The filling for Thanksgiving side dish Toasted Mushroom Cups cooks on the stove.
When it comes to Thanksgiving, the sides are my favorite part. Who cares about turkey when there are glazed carrots, delectable macaroni and cheese, rice dressing and sweet potato casserole with toasted marshmallows?
I hate to outshine the turkey and put baby in a corner, but the sides are what elevate the Thanksgiving meal.
Former weekly column writer Corinne Cook's book, "Extra! Extra! Read All About it!" has a plethora of dishes that could be used as sides for the Thanksgiving table, but I decided to make Butternut Squash Soufflé and Toasted Mushroom Cups. Frankly, because I've never had those two dishes at my table. I was curious to see if they'd hold up for the holidays. They in fact did.
If you've kept up with the Cooking through the Archives series, you know that soufflé is not my forté. Never fear. I believe that almost anyone could make this butternut squash variation.
A few notes about preparing the squash:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cut a butternut squash in half and place each side facedown on a baking sheet. Cook until very soft, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Allow the squash to cool to room temperature. Scrape the flesh from the butternut squash into a food processor and process until smooth. Proceed with the recipe below by beating squash, salt, syrup, brown sugar and cornstarch together until fluffy.
While the squash cooked, I began to prepare the Toasted Mushroom Cups, which are quite simple to make: Cut four slices of French bread and pull the crumbs from each slice to make a little cup. Fill each one with a mixture of cut mushrooms, bell peppers, green onions and jalapeños. Top with cheese, and voilà!
As the soufflé baked, it filled my kitchen with the smell of maple syrup and brown sugar. I was eager to see how the dish would turn out. The end result was a warm and fuzzy feeling in my belly that would've only been elevated by a table full of my friends and family.
Do you have any Thanksgiving food traditions that are outside of the norm? Let us know by emailing [email protected].
Butternut Squash Soufflé
Serves 6-8. Recipe is from Corinne Cook. My neighbor, Patricia Schnur, prepares this Butternut Squash Soufflé. The sweet, orange flesh of the squash is flavored with maple syrup and brown sugar. Serve a baked soufflé as soon as it is removed from the oven.
2 cups cooked and mashed butternut squash
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 eggs, separated
1 1/3 cups whipping cream or evaporated milk
1/2 cup melted butter
Slivered almonds
1. Combine squash, salt, syrup, brown sugar and cornstarch. Beat until fluffy.
2. Add egg yolks, whipping cream and butter. Mix thoroughly.
3. Pour into a buttered (1 1/2-quart) casserole. Sprinkle with slivered almonds. Bake in 300 F oven for 1 hour. Serve at once.
Note: Add cinnamon or nutmeg to the mixture, or drizzle maple syrup over each serving, for extra sweetness.
Toasted Mushroom Cups
Makes 4 side-dish servings. Recipe is by Corinne Cook. This is a little side dish that is not only very good but adds pizazz to the plate. The bread cups provide a crispy container while soaking up the good mushroom flavor.
4 slices French or Italian bread, 1 1/2 inches thick
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and cut julienne-style (substitute green if necessary)
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 small fresh or canned jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
Salt to taste
6 tablespoons (about 3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Pull crumbs from bread slice to make shells about 1/3-inch thick, leaving one cut side intact. (Reserve crumbs for another use.)
2. In a medium nonstick skillet, mix oil and garlic. Brush on all surfaces of bread shells. Place shells on a baking sheet and bake 5 to 7 minutes or until just lightly browned and crisp.
3. Meanwhile, heat remaining oil mixture over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and bell pepper. Cook and toss until mushrooms are lightly cooked. Stir in onions and jalapeño. Cook 2 minutes. Season with salt.
4. Fill toasted bread shells with mushroom mixture. Top each with 1½ tablespoons cheese. Return to oven. Heat just until cheese melts, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Note: For an extra boost of flavor, add your favorite hot sauce to the mixture or on top of the cups when serving.