Chili side dishes

[Sony]

Hi Everyone,

Tomorrow I'm going to a potluck. Host is providing traditional Texas chili (plus a vegetarian chili-like stew) and cornbread, and we're asked to bring side dish or dessert.

Since sweets aren't my strong suit, any suggestions for what to bring as a side? I was going to make guacamole, but the avocados I got don't look like they're going to ripen in time (I could risk paper bagging them with an apple...). Another guest is bringing homemade salsa (not sure if it's red or green).

Any other options you can think of? And if it's fried, could you please let me know if it can be done in advance?

[mizducky]

If it were me, I'd bring some kind of vegetable side to balance out all the (lovely, but heavy) meat and starch already going on. Say, a really zesty coleslaw, or some kind of pico de gallo chopped salad thingie (tomatoes, onions, tomatillos, cilantro, a jalapeno or two, lime juice, etc.) Or maybe even a fresh fruit salad. Something that would provide a lot of contrast with the main dishes.

Edited to add: oops, I blipped over the part where you said another guest is already bringing salsa, so the pico de gallo might be redundant. Oh well ... then I'd definitely favor a slaw of some sort.

Edited November 10, 2006 by mizducky (log)

[shellfishfiend]

I agree with Mizducky that you need something light and zesty to contrast with the chili. I love the coleslaw idea. I make a marinated salad with button mushrooms, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. I dress it with a tangy balsamic dressing. a mustard based dressing would probably go with will chili.

[snowangel]

Either a slaw, Black Bean and Rice Salad or Black Bean Relish.

Or, is anyone bringing toppings like sour cream, grated cheese, chopped raw onions, cilantro? Another great option.

[GTO]

How about batches of crunchy corn chips? Each flavoured with something different - Lime, chili, cheese or for something sweeter, some date sugar.

[JAZ]

I make a kind of Southwestern slaw with julienned jicama, carrots, red and green bell pepper and red onion. For the dressing, I use lime and orange juices, a neutral oil (canola, vegetable or grape seed), garlic, cumin, a little chile powder (chipotle is nice or ancho if you don't want as much heat) and minced cilantro. You can leave out the cilantro if you don't like it.

Another great salad is corn, red pepper, tomato, red onion, and avocado. Toss with lime juice, olive oil, salt and a lot of cumin. You can make this in advance, but add the avocado right before serving. The nice thing about this is that if the avocados are a little underripe, they're still okay for this.

[rooftop1000]

Spiced roasted potato or sweet potato wedges cooked till crisp...mmm dunked in chili.

tracey

[Sony]

Hi Everyone!

Today was a crazy day, so 30 minutes before the party, I threw a marinated cold dish together using what looked best at the grocery store. Chunks of mushrooms and bell pepper (red, yellow and green) in a dressing of balsamic, olive oil, roasted garlic, dried herbs, salt and pepper. I usually make marinated vegetables a day in advance, so I was worries the flavor wouldn't get soaked up....

Turned out well enough, and it had a nice textural/temperature to the (delicious) chili.

Thanks so much for your suggestions- definitely got my brain unstuck!

[PopsicleToze]

Having a business luncheon and want to do a trio of chilis to satisfy the meat eaters, non-meat eaters and vegetarians. Here is the preliminary menu. Am I leaving anything out?

Appetizers/Sides

• Chips with fresh salsas and guacamole

• Jalapeno Poppers

• Homemade Pimiento Cheese Finger Sandwiches

Chili

• Texas Beef Chili

• Tex Mex White Chicken Chili

• Southwestern Vegetable Chili

• Serving Vessel – Corn tortilla bowls

• Accompaniments

o Grated cheddar cheese

o Chopped red onions

o Sour cream

o Lime wedges

Salad

• Southwestern Chopped Salad: romaine lettuce, red and/or yellow bell peppers, jicama, red onion, black olives, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro, toasted pumpkin seeds with a chipotle ranch dressing

Bread

• Jalapeno Cornbread Sticks

• Saltine Crackers

Desserts

• Fresh Melon

• Flan

• Miniature Key Lime Pies

• Double Chocolate Brownies

Any suggestions to improve the menu would be very appreciated.

Thanks

Rhonda

[PopsicleToze]

I make a kind of Southwestern slaw with julienned jicama, carrots, red and green bell pepper and red onion. For the dressing, I use lime and orange juices, a neutral oil (canola, vegetable or grape seed), garlic, cumin, a little chile powder (chipotle is nice or ancho if you don't want as much heat) and minced cilantro. You can leave out the cilantro if you don't like it.

Another great salad is corn, red pepper, tomato, red onion, and avocado. Toss with lime juice, olive oil, salt and a lot of cumin. You can make this in advance, but add the avocado right before serving. The nice thing about this is that if the avocados are a little underripe, they're still okay for this.

Jaz, I just saw this post. Immediately replacing my chopped salad for these two!

Thanks

Rhonda

[judiu]

Rhonda, maybe also serve a regular ranch dressing, as well? The bland creamyness would alliviate some of the chili heat, if it's too much for some people (wusses like me )and maybe a post of that pimiento cheese recipe? Please?

[Jaymes]

Having a business luncheon and want to do a trio of chilis to satisfy the meat eaters, non-meat eaters and vegetarians. Here is the preliminary menu. Am I leaving anything out?

• Jalapeno Cornbread Sticks

Any suggestions to improve the menu would be very appreciated.

Thanks

Rhonda

We've found through the years that regular cornbread seems to go better with chili than jalapeno cornbread. Although we do like jalapeno cornbread and have it often, we've found that since we've already got the chiles in the chili, a plain cornbread is a better accompaniment. Some people like to crumble the cornbread into their chili. Others like to put butter and honey on their cornbread and have something sweet to eat alongside, as sweet is the best thing to calm the heat from spicy chiles.

And in fact, that's a good tip. Anytime you're sitting in a restaurant and your tongue is on fire from a spicy dish, grab one of those little packets of sugar instead of the cold drink. Works much better. In fact, nothing works better to neutralize hot peppers than something sweet.

[PopsicleToze]

Rhonda, maybe also serve a regular ranch dressing, as well? The bland creamyness would alliviate some of the chili heat, if it's too much for some people (wusses like me )and maybe a post of that pimiento cheese recipe? Please?

Judiu -- Nixed the chopped salad altogether and replaced with Jaz's -- but great point. Here's the recipe for pimento -- yeah, I spell it both ways The recipe originally came from a lady named Gretchen many, many years ago on Epicurious' site. I don't know her personally, but my entire family thanks her for this recipe. My aunt even uses the stuff on her hamburgers.

Gretchen's Pimento Cheese for Sandwiches and More

1 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, hand grated

1 (8-ounce) Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature

1 (7-ounce) jar chopped pimentos with the juice

1/2 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Crystal hot sauce to taste

Grate the cheddar into a large bowl. Allow to come to room temperature. Blend in all remaining ingredients. You can use a hand held mixer and beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Place in a crock or serving dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Serve with assorted crackers.

To Use Cold:

• Use as a filling for sandwiches. You may need to add a bit more mayo to make a better spreading consistency for sandwiches.

• Use to stuff celery, cherry tomatoes or serve with crackers.

To Use Hot:

• Cheese Puffs: Lightly toast slices of Pepperidge Farm white bread. Using a 1" round cutter, cut out circles of toast. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Using a pastry bag, pipe mounds of pimento cheese onto toast circles. Cover and chill. To Bake: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Bake Cheese Puffs for about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

• You can also spread the pimento cheese on toasted bread slices and run them under the broiler for a toasted cheese sandwich.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

Rhonda

[judiu]

Thanks SO much!