There’s nothing quite as distinct and nostalgic as the flavors found at your Thanksgiving table. Whether you are hosting an extravagant bash or hoping for something a little bit more low key, planning your dishes is important. After all, Thanksgiving leftovers are almost unavoidable… make them tasty! These gluten- and vegan-friendly side dishes and cocktails, courtesy of Casey Easton of Food Lab, will have your guests talking for weeks.
Maple Lemon Kabocha
1 kabocha (or really any hard squash), cut in half, seeds scraped, cut into half moon
½ inch wedges
2 roasted piquillo peppers, diced
½ cup garbanzo beans
2 TBSP fresh mint or tarragon
¼ cup olive oil (plus more for roasting squash)
2 tbsp maple syrup
juice from 1 lemon
salt
Heat oven to 425. Evenly spread squash on a sheet pan and drizzle with salt and oil. Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and bake 10 more minutes. Meanwhile, combine olive oil, herbs, maple syrup, lemon juice, and salt. Plate finished squash on a platter, drizzle with dressing, and top with garbanzo and peppers.
Smashed Beets with Fresh Horseradish Chips
4 beets, different varieties if available
4 cloves garlic – 3 whole, 1 sliced thin
1 inch fresh horseradish root, sliced thin
smoked sea salt
olive oil
canola oil
fresh oregano
Crème Fraiche (omit for vegan)
Heat oven to 425. Individually wrap each beet in foil with one clove of garlic, a sprinkle of smoked sea salt, and a tsp of olive oil. Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and open. Put a pan (I like cast iron) on medium high. Layer bottom with canola oil. When your pan is hot, place thinly sliced horseradish in and cook until crisp. Remove finished horseradish chips with spoon and place on paper towel. Repeat with garlic and then with sprigs of oregano. Place beets on a plate or sheet pan and place a can or jar on top to smash them down a bit, so that they are still whole, but smashed. Lift with spatula into hot sizzling pan and cook on each side 3-5 minutes, remove and repeat until beets are done.
Plate and sprinkle with olive oil, chips, and oregano. If you are using crème fraiche, place on bottom of plate and place beets on top!
Sweet Potato Gratin
1 sweet potato, sliced thin
1 fennel bulb, sliced thin
1 small onion, sliced thin
2 poblano peppers, sliced thin
4 TBSP olive oil
1-2 cups cashew milk or vegetable broth
1 cup gruyere, optional for vegan
2 tbsp flour (optional for gluten-free people)
dried thyme
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375.
Heat a pan to medium high. Add oil. Add onion, fennel, and poblano. Salt lightly and stir. Cook about 5-10 minutes, lower to low, add thyme, cover, and let cook until the onion and fennel are REALLY soft, maybe 20 minutes. Check to make sure it doesn’t burn…
In a medium cast iron or oven safe casserole dish, layer the sweet potato, then onion fennel mix, then cheese, sprinkle flour, salt and pepper, repeat until all used. Save a little cheese for top! Pick a corner and slowly add milk/broth until you almost reached the top of sweet potato. Cover and pop in oven for 40 minutes. Remove top, add rest of cheese and cook 10 more minutes. Let cool a little before you cut and enjoy!
Mulled Wine
1 bottle dry red wine
½ cup brandy
cinnamon stick
3 cardamom pods
5 whole cloves
3 star anise
1 orange, just the zest
Combine all in a large sauce pan. Bring to a simmer (not boil) for 10 minutes. Strain and serve warm with orange wedges.
La Croix Spritzer- 2 servings
Favorite Flavor La Croix
2 tsp orange Flower Water (can get at Whole Foods)
4 oz fresh orange juice
Put ice in two glasses. Pour in La Croix. Add flower water and oj. Enjoy!