Vegan

This simple yet sophisticated relish has depth and tang that store-bought cranberry sauce just can't match.

We love the contrasts at play in this dish—from its earthy, sweet flavors to its velvety, crisp textures. The convenience of being able to roast these vegetables along with the turkey roulade is just another reason to make them.

Sweetened by pepper and rounded out with cilantro, vinegar, and tomato paste, this Latin American staple is perfect with anything on your table or as a meal itself.

Soft and crisp, bitter and sweet—this simple salad is a clean, bright counterpoint to the rest of the meal.

Roasting a whole head of cauliflower at high heat creates beautifully caramelized florets. It's perfectly offset by fresh parsley and a drizzle of a quick lemon dressing.

This mix of greens is a knockout blend of textures, and a short sauté in fruity olive oil mellows their slightly bitter flavor.

Also great with lamb, duck, or chicken.

This refreshing treat, from Mridula Baljekar, author of Indian Cooking Without Fat (Metro Books), is a cool finish to spicy dishes.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Ted Allen's The Food You Want to Eat. For Allen's tips on throwing a Thanksgiving party, click here. This is another long-cooking method for cooking beans, not for the crisp-vegetable crowd. The shallots get very sweet with roasting. Add a squeeze of lemon or a little vinegar if you like, or toss in some chopped thyme.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Ted Allen's The Food You Want to Eat. For Allen's tips on throwing a Thanksgiving party, click here. A simple, terrific fall or winter side dish.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Ted Allen's The Food You Want to Eat. For Allen's tips on throwing a Thanksgiving party, click here. The intent with this dish was an entrée — an entrée not just appropriate for vegetarians, but for vegans. But in the context of Thanksgiving, it serves either as a wonderful companion to turkey (or as that too-rare dish at the American dinner party: a hearty, bona-fide vegetarian option). You can assemble it ahead and refrigerate. (If you do, bake it at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes instead of the below instructions.)

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Ted Allen's The Food You Want to Eat. For Allen's tips on throwing a Thanksgiving party, click here. I can't have cocktail hour without great, fresh olives — and
I don't mean the rubbery, tasteless black ones from a can.
I mean the real deal: kalamatas, niçoises, gaetas, picholines— the more variety, the better. Most good supermarkets these days feature an olive bar—that is, a variety of loose olives available in bulk. And that is a very, very good thing. Some of these places include among the selection a batch of olives that have been seasoned with herbs and other flavors, too. But it's more fun to do it yourself; you can buy different kinds of olives (be sure to get different sizes and colors, which looks great in the bowl), select the flavors you like the best — say, thyme, cayenne, garlic, grapefruit zest, whatever — and you can control the spiciness. You'll have a great collection of olives for your next impromptu get together, or an excellent addition to an antipasto platter. And they're almost no work at all to make. When you serve, remember to put out a small dish so guests have some place to put the pits.

Use roasted garlic to make fresh spinach and roasted-garlic custards . Any leftover roasted garlic will keep in the fridge for up to four days. It's a great addition to mashed potatoes, soups, and salad dressings.