Peter’s Thanksgiving Guide

In The Kitchen

Oct 27

It’s that time of the year to celebrate and give thanks— and that also means delicious food and the perfect table setting. This year I developed a Thanksgiving feast with Bon Appétit that combines my Chinese heritage and the classics we all know and love. That means exciting takes on a Wellington, bread pudding, brussels sprouts and my all-time favorite No Mi Fan— a savory sticky rice dish that my Grandma always made. The inspiration, the ingredients and the recipes draw on my fondest memories of Turkey Day. So, thankful? Indeed. Let’s raise a glass to the Holidays.

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Char Siu Beef Wellington

Char Siu is one of my favorite meats—essentially a Chinese version of BBQ, its usually made from pork shoulder or pork butt and is readily recognizable for its shiny red-hued glaze. For this Thanksgiving centerpiece, I’ve married char siu with the very British Beef Wellington.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Gochujang Brown Butter

The key for this recipe is roasting the Brussels Sprouts at high heat, which almost mimics frying and results in crispy charred bits, deeply browned spots and a tender interior. That signature sweet heat of Korean gochujang is the perfect marriage with the nuttiness of brown butter (which makes everything more delicious).

Asian Pear Salad With Peanut-Lime Dressing

This bright crunchy salad is a perfect counterpoint to some of the richer dishes on the Thanksgiving table. A zingy and creamy lime and peanut butter based dressing enrobes thinly sliced cauliflower and Asian Pears which creates a salad that’s both hearty yet light.

Sweet Potato Tian

Sweet potatoes are a Thanksgiving essential, and this dish features all those familiar traditional warm spice flavor notes via Chinese Five Spice, soy, miso, citrus and brown sugar. Most of the work is done in the oven and the result is beautifully tender flesh that’s bursts with flavor—and with a gorgeous presentation as well.

Dutch Oven No Mai Fan

In our household growing up, streamed rice was served at every meal. For special occasions my Grandma would make No Mi Fan. I’ve streamlined things a bit—everything happens in a Dutch oven in about 25 minutes.

Milk Tea Bread Pudding With Crème Anglaise

Milk Tea is a delicious result of Hong Kong’s melting pot history. Chinese tea—drinking rarely involves dairy, but the British influence in Hong Kong has given us this magical elixir made from very strong black tea and sweetened condensed milk.

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Now, what’s a mouth-watering meal without the well-appointed table? I’ve curated my favorite finds— all with an eye to nuanced tonal hues and rustic, but refined, textures for the ultimate Thanksgiving table. What’s even better, these are things that will work for the Holidays and beyond. From plates to napkins to stemware, I’ve got you covered.