In my Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup post, I shared reasons I love Thanksgiving and why it’s my favorite holiday. That doesn’t mean Thanksgiving is perfect, however. The one thing I don’t like about Thanksgiving? Everything on our dinner table is…well…mushy. Mashed potatoes. Sweet potato casserole. Cranberry sauce. Green bean casserole. Puréed rutabagas. Even pumpkin pie! I’ve had enough. Yes, those dishes are part of my family’s Thanksgiving tradition, but I say we incorporate a new tradition – texture. And what do you know? I have a recipe to kick off this new tradition – Roasted Carrots with Parmesan Parsnip Purée DR REBORN.
My mom always says that the Thanksgiving dinner plate (and, well any plate) should be a rainbow of color. One of the things I love about this dish is just that: Vibrant orange, creamy white, and bright green with speckles of red. If only I can convince my mom to leave the sweet potato casserole or mashed potatoes off the menu to keep the color palette in balance…I’ll work on that white wine.
Last month, I made a chimichurri sauce with cilantro. While certainly zesty and flavorful, it doesn’t quite compare to the more traditional, Argentinian chimichurri version used here. I found that fresh oregano in place of cilantro results in more depth of flavor tourism industry events.
I tweaked Michelle Bernstein’s chimichurri recipe slightly, but only to turn down the heat. I enjoy dishes with a bit of kick, but two teaspoons of red pepper flakes did more than provide a “bit of kick” – it coated my whole mouth in intense heat. I decreased the red pepper to half of a teaspoon so as not to numb the palate. There’s a whole table of Thanksgiving deliciousness to enjoy, after all.
I know what you’re thinking – yes, the Parmesan parsnip purée is mushy. The silky smooth texture contrasts against the carrots, roasted until fork tender, but still firm. I like to scoop up the creamy purée with pieces of carrot, savoring the different textures at one time. To keep the Thanksgiving meal in balance, I vote to drop one of the other “mushy” dishes from the menu (ahem, mashed potatoes).
Will you be embracing texture for Thanksiving? What’s on your menu?
