Thanksgiving tends to take all the credit as the holiday with the best food, but we say Turkey day needs to share the spotlight. Let’s talk about winter holiday classics – Collards! Roasted root vegetables! Bright and juicy citrus that’s actually in season! And, we all know the song, but let’s find out how to actually roast chestnuts (over an open fire OR in your oven)!
We get realllllllly excited about produce. Especially when it’s grown right here in Eastern North Carolina. Feast your eyes on some of the gorgeous produce in season right now, and some suggested recipes for holiday side dishes. Here’s to connecting with our food, and to our food connecting us all around the table.
1. Eastern North Carolina Style Collards
This year our collards won’t have the added goodness of the first frost before they hit the table, but they are a Southern winter classic nonetheless. The key to good collards is time. The low and slow cooking method gets the hearty greens nice and tender, brings out their sweetness, and creates a nutrient-dense liquid in the bottom of the pot that beckons to be soaked up and eaten with some fresh baked cornbread.
2. Baked Winter Squash
There’s something so humble about the squash. They don’t boast bold flavor, and they’ll keep in your pantry until you’re ready for the task of opening them up, scooping out the seeds, and roasting until tender and subtley sweet. They are great in a variety of side dishes, as they are perfect vehicles for any number of flavor combinations – acorn squash glazed with honey and dijon mustard, butternut squash spiced with coriander and cayenne, or slices of delicata tossed with sweet caramelized onions and herbs. Flavorful, filling, and fairly easy – once you’ve got them prepped, let the oven do the work while you wait eagerly to enjoy.
3. Roasted Golden Beet Winter Salad
The golden beet root may grow in the dark soil of our gardens, but its beautiful yellow-orange color and natural sweetness brightens up any dish. It can be baked, boiled, shaved, pickled, or juiced – plenty of ways to get the beet’s high level of antioxidents and vitamins into our bodies. For a lighter and brighter holiday side dish, we like to roast beets and add them to a winter salad with kale and citrus.
4. Seasonal Citrus
Let’s stick with the bright and golden theme for a minute and talk about citrus. While it may seem counterintuitive, citrus fruit is actually in season during the winter months. Convenient, as we often need extra Vitamin C this time of year! Whether you’re going to be fresh-squeezing orange juice for breakfast on Christmas morning, stuffing stockings with clementines, or adding tangerines to a salad of winter greens, incorporating some citrus into your holiday meal will help balance out the heavier side of meats, starches, and inevitable desserts!
5. Sweet Potato Casserole
North Carolina is the #1 producer of sweet potatoes in the US, but they are a staple on holiday tables nationwide. Definitely not on the lighter side of the menu, traditional Southern style sweet potato casserole is loaded with sugar, butter, and an intangible goodness that we can only call Love. For a Vegan option, coconut oil or a butter alternative can be used so that no one has to miss out on their favorite part of the meal.
6. Roasted Chestnuts
Part of the magic of holiday cooking is how memories are attached to the food we eat. Just seeing a barrel of the amber brown chestnuts invokes a nostalgia of cold winter nights and cozy fires. Many will say that roasting them over an open fire is the best method because the charred, crunchy portions that result from the uneven cooking are really part of the appeal. But if you don’t have a firepit or fireplace at your disposal, roasting them in the oven works just as well.
7. Pomegranate Jewelled Cheese Ball
The ruby red seeds of the so-called forbidden fruit bring an outdated appetizer into the modern era, with sharp white cheddar, crispy fried sage and toasted almonds – absolutely addictive when spread onto crackers or toast points. But don’t stop there: pomegranate seeds add vibrancy, tartness, and texture to salads and garnishes. Paired with rosemary and prosecco, they also help create a festive cocktail to complete the celebratory experience.
We hope this helps you get into the holiday spirit! Although it’s been said many times, many ways….Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from your friends at the Co-op!
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