Rarely – okay, never – have I had occasion to cook a big, fat turkey. Our little house is too small to host the myriads for holiday dinners, so it’s always off to someone else’s place where my mom, mother-in-law or an aunt takes responsibility for the bird. I wonder sometimes when I’m going to learn to cook the turkey myself if someone else keeps doing it. I suppose I should enjoy it while it lasts, though; getting it right is a lot of pressure, really. Too dry is awful. Undercooked is worse.
This isn’t to say that I don’t contribute to the meal. I can solidly be relied upon to provide cranberry sauce – mine is not a sauce at all, actually, but a confit. The recipe, which came from my mom, uses dried cranberries, fresh thyme and caramelized onions. It’s made an appearance at both Thanksgiving and Christmas for the last few years (except the Christmas I said I’d bring it, and not only forgot to bring it but forgot to make it – I was getting married four days later and my mind was a little taxed. Nevertheless, it’s fantastic; email me at the address below and I’ll pass on the recipe).
I also seem to be called upon – as of late, anyway – to make a vegetable dish. Veg at Thanksgiving always seems to lean toward the creamy and the cheesy, doesn’t it? For a while there, I favoured a baked broccoli, cauliflower and carrot dish with lots of sharp white cheddar, breadcrumbs and grated horseradish. So good. But this year, I’m thinking brussels sprouts.
Those of you who will be dining with children probably wouldn’t dare serve brussels sprouts. There’s no shortage of adults that won’t go near them, either. The recipe below involves shaving the sprouts and sautéing them with shallots (unsung heroes, those shallots). I challenge you to give it a whirl. You’ll fool the haters – they won’t even recognize them.
I first made this to accompany braised lamb shanks and gorgonzola polenta but it’s a welcome addition to the Thanksgiving table, too. The cheesy, gratin-style vegetable dishes, while so yummy, probably contribute overly to that bloated coma we all end up falling into post-meal (and blame on turkey tryptophan).
The basic flavours in this recipe allow it to go with a multitude of dishes, so if you don’t make it now, do tuck it away for later. But here’s a reason not to wait – both brussels sprouts and shallots can be found at the farmer’s market right now, if you search them out. You might even find the sprouts as a whole plant, still spiraling up the stalks.
And if you do find a vendor who sells shallots, stock up while you can – they’re great to have around, so totally different from onions and an excellent addition to salad dressings (especially when roasted first).
This recipe comes from Bon Appetit magazine and serves eight. Enjoy – and Happy (early) Thanksgiving.
Shaved Brussels Sprout and Shallot Sauté
This isn’t to say that I don’t contribute to the meal. I can solidly be relied upon to provide cranberry sauce – mine is not a sauce at all, actually, but a confit. The recipe, which came from my mom, uses dried cranberries, fresh thyme and caramelized onions. It’s made an appearance at both Thanksgiving and Christmas for the last few years (except the Christmas I said I’d bring it, and not only forgot to bring it but forgot to make it – I was getting married four days later and my mind was a little taxed. Nevertheless, it’s fantastic; email me at the address below and I’ll pass on the recipe).
I also seem to be called upon – as of late, anyway – to make a vegetable dish. Veg at Thanksgiving always seems to lean toward the creamy and the cheesy, doesn’t it? For a while there, I favoured a baked broccoli, cauliflower and carrot dish with lots of sharp white cheddar, breadcrumbs and grated horseradish. So good. But this year, I’m thinking brussels sprouts.
Those of you who will be dining with children probably wouldn’t dare serve brussels sprouts. There’s no shortage of adults that won’t go near them, either. The recipe below involves shaving the sprouts and sautéing them with shallots (unsung heroes, those shallots). I challenge you to give it a whirl. You’ll fool the haters – they won’t even recognize them.
I first made this to accompany braised lamb shanks and gorgonzola polenta but it’s a welcome addition to the Thanksgiving table, too. The cheesy, gratin-style vegetable dishes, while so yummy, probably contribute overly to that bloated coma we all end up falling into post-meal (and blame on turkey tryptophan).
The basic flavours in this recipe allow it to go with a multitude of dishes, so if you don’t make it now, do tuck it away for later. But here’s a reason not to wait – both brussels sprouts and shallots can be found at the farmer’s market right now, if you search them out. You might even find the sprouts as a whole plant, still spiraling up the stalks.
And if you do find a vendor who sells shallots, stock up while you can – they’re great to have around, so totally different from onions and an excellent addition to salad dressings (especially when roasted first).
This recipe comes from Bon Appetit magazine and serves eight. Enjoy – and Happy (early) Thanksgiving.
Shaved Brussels Sprout and Shallot Sauté
1 and 3/4 pounds brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp olive oil
12 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 tbsp pine nuts, toasted, divided
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Working in small batches, place brussels sprouts in feed tube of processor fitted with thin slicing disk and slice. (If you don’t have a food processor, you could slice the sprouts thinly by hand).
Melt butter with olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté until almost translucent, about three minutes. Add garlic; stir one minute. Add brussels sprouts; increase heat to medium-high and sauté until tender, about eight minutes. Stir in three tablespoons of pine nuts and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of pine nuts and serve.
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