Thanksgiving Recipes: Easy, sophisticated, and tasty

[Lotus7]

I will be making many of our family's Thanksgiving side dishes this year (First time at the in-laws so I have to impress them!) I would like to make 3-4 easy, sophisticated side dishes. Thinking potatoes, perhaps a grits casserole type of thing? But Would like some more ideas--maybe for veggies and stuffing. Thanks!

[Sven]

Fry a bunch of really thick smokey bacon. Remove bacon and reserve fat. Use as much fat as necessary to saute diced onions and shredded brussle sprouts. Finish with a pinch of salt and a pile of Parm.

[ssusu]

A similar brussel sprouts side that is extremely easy but a little less heavy - saute shredded brussel sprouts in pan w/ shallots and butter until crisp-tender. Toss with dried cranberries and coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts, and season to taste w/ S & P.

[ghbrooklyn]

another variant on this is no parm, but a little sugar and cider vinegar. I also cook the brussels sprouts cut in half, not shredded. I guess its germanic, but whatever it is its fantastic. Will make a non-brussels eater a fan(worked with my dad)

[DGresh]

I really like brussel sprouts sauteed with chopped apricots and pecans.

[Ruth Lafler]

Here's a link to my favorite stuffing recipe -- it's fairly traditional, but a bit more sophisticated than some: http://www.recipesource.com/fgv/stuff...

Several of us made this carrot pudding last year -- it's a nice change from sweet potatoes, and not quite as cloying. I can't figure out how to linking the thread (but you can find it by searching "boyk carrot pudding"), so I'll copy it:

....on Sep 20, 2005 David Boyk replied

Thanks to everyone for the compliments on my carrot pudding! Here's the recipe, which I've adapted from Diana Kennedy's "The Cuisines of Mexico":

Budín de Zanahoria (Carrot Pudding

)

Serves 6 (the one I brought to the picnic was actually the smallest version I've actually ever made, multiplied by 4 - usually I multiply this dish by 7, keeping all measurements in proportion, and it works fine)

Have ready:

A buttered Pyrex dish (I've used metal with no ill effects)
A baking sheet, placed on a shelf two-thirds of the way down in the oven
A sauce made by combining 2 cups fresh orange juice with 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Ingredients:
A food mill
2 pounds boiled carrots
6 ounces unsalted butter
A mixer
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar
6 ounces rice flour, sifted (I've always used all-purpose white flour)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound Chihuahua cheese, grated (since I cook for a 40-person house, I've always used cheap mozzarella and it comes out fine, but I'm sure legit queso fresco is better by far)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (I accidentally left this out in the one I brought to the picnic, but I think it's better to leave it in)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Pass the carrots through the medium disc of the food mill.
Melt the butter and set it aside to cool.
Setting the egg whites aside, beat the yolks until they're thick. Add the sugar and continue beating until it is well incorporated. Beat in the flour alternately with the butter.
Stir in the carrots, salt and cheese, mix well, and lastly add the baking powder.
Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and fold them into the mixture.
Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Place it on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Then lower the over temperature to 350 degrees and continue cooking for about 55 minutes. The budín should be soft and spongy to the touch - the top and sides nicely browned, but the inside moist.
Serve immediately, with the orange and walnut sauce to accompany it.

Kennedy advises that when making this dish with carrots, rather than the standard peas, you should serve it with coarse salt and thick sour cream, but I've always ignored her and just served it with the orange walnut sauce.

[cheryl_h]

Try the braised carrots with parmesan from Marcella Hazan's Classic Italian Cooking (also in Essentials of Italian Cooking, I think). It sounds mindlessly simple but the carrots cook down to the most amazing dish, they are completely transformed. I'm a lifelong carrot-hater but this converted me. You can do them ahead of time and reheat.

[Rubee]

Great idea! That's what I'm doing this year...

[TorontoJo]

This cranberry chutney is wonderful and a great change of pace from regular cranberry sauce:

5 shallots (6 oz), coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (12-oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Cook shallots in oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries just pop, 10 to 12 minutes, then cool.

[Wanda Fuca]

I am not one to recommend mucking with something like potatoes during the holidays BUT this recipe is so good and it is a little unusual. I think your inlaws would be impressed (plus it is easy):
POTATO AND FENNEL GRATIN
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/102499

It works with turk.

You might want to consider something unusual like jerusalem artichokes. I like this one.
PAN-FRIED JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES IN SAGE BUTTER
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/rec...

You should find have a chat with your mother-in-law and find out what she actually wants you to bring. I mean does she want you to bring a pile of mashed potatoes or dressing or the green stuff? She may already have ideas for the main foods like the potatoes and dressing. That would be good to know so you do not duplicate or (worse) duplicate and nobody eats it because it is not what they are used to.

If you get dressing, you might think about using really flavorful sourdough and premaking buttery, crunchy, garlicky croutons witht them before you mix in the rest of the ingredients. I would steer clear of mucking it up with non standard things like oysters (unless that is what they do). Families are strangly rigid about what goes on their holiday plate.

Lastly, I suggest a steady wine buzz.

[Lotus7]

Thanks for the suggestions. acutally my mom-in-law isn't too fussy about traditional american food. we're all indian so we do the best we can, and often mix indian/american food together. for those of us born and raised in U.S. though, we appreciate traditional american comfort food like mashed potatoes!

[Wanda Fuca]

Well well well... why didn't you mention that you were Indian?

When I was searching for the recipes on the net that I had made
I noticed some fun recipes that I thought might be just too much for folks with firmly entrenched Thanksgiving tradition, but...What a fun twist! How about:

Lentil Croquettes?
http://www.epicurious.com/cooking/holiday/thanksgiving/recipes/231050\

Wild Rice Stuffing with Cranberries and Hazelnuts:
http://www.epicurious.com/cooking/hol...

Or how about some green beans with an Indian twist. I would be so excited to see that on the table. Or how about something lovely like roasted curried sweet potatoes with some ginger?

Mixing your own heritage into an American tradition involving immigrants... I can think of nothing sweeter. Oh yeah, congratulation on your new marriage.

[ghbrooklyn]

slightly spicy sweet potato puree with toasted hazelnuts. I like to use dried chilies(a mix of ancho, new mexico, chipotle, maybe a cayenne to give it some heat) and I roast the sweet potatoes to avoid adding moisture. Top with finely chopped toastd hazelnuts. It is also nice that there is no dairy or fat(besides whatever is in the hazelnuts) so its a break from most of the other things you eat on thanksgiving.

[OnceUponABite]

I like to make a wild rice 'salad'. From Trader Joe's you can get fully cooked wild rice in vaccum packed packages. I'd carmalize some onions, add the rice and toss in nuts, raisin or dried cranberries, add some stock and lemon juice and chopped parsley.

Another easy side is braised artichoke hearts. Again, Trader Joe's have artichoke hearts in the freezer section. Defrost the. Sautee panchetta or bacon, add the artichoke and some lemon zest and let cook until soft. Sprinkle on grated parmasean for taste.

[Lotus7]

Thanks for your suggestions!