Creamed Onions * Stuffing * Cranberry Sauce

Let’s do this a little differently

With the weather so warm this autumn, little have our thoughts drifted to the upcoming holidays. But alas, they are upon us! and we turn our attention to the busy times ahead, especially to the gatherings and meals to be planned, and I love the planning part!

There are some traditions at the holidays that cannot be altered, especially at Thanksgiving. The turkey, of course, mounds of mashed potatoes and pools of gravy, and in my family, everyone has their favorite pie that has to be on the dessert table. Sometimes the sides are the favorite dishes.

While many of us in the family have turned away from meat, even we become quickly glued to our own favorites. Additionally, some of us have dietary restrictions. Our gatherings include vegetarians, dairy- and meat-free, gluten-free, and, sadly, two severe nut allergies. We also have allergies to tree fruits, eggplant, cranberries. Not everything can be made to please everyone, but we create options for all.

            I often fiddle with the sides, even the ones that could please everyone. The reactions from family have been mixed. I won’t go into the details of the “Tofurky” event (don’t do it, there are way too many better vegetarian options), but enough to say that even with a lot of doctoring, it was not a culinary day of glory.

But making the same side dishes year after year can be boring for the cook! A few years ago, I recreated my favorite creamed onions, mostly because they were not on the top of the list of family favorite sides; I wouldn’t ruffle too many feathers. I love these onions, as did my mother, and my grandson as well. But most of the rest passed them by for the more enticing offerings, there being only so much room on the plate!

Creamed Onions Redux

My mom’s recipe was simple. A white sauce made from a roux of flour and butter and warmed half-and-half, and a touch of nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add the cooked pearl onions, and serve. That was it. Not too exciting, but you really had to like onions to appreciate this.

I wanted more people to love them, and in my family, that usually means cheese. I added a little Cheddar to the white sauce, a bit of Dijon mustard, and topped it all with a little more cheese mixed with breadcrumbs. A little trip under the broiler, and it was browned and bubbly.

Everyone loved them and didn’t seem to notice it was still mostly about the onions. Vermont Cheese is really a wonder food, especially when melted and browned.

Vegetarian redux:  You can also do this recipe using your favorite milk alternative (I like the coconut in this one) omit the cheese, swap coconut oil for the butter, and top with a sprinkling of nutritional yeast mixed with some breadcrumbs, and you’ll have a lovely, crisp topping. If gluten-free, use cornstarch to thicken. This is really delicious, and vegan as well!

And now, the stuffing!

Last year, I decided to tackle the stuffing. Some would call this a “dressing” because we cook this in a casserole and no longer stuff this bread concoction in the bird for a number of reasons: it is much too easy for the stuffing to be bacteria ridden if not cooked to a high enough temperature, and that temperature means the bird is probably overcooked. Also, we all love the crispy top when cooked outside the bird.

Regardless of where it is cooked, we still call it stuffing. Although I added different ingredients over the years, I basically made the same recipe as my mother: dried bread cubes with celery, onions, eggs, stock, lots of Thanksgiving savory spices, and, of course, the ever-present Bell’s Seasoning in the little cardboard box.

I created a savory brunch bread pudding for my guests at the B&B that was a huge hit and my starting point for the Thanksgiving stuffing makeover. I used local apples and sausage in a traditional bread pudding, and people absolutely loved it.

Time saver: The best thing about this recipe is that I assembled it the night before, and all I had to do in the morning was pop it in the oven to bake. For a holiday dish that takes a lot of preparation, this is a gift of time and reduced stress in the kitchen!

For my holiday version, I found a large challah bread, half price because it was two days old, perfect for this application; bread puddings and stuffing are best made with stale bread so it will absorb the liquid, if not, you will have to dry it out in the oven first. You can use any hearty, rich bread in this recipe.

My mother used a little milk in her stuffing, but I used light cream instead, and lots of it. I really wanted this to be more custard like. I also doubled the amount of eggs to give it a little extra puffing and dramatic interest.

To add other dimensions, I used sweet pears, some tart Vermont cranberries, and heavenly caramelized onions. Spicy sausage from the local farm stand added the savory element, heat, and texture.

The family and friends loved the redux. It was most definitely a hit, and we’ll make it again this year. I may add a different fruit, or maybe some nuts, just to keep it interesting.

            For the vegans: My loaf of bread was large, so I had enough to make a small meat- and dairy-free version as well, using soymilk, veggie stock, veggie sausage, and topped with nutritional yeast. It was as delicious as the original!

 

Savory Pear, Cranberry, & Caramelized Onion “Stuffing”

1 large loaf day-old challah bread, cut into cubes

4 tbsp. butter, divided

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided

1 lb. spicy sausage, or soy alternative

2 ribs celery small dice

1 small onion, small dice

1 cup fresh Vermont cranberries

2 pears, cored and diced

2 tbsp. fresh sage, minced

1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, minced

1 tbsp. Bell’s Seasoning

3 or 4 large, sweet onions, sliced, about 4 cups

2 tbsp. maple syrup

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

3 cups light cream

3 cups chicken stock, homemade if available

6 large organic eggs

Grated Cheddar cheese to top (optional)

If your bread is not stale, cut it up and place it on a cookie sheet in a low oven (250 degrees) for a half hour or so to dry it out. Butter a 10” X 13” casserole or baking pan.

In a large skillet, over medium high, melt one tablespoon of the butter with one tablespoon of the olive oil and add the sausage, removed from casing and broken up. Season with salt and pepper. When about half cooked, add the celery and sauté a few more minutes. Add the cranberries, pears, sage, rosemary, and Bell’s. Cook for another couple of minutes and remove from pan to a bowl. Check seasoning, and let cool while onions are cooking.

In the same pan, add another tablespoon each of butter and oil, half the onions, and salt and pepper to taste. The onions will reduce in volume. Cook for a couple of minutes, and add the rest of the slices. Cook for another 15 minutes or so, stirring now and then, reducing the heat if they seem to be browning too quickly while not cooking through.

As they brown, add the maple syrup and cider vinegar, and stir to deglaze the pan. If you need a little more moisture, add a bit of water.

In a large bowl, beat the cream, stock, and eggs, reserving a little of the stock. You will probably need it, but it will depend on the size of the baking pan you use, and how big and dry your loaf of bread was. This is not an exact science.

Add the bread to the custard, stir, add the sausage mixture, a little more salt and pepper, and combine all.

Place half the bread mixture in your prepared casserole, spread the onions evenly over this, and top with the rest of the bread. Press down. There should be some liquid still visible, if not, add the rest of the stock and perhaps a little more.

Cover tightly with foil and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of an hour, but overnight is best.

To bake, preheat oven to 350 and position casserole, still covered, on the middle rack. Cook for 50 minutes; remove foil and dot with remaining butter. Sprinkle with the cheese of choice, then return to the oven. Increase the heat to 375, and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes to half hour, or until the top is puffed and nicely browned.

And almost your mother’s canned cranberry sauce…

Although I’ve made home cooked whole berry cranberry sauce for years because I want to use local, organic berries, there’s always a joker in the crowd who wants canned, jellied cranberry sauce from the supermarket. I won’t name names.

The joke was on them last year when I made my own jellied cranberry sauce, making use of a recycled tin can, and they were none the wiser.

It is actually one of the simplest things to do because cranberries are extremely high in natural pectin, which is what makes the jellied texture. However, this, tastes way better than the canned, and uses local ingredients!

Combine a one cup of sugar and one cup of water or cranberry juice (not cranberry cocktail, look for the pure juice) in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and add 12 ounces of cranberries and the zest of an orange. Cook for ten to 15 minutes, the cranberries will pop open. Don’t overcook, or the pectin will not work as well.

That’s about it! Force this all through a mesh strainer or food mill, then place the mixture in a clean can. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

I also add a quarter teaspoon of both cinnamon and ground anise, but these are optional and will make it taste so good, no one will believe it is the canned stuff.

To serve, cut off the other end of the can and push through, slice up and serve, just like the stuff from the market, but made with local cranberries!

I realize I am going to be in trouble if my family member ever reads this…

© Copyright 2017 – or current year, Dorothy Grover-Read