For the first time since moving to Harlem, it's my turn to host Thanksgiving dinner for my extended family. I'm considering (maybe) a Harlem-cuisine theme: items that leap to mind are sweet potato pie, collard greens, and cornbread.
But because of our various eating restrictions (a complicated amalgam of kashrut and concern for animal welfare, but the bottom line is we eat vegetarian in restaurants), we don't eat at many of the Harlem institutions that exemplify classic Harlem eating. So my grasp of what is traditional is poor. Anyone have suggestions for great food that a Harlem Thanksgiving shouldn't be without? (ixNay on the amHay. But to the extent that great recipes for veggies call for, say, ham hocks, I can do a certain amount of adapting myself.)
(I'm not certain we're going to go the classic Harlem cooking route; I'm also considering an entirely different cuisine -- New Mexican, which we dearly miss from the years we spent living in New Mexican. We also have zero recipes for that but can probably track them down. Still deciding.)
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2 comments:
how about legumes? black eyed peas arent my fav but they r kind of harlem. white beans--canellini drizzled w a little olive oil. lentils with onions, carrots and garlic, tomatoes? parsnips or turnips cooked till tender and then pureed with cream and butter? classic good food, inexpensive and wholesome...
Ooh - the legumes concept sounds like a winner. I love all lentils I adore blackeyed peas, actually, AND white beans, AND lentils. Probably will include one or more of those. I'm especially focused on the blackeyed peas now that you mention it, though - I'll comb through my vegetarian cookbooks for ideas tomorrow.
Sadly the whole meat/milk separation (part of keeping kosher) rules out cream and butter thing at a meal where turkey will be served -- pity as your concept for parsnips or turnips sounds delish. But I will have to try it out at a meal other than Thanksgiving dinner. Classic good food, inexpensive and wholesome, is right up my alley.
Thanks!
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