I’m going to a French supper club dinner and need to bring a side. Any ideas welcome.
I don’t have access to a recipe, but I often make a fennel or fennel and onion gratin, each of which are welll received.
If I’m only responsible for a side dish, I like to treat it with the same effort as a main, so it’s a great opportunity to surpass expectation.
My vote would be for a roasted winter vegetable terrine. Many different combos to consider, but it’s a good option because you get to do everything separate before assembly so you know it’s good. A quick google should give you tons of ideas. The bonus is they look fantastic plated.
This may be too close to potato, but something we encountered a lot in France is celeriac. I found that I really loved the flavor, and resolved to prepare it more at home. I did do that a few times but I have gotten out of the habit and should try it again. It is good as a simple puree, or I think we had it cut up and made into french fries… Just an intriguing flavor.
Artichokes come to mind but they probably don’t work so well as a side dish, more like a separate course.
Wegman’s had some baby haricots that were really nice, they had both green and yellow, just steam 'em.
Depending on how hearty the main dish is – Thomas Keller has a dish where you cut up a butternut squash into little rectangular slabs, kind of like dominoes, and fry them in butter (with some sage) until they get soft enough to eat. He then mixes in mushrooms and serves with special gnocchi, but I have served JUST the squash as a side dish. Looks nice and tastes great.
+1. Or a cauliflower and fennel gratin. Lots of gratin possibilities, but try to make sure other people aren’t bringing a gratin.
Bruce
Céleri Rémoulade
There are as many recipes and variations for this as there are for coleslaw. I particularly like this one from Bourdain’s Les Halles cookbook:
1 lb. celery root (celeriac), peeled
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 c. mayonnaise (homemade preferred but not necessary)
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. walnut oil
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Julienne the celery root
Cut the peeled celery root into thin slices. Stack a few slices and cut them into very thin strips. (Or julienne using a mandoline.) As soon as you have the strips, place in a large bowl and cover with lemon juice to prevent browning. Repeat until all the celery root is julienned.
Make the salad
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, and walnut oil and whisk well. Pour this mixture over the celery root. Toss in the walnut pieces, season with salt and pepper - adding more lemon juice if you like - et voila!
Mound on salad plates. Makes 6-8 servings.
Tarte Tatin aux Tomate is fabulous.
Great stuff, thanks!