Thanksgiving Side Dishes
By Chef Richard Lipton

Thanksgiving side dishes are as traditional as the main course. But, do they have to be? Turkey, Ham, and Dressing will and should always be a staple to remind us of our past and how we got to where we are today. However, with all the advances made in food since those early times, why not put a little bit of the future into the Thanksgiving meal?

Why not give thanks for the future we have to look forward to as well as the past that made us who we are? Who says and where is it written that we can only make certain things during the holiday season? Being a Chef, I have often challenged those traditional ideals to create new and better traditions for future generations. Sometimes they are accepted and sometimes not, but the point is, you won't know until you try. 

There is a very good saying which I use and practice often. "To try and fail is better than not to have tried at all." Try these side dishes this holiday season. Be it for Thanksgiving or Christmas, the response you get from these foods might just surprise and delight you as much as it may surprise and delight your family friends and guests. Bon Appetit

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Spinach Gnocchi 
Serves 8

10 oz (300 g) spinach 
2 cups (4 dl) all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 dl) Feta cheese, crumbled 
Salt and pepper
1 egg 
2 cups (2 dl) whipping cream
1, 15 oz (450 g) container Ricotta 
6 oz (180 g) Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
2 cups (4 dl) Romano cheese, grated 
Extra grated Romano cheese

Wash spinach and dry on paper towels, squeezing out any excess water. Reserve. Blend egg and feta in a food processor until smooth. Add spinach and blend until smooth. Add ricotta and Romano and blend till smooth. Add 1 cup (2 dl) flour, salt and pepper to taste and pulse until well blended. Add remaining flour and pulse again until well blended again.
Lightly flour baking sheet. Turn dough from blender onto the sheet. Knead dough gently until smooth and firm, adding more flour if needed. Roll dough out into a 2-inch square. Cut into strips 1-inch wide. Roll each strip into a 1/2-inch rope. Cut each rope into 1-1/4-inch pieces. Arrange on floured baking sheet. Let stand 1-1/2 - 2 hours to dry. Cook gnocchi in boiling salted water until cooked firm, 8-10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Combine cream and gorgonzola in heavy skillet. Stir over medium heat until sauce is smooth, 3-5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add gnocchi to the sauce and simmer until heated through. Toss gently to coat. Serve with extra Romano cheese.

Garlic and Mushroom Risotto 
Serves 6

2 heads garlic, unpeeled 
2 Tbsp thyme, chopped
4 Tbsp olive oil 
1-1/2 cups (3 dl) Arborio rice
3/4 oz (ca. 23 g) porcini mushrooms 
1/2 cup (2 dl) white wine
3/4 lb (375 g) shiitake, stemmed, slice caps thin 
4 cups (1 quart / 1 liter) chicken stock
1 cup (2 dl) shallots, chopped 
2 cups (4 dl) spinach, washed, dried, sliced thin
2 cups (4 dl) Romano cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400° F (200° ). Mix garlic and olive oil in a small baking dish. Bake until garlic is golden, stirring often, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool slightly and peel. Chop enough to fill 1/4 cup and reserve the rest for another usage.
Place porcini in separate bowl. Cover with hot water. Let stand 30 minutes, drain, squeeze dry, and chop. Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add shiitake and sauté until juices evaporate, 5-7 minutes. Add porcini and sauté 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove from heat, and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add shallots and thyme and sauté 5 minutes, stirring often. Add rice and toss to coat. Add wine and reduce to almost nothing. Add garlic, 3-1/2 cups (875 ml) stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until rice is creamy, stirring often, adding more stock if and when liquid is totally absorbed, 17-20 minutes. Add mushrooms and spinach. Stir until spinach wilts and is well mixed. Add cheese, mix well, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Yukon Gold Potato and Mushroom Gratin 
Serves 7

5 oz Blue cheese, room temperature 
1 lb shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced thinly
2-½ cups (5 dl) heavy cream 
1-½ tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp salt 
1-½ tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
½ tsp pepper 
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced
1-½ Tbsp butter 

Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Butter a medium oven-proof casserole dish. Place cheese in medium bowl; add ½ cup (1 dl) cream. Using fork, mash into a paste. Mix in salt and pepper. Add remaining cream and mix well. 
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and herbs and sauté until mushrooms are tender and liquid has evaporated, 7-8 minutes. 
Arrange half of the potatoes on the bottom of prepared casserole dish. Spoon 3/4 cup (1-½ dl) cheese mixture evenly over the top. Top with all of the mushroom mixture, 3/4 cup (1-½ dl) cheese mixture, and the remaining potatoes. Top with remaining cheese mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil.
Bake potato gratin 28-30 minutes. Uncover and bake until potatoes are tender, top is golden, and sauce has thickened, 25-30 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let the potatoes rest 10-12 minutes before serving.