your thanksgiving menu pt. 2

potatoes 2 ways n' a salad for good measure

And so the menu continues! Because if we’ve covered one thing in Part 1 of our thanksgiving menu (linked here) - it’s that we’re gonna eat. And we’re gonna eat gooood. In Part 1 we’ve covered recipes for:

• Whipped Goat Cheese Figs

• Prosciutto Wrapped Brie Dates

• Cornflake Crust Mac ‘n Cheese

• Garlic Confit aka Thanksgiving Liquid Gold

• Apple Pie Baklava (yeaaaah, we’re all excited about this one)

I’m sending this in lieu of Sunday’s newsletter so you have time to test recipes over the weekend and bring them to your friendsgiving. And I’ll post Part 3 tomorrow morning for my paid subscribers with recipes for:

• Crissspay Brussel Sprouts

• Whipped Brie Pear Crackers

• Potato Leek Au Gratin

• perhaps 1 or 2 more surprises :*

So if you want to get those, be sure to subscribe ‘n stick around!

Okay, let’s get into today’s menu:

Big Fat Radicchio Salad

If you saw my video on this salad, you know how I feel about a thanksgiving salad. And well, spoiler: it’s vital. Sometimes you just need a little break from the carbs and gravy and a crisp cup of veg is whatchya need. I love tearing the radicchio into large cups so you can easily use your hands if you so wish, or use a fork and knife like a civilized human.

serves about 4:

• 1 small head of radicchio

• 1/2 bosc pear (asian pear or even apple would work too), mandolined or cut into very thin halves

• 1/2 bulb of fennel, halved, and mandolined or cut into thin slices

• handful of castelevtrano olives, crushed and halved

• 1/4 small shallot, minced

• splash of olive brine

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 3 tbsp good quality olive oil 

• squeeze of an orange wedge

• lil squeeze of honey

• salt + pepper to taste

• 2 anchovies packed in olive oil (I use my fave from fishwife)

• 1/4 cup of crushed pistachios (preferably salted) + pecorino for excessive garnishing

1. Combine minced shallots with anchovies on a cutting board and continue mincing until an almost paste like mixture forms. Add to a small bowl along with the vinegar, oil, orange squeeze, olive brine, honey, freshly cracked black pepper and salt (very light handed because the anchovies are salty af) Mix vigorously until combined and taste. It should taste perfectly balanced with a little punch! Set aside for 5-10 minutes for the flavors to sit.

2. Tear the outer wilty radicchio leaves off and discard. Continue peeling back each leaf, tearing large ones in half if they are way too big. The goal is to get “1-2 bite” sized cups. In a medium bowl, toss radicchio cups with about 1/4 of the dressing or enough just to coat each leaf evenly. I like doing this so each radicchio cup has the perfect amount of dressing and no mixing is needed.

3. To assemble: Arrange half of the radicchio leaves across a large serving plate, top with 1/2 of the pear, fennel, olives, half of the pistachio crumbs, and a drizzle of the vinaigrette and black pepper. Repeat this with more radicchio, pear, fennel, vinaigrette. Finish with more crumbled pistachios, orange zest, lots of shaved pecorino and black pepper.

4. Make ahead: Best made before serving but I did refrigerate it for 2 hours and it was still pretty crisp and delicious! You can always layer and assemble the entire salad in a shallow bowl, cover in plastic wrap and just drizzle the vinaigrette atop the entire salad if need be.

Garlic Confit Mash

Keep it simple, keep it classic. This isn’t the time for spices and baking and broiling. But if you must add something, garlic confit never hurt anybody. And don’t skip the sour cream!!! I don’t believe in potato ricers, instead I much prefer using this thang for floofy slightly lumpy potatoes.

serves about 4 (I think 1/2 lb of potatoes per person is a good bet)

• 4 tbsp of garlic confit (about 1-2 heads of garlic), pureed with a fork

• 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered (unless you have ginormous potatoes, then cut into evenly sized large chunks)

• 1/3-1/2 cup milk (add as you go)

• 1 very heaping spoonful of sour cream

• salt, lots of it

• 1 bay leaf

• 5 tbsp butter, cut into chunks

1. Add potatoes and 1 tbsp salt to a pot with cold water covering them by about 1”. Boil for about 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fully fork tender, your fork should slide through with extreme ease.

2. In the meantime, add milk, bay leaf and 3 tbsp of garlic confit puree to a small saucepan. Gently heat for about 5 minutes so the milk infuses flavor - do not boil. Remove bay leaf when done.

3. Once the potatoes are done, drain very well then add back to the pot, setting over low heat to evaporate any remaining water. Immediately start mashing the steaming hot potatoes until all chunks are just broken down. Add the butter chunks and slowly pour in the milk a little bit at a time, gently mashing as you go. Potatoes absorb liquid differently all the time, so just keep an eye for the texture you like best, for me 1/2 cup was perfect. The sour cream will also loosen them further, so be mindful of that. Don’t over mash or they will become gloopy. Taste for salt, and add as needed.

4. FLUFF TIME: Add the last tbsp of garlic confit and the sour cream dollop to the mashed potatoes. Using an offset spatula, FOLD into the potatoes just until incorporated. Magic, it just takes those potatoes from an 8 to a 100. Don’t skip the sour cream.

Best MF Sweet Potatoes You’ll Ever Have

Someone asked me how I get my sweet potatoes so ~perfectly~ roasted, and I’ll tell you the secret. Larger chunks + parchment paper. The large chunks allow you to cook them long enough so the surface gets brown and gorgeous, while the centers are so perfectly soft and buttery. Parchment always gets me a good brown too so try it!

serves about 4-6

• 3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 3/4” half moons

• 1/4 cup heavy cream 

• 5 oz goat cheese, room temperature

• 4 tbsp butter

• 1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped (can sub pumpkin seeds, pistachios or hazelnuts if you like)

• 3 sage leaves

• dash of cinnamon

• 1/2-1 tsp ancho chili powder or aleppo pepper, depending on your heat tolerance (see note)

• 1/2 tsp maple syrup

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

1. To make the sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add sweet potatoes. Season with salt and drizzle with enough olive oil to just nicely coat each piece, but not have them drowning in oil (they won’t brown as nice with too much) Bake on the low rack of the oven for about 40-45 minutes, monitoring them halfway through and flipping when the bottom side is golden and brown. This will take time, just let them do their thing.

2. For the goat cheese: To a food processor, add the goat cheese, heavy cream, small pinch of salt and blitz for 10 seconds until fluffy. Scrape the sides to ensure everything is evenly fluffy. Blitz for a few more seconds until airy, smooth and a nice spreadable consistency.

3. For the brown butter: In a small pan, melt butter on medium heat. Once slightly bubbling, add sage, spices, small pinch of salt and crushed garlic. Continue to cook until the butter begins to foam and turn slightly golden. Add crushed walnuts and maple syrup. Saute until the butter has nicely browned, the walnuts are slightly roasted and everything smells nutty, about 1 minute. Be careful not to burn, it happens quick!!!! Remove from heat immediately and transfer to a bowl if not using right away to stop it from cooking.

4. To assemble: Dollop whipped goat cheese on a large serving dish and evenly spread it out with an offset spatula or spoon. Top with your warm sweet potatoes, and drizzle with some brown butter + nuts across everything. Garnish with the crisped sage leaves + a sprinkle more of chili. Enjoy warm!

5. To make ahead: Make the brown butter and whipped goat cheese ahead of time and store in the fridge. Give the goat cheese a good mix before use and reheat butter in microwave or stovetop until hot.

**cayenne could work in a pinch, but I was today years old when I found out chili powder is a mix of garlic powder, cumin, paprika, garlic and more!??! I wouldn’t recommend it in this, plus ancho chili is an amazing spice with so much depth, to have on hand - easily find it in your grocery spice section!

If you’re testing these recipes before, well get to it! And if you make anything, tag me! I love to see it <3333

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