Get Your Side Dishes Off the Side Lines: 3 Twists on Traditional Thanksgiving Dishes
You may not know it, but there’s a war going on. A culinary war.
The contenders? Turkey and, well, everything else.
Side-dishes often get a bad rap (and no wonder – thanks to cranberry sauce in a can), but they’ve recently been making quite a come back in the culinary world. As side-dish advocate and New York Times writer, Julia Moskin, recently noted, side dishes are a great way to bring creativity and pizzazz to an otherwise “stuffy” Thanksgiving table. Not that we’re saying that we don’t like turkey, or tradition for that matter, but what’s the fun in keeping everything the same year after year?
Whether you just want an alternative to bland bean casseroles or are looking for a luxurious dish that will wow your dinner guests, we’ve got our favorite, unique recipes right here:
Trend: Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Rosemary
What’s hot in the culinary world right now? Brussels Sprouts. Don’t give us that look! They’re good, we swear! You just need to follow the golden sprout rule: DO NOT OVER COOK. When cooked right, Brussels Sprouts are a fabulous alternative to Green Beans, and we’re loving this recipe from Good Housekeeping, which has the perfect balance of “vegetably” goodness and savory flavoring.
Treat: Thai-Inspired Fiery Sweet Potatoes
We’d never have thought of marrying Thai spices with traditional sweet potatoes, but what better way to offset the (often overpowering) sweetness of yams than with a fiery kick of spicing? This is one unusual side dish that will definitely make a statement on your Thanksgiving table.
Malika Ameen, whose sourdough stuffing is a taste of luxury
Treasure: Sourdough Dressing With Truffle Butter and Candied Chestnuts
This recipe, adapted from chef Malika Ameen, is a decadent stuffing – the likes of which you’ve never seen before. Complete with chanterelle mushrooms, candied chestnuts, and truffle butter, this is a side dish that laughs in the face of the economy. But, if you’re trying to throw a Thanksgiving extravaganza to impress (economy be damned!), then you couldn’t do better than this richly flavored and unique stuffing.
Read More {New York Times}
