THE RETURN OF THE RELISH TRAY
Add texture, vibrancy, and color to your Thanksgiving menu while still keeping it totally classic!
I came of age in restaurant kitchens in the early to mid aughts, the dawn of the fine dining pickle plate. Chefs understood that lightly pickled and fermented foods increased diners’ appetites, cut through rich “nose to tail” paté and pork belly trends of the day, and didn’t overfill diners on the first course. In addition to all of these other benefits, pickle plates are a chance to get creative and feature some seasonal specialty produce that might not otherwise fit into the menu.
But I have news for you, folks. Long before David Chang spread the gospel of the pickle plate to fine dining, my grandparent’s were loading their pressed glass or crystal relish trays with the pimiento stuffed olives, sweet gherkins, and a variety of homemade pickles, specifically pickled peaches, pickled watermelon rind, and marinated sauerkraut salad. Just as Chang was inspired by the Korean banchan that his mother and grands brought to the table, I too learned my love of piquant, sweet, and sour dishes from my family. My grandfather always made a big deal about how we had to have specifically pimiento stuffed Spanish olives and more than once went out on Thanksgiving Day to find the right ones. Turns out olives were an important Thanksgiving tradition in many households.
I have always loved the relish tray tradition, but in recent years, it has become a favorite dish to bring to my in-laws’ houses for Thanksgiving. It doubles as an appetizer and as accoutrements to the main event (I always bring my tray with jars of each individual feature so I can restock!), and it solves many of the problems with Thanksgiving dinner.
WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE RELISH TRAYS A THANKSGIVING TRADITION AT YOUR HOUSE:
THANKSGIVING DESERVES ZEST & CRUNCH
Can we admit that most Thanksgiving dinners lack textural contrast? I love mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, sweet potato casserole, but my taste buds end up begging for mercy from all of the soft, rich foods that overwhelm the palate. At the same time, Thanksgiving is not a time to experiment! In my family we love tradition, and you can bet there will be a revolt if anyone tries to mess with any of our favorite dishes. Enter the relish tray! A few crunchy, tart pickled things are just what you need to make your favorite traditional dishes shine brighter than ever.
SNACK WITHOUT FILLING UP
There is nothing worse than cooking for three days straight only to sit down to dinner to find that everyone has already stuffed themselves on cheese and crackers and charcuterie. Relish trays solve the problem of what to eat before the big meal without spoiling your appetite. Pickles are low calorie snacks that are known to both satisfy your desire to snack while also increasing your appetite for what is to come. I think of my relish tray/ pickle board like “salad finger food.” Lightly pickled cauliflower florets or blistered and marinated sweet peppers are easy to eat out of hand, which is just more fun than sitting down with a knife and fork with a big salad.
EASY TO MAKE THEM AHEAD OF TIME
Make a few pickled things early in the week, and they will be there to satisfy your guests when you need a few more hours to get the main event on the table!
EVEN EASIER - SHOP THE OLIVE BAR AT THE SUPERMARKET!
Who says your relish tray has to be homemade? My grandparents definitely didn’t! I love to make a couple of things from scratch but round out my selection with my favorites from the olive bar or the grocery store shelf. Peppadew peppers, olives, pickled okra, baby gherkins or my favorite Wickles (Original!). You can definitely use store bought kraut for your marinated kraut salad, or support your local artisan pickle maker and add their creations to the mix.
MY 2023 RELISH TRAY WITH RECIPES & LINKS!
Here’s exactly what’s on my relish tray/ pickle plate menu this year! My stomach is growling already.
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