Let’s Talk Food: Thanksgiving Dinner Sides

Just one week away from the favorite day for feasting and stretchy pants!

As we have already covered Turkey science in last week’s Let’s Talk Food

(https://smcorridornews.com/news/2114/lets-talk-food-its-turkey-time.html), it is time to give the classic side dishes their due attention.

While a plate of turkey, gravy, stuffing and mashed potatoes may taste good, it’s not much to look at. Color is very important to food and dinner presentations.

Consider your holiday side dishes as colorful accessories, the same way you would match your shoes, belts, bags, and jewelry to your outfit.

Making something look good makes it effectively taste better. Even with such basic Thanksgiving dinner sides, thoughtful presentation means your guests will find their dinner experience to be more flavorful.

Variety, contrast and attention to detail are guiding principles in food presentation. Every cook, particularly when catering for a special occasion and a few extra dinner guests, instinctively wants their food to look beautiful.

You do not need to smear purees across your plates, pick organic shrubbery for garnishes or carefully angle discs and rectangles of anything, to ramp up your dinner’s curb appeal. Instead, go back to the basics, and envision a rainbow. How many colors you can eat?

They say you eat with your eyes first, so before you and your guests sit down to feast, all eyes will discriminately scan across your Martha Stewart like tablescape, and pick and choose what looks good. By offering contrasting colors between each dish, diners are more aware of what they select and research proves a greater effort to try as many as possible.

Make an impression this Thanksgiving and decorate your table with colorful food.

Cowboy Bacon Brussel Sprouts

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

1 lb. thick cut bacon

1 C. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. Chili Powder

1 Tbsp. Cumin

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 ½ lbs. Fresh Brussel sprouts, trimmed and cut in half

Directions:

Small dice or lardon cut your bacon and toss pieces in sugar and spices. (Tip: throw you bacon in the freezer for 5 mins to make it easier to dice) Make sure all the cuts separate and coat evenly.

In a roasting pan with a rack or screen at the bottom (so the bacon grease drips away from the Brussel sprouts) add the trimmed Brussel sprouts and uncooked sugar spiced bacon pieces.

Roast in a 300 degree oven for appx 45 mins to 1 hr. or until sprouts are tender and bacon is crisp.

Cranberry Chutney:

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 orange zested, peeled, seeded and chopped

12 oz. fresh cranberries, rinsed

1 C. onion, diced

½ C. dried raisins or currants

1 granny smith apple, diced

1 Tbsp. Fresh grated ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

¾ C brown sugar

¾ C white sugar

½ C orange juice

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp cardamom

¼ tsp red pepper flake

¼ tsp kosher salt

Directions:

Zest, peel and mince orange; peel seed and small dice apple

In a medium sauce pot, combine all the ingredients, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Simmer slowly until cranberries burst, stirring often. When sauce has thickened and reduced, remove from heat and cool. Chill overnight before serving.

Sweet Potato & Apple Hash

Serves 4 -6.

Ingredients:

4 slices thick cut bacon, diced

1 onion, ½ inch diced

2 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves minced

3 sweet potatoes, peeled and ½ inch diced

¼ C maple syrup

1 ½ C chicken stock

1 bunch of green onion, whites and greens separated and thinly sliced

3 Granny Smith apples peeled and ½ inch diced

½ C pepitas (green pumpkin seeds), toasted (substitute any nut or seed for crunch texture).

Directions:

Slowly render the bacon in a large sauté pan till crisp. When the bacon starts to brown, add onion and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper, sauté the onions until soft and golden.

Add the diced sweet potato, maple syrup, and chicken stock. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are soft but not mushy.

Remove the lid and let liquid reduce by half.

Add scallion whites and apple, cook till apples are soft.

Taste, season and adjust as need. Garnish with pepitas and scallion greens.

Roasted Acorn Squash:

Ingredients:

2 large acorn squashes

Olive oil

Brown sugar

Salt and black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Start by halving your squash, deseed, and slice into wedges.

Foil or parchment line a rimmed baking sheet. Evenly toss wedges in oil first. Sprinkle brown sugar, salt and pepper evenly over all sides of each wedge and roast for 45 minutes to an hour turning once half way through. Squash should be fork tender but not mushy.

For more colorful recipes check out other Let’s Talk Food articles.

Ask A Chef: Should you have a last minute question on Thanksgiving Day log on to https://www.facebook.com/smcorridornews/ and post your questions to our page and Chef Chauntel will be standing by for you.