How about adding a section to recipe pages where readers can recommend side dishes to go with those recipes?

Often I'll have a great idea for a main dish but come up tiny when it comes to selecting interesting and complementary side dishes. "Serve with a loaf of crusty bread and a green salad" gets old. Pork chops with applesauce, steak with crispy potatoes -- been there, done that. There is so much creativity and innovation in the Food52 community -- I'd love to read what others might serve with any given recipe. If you could provide links to recipes on the site, that would be even better. (And if anyone's got any brilliant ideas about what I should serve with cider-glazed pork chops for company, your suggestions are most welcome!)

Peanut
  • Posted by: Peanut
  • March 11, 2011
  • 2351 views
  • 10 Comments

10 Comments

Peanut
Peanut March 14, 2011
I did find smoked paprika at WF, and a bottle of sherry vinegar. I found the smoky flavor of the paprika really overpowered the dish; next time I'll use half the amount or less. The roasted bagna cauda broccoli was more of a success, but I'll use less dressing next time. I may even toss the broccoli with the dressing, rather than with olive oil, before roasting, because the dish was a little on the oily side. Both dishes were very good suggestions to go with the pork, thanks!
 
drbabs
drbabs March 12, 2011
I've gotten smoked paprika at Penzey's. We have a store nearby, but you can order it online also.
 
pierino
pierino March 12, 2011
You should have no trouble finding good sherry vinegar (jerez) at Whole Foods. It's vastly superior in flavor to all but the most expensive "balsamics". Smoked paprika (pimenton ahumado) might be a little more difficult, but possibly it will be at WF too.
 
amysarah
amysarah March 12, 2011
Recommending side dishes is a great idea...and how about also including a section to rec wine (or beer, cocktail or non-alcoholic drink) pairings, if there's one you've found to work particularly well with the dish?

In 'real' life, I always appreciate when a friend passes along a recipe and has a great wine/beverage suggestion to go with it - especially when it's a wine I hadn't tried before that's a good value.
 
Anitalectric
Anitalectric March 11, 2011
That idea rocks! Good thinking.
 
Peanut
Peanut March 11, 2011
My husband loves Caesar salad, and he's good with broccoli, so I think the roasted bagna cauda broccoli could be a big hit. I'll go easy on the anchovies, so I get umami not ew-fishy! Thanks so much for the suggestions - keep 'em coming!
 
drbabs
drbabs March 11, 2011
I think sherry vinegar is really mild and has a wonderful flavor. Smoked paprika is also a revelation. I didn't realize your cider glazed pork chops also had vinegar in them. You could also try this recipe: http://www.food52.com/recipes/2678_roasted_bagna_cauda_broccoli
(You might want to leave out the anchovies--they might clash with the pork.)

I also love this--I think it would be wonderful with pork:
http://www.food52.com/recipes/7374_caramelized_butternut_squash_wedges_with_a_sage_hazelnut_pesto
 
Merrill S.
Merrill S. March 11, 2011
Great idea! We've been talking about something along these lines, so stay tuned...
 
Peanut
Peanut March 11, 2011
Thanks, drbabs! I've never used sherry vinegar (or smoked paprika for that matter, but I'll look for it in WF tomorrow). Does it have a very distinct sherry taste? I don't want the vinegar in this dish to compete with the cider vinegar in the pork chops. Too much vinegar on the plate? I will give roasted broccoli another try this weekend. My first attempt a while back was not a success, but maybe I didn't roast it for long enough.
 
drbabs
drbabs March 11, 2011
Cool idea! I'd like this week's wildcard http://www.food52.com/recipes/2625_roasted_broccoli_with_smoked_paprika_vinaigrette_and_marcona_almonds
with your pork chops.
 
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