Amazing Side Dishes That Make All The Difference
When inviting friends over for a casual dinner party, it can be nice to open the table up a little more than usual. Instead of cooking carefully crafted meals designed to be placed on a plate in a particular manner, you may wish to go for the ‘feast’ option. That is, making the table work with your presentation and offering many large statement pieces and a few amazing side dishes to help provide the trimmings.
We often see this during Thanksgiving and Christmas time. However, you can organize a meal like this at any time should you wish to be celebratory and really showcase the best of your cooking ingenuity.
That said, it can be hard to figure out exactly what kind of side dishes are worth your time. Depending on your audience, your cooking needs may differ. In this post, we’ll discuss the amazing side dishes that make all the difference. Those that will hopefully give you food for thought and for your table, inspiring your inner chef to craft something truly special.
Roasted Vegetables
Roasted vegetables can provide a hearty and delicious side to almost any meal. The roasting of the vegetables will bring out their bitterness and the intensity of flavor. In addition, it adds a nice texture, being soft in the middle and crispy on the outside such as with roast potatoes, or the gorgeous, dippable side and fibrous texture of roasted cabbage. Not only does this serve as a moorish side, but also one that can fill you up without adding too much in the way of overbearing calories.
Potato Salads
For a truly indulgent side dish, consider potato salads. Easy and cheap to make, but pair this with the right spices and you have a real winner on your hands. This can also be paired with warmer or colder foods, be that a larger salad, pastries, and even cooked meats.
Perhaps you may wish to even add your own flair into this, such as chorizo, mozzarella, and more. If you’re just looking for some light herbs, then double mint can add a little bit of freshness to the indulgent, rich and creamy flavor therein. Alternatively, pieces of bacon and even buttermilk sauces/dressing will add a gorgeous variance. It will help you elevate a dish, supplement it, or provide tasting foods to pile on plates high.
Braised Shallots
Braised shallots can often provide a perhaps sweetness that pairs well with fantastic meats like lamb or duck. You may even decide to braise them in an alcohol-based reduction such as sherry. This can add that beautiful rich taste with a light, melt-in-your-mouth texture. A side you can add plenty of to complement your sauces without ever feeling too filling, such as our prior potato salad.
Creamy Squash
A gratin recipe such as creamy butternut squash can pair with a fantastic roast dinner, or other roast foods can be served by the spoonful in the best possible way. A creamy squash of this nature can help cut the bite of more acidic foods, such as intensive reductions or sauces you may have made. It can also be a fantastic non-threatening food that provides a beautiful, rich smooth texture without having to be chewed or negotiated with on the plate.
A Simple Bean Salad
A simple four bean salad, featuring red kidney beans, garbanzo beans, pinto, and green beans can provide a beautiful combination of colors. Ιf you add some spices in there, can look fantastic too. This can be a fragrant and beautifully presented dish that can be enjoyed on top of a range of dishes. This is without taking too much in terms of countering the flavors of other combinations you have on the plate.
Corn On The Cob
We’d be remiss not to talk about one of the most striking, simple and delicious sides any evening meal can enjoy. And this is corn on the cob with a little flavored butter on top. For the best results, we’d recommend steaming, oven-roasting, or grilling it if you have access to that. Corn can be a fantastic aid for the barbecue, serve roasts well, or even provide a beautiful additional texture to a full vegan recipe. You’d be stunned at how successful your side dishes will be with this little addition, one for each plate. Moreover, it you can admire and how it can provide an accompanying panache to the rest of your side dishes.
With this advice, we hope you can make all the difference with your amazing side dishes. Now, you only have to decide what kind of feast you’ll provide with your main protein dishes. And even food photographers may take shoot!
