Dish it out
Still planning your Thanksgiving menu? These classic sides are foolproof
Restaurant-style Brussels sprouts
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
■ 1 tablespoon balsamic reduction or balsamic glaze
■ 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, stem ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, ragged or yellow leaves removed and discarded
■ 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil, plus avocado oil or vegetable oil for pan-frying
■ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
■ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
In a large bowl, combine the Brussels sprouts, avocado oil, garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Toss to coat the sprouts evenly.
Transfer the Brussels sprouts to the prepared pan and spread out in an even layer, making sure each sprout is touching the pan.
Roast for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking, until tender and lightly browned. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
Heat about ½-inch of avocado oil or vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet or saucepan set over medium-high heat. When the oil temperature reaches 375 to 395 degrees F, add the Brussels sprouts to the pan (don't overcrowd the pan; fry 4 separate batches). Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sprouts are browned and crisp.
Transfer the fried sprouts to paper towels and immediately sprinkle with salt.
When all Brussels sprouts have been fried and salted, transfer them to a serving platter and drizzle with the balsamic reduction or balsamic glaze before serving.
Herb butter stuffing
Servings: 8 to 10
Ingredients
■ 1 ½ loaves bread (1 ½ pounds total), preferably a mixture of sourdough and Italian, day-old or dry, cubed (about 12 to 14 cups cubed)
■ 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
■ 3 cups chopped yellow onion, about 2 to 3 onions
■ 2 cups diced celery (about 4 stalks)
■ 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
■ 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
■ 4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
■ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
■ 3 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth, divided
■ 2 large eggs
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Coat a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray or coat with a thin layer of olive oil. Place the bread in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. Melt ¾ cup of the butter (1 ½ sticks) in a large saucepan over medium heat.
When the butter is bubbly, add the onion and celery and cook for 10 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic, parsley, poultry seasoning, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper to the pan and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add 1 cup of the chicken broth and remove the pan from the heat. Pour the mixture over the bread cubes and toss to coat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth and eggs. Add the egg mixture to the bread cubes and toss to coat. Make sure the bread cubes are well coated with the liquid. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread out in an even layer.
Cut the remaining ¼ cup of butter into small pieces and arrange the butter on top of the stuffing.
Bake for 45 minutes, until the bread is toasted and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
Remove from oven, garnish with more fresh parsley and serve hot.
Make ahead: Prepare as directed up until baking. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Pull the stuffing from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. If the stuffing is still chilled in the center, you may need to add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.
Mashed potatoes
Servings: 8
Ingredients
■ 3 pounds potatoes, such as russet or Yukon gold, or a combination of both, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
■ 3 cloves garlic, peeled
■ Salt and freshly ground black pepper
■ ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut up, plus more for serving
■ ¾ cup whole milk
■ 3 tablespoons sour cream
■ Chopped green onions, chives or parsley, for garnish
Directions
Place the potatoes, garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large pot. Pour over enough cold water to cover the potatoes by about 2 inches.
Set the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium or medium-high and gently boil for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender (the potatoes should almost fall apart when you pierce them with a fork).
Drain and return the potatoes and garlic to the pot. Let the potatoes and garlic stand in the pot for 1 minute, shaking the pan occasionally, until the liquid evaporates.
Using a hand-held potato masher, mash the potatoes and garlic until they're roughly mashed (chunks are OK).
Add the butter, milk and sour cream and mash until you reach your desired consistency (chunky or smooth). For a thinner consistency, add more milk or sour cream.
Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving dish and top with butter and green onions, chives or parsley.
Cranberry sauce
Servings: 6
Ingredients
■ ¾ cup water
■ ¼ cup orange juice
■ ²⁄³ cup granulated sugar
■ ¹⁄³ cup packed light brown sugar
■ 1 cinnamon stick
■ Pinch of salt
■ 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (when using fresh cranberries, rinse and pick them over to remove/discard any soft or discolored fruit)
Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine water, orange juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, a cinnamon stick and pinch of salt. Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
For traditional, smooth cranberry sauce, add all cranberries to the pan and return to a boil (for whole berry cranberry sauce, reserve a heaping ½ cup of berries to add later).
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until most (or all) of the berries have burst; the natural juice from the cranberries is what thickens the sauce. Note that frozen cranberries will take slightly longer to break down. If you like your cranberry sauce without any remnants of whole berries, use a spatula to mash the berries against the side of the pan just before removing the pan from the heat. (For whole berry cranberry sauce, add the reserved ½ cup of berries and simmer for 1 minute more.)
Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 20 minutes. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick.
Transfer the cranberry sauce to a bowl or sealable container and chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Your sauce will thicken as it cools, creating the familiar, gelatinous consistency.
