The
Thanksgiving table is a visual event bar none. Laden with enticing colors,
textures, glistening crystal, and striking flowers it awakens and draws us in.
With huge anticipation we sit, take a moment to express gratitude, to absorb all
before us. It is a wonderful moment on the precipice of a meal worth the year's
wait.
We would like to
add to that moment by sharing a few choice side dishes with arresting fall
colors and cozy textures. Make them ahead of time to spread out the work and
reheat when you are ready. We've also included 2 recipes for a Thanksgiving
weekend breakfast, just because we thought you haven't cooked enough! No,
seriously, we love them because they are simple and savory and are a satisfying
alternative to eggs and toast.
Recipes are
adapted from A Fresh Look at Saucing Foods and Side Dishes Creative and Simple,
both by Chef Didi (Deirdre, yes top secret full name) Davis, available at
Amazon.
RED ONION & CRANBERRY COMPOTE
Makes about 4 cupsThis dish is part sauce, part side dish. The idea came from my good friend Richard Kzirian 20 years ago. It was an ingenious dish and he was clearly ahead of his time, contrasting the sweetness of well-cooked onion with the sharpness of fresh cranberry, which has since become a classic. May be made ahead and reheated.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 red onions, about 3 to 4 pounds total, cut into 1/8-inch slices
Sea Salt such as Bay of Fundy or Sel Gris
Freshly ground black pepper, such as Tellicherry or Comet's Tail
1 bag (12 oz) fresh cranberries
Melt butter in a large sauté pan over low heat. Add onions, toss in butter to coat, season with sea salt and pepper. Sauté onions until soft and sweet but not browned; about 30 minutes. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
When you are ready to serve, reheat onions and add cranberries, cook for 2 or 3 minutes to heat through. They should retain their shape and tartness. Correct seasonings and serve.
Serves 8
This dish, sweet with a tart edge, is similar in construction to the potato gratin of France. It is served with a sauce of maple syrup, lime juice, cracked pepper, and herbs. The dish improves as it sits; do not hesitate to make ahead and reheat in a low oven the next day.
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup water
1 cup plus 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1/2 tablespoon oil
3 medium-large sweet potatoes (2 1/2 - 3 pounds total), peeled and cut into paper-thin slices
Sea Salt, such as Bali Fine Grain
2 large white or red onions (about 2 pounds total), cut into paper-thin slices
1 teaspoon (packed) grated lime zest
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, such as Lampung or Sarawak Black
2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram or sage or 1 teaspoon dried
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place 2 tablespoons lime juice in a small nonreactive saucepan along with water and 1 teaspoon maple syrup. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and reduce to 1/2 cup, 10 to 15 minutes depending on size of pan. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.
Lightly coat a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with oil. Layer one-third sweet potato slices in dish and season lightly with sea salt. Arrange half onion slices over potatoes and season lightly with sea salt. Make another layer of potatoes, a layer of the remaining onion and finally a layer of remaining potatoes, seasoning each layer lightly with sea salt.
Add lime zest and a pinch of sea salt to the reduced lime-maple mixture. Whisk and pour over the potatoes and onions. Scatter bread crumbs evenly over the top. Cover and bake 1/2 hour. Uncover and continue baking 45 minutes to 1 hour more, or until crumbs are golden and crusty and tip of a sharp knife passes easily through potatoes; they should be tender. Let dish stand 15-20 minutes to set before serving or cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to use.
To serve, add remaining 1 cup maple syrup to reserved lime juice along with pepper and herb of choice. Gently heat without boiling and remove from stove. Serve the dish and spoon the sauce over each portion.
BRAISED GARLIC & BUTTERCUP SQUASH
Serves 6
Savory and comforting, do not be afraid of the garlic; it mellows and sweetens as it cooks. No need to be picky about cutting the squash into uniform chunks; the thinner pieces cook down into a sort of puree, while the larger chunks stay whole. May be made ahead and reheated.
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
30 whole garlic cloves (approximately 2 heads), peeled
Freshly ground black or white pepper, such as Tellicherry or Sarawak white
Good pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
2 1/2 - 3 pounds buttercup, butternut or other orange winter squash, quartered, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
2-3 tablespoons mixed, chopped fresh herbs of choice, such as parsley, basil, or thyme
Sea Salt, such as Cornish or Fleur de Sel
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Place stock, butter, garlic, pepper, and nutmeg in a large ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil and simmer garlic, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add squash and herbs and toss to coat with liquid.
Cover the pan and braise in oven for 20 minutes. Stir the mixture and braise 25 minutes more, or until the vegetables are very tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. If the squash pieces are very thick, you may need to increase cooking time by 5 to 10 minutes.
When squash is tender, transfer all vegetables to a serving bowl using a slotted spoon. Reduce liquid in pan quickly over high heat until somewhat thickened. Correct seasonings, adding sea salt if needed and more pepper as desired. Pour sauce over squash and garlic, gently mix, and serve.
Serves 8
A traditional dish of braised cabbage acquires a touch of sweetness from dried pears in this variation. This is made on the stovetop, but you may braise in a 325 degree oven if you need your burners. Toss only once if braising in oven. May be made ahead and reheated.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 red onion (8-10 oz), sliced
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper, such as Pepper and Pearls, either variety
1 small red cabbage (about 2 lb), quartered, cored, cut crosswise into ½-inch slices
4 oz dried pear halves (8-9), cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint, or chives
Melt butter in large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, season with sea salt and pepper, toss to coat. Sauté about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until onion loses moisture and softens. Add cabbage, pears, and toss together. Cook 5 minutes, stirring once or twice, to begin wilting the cabbage. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 30-45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes or so, until cabbage is soft. Stir in lemon juice, herbs of choice, correct seasoning if needed, and serve.
PUMPKIN CAKES
Makes 12-15 cakes
This is a latke style cake seasoned with sage and nutmeg. The final dusting of Parmesan rounds out the Italian flavorings. The batter may not look as though it will hold together, but it will. Serve these lacy cakes with breakfast sausage and applesauce.
1 lb pumpkin or other orange winter squash, quartered, peeled and seeded
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt, such as Himalayan Pink-Fine
Freshly ground black pepper, such as Australian Mountain
Oil of choice, such as safflower, canola, or vegetable, for frying
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Grate the pumpkin into medium shreds and place in large bowl. Add eggs, sage, nutmeg, salt, pepper and mix well with a fork.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Drop heaping spoonfuls of pumpkin mixture into pan and flatten into cakes. Cook until browned on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer cakes to plates, keep warm, and continue making cakes, using more oil as needed. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
These scrumptious patties are very quick to put together. If you have vinyl foodservice gloves, wear them to mix the sausage. Your hands are the best for mixing. Serve with pumpkin cakes (see above) and apple sauce.

2 teaspoons Sagemary Salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, such as
Sarawak Black
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, optional
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
1-2 tablespoons Oil
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spoon sausage into skillet and flatten to form a patty. Brown well, turn over, and brown second side. Remove to a plate lined with paper to drain and serve.
Could you tell me -What kind of beautiful dog is this on your Salty Dog web page?
Posted by: Robert | January 22, 2010 at 12:01 PM