Meat-Free Christmas Side Dishes with a French Touch

Sweet potatoes with clementine, leeks with toasted hazelnuts, and red cabbage with sour cherries: three dishes to share, made with our organic broths.

At Christmas, side dishes bring the table to life. We like ours generous with vegetables, finished with fragrant citrus zest, toasted nuts, or a little tart fruit.

The French touch comes through in the cooking: mashing with a fork, gently braising, reducing a pan sauce. Our broths provide the aromatic foundation; each recipe takes it somewhere different.

All three sides are made with no meat or fish. Each serves four as an accompaniment and can join your festive menu on its own or alongside the other two.

1. Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Carrot & Fennel Broth, Clementine & Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Carrot and Fennel Broth loosens the fork-mashed sweet potatoes. Olive oil adds richness, clementine zest brings fragrance, and toasted pumpkin seeds give the dish its crunch.

Ingredients (serves 4 as a side)

• About 800 g sweet potatoes
• About 150 ml Carrot and Fennel Broth, plus more as needed, up to 200 ml in total
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Finely grated zest of 1 washed clementine
• 30 g shelled pumpkin seeds
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt, if needed after tasting

Method

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into even cubes of approximately 2 cm. Steam for 15 to 20 minutes, until easily crushed with a fork.

Meanwhile, gently warm the broth. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a small dry frying pan, stirring frequently, then set aside.

Mash the sweet potatoes while still hot. Gradually stir in 150 ml of broth, adding more only as needed. The mash should be soft but still hold its shape.

Stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and half the clementine zest. Taste before adding the remaining zest, depending on its intensity. Season with pepper and adjust the salt if needed.

Spoon into a warm serving dish. Make a few shallow swirls with the back of a spoon, then finish with the remaining olive oil and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Prep time: 15 minutes · Cook time: approximately 20 to 25 minutes · Serves: 4 as a side · Dietary notes: no meat or fish

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2. Braised Leeks with Shiitake & Fennel Broth, Toasted Hazelnuts & Parsley

Seared on their cut sides, then gently braised under a lid, the leeks become tender. Shiitake and Fennel Broth reduces to a savoury sauce that slips between the layers. Hazelnuts and parsley finish the dish.

Ingredients (serves 4 as a side)

• 4 medium leeks
• 300 ml Shiitake and Fennel Broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 40 g hazelnuts
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt, if needed after tasting

Method

Remove any damaged outer leaves and the tough dark green tops of the leeks, keeping the white and tender light green parts. Halve lengthwise and rinse thoroughly between the layers. Drain and pat dry.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Arrange the leek halves cut-side down in a single layer. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden.

Pour the broth around the leeks. Cover and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tip of a knife slides easily into the thickest part.

Meanwhile, toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan, stirring frequently. Let cool slightly, then roughly chop.

Carefully transfer the leeks to a warm serving dish. Simmer their cooking liquid uncovered for a few minutes, until concentrated enough to lightly coat them. Taste before adjusting the seasoning.

Spoon the sauce over the leeks. Scatter with hazelnuts, parsley, and black pepper just before serving.

Prep time: 15 minutes · Cook time: approximately 25 to 35 minutes · Serves: 4 as a side · Dietary notes: no meat or fish

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3. Braised Red Cabbage with Beetroot & Celery Broth, Sour Cherries & Dill

Red cabbage wedges slowly cook in Beetroot and Celery Broth. Sour cherries bring a bright note to the deep purple sauce; dill, added just before serving, keeps its fragrance. Start with this dish, as it takes the longest to cook.

Ingredients (serves 4 as a side)

• ½ small red cabbage, about 600 g
• 400 ml Beetroot and Celery Broth
• 150 g frozen stoned unsweetened sour cherries
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt, if needed after tasting
• Hot water, as needed during cooking

Method

Remove any damaged outer cabbage leaves. Cut the half cabbage into four wedges, leaving a little core attached to each to hold the leaves together.

Heat the oil in a wide casserole dish. Lightly brown the wedges on both cut sides for 6 to 8 minutes in total.

Pour the broth around the cabbage. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook over a low heat for 30 minutes. Carefully turn the wedges halfway through. Add a little hot water if the bottom of the pot begins to dry out.

Add the frozen cherries around the cabbage. Cover again and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the thickest part of each wedge is tender.

Transfer the cabbage to a warm serving dish. If plenty of liquid remains, simmer it uncovered with the cherries for a few minutes to reduce. Taste, season with pepper, and adjust the salt if needed.

Spoon the cherries and sauce over the cabbage. Finish with the chopped dill.

Prep time: 10 minutes · Cook time: approximately 55 to 65 minutes; allow longer if needed for the cabbage to become tender · Serves: 4 as a side · Dietary notes: no meat or fish

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Bringing It All to the Table

Use warm serving dishes and add the seeds, nuts, and herbs at the last moment to preserve their textures and aromas.

Our broths are already cooked. All that remains is to choose your vegetables and prepare the dishes you’ll enjoy passing around the table.

Discover all three Karine & Jeff organic broths