Traditional Christmas Side Dishes
The centerpiece of a Christmas meal varies widely, from a goose to a turkey, ham, duck and even brisket in parts of the Southwest. While these entrees are the focal point of the Christmas feast, traditional side dishes complete the picture. Ingredients range from veggies and nuts to bread and fruit. Cooking methods and ingredients vary widely depending on availability, personal preference and family tradition. Does this Spark an idea?
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Vegetable Sides
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Take a look at what's in season at the supermarket during winter, and you will have an idea of which veggies take center stage for Christmas dinner. Green bean casserole is a classic but has only been around since 1955, when Campbell's Soup's Dorcas Reilly developed it in a test kitchen. It typically involves a can of cream of mushroom soup and green beans and toppings like french fried onions. Other veggie sides include sweet potato pies and casseroles, candied yams, regular potatoes, pumpkin and winter squash dishes and asparagus.
Bread and Nuts
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Rich bread and nut-based dishes about during Christmas. Roasted and candied nut mixes are used alone, in stuffing, fruit salads and pies. Stuffing -- or dressing in the South -- is made form dried bread crumbs and turkey drippings, water or other stock. Mix-ins vary widely from nuts, celery and onion to cranberry and sausage. Dinner rolls also make an appearance. While chestnuts are the iconic Christmas nuts, availability depends on the region, and nuts like pecans, almonds, walnuts and even pistachios may stand in.
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Sauces
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Christmas may not seem complete without its accoutrement sauces. Cranberry sauce and turkey gravy top the list. While one home cook may insist on buying fresh cranberries and reducing them with orange juice for a sauce base, another might prefer buying jellied cranberry sauce in the can. Gravy varies widely as well. Some families use turkey gizzard and turkey drippings, or you can always purchase powdered gravy mix. Hollandaise sauce is another sauce frequenting the Christmas table, typically on asparagus or eggs Benedict for a Christmas brunch.
Regional Sides
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Some side dishes may be unheard of in certain regions of the United States, while the same dishes may be a mainstay in others. Dungeness crab, for instance, is a California favorite, while chicken and dumplings take the side stage in the South. Cultural dishes abound as well, like tamales, sweet or spicy meat, cheese and veggies wrapped in maza -- corn meal -- and steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. Ingredients for dishes like stuffing also vary widely, with some families using turkey gizzard, nuts or cranberries in the dressing.
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