With the arrival of fall, a whole new set of crops abound and make for many comforting meals we all look forward to during the Thanksgiving holiday. Chestnuts, zucchini, squash, and apples are just to name a few. The availability of these fall vegetables and fruits provide us with so many opportunities to make delicious side dishes to accompany the turkey, glazed ham, or crown roast you and your family enjoy. Fall vegetables and fruits can be prepared in so many different ways, so experiment and have fun with it. Remember, the best way to learn is through trial and error. Not only will you gain a better understanding of how to cook, but also how to get the most out of the fall produce. Below are some of my favorite side dishes I grew up enjoying during Thanksgiving. Try some of these recipes for your next holiday menu or call Chef Crusco and his team at 512.970.2200 and place your orders.
Prune, Apple, and Chestnut stuffing
There’s lots of bold flavor in this hearty stuffing, which, though inspired by a classic Italian combination, happens to work with everything on the American holiday table.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf of bread (French or sourdough) cut into cubes
- 1 lb coarsely chopped pancetta slices (about 3 cups)
- 1 stick good unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
- 3 cups roughly chopped celery (5 to 6 ribs)
- 4 cups roughly chopped onions (2 large)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 3 teaspoons salt (add more by taste if needed)
- 2 teaspoons pepper(add more by taste if needed)
- 3 (7- to 8-oz) jars peeled cooked whole chestnuts, halved (4 cups)
- 3/4 lb pitted and quartered prunes (2 cups)
- 2 cups peeled, cored, and diced apple (Granny Smith works well)
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 2 ½ cups milk
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Directions
- Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400°F.
- Scatter bread in a single layer in 2 large shallow baking sheets and toast, stirring once or twice until golden and dry, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a very large bowl.
- Cook pancetta in a 12-inch sauté pan over moderate heat until browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Add butter and heat until melted; then add celery and onions until softened (10-12 min.)
- Stir in sage, salt, and pepper to taste and cook 1 minute
- Mix the pancetta mixture along with the chestnuts, prunes, apples, and bread.
- Whisk together stock, milk and eggs; then stir into bread mixture until combined well and transfer to baking dish (stuffing will mound above dish).
- Bake, loosely covered with a buttered sheet of foil (buttered side down) 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake until top is golden brown (10 to 15 minutes more) serve and enjoy!
Zucchini, corn, and creamy cheese gratin
I know these ingredients don’t necessarily sound like they would be combined for a successful recipe but trust the chef on this one. This is another side dish I grew up enjoying for Thanksgiving. The recipe came from a good family friend, Reina Serrano, who taught my father how to make it so we could enjoy it during our Thanksgiving’s without the Serrano family. If you like creamy and cheesy casseroles, this is a side dish you will truly enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons good butter
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 5 zucchini cubed
- 4 fresh corns on the cob (each cut into 2 inch widths)
- 2 teaspoons of salt- to taste
- 1 teaspoon of pepper – to taste
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 cup of fresh mozzarella cheese cubed
- 1 cup of Monterrey jack cheese cubed
Directions
- In a large and deep sauté pan, heat the butter until it begins to melt
- Turn the heat to med-high and add the onion and garlic and cook for 5-6 minutes
- Add the zucchini and continue cooking on high heat to caramelize or brown the zucchini
- Add salt and pepper to taste, reduce heat to very low and add the corn and milk
- Cook on low-med heat until most of the milk has evaporated turning the mixture into a more creamy consistency (20-30 minutes)
- Finally add the cheese at once and place the pan into the oven on broil (if pan is not oven safe, transfer mixture to a casserole before adding the cheese and then place into the oven)
- Once the cheese turns golden brown, take out of oven; let cool, serve and enjoy!
Bourbon Orange sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite fall vegetables because of their earthy and sweet flavor. I also always think of sweet potatoes when Thanksgiving comes around whether it is the recipe below or sweet potato pie. I hope you enjoy the recipe below as it is a must for me and my family on the list of Thanksgiving side dishes!
Ingredients
- 4 sweet potatoes roasted and peeled
- 1 stick of good rich butter
- ½ cup of brown sugar – measure according to taste
- ½ cup of cream
- 2 oranges – zest from 1 orange only and juice from 2 oranges
- ¼ cup of good Bourbon (Jim Beam works just fine or try Grand Marnier)
- ½ cup of roasted walnuts
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
- Roast the sweet potatoes in foil in a 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until soft.
- Roast the walnuts in the same oven but for only 5-10 minutes or until you see the walnuts change in color (golden brown)
- Once cool, peel and roughly chop the sweet potatoes and place 2 potatoes at a time in the food processor (you may use a potato masher or a fork as a substitute but the texture won’t e the same silky texture you get from the food processor))
- Add half of the butter, sugar, cream, zest, juice, salt/pepper, and Bourbon
- Mix thoroughly to get a very smooth and silky consistency – this is key!
- Taste – if too sweet, add cream or water; if too rich, add some more potato; if not sweet enough, add some more brown sugar and orange juice
- Follow the same process with the other 2 potatoes in the food processor
- Transfer to a casserole dish and keep warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to serve
- Place the roasted walnuts atop the potatoes in any decorative way you choose and enjoy!
As you can see, the fall harvest produces a diverse set of crops that have the versatility to be prepared in many different ways. I hope the fall harvest inspires you to go out and try one of these recipes. Who knows? Maybe you will create a new family favorite that you can look forward to year after year.
*Please remember to place your orders early for the Holiday season by calling us at 512.970.2200
