# What is the best Side dish?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** food-cooking
**Created:** [December 22, 2021, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449 "2021-12-22T02:50:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2021, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/41 "2021-12-30T01:55:28Z")
try them fried in duck fat …bam!
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### Author:  [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2021, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/42 "2021-12-30T02:13:04Z")
Brussels sprouts with bacon:
Cut some bacon up into small pieces and fry them in a pan. Set the bacon aside, but leave the fat in the pan. Add the Brussels sprouts and a splash of water to the pan with the bacon fat. Salt and pepper to taste. Sautee the sprouts until done to your liking, about 15-20 minutes. Toss with butter, a squeeze of lemon, and the bacon pieces.
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### Author:  [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2021, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/43 "2021-12-30T02:19:38Z")
Why does wikipedia get Yorkshire pudding wrong so consistently, though? You don’t “fill Yorkshire pudding with bangers and mash.” That’s like it was written by someone who has read about English food but never eaten it. You can bake sausages into tray-sized Yorkshires, yes, like it says, that’s toad in the hole, a specific dish; they’re baked in with the Yorkshire, not added to it after cooking. But you don’t fill them with mashed potatoes as well, and bangers means fried sausages anyway, not baked.
Grr.
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### Author:  [@billy-jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy-jack)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2021, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/44 "2021-12-30T02:28:05Z")
I have often heard that goose fat is the best fat of all for roast potatoes, but I have yet to see any in the grocery store.
One potato side dish I would like to try out is Fondant Potatoes. It doesn’t appear to be that difficult to make but it would probably be tough to make in large quantities such as for a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
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### Author:  [@billy-jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy-jack)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2021, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/45 "2021-12-30T02:34:31Z")
There are several vegetables that I only like if they are sauteed or stir fried. Brusssel Sprouts is one of them. Another is asparagus.
I like to make a chicken with asparagus dish similar to one I used to get at a Chinese Restaurant years ago.
Cut up chicken into bite sized pieces and stir fry. When almost done, add asparagus cut into two inch pieces and sautee for about three minutes. Then pour on sriracha sauce to taste and stir fry for another couple of minutes. (You might need a mask for that two minutes.) Serve with rice.
For Brussel Sprouts, I usually cut them in halves or quarters before sauteeing.
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### Author:  [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)
#### Post date: [December 30, 2021, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/46 "2021-12-30T07:11:56Z")
when eating fried chicken, then baked beans are the best side dish.
With steak or other forms of beef, I’d say potatoes.
Beyond that as a general side dish, probably either sweet coleslaw or mac and cheese.
I don’t have a lot of culinary experience.
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### Author:  [@billy-jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy-jack)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2022, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/47 "2022-01-01T18:42:18Z")
About thirty years ago, I was a vegetarian for a couple of years because of a digestive issue. That two years taught me a lot about making good side dishes (except then they were main dishes).
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### Author:  [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2022, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/48 "2022-01-01T18:49:58Z")
When I asked my partner, “What is your favourite side dish?” she replied, “You are.” I am very lucky. I am also assuming by “side dish,” she meant, “the dish at my side,” as opposed to “main dish.” I do not plan to press the issue.
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### Author:  [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2022, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/49 "2022-01-01T22:50:32Z")
That seems very wise.
For me, there are so many great side dishes that matching it to the mains and other side dishes would be required.
Also, some are too elaborate for everyday noshing but would do well with special occasions.
That said, I like, in general:
- a bread starter that includes some lighter carb options: sticks, small pastries or pretzels or biscuits, baguette or bruschetta, etc.
- soup made with vegetables and fresh stock
- barbecued stuff: cheese, veg, skewers, etc.
- any potato with as many magic ingredients as possible - these include cream, butter, onion, bacon or feta - or any dish, really
- several specific vegetable dishes
- several specific pasta and rice dishes
- several specific legume dishes
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### Author:  [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)
#### Post date: [January 1, 2022, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/50 "2022-01-01T22:59:53Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> This is an inherently paradoxical question, because any sufficiently good side dish will become a main dish.
I’m not so sure about that. Unless you’re a vegetarian, on the typical American plate the main dish is almost always something meat based. Vegetables, no matter how good they are, get relegated to side dish status.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2022, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/51 "2022-01-02T00:04:45Z")
A side dish my wife and I love, particularly with things like grilled chicken, Is creamed pearl onions. Saute in butter on the stove top and when nicely browned add some heavy cream and reduce as desired.
Yumm.
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### Author:  [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2022, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/52 "2022-01-02T00:34:44Z")
Definitely depends on the “main” dish.
With rib roast:
Creamy garlic mashed potatoes, and also Yorkshire pudding. With gravy.
With steak:
Vegetable rice cooked with dried porcini mushrooms.
With chicken:
Depends. Above vegetable rice can work, but also so can French fries, and so can certain kinds of stuffing. With gravy.
With cold-cuts, smoked sausage, etc., whether cold or grilled:
Baked beans cooked with sauteed onion and BBQ sauce, and potato salad. Lots of potato salad! Also, lots of baked beans! The contrast of warm baked beans with cool potato salad and then the smokiness of smoked sausage is a culinary wonder!
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2022, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/53 "2022-01-02T02:45:27Z")
Well, take, for instance, my family’s dandelion salad. OK, it’s not completely vegetarian, because it has bacon in the dressing… but it’s not meat-BASED, and it’s a salad. Theoretically, it’s a side dish for Easter dinner… but we all love it so much that a couple of times each spring, we’ll make it by itself, and just make the whole meal of that salad.
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### Author:  [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2022, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/54 "2022-01-02T03:54:02Z")
Yup. Goes with anything. And can be made with so many variations.
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2022, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/55 "2022-01-02T04:10:53Z")
My mom/grandmother’s dressing. Unfortunately neither wrote it down, so I’m trying to recreate it from what I remember.
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### Author:  [@billy-jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy-jack)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/56 "2022-01-02T22:19:19Z")
For those who like potatoes, one potato dish that is often a snack but could be used as a side dish is an Indian street food called Aloo Tikki.
It is basically boiled potatoes that have been mashed, spices added, formed into patties, and then deep fried. It is really wondeful.
There are many different recipes for how to make it. Look them up, pick one, and try it out.
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### Author:  [@billy-jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billy-jack)
#### Post date: [January 2, 2022, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/57 "2022-01-02T22:23:55Z")
Another great side dish is something that I have never seen in a restaurant. It’s not unusual to see fried okra. Ths one is fried okra patties.
As usual, there are many different recipes.
Basically you make something like a pancake batter, but thicker, with flour, baking soda, salt, water, and 1/4 inch slices of okra. Pour it into thick oil in a deep frying pan and fry until golden brown on both sides.
This is one that you want to eat while it is still warm. Once they cool off, they aren’t as good.
When I was a kid, my mother fixed this often. Not once did I ever see any left over at the end of the meal.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2022, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/58 "2022-01-03T06:38:10Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#):
>
> … written by someone who has read about English food but never eaten it…
This is good advice, Kids!
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### Author:  [@alovem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alovem)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2022, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-side-dish/956449/59 "2022-01-03T12:37:38Z")
As mentioned upthread, it depends on the main course. For me, It also depends on the weather because salads are a good option in the summer.
If I had to vote, I’d say fries. The other day, I pan fried half of a pork tenderloin in medallions. There’s a way to do that with white wine, garlic and parsley that I haven’t really learned to do properly, and the results were just okay. So, yesterday, I used a sharp knife to open up the other half of the tenderloin, rolling it out and taking a mallet to it until it was thin and flat. A little salt, pepper, flour+egg+bread crumbs and fried in an inch of oil, and the results were outstanding (with fries).
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