Roasted Rutabaga & Pears with Browned Butter, Honey & Rosemary

I considered making this side dish as part of our Thanksgiving feast but was unsure if the bag of root vegetables I received in my CSA share contained rutabagas or turnips! I didn’t want to take the risk. 😉

The interior of a rutabaga is a creamy yellowish-orange versus a turnip which is very white inside. Rutabagas are also much more mild and sweet in flavor compared to a turnip which can be spicy like a radish.

This recipe was adapted from 177MilkStreet.com, contributed by Rose Hattabaugh. I modified the method and proportions. I loved the combination of the starchy caramelized roasted rutabagas with the sweet pears and browned butter. Very nice.

Yield: Serves 8

• 6 T salted butter, divided
• 1 1/2 T minced fresh rosemary, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 1/4 pounds rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 ripe but firm Bosc pears (about 1 pound), unpeeled, quartered, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 T honey
• 2 tsp sherry vinegar OR cider vinegar OR white wine vinegar

1. Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. (I set my oven to convection roast.) Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small saucepan over medium, melt the butter; remove from the heat and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 3 tablespoons of melted butter.
4. Add the rutabaga and toss to coat, then distribute in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet; reserve the bowl.
5. Roast the rutabaga for 15 minutes on convection or up to 20 minutes in a standard oven.
6. Meanwhile, in the same bowl, toss the pears with 1 tablespoon of the remaining melted butter; set aside.
7. Set the pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter over medium and cook the butter, occasionally swirling the pan, until the milk solids at the bottom are golden brown and the butter has a nutty aroma, about 1 minute.
8. Off heat, whisk in the remaining 1/2 tablespoon chopped rosemary, the honey, vinegar and generous 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; transfer to a heat proof bowl, cover and set aside.
9. When the rutabaga has roasted for 20 minutes, add the pears to the baking sheet and toss to combine with the rutabaga. Roast until a skewer inserted into the rutabaga and pears meets no resistance and the rutabaga is well browned, 10 to 12 minutes; stir once about halfway through.
10. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, immediately drizzle the rutabaga and pears with the browned butter mixture and toss to coat.
11. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a serving dish. (I sprinkled fine sea salt over the top of the dish.)

Nutmeg-Maple Custard Pie

Pie is the most important part of the Thanksgiving feast. I added this wonderful pie onto the menu in addition to our traditional apple and pumpkin pies. It may have to be a new tradition. 😉 Everyone tried a very small slice of each! Perfect.

The creamy nutmeg-maple filling was absolutely amazing. The crust was flaky and fabulous as well. We loved it!

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I modified the pie crust. I made the par-baked crust two days in advance and baked the pie one day before Thanksgiving, refrigerating the pie overnight and bringing it to room temperature before serving.

Using extra pie crust from my apple pie, I cut out maple leaves and baked them to use as decoration on top of the finished pie. Nice.

Yield: One 9-inch pie, about 8 servings

For the Crust:

• 150 g (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water, as needed

1. In a food processor, pulse together the flour and salt.
2. Add butter and pulse until the mixture forms blueberry-sized pieces.
3. Slowly add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the dough just comes together. It should be moist, but not wet.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Flatten into a disk with the heel of your hand. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection.
6. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a 13-inch round a scant 1/4 inch thick. (I rolled it out on a floured silicone pastry mat to about 1/8-inch thick.)
7. Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie dish (I used a pottery pie dish). Fold the dough under itself and crimp decoratively. Refrigerate the pie shell for 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Crumple up a large sheet of parchment paper (this is a trick to allow it to fit more snugly in the pie dish). Line the pie shell with the parchment paper and then foil; fill with pie weights or dried beans.
9. Place on a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake in the center of the oven until nearly set, about 20 to 25 minutes.
10. Remove the foil and weights, discard the parchment, and bake until the crust is pale golden, about 10 minutes longer. Let cool completely. (I pre-baked the pie crust one day in advance.)

For the Pie Filling:

• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 pre-baked 9-inch pie crust (recipe above)
• whipped cream, for serving, optional
• decorative pre-baked pie crust shapes, optional

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. (I set my oven to true convection.)
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and egg. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce maple syrup by a quarter, 5 to 7 minutes. (It will boil vigorously- so use a tall pot and stir constantly.)
4. Stir in cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
5. Whisking constantly, slowly add cream mixture to eggs.
6. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl with a pouring spout.
7. Stir in salt, nutmeg and vanilla.
8. Place pie dish on a parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheet and pour filling into crust. Cover the edge of the pie crust with foil (or equivalent) to prevent over-browning.
9. Bake until pie is firm to touch but jiggles slightly when moved, 45 to 50 minutes on convection, or about 1 hour in a standard oven.
10. Let cool to room temperature before serving. Store in the refrigerator if making ahead of time; bring to room temperature before serving.

To Make (Optional) Pie Crust Topping/Decorations:

• extra pie crust, rolled 1/4-inch to 1/8-inch thick
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

1. Using extra 1/8-inch thick pie crust (I used some from my apple pie), cut into desired shapes. I cut mine into small maple leaves.
2. Chill cut shapes on a piece of parchment paper for 10 minutes in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Remove from refrigerator and place the parchment paper on a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Brust the top of each shape with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 oven, preferably on convection, for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Maple-Gochujang Brown Butter

I need to have guests present to serve Brussels sprouts in my house because there are not many fans in my immediate family. They are always part of my Thanksgiving meal! I served them with roasted rainbow carrots and roasted cauliflower and chickpeas with mustard viniagrette.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Peter Som. I modified the method and proportions. The sauce was amazing!

The original recipe notes that if you can’t find gochujang, Sriracha can be substituted, to taste.

Yield: 4 to 6 Servings

• 1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts (from 1 stalk), trimmed, halved if large
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional) (I omitted them)
• 3 T unsalted butter
• 2 T gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
• 1 T pure maple syrup
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, divided
• zest of half a lemon
• Flaky sea salt

1. Set a rimmed baking sheet in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 500°. I set my oven to convection roast.
2. Toss brussels sprouts with oil in a large bowl to coat; season with kosher salt and pepper. Carefully (baking sheet will be hot!) spread out in a single layer; reserve bowl.
3. Roast until brussels sprouts are charred in spots and tender, 12 minutes in a convection oven or up to 16–18 minutes in a standard oven.
4. Meanwhile, if using walnuts, toast in a dry medium skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool.
5. Cook butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling occasionally, until milk solids are a deep amber color and butter smells very nutty, 5–8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in gochujang and maple syrup. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
6. Combine Brussels sprouts, half of walnuts (if using), and half of scallions in reserved bowl; add brown butter mixture and toss to coat.
7. Transfer to a platter or serving bowl and scatter (remaining walnuts) and scallions over the top.
8. Finely grate lemon zest on top; sprinkle with sea salt. (I used Fleur de Sel.)

Thanksgiving Menu 2022

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

For the first time, we didn’t have overnight guests for the holiday. My mom moved to New York! 🙂 Our family joined us for the day and we ate our feast in the early afternoon. Because of the time of day, we had to forgo a festive cocktail- I am planning to incorporate it into our Christmas feast!

I made many tried and true dishes. My son noted that we may almost have our perfect menu. ❤ I added a new Brussels sprouts dish (delicious) and an additional pie, Nutmeg-Maple Custard, which will most certainly be included in the menu next year.

I document our menu to help me in the future. I included the preparation timeline as well because it was relatively stress-free this year. I hope that some of this is helpful for others! 🙂

Menu:

Appetizers:

• green grapes
• sourdough baguette and brie
• mixed nuts
• Turkey Bread, photo below (from the ciabatta used to roast the turkey upside-down)

Dinner:

• Herb-Roasted Turkey with Wild Mushroom Gravy (upside-down)
• Cornbread Dressing with Bacon and Sage
• Cranberry Relish with Apple Cider
• Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Spoon Bread (gluten-free version)
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Maple-Gochujang Brown Butter
• Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpeas with Mustard Vinaigrette x2
• Roasted Rainbow Carrots (4 pounds)
• Nutmeg-Maple Custard Pie
• Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with optional whipped cream
• Brown-Butter & Vanilla Bean Apple Pie with optional whipped cream

Leftover Dishes:

• Turkey Stock
• Sweet Potato Biscuits
• Turkey Corn Chowder
• Roasted Rutabaga & Pears with Browned Butter, Honey & Rosemary

Schedule:

Four to Five Days Before:

• list and grocery shopping

Three Days Before:

• make Cranberry Relish
• decorate and clean house

Two Days Before:

• make, chill, roll, chill, and par-bake Pie Crusts
• bake Skillet Cornbread for Stuffing
• bake sweet potatoes for Spoon Bread & Biscuits

One Day Before:

• plan serving pieces, china, and linens
• prep Vegetables
• bake Pies
• assemble Stuffing
• make Mashed Potatoes
• purchase Sourdough Baguette

Thanksgiving Day:

• set table
• bake Stuffing
• purée and bake Spoon Bread
• Roast Turkey (we roasted a 14.5 lb turkey for a little over 2 hours- until thigh=165 degrees)
• roast Vegetables (and make sauces)
• re-heat Mashed Potatoes
• make Gravy (we made half the recipe because we had a smaller turkey- mistake!)

Ruffled Pumpkin Milk Pie

This pie is an autumn version of a classic Greek milk pie, or galatopita. I already have my eye on a summer version. 😉 It was very pretty and elegant. The pumpkin flavor was understated.

This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart’s Fruit Desserts: 100+ Ways to Savor the Best of Every Season via MarthaStewart.com. I baked the pie in a ceramic baking dish and modified the method. I served it as one of our Thanksgiving desserts this year. I made the pie a day in advance and refrigerated it overnight.

According to the original recipe, clarified butter or ghee is used in lieu of melted butter to eliminate the chance of pockets of moisture in the finished pie.

Yield: Serves 8

• 8 T (1/2 cup) clarified butter or ghee, melted
• 14 to 18 sheets store-bought phyllo (each 14 by 18 inches), thawed if frozen
• 6 large eggs
• 3/4 cup pure pumpkin purée
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground cardamom, sifted (I ground 8 pods)
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, preferably on convection.
2. Lightly brush a 9 or 10-inch round cake pan with clarified butter. Line pan with a 13-inch parchment round; brush parchment. (I used a ceramic baking dish so I omitted the parchment paper.)
3. Place 1 phyllo sheet on a work surface, with one long side parallel to edge. Lightly brush phyllo with clarified butter.
4. Using your hands, loosely ruffle phyllo by pushing long sides toward each other to create a long accordion shape, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches tall. Place upright in center of prepared cake pan, folding around to create a spiral. Repeat process with remaining sheets, continuing spiral outward until bottom of pan is covered.
5. Brush remaining clarified butter over tops of phyllo ruffles in pan.
6. Place the cake pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 22 minutes on convection or up to 25 to 30 minutes in a standard oven.
7. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool while making filling (leave the oven on).
8. In a large bowl with a spout, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, milk, cream, granulated sugar, vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
9. Gradually pour the egg mixture over baked phyllo, evenly covering surface.
10. Return pan to oven and bake until filling is set, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
11. Use parchment to lift pie out of pan; carefully remove parchment and transfer pie to a platter. (I served the pie in my ceramic baking dish.)
12. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Brussels & Broccoli Agrodolce with Cranberries & Chilies

This is a simple and elegant vegetable side dish that I served as part of our Thanksgiving feast this year. It was easy to prepare while the turkey was resting after being removed from the oven. The dried cranberries and fresh chilies added contrasting color and flavor. Nice.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Ann Taylor Pittman. I substituted Shishito chilies for Fresno. I also modified the method. I wish that I had doubled the recipe! Next time. 🙂

Yield: Serves 6 as a side dish

• 1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts (about 3 cups), halved lengthwise 
• 6 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 14 ounces) 
• 5 T avocado oil or canola oil, divided 
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided 
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot 
• 4 Shishito chiles or 1 medium-size fresh red Fresno chile (about 1/2 ounce), thinly sliced 
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed 
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 
• 4 T (1/4 cup) honey 
• 1 dried bay leaf 
• 1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries

1. Place a rimmed sheet pan in the oven. Preheat oven to 425 on convection or to 450°F. Leave baking sheet in oven as it preheats. (I set my oven to convection roast.) 
2. Place Brussels sprouts and broccoli in a large bowl; drizzle with 4 tablespoons of oil, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Toss well to coat.
3. Carefully remove hot baking sheet from oven.
4. Add Brussels sprout mixture to baking sheet; spread in an even layer.
5. Roast in preheated oven until vegetables are tender and browned and broccoli tops are frizzled and almost burned, 15 to 18 minutes. 
6. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small saucepan over medium. Add shallot, Fresno chile, and coriander; cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot starts to soften, about 3 minutes.
7. Stir in vinegar, honey, bay leaf, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium.
8. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly syrupy, 6 to 8 minutes.
9. Stir in cranberries; cook, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have plumped slightly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf. 
10. Place roasted vegetables in a large bowl; add cranberry mixture, and toss to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature.  

Buttermilk Cornbread Dressing with Italian Sausage

I loved that this recipe used buttermilk to moisten the stuffing- in addition to the more typical stock and butter. The sausage was not overpowering in the finished dish but added great flavor. I used locally made sweet Italian sausage with fennel seeds- perfect.

This recipe was adapted from the New York Times, contributed by Yewande Komolafe. The sausage could be omitted for a vegetarian version. The original recipe notes that if store-bought or boxed mix cornbread is used, it should be crumbled and and spread out on a sheet pan to dry for 4 to 12 hours prior to assembling the dish. I made the accompanying cornbread recipe, which does not require drying time, two days prior to making the dish.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

For the Cornbread:

• 8 T/115 grams/1 stick unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing the pan
• 1 1/2 cups/250 g medium-coarse yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup/114 g all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup/55 g granulated sugar
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups/470 milliliters buttermilk, preferably full-fat (I used low-fat)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Dressing:

• 3 T unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
• 1 T neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola, plus more if needed
• 1 pound loose pork sausage (I used sweet Italian sausage)
• 1 large yellow onion, very finely chopped (2 cups)
• 4 celery ribs, very finely chopped (2 cups)
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 T chopped fresh sage (from 10 large leaves)
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 recipe cornbread for dressing, broken into 1-inch pieces, or 10 cups loosely packed cornbread
• 1 1/2 cups chicken, turkey or vegetable stock
• 1 cup buttermilk, preferably full-fat (I used low-fat)

To Make the Cornbread:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch skillet, preferably cast-iron, and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. (I weighed the dry ingredients when possible.)
4. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk and eggs. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir until incorporated.
5. Fold in the melted butter.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared skillet and smooth the top.
7. Bake until the top is lightly browned and the sides pull away cleanly from the skillet, about 25 to 30 minutes.
8. Cool completely and serve warm or room temperature, or reserve to make cornbread dressing.

To Assemble & Bake the Dressing:

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees, preferably on convection. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium and pour in the oil.
3. Add the sausage and cook, using a wooden spoon to break it into small pieces, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
4. Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate, keeping any fat in the skillet. Add a few additional tablespoons oil if needed to evenly coat the bottom.
5. Add the onion and celery to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes.
6. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, fennel seeds and sage, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
7. Return the cooked sausage to the skillet and stir to incorporate. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, add the cornbread pieces and toss to combine.
9. Pour in the stock and buttermilk, and stir until well mixed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
10. Transfer the cornbread mixture to your prepared dish and spread evenly.
11. Drizzle the melted butter over the top.
12. Cover the dish with foil and bake until heated through, 30 to 35 minutes.
13. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees, remove the foil and bake until the surface is golden brown in spots, 15 to 20 minutes.
14. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving warm.