AN UNCANNY THANKSGIVING
The usual suspects minus the usual.
Having enjoyed a splendid Thanksgiving with family in Vermont, we postponed our annual meal at home until the weekend. For a a change o’ pace, we experimented with some new recipes and improved a bit on traditional favs. We made standbys without the usual canned ingredients and tried some new cooking methods.
For starters, we made turkey two ways: confit dark meat and roasted, glazed breast. With the help of duck fat, aromatic vegetables, traditional poultry herbs, and a low, slow oven braise, the dark meat emerged tender and succulent, ready to crisp up under the broiler right before serving.
A rather quotidian frozen breast came to temperature under a dry spice brine and roasted till crackling brown with a frequent Applejack glazing of reduced cider and bourbon. (Because, bourbon.)
Alongside were Charles’s splendid dairy-drenched mashed potatoes with glorious, silky gravy, homemade chunky cranberry sauce, traditional side-baked stuffing, my favorite, and now award-winning (Maine Public Cooking Contest 1st Prize!) Acorn Squash with Caramelized Rim and from-scratch Green Bean Mushroom Casserole with no canned soup required.
We cooked in a leisurely fashion throughout the day to avoid inevitable pre-meal agitation. It’s a lot easier with two ovens, and it’s cold enough to hold ready-to-bake dishes outside to avoid an overcrowded refrigerator. And, best of all, our good friend, John, the best pie maker in history, will be bringing dessert!
Secrets of the meal? First good, rich poultry stock. Important for gravy, stuffing, and green bean mushroom brandy cream. Next, saving enough time to reduce a half gallon of cider by seventy-five percent (nearly three hours) for the turkey glaze. Finally, remembering to work clean. There’s nothing worse than a kitchen hurricane aftermath with stacks of cooking dishes and sticky plates to conquer after the meal.
Tomorrow, I’ll make some Dartmouth Outing Club Bread for sandwiches and will whip up a turkey pie and maybe some turkey noodle soup. Pray for lots of leftovers!
Cranberry Sauce
So easy, so fresh, so worth it!
Ingredients:
2 bags fresh cranberries, picked over and rinsed
6 T White Sugar
1 Generous T Fruity Booze (Grand Marnier, Luxardo, for example)
Grated zest of orange (about 1 T)
Method:
Throw all ingredients into heavy saucepan.
Cook over medium heat until the berries are mostly broken down and the mixture is thick.
Allow to cool. Serve.
Uncanny Green Bean Casserole
Lucious Green Beans with Brandy Mushroom Cream and Crisp Onion Strings
A tasty remake of the mushroom soup classic, this recipe serves 4-6 as part of a large meal
Equipment:
Microwave steamer
Colander
Heavy saucier or deep sauce pan
Oven-safe casserole dish
Ingredients:
One pound fresh green beans
12 oz mixed fresh wild and button mushroom
1 small shallot
2 cloves garlic
2 T. neutral oil
2T butter
3 T all-purpose flour
2 T drinkable (but not VSOP) Brandy
1 cup chicken/turkey stock
4 T heavy cream
1 container Durkee French Fried Onions
Salt and Pepper
Method:
1. Snap off the stem end of green beans.
2. Wash beans and leave moist, microwave until still snappy but “blanched” about two minutes on high.
3. Finely chop shallot and garlic.
4. Wash, dry, and roughly chop mushrooms.
5. In a saucepan over medium heat, saute shallot and onion until translucent but not browned (about 2 minutes)
6. Add mushrooms and cook until moisture has been released and has mostly cooked off.
7. Sprinkle mushrooms with flour. Cook until the aroma of flour smells nutty.
8. Gradually stir in stock until a creamy, thickened sauce has formed. Add brandy. Cook until the alcohol aroma is gone.
9. Stir in cream. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
10. Fold in beans and toss to coat.
11. Place bean and sauce mixture in casserole dish, top with onions.
12. Cook for 15 minutes in a 400-degree oven. Serve immediately.