Big or small, vegetarian dishes worth Thanksgiving centerpiece status

Last year around this time, I was crowing about the fact that without a turkey to worry about, Thanksgiving planning and cooking gets a whole lot less complicated.

But now that I'm working on my third vegetarian version of the holiday dinner, I'm realizing that I start with the same decision every year: what to cook that will look impressive enough to take its place at the center of the table. Call me Rockwellian, but I can't let go of the idea that the feast needs a focus, particularly visually.

Part of my impulse can be traced to a firm belief that vegetarians and vegans deserve to be served something special, something that doesn't seem like a side-dish afterthought -- and, of course, something that glorifies the vegetables themselves.

Why concoct a centerpiece dish that is vegetarian merely by virtue of the absence of meat? No big bowls of pasta, no layered egg-and-cheese dishes at my table. Not this year.

I decided to seek out candidates for centerpiece status that didn't rely on animal products at all -- not because I'm vegan, but because I wanted to see whether that would force me to elevate the produce that is (or should be) at the heart of this harvest festival.

I realized that something I've made for parties a few times could be just the ticket: a whole roasted cauliflower, a la Alice Waters. In "The Art of Simple Food II," she writes about making one as a festive appetizer, letting guests pull off florets to dip in one pungent sauce or another.

But with all the glorious colors cauliflower come in at farmers markets these days, I imagined one (or more, depending on my guest list) as a stunning main course. Coincidentally, Michael Ruhlman's new book "How to Roast" suggests the same idea, calling for the head to be basted with butter during roasting, then covered with the classic polonaise (hard-cooked eggs, bread crumbs, parsley) before being cut into wedges at the table.

I went with something in between the two ideas, using a simple but generous drizzle of olive oil instead of the butter basting, and serving the cauliflower with a sharp chimichurri sauce and sliced almonds.

The only dilemma I had when testing was deciding which I liked better: the purple Graffiti variety or the orange cheddar one. It's a tough call, but if I find a chartreuse-green Romanesco cauliflower, with its fractal-pattern pyramid shape, in time, that's probably what I'll roast for the holiday.

At the other end of the spectrum, I also like the idea of something individual, like the mushroom-and-stout potpies I found on the beautiful Web site The First Mess. Writer Laura Wright, who lives in Ontario, Canada, put together a beautifully deep-flavored mushroom base, then spiked it with dark stout beer and enlivened it with tart olives.

The crowning touch: spirals of thinly sliced sweet potato as the crust. I made them in a combination of cocottes, some of them stoneware and some cast-iron, plus some large ramekins and even a coffee mug or two.

For Thanksgiving, I imagine presenting them on tiered platters, instructing guests to grab one (carefully -- they should be served hot!) as they're filling their plates.

Which way to go: big or small? At the risk of seeming indecisive, I'm thinking both.

I realize I was setting out to find one focus for the table, not two, but because this is a holiday about bounty, I have a feeling I can make it all work.

VEGETARIAN RECIPES

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Chimichurri and Almonds

FOR THE CHIMICHURRI:

1 cup lightly packed cilantro stems and leaves

1 cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley stems and leaves

1/3 cup lightly packed mint leaves

2 tablespoons oregano leaves

4 cloves garlic

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER:

1 large cauliflower (2 to 3 pounds), preferably a colored variety such as purple Graffiti, cheddar or Romanesco

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see note)

Serves six to eight.

To make the chimichurri sauce, combine the cilantro, parsley, mint, oregano, garlic, cumin, red pepper, vinegar, salt and oil in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until the herbs are chopped but not pureed. Taste, and add more salt if needed.

To roast the cauliflower, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Trim the bottom of the cauliflower stem so the cauliflower will sit straight in an baking dish or cast-iron skillet that just holds it comfortably. (Leave the leaves on, as they add to the decorative look and are tasty.) Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the salt.

Bake until the cauliflower is lightly browned and a skewer easily pierces all the way through, about 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size. Baste periodically with oil from the pan, if desired. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature, with the sauce and almonds spooned over it or served on the side.

Note: Toast the almonds in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat for a few minutes, shaking the pan as needed to avoid scorching, until they become fragrant and lightly browned. Transfer to a plate immediately.

Mushroom and Stout Potpies with Sweet Potato Crusts

6 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil), plus more for greasing the ramekins

4 large shallot lobes, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)

2 medium leeks (white part only), chopped

1 tablespoon thyme leaves, plus extra thyme sprigs for garnish

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

4 pounds mixed mushrooms (such as cremini, portobello and shiitake), stemmed, trimmed and sliced into 1-inch pieces

6 tablespoons spelt flour or whole-wheat flour (may substitute all-purpose flour)

2 cups stout or other dark, heavy beer

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari or other soy sauce

2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 pound sweet potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced

Serves eight.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease eight 8-ounce ramekins or the baking dishes of your choice with a little oil and set on a baking sheet.

Heat1/4 cup of the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the leeks and all but 1 teaspoon of the thyme to the pot and cook for another 2 minutes, until the leeks are tender. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot all at once. Cook until the mushrooms are collapsed, tender and glistening, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms, stir and cook for about a minute, until the flour no longer tastes raw.

Pour the stout into the pot, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the vinegar and tamari. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is gently bubbling and cook until the liquid is reduced and as thick as gravy, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the olives and chopped parsley. Season the mixture lightly with salt and pepper.

Divide the mushroom mixture among the ramekins. Layer the sweet potato slices on top, overlapping the rounds as you go, until there are 2 solid layers of sweet potatoes on each dish. Brush the sweet potatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and sprinkle equally with the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the 1 teaspoon of pepper and the remaining chopped thyme.

Cover the ramekins with heavy-duty aluminum foil and bake the potpies for 30 to 40 minutes or until the mushroom mixture is bubbling and the sweet potatoes are tender. Remove the foil, turn the oven to broil, and return the pot pies to the broiler for just a minute or two, until the sweet potatoes are nicely browned. (Watch carefully, so they don't burn.) Garnish with the thyme sprigs. Serve hot.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie with Coconut Cream

FOR THE CRUST:

2 1/2 cups sifted flour, plus more for the work surface

1/2 cup coconut oil, refrigerated until very firm and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

FOR THE FILLING:

1 medium pumpkin (5 to 6 pounds), preferably Cinderella or sugar pie (may substitute butternut squash)

1 cup raw pecan halves, soaked in water overnight and drained

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons tapioca starch

2 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

FOR THE COCONUT CREAM:

13 1/2 ounces canned, full-fat coconut milk, preferably without added guar gum, refrigerated in the can overnight (may substitute canned coconut cream)

1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Makes one 9-inch pie.

For the crust: Combine the flour, coconut oil, salt and granulated sugar in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add1/4 cup ice water and continue pulsing until incorporated. Check to see whether the dough holds together when pinched; if it doesn't, add water, a little at a time, and pulse until incorporated. Once the dough holds together when pinched, turn it out onto a piece of plastic wrap; wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the dough to a round about 11 inches in diameter. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie pan/plate, letting it overhang on all sides and being careful not to stretch it. Trim the overhang and crimp the edges. Cover in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 hour.

For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds and roast, cut side down, until the flesh is fork-tender, 45 minutes to an hour. Remove and let cool. Scoop out 4 cups of flesh, saving any extra for another use.

Add the pumpkin flesh to a blender, along with the pecans, brown sugar, tapioca starch, molasses, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Puree until smooth.

Remove the pie shell from the freezer and scrape in the pumpkin filling, using a spatula to smooth it evenly. Bake the pie until the top has darkened and firmed and the crust has turned golden brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove and let cool.

To make the coconut cream, remove the can of coconut milk from the refrigerator and turn it upside down. Use a can opener to open it from the bottom, and pour off the milky liquid. (Save it for smoothies or to pour over cereal.) Transfer the waxy, solidified cream to a deep mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to whip it until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract; beat until combined. (Note: Some brands of coconut milk might not separate when refrigerated because of the addition of stabilizers and won't whip properly. If that happens, serve it as a sauce rather than as a whipped topping. If you use a canned coconut cream, no refrigeration or separation is required, and it can be whipped as is.)

Serve the pie with dollops of coconut cream.

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 9:45 PM.