Recipes: Side Dishes from Katie Lee’s “The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions”

Side dishes rarely get the spotlight. It’s all about the turkey on Thanksgiving. So we turned to chef and author Katie Lee, who just released her second book, “The Comfort Table: Recipes for Everyday Occasions,” for some tempting Turkey Day side dishes. (Check out Lee’s cookbook for more holiday recipes and entertaining ideas.)

Apple-Orange Cranberry Relish
3 C fresh cranberries
1 orange, zested and then peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium apple (a sweeter variety such as gala or Fuji)
1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ C walnuts
¾ C sugar
1 T orange liqueur
In a food processor, combine cranberries, orange, orange zest, apple and celery and process until finely chopped (be careful not to process too long because mixture will become mushy). Add walnuts and pulse until chopped. Stir in sugar and orange liqueur. Refrigerate overnight, until serving time. Yield: 3 cups.

Sweet Potato Casserole
4 large sweet potatoes (about 4 pounds), peeled and cut into chunks
1 C milk
½ C heavy cream
4 T unsalted butter
2 T brown sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground ginger
One 16-ounce bag large marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place sweet potatoes in a medium pot. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat milk, cream, and butter until warm but not simmering. Return the potatoes to the pot and add warm milk mixture, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Using a handheld mixer, whip the potatoes until smooth and creamy with no lumps. Transfer to a greased 4-quart baking dish. Top with marshmallows. Bake until marshmallows are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Caramelized Shallot Mashed Red Skin Potatoes
For the caramelized shallots
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
10 shallots, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the potatoes
4 pounds red potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
1 C whole milk
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 tsp. kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
For the shallots
In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter and olive oil. Stir in brown sugar until dissolved. Add shallots and stir occasionally until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in one tablespoon water, reduce heat to low and cover partially. Cook about an hour, stirring every 20 minutes and adding an additional tablespoon of water if shallots are drying out or sticking. Stir in salt and pepper. Set aside until mashed potatoes are ready. (Shallots can be made a few days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator, then reheated at serving time.)
For the potatoes
Place the potatoes in a stockpot. Cover with cold water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pan. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat milk and butter. Use a potato masher to begin mashing potatoes. Slowly add in milk mixture and continue to mash. Potatoes should be smooth with some chunks. Stir in reserved shallots, salt, and pepper. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.