Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Grateful for these 5 great sides
Make these veggies ahead of holiday feast
“Why didn’t I read this two days ago?” you’re wondering at 11:30 a.m. on a crispy Thanksgiving morn, exactly four hours before Madge and the gang come barking at the door.
Oh and, of course,
Madge has just phoned to say that two of her posse are newly minted vegans. Great.
She couldn’t have told you that before you dunked the green beans in liquid bacon fat? Before you stuffed the acorn squash with chorizo? Before you let the dog help you mash the potatoes?
Ah, if only we inhabited a world where every fridge groaned under vessels of vegetables, luscious, precooked and ready to pop in the oven for a quick rewarm. On that world, it’s “Blammo!” and, suddenly, delicious dishes for the whole gang, vegans and all.
Well, freaky kids, that world is here, that time is now. Just take my hand, and I’ll lead you surefooted to the blissful shores of Advanced Preparationland.
Why you need to learn this
We hold the following truths to be self-evident:
The unwillingness of certain someones (Madge!) to lend a hand.
The inevitability of lastminute vegans.
The tendency of tasks to swell like goldfish in a koi pond till they’ve occupied every last unit of spacetime and your guests are pounding their upended forks on the table like so many death row inmates awaiting their last meal.
The solution to these problematic truths? Awesome veggie dishes, cooked beforehand and needing nothing but a quick reheat.
The steps you take
If, in fact, you are reading this sometime before the morning of Thanksgiving, first off, I salute you.
Second off, consider this: You want tasty food. And lots of it. And it’s that “lots of it” part that takes all the time.
Today, then, we’re making sure to get as much cooking done in advance as we can, so that, come Thursday, pretty much all you need to do is fire up the oven and pop in the bird.
So, looky, I’ve outlined a few idears for your veggie sides.
Shallots: Peel a heap of shallots — figure 2 to 4 per guest, depending on size. Drop them in a saucepan and cover completely with extra-virgin olive oil. Over medium heat, bring the oil to between 160 and 180 degrees Fahrenheit. (Them’s poachin’ temperatures.) Poach them, uncovered, until they’re tender as a toddler’s sleepy embrace, 10 to 15 minutes. Then cool and store, covered, oil and all, in the fridge. On T Day, just reheat over medium. Drain the oil and save it, covered in the refrigerator, to cook other dishes. Serve the shallots in a festive bowl, dusted with kosher or coarse sea salt.
Leeks: Trim and halve lengthwise 1 or 2 leeks per person. Rinse under cold water to remove any grit from between the layers. Saute in butter (or oil, o, ye watchful vegans) until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth (or vegetable for vegans) to barely cover, along with a bay leaf and a sprig of thyme, and simmer uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is mostly gone and the leeks are as tender as a lamb’s giggle. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to several days. Just before serving, reheat leeks and remaining liquid, adding more if needed, covered, over medium heat and serve immediately. Or, if there are no vegans at the table, consider sprinkling with grated Parmesan or Gruyere and running under the broiler to brown.
Cabbage: See the accompanying recipe for a great braise of red cabbage that can be made in advance and reheated just before service. Leave out the meat, and please the vegans.
Broccoli: Toss bite-size broccoli florets with olive oil, salt, pepper and, if you’re feeling naughty, crushed red pepper flakes. Roast at 400 degrees in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, turning once, until brownish and crunchy tender — about 30-ish minutes total. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat until warm in a 350-degree oven, about 10 minutes, and serve with urgency.
Cauliflower: Treat cauliflower like the broccoli above, or simmer the florets in cold water until tender as an angel’s sneeze. Vegans, beware: While it simmers, make a cheese sauce (1 ounce each flour and butter cooked together; whisk in a pint of milk, and simmer to thicken. Add grated Gruyere or cheddar to taste, and simmer to melt cheese. Mix with cooked cauliflower, and pour into a greased casserole. If you want, combine breadcrumbs with more Gruyere, and sprinkle over top, then dot with butter. Bake in a 375-degree oven until hot and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Chill for several days, then reheat in a 325-degree oven to warm, 20 to 30 minutes.