As the holidays are fast approaching, I thought I would compile a list of a few side dish recipes from my favorite websites and magazines that I have made in the past and really liked. I have hosted Thanksgiving for the past four or five years and my responsibility has always been to make the side dishes, which I happen to think is the best part of the meal. I like to keep my sides pretty traditional, or I might have an uprising from a few picky family members, but at the same time I like to try new variations on the classics - just nothing too crazy. These recipes are all relatively easy, and are great for Christmas dinners as well as Thanksgiving. Unfortunately I wasn't compulsively photographing my cooking last year at this time, so I don't have any original pictures to show. Any pictures that are shown here are all borrowed from the websites listed.
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Sautéed Shredded Brussel Sprouts with Fresh Herbs and Crisp Shallots Ingredients:For the Shallots: 3-4 cups vegetable oil, for frying 5-6 medium shallots, peeled and cut into 1/16" thick rounds, separated into rings Kosher salt For the Sprouts: 1-1.5 lb. brussel sprouts 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 small garlic clove, minced 2/3 cup chicken broth (preferably) or water 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, tarragon and chives Instructions:
For the Shallots: Arrange a double layer of paper towels on two plates for draining the shallots. Pour about ¾ inch of oil into a 3-quart saucepan and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat until the thermometer reads 350°F. (It’s important to use a deep pan and fairly shallow oil so there’s no danger of the oil boiling over as you fry.) Add about a quarter of the shallots and fry, stirring almost constantly with a slotted metal spoon or a skimmer, until pale brown (the color of a brown grocery bag—any darker and the shallots will be bitter), about 60 seconds. With the slotted spoon, quickly scoop out the shallots and drain on the first plate of paper towels. They’ll crisp up as they cool. Repeat with the remaining shallots in three more batches, transferring each batch to the first plate when done. Allow the oil to return to 350°F before each batch. If burned bits accumulate in the oil, scoop them out before adding a new batch. Transfer all the fried shallots to the second plate so they can drain on fresh paper. Season generously with salt and set aside. (The fried shallots may be prepared several hours ahead. Once cool, transfer to an airtight container.) For the Sprouts: Trim each sprout and cut in half through the core. Set a half (cut side down) securely on the cutting board and with a sharp knife, cut it into crosswise slices. Start at the core end and slice quite finely (1/16 to 1/8 inch), because the core is very dense. As you move toward the top of the sprout, make your slices wider (1/4 inch). Transfer the cut sprouts to a bowl, tossing them a few times to encourage the leaf sections to separate. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the oil over high heat until very hot. Add the sprouts and toss with tongs to coat with oil (don’t worry if the skillet seems full; the sprouts will wilt). Season generously with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium high and cook the sprouts, tossing frequently, until they wilt and brown slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and toss to distribute. Pour in the broth and continue to cook until the sprouts are just tender and the liquid has evaporated, another 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, toss with the butter and half of the herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pile the sprouts into a bowl, sprinkle with the remaining herbs and top with all of the fried shallots; serve immediately. Serves 6. Recipe Courtesy of Fine Cooking magazine, October 2007 |
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Mashed Sweet Potato with Nutmeg and Sour Cream Ingredients: 4 large sweet potatoes 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (can substitute black pepper) 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 4 tablespoons sour cream 4 tablespoons unsalted butter Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rub the sweet potatoes with the oil and place in an ovenproof baking dish and roast potatoes until tender, about 1 hour, turning once after 30 minutes. When potatoes are cooked, set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Cut the potatoes in half and squeeze the potato pulp into a 3 quart saucepan. Set the flame to medium-low and mash gently until smooth with a potato masher. Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, sour cream, and butter and fold together until thoroughly combined. Remove from the heat and serve immediately, or keep warm, covered, until ready to serve. Serves 4-6 Recipe Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse, Foodnetwork.com |
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Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing Ingredients: 2 tablespoons butter 2 onions, chopped 6 large cornmeal muffins, cubes handful of fresh sage leaves, chopped 1 egg 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup chicken stock salt and freshly ground pepper Instructions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until soft and caramelized. Add sage and scrape into a large mixing bowl. Add the cornbread pieces, season well with salt and pepper, and give it a good toss until it's well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, and stock, and pour that over the cornbread. Stir the stuffing together and stuff the cavity of the turkey. You could also spoon it into a buttered baking dish and put it in the oven along with the turkey. Bake until hot and crusty on top, about 30 minutes. Serves 6-8 Recipe Courtesy of Tyler Florence, Foodnetwork.com |
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Crisp Green Beans with Sun-Dried Tomatoes Ingredients: 3 lb. French green beans 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 shallots, minced 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, diced 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Instructions: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over hight heat. Add green beans and cook 2 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare an ice-water bath (ice and cold water in a big bowl). Drain boiled beans and plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain. (This step can be done the day before; refrigerate beans until ready to cook). In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 2 minutes. Add beans, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Cook until beans are heated through, about 5 minutes. Serves 8. Recipe Courtesy of Katie Lee Joel, In Style magazine |
Photo courtesy of www.laaloosh.com
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Ingredients: 2 (8 oz.) packages cranberries, fresh or frozen 1 orange, zest cut into strips and juiced 1/2 cup sugar 1 cinnamon stick Instructions: Put all the ingredients into a saucepan over medium heat and simmer until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve at room temperature or cool and refrigerate. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving. Serves 8-10 Recipe Courtesy of Tyler Florence, Foodnetwork.com |
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