Last minute Thanksgiving sides
Herby pommes aligot with garlic confit & cheesy dinner rolls
Over morning coffee, my Dad mused: "Isn’t Thanksgiving simply a rehearsal for Christmas?"
You see, for us Brits, the idea of Thanksgiving may appear a tad extravagant and superfluous—too much feasting, and merely a month before Christmas! Yet, therein lies one of the charms of the American way of life; Americans possess a remarkable flair for holiday celebrations. Having recently married an American, Thanksgiving has now become one of my favorite holidays, after all, any occasion centered around food and family and you can count me in!
With my American friends immersed in their Thanksgiving preparations, I offer two delicious side dishes as a token of this English girl's appreciation for the occasion.
Pommes Aligot
First up - pommes aligot. With the consistency of fondue resulting from the addition of three cheeses, this creamiest of mashed potato simply melts in your mouth.
This delicious traditional French recipe includes cream, cheese and potatoes. However, the addition of herbs and garlic confit increases the complexity of this dish which creates, dare I say it, a more nuanced flavor profile.
What I love about aligot is that it can be made ahead and reheated without the potatoes becoming dry.
Note - I found my initial recipe inspiration from Serious Eats where you will find some wonderful tips if you want more info on this dish.
Dinner Rolls
Next, the dinner rolls - plated poetry. There is nothing quite as lovely as the scent of freshly baked bread wafting through the house, especially during festive occasions.
As bread making goes this recipe is relatively fuss-free. The process of mixing, kneading and shaping dough is undeniably therapeutic, which certainly helps when hosting demanding family members like Great Aunt Elsie. She's the one who shouts orders from her chair and claims that she doesn't want a drink, but somehow finishes the finest bottle of brandy.
Here's a tip for festive baking: surrendering to the process is key—that, and of course, a generous glass of wine discreetly hidden behind your stand mixer.
The Recipes
Pommes Aligot
Garlic confit
Cook the garlic confit first as this will take 45 minutes.
Ingredients
3-4 garlic bulbs, cloves peeled
Olive oil - enough to cover the garlic cloves
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp of brown sugar (optional)
Sprig of rosemary
Method
Preheat your oven to 310°F (155°C /135°C fan).
Place the peeled garlic cloves along with the oil, seasoning and rosemary in an oven-proof dish or small ovenproof saucepan. Cover with foil then puncture a small hole in the foil for the steam to escape.
Cook for approx. 35–45 mins. During this time the garlic will become soft and tender. Overcooked garlic tastes bitter so do keep checking during the last few minutes of cooking so that the garlic doesn’t burn.
Once cooled, transfer the garlic cloves and oil to a clean, airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Mashed potato
675g/1½ lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm/1” cubes
235ml/8 fl oz/1 cup heavy/double cream
400g/14oz of mixed Swiss, Gruyère & Comté cheeses, grated
3-4 tbsp garlic confit, or to taste
100g/3 ½ oz salted butter
1-2 cloves of garlic
Pinch of salt
Method
Whilst the garlic confit is cooking, in a large heavy bottom saucepan bring salted water to the boil and cook the potatoes, together with a garlic clove or two for 15-20 mins, by which time the potatoes should be tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
Using an immersion blender, puree the potatoes back into the saucepan together with 2-3 tablespoons of garlic confit (or more, if you prefer).
Set the saucepan over low-medium heat and mix the potatoes with the butter before adding the cream. Stir to combine.
Next, add the cheeses and your optional choice of herbs, then continue to stir until the mashed potato reaches a smooth silky consistency. The longer you stir, the thicker the texture will become.
When ready to serve, top with a few of the garlic confit cloves and a sprinkling of chopped chives.
Tip #1: Add a little extra cream if the mixture becomes too thick, or a little extra cheese if the mixture is not thick enough.
Tip #2: Serve the aligot in a warm bowl to avoid the potatoes thickening.
Cheesy Dinner Rolls
Ingredients
250g/9oz/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided into two quantities: 190g + 60g
25g/1oz/2 tbsp white sugar
7g/ ¼ oz rapid or fast rise yeast
½ tsp salt
120ml/4fl oz/½ cup milk
60ml/2fl oz/¼ cup water
30g/1oz of salted butter
85g/3 oz mozzarella and cheddar cheese, mixed (optional)
Suggestion: If you wish to make these sweet and fragrant, add a pinch or two of spice such as cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom.
Method
In a large bowl combine 190g of flour together with the sugar, undissolved yeast and salt then mix with a hand whisk.
Place the milk, water and 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over low-med heat until warm.
Then, put the dry flour mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm milk mixture and beat for 1-2 minutes on medium speed. From time to time, using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure uniform consistency.
Now, add the rest of the flour and beat for 2-3 minutes at high speed. At this stage the dough will be soft, but do not worry as this is just as it should be.
On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for approx. 8-10 minutes, then cover. Allow the dough to rest for 20-25 minutes in a warm and dry place.
Divide the dough into 8-10 pieces and form into round patty shapes. Place a generous pinch of grated cheese in the center of each patty, then gather the sides of the dough to the center to form a dumpling shape before pinching to seal. Shape each patty into a smooth ball before placing in a greased, lined 8-inch round pan.
Cover with oiled cling wrap and allow to rise, in a warm place, until doubled in size. This will take approx. 1 hour - 1 hour 15 mins. Feel free to check every now and then.
10 mins before the end of the proving process preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/170° fan). Bake the rolls until golden brown on top, this will take approx. 15-20 minutes depending on your oven. Turn half way through to ensure an even bake.
Note: The original recipe for the dinner rolls was inspired from allrecipes.com
I serve the dinner rolls straight from the oven, with a coating of melted butter and a trio of butters and spreads: whipped honey butter, pistachio and garlic confit butter and finally, a persimmon spread/jam that I knocked up and have no recipe for.
Happy Thanksgiving!