Jessica's Dinner Party

Archive for the 'Side Dish' Category

Rustic Mashed Potatoes

I thought and thought about it, but Thanksgiving without mashed potatoes would feel off. Sort of like going to the movies and getting popcorn but no candy. I was really irked by the fact that my potatoes never came out silky smooth. I don’t own a potato masher and until I came to Korea the food processor I had was teeny tiny. However, I realized that if you put the word “rustic” in front of mashed potatoes it’s absolutely acceptable to have chunks and irregularities in your mash. People expect it; it’s practically a rule; you have to have lumps.

November 24 2009 | Side Dish and Thoughts and Vegetarian | 4 Comments »

Roasted Pumpkin and Potatoes with Sausage

If one of your dishes suddenly goes up in smokes or an unexpected (or uninvited) guest decides to show up, this side will save the day! It’s super easy, flexible, and the ingredients will already be on hand. Without a clue as to what I was going to cook today, I went into this dish blind. BLIND I say! No flipping through cookbooks or browsing through recipes. I simply thought about what I had and went for it! I’m like my own parent, watching my inner chef grow! My, how far I’ve come. Two years ago, I probably couldn’t tell you exactly what roasting was. Oh yea, that was me.

November 23 2009 | Side Dish | 4 Comments »

Easiest Potato Gratin

A few years ago, my aunt taught me an easy potato gratin recipe that sort of stuck with me. I made it for a Valentine’s Day potluck my senior year of high school. It was an interesting occasion because we were actually celebrating a belated Secret Santa gift exchange in February. Somehow with college applications, school, and all the crazy things we did in high school, Christmas was pushed back two months. There were an array of dishes that appeared at the potluck. Everything from caramel apples and macaroni and cheese to Popeye’s fried chicken. I don’t really remember the food or if the gratin was a hit, but I do remember the company I was with, being ridiculously full, and the fun moments and gifts we shared that day. I feel like that’s the essence of Thanksgiving; sharing a meal with people we love and enjoying all the laughs that spill in between. Life seems to get so busy that it seems like we need occasions like Thanksgiving or Valentine’s/Christmas just to spend time with family and friends.

November 21 2009 | Side Dish and Vegetarian | 6 Comments »

Shitake Mushroom Pancakes

Mushrooms are one of my favorite ingredients. They’re easy to work with and perfectly accompany almost any savory dish out there. They’re amazing on pizza, in pasta, soup, stews, pies, casseroles, you name it! It enhances a dish by supporting and deepening the main flavors. Mushrooms, however, are always given that role, the sidekick. They rarely take center stage and shine on their own. That’s why I love this recipe because it’s all about the mushrooms.

November 07 2009 | Asian and Korean and Recipe and Side Dish and Thoughts and Vegetarian | 5 Comments »

Soy Braised Burdock Root

Yesterday, I shared with you a great way to use leftover, stale rice. Today, I will tell you about the side dish I ate it with: soy braised burdock! Burdock is a root most commonly used in Japan where it’s called gobo. In Korea it’s called woo-ung, 우엉, and it’s mainly used in kimbap, 김밥, a dish similar to the Japanese sushi roll. Burdock has a sort of sweet, earthy taste that disappears when cooked. After it’s cooked, the texture is similar to the potatoes in this dish.