Root Vegetable

These are delicious warm or at room temperature—especially convenient when you're cooking for a crowd.

This yields enough broth for the gravy and the stuffing . Use heavy large rimmed baking sheets; regular ones may buckle.

Related to the turnip, rutabagas are slightly sweet, and their flesh has an orangey hue.

Simply pour this rich dressing over wedges of crisp iceberg lettuce or quartered heads of romaine for a salad, or use it as a dip for crudités.

IMPROV: For a milder, creamier version, use a blend of Parmesan and Fontina instead of all Parm. (Semolina flour is sold at some supermarkets, Italian markets, and specialty foods stores.)

Serve with mustard-seed-crusted pork medallions. IMPROV: Use chopped fresh rosemary in place of the thyme.

Mint brings a hit of freshness to this classic side.

The cornbread needs to dry overnight, so start this at least one day ahead.

After the porcini mushrooms add their flavor to the broth, you can use them in an omelet or a sauté.

If crawfish are hard to find, shrimp make a good stand-in.

Here's a classic stuffing to suit all tastes. For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable or mushroom broth.