Need side dish ideas for smoked turkey. No dairy. Thoughts?

T

traca

Well-known member
I picked up a smoked turkey on sale the other day and I'm having a friend over for dinner. Unfortunately he's sensitive to dairy and I'm determined to make a meal that will work for him. (Not sure why but I'm always trying to feed that guy cheese!) Would love some ideas. I'm stuck in an endless loop of dairy-filled ideas. Mashed potatoes? Nope. Gratin? Nope. Creamed corn. You get the idea.

Also, has anyone ever made the Butterball smoked turkey? The packaging says it's precooked. Interesting. I got it for $10 so thought it would be worth a try. My friend is a bachelor and I'm planning on sending him home with most of the leftovers.

 
my favorite sides for smoked poultry

baked beans
southern (ie. long-cooked) braised greens
cole slaw

 
I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds wonderful. REC: Caramelized Brussel Sprouts w/ Pancetta

I ran across this recipe on page 228 while recently browsing a library book entitled INSIDE THE TEST KITCHEN by Tyler Florence. I plan to try it for an upcoming family gathering. One margin note reads: Pancetta adds flavor without smoke.

CARAMELIZED BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH PANCETTA

Pancetta is pork belly cured in sugar, salt, and spices and then air-dried, whereas bacon is cured and then smoked. We wanted to let the Brussels sprouts shine, so we chose pancetta over bacon to avoid a too-smoky taste. Some people have strong feelings about Brussels sprouts; they
always used to be overcooked and mushy, but ours stay crunchy when roasted and have a great caramelized
flavor. Serve this at your next holiday dinner. Serves 4-6.

2 pounds Brussels sprouts
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices pancetta
3 shallots
2 garlic cloves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 thyme sprigs
4 slices good sourdough bread
8 fresh sage leaves
1 rosemary sprig, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
Grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the Brussels sprouts in half, put them on a sheet pan in a single layer, and coat them with a little olive oil. Roughly chop the pancetta and add to the sprouts. Peel the shallots, cut them in half, and add to the sprouts. Cut the garlic cloves in half and add to the pan along with a generous sprinkling of salt, pepper,
and 3 of the thyme sprigs. Roast until the sprouts are caramelized, about 25 minutes, stirring midway.

Cut the bread into 1/4-inch dice. Coat a large saute pan with some olive oil and place over medium heat. Add the bread to the pan along with the sage, rosemary, and remaining 3 thyme sprigs. Cook, stirring, until the bread is toasted well.

Simmer the balsamic vinegar, chicken stock, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the butter, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until it reaches a syrupy consistency. Set aside.

While the sprouts are still hot, use a spoon to break apart the shallots a bit, then transfer all the vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt. Pour the balsamic glaze over the sprouts and toss. Sprinkle a little Parmesan over the sprouts, then transfer them to a serving dish. Top with the diced bread and more grated Parmesan, and serve immediately.

 
Traca, obviously u'll need 2 leave the sprinkling of Parmesan OFF yr friend's portion of the above

and use all olive oil in lieu of the 2 Tbsp butter.

 
Braised Winter Greens...

Braised Winter Greens
Yield: Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
5 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 5 teaspoons)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 lbs. kale or collard greens, ribs removed, leaves chopped into 3-inch pieces and rinsed (about 24 loosely packed cups)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
Table salt
2 - 3 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
Ground black pepper

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes; cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add half of greens and stir until beginning to wilt, about 1 minute. Add remaining greens, broth, water, and ¼ teaspoon salt; quickly cover pot and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender, 25 to 35 minutes for kale and 35 to 45 minutes for collards.

2. Remove lid and increase heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid has evaporated (bottom of pot will be almost dry and greens will begin to sizzle), 8 to 12 minutes. Remove pot from heat; stir in 2 teaspoons lemon juice and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and remaining teaspoon lemon juice. Serve.

Notes:

For best results, be sure your greens are fully cooked and tender in step 1 before moving on to step 2.

Your turkey wings would be a nice addition.

 
What they said, but I found your comment on being fixated on dairy interesting. I've done the exact

same thing when planning a meal for someone who has restrictions. Suddenly, the only ideas I come up with are recipes containing the restricted items. I bet it's not unusual.

 
Southern Greens

I usually make this with kale (2 bunches from Sprouts) but have made it with collards. I also like to mix in about 10 ounces of spinach for the last 30 minutes or so. This recipe freezes well.

Southern Greens
adapted from a recipe by Emeril Lagasse, serves 3-4
¼ pound raw bacon, chopped
3 cups julienne onions
2 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne
1 TB minced garlic
12 ounces beer
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 TB molasses
2-3 pounds greens, prep depending on the variety
In a large pot, cook the bacon until barely crisp.
Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions they are wilted and golden. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the salt, pepper cayenne and garlic.
Stir in the beer, vinegar, and molasses. Stir in the greens and bring to a boil. Turn and press the greens down until they are wilted.
Turn down the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the greens are tender (about hour and 30 minutes for mature collards).

 
I can relate to this. We have a granddaughter who is 12. Four years ago, she announced she was

going to be a vegetarian. My husband and I come from meat loving families. My husbands family were meat cutters from long ago, and, my grandfather raised chickens, rabbits, lambs, and fished. We always had some sort of fresh animal to eat. Now, when she visits, all I can think of are meat dishes, it drives me crazy. The other grandma told me to cook as usual, just add an extra vegetable side and a larger salad side. It took all the pressure off. Since they do not live here, and are only able to stay a few days, I don't have to get super creative with my meals. I also ask her mom to bring something special if she has the time. One time I served a pink fluff recipe that was posted here. It uses strawberry jello, pineapple, evaporated milk and is so yummy. She asked me if it had jello and when I said yes, she would not eat it. smileys/frown.gif

 
I'd just do a selection of roasted veggies. Good, delish, easy and no dairy.

Sweet potato, brussel sprouts, turnips, cauliflower, etc.

 
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