[Akiko]

Jaymes,

I thought you said your sweet potato recipe has marshmallows on top?

I'm actually looking for a recipe for this. And would love any suggestions.

Last year my family had a meal at trio in evanston, IL (grant aschatz who was the sous at French Laundry is the chef there and is absolutely incredible).

As one of the sides there was a very simple sweet potato puree topped with marshmallow that had been melted, with butter I guess, and then whipped? And swirled on top of the potato, popped into the oven to brown.

It was delicious.

Anyone have suggestions on how to recreate?

Akiko

[Jaymes]

Jaymes,

I thought you said your sweet potato recipe has marshmallows on top?

I'm actually looking for a recipe for this.  And would love any suggestions.  

Last year my family had a meal at trio in evanston, IL (grant aschatz who was the sous at French Laundry is the chef there and is absolutely incredible).

As one of the sides there was a very simple sweet potato puree topped with marshmallow that had been melted, with butter I guess, and then whipped?  And swirled on top of the potato, popped into the oven to brown.

It was delicious.

Anyone have suggestions on how to recreate?

Akiko

I'd suggest you follow Stellabella's recipe. You can add as many extras as you'd like. If the one you're trying to recreate isn't as sweet - cut back on the sugar, etc.

As I said, I add bourbon and orange (usually a few spoonsful of frozen OJ concentrate) to the potatoes when I whip them.

For a creamy marshmallow topping, buy one of the commercial whipped marshmallow products and spread it over. I am sure that you can find a recipe for marshmallow fluff starting with marshmallows and melting them or something and maybe adding butter and cream, etc., but most recipes I've seen, you just buy a jar and spread.

In my house, my children just love the crunchy toasted marshmallow topping that you get when you layer mineature marshmallows over the casserole just before you put it in the oven.

I've made lots of sweet potato casseroles through the years, and now only make it the way my children like it. I eschew the fancier praline-type toppings (that, frankly, I love). But my kids prefer me to just dust with cinnamon and nutmeg, dot with butter, crumble brown sugar over, and spread a nice thick layer of mineature marshmallows.

That layer spreads out and toasts, making a nice crunchy-sweet crust over all. It is still my children's favorite part. So, we can't very dispense with it, can we???

[col klink]

I suppose it's more fun to make the kids happy than yourself, for me I *love* candied yams, but I've never liked the marshmellows or anything else on top or the orange juice. Just butter (lots) and brown sugar over slices of boiled yams. However this year I think I'll add a little nutmeg and some cinnamon.

I also do the standard stuffing and a new take on mashed potatoes. My stuffing is just breakfast sausage, mirepoix and maybe mushrooms. Maybe this year I'll add giblets. My taters though are based on some twice baked potatoes of a brewpub in Austin, TX. I fry up a pound of chopped up bacon, remove most of the fat and saute 6 or 7 cloves of garlic in it. Add a cup or two of cream and the bacon back and reduce. Then just hand mash this in with a stick of butter and standard milk. The restaurant version uses more bacon and also adds blue cheese.

My mashed potatoes slay everyone, but they mostly come for the smoked and deep fried turkeys on Thanksgiving.

[KarenS]

Awbrig,

I just saw your message. I blanch the beans in boiling salted water (shock in an ice bath to stop cooking). I like to assemble this ahead of time and keep it refrigerated til right before serving. I line up all the beans in a gratin dish. Toast the hazelnuts. Make your brown butter and stir in the toasted hazelnuts. Pour across your beans (in stripes or whatever) salt and pepper. I heat them in the microwave in their serving dish (my oven space is usually full of other things). I like to use blue lake beans.

[KarenS]

Awbrig,

I just saw your message. I blanch the beans in boiling salted water (shock in an ice bath to stop cooking). I like to assemble this ahead of time and keep it refrigerated til right before serving. I line up all the beans in a gratin dish. Toast the hazelnuts. Make your brown butter and stir in the toasted hazelnuts. Pour across your beans (in stripes or whatever) salt and pepper. I heat them in the microwave in their serving dish (my oven space is usually full of other things). I like to use blue lake beans.

[rentyourchef]

Stefanyb,

Yes! Have a wonderful recipe for Cranberry-Walnut Sauce from Bon Appetit - it is absolutely elegant, tastes great, and fairly simple to make!

Lori & Michael

www.rentyourchef.com

[Jaymes]

Stefanyb,

Yes!  Have a wonderful recipe for Cranberry-Walnut Sauce from Bon Appetit - it is absolutely elegant, tastes great, and fairly simple to make!

Lori & Michael

www.rentyourchef.com

I'd love the cranberry-walnut sauce recipe if you have it available.

[Jaymes]

I suppose it's more fun to make the kids happy than yourself, for me I *love* candied yams, but I've never liked the marshmellows or anything else on top or the orange juice. Just butter (lots) and brown sugar over slices of boiled yams. However this year I think I'll add a little nutmeg and some cinnamon.

Actually, my favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes is to just bake them a nice long time, until they get all caramelly, and then serve them with good butter and salt and pepper.

But to me, making the kids happy at holidays is pretty important.

Especially kids like mine, who have been dragged around the world their whole lives. "Tradition" may be intangible but, along with the physical stuff we dragged along with us, it's the only "home" they've got.

Edited November 21, 2002 by Jaymes (log)

[Liza]

Stupid question:

I've never made stuffing. Any suggestions for a not-stuffed-in-the-turkey savory stuffing?

[Lady T]

For onion fiends, here's a sinfully easy three-onion casserole that has been made at most of the Thanksgiving gatherings I've attended over the last decade:

Red onions, sliced thinly, to taste

Yellow onions, sliced thinly, to taste

Leeks, sliced thinly, to taste

Boursin cheese

Pinot gris (Chardonnay will also work if it isn't too oaky)

Layer the yellow onion slices on bottom of greased (need not be buttered) casserole; add a layer of red onion slices and a layer of leek slices. Salt and pepper to taste, and finish with a generous sprinkle of Boursin over all. Repeat layers of onion slices, leek slices, and cheese chunks to top of casserole.

Casserole can be made ahead and set aside at this point for convenience in pre-Thanksgiving dinner mayhem if needful. Can be refrigerated, no problem.

To finish, pour in pinot gris to roughly half to two-thirds the depth of the casserole dish, and bake at 350 degrees (Fahrenheit) until onions are done enough to be sweet, cheese is well melted, and wine has reduced -- or until the concoction smells too good to resist any longer.

Enjoy.

Edited November 21, 2002 by Lady T (log)

[Jaymes]

Stupid question:

I've never made stuffing. Any suggestions for a not-stuffed-in-the-turkey savory stuffing?

Here's another stupid question that, in this case, constitutes a stupid answer:

For whom are you preparing this stuffing/dressing? How important is tradition to them?

If I were making stuffing/dressing for guests (which I have done many, many times), I start off by trying to figure out if they are homesick and trying to replicate the Thanksgivings of their youth, home, etc. Or not.

Stuffing (which in the South we call 'dressing' as in, 'Turkey & Dressing') seems to me to be very regional. Of course, if the people that you are trying to please are adventuresome, rather than traditionalists, they may well not care one whit, and just be hoping for something new and delicious. In fact, that crowd often prefers a different take on the traditional.

So, what I'd suggest is that you feel out your guests a little, find out what they're hoping for, narrow down your choices (ie, bread, cornbread, oyster, sausage, apples, crackers, etc.) and then come back to eGullet for specific suggestions on that particular type of stuffing.

[SethG]

This past Saturday, I served a mock Thanksgiving dinner to eight friends so I could try out some Thanksgiving dishes before my wife, children and I host our families this fall. I have no grounding in the holiday classics because there just wasn't a lot of cooking done in my house when I was growing up, and since I became suddenly obsessed with cooking only a few years ago and have largely taught myself a few things using classic cookbooks, I just didn't get around to holiday food until now.

On Saturday, I made a turkey, but this thread isn't about that. Nor is it about stuffing.

I want to talk about sides and pies.

I made this green bean dish with lemon and rosemary. It was satisfying and easy, but not really especially appropriate to Thanksgiving. Any good holiday bean ideas out there?

I made this maple squash puree, which was super easy, tasted great and could be made ahead. I would make this again in a heartbeat, but I'd welcome other squash ideas.

I made these golden creamed onions, which were satisfying, but I think I might want to switch to creamed spinach. Any other good onion ideas for Thanksgiving? (I love onions, by the way.)

I made this mac & cheese. This again was not really holiday-appropriate, but I'd never made it before (from scratch) and I wanted to be sure we had enough food. I also learned just the other day, right here on eGullet, that mac & cheese is really made with the French classic Sauce Mornay, with Cheddar instead of Gruyere cheese. I thought this was hilarious, so I had to make it.

And I made a marinated mushroom recipe from the New New York Times Cookbook (the second one, from 1976 or so), which was nice, but would have been more appropriate on an antipasti table than at Thanksgiving dinner. I really want to do something with mushrooms. Can you give me good ideas? Stuffed, or whatever.

In the pie department, I made this pumpkin pie, which was exactly the traditional pie I wanted, and this pecan pie, which turned out not to be the classic you always see with all the pecan pieces on top, but instead had everything mixed in, and it didn't set right. Can someone direct me to a recipe for a good, solid, traditional pecan pie, or maybe a good bourbon pecan pie?

And any other good, classic sides and desserts.

I'm looking for links to recipes on the web, or book recommendations. Thanks to all for any guidance you can provide!

And I could have placed this thread in the Holidays & Special Occasions category, but Cooking just seems to get a lot more traffic. And the threads there seem to relate more to what people cooked, rather than how to cook it.

[mags]

The only side dish that has a permanent place on my Thanksgiving table is the Spiced Puree of Butternut Squash from the Frog Comissary Cookbook. It's hands-down the best sqash I've ever eaten, and guests snaffle it up. I'm not sure whether I can post the recipe publicly, so it's sent PM.