Thanksgiving Recipes 5 – The Veggies
[This is part of a multi-post series on Thanksgiving. Start from the beginning.]
I made two different green vegetables for Thanksgiving. One took a bit of prep and time, but the other was mighty easy. One I’d do again, the other… probably better to do on a day other than Thanksgiving, as the timing was very off.
The easy: buttered peas. All you do is put about two cups of frozen peas in a microwave safe bowl with one tablespoon of butter. Cover with some plastic wrap, but leave a corner open to vent. Microwave on high for three minutes. Stir. Serve.
Yeah, I’d do that again. It’s super easy, and quite delicious.
The fussy: shallot spinach. I love this stuff, don’t get me wrong, but the fussiness factor makes it an unwise choice for Thanksgiving. Mine ended up being done too early, and reheating it drew out some of the liquid, making it a little less than perfect. It is a good recipe, however, so I’d definitely recommend you make it – just make it when you can eat it immediately afterward.
Use a very large pan. I have a 15 inch saute pan. That worked.
Slice four shallots very thinly. Separate the rings. Add two tablespoons of butter to the pan over medium heat. Saute the shallot rings with about a quarter teaspoon of salt and an eighth of a teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg until the shallots are soft. Add two pounds of rinsed but not dried baby spinach leaves. This filled my pan to the brim. Allow the heat to wilt the spinach, and start stirring as soon as you have room. Once all of the spinach has wilted, taste a bit to determine if more salt, butter, or nutmeg is needed. Serve immediately.
Veggies are a must at Thanksgiving. It lets you feel like you aren’t killing your poor body. Even if they are buttered…