Puzzling over what to serve alongside the Thanksgiving turkey? Sure, figuring out the supporting players is a challenge especially with family “requirements”: Granny’s cornbread stuffing. Uncle Jim’s canned jellied cranberry sauce. Our favorite? A super simple side called Albuquerque Corn from Dame Abby Mandel. It has great flavor and crunch (thanks to jicama) and takes 5 minutes to cook.
It’s part of this Thanksgiving Harvest Feast from “Chicago Cooks: 25 Years of Food History with Menus, Recipes, and Tips from Les Dames d’ Escoffier Chicago” (Surrey Books, 2007). Perhaps you’ll find more culinary inspiration for this holiday season.
— Dame Judy Hevrdejs
Thanksgiving Harvest Feast
Mixed Green Salad with Pine Nuts and Pomegranate Seeds
Brined Turkey
Cranberry Kumquat Conserve with Dried Cherries
Albuquerque Corn
Brussels Sprouts
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Brioche Dinner Rolls
Rustic Pumpkin Tart
Sip: Gewurztraminer or Riesling or Cru Beaujolais or a refined, oak- and bottle aged-red.
Albuquerque Corn
Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes + Cooking time: 5 minutes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large ears of corn, kernels cut off (about 2 cups)
1/2 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
1 small jicama, peeled, chopped (about 2 cups)
8 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon each: ground cumin, salt
Heat oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add corn and jalapeno. Cook, stirring often, until corn is hot, about 2 minutes. Add jicama, onions, cumin and salt. Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally, about 2 more minutes. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.