An ode to Thanksgiving side dishes

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Has anyone ever made a truly great turkey? You can smother the bird in lemon juice, steal as much rosemary from each of your neighbors’ yards as you can carry to smoke the bird with, or even try to fry the turkey. But at the end of the day, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and vegetables are second, third, fourth-servings waiting to happen.

So, let’s focus on stellar sides to complement your choice of entree this year. Former head chef at Chez Panisse and City Kitchen columnist for the New York Times’ David Tanis dropped in to give us some garden-fresh ideas and traditional dish variants.

David Tanis’s love affair with potatoes is no secret. In his latest cookbook “Market Cooking,” he devotes each chapter to a different ingredient. Some chapters are leaner than others. This doesn’t ring true for the potato pages.

Tanis says, “Potatoes are good for you too . . . crave-worthy, don’t you think?” To which Evan agrees, “Yes, so much potassium. More than a banana!”

Here are a few twists on the classic mashed potato side dish, sure to enhance your spread this holiday season.