Root Vegetable

Diane Brown Savahge of Los Angeles, California, writes: "I'm a part-time restaurant manager and food writer, and occasionally I teach cooking classes. One piece of advice I always share with my students is to keep the ingredients list short — you don't need to empty out your refrigerator to make a great meal. You just need a few quality ingredients with bold flavors."

Use fresh oysters if you can; note that the recipe also tested well using oysters packed in jars. If the oysters are very large, cut them in half.

This gravy makes a nice accompaniment to the broiled polenta sticks and the roasted squash and mushrooms , as well as the <epi:recipelink id="230982">sautéed Broccolini.</epi:recipelink>

Chunks of tender cauliflower and potato tossed with Indian spices give this stuffing a lovely, distinctive texture and flavor.

This risotto is a delicious way to add vibrant color — and a bit of Italy — to the normally muted Thanksgiving table.

This dish is a wonderful alternative to more traditional dressing. It's normal for a crust to develop on the bottom of the pot — after scooping out most of the rice, you can cook the crust a bit longer, then chip off the tasty morsels.

In this rich, sweet salad, we've included not just onions but their relatives in the Allium family — shallots, leeks, garlic, and chives. For meltingly tender results, be sure to peel off the papery outer layer, the leathery second layer, and any paper-thin membranes from the onions, shallots, and leeks.

Truffles add a flavorful woodsy note, but if you make this French-influenced celery-root purée without them, it will still be delicious.

There are many kinds of Korean pancakes, but bindaedok, made with yellow mung beans and whipped eggs, have a light, airy texture. They are very versatile, and work well as an hors d'oeuvre, side dish, or vegetarian main course.

Though the spices in these carrots hint at North Africa, this dish will fit in well with a traditional North American meal.