One of the great things about hosting a special meal is that attention to the side dishes is given and people always talk & ask about those recipes.
“What’s in the potatoes? How did you make the sauce? What spices did you use?”
All those questions will be answered here.
First up was the mashed celery root and potatoes with butter milk and thyme. Celery root is a vegetable used alot in Europe and from speaking to relatives, it’s enjoyed in the winter by Greeks as well.
When considering using celery root in mashed form, you have to add some starch, otherwise the dish will just be runny. Potatoes come to the rescue, acting as the binder, a whole head of roasted garlic heightens the dish, butter milk (another Greek favourite) gives the dish a tangy bottom and fresh thyme and chives round out the flavour.
The other side dish that figured prominently in the dinner was the roasted root vegetables. Your choice of vegetables is according to your tastes but I chose a mix of butternut squash, carrots, turnips and parsnips with some baby onions to finish the mix.
The key to this dish was the fresh sage and spices. I used my coffee, er spice grinder to help create a blend of fennel seeds, cinnamon nutmeg and then added the chopped fresh sage.
I tossed the veggies in olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper and tossed the spices to coat all the veggies.
Besides the aroma of the roasting turkey, the smell of these root vegetables roasting away in a blanket of aromatic spices had my guests entering the kitchen and eventually, tasting the piping hot root vegetables…they smelled & tasted that good!
Finally, what’s a Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce? Cranberries are native to North America but here I injected some Greek ingredients in keeping with the Hellenic theme.
Making your own cranberry sauce is easy. One only has to add some liquid (I used orange juice), some sugar, orange zest and I spiked it with grated ginger and a pinch of ground cloves.
The aroma and flavour kept my guests guessing and this sauce was a natural pairing with the roasted 
turkey.
Stay tuned, tomorrow I’ll present the Bougatsa with poached quince and almonds.
Those roasted root vegies do look a real treat Peter…am so looking fwd to the bougatsa recipe tomorrow!
My mother cooked celery root many different ways but never mixed with mashed potatoes. This sounds wonderful, Peter. I’m definitely going to try it when I prepare our Thanksgiving dinner.
Happy Halloween.
Your potatoes look superb, and I love cranberries in any format. I make my sauce straight up, without any extra flavorings; that’s just my preference (and sometimes I’m even allowed to vote – but not often!)
Thanks for the ongoing Thanksgiving ideas. I’m glad you had to cook a month before we did, so we can borrow from you!
And Happy Halloween. Enjoy your little ghoulish visitors!
Oh my gosh. I cannot tell you how excited I am to hear about the bougatsa. Several years ago, I was in Greece playing soccer with the Greek women’s team (I know, totally random, long story) and on our drive from Athens to Naussa, we stopped along the coast, and I regret so much that I cannot remember the town, but it was sort of towards the north, but south of Thessaloniki, and I had my first taste of Bougatsa. It might have been the best thing I have ever tasted. We ate it for breakfast. I have been dying to learn how to make it and have tried several recipes that never compared. I cannot wait to try your recipe.
The celery root puree and the cranberries sound delicious.
All looks lovely! Love those veggies. I can not imagine where (round here) I would be able to get celery root from!
I’ve never made cranberry sauce before but I will do so this Christmas!……I’ll add Port to mine lol.
Seriously, I will give your very recipe a go – sounds and looks good.
Happy Halloween – have a great evening!
the veggies look so great… a perfect side dish…
I agree – always good to see the side dishes making their mark. Is celery root the same as what we call celeriac? I think it must be. If so, I love it. Especially with game. Delicious!
That all looks wonderful!!! I used celery root for the first time last week and I really liked it. Think I might like those potatoes! Will more than likely use your cranberry sauce…
i loved the roast veges – how on earth did you manage to eat all of this???
Those roasted vegetables look terribly good!
Cheers,
Rosa
She looks “really” happy holding that cranberry sauce Peter!! LOL!
I’m ready for the mashed taters!
I came over because I liked the quote about French women that you put on Maria’s blog.
I LOVE your blog banner. Your blog name in the sand. It is a Wow, beautiful sensation when you page opens.
Your Thanksgiving root veggies look fantastic and I can smell the spices you described as a guest walking into your kitchen.
I am an American of French-Canadian decent. :-) I’ll return!
Peter, the celery root, potato combo sounds delicious and looks beautiful. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s recipe.
I’ll have to try your spice mix the next time I roast some root veggies. Sounds wonderfully exotic. Freshly made cranberry sauce is the best. Your special spices for that sound good too.
Aren’t root vegetables the best-est!? Your Thanksgiving dinner has been like the gift that keeps on giving.
Those roast vegetables are talking to me Peter. BTW what is butter milk in Greek?
I would be in the kitchen nibbling on the roasted veggies ;)
Celery root puree with potatoes and roasted garlic is yum! I’m inviting myself to your house next Thankgiving! :-)
Gorgeous! We make celeriac mash quite often without adding potato – you don’t get the same smooth texture, but there is a cleaner flavour.
I love roaster veggies & potatoes any style. I would have been happy at your TGiving Party.
i’m an absolute sucker for any and all mashed potatoes, and clearly, yours are fantastic, with some very interesting components. great pictures, by the way. :)
I like to throw an apple into the celery root/potato mix, just because I’m that kind of girl.
Also: I have the same dish that you used for your cranberry sauce. It was acting as my gravy boat this year, and it was the first time I used it…..I didn’t know that a ladle was required, and tried to pour it out of the lip. That’s one tablecloth which will never be the same again.
Alexandra…could be Katerini?
Antonia, celery root = celeriac.
Kiwi, the veggies vanished!
Meg, thank you for your kind words and I look forward to your future visits.
Ioanna, butter milk is Ariani.
Tina, lol…I nearly broke the cranberry sauce boat, thinking it was 2 pieces!
I adore roasted root vegetables – they are also fantastic mashed up and made into soup! And as for celery root… mmmm, abotu to post some celery root soup I made over the weekend. Yummy!