Interesting and Delightful Christmas Side Dishes

by Charles Duke

Most of the Christmas dinner plate will be filled with side dishes. We recommend using interesting ingredients to take the sides from mundane to truly delightful. Black truffles, wild mushrooms, wild rice, and  blood oranges are some of our suggestions. 

Christmas Stuffing with Bacon (8-10 servings)

From the Food Network; Giada De Laurentiis

8 Ounces Pork Jowl bacon (Find Here)

4 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth

3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1 1/4 cups short-grain brown rice

1 1/4 cups wild rice (Find Here)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

One 14-ounce bag frozen pearl onions, thawed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces Wild Matsutake mushrooms, thinly sliced (Find Here)

8 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced

1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked, coarsely chopped, optional

 

  1. Render the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain the bacon on paper towels.
  2. In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, bring the broth and thyme to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the brown and wild rice. Cover the saucepan and simmer until the rice is tender but still chewy, around 30 minutes. Allow the rice to stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
  3. In the same skillet used to cook the bacon, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until light golden. Add the mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until softened. Add the Brussels sprouts and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
  4. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the saucepan of cooked rice. Add the hazelnuts (if desired) and cooked bacon. Toss until all the ingredients are mixed. Transfer to a large bowl and serve.

To toast the hazelnuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven until lightly toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely before using.

 Tagliatelle with Black Truffle Cream Sauce (6 Servings)

From Saveur

 

1 (1-oz.) black truffle, preferably from Oregon (Find Here)
3 cups heavy cream
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 oz. chanterelle mushrooms, halved (Find Here)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. minced thyme
1 lb. dried tagliatelle
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1⁄3 cup grated parmesan
1⁄4 tsp. dried lavender
3 oz. watercress, trimmed
Grated Pecorino Romano, for garnish
1.  Mince one-third of truffle; stir into cream. Cover and chill 6 hours.
2.  Melt butter in a 12" skillet over medium-high. Cook mushrooms and garlic until golden, 6-8 minutes. Add wine and thyme; cook 8 minutes. Add reserved truffle cream; simmer until thickened, 10-12 minutes. Cook tagliatelle in salted boiling water until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain pasta; add to skillet. Add parmesan, lavender, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Garnish with watercress and Pecorino Romano; shave remaining truffle over the top.

Yorkshire Pudding (6 Servings)

 

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup pan drippings from roast prime rib of beef

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. Sift together the flour and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat together the eggs and milk until light and foamy. Stir in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Pour the drippings into a 9-inch pie pan, cast iron skillet, or square baking dish. Put the pan in oven and get the drippings smoking hot. Carefully take the pan out of the oven and pour in the batter. Put the pan back in oven and cook until puffed and dry, 15 to 20 minutes.

Potato Gratin with Black Truffle (8-10 Servings)

2 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes

3 cups Heavy Cream

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/4 Tsp grated nutmeg

1 Tsp kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup grated aged Gruyere cheese

2 oz. fresh black oregon truffle, divided (Find Here)

 

  1. Four hours prior to assembling the dish, finely mince 1 oz. black truffle into the 3 cups of cream and refrigerate.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 F. Butter bottom and sides of gratin dish or other 9 X 13 baking dish.
  3. Peel potatoes and submerge in cold water to prevent discoloration.
  4. Bring truffle infused cream to boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, Stir in the Parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
  5. Slice potatoes 1/8 inch thick. In a large bowl, gently mix potato slices and warm cream mixture (leaving a quarter cup for the following step) until evenly covered. Transfer to the buttered baking dish spreading them in an even layer.
  6. Grate 1/2 oz. black truffle over potatoes and pour remaining sauce over all of it. Sprinkle with the Gruyere cheese.
  7. Bake in the oven until the top is a deep golden brown and potatoes are tender - about one hour. Let cool slightly about 15 minutes
  8. Plate potatoes and garnish with freshly shaved black truffle.

Blood Orange and Green Bean Salad (serves 8)

2 pounds thin green beans

6 large blood oranges (Find Here)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon honey
  1. Blanch green beans. Cook in boiling salted water until bright green and al dente - about 5 minutes - and immediately plunge drained beans into a bowl of ice water. Drain and dry beans.
  2. Peel 4 of the oranges with a sharp knife - removing all of the white pith. Working over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to release sections into the bowl. Zest one of the remaining oranges and juice both of them. Put juice, vinegar and honey into saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until reduced to a syrup - about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
  3. Transfer the beans and orange sections to a platter and drizzle the syrup on top. Garnish with the orange zest and serve.

Butternut Squash Salad with Roasted Brussels sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries (Serves 6)

From Julia's Album November 18, 2018
Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
  • 3 cups Brussels sprouts ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt to taste
Roasted Butternut Squash:
  • 1 1/2 lb butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (Yields about 4 cups of uncooked cubed butternut squash)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Other Ingredients:
  • 2 cups pecan halves
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup optional

Roasted Brussels Sprouts:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.  Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

  2. Trim ends of Brussels sprouts  and remove yellow leaves. 

  3. Then, slice all Brussels sprouts in half. 

  4. In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine. 

  5. Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened.

Roasted Butternut Squash:

  1.  Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix.
  3. Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.

  4. Note: You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven.

     Toast pecans in the preheated oven at 350 F

    1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

    2. Toast the pecans for about 5 minutes (maybe a bit longer) in the preheated oven at 350 F until they get darker in color.  

    3. Note: pecans burn really fast, so make sure to check the nuts after 5 minutes and frequently afterwords. 

     

    Assembly:

    1. In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine. 

    2. (OPTIONAL): For more sweetness, add 2 or 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, if desired – do not add all maple syrup at once, start with 2 tablespoons, then add more, if desired, and toss with the salad ingredients to combine.

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