Sweet sides

I have often waxed (un)lyrical about how hard I find it to put on a traditional roast dinner. The knowledge that I'm British, and therefore should be able to rustle up a hearty table full of roast beef and all the trimmings without breaking a sweat or a whimper, only serves to reinforce the depth of my shame. Sigh. Occasionally though, I have my moments, and usually they are moments resulting from the discovery of some nifty shortcuts. One such shortcut is the possibility of roasting a chicken in the slow-cooker. That was an eye-opener. And don't get me wrong, I am also not averse to the odd purchase of one of those ready-roasted rotisserie chickens from the supermarket. With either of these options, all I need worry about is the sides, the trimmings for my roast dinner. And there is no point to a roast without the trimmings. They are often my favorite bits.

The two recipes below are awesome in the trimming department, mainly because any prep is done in advance, is reasonably limited, and then the cooking is done last minute in the oven, so there is no standing over a hot stove, wielding of basting brushes etc. You will notice that they can't easily be cooked simultaneously, since the cabbage cooks at a low temperature. However, the cabbage is very accommodating, and can easily be cooked in advance, and then left on a stove-top with the lid on to stay hot while the squash cooks, or simply reheated in fact. Both are dishes packed with great fall and winter flavors.

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples
from Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course
Serves 8 as a side

2lb red cabbage, finely shredded
1 lb onions, finely chopped
1 lb sharp apples (e.g. Granny Smiths), peeled, cored and chopped small
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 whole nutmeg, grated
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3 TBSP brown sugar
3 TBSP red wine vinegar
1/2 oz salted butter
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2.  In a large bowl, mix together the onions and apples with the spices and sugar.
3. In a large dutch oven or lidded casserole dish, place a layer of shredded cabbage, seasoned with salt and pepper. Cover this with a layer of the onion/apple mixture. Continue alternating these layers until all the ingredients are in the dish.
4. Sprinkle over the wine vinegar and dot the butter over the top.
5. Put the lid on and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring once or twice during the cooking time.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Onions and Bacon
adapted from EatingWell
Serves 6 as a side

2lbs delicate squash
1 large red onion, sliced
2 TBSP olive oil
4 oz pancetta/bacon, in small cubes
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 TBSP maple syrup
1 TBSP Dijon mustard

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise (do NOT peel), and scoop out the seeds. Cut squash into 1/2" thick slices. Toss with the onion, 1 TBSP oil and salt, and spread onto a large baking sheet in an even layer.
3. Roast until tender and starting to brown (about 30 minutes), stirring once during cooking time.
4. In the meantime, sauté the pancetta until crisp and brown.
5. Combine remaining 1 TBSP oil, rosemary, syrup and mustard in a small bowl.
6. Toss together the vegetables, dressing and bacon/pancetta and serve hot or warm.