November 20, 2018
Chefs name their must-have Thanksgiving dishes
Their answers are more simple than you’d think
300 East’s Ashley Boyd makes deviled eggs each year with her mom. Photo courtesy.
Even chefs, it seems, crave nostalgia during the holidays. We asked chefs from restaurants around town what their must-have dishes are for Thanksgiving dinner. We were surprised when many of them came back with simple answers. Here’s what will be on their tables at home this year.
Jamie Barnes, What the Fries Food Truck
“You gotta have stuffing! Over the years I’ve experimented with many recipes but I’ve stuck on maple-sausage-cornbread stuffing.”
Drew Dodd, N.C. Red
“Corn pudding. My mom’s from the Midwest.”
Chris Coleman, The Goodyear House
“This is a toss-up between Green Bean Casserole and Mushroom-Onion Stuffing with Brown Turkey Gravy. I adore classic green bean casserole — it’s vegetal, creamy, fatty, salty, and has the crunch from the fried onions. The first Thanksgiving my wife and I hosted the year we were married, I made a mushroom and onion stuffing recipe out of Gourmet that my family raved over. It’s the simplest recipe but now my family won’t let a year go by without letting me make it. It’s torn white rolls from Great Harvest, caramelized creminis (mushrooms), onions, shallots, and garlic, and little celery and carrot, all bound together with a porcini stock, bay, and thyme. It’s amazing.”
Bruce Moffett, Barrington’s
“Cranberry sauce and (as we say up north) stuffing.”
Ashley Boyd, 300 East
“Deviled eggs. For my entire adult life my Mom and I have made them on the day before Thanksgiving to take to our respective gatherings, since we don’t spend the holiday together. We make about 120 of them, the same way every year – sweet pickle cubes, yellow mustard, dukes mayo, hot sauce and white pepper.”
Alyssa Wilen, Chef Alyssa’s Kitchen
“Thanksgiving is my favorite day of the year! We do it up! I love evolving the menu, but the past few years I have my young cousins helping in the kitchen so my favorite dish is one that we all make together and that is our sweet potatoes. Roasted and whipped with coconut oil, salt, pepper and cinnamon then we top it with some spiced pecans.”
What’s your must-have? We’re pretty basic, too: mashed potatoes. Let us know in the comments!
