Are you planning your Thanksgiving menu yet? Sticking to the tried-and-true dishes or are you trying to branch out? We know everyone has different traditions (sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top isn't a given) but over the next couple of days, we'd like to give you some alternatives to the straight-from-central-casting side dishes you usually see. First up, sweet potatoes.
We tackled the hardest one, for us, anyway, first. We do really love whipped sweet potatoes with a crumbly, brown sugar topping or toasted marshmallows. When we've tried to skip them in favor of something more modern, we've had complaints.
That said, these recipes look great—even if we have to save them for a non-Thanksgiving night.
• 1. Creamy Mushroom Ragout over Sweet Potato Cakes, from the Los Angeles Times. So rich and beautiful; this could be a main course in a vegetarian meal.
• 2. Sweet Potato and Sage Gratin, from the Kitchn. One of our favorite sweet potato recipes. Not too sweet but full of sweet potato flavor.
• 3. Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad, from Smitten Kitchen (via Orangette). A slight departure from sweet potatoes, but in the same vein. Friends made this for us on Saturday night- different and delicious.
• 4. Baked Sweet Potatoes Stuffed with Cranberries, Pears, and Pecans, from Bon Appétit. This has the traditional flavors, but comes in a different form, and we love the addition of pears.
• 5. Sauteed Sweet Potatoes and Spinach, from Everyday Food. We love sweet potatoes with greens.
Tomorrow: Alternatives to green beans/green bean casserole.
Related: Ready for Pie? Pumpkin Pie Five Ways
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I make this Roots Anna recipe, substituting sweet potatoes for some of the regular potatoes. It is a delicious and very elegant and impressive dish (and easy to make).
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/roots-anna?autonomy_kw=root%20vegetables%20anna
I also make this medley of roast root vegetables -- it is great, and you can get everything except the celeriac chopped and ready, marinating in a bag, up to 2 days ahead:
http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/party-food/accompaniment/oven-roasted-winter-vegetables.html
I am all about reducing the workload on the day, and not overwhelming people with food. Some of those recipes up there sound amazing, but too much for an already heavy and complicated meal.
Will definitely try most of them though -- thanks!
view mschatelaine's profile
Just give me a baked or roasted sweet potato. The marshmallows and sugar, you can keep.
view eprewitt's profile
I like to layer them with apples, bananas, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon and bake. It's sweet, but not as overwhelming as the marshmallow casserole.
view fardaesm's profile
That sweet potato cake looks absolutely delicious. I've only served sweet potato croquettes with a dollop of yogurt, but the mushroom ragout is inspired.
view smallkitchcara's profile
i think it's better to keep it simple because everything is so rich on thanksgiving. i usually bake the sweet potatoes then scoop all the mush out and dust with nutmeg and cinnamon, maybe add a little cream or butter if i'm feeling decadent. you really don't need the extra sugar.
view Joan in SB's profile
omg! i forgot! my 2nd fave way to do them (a la my aunt carmela!) - dice up the sweet potatoes and toss with ev. olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary. roast and die they're so good! and light :)
view Joan in SB's profile
We never had marshmallow casserole growing up but my parents made something much, much worse-- candied yams. Sweet potatoes, cooked and sliced then layered in a pan with butter, sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. Added to each layer! Then covered in maple syrup and baked.
Yes, I grew up in the U.S. south. How'd you guess?
view Paladin's profile
You can add anything, but never take away my roasted sweet potatoes!
view SydneyBristow's profile
Last year I did the roasted sweet potato rounds in garlic oil with fried sage from a magazine that I think was Gourmet, and they were really good and actually a hit. And my family doesn't branch out much from Italian American classics and bland 50's Americana food.
view BrooklynBaker's profile
Forgive the link-to-self, but this sweet potato recipe with blue white potatoes, beets, and sunchokes is too good not to share:
http://onepot.wordpress.com/2009/11/08/sweet-potatoes-yam-blue-potatoes-beets-sunchokes/
(also contains links to 3 other amazing sweet potato dishes)
view Onepot's profile