In my last post, I asked if anyone had done a Thanksgiving spread with just appetizers. I really like the sound of that. My idea would move beyond charcuterie and present a huge board of great appetizers. (My “themed” Almost Vintage posts may morph into appetizers only.)

Today my recipes come from Martha Stewart Living, November 2021. It’s ironic (and not planned) that the two November editions I saved were exactly 20 years apart. (This edition is also the last Thanksgiving one as MSL ceased publishing in May 2022. )

On page 60, I found what I was looking for: “All the Graze.”

Say hello to the relish tray—again. We took the classic party spread of pickled dishes, popular in the Betty Draper era, and reimagined it as a lighter, brighter Thanksgiving appetizer, pairing fresh, unexpected flavors with rich cheese and buttery crackers. Make the recipes a day (or more) ahead, and spend cocktail hour mingling instead.

Two things here. They mention Betty Draper and relish trays…. Uh, totally vintage! I loved everything about the three recipes they featured: Quick-Pickled Carrots with Chiles and Cumin, Pan-Roasted Marinated Mushrooms, and Sweet-and-Tangy Relish.

Here is the first recipe. See my changes at the end of the recipe.

Quick-Pickled Carrots

Based on a recipe from “All the Graze.” Martha Stewart Living, November 2021, 60. 

Ingredients

• 16 oz. baby carrots
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 3 dried chiles de árbol 
• 1 c. apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 2 T. coriander seeds
• 2 T. kosher salt

Instructions

1. Heat a pot of salted water to boiling. Add the carrots and cook only 2-3 minutes or until just barely tender. Drain immediately and place in an ice bath. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the shallot, chiles, apple cider, water, sugar, coriander and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
3. Drain the carrots and place in a shallow heatproof container. Pour the brine over the carrots to cover. Let cool completely then cover and refrigerate at least four hours and up to five days. 

Yield: 4 servings

What I did different….

First of all I doubled the vinegar, water, and sugar amounts. There was not enough liquid to cover the carrots. I also used an entire 16 oz. package of carrots. (Martha only called for 12 oz.) Finally, I could not find my cumin seeds but I did find my coriander seeds so I swapped those in for the cumin. Instead of putting the carrots in a shallow dish (as Martha recommends), I placed everything in a quart jar. It worked perfectly.

These pickles might be an interesting accompaniment to the pumpkin dip that started this trend.

As I remember, we often had a relish tray at our family events. It seemed like it was always my job or my sister’s job to get out a fancy divided glass dish and arrange homemade pickles and relishes. It usually contained sweet lime pickles, bread and butter pickles, dilled green beans and sometimes pickled okra. The only non-homemade offering might be Giardiniera (but only if we were feeling fancy). Stuffed celery would make an appearance if it were Thanksgiving.

Do you do a relish tray for your holiday meals?

Stay tuned for those marinated mushrooms and sweet-and-tangy relish.