Let’s talk about the sides

Thanksgiving is two weeks from today. The turkey gets the spotlight, but the sides are where a lot of us pile our plates highest. We pulled together a few of our favorites, from a cranberry chutney with plenty of crunch to mashed potatoes with a deep mushroom flavor.

Alison's Cranberry Chutney Cranberries simmer with sugar, Cinnamon Sticks, and whole Cloves until they pop, then apple, pear, celery, raisins, and onion cook in for another fifteen minutes. Sliced almonds and lemon zest go in at the end, so there's crunch in every spoonful. It takes about half an hour and freezes well, so make extra for turkey sandwiches.

Kashmiri Curry Candied Yams These cook entirely on the stovetop, so you won't need the oven for them. You boil the yams briefly, then finish them in butter, brown sugar, orange juice, and our Kashmiri Curry, a warm blend heavy on cinnamon and cardamom. The liquid cooks down to a thin orange syrup that coats every piece. Toasted walnuts or pomegranate seeds scattered on top make the dish look as festive as it tastes.

Cascade Mushroom Mash You melt butter with Cascade Mushroom Mix, warm the milk in the same pot, and mash Yukon Golds right into it. You get a deep, savory mushroom flavor in every bite without chopping a single mushroom. Start to finish, it takes about twenty minutes.

Orange Tarragon Green Beans If green beans almondine is a regular on your table, this version adds orange and tarragon. Blanch the beans for three minutes and plunge them into ice water, then soften onion in butter and add smoked ham, Orange Tarragon, and stock. The beans go in with Provençal Seasoned Salt and chopped dried cranberries, and cook until the stock reduces to a glossy sauce. Toasted almonds and a little orange zest go on top.

Brussels Sprouts with Za'atar and Nigella Halved sprouts roast at 425°F for about twenty minutes, until they're golden brown and crisp at the edges. Slide them in when the turkey comes out to rest. Toss them with balsamic, olive oil, and Green Za'atar, a blend of herbs, sesame seeds, and tart sumac, then scatter Nigella Seed over the top for a nutty, oniony crunch. If someone at your table still holds a grudge against Brussels sprouts, these might just convert them.

Happy cooking, and don't forget to save room for pie!

 - World Spice