Josie's Top 10 Thanksgiving recipes
Thanksgiving is a dubious holiday, but let’s eat food and celebrate our friends and family we’ve grown and built community with!
I’ve rounded up my favorite recipes to give you some last minute inspiration for your holiday menus AND so you can show Aunt Karen who’s the real boss in the kitchen this year.
Photo credit: Smitten Kitchen
I first learned to make this dish for my first friendsgiving in college and it’s held up through the test of time. While this may be a tad untraditional, how can you say no to earthy mushrooms cooked in wine and cream? Especially since this dish can be ready in 30 minutes. Serve this on toast or fancy crackers for your friends and family to start off Thanksgiving lunch, or just make a bowl to spoon over buttery scrambled eggs for a decadent post-Thanksgiving breakfast. I won’t tell anyone.
2. Roasted corn with Miso Butter
Momofuku’s roasted summer corn with miso butter, bacon, and scallions. Photo credit Momofuku Peachy Keen
Creamed corn, move over. There’s a new sheriff in town and his name is quick and easy roasted corn with miso butter. Even if your guests have only seen miso in soup before, the combination of deep earthy miso, creamy rich butter, sweet corn, smokey bacon, and gently sharp scallions will make you the star of the dinner.
3. Roast Oysters with Tomato Butter
Roasted oysters with tomato butter. Photo credit: Sam Kaplan for The New York Times. Food stylist: Suzanne Lenzer.
Be that bitch and break out the oysters for Thanksgiving dinner. Channel your inner burly fisherman from the coast of Maine while shucking ‘em. I personally like my oysters raw with the tomato butter, but I definitely see the value of roasting them in advance for slightly easier transportation. The leftover tomato butter is heavenly and can be spread on toast.
4. Million Ingredient Autumn Salad
Naomi Starkman’s Million Ingredient Autumn Salad with endives , radicchio, kale, persimmons, pomegranates, walnuts, and manchego cheese. Photo credit: The World in A Pocket
This salad is a powerhouse with different notes of tart, sweet, salty, and bitter. However, the original recipe is a bit scant on flavor so I have a few recommendations. Use a few tablespoons of lemon juice to brighten up the dressing, switch out the walnuts for candied pecans or walnuts, crumble goat cheese instead of manchego for additional tang, and roast the squash with a bit of cumin, brown sugar, and pepper.
5. Roasted Leg of Lamb with Anchovy, Garlic, and Rosemary
Zachary Zavislak for The New York Times
This one is for the turkey haters. My family loved it when I made it for Christmas last year and no one noticed the funk of the anchovies. The lamb just melted in my mouth and the gravy I made from the jus was amazing over mashed potatoes. 11 out of 10 stars.
Also I’m simultaneously terrified and seduced by this photo’s Dutch Still Life reminiscent lighting.
6. Grilled Baby Back Ribs with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
Photo credit: She Simmers 2013
In honor of my mom’s Thanksgiving dinners, I’ve included a rib recipe. We always did a Chinese-American mash up Thanksgiving with everything from turkey to braised dried oysters with black sea moss to her mouthwatering honey glazed ribs. She REFUSES to give me her recipe so I’ve found another delicious rib recipe to substitute.
Do not skimp or be scared of the amount of tequila, cilantro, and fish sauce. Trust me, you’re in good hands. She Simmers is one of my favorite food bloggers since I started cooking.
7.. Upside Down Blood Orange Cake
Photo credit: Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Whenever I eat a slice of this blood orange cake, I feel like an Sicilian contessa enjoying the fruits of her family orchard. All jokes aside, it’s just such a goddamn good cake, very autumnal, and easy to make as well. Another 11/10 stars in my book.
8. Baked Kuri Kabocha Squash and Apple Maple Pudding
Photo credit: Just Hungry 2009
This vegan squash pie is seriously good. Like fuck up my life good, search for leftovers at midnight in the fridge good. Don’t worry about the miso, it’s just enough umami to balance the sweetness of the squash, apples, and maple syrup.
9. Cinnamon Ice Cream
Cinnamon ice cream. Photo credit: David Lebovitz
Spoon cinnamon ice cream over sweet potato casserole, apple pie, pecan pie, the list goes on and on. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, don’t fear! You can follow these directions for making ice cream without a machine here
10. Leftover Turkey Ramen
The eternal question of what to do with leftover turkey is now answered! Make a stock from the turkey carcass (or just use boxed chicken stock if you’re too tired from cooking) and then add soft boiled eggs and bacon. It’s incredibly simple and delicious.