Cooking In The Kitchen: Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Heide Lang, owner of the Fig Cooking School, shows off some great Thanksgiving side dishes.

Roasted Autumn Vegetables with Gremolata, serves 8-10.

This is a fabulous do-ahead dish. Both the vegetables and gremolata topping can be made the day before Thanksgiving and then combined just before you are ready to serve.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pecans
• 1 pound carrots peeled and halved lengthwise
• 1 pound parsnips peeled and halved lengthwise
• 1 ½ pounds butternut squash cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
• 1 ¼ pounds Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved if large
• 4 large shallots (or 6 small ones) peeled and quartered
• 11 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 3-4 garlic cloves finely minced

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and roast pecans for 6 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
2. Increase the temperature of the oven to 400 degrees.
3. Cut the parsnips and carrots crosswise in 2-inch pieces.
4. Prepare two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper (preferable so veggies don’t stick) or aluminum foil.
5. Place the carrots, parsnips and brussel sprouts on one cookie sheet, and the butternut squash and shallots on the other, but do not mix any of the vegetables on either sheet together. Keep, each vegetable separate because they are likely to cook at different lengths of time and you may need to take some out sooner than others.
6. Toss the carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, brussel sprouts, and shallots each with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
7. Season all of the vegetables generously with salt and pepper.
8. Place both pans of vegetables in the oven at the same time and cook until the vegetables are tender. The brussel sprouts are likely be ready in about 20 minutes, with the carrots and other vegetables taking 45 minutes or longer.
9. Place the vegetables on a platter and let cool to room temperature.
10. For the gremolata, chop the pecans in a chopper or a small food processor using the pulse button until they are coarsely ground. Transfer to a medium size bowl. Stir in the grated cheese, parsley, lemon juice, lemon and orange zests, garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix well.
11. Sprinkle gremolata over vegetables and mix well so the topping is well incorporated. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Visit www.FigCookingSchool.com and  http://roadhomeculinary.com/  for more.