Side

These will add a southwestern-style kick to your Thanksgiving menu.

Dried and fresh cranberries are simmered in Port for a not-too-sweet, grown-up take on the classic.

With its pure flavor, this firm and simply seasoned flourless cornbread is perfect for use in stuffings. It's also delicious toasted, spread with butter, and drizzled with honey.

Roasted carrots, parsnips, and rutabagas add great depth of flavor.

Roasted red and green grapes add juicy flavor and refreshing tanginess to this satisfying pilaf-style dressing.

Mushroom fans, this one's for you: a hearty rosemary-bread dressing made with dried porcini as well as shiitake and button mushrooms.

This bread is turned out of the skillet to reveal a lovely array of whole sage leaves.

For a great vegetarian entrée, serve the vegetables on a bed of couscous.

Red lentils, faster-cooking than other varieties of the legume, are the foundation of this earthy, rustic soup. Light but satisfying, it's a wonderful (and easy) start to an autumn meal.

Like an eastern European take on ravioli, this embodiment of Polish comfort food is right at home in a lively tomato sauce with dill and caraway seeds.

Using the pan drippings to sauté the vegetables allows the bacon's smokiness to permeate the whole dish. It's a striking complement to the sweet potatoes and red peppers. And don't fret about making too much—you won't have leftovers for long. The flavors will meld further and make for a terrific breakfast the next day.

Gently pickling the shallots mellows them and also adds hints of sweetness and acidity. Tossing them with some earthy, quick-cooked kale makes for a pleasing contrast in flavors.

A trilogy of apple—cider, cider vinegar, and ample chunks of Gala or Fuji— contributes sweet-tart goodness to this Germanic dish. It's a simple, straightforward celebration of fall.

Long-grain rice won't do the trick here; short- and medium-grain have the perfect texture for the clay-pot chicken, not quite absorbing the sauce but supporting it in a delicious way.

Chang's two restaurants cater decidedly to the pork lover, and this salad is no exception. Among the sweet, smoky, and tart notes tossed together, you'll get an occasional zing of heat from the chili nuts (which, served on their own, may very well become your new favorite bar snack).

Deep-fried Brussels sprouts are a popular side dish at Ssäm Bar. Cooked in a hot oven (easier for the home cook), they still get that nutty sweetness and nicely browned crisp exterior. Rice Krispies, standing in for Indian puffed rice (which is more difficult to find), add crunch, while sous-chef Tien Ho's Vietnamese-style dressing lends the sprouts an offbeat complexity.