Christmas is merely days away and, if you’re like us, you’re in a flurry of checking off your planning, decorating and wrapping lists in preparation for the big day. Your holiday feast is just one more part of the day you want to be perfect. Whether you are a host or a guest, here are two simply delicious side dishes to bring to the table.
We are all about side dishes when it comes to dining events. We created a tasty galette starter and an easy roasted-carrot side with that in mind. These two choices will work with any main course, from sweet glazed ham to golden-roasted turkey, to traditional prime rib or vegetarian options.
We love savory flavors, so we started with fresh herbs from our windowsill gardens to create these recipes. Our starter is a turnip galette drizzled with velvety créme fraîche topped with earthy kale. We used our heirloom variety Purple Top Globe Turnips, our Dwarf Siberian Kale harvested this fall, and we chose a delicious combination of parsley, rosemary, thyme with a hint of sage from our Holiday Essential Grow Stix Kit to create our galette. Our easy side dish features sweet Nantes carrots, again from our fall gardens, roasted to perfection with a touch of garlic and dusted with a fragrant herby mix of basil, oregano and a dash of dill from our Classic Kitchen Essential Grow Stix Kit.
Here are the recipes. Enjoy your holiday and share your results on Instagram or Facebook, tagging us with #bentleyseeds. Merry Christmas to all.
Sweet Turnip Galette ready to eat! Cutting Board from Sonder LA 
Crème Fraîche Cream Cheese and Herbs spread. We used Vermont Creamery’s Crème Fraîche. 
Sweet Turnip Galette before going into the oven 
Sweet Turnip Galette out of the oven 
Turnips, Thyme, Rosemary, and Parsley 
Making the herb dough. 
Starting the Herb Dough. We like King Arthur Flour.
Sweet Turnip Galette
A delectably rich tart makes a perfectly pleasing appetizer for a small crowd or a lovely meal when it’s just a few. This recipe serves 6; increase accordingly to make two or three galettes to share.
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp salt
½ cup cold cubed unsalted butter plus 1 tbsp melted
¼ cup ice water
2 peeled and thinly sliced turnips
2 tbsp chopped parsley, rosemary, thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup créme fraiche (or sour cream if you prefer), plus a bit more to drizzle on top
3 oz cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
Dash of ground black pepper
2 cups chopped kale
¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar
Directions:
Make the pastry dough. Stir together flour and ½ tsp of salt. Toss in the cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or two knives to combine until the mixture resembles very coarse cornmeal. Mix in 1 tbsp of the chopped herbs. Add the ice water a bit at a time until most of the flour is incorporated and creates a smooth dough. Round dough into a small mound, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes (you can make this ahead and keep chilled overnight).
Preheat the oven to 375° and line a rimmed half-sheet pan with parchment paper or your favorite silicone baking mat.
In a small bowl, whisk cream cheese and créme fraiche with ½ of the remaining herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly flour-dusted surface. Roll to a ¼”-thick round and transfer to baking sheet. Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese/créme fraiche mixture onto the dough, leaving about a 1-inch border all around (save some of the creamy mixture to top before serving). Layer on the sliced turnips and sprinkle with the remaining herbs. Drizzle with olive oil.
Fold the border up over the edges, overlapping every inch or two, and brush with the melted butter.
Bake for about 45-50 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the turnips are softly baked through. Remove from oven, top with shredded cheese and return to oven. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 10 more minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes, then top with the chopped kale and a final drizzle of the créme fraiche. Using a pizza wheel cutter, cut into slices and serve.
Easy Herb Roasted Carrots
Sweet and delicious, tasty roasted carrots make one of the simplest yet most pleasing sides for any dinner, whether weeknight or holiday celebration. This recipe serves 4, so simply double or triple as your numbers require.
Ingredients:
1 lb small carrots (we like to keep a tiny bit of the greens on top for a pretty presentation)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced or chopped as you prefer
2 tbsp mix of chopped parsley, rosemary, thyme
¼ tsp chopped sage
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat oven to 375° and lightly grease a baking sheet (or line with parchment paper).
Lay carrots on the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs and salt and pepper. Toss lightly to combine. Arrange in a single layer and place the pan in the oven.
Bake until carrots are nicely tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and arrange on serving platter, and voila! Easy crowd-pleaser side dish for all to enjoy!