Thanksgiving Menu 2012: The Topic

[gfweb]

Smoked Trout deviled eggs App

SV Turkey breast, confited dark meat

Turkey gravy

Greens (kale/bacon, chile pepper, white wine, garlic)

Whipped smoked sweet potato with chipotle

Sausage dressing

Au gratin potatoes

and something else that's green.

[eldereno]

Going to the town where I grew up to spend a long weekend with my sister. Planning to do some traditional things. Brined and roasted turkey, corn pudding, herb dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, a pineapple casserole (that she has made before), green bean casserole, rolls, assorted pies. The new contribution will be a mushroom casserole (a Michael Symon recipe).

Making stock tomorrow, freezing it and carrying it with me as it thaws on our drive there early Wednesday morning.

Have gone from 6 of us to over 10 and more may come by to her tiny house...... but the more the merrier!

[Shelby]

I'm still deciding on the whole menu....I don't have to stress since it's just us So far:

David's oyster stew

Deviled eggs

Roasted Cornish game hens rubbed with sage butter (I'm not a turkey fan and we'll get that plus ham at the in-laws on Saturday)

Brussels sprouts or maybe some Swiss chard or maybe a green bean and mushroom pie??? I'm undecided. I detest green bean casserole.

Mashed taters

Stuffing of some kind--I honestly like Stove Top--don't tell anyone.

Chicken and noodles--the thick kind you can spoon over mashed taters

Rolls --homemade

Pumpkin tiramisu

Tell us about your deviled eggs. (I'm so addicted I take them about 3 times a month to work for breakfast). I think that's a perfect Holiday bite.

I'm a deviled egg purist. I've played around with all sorts of combinations, but I always go back to Hellman's mayo, French's mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Half have a pimento stuffed olive slice and the other half have an anchovy stuffed olive slice. Oh, and when I have it on hand--which is rare--salmon or trout roe is another favorite on top.

[stomsf]

Ok, I'm WAY overcooking as its just the three of us this year, but Thanksgiving is all about leftovers, right?

Turkey, sous vide with herbs de provence (dark and light meat)

Artichoke/Parmesan Cornbread Stuffing

Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Asparagus with miso butter

Cranberry/Orange zest Relish

Pear/Cranberry/Gingersnap Crumble

Edited November 18, 2012 by stomsf (log)

[SobaAddict70]

T-day will be spent with a couple of friends at Riverpark -- http://www.riverparknyc.com/

Post T-day dinner menu is:

Chicken consommé, with autumn vegetables and wild mushrooms

Fettucine, with chestnuts, sage and farm egg

Roast chicken

Brussel sprouts, with hazelnuts and pancetta

Pickled cippolini onion, crosnes and roasted carrot salad

Ice cream, pumpkin jam

Most of the vegetables have been bought already.

On Wednesday, I will pick up the chicken from either USGM or Citarella, and the wild mushrooms, chestnuts and hazelnuts from Fairway.

BTW I'm cooking for one and have plans for leftover chicken later this weekend.

Prep work will begin Thursday evening. When you're cooking for one, a lot of the hustle and bustle disappears, and your effort becomes easier.

It looks like a lot of food, doesn't it? It isn't really. It's only 4 courses and very little starch.

S.

Edited November 18, 2012 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[KatieLoeb]

I am fortunate to be in charge of cranberry sauce and cocktails at my gracious host's home. After making the same Cranberry-Orange Grand Marnier sauce for years, I'm trying something new this time. Cranberry-Asian Pear sauce with Bourbon and Pecans. I'll report back on how it turns out. Making it probably Tuesday or Wednesday.

[eternal]

Any thoughts on brining versus injecting? After making the roast chicken in mc@h I think I might follow the path of injecting brine and then drying the skin out in the fridge

[lancastermike]

Sunday before tradition continued yesterday. Have a gallon of turkey stock done. Turkey backs are always what I use.

[Eschaton]

Noob inquiry: I was forced to buy a frozen turkey today - it's 14 pounds. I'm looking to brine the turkey. What's my best plan for getting it thawed and brined in time? Can I brine it now and let it thaw while it's brining? Or would I be best off thawing it in cold water and then brining it? If I brine it now, do I need to lower the salt content? I read Alton Brown saying it's ok to brine it frozen, but everything else I've read says that's a no-no. Thanks for the help!

[rotuts]

thaw over-night at least in a sink full of cold water. may take longer. you may be stuck with the AB method time wise.

[DesertTinker]

Noob inquiry: I was forced to buy a frozen turkey today - it's 14 pounds. I'm looking to brine the turkey. What's my best plan for getting it thawed and brined in time? Can I brine it now and let it thaw while it's brining? Or would I be best off thawing it in cold water and then brining it? If I brine it now, do I need to lower the salt content? I read Alton Brown saying it's ok to brine it frozen, but everything else I've read says that's a no-no. Thanks for the help!

According to the National Turkey Federation page on thawing, you need about 7 hours for the cold water thaw for a 14 pounder. Should give you plenty of time to do the AB brine..

[toolprincess]

I'm still deciding on the whole menu....I don't have to stress since it's just us So far:

David's oyster stew

Deviled eggs

Roasted Cornish game hens rubbed with sage butter (I'm not a turkey fan and we'll get that plus ham at the in-laws on Saturday)

Brussels sprouts or maybe some Swiss chard or maybe a green bean and mushroom pie??? I'm undecided. I detest green bean casserole.

Mashed taters

Stuffing of some kind--I honestly like Stove Top--don't tell anyone.

Chicken and noodles--the thick kind you can spoon over mashed taters

Rolls --homemade

Pumpkin tiramisu

Tell us about your deviled eggs. (I'm so addicted I take them about 3 times a month to work for breakfast). I think that's a perfect Holiday bite.

I'm a deviled egg purist. I've played around with all sorts of combinations, but I always go back to Hellman's mayo, French's mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Half have a pimento stuffed olive slice and the other half have an anchovy stuffed olive slice. Oh, and when I have it on hand--which is rare--salmon or trout roe is another favorite on top.

That sounds delish. My old standby is mayo, mustard, horseradish, pickle relish and a little bit of juice with paprika sprinkled on top.

[toolprincess]

I'm still deciding on the whole menu....I don't have to stress since it's just us So far:

David's oyster stew

Deviled eggs

Roasted Cornish game hens rubbed with sage butter (I'm not a turkey fan and we'll get that plus ham at the in-laws on Saturday)

Brussels sprouts or maybe some Swiss chard or maybe a green bean and mushroom pie??? I'm undecided. I detest green bean casserole.

Mashed taters

Stuffing of some kind--I honestly like Stove Top--don't tell anyone.

Chicken and noodles--the thick kind you can spoon over mashed taters

Rolls --homemade

Pumpkin tiramisu

My grandma always used stove top. She mixed it then made it into little patties and baked it. Me and my cousins never knew it wasn't her homemade recipe until we were well into adulthood.

[lancastermike]

Noob inquiry: I was forced to buy a frozen turkey today - it's 14 pounds. I'm looking to brine the turkey. What's my best plan for getting it thawed and brined in time? Can I brine it now and let it thaw while it's brining? Or would I be best off thawing it in cold water and then brining it? If I brine it now, do I need to lower the salt content? I read Alton Brown saying it's ok to brine it frozen, but everything else I've read says that's a no-no. Thanks for the help!

Check to see if it is labeled as "minimumly processed" if it is already injected with a solution that means it is pre-brined. You can do the thawing and brining all at the same time. I heard the famous Mr. Brown on NPR the other day saying he would brine a frozen turkey without thawing it first.

[Chris Amirault]

Makes sense to me as well. After all, you want your brine cold and immersing the meat into liquid is the fastest way to defrost it. Why not make that liquid brine?

[Shelby]

I'm still deciding on the whole menu....I don't have to stress since it's just us So far:

David's oyster stew

Deviled eggs

Roasted Cornish game hens rubbed with sage butter (I'm not a turkey fan and we'll get that plus ham at the in-laws on Saturday)

Brussels sprouts or maybe some Swiss chard or maybe a green bean and mushroom pie??? I'm undecided. I detest green bean casserole.

Mashed taters

Stuffing of some kind--I honestly like Stove Top--don't tell anyone.

Chicken and noodles--the thick kind you can spoon over mashed taters

Rolls --homemade

Pumpkin tiramisu

My grandma always used stove top. She mixed it then made it into little patties and baked it. Me and my cousins never knew it wasn't her homemade recipe until we were well into adulthood.

It's nice to know I'm not alone in my Stovetop love

[robirdstx]

My DH likes traditional foods for T-Day! One year, long ago, I made a turkey with tons of garlic under the skin, which he and my son told me was okay but not what they wanted for this holiday. So, since it is just the two of us this year, we will be having roasted turkey thighs, roasted root vegetables, herbed bread dressing, gravy, home-made dinner rolls, and deviled eggs.

[rotuts]

I agree. traditional. no garlic. every other day : garlic. as my mother didnt roast veg, no roast veg either. steamed etc

every other day: roasted veg. and once a year clam dip.

[robirdstx]

I agree. traditional. no garlic. every other day : garlic. as my mother didnt roast veg, no roast veg either. steamed etc

every other day: roasted veg. and once a year clam dip.

Actually, mashed potatoes are more traditional in our family but DH has approved roasted veg for this year. ;-) And I'm roasting them (potato, sweet potato, onion, carrot, and garlic) with duck fat.

[rotuts]

sounds delicious. also here no cream cheese filled celery sticks. wasn't good then, still not good now.

[radtek]

I like roast veg but use big chunks of potatoes, red onion, carrot, zucchini, olive oil (and a little garlic) all in the same pan.

Mom always used Stovetop cornbread stuffing and doctored it up a little. I think it's better than most made from scatch and no-one would ever suspect it came out of a box.

[judiu]

Rotuts, is it the cream cheese or the celery you object to? If is only the cream cheese, try pimento cheese, instead!

[rotuts]

celery. back in the day pimento CC was very exotic!

[Baselerd]

Anyone interested in the Modernist Cuisine should give their Thanksgiving Stew a look-over. I made it earlier this year for a Thanksgiving in July sort of thing and it was - simply put - the best Thanksgiving meal I have eaten, much less cooked. The only special equipment you need is a Sous Vide rig.

[FrogPrincesse]

For Thanksgiving this year, as usual, my mother-in-law will be taking care of the turkey and some of the side dishes (I am French and don't know/don't want to know anything about turkey!!! ). This allows me to focus on some other things.

First I will bring a batch of Fish House Punch which has become a favorite in our family. I am not sure what we will have with that, maybe salmon rillettes (if I remember to thaw them! - I have a batch in the freezer).

I want to make a soup - so far I am considering the caramelized carrot soup from Modernist Cuisine, this root vegetable soup with green apple and duck prosciutto garnish that was a big hit last year, or this pumpkin soup with basil that mm84321 suggested (but that may be too much squash for one meal and I don't have the book yet).

A salad would be nice as a little palate-cleanser before dessert. Maybe this persimmon and pomegranate salad since I already have all the ingredients.

For dessert, it has to be a traditional pumpkin/squash pie. I like David Lebovitz's recipe from Ready for Dessert. I got a sugar pumpkin and a butternut squash in my CSA recently so I am ready to go.

If time permits, I would like to make something with chocolate as well. We have a bunch of chocalcoholics in the family! Truffles would be great or a little bite of something to conclude the meal.