When I type the word “Thanksgiving” on my smartphone, it always suggests the turkey emoji – which leaves me a little perplexed every time. A turkey is a turkey, and we Italians don’t really like turkey. Brine it, marinate it, inject it, massage it, braise it, roast it or even deep-fry it, it still tastes like... turkey. What really makes the Thanksgiving table are the side dishes! In fact, Thanksgiving side dishes are the reason I have so whole-heartedly embraced this uniquely American holiday.
The “fixings” – as they’re called by my husband’s North Carolina family – are a world full of color, flavors, and tradition unique to each family and community. Flavors vary from sticky-sweet to sour, waxing and waning as bonds strengthen or weaken – morphing over time as the family grows. Special recipes that represent an ever-evolving language, weaving together so many generations at the same Thanksgiving table.
I have loved watching my niece take over the “pumpkin pie duties” from my sister-in-law, or listening while my husband and his siblings finally admitted that my swapping lemon for vinegar and adding Parmigiano cheese was a definite improvement on their father’s buttered broccoli.
When it comes to Thanksgiving side dishes, these are 3 of my most delicious (and acclaimed) recipes – from my ever-growing library of sides for the holiday. Enjoy!
Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Pecans
Serves 6-8 people
I am especially fond of this dish that my husband John and I have created together to honor our respective food traditions. Pecans are a common ingredient in North Carolina, the state where he was born and raised, and they pair beautifully with pancetta, the flavor building block of choice for this Umbrian cook.
One tip: if you have a lot of last-minute cooking, you can clean and blanche the sprouts the previous day. After shocking them in ice and drinking them well, place them in a container lined with paper towels to continue absorbing the moisture.
Ingredients:
1 lb of fresh brussels sprouts (medium-sized with tight leaves)
2 slices pancetta (1/8” thick)
Olive oil
¼ cup pecans
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
Place the pancetta in the freezer to harden so it will be easier to dice. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of water with ice.
Clean the sprouts by slightly trimming the bottom and removing any bruised outer leaves. Make sure the leaves stay adhered.
Lower the sprouts into the boiling water to blanch them for just barely one minute.
Remove the sprouts from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and dunk them into the ice bath to stop the cooking and maintain color. Drain them and cut in half vertically. Place over a clean cloth to continue draining any excess moisture while you prep the other ingredients.
Roughly chop the pecans. Dice the frozen pancetta.
Use a skillet that can hold all the sprouts at once without overlapping. Coat the bottom with a barely-there amount of olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook over low heat.
Let the pancetta release its fat, cooking until crunchy and blistered. This should take about 10 minutes. Shake the pan often to make sure the ingredients don't stick.
Turn the heat up to medium and add the brussel sprouts, cut side facing down. Cook until browned, about 3-4 minutes. Swirl the pan around and sauté to finish cooking to taste. They should be tender but firm and well coated in bacon fat.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste and add the pecans. Sauté everything together so the flavors meld and serve warm.
Mushrooms And Ricotta Flan With Pumpkin And Walnut Sauce
For a 9-10” hinged cake mold
I have a soft spot for savory flans on a holiday table. They’re simply a showstopper and always a crowd favorite. The density of the mushrooms tastes particularly good in this recipe.
Ingredients:
For the flan:
1 lb cremini mushrooms
1 lb shiitake mushrooms
1 lb chanterelle mushrooms
Salt
1 shallot
1 handful of parsley
6 oz ricotta cheese
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons of olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmigiano cheese (or parmesan)
Pepper, to taste
½ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon of butter, softened
For the sauce:
1 small shallot
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
⅓ cup olive oil
1 ½ cups diced winter squash (your favorite variety)
⅓ cup walnuts
Method:
Remove the stems from the cremini and shiitake mushrooms and slice off the caps. Clean the grit off the chanterelles using a clean cloth or a pastry brush.
Slice all the mushrooms thinly and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt. Toss to coat. Heat a sauté pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms. Cover and cook over high heat for 10-15 minutes, checking and stirring every 4-5 minutes to make sure there is enough moisture so the mushrooms don’t burn. If the mushrooms are starting to burn, add a little warm water.
Aided by the salt and the heat, the mushrooms will release their fragrant, flavorful moisture. Continue stirring them until tender and the liquid has mostly been re-absorbed.
Mince the shallots into a paste with a pinch of salt. Mince the parsley.
Stir 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the shallot and the parsley into the mushrooms. Lower the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes to soften the shallots. Turn the heat up to high and douse with the wine. Once the alcohol has evaporated, scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze and continue cooking until the moisture dissipates completely.
Transfer the mushrooms to a food processor and pulse them to make a thick, chunky paste. Pour the mushroom paste onto a sheet pan in a thin layer and place it in the refrigerator uncovered to cool completely.
Press the ricotta cheese through a fine sieve. Separate the eggs and set the whites aside in a medium-sized bowl. Combine the ricotta, egg yolks, and Parmigiano cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk vigorously until smooth in texture and uniform in color.
Preheat the oven to 325 ̊F. Butter your ring mold and sprinkle it with breadcrumbs. Swirl to coat evenly, then turn over and tap on the side to shake off the excess.
Combine the mushrooms and the ricotta mixture.
Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form and gently fold them into the mixture. Use a flat spatula and a top-to-bottom circular motion to keep from deflating the egg whites.
Pour the mixture into the prepared mold, leaving about 1/2” below the edge. Bake for about 45 minutes, until it has puffed up and it is slightly set but still soft inside. (It should bounce, not jiggle.)
While the flan is baking, make the squash sauce.
Mince the shallot into a fine paste with a pinch of salt.
Heat half the oil in a small pot over medium heat. Once shimmery and fragrant, add the shallot and smoked paprika with a generous pinch of salt. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring often, until the shallot is quite soft and light blonde in color, adding a little liquid if necessary to keep it from sticking. Add the squash and sauté for about 2 minutes.
Barely cover with hot water and season with salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Then lower the heat until simmering. Cook until the squash is fork-tender. This should take about 10 minutes – enough time to coarsely chop and toast the walnuts!
Transfer the sauce to a blender and run the motor on high while streaming in the rest of the olive oil. Blend until smooth, runny and shiny, adding a little hot water if it seems too thick. Adjust salt and pepper as necessary and keep warm.
Once the flan is ready, remove it from the oven. Let sit for a few minutes. Run a knife around the edges and shake free. Turn it out onto a serving platter. Drizzle the sauce all along the circumference and add a few spoonfuls to the center. Dust with the walnuts and serve while still warm.
Butternut Squash And Gorgonzola Faux Lasagna
For one 8x10 baking dish
Back in my catering days, I created this dish for a lasagna-loving client who had become intolerant to gluten. The combination of squash, amaretti, and mustard is inspired by Mantua’s classic tortelli di zucca. I decided to use spicy curry as a substitute when I was out of Coleman’s – which became a total hit!
I like to use an old-fashioned cast-iron skillet or an oven-proof copper sauté pan for this recipe. Just be sure to leave a cloth around the handles to let others know it’s hot!
Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (2.5-3 lbs.)
¼ cup crumbled amaretti
½ cup grated Parmigiano cheese
1 to 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 teaspoon Coleman’s mustard powder
White pepper, to taste
½ stick of butter
1-pint heavy cream
Salt, to taste
6 oz gorgonzola cheese
1 egg
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 ̊F.
Separate the squash neck from the body and set the body aside for later. Slice the neck in half vertically. Then slice each half in 1/16” half-moons. Sprinkle with salt and let rest on a wire rack.
Combine the amaretti and the grated Parmigiano cheese. Add 1-2 teaspoons grated orange zest, the mustard powder, and white pepper to taste.
Grease the baking pan with 1 tablespoon of butter. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the seasoned Parmigiano.
Shake the moisture off the squash slices and dry them to remove the salt. Arrange 1/4 of them in a slightly overlapping layer in the baking pan. Season with 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano and dot with 1/3 of the gorgonzola cheese. Repeat these layers twice until you’re out of gorgonzola.
Lightly beat the egg. Then whisk it into the cream.
Slowly pour the cream and egg into the baking dish until it touches the bottom section of the top layer. Gently tilt and swirl the dish to allow the cream to distribute evenly.
Arrange the remaining slices of squash. Top with the last of the seasoned Parmigiano cheese and dot with the remaining butter.
Tent loosely with aluminum foil and slide the dish into the middle rack of the oven. Check it after about one hour: it's ready if there is no resistance offered to the tip of the knife inserted all the way.
Remove the aluminum foil and let it brown for 10 more minutes in the oven. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
To make this in advance, simply bake it, let it cool and refrigerate. Before serving, brown for 10 minutes in the oven as indicated above.