WALK ON THE WILD SIDE.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Side dishes help balance the holiday menu and provide interesting texture, color and flavor.

Give these electives a new spin this year. Jazz up options ranging from soups and salads to vegetables or rice and potatoes.

For example, you can trade traditional green beans for fresh broccoli steamed with red pepper strips and a lemon butter. Instead of basic rice, serve a colorful vegetable risotto. Or lift cranberry sauce or relish with chopped pecans and dried apricots, grated orange peel and orange liqueur.

For an easy, quick, good-looking side dish to brighten any table, rely on a large platter of attractively arranged microwaved fresh (or a mixture of fresh and frozen) vegetables. Cook until crisp-tender, top with melted butter and sprinkled with a few seasonings (garlic pepper, fresh basil or other herbs). Vegetables can also be oven roasted, grilled or stir-fried with wonderful results. Add sauce or try Asian mixtures or a splash of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and fresh herbs.

Herbs and spices add a different taste. Try dill, marjoram, chives, cilantro, thyme, parsley, fresh mint, basil, lemon, lime or orange juices, various vinegars including raspberry and balsamic, wine, salt, cinnamon, ginger or pepper.

Get out of a rut and give menu go-alongs a boost all during the holiday season this year. You may just start some new traditions on your table.

GARDEN RISOTTO

2 tablespoons butter

1 large leek, sliced (2 1/2 cups)

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic

1 cup uncooked Arborio rice

2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans vegetable broth, heated

1 small red pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves OR 1 teaspoon dried

2 cups chopped fresh spinach leaves

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper 

In a Dutch oven, melt butter until sizzling; add leek and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until leek is softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add rice. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup broth, red pepper and thyme. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until broth is absorbed and mixture is creamy, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in spinach and peas. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until spinach wilts, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 6 servings.

LEMON-BUTTERED BABY VEGETABLES

1 (16-ounce) package frozen baby vegetable blend

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish 

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Cook vegetables in a 2-quart saucepan according to package directions. Drain. Add butter, horseradish and lemon juice. Cook over low heat until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 6 (1/2-cup) servings.

CARROTS AND TOMATOES PROVENCALE

1 pound fresh carrots (4 medium-large)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled

1 medium green pepper

1 large tomato

Lemon wedges (optional)

Trim and pare carrots. Cut lengthwise in half. Place cut sides down on board and thinly slice lengthwise. Cut slices lengthwise as needed to get long, narrow julienne strips. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet, add carrots, cover pan and cook over medium-low heat 15 minutes. Sprinkle garlic and basil into pan, cover and cook 5 minutes longer or until carrots are flexible and cooked through but not overcooked. Slip carrots out pan onto plate.

Meanwhile, halve, seed and slice green pepper. Core, halve and slice tomato. Add green pepper and tomato to skillet with 2 tablespoons water. Cover and place over high heat. When water starts steaming, cook 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked. Return carrots to pan, toss lightly and warm through. Add a few squirts of lemon juice. Makes 6 servings, about 3/4 cup each.

POTATO AND ROOT VEGETABLE GRATIN 

(On the cover)

6 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large rutabaga (1 pound), peeled and thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

5 large Idaho potatoes, peeled

1 cup very thinly sliced Vidalia OR other mild onions

1 pound large parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme, etc.)

Rub 2 teaspoons olive oil onto bottom of an 8 1/2x12-inch rectangular baking dish or a 9 1/2-inch round casserole dish. Layer enough rutabaga slices to cover bottom of dish, overlapping slices by no more than 1/2-inch. Season slices lightly with salt and pepper.

Thinly slice 1 potato lengthwise and layer slices over rutabaga, overlapping slightly. Slice more potatoes as needed to finish layer, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Lightly brush or pat potato slices lightly with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Spread 1/2 of onions evenly over potatoes. Layer 1/2 of parsnips on top of onion layer, overlapping slightly. Brush parsnips with 1 teaspoon oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Repeat layers, seasoning each as before and finishing with potato slices. If any vegetable slices are left over, alternate rows of vegetables and potatoes on top layer. Brush top layer with 1 teaspoon oil, then season. Cover tightly.

Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 45 minutes. Remove cover, brush top with remaining teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with herbs. Bake uncovered another 15 to 20 minutes or until top is nicely browned. Remove from oven and allow to stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

Shared by chef Michel Nischan, Heartbeat, New York.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

1 (3-pound) butternut squash, pierced with a knife in 4 or 5 places, microwaved on high power 10 to 13 minutes until slightly softened, then peeled, seeded and cut into chunks, about 7 cups

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium potato, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, peeled, halved and sliced

2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chicken OR vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup whipping cream

Red Pepper Puree 

In a large stock pot, combine squash, onion, potato, carrots and chicken broth. Stir in salt and pepper. Cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, about 20 to 25 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Cool 10 minutes. In food processor fitted with metal blade or blender, puree vegetables with some of stock (do in 3 or 4 batches). Return to pot. Stir in cream. Reheat over low heat until hot.

Spoon into soup bowls. Place Red Pepper Puree in a plastic food bag and cut a tiny piece from one side corner. Drizzle (press) puree in design desired around top of soup and serve. Makes 6 or more servings (8 cups).

RED PEPPER PUREE: Put 1/2 cup roasted red peppers (from a jar) in a blender. Add 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Blend until mixture is pureed and of drizzling consistency.

NOTE: If soup tastes bitter due to squash, stir in a touch of brown sugar. Although Puck's cafes don't use it, 3 to 4 teaspoons Madras curry powder can be added to the soup along with the cream for an interesting flavor change.

This is a Restaurant Replica of a dish served at the Wolfgang Puck Cafes.

EASY MOLDED CRANBERRY SALAD

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple packed in juice

Water

1 (3-ounce) package raspberry flavored gelatin 

1 (16-ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped nuts

Drain pineapple, saving juice. Add enough water to juice to make 1 1/4 cups liquid. In a saucepan, bring liquid to a boil, remove from heat, stir in gelatin until dissolved. Break up cranberry sauce with a fork, stir into gelatin mixture. Cool until mixture begins to thicken. Stir in crushed pineapple, celery and nuts. Pour into a mold. Chill until set. Makes 8 servings.

ROSY CITRUS SLAW

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup orange juice concentrate

1/4 cup juice from pickled beets

1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

6 cups finely shredded green cabbage

2 oranges, peeled, sectioned and cut up

1 cup pickled beets, cut up

1/4 cup sunflower nuts

Whisk together oil, orange juice concentrate, pickled beet juice and orange peel. Toss with cabbage in a large bowl. Stir in oranges and beets. Cover, refrigerate and let stand at least 1 hour before serving. May be made up to 1 day ahead of time. Stir and sprinkle with sunflower nuts before serving. Makes 10 (3/4-cup) servings.

Side dishes you won't want to sidestep

Other side dish ideas to consider:

--Fill fresh, whole tomatoes (with the tops cut off and sprinkled inside with a little salt and turned upside down for about 15 minutes before filling) with your favorite mashed potatoes. Place filled tomatoes in nonstick or oiled muffin cups, top with a sprinkling of shredded Cheddar cheese and bake at 350 degrees F. 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through.

--For another take on the tomato theme, fill small (not cherry tomatoes) tomatoes with packaged frozen spinach souffle that has been cooked until almost done. Place the filled tomatoes in the oven until heated through. Also fill large mushroom caps with cooked spinach souffle and heat in the oven several minutes until mushrooms are warm and souffle is done.

--For a different twist on the salad theme, toss mixed greens with orange, red onion and avocado slices and dress with a vinaigrette zipped up with ground cumin, orange and lemon juices, and a dash of honey. Or how about a pomegranate and papaya salad served atop mixed greens with a ginger-flavored dressing; or a pear, blue cheese and pecan salad.

--For a warm red cabbage salad, cook bacon slices until brown and crisp, then crumble and set aside. Keep a little bacon fat in the pan and add some olive oil, red wine vinegar, a tad of honey, a little minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until blended, then heat over medium-high heat until warm. Add some finely shredded red cabbage, stirring, until warm throughout. Mix in bacon. Serve topped with coarsely crumbled feta cheese.

--Here's my favorite take on the classic green bean casserole. Mix 8 cups frozen whole green beans (haricots vert), drained and cut into pieces, with a can of mushroom soup, 1/2 of a 4-ounce can diced green chiles, 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, and seasoned salt and garlic pepper to taste. Turn into a casserole or baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees about 40 minutes. Sprinkle more shredded Cheddar cheese on top (or canned french fried onions) and continue baking 10 minutes longer.

--Zip up brussels sprouts with tangerine pieces, grated tangerine peel and butter; or serve in a white Cheddar sauce. To make the sauce, simply make a white sauce with butter, flour, milk and seasonings and stir in shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese. Another time, stir in prepared white horseradish or even a little Dijon mustard for a change of pace. Add a few blanched and peeled pearl or small white onions, if desired.

--Serve creamed onions with some frozen, thawed peas tossed in for color.

--Potatoes of all sizes, colors and varieties can be prepared in dozens of ways - mashed, layered, in gratins, candied, spiced, with herbs, spices, etc.

--For a beautiful-looking corn dish, cook frozen, thawed corn in a large skillet with a little butter, chopped green onions, chopped green Anaheim chiles, ground cumin, chopped red peppers and chopped fresh cilantro. Toss in a splash of lime juice and grated lime peel. Stir in a few sliced ripe olives and sprinkle with more chopped cilantro.

--Top steamed broccoli with a little butter, crisp crumbled bacon and coarsely chopped pecan pieces.

--Just-cooked acorn squash halves can also be filled with hot mashed potatoes - or even mashed yams.

--Vegetable purees transform ordinary vegetables into something special. For example, a pea puree looks and tastes delicious. You can make purees a day in advance and refrigerate because they reheat well. Butternut squash (with orange juice, honey, cinnamon, ginger and orange peel) or carrot puree are other winners along with sweet potato puree with fresh ginger.

- Natalie Haughton

CAPTION(S):

4 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) on the side

Jazz up holiday accompaniments

Potato and Root Vegetable Gratin

(2 -- color) CARROTS AND TOMATOES PROVENCALE

(3 -- color) LEMON-BUTTERED BABY VEGETABLES

(4 -- color) GARDEN RISOTTO

Box:

Side dishes you won't want to sidestep (see text)