Thursday, November 12, 2015

Planning Your Sides

Not to freak anyone out but Thanksgiving is two weeks from today . The weather for us is really messing with my head as far as the time of year - its been way to warm to be two weeks before Thanksgiving - so it is a bit of a surprise.

Did I post on here that NYT Thai Sweet Potato dish - I know I did on Facebook, Ill check, and if I did not, I will. But this one just sounds yummy, is very season aproprit - will look good on your buffet!

From those too cute young men and their very good blog 



" The trend is clear: vinegar is showing up all over Thanksgiving menus this year. 
Here, it's in the form of an agrodolce, that Italian glaze that's sweet and sour and lip-smackin' delicious. We've only made an agrodolce twice before -- once as a glaze for salmon, and once for pork. Both were really good.
Would an agrodolce be just as good on roasted squash?
If you're not familiar with an agrodolce, it might sound fancy or intimidating. But it's really just a mix of vinegar and a sweetener -- in this case honey -- that you reduce until it's thick.
But there's one thing about this agrodolce that makes it different from any we've seen before: heat. Kind of serious heat, actually. With Fresno chiles and a hefty dose of red pepper flakes, this sauce has got quite a little kick. 
Which brings us to the million-dollar question: Should you serve this at Thanksgiving? On the one hand, it's very tasty. The agrodolce (which also has golden raisins!) is delicious, and the squash are, of course, autumnal and delicious and appropriate. Some of our guests thought this was the best thing on the menu.
But we will say, it's a little out-there. We're both strongly in favor of mixing it up when it comes to Thanksgiving. Throw a few curve balls in there to jazz up your traditional fare. We're just not 100 percent sure this is the right curve ball.
If you do make this for Thanksgiving, we think you'll like it.
And if you don't, save the recipe for another meal. It really is tasty."


INGREDIENTS
1 2-pound kabocha squash, peeled, seeds removed, cut into 1-inch wedges
2 delicata or dumpling squashes, seeds removed, cut into 1-inch wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 Fresno chiles, thinly sliced
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons golden raisins, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°. Place kabocha and delicata squash on separate large rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until squashes are golden brown and tender, 30–35 minutes for kabocha and 20–25 minutes for delicata. 

Meanwhile, bring chiles, vinegar, honey, raisins, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer until syrupy, 8–10 minutes. 

Brush half of warm agrodolce over warm squash. Transfer to a platter. 

Just before serving, reheat remaining agrodolce, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen. Spoon over squash.

Do Ahead: Dish can be made 3 hours ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

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