Fried Sage, Bruschetta, and Stuffed Mushrooms, Oh My!
As your house fills with guests this Thanksgiving, you’ll inevitably be spending some of your time and energy keeping the grazers away from the kitchen. But how do you keep those grazers from becoming hangry whiners before the Turkey is ready to be carved?
We have three delicious, satisfying answers for you below.
Fried Sage Leaves
Sage is a staple of Italian cooking. Fried sage leaves add a savory crunch that can be eaten on their own or used to garnish winter root vegetable soups or sides.
It all starts with gather a bunch of sage for your garden or local Doris Market. Make a simple batter using 1 egg and 2 tablespoons of water. In a separate dish, mix one cup of all-purpose flour with salt and pepper to your liking.
Heat a skillet with olive oil deep enough to cover the leaves. Once the oil is hot, you can begin to batter the leaves. Dip into the egg mixture then coat with the flour.
Let the battered leaves turn golden then place on a paper towel for a light sprinkle of coarse salt.
If you want to go gluten-free, sage leaves can be fried without the batter. The heat and the oil release the natural flavors.
Crostini with Heirloom Tomatoes
It starts with a loaf of Italian bread and ends with smiles of satisfaction. Take a loaf of your favorite fresh baked bread, and cut it into slices. Brush with olive oil, and place into an oven preheated to 300 degrees for 5-6 minutes or until lightly browned.
In a large bowl, mix a selection of diced heirloom tomatoes, sliced cloves of garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
Remove the toasted slices of bread and spoon the tomato mixture onto each of the slices. Then return the pan to the oven to warm.
The best thing about this is you can really add anything you want to top the crostini. Try mozzarella, your favorite herbs, or use a flavored olive oil to really infuse the dish with even more flavor.
Stuffed Mushrooms
Start with cleaned Portobello mushrooms (remove the stem and the gills) and an oven preheated to 375 degrees. Coat the mushroom caps with olive oil, place on a greased cookie sheet, and cook for about 8 minutes.
The filling can really be any of your favorite veggies, sauces, or cheeses. This version uses a traditional tomato sauce for which you can substitute a can of tomato paste and a can of diced tomatoes.
In a bowl toss in chopped spinach, finely diced onion, minced garlic and some olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. You can also add your favorite herbs and spices like red pepper chili flakes, oregano, or basil. Warm this mixture in a non-stick skillet until the leaves are wilted.
In another pan, melt some butter and mix in your favorite bread crumbs.
Take your mushrooms from the oven and put a spoonful of tomato sauce in each one. Then spoon the veggie mixture until each is filled.
The fun part is sprinkling the stuffed mushrooms with your favorite cheese. Mozzarella, feta, or goat cheese will do just fine. Follow up with bread crumbs and return to the oven to melt the cheese and bring the bread crumbs to toasty golden brown.
We would love to see what your making for Thanksgiving. If you are trying these dishes this year or have your own unique holiday traditions, we’d love to see them! Tag Doris Italian Market on Facebook and @Doris_Market on Instagram.