Honey-Dijon glazed ham
In his anti-turkey argument, Christopher Muther says “simply serve ham already.” For those who take his recommendation, think about dressing it up with both a honey-Dijon glaze or a brown sugar bourbon crust. Both possibility will give it a delicate enhance of taste and a texture friends will certainly admire. And there’s a lot for hosts to understand, too: ham takes a number of hours to arrange — a welcome different to the multi-day technique of prepping a whole turkey.
Beef tenderloin
Meltingly tender slices of beef, anybody? This common protein usually pops up across the holidays, and is a smart alternative when you’ve gotten a crowd to feed. Salt and pepper usually suffice as seasonings, however including herbs and just a little garlic can actually elevate the dish, and a tangy, tart horseradish make for an awesome accompaniment, as we discovered in this recipe from the Globe archives. This meal is comparatively straightforward to tug off, simply ensure you have a dependable meat thermometer.
Peking or roasted duck
You realize what else makes a wonderful vacation centerpiece? Duck. And there are many methods to arrange it. This roast duck recipe consists of the entire hen, however concern not: Duck doesn’t normally take almost as lengthy to prepare dinner as turkey does. Whip collectively a plum puree made with oranges, plum preserves, soy sauce, and rice wine to provide the dish a candy and salty kick.
And for good measure, we’re together with this Peking duck recipe from allrecipes.com. This dish originated from Beijing and the emphasis is on the skinny, crisp pores and skin moderately than the meat. We wouldn’t name this one straightforward (Peking duck is notoriously troublesome to prepare dinner), however we’re throwing it on the market for the professionals within the kitchen in search of a problem.
Salmon with chimichurri sauce
Among the best issues about salmon is it’s straightforward to prepare dinner. This recipe requires about 3 kilos of the nutritious fish, which serves six, generously. Right here, the salmon is roasted and served with a vibrant inexperienced chimichurri sauce — an Argentinean herb condiment made with chopped contemporary parsley, cilantro, and oregano, that sometimes goes with grilled meats. If it’s a yr the place you’re in search of type and ease, this dish matches the invoice.
Stuffed acorn squash with wild rice, farro, and cranberries
For those who’re internet hosting a meatless Thanksgiving or have a vegetarian at your desk, we predict this stuffed acorn squash recipe will go over properly. Full of taste and mounded with wild rice, farro, cranberries, and pecans, these artfully organized squash halves style simply pretty much as good as they appear. And for hosts hoping to get a number of issues finished early, this dish might be made in the future forward and reheated for the primary course.
Brittany Bowker might be reached at brittany.bowker@globe.com. Comply with her on Twitter @brittbowker.