There are few vegetables that are not improved by grilling. Flavors intensify with browning. Many vegetables become so robust that they can easily stand in for meats as second courses. If you are looking for a meatless second dish that is light yet satisfying, a variety of grilled vegetables could be the answer. I like the touch of bitterness in grilled radicchio and Belgian endive. Other Emilia-Romagna favorites are eggplant, zucchini, peppers, onions, curly endive, and escarole. This recipe for oven and stove-top grilling stands in nicely when grilling out-of-doors is impossible.
Adapted from CookWise by Shirley O. Corriher (William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1997). Copyright 1997 by Shirley O. Corriher
These reheat well and hold in the refrigerator 2 days. Taste for seasoning before reheating.
I love this stuffing! It's warm, moist, soft, meaty, profound in flavor - all the good things. Who knew that taco shells could crumble up to make such a great dish? I do like to cook it outside the turkey, instead of inside the bird, to better control its cooking time. If you want a better flavor mingle between stuffing and bird, don't hesitate to dribble some turkey pan juices over the stuffing.
Fleshy outer escarole leaves, too tough for salad, make a delicious "what-is-this?" side dish. Slowly wilted, the sturdy leaves fall into gorgeous, satiny folds with a long, earthy, sweet flavor. Don't be tempted to use the pale escarole hearts—they usually turn brown and lack sweetness; save them for salads. Good with fish, poultry, pork, or beef.
Adapted from A New Way to Cook by Sally Schneider (Artisan, 2001). Copyright 2001 by Sally Schneider..
Every year we do our radio broadcast, Turkey Confidential, on Thanksgiving morning. Afterwards the entire crew packs up their family and come together to celebrate with our own potluck Thanksgiving dinner.
Ingredients
From Charleton House, a country house hotel in Somerset, England, comes this piquant accompaniment to robust cheddar cheeses with good age and big flavors. We like it, too, with honey-glazed ham, in Christmas turkey sandwiches, or tossed with grilled red peppers. Look for aged cheddars from Vermont, New York State, and England, but always taste before buying. Give the onions two weeks of mellowing. Make up in small crocks or canning jars for giving, or in larger ones for the family. Keeps about 8 weeks in a cool place.
Slow roasting requires rather little effort for the succulent results that are produced. It concentrates the flavor of tomatoes, leaving them intact but meltingly tender.