Serious Eats
The Crisper Whisperer: Gobble-Worthy Cruciferous Side Dishes
You may know Carolyn Cope as Umami Girl. She stops by on Tuesdays with ideas on preparing the abundance of fruits and vegetables you might get from your CSA or the market. —The Mgmt.
[Photo: Carolyn Cope]
This week's column goes out to all you brave soldiers of turkey day who volunteered to bring the vegetables. You are the true, silent heroes of the season, giving thanks but often not receiving. Sure, you could have made the stuffing to end all stuffings, or the deep-fried turkey that blew a hole through the backyard shed. You've got the mad kitchen skills to have pumped your fist in the air and headed straight to Black Friday in a blaze of glory. Maybe in your early twenties, you brought out the big guns once or twice. Maybe you reveled a little too much in the way the extended family talked about your Turducken until the following October. But you're older now, and noticeably more self-possessed.
That's right, we've noticed. But it hardly matters to you at this stage, anyway. By now you truly believe that it's what's inside that counts, and you know I don't mean a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey.
Still, though. Would it be the worst thing if the vegetables stole the show?
Yeah, I don't think so, either. That's why I've scoured the web to bring you a handful of the most luscious-looking cruciferous side dishes Thanksgiving has ever known, and why I tested this recipe for Braised Kale with Caramelized Onions, Walnuts and Blue Cheese on some unsuspecting guests last week. I served it with roast chicken alongside The Silver Palate's legendary cornbread, sausage and apple stuffing, and I am not kidding when I tell you that one of the children pushed the stuffing to the side and asked for seconds of "this stuff," pointing to the place on his plate where the kale had once been. You have to believe me, because that's not the kind of thing a person could make up, no matter how much more self-possessed she is now than she used to be.
Broccoli and Friends
- Roasted Bagna Cauda Broccoli [Food 52]
- Alice Waters' Long-Cooked Broccoli [SE]
- Dorie Greenspan's Garlicky Breadcrumb-Coated Broccoli [Bon Appetit]
- Broccoli Rabe in Lemon Cream [Food 52]
- Mark Bittman's Roasted Broccoli with Raisin Vinaigrette [Bon Appetit]
- Broccoli Rabe with Pine Nuts and Raisins [Epicurious]
- Broccoli Rabe with Lemon Butter [F&W]
Cauliflower
- Cauliflower with Brown Butter, Pears, Sage and Hazelnuts [Fine Cooking]
- Roasted Cauliflower with Gremolata Bread Crumbs [Food 52]
- John Besh's Hot, Buttered Cauliflower Purée [F&W]
Kale, Collards and Other Greens
- Bill Telepan's Black Kale with Ham, Garlic and Onion [Fine Cooking]
- Sautéed Kale with Garlic, Shallots, and Capers [Epicurious]
- Olive Oil-Braised Collards [Fine Cooking]
- Collards with Fennel and Orange Butter [F&W]
- Hearty Garlic Greens [Martha Stewart]
Turnips
- Cider-Glazed Turnips and Apples with Sage and Bacon [Fine Cooking]
- Molly Stevens' Roasted Parsnips, Turnips, and Rutabagas with Ancho-Spiced Honey Glaze [Bon Appetit]
- Caramelized Turnips and Shallots [Martha Stewart]
Brussels Sprouts
We've got you covered here.
And what about you? Do you have a show-stopping cruciferous side dish for Thanksgiving? If you do, please share it in the comments!
About the author: Carolyn Cope writes Umami Girl and manages a CSA in New Jersey.
