4 Quick Thanksgiving Side Dishes
November 8th, 2017
Thanksgiving is fast approaching and here at The Post, we are really excited. As a restaurant, we know good food and as a bar & grill, we know how to do good food and do it fast. We also know that showing up to a Thanksgiving feast empty handed is no bueno. With such busy schedules and hectic lives these days it can be difficult to stay prepared. We’ve got you though, so we decided to compile a great recipe list that you can whip together quickly and doesn’t need to be served hot or kept cold. With most ingredients already in your cupboard take a look at these quick to make and perfect dishes to appease your “please bring a side dish” Aunt Carol.
Roasted Beets with Grapefruit and Rosemary
- 4 pounds medium beets (any color), scrubbed
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- Kosher salt
- 1 large grapefruit
- 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced into rings
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup rosemary leaves
Preheat oven to 400°. Toss beets with ¼ cup oil in a 13×9″ baking dish; season with salt. Pour in water to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Cover tightly with foil (you want steam to build up in there) and roast beets until a paring knife slips easily through flesh, 60–75 minutes.
Let beets cool, then rub off skins with paper towels. Cut beets into irregular pieces (about 2″) and transfer to a medium bowl.
Using a vegetable peeler, remove two 2″-long strips of zest from grapefruit (try not to get any of the white pith) and thinly slice zest lengthwise into strips; set aside for serving.
Cut grapefruit in half and squeeze juice over beets. Add shallots and vinegar, season generously with salt, and toss to coat. Let sit 15 minutes to allow shallots to soften slightly.
Heat ¼ cup oil in a small skillet over medium. Add rosemary and cook, stirring often, until sizzling subsides, about 15 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and let drain; season with salt.
Arrange beets on a platter; drizzle with more oil and top with fried rosemary and reserved grapefruit zest.
Do Ahead: Beets can be roasted 2 days ahead. Remove skins; cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before cutting. Rosemary can be fried 3 hours ahead. Let sit at room temperature.
Leeks in Vinaigrette with Walnuts and Tarragon
- 1 cup walnuts
- Kosher salt
- 6 large leeks, tough outer layer removed
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
- ⅓ cup coarsely chopped tarragon
- Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with oil; season with salt.
Trim root ends of leeks and 1″ from the dark green tops. Cut leeks into ½”-thick rounds (the dark green parts won’t be rounds, but that’s okay). Rinse well.
Cook leeks in a large pot of boiling salted water until meltingly tender, 12–15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry.
Whisk garlic, vinegar, and Dijon and whole grain mustards in a small bowl; season vinaigrette with salt.
Arrange leeks on a platter; drizzle with vinaigrette and let sit at least 10 minutes (the longer, the better).
Just before serving, scatter walnut mixture over leeks and top with tarragon and lots of pepper.
Do Ahead: Leeks (without walnut mixture and tarragon) can be marinated 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Turnips with Garlicky Breadcrumbs and Parmesan
- 3 pounds small or medium turnips, trimmed, peeled, cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
- Kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 lemon
- 2 cups parsley leaves with tender stems
- Grated Parmesan (for serving)
Cook turnips in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer turnips to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry. Transfer to a large bowl.
Cook garlic, panko, and 3 Tbsp. oil in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until panko is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
Zest half of lemon over turnips, then cut the lemon in half and squeeze juice over. Add parsley and half of the breadcrumbs and drizzle with oil. Season with salt; toss well.
Transfer turnips to a platter and top with Parmesan and remaining breadcrumbs.
Do Ahead: Breadcrumbs can be toasted 1 day ahead; store airtight at room temperature. Turnips can be cooked 8 hours ahead. Let cool, then cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Chile Yogurt and Mint
- 4 pounds medium sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 2½ cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 1 serrano chile, finely grated
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salts
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1½ cups mint leaves, torn if large
- Flaky sea salt
Preheat oven to 400°. Toss sweet potatoes with 2 Tbsp. oil on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast, turning halfway through, until tender, 50–60 minutes. Remove from oven; increase oven temperature to 450°. Let sweet potatoes cool slightly, then tear into large pieces (including skin)—irregular pieces look best. Spread out on the same baking sheet and roast until browned and crisp around the edges, 20–25 minutes.
Combine yogurt, chile, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a medium bowl; season with kosher salt. Coarsely crush sesame seeds on a cutting board with a flat-bottomed mug (or leave them whole).
Spread chile yogurt on a platter; top with sweet potatoes. Scatter mint, sesame seeds, and sea salt over; drizzle with oil.
Do Ahead: Sweet potatoes can be roasted 6 hours ahead. Let sit at room temperature. Reheat in a 400° oven just to warm through before serving. Chile yogurt can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
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