Nina's Potato Salad
"One of our first—and favorite—Horn side dishes is our potato salad," says chef Matt Horn, of his wife Nina's popular recipe. "This is our take on the classic recipe that goes perfectly with barbecue!" This crowd-pleasing side is neither too rich nor too light, hitting the perfect balance of tart and creamy to perfectly complement a smoked brisket.
Bavarian Potato Salad
Food & Wine editor Melanie Hansche's mother taught her how to make this Bavarian potato salad when she was a tween. The dressing is made with a base of hot chicken stock and vinegar, and it's punched up with tangy cornichons, onion, grainy mustard, dill, and crispy bacon bits. It's important to peel the potatoes and slice them while still hot, then pour the hot dressing over the warm potatoes. This enables the waxy fingerlings to really soak up the liquid while also holding their shape. The salad is best served at room temperature. You can make this up to 2 days ahead of time and take it out of the fridge a few hours before serving. It's good any time of year, but Hansche likes to serve it with Pretzel Dumplings, Braised Red Cabbage with Apples and Bacon, and Roasted Goose Legs with Sour Cherry Glaze and Gravy for a traditional Bavarian Christmas feast.
Make a Giant, Glam, Champagne-and-Gin-Spiked Gelatin Mold the Centerpiece of Your Holiday Table
Put some giggle in that jiggle this holiday season.
Garlic-and-Herb Mashed Potatoes
These mashed potatoes are a speedy, nearly effortless dish thanks to a flavor-packed special ingredient: a garlic-and-herb-flecked spreadable cheese (such as Boursin). For a colorful twist, use purple Peruvian potatoes instead of Yukon Golds to make purple mashed potatoes.
Cranberry-Walnut Stuffing
Tart cranberries and toasted walnuts add flavor and a crunch to this crowd-pleasing holiday side dish. Rustic hunks of toasted bread form the backbone of this stuffing; a buttery sauteed mixture of onion, celery, herbs, and cooked sausage fills it out with rich flavor. Simmering the cranberries first in vinegar and sugar both intensifies and rounds out their distinctive tartness. Serve this versatile side with roasted turkey, pork, or beef.
Endives in Schmaltz with Peanuts
Mildly bitter Belgian endive cooked in schmaltz, or rendered chicken fat, becomes sweet and tender, with golden, caramelized edges. Fresh lime juice and crunchy roasted peanuts balance the richness of this simple-to-make side dish.
