30 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 
30 | NOVEMBER 11 • 2021 

FOOD
RECIPES

Sassy Sides

Update your Thanksgiving menu 
with new veggie dishes.

ORANGE ROASTED 
ASPARAGUS WITH 
FRESH TARRAGON AND 
CAYENNE
Ingredients

2 pounds asparagus, tough bot-

toms trimmed (thin asparagus is 

preferable)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

¼ cup fresh orange juice

Grated peel or zest of 1 orange

Ground cayenne pepper to taste

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

3 Tbsp. fresh chopped tarragon

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. If 
the asparagus is thick, use 
a vegetable peeler to peel 

the large bottom-halves 
(the purpose is to make the 
asparagus of uniform thick-
ness). Arrange on a baking 
sheet with edges.
 Combine the oil, juice 
and zest in a small bowl 
and whisk well. Drizzle this 
mixture over the aspara-
gus. Roast the asparagus 
for 8-10 minutes (8 minutes 
for thin asparagus; 10 for 
thick) and remove from 
the oven (don’t worry if the 
asparagus does not looked 
cooked — it will continue to 
cook as it cools). Transfer 
the asparagus to a serving 
dish and season lightly 
with salt and pepper and 
cayenne and pour any pan 
juices over the asparagus. 
Sprinkle cayenne and tar-
ragon. Serve warm or at 
room temperature. Makes 6 
servings.

EASY GRAVY
This makes a velvety gravy, not 
thick or gummy. For thicker 
gravy, cook longer, whisking 
occasionally. 

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. flour

Turkey pan drippings

1 cup water, white wine or a com-

bination

1-2 cups chicken broth (canned is 

fine)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Combine flour, turkey pan 
drippings and water, white 
wine or a combo in a medi-
um saucepan over medi-
um-high heat. Whisk contin-
uously for 2 minutes. Whisk 
in 1 cup of chicken broth, 
bring to a boil and cook to 
desired consistency. Season 
to taste with salt and pepper, 
then serve. Makes 3 cups of 
gravy. 

BROWN SUGAR GINGER 
CURRY CARROTS
Ingredients

2 pounds carrots

¼ cup butter or margarine

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger root 

(peeled or not peeled)

2 Tbsp. good-quality curry powder 

(optional)

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

¼ cup brown sugar

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Peel carrots and cut diag-
onally into ¼-inch ovals. 
Transfer to a large skillet. 
Add enough water to barely 
cover the carrots. Bring the 
water to a boil over high 
heat. Reduce heat to simmer, 
cover and cook for 5 min-
utes. Drain the carrots and 
set aside.
Melt butter in the skillet 
and add ginger, curry, vine-
gar and sugar; cook, stirring 
frequently over medium heat 
until the sugar is melted. 
Add the carrots back to the 
pan and cook them, turning 
them gently with a heat-
proof spatula or spoon until 
they are well coated and 
most of the liquid has evap-
orated. Add salt and pepper 
to taste. Makes 6 servings. 

PUREED SQUASH SOUP
Serve this in teacups or “shot 
glasses” as an appetizer, if 
desired. This smooth-as-silk 
soup is so elegant and, at the 
same time, easy enough to 
make all the time. If squash 
isn’t your thing, try making the 
soup with almost any vegetable 
or root, such as carrots, sweet 
or regular potatoes, onions ... 
you name it. 
Ingredients

I

t’s Thanksgiving … soon! And it’s time to think about food! 
Of course! With the holiday so close, why not add some 
interest to your traditional meal by changing up some of the 
side dish staples. Without including mashed potatoes (be sure to 
drain potatoes well and mash them while they’re 
hot) and sweet potatoes (mash these, add a bit of 
butter or margarine, salt, pepper and top them 
with a crumbly mixture of about ½ cup each of 
melted butter, brown sugar, flour and dried oats, 
bake until bubbly and golden, in a preheated 
oven 350°F.), we’re offering some riffs on your 
green vegetable, your corn casserole and more.
This year, we may not find everything we 
want to make this holiday (even turkeys!). I’m 
optimistic they will appear in our grocer’s coolers, but if not, the 
holiday is about giving thanks, not a specific food. 

Annabel 
Cohen
Contributing writer

