Blog Posts by Saveur

We're fixing up a crowd-pleasing, family-style meal of grilled fish tacos with flour tortillas and creamy chipotle sauce served with rice and beans.

RELATED: 150 Classic Recipes Every Great Cook Should Know »

RECIPE: Grilled Fish Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Sauce
SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CHIPOTLE SAUCE:
½ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
½ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. dried dill
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce plus 1 tsp. sauce
Kosher salt, to taste

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FOR THE FISH:
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. cayenne
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. dried oregano
2½ lb. boneless, skinless tilapia fillets, sliced in half lengthwise
Kosher salt, to taste
Canola oil, for grilling

TO SERVE:
8" corn or flour tortillas, warmed
¼ small head green cabbage, very thinly shredded
1 small white onion, minced
1 medium tomato, cored and finely chopped
2 limes, cut into wedges

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​Truth be told, I used to shudder at the sight of the sweet potato casserole that appeared on our table each Thanksgiving. It was made with canned "candied yams," which were mushy and syrupy-sweet (sorry, Mom), and blanketed in an airtight layer of mini marshmallows. But I love sweet potatoes; I love marshmallows. Couldn't the two work well together somehow? I figured a little research might help me find a way. The sweet potato casserole I now make synthesizes elements from various stages in the dish's evolution. Taking a cue from Southern cooks who top their casserole with pecans, I top mine with a pecan crumble made with oats, flour, butter, brown sugar, and salt, which provides the right sweet-savory crunch. That would be delicious enough, but to me it's just not complete without marshmallows: They're such a nice, airy counterpoint to the rich and earthy potatoes. I use them sparingly, as they were in the original recipe from 1917, which allows a large surface area of each

By Molly Stevens. Originally appeared in SAVEUR magazine.

There are a ton of ways to do turkey for the holidays. I've brined it, smoked it, fried it, dry-rubbed it; but eventually I (and everyone else around the table) tired of elaborate seasonings and complicated preparations. What we really craved was just a fantastic roast turkey-and this recipe produces exactly that. Follow these steps and you'll have tender legs, juicy white meat, burnished skin, and lots of gravy. In fact, it's the single best technique for roasting a bird that I know and the only one I use anymore when it comes to this special meal.

Related: Italian American Christmas Cookies »

To start, I shop for a fresh, humanely raised bird, ideally not more than 15 pounds; the gargantuan, industrially raised fowl sold by the truckload around the holidays are bland (at best) and, because they're so big, impossible to cook evenly. One 13- to 14-pound fresh turkey will generously feed 10 to 12 people (for more guests,

Here are our best tips for Thanksgiving cooking, including how to achieve a crispier-skinned bird, fluffier pumpkin pie, and richer gravy, as well as guidance on what kind of turkey to buy.

Crispier Skinned Turkey
Crispier Skinned Turkey

For a turkey with skin that's crisp, and flavorful, keep a small saucepan of melted butter, whole peppercorns, sherry vinegar, and dried sage and thyme on the stove, and use a basting brush to slather the infused butter all over the turkey as it roasts, every 30 minutes or so.

See the recipe for The Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey »







Fluffier Pumpkin Pie
Fluffier Pumpkin Pie

There are those who would say it's just not Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie - and those who can't abide the pie's dense texture. A simple way to keep all of your guests happy: Fold two whipped egg whites into the filling for an airier, soufflé-like consistency.


See the recipe for Pumpkin Chiffon Pie »







Pecan Pie Brittle
Sweeter, Richer Gravy

Fortified wines like Sherry, Port, and Madeira contain not only more

​This luxurious stovetop creamed spinach is enriched with sour cream and topped with crunchy spiced bread crumbs. Easy to pull together and not requiring any time in the oven, this dish makes a perfect Thanksgiving side.

SERVES 6-8

INGREDIENTS2 lb. fresh spinach
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup fresh bread crumbs
¼ tsp. paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
5 tbsp. flour
1½ cups milk
⅓ cup sour cream
¼ cup grated Parmesan
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS1. Bring a 4-qt. saucepan of water to a boil; add spinach, and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain, and squeeze dry with a kitchen towel; set aside. Heat 3 tbsp. butter in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add bread crumbs, paprika, and salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

2. Add remaining butter to skillet; add garlic and shallot; cook, stirring, until soft, about 3

1. Confituras Cranberry Cinnamon Jam
Bright Valencia oranges and Mexican cinnamon warm the tart berries in this Texan jam. Finely chopped cranberries produce a smooth consistency that's as appealing on dinner rolls as it is over turkey and stuffing.

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2. Wilkin & Sons Ltd. Tiptree Organic Wild Cranberry Sauce
Wild cranberries are reduced to a familiar, thick consistency in this quintessential holiday sauce, which has been made in Tiptree, England, since 1885. You'll want this one with the leftovers.

RELATED: Savory Thanksgiving Stuffing »

3. Anarchy in a Jar Tipsy Quince & Cranberry Chutney
Brooklyn jam maker Laena McCarthy plays soft, buttery texture off spiky acidity and alcoholic bite with her quince cranberry chutney, which unites two notoriously sour fruits with smoky-sweet whiskey-soaked raisins. The full-flavored result is great smeared on turkey sandwiches.

RELATED: A Traditional New England Thanksgiving »

4. Saucy by Nature Cranberry Pear

Every fall, as the Saveur kitchen fills up with pumpkins, pecans, maple syrup, and the rest of the classic Thanksgiving ingredients, we start dreaming of creative ways to use them. This issue's recipes for roasted sugar-glazed pears and pumpkin cheesecake (see the article A Bountiful Shore) set the bar high: The elements are absolutely canonical, but reinterpreted, they let some fresh air into our holiday traditions. Like many cooks at Thanksgiving time, we relish introducing new dishes to complement the old standbys, and so came up with the following fresh takes on the holiday dessert, designed to pique the appetite even after all the excesses of the feast. Get tons of Thanksgiving tips, menu ideas, and more with SAVEUR.com's Thanksgiving Guide »

Pumpkin and Bourbon Mousse


Pumpkin and Bourbon Mousse (Get the recipe below.)
This spicy reinterpretation of a traditional pumpkin pie will wow guests while still satisfying traditionalists.

See the recipe for Pumpkin and Bourbon Mousse »




Related: 19

All along the grey and November-cold East Coast, Thanksgiving is the meal we most look forward to setting the family table for each year. A perfectly roasted turkey surrounded by a bevy of simple and comforting American sides is a matter of tradition: the kids will pick the marshmallows off the top of the sweet potato casserole while the grown-ups will spike their mugs of hot mulled cider with a fire crackling in the background. Gather 'round the bountiful table with all you love, and be thankful for that second slice of pumpkin pie.

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THE MENU

• Bar Nuts
• Stuffed Mushrooms
• Parker House Rolls
• Green Beans Almondine
• Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
• Mashed potatoes
• East Hampton Corn Pudding
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Chestnut Stuffing
• Perfect Roast Turkey
• Cranberry Sauce
• Rich Gravy
• Roasted Pumpkin Pie
• Apple Pie
• Pecan Pie
• Seelbach Cocktail