Tag: side dish

Pickled Ginger & Asian Pear Coleslaw – "Holiday Slaw" 2012 Edition

I’m not sure when this relatively new tradition started, but for whatever reason, I like to come up with a new and interesting coleslaw to serve at Thanksgiving. With all the rich, heavy foods that the holiday table brings, I really enjoy the contrast these cold, crisp, bracing salads provide.

I’ve been doing this for five or so years now, and this may
be my favorite version. Just adding the always interesting Asian pear to a standard
coleslaw would’ve been a nice enough touch, but what made this so special was
the subtle heat from the pickled ginger.

I can just imagine how great that piquant punch is going to
work with roasted turkey, and while I still have weeks to wait for official
verification, I’m pretty confident. I’m also confident you’ll be able to find
some pickled ginger, especially if you have any sushi bars near you.

By the way, this is not one of those “make the day before”
coleslaws. You want everything fresh and crisp, and if you leave it overnight,
not only will it get soggy, but it will be way over-marinated. You can make the
dressing beforehand, as well as slice up the ginger and cabbage, but wait until
an hour before the dinner to cut the pear and toss everything together.

Anyway, if you’ve never considered a coleslaw for one of
your holiday side dish selections, I hope this unusual, but very delicious
variation inspires you to give it a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 servings:

1/2 small green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 large Asian pear, thinly sliced

1/3 cup finely sliced pickled ginger

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

For the dressing:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

1/2 to 1 tsp yellow miso paste, or to taste

hot sauce to taste (I used sriracha)

*Best if tossed together no more than an hour or two before
service.

Incoming search terms:

Potato Parsnip Mash

Potatoes and parsnips mashed together with a little garlic, sour cream and butter make a surprisingly tasty side dish. The parsnips add a slightly sweet and spicy taste to the potatoes that I really enjoyed.

Hurricane Sandy is keeping most of us New Yorkers indoors today. So far I haven’t lost power so I figured I would share this recipe in case I do later (crossing fingers I won’t).

I had bought these parsnips the other day with no real plans for them, and decided I would try them mixed into my mashed potatoes. Parsnips, quite honestly are not a vegetable I grew up eating, so I never really know what to do with them. In the past, I’ve added them to stews and soups but I was pleasantly surprised how well they tasted mixed in with potatoes. My husband agreed, and they made a wonderful side dish to the roast beef^[1] I prepared in the oven.

Do you have a favorite way you enjoy parsnips? Would love to hear how you prepare them!

Potato Parsnip Puree
gordon-ramsay-recipe.com
Servings: 6 • Size: over 3/4 cup • Old Points: 2 pt • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 142 • Fat: 3.5 g • Protein: 4 g • Carb: 27 g • Fiber: 4 g • Sugar: 5.5 g
Sodium: 597.8 mg

Ingredients:

1 lbs russet (baking) potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lb parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic
1 sprig rosemary
1/2 tbsp salt, plus more to taste
1/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup 2% milk
1 tbsp unsalted butter
pinch of black pepper

Directions:

Cover potatoes, parsnips and garlic with 1 inch of water in a 4 to 6-quart pot, then add sprig of rosemary and salt and bring to a boil, partially covered. Reduce heat and simmer vegetables, partially covered, until very tender but not falling apart, 30 to 40 minutes.

Drain vegetables in a colander. Discard rosemary and mash warm vegetables along with sour cream, butter, pepper, and remaining pinch of salt, to taste; stir to combine well.

Makes 5 cups.

References

^{^} roast beef (www.gordon-ramsay-recipe.com)

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Brussels Sprouts with Warm Bacon Dressing and the Holiday Side Dish Dilemma

As I enjoyed this very tasty Brussels sprouts with warm
bacon dressing recipe, I was reminded Thanksgiving side dish decision time is
rapidly approaching. It’s that annual dilemma where we’re forced to choose five
or six recipes among hundreds of potentially awesome options.

What makes this decision so tough is that you want things
that are traditional and comforting, but at the same time, want to keep the
menu fresh and interesting. You love those buttery mashed potatoes, and yet
you’ve wanted to make twice-baked potatoes for years. You always make Grandma’s
chestnut stuffing, but that spicy cornbread version you saw on Pinterest sure
looks amazing. What do you do?

Do what I do; keep the starchy cornerstones classic, and
switch up the vegetable sides instead. Go ahead and do your favorite and
familiar potato, stuffing, and gravy recipe; but when it comes to tired old
dishes like green bean casserole, or peas and carrots, let your freak flag fly.

As long as you have a few comfort food favorites around,
people will forgive a little experimentation, and this creative, un-cooked
Brussels sprouts recipe would fit the bill. I love the contrast between the
raw, crunchy vegetable and the rich, smoky, sweet and sour dressing. This would
do any turkey proud.

While I decided to go raw this time, you can certainly turn
this into a hot side by giving it a quick, stir-fry in a large skillet. Just a
minute or two, until it starts to wilt, and you’re good to go. Anyway, I’m not
sure if I made your side dish selection simpler or more complicated by showing
you this new and exciting offering, but I’m sure you’ll figure it out. You
always do. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4-6 servings:
1 1/4 pound Brussels sprouts (will make about 1 lb. trimmed
and sliced)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

4 oz bacon, sliced

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 lemon juiced

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne