TASTE
Unusual and tasty less-fuss Thanksgiving sides
| • | Thank goodness for Scrumptious sides |
By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor
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On the side at Thanksgiving, try these.
Some of these dishes are richer, but we've offered tips for reducing fat, salt and/or sugar.
This gorgeous and ultra-simple vegetable dish is adapted from "The Frugal Gourmet Celebrates Christmas" (Morrow, 1991). But the late Jeff Smith's original suggested cooking the poor cabbage an hour and 15 minutes, by which time you'd have purple mush. To retain essential crunch, cook no more than 20 to 30 minutes.
Healthier variation: Omit or reduce butter; use olive oil instead. Use alternative sweeteners.
RED CABBAGE
In a large saucepan or wok, combine ingredients, except salt. Bring to a boil, stir, cover, lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 to 30 minutes. Taste; add salt and correct seasonings.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
The problem with brussels sprouts is the tight little coils of leaves, which, when they're boiled, trap water, grow soggy and (as all cabbages do) develop an odor. The solution, which I first heard from Martha Stewart but also found in other sources, including "The Healthy Kitchen" by Andrew Weil and Rosey Daley (Knopf, 2002), is to core the sprout heads like cabbages, separating them into individual leaves. Then stir-fry the leaves fast.
Healthier variation: Reduce olive oil by one-half; use 1/2 cup of Parmesan.
GOOD BRUSSELS SPROUTS — REALLY!
With a short, sharp paring knife, core brussels sprouts; discard core, separate leaves, place in bowl (fussy work, but key to the recipe). Reserve.
Grind pepper flakes in a mortar and pestle or place in a zippered plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. In a small bowl, combine pepper flakes, garlic, salt, nutmeg and balsamic vinegar. Reserve.
At the last minute, (while the turkey is being carved; after gravy is made; while dishes are going out to the table), heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan or wok (nonstick, if you have it). Place brussels sprouts in oil and drizzle pepper-balsamic mixture over. Toss and stir-fry until the leaves are glazed, bright green and tender-crisp. Work in two batches, if necessary; you need room to toss and stir.
Taste and correct seasonings. Remove from heat, place in serving dish and toss with Parmesan. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
This rich corn dish, adapted from one of my favorite older cookbooks, "The Best of Sunset" (Lane, 1987) can take the place of the usual peas or green bean casserole, or starches such as potatoes or yams.
Healthier variation: Reduce butter by half, cheese to 1 cup; use nonfat half-and-half or even lower-fat milk.
Decadent variation: Add a half-ounce slivered white truffles when you add the cheese. Or stir in 1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms with cheese.
CORN RISOTTO
In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan, melt butter over high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned. Add corn and cream and cook and stir over medium heat until the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat. (May be refrigerated overnight; 20 minutes before serving, return to heat and warm to bubbling hot again, then proceed.)
After turkey comes out of oven, turn heat up to 400 degrees. Pour corn-onion mixture into a shallow 1 1/2 quart baking dish, stir in half the cheese and sprinkle remaining cheese over top. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until cheese is melted, golden and bubbling.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
* I found fontina at Safeway Beretania.
The Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission developed this colorful and easily made ahead skillet side dish that involves less fat and sugar and more complex flavors than old-style candied yams or sweet potato casserole.
Healthier variation: Use low-fat, low-sodium broth.
SWEET POTATOES WITH ONIONS AND CRANBERRIES
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Remove onion skins and cut onions into narrow wedges. In large, 12-inch skillet with tight-fitting lid, melt butter over medium heat. Add sweet potatoes and onions and cook uncovered, stirring frequently but gently (so potatoes aren't mashed but retain their shape), until onions are light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Add cranberries, wine, broth and thyme. Bring to boil, cover, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender and liquid is almost absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.
This dish may be made ahead up to 24 hours. Prepare, cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat gently to serve.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
These tender, crispy-topped baked onions are mostly made ahead of time — up to three days ahead. Tenderize the onions in simmering broth, roast them to tenderize them further, then refrigerate and finish, with bread-crumb topping, while turkey rests.
Healthier variation: Eliminate butter when cooking onions and reduce butter by half in topping (you can use broth to moisten crumbs, if desired). Or use a less-fat margarine. Use low-sodium stock, reduce salt, increase herbs or use herbed bread crumbs. Whole-grain bread crumbs add some fiber and crunch.
BAKED ONIONS
Bread-crumb topping:
In advance (up to three days): Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel onions. Carefully cut onions in half lengthwise (so that the root end holds the onion together). Arrange onions, cut side up, snugly in two shallow baking dishes. Bring stock to a boil and carefully pour over onions just to cover. Bake 30 minutes until onions are translucent and tender; remove from oven and raise oven temperature to 400 degrees.
While oven is preheating, carefully pour off most of the broth and reserve, leaving an inch or so of broth in the bottom of the dish. In a microwave-safe cup measure, melt butter and stir in garlic. Pour mixture evenly over onions and sprinkle onions with salt and pepper to taste. Roast onions 15 minutes; onions will brown and glaze a little. Store onions in refrigerator. Use reserved broth for gravy-making or other purposes.
On serving day, bring ingredients to room temperature. Make topping: Melt 4 tablespoons butter. In a medium bowl toss together butter, crumbs, salt, thyme and pepper. Mound crumbs on top of each onion half, dividing evenly. Roast, uncovered in a 400-degree oven 10 to 15 minutes until crumbs are golden-brown and crisped.
Makes 16 servings.
Baked fruit — pears, apples and such — are often heavily sweetened and served as a dessert. But here, firm pears are baked in rosy fruit juice, a fitting complement to roast meats. My husband and I even savored leftovers for breakfast, with grilled pork sausages. Buy pears a few days in advance and place the fruit in a paper bag to ripen; bake the pears in advance, too, leaving just the final roasting for Thanksgiving Day. If you prefer tart flavors, use plain cranberry juice; for more sweetness, use cranapple or sweetened cranberry cocktail.
Healthier variation: Omit butter, spray baking dish with butter-flavored spray.
BAKED PEARS
Up to two days ahead of time: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and halve pears; scoop out seeds with melon baller.
Butter two shallow baking dishes and arrange pears, rounded side up, in dish. Pour 1/2 bottle of juice over each dish of pears; break cinnamon sticks in half crosswise and split lengthwise and scatter in dish with cloves. Bake pears 30 minutes at 400 degrees.
Pour off juice, or remove with turkey baster; line an airtight container with plastic wrap or waxed paper and, with a slotted spoon, tenderly remove pears to container. (If stacking in layers, use plastic wrap or waxed paper between.) Avoid cutting or bruising pears; refrigerate, covered.
Bring juice to a boil, turn heat down to medium-high and simmer until greatly reduced, syrupy and glossy, about 35 to 40 minutes. Refrigerate in airtight container.
On Turkey Day, bring fruit to room temperature; pour glaze evenly over pears and dot with cold butter. After the turkey comes out of the oven, raise heat to 400 degrees and bake fruit 10 to 15 minutes, until fork-tender and caramelized.
Serves 12.
Reach Wanda A. Adams at wadams@honoluluadvertiser.com.
