The Turkey’s New Partners

For many cooks, the Thanksgiving menu is etched in stone. Nostalgia for past Thanksgivings--and especially for favorite foods on the Thanksgiving table--reinforce this lack of culinary creativity. Frankly, I’m in the same spot. I haven’t changed my Thanksgiving menu in more than 25 years.

Over the years, however, I have updated my menu by adding fresh salad condiments that are refreshing and low in fat and that leave plenty of room for the basics.

The benefits of these salads are many: They require no cooking, can be made up to two days ahead and are easily increased to feed a crowd. Also, they include hardly any fat while offering vitamins, fiber and great flavor. They’re also great with Thanksgiving leftovers.

Since these salads differ considerably from one another, for a large Thanksgiving gathering they would all be excellent served side-by-side on a buffet table. The shredded beet salad with orange-cranberry dressing is sweet and sour, vibrantly colored and crisply refreshing. The curried celery root and apple salad may be less colorful, but there’s no mistaking the full flavors that come through with the first bite. The fennel slaw with carrots, red peppers, green onions and olives combine the stalwarts of a relish dish in a robust salad. It’s full of crunch and freshness.

These salads are not mild; rather they are full-flavored, intended to work with bland turkey meat more than with any other part of the meal.

*

Raw beets bring unexpected pleasure to those who taste them for the first time. They are crunchy, mild tasting and really beautiful. Here they are shredded and dressed in a sweet-sour dressing. It’s best made two days ahead to allow the flavors to develop to their fullest.

SHREDDED BEET SALAD WITH ORANGE-CRANBERRY DRESSING

Zest of 1/2 orange

1/2 cup cranberries

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup orange juice

2 teaspoons safflower oil

2 teaspoons water

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash cayenne

4 medium beets, scrubbed, trimmed, shredded to get about 4 cups

Mince zest with cranberries and sugar in blender or in food processor fitted with metal blade. Transfer to mixing bowl. Add orange juice, safflower oil, water, mustard, salt, cayenne and beets. Mix well.

Salad is best made 2 days ahead and refrigerated. To serve, toss well and adjust seasonings to taste. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

104 calories; 258 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 1.05 grams fiber.

*

This salad has a slightly sweet edge because of the apple and currants. Try it on a turkey sandwich over Thanksgiving weekend.

CURRIED CELERY ROOT AND APPLE SALAD

1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon curry powder

1 large celery root, peeled, shredded

1 large Granny Smith apple, scrubbed, cored, shredded

1/2 cup currants

Combine mayonnaise, water, lemon juice and curry powder in bowl to make dressing.

Place celery root, apple and currants in large salad bowl. Add dressing and toss salad to mix well. Refrigerate if making ahead. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

174 calories; 272 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 2.09 grams fiber.

*

Walnut oil, even this small amount, brings out the flavors of this mixture. To avoid the problem of walnut oil turning rancid in the cupboard, freeze in small amounts so that you’ll have it on hand for recipes that specify it. Olive oil can be substituted for the walnut oil; the taste will be quite different but still good.

FENNEL SLAW WITH CARROTS, PEPPERS, ONIONS AND OLIVES

1 large carrot, peeled and julienned or shredded

1 large trimmed fennel bulb, finely julienned

1/2 large sweet red pepper, finely julienned

8 small green onions, thinly sliced

6 Kalamata olives, pitted, flesh slivered

2 tablespoons walnut oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper

Place carrot, fennel, red pepper, onions and olives in large salad bowl. Combine walnut oil, vinegar, water, salt and black pepper in bowl to make dressing.

Add dressing and toss salad to mix well. Refrigerate, if making ahead. Adjust seasonings to taste. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

111 calories; 277 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.42 gram fiber.