Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes from the City's Top Chefs

Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes from the City's Top Chefs

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We asked some of the city’s best chefs to get in the giving spirit and share their recipes for standout side dishes to bring to a Thanksgiving potluck. Ron Siegel at Michael Mina shared his Sunchoke Soup with Dungeness crab claws, carrots, and cilantro. Stuart Brioza (State Bird Provisions), Melissa Perello (Frances, Octavia), Matt Accarrino (SPQR), and Belinda Leong (B. Patisserie), round out the meal.

 

Stuart Brioza’s Sauerkraut Pancake with Pecorino & Ricotta

Serves 4

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour                                                                                        

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon salt                                                                                                     

1 egg

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup sauerkraut, chopped                                                                          

2 ounces pecorino, grated

1/4 cup ricotta            

Butter and pepper as needed                                                                                     

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg and water.

2. Sift in flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. Whisk until combined; the batter should look a little thicker than traditional pancake batter. 

4. Stir in the sauerkraut & pecorino. 

5. In a skillet over medium heat, add a little bit of butter, then place 2 tablespoons of batter in the skillet.

6. Place 1 tablespoon of ricotta in the center of the pancake. Cook for about 30 seconds, flip over, and cook until golden. Cook the first side again if needed (both sides should be golden). 

7. Place on a serving platter and top with a small piece of pecorino and some cracked black pepper. Serve immediately.

 

Melissa Perellos’s Baby Kale Salad with Fennel Agrodolce, Dates, and Crisp Shallots

Serves 6

2 duck legs, de-boned

1 medium size bulb fennel washed and trimmed

10 to 12 Medjool dates, pitted and cut or torn into large pieces (dried fruit or golden raisins can be substituted for dates)

12 ounces baby kale or any tender kale (such as Lacinato or red Russian, or both), stems removed

2 tablespoons honey, preferably a rich wildflower or clover variety

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 large shallots, peeled

1/2 cup all purpose flour

 Oil for frying (vegetable or canola)

Salt and black pepper to taste

1. Prepare the Crispy Shallots: Using a tall pot, heat enough oil to cover at least 2 1/2 to 3 inches to fry the shallots. (If you have a deep fat fryer this is easiest to use).

2. Once your oil is heated to 300 degrees, shave the shallots thinly and evenly using a mandolin.

3. Place the sliced shallots into a large bowl, season with salt, and dredge thoroughly with flour.

4. Shake any excess flour off and fry the shallots until golden. 

5. Reserve shallots until finishing the salad.

6. Warm the honey, Sherry Vinegar and Champagne Vinegar in a small pan to dissolve the honey. Reserve this Vinegar blend.

7. Brush a small skillet (a nonstick pan works easiest for this task) with a tiny bit of oil on high heat. Drop the duck legs in to the pan and turn down to medium/low heat. Render the duck legs crisp, about 7-10 minutes. Save any rendered duck fat to additionally dress the salad.

8. When cool to the touch, chop or tear them into small chunks.

9. Shave the fennel thinly using a mandoline into a large mixing bowl.

10. Add half of the Vinegar mix as well as a fair shake of salt to season.

11. Mix and then add the Kale, dates and the warm duck confit, as well as the rendered fat.

12. Toss well and adjust the seasoning to taste with additional vinegar mix, salt and pepper.

13. Plate and finish with the crispy shallots.

 

Matt Accarrino’s Fried Quince Pies 
with Truffle Honey and Aged Balsamic

Serves 8-10 (16-20 pies)

Filling

2 quince

1 small apple

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 sprig rosemary

Scant 1/3 cup sweet wine, such as Moscato

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Dough

3 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon shortening

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water

Pies

2 sprigs rosemary, stemmed

1 egg

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon chopped black truffle, fresh or canned

1 teaspoon truffle oil

kosher salt

blended oil for frying (a mixture of 80 percent vegetable oil and 20 percent olive oil)

1 sprig sage, stemmed

confectioner’s sugar

aged balsamic vinegar

1. To make the filling: Peel, core, and dice the quince, removing the fibrous white membrane in the center.

2. Peel, core, and dice the apple.

3. Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until it bubbles and starts to brown.

4. Stir in the quince and apple and cook until the fruit begins to soften, about 5 minutes.

5. Stir in the rosemary sprig and continue to simmer.

6. In a small bowl, whisk together the wine and the cornstarch.

7. Whisk the mixture into the fruit, followed by the sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

8. Continue to simmer on medium to medium-low heat until the fruit is soft but still has texture, about 8 minutes.

9. Cool to room temperature and remove the rosemary sprig. You should have about 1 1/4 cups of filling. Refrigerate until needed.

10. To make the dough: In a food processor, pulse together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

11. Pulse in the butter and shortening until the fats form pea-sized pieces.

12. Add the egg and the water.

13. The dough will look crumbly, but should start to come together when kneaded on a lightly floured work surface.

14. Form the dough into an 8-inch disk and cover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

15. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a large sheet about 1/8-inch thick.

16. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter, punch the dough into rounds.

17. Gather the remaining trimmings and roll out again to make more rounds. You should have 16 to 20 rounds.

18. Blend the egg and a splash of water to make an egg wash.

19. To shape each pie, place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of a round and embed with a couple of rosemary leaves.

20. Brush the edges with an egg wash and fold the dough over to form a half-moon. Press the edges together to seal.

21. With a skewer, punch a hole in the center of each pie to let the steam escape.

22. Place the pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover in plastic wrap, and freeze until ready to fry, at least 1 hour.

23. In a small bowl, mix together the honey, truffle, truffle oil, and a pinch of salt.

24. In a large, wide pot, heat about 
3 inches of oil to 360°F.

25. Fry the remaining rosemary and sage until the leaves become crisp, about 20 seconds. Drain the leaves on a paper towel–lined plate.

26. Using a skimmer or slotted spoon carefully lower the pies into the oil in batches. Fry until golden on all sides, 3 to 
5 minutes.

27. Drain the pies on paper towels and season with a pinch of salt.

28. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve, drizzling the tops of the pies with truffle honey and a scattering of crushed fried herbs. Finish with dots of balsamic vinegar.

 

Belinda Leong’s Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Serves 8-10

4 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 croissants, day-old and cut into 1-inch squares

4 ounces pumpkin puree

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, beat eggs with a whisk.

3. Add the liquids, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and salt.  

4. Dip the croissant squares in the mixture and place it into a 9x9-inch baking dish, making sure not to press or pack in the pieces.

5. Pour remaining liquid over top.

6. Wrap the entire dish in plastic wrap, then cover entirely with aluminum foil.

7. Bake for approximately 45 minutes.

8. Check the pudding after 30 minutes to make sure it is cooking evenly and rotate.

9. When the pudding is ready, it will puff and a knife will come out clean.

10. Serve it warm with creme anglais (recipe below).

 

Creme Anglais

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup milk

1/8 cup granulated sugar

3 egg yolks

1/4 vanilla bean, scraped

Pinch of salt

1. In medium saucepan, scald milk with cream, vanilla, and sugar.

2. Temper with the egg yolks and return to low-medium heat and thicken until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon.

3. Add the salt.

4. Strain through a fine sieve.

5. Pour on top of the bread pudding and serve. 

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