Alright folks, gather ’round! Let me tell you about my Thanksgiving side dish experiment this year. I was aiming for something with a United Kingdom twist, you know, something a bit different from the usual mashed potatoes and green bean casserole.
First off, I did some digging online. I wanted something authentic, something that screamed “British Thanksgiving!” Okay, maybe not screamed, but you get the idea. I stumbled upon a few recipes that seemed promising, stuff like roasted root vegetables with herbs and a bread sauce that sounded kinda fancy.
So, I hit the grocery store. Grabbed some parsnips, carrots, turnips – the whole root vegetable gang. I also snagged some fresh thyme and rosemary, because, why not? Smells good, tastes good. That’s my motto.
The Root Veggie Roast:
- I peeled and chopped all those veggies into bite-sized pieces.
- Tossed ’em in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, the thyme and rosemary.
- Spread ’em out on a baking sheet and roasted them at 400°F (around 200°C for my UK friends) for about 45 minutes, flipping halfway through. You want ’em tender and a little browned.
While the veggies were roasting, I tackled the bread sauce. Now, this was a bit of a learning curve. I’d never made it before, but hey, that’s what Thanksgiving is all about, right? Trying new things.
The Bread Sauce Adventure:
- I started by simmering some milk with an onion (stuck with cloves, fancy, I know) and a bay leaf.
- Let that simmer for a while to infuse the milk with flavor.
- Then, I removed the onion and bay leaf (don’t want to eat those!).
- Added some breadcrumbs to the milk and let it thicken up.
- Stirred in a knob of butter and seasoned it with salt and pepper.
Honestly, the bread sauce was a bit…gloopy. I think I added too many breadcrumbs. But hey, it still tasted alright. Kinda creamy, kinda oniony. I think next time I’ll use less breadcrumbs and maybe add a splash of cream at the end to smooth it out.
Finally, everything was ready. I plated up the roasted root vegetables and spooned the bread sauce over them. It looked…rustic. Let’s go with rustic.
The Verdict?
It wasn’t bad! The roasted root vegetables were definitely a hit. They were sweet and savory, and the herbs added a nice touch. The bread sauce was…interesting. It wasn’t my favorite thing, but it wasn’t terrible either. It definitely added a different texture and flavor to the dish. I’d probably tweak the bread sauce recipe next time, but overall, it was a successful experiment! Gave our Thanksgiving dinner a little UK flair. Would I make it again? Maybe. Gotta perfect that bread sauce first!
