The Last of The Bird...Turkey Hash

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For those scraps of leftover Thanksgiving turkey that you don't know what to do with, here is a solution.

This recipe appeared in the New York Times the week before Thanksgiving and I saved it with the best intentions of making it right after the holiday.  Unfortunately, I got sidetracked with family stuff and I ran out of turkey after making everyone's favorite turkey chili last weekend.  There is no reason you shouldn't enjoy it, so here it is. It is by Wylie Dufresne of WD 50 in Manhattan who made it for Mark Bittman. It is not really a recipe, just an idea of what to do with whatever is around.  Be creative and have fun.  Now the ball is in your court!

For starters, just use whatever is on hand. It starts with turkey, garlic, celery and onion. If you have green or red peppers throw them in.   Potatoes. bacon, squash, brussels sprouts or chestnuts would all be great additions.  Finish it with a little sherry, white wine, or Cognac.  Top off with sunny-side-up eggs or poached or scrambled eggs.

If you don't want to make it until this weekend, to give yourself and others a break, freeze the meat until ready to use.

To make the hash, place a medium sauté pan over a medium flame. Add a tablespoon of butter, some chopped onion, celery, garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt. Sweat until the vegetables are soft, about 10 to 15 minutes, adding an occasional splash of water to prevent browning. Add boiled diced potato, shredded turkey meat and another small nugget of butter. Once the potatoes take on a little color and the turkey begins to get crispy (about 5 minutes), deglaze with 1 to 2 tablespoons of sherry. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Turn heat down to low and prepare the eggs.

Place a small cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the foam subsides, crack 2 eggs into the pan and turn the heat down to low. Season the eggs with salt and white pepper. Two sunny-side-up eggs will cook in about 5 minutes. 

Serve with buttered toast and cranberry sauce.

Today we had fish, as in flounder.  I'll tell you all about it next week.  It was to die for.  

I will be back to normal posting this weekend.

Photo Evan Sung for NYT

Thanksgiving Table 2013

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Of all the chinas I have, this is the one I use the most.  I purchased it on one of my trips to France at the factory in Gien.  It is Madame Mere's favorite and it has slowly become mine.  It is not my fanciest or most expensive.  On the contrary it is quite casual but a lot of fun to plan around.  Perhaps it is because I like to entertain in the Fall and have used it not only for Thanksgiving and Halloween dinner parties but also for many lunches.  The dessert (and bread plates) have a small red pepper, shallot, onion or chili in the middle and I usually put them on top when I am serving soup or a first course.  They fill the void in the middle of the dinner plate.  This time I decided to keep it simple although I must admit I like the place setting better the other way.   The pumpkins were a steal at Michael's a couple of weeks ago.  I shouldn't tell you that considering where they sit but that is the fun of planning tables, mixing the good things with the not so good.

The children's places are marked with a couple of felt turkeys and you will notice there are no napkins on their places.  You know what kind they are getting, but only at the last minute.  Little silver spoons and forks, so they get to appreciate the good stuff from an early age.

Before anyone tells me, I know I have to hide that chord. 

The buffet table is ready for the service pieces. 

I think Coco has decided to stay

 Meanwhile, back in the kitchen

The stock was made and reduced

twice (I do what I preach)

And placed in the refrigerator

Basil in olive oil waiting to go into freezer.  When frozen, the cubes will be put in plastic bags to save room.

This last chore is not part of the Thanksgiving prep, but it's freezing here with snow expected tonight and I had to bring everything in.  Not something I needed this week!  Tomorrow is sides and pies.  Oh, and I am making the chocolate pecan pie.  There's another couple coming for dessert, just the excuse I needed.

This will be my last post until later this weekend so have a Happy Thanksgiving and remember....don't sweat the small stuff!

Your Yearly Reminder...Thanksgiving Etiquette, Y'All Behave!

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In spite of the fact that I wrote this post 3 years ago and have published  it every year since then, it's worth reading again.  And again.  Trust me, it's more important than your menu.


It's that time of the year again...The Family Dinner From Hell.

This is the time when family grudges are aired in anticipation of forgiveness and peace by the time the Christmas holidays come around. 

Here are a few tips for hostesses, family members and guests to make the holiday a pleasant one for all involved:

Guests:

Dress appropriately, watch your language, arrive on time and keep your elbows off the table!

Try a little of everything and praise everything that is laid on your plate even if its burned or raw.  Thank your lucky stars you are having a warm meal that someone else cooked for you!

Don't get mesmerized by the football game.  Socialize, talk to others outside your group or family and help your hostess by offering to fix drinks or pass the appetizers.  She will be most grateful.

Talk to the old people. They appreciate every nice gesture we throw their way.

Turn your damn i-phone off and, by all means, don't even consider bringing it to the table!  Texting is NOT an alternative.  Make this sacrifice for world peace...

Stay out of the kitchen. Your hostess is hassled enough without you going in and bombarding her with stories of your last trip to Paris with your new boyfriend.

Don't surprise your hostess with unexpected  "guests of guests".  Call beforehand, make sure it's okay and bring something edible like an extra pie or casserole AND a couple of bottles of wine.

Family Members:

Avoid confrontations, unpleasant surprises and sarcastic comments.  That's all..

Wait!... and serve your little ones before you and everyone else sits down at the table.

Hostesses:

Don't try to cook everything at the last minute.  Be calm, cool and collected by the time your first guest arrives.

Your turkey should be out of the oven at least 1/2 hour before guests arrive and kept warm by tenting it.  Everything should be done by the time the doorbell rings... that includes the dreaded gravy.  1/2 hour before serving, stick your casseroles and dressing or stuffing in the oven for warming.

Spend time with your guests and family, that's what this holiday is all about.

Keep the booze light.  Alcohol has a way of un-inhibiting the inhibited and accentuating delusions...

Don't delay the meal waiting for "halftime".  Serve when you are ready.

At this point it's up to the gods of civility.  What will happen is going to happen... you have done your bit.   Don't sweat the small stuff and have a good time!

Have A Happy Stress-Free Thanksgiving!

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post, The Thanksgiving Table 2013

Top image Google

Cartoons from cartoons.com

Creamed Oysters On Toasted Cornbread

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If you are of a certain age, you will remember these fondly, especially at this time of the year.  

Oysters have been an important part of a Thanksgiving menu since the Indians brought them to that first three day celebration with the Pilgrims in 1620.  They were particularly popular in New York and New England.  During the heyday of New York’s oyster production (In the late 19th and early 20th centuries the city’s waters produced around 700 million oysters a year) East Coast cookbooks unanimously and prominently featured oysters on the Thanksgiving Day. menu.

Fanny Farmer"s

The Plaza Hotel 1899

 


The trend seems to have taken a real upswing in the Gilded Age and endured — at least in the cookbooks sampled — until around WWII. What happened then? They probably became too much of a luxury, I suppose, and in the city, the local beds were long since polluted and harvested into depletion.

This particular recipe used to be a classic in the mid 1900,s but it too disappeared from everyone's radar.  Perhaps people got tired of it or oysters became prohibitively expensive to serve for a group.  Those who know about the good things in life have not forgotten them.  You can buy them shucked, in their liquid, in the Fish section of most grocery stores.  They are not that expensive and taste very fresh.  If you want to impress a group of gourmets sometime, I suggest you serve them.  I, on the other hand, am trying to singlehandedly revive them.  It's simply too good a recipe to shelve.  Aside from Thanksgiving, Creamed Oysters make for a wonderful lunch, served with a salad.  The cornbread is a new twist on the usual thin toast over which they are serve.  It is not my idea.  It is Gourmet's.

Readers know that this time next week I will be entertaining my grandchildren for Thanksgiving for the first time ever.  For this occasion, they will be the guests of honors and will be catered to in every which way a grandmother knows how to do, but to a certain extent.   Yes they will be privy to all the things Lindaraxa enjoyed as a child but they will also sit at the table and hopefully behave like their parents have trained them to.  I did not get to sit with the grown ups until after I was eight but parents these days are different so we must adapt.  Compromise, my favorite new word.

I enjoyed a small sample for lunch today after  I shot these photos.  Yep. that's my plate. I had every intention of bringing out the silver and staging a more professional shoot, but promptly gave up.  They looked too good to pass up. 

 

 

Creamed Oysters on Toasted Corn Bread

Serves 8 as a first course

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup minced shallot
• 1/2 cup minced celery plus 3 tablespoons finely chopped celery leaves
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 32 shucked oysters, reserving 1 1/4 cups of the liquor, strained
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground celery seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
• 8 squares of corn bread, split, toasted, and buttered

• In a large heavy saucepan cook the shallot and the minced celery in the butter over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, add the flour, and cook the mixture over moderately low heat, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in the reserved oyster liquor, the milk, and the cream, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring, and simmer it, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, the celery seeds, the cayenne, the oysters, and salt to taste, simmer the mixture for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the edges of the oysters curl, and stir in the celery leaves.
• Arrange a bottom half of a corn bread square on each of 8 heated plates, spoon the creamed oysters over the bottom halves, and top them with the remaining halves.

 
Recipe by Kemp M. Minifie
Gourmet Magazine November 1993  

A Grandmother's First Thanksgiving...Tips For A Kid Friendly Menu

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If you are hosting Thanksgiving this year chances are a small group of your guests will be little people, something we tend to forget as we get all wrapped up in planning a menu to impress our guests.    Children have different tastes than adults, a fact which should be taken into consideration when they are included in a family holiday like Thanksgiving and Christmas.  This is something I neglected to see as a young mother, for which I am at fault and deeply regret. But it's never too late and I will not make that mistake as the grandmother of a five and a three year old.   This year I will  tweak revamp my usual menu to make sure everyone goes home well fed and satisfied.

When my children were small and we gathered at Madame Mere's for a mid day meal straight out of Gourmet magazine, I had a hard time making them understand that what they considered (a yucky) lunch was it for the rest of the day.  My son Ted was the worst.  He did not like anything in this menu and would not budge in spite of the fact that I would remind him that this was lunch AND dinner so he'd better eat up.   All the way home he would cry, demanding his usual dinner and yelling but that was lunch, not dinner.  We still laugh about it and I am sure we will again this year when he and his family come to my house for our first Thanksgiving together. I can't wait.

Armed with experience from all those years, I have decided to pick some of the things I think the children, as well as the adults, will enjoy.  No reason to sacrifice one group for the other.    Everyone eats turkey, so the bird is safe.  And if they won't eat my Madeira Sauce, no harm done.  There is plenty more to choose from.

I have chosen to serve the French Green Bean Casserole with French fried onion rings instead of my favorite Creamed Onions.  And instead of a fancy potato or sweet potato gratin, we will have sweet potato puree with marshmallows, the big ones! I wonder if they would like them served in orange cups?  And then there's the stuffing which no kid will eat.  But I have a solution...

Stuffing Balls

Set aside some of the dressing or stuffing you are serving, enough to feed the little ones.  Mine has either apples or pears.  Avoid chestnuts and nuts and visible onions or scallions.  For some reason, kids hate onions.  Remember when it comes to this kind of stuff, they prefer plain to fancy (they are not gourmets yet) and it's easy to pick these things out from their share of the stuffing. 

Shape into small balls, the smaller the better.  Place them in a small cookie sheet, brush them with butter and cook next to the dressing at 375 degrees until browned.  Remember, they will take much less than the dressing to cook.  If you are stuffing the turkey, proceed as above and cook for about 20 minutes.  It all depends on how large they are.

You can make them even more enticing by putting a small amount of cranberry sauce on top.  Anything to make them pop these babies into their mouths!

 If that doesn't fly, this definitely will!

 

and....My French Green Bean Casserole!

How am I doing so far? 

The biggest compromise for me will be dessert.  Nothing has ever stood between me and a Pumpkin Pie and a Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie , one of the most popular recipes of the blog.  Nothing.  I always offered to bring the pies just to make sure they made their appearance, just as I liked them.  But grandchildren work in strange ways .  The Sous Chef is right, I am getting old and softie.   Since it's just the six of us and my daughter doesn't like sweets,  I want to make only one dessert.  Fortunately she loves cheesecake and has volunteered to make a pumpkin cheese cake with a ginger snap cookie crust.  It's called compromise and the older I get,  the more I like this word.  The little ones might not like this either so I will buy some of those pumpkin and turkey shaped cookies they have at Publix to be on the safe side.   Luckily they are not gourmets yet and won't know the difference between home made and store bought.  But not for long.  One day they will know the difference,  if it's the last thing I do.

Recipes by Lindaraxa

Photos 2 & 3 Google Images

Photos 1 and 4 Lindaraxa

Sweet And Sour Onions...Cipolline in Agrodolce II

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Modena's aceto balsamico dates back at least to the 11th century, when a written record reports the delivery of a barrel of the extraordinary vinegar to Emperor Henry III as a coronation gift. For centuries, the aceto was made by the local families only for their own use, with the barrels often a prized inclusion in a young woman's dowry.

Here, the aromatic vinegar is combined with sugar to create a rich sweet-and-sour brown glaze for small onions, a favorite dish both in the birthplace of aceto balsamico and in Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna's neighbor to the north. Serve warm for the best flavor as an accompaniment to roast pork or turkey.

If you want to serve something different this Thanksgiving, try this recipe.   It's a good substitute for the creamed onions I so loved.  If you do, you will not have to worry about making a gravy for the turkey.  Trust me.

A couple of years ago I posted a recipe for Cipolline in Agrodolce that was good but nowhere as delicious and authentic as this one.  Last week I spotted a few boxes of cipollini at the grocery store here in Georgia and, in spite of the price, could not resist the impulse.  Think Manolo Blahnik of the onion world...$3.99 for a box of 4. Yes,  that is right, but you know what? they are worth every penny so I looked inside my cart,  took out a couple of things I really didn't need (like milk),  and picked up a couple of boxes.   On my daughter's birthday I served them with broiled pork chops brushed in the final minutes of cooking with some of the balsamic sauce.  To die for...

Mashed potatoes and a pear tart  rounded up the meal.

If you can't find cipollini go ahead and substitute regular pearl onions, but I strongly suggest you make the effort to try one of the best and sweetest onions you will ever taste.  Yes, and that includes Vidalias. Sorry Southern people, the Italians have you beat on this one.

For past Thanksgiving Menus and recipes, enter the word Thanksgiving in the Search box.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. cipolline or pearl onions
• 2 cups meat stock
• 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbs. sugar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Add the onions and cook for 30 seconds. Drain and place under cold running water to halt the cooking. Drain again. Using a small, sharp knife, trim off the root ends and slip off the skins. Do not cut the onions too deeply or they will fall apart.

In a large, heavy fry pan over medium heat, combine the onions, stock and butter. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are partially cooked, about 30 minutes.

Uncover the pan and stir in the vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, shaking the pan occasionally, until the onions are very tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Add a little warm water if needed to keep the onions moist.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve warm.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Savoring Series, Savoring Italy, by Michele Scicolone (Time-Life Books, 1999).

Thanksgiving Make Ahead...Cranberry Pear Relish

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This recipe is from Sheila Lufkins who co wrote The Silver Palate Cookbook.  I have made it for many  Thanksgivings but somehow had forgotten all about it.  It is a strong contender for this year's table.

The best thing about it is you can make it in advance and have one less thing to worry about.  It keeps for over a month in the refrigerator.

When choosing pears, either Anjou or Bosc will do, but Anjou pears are juicier.

Ingredients


4 cups (about 1 pound) fresh cranberries, picked over

2 cups sugar

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

2 slightly underripe pears, cored, peeled and cut into 1/3- inch dice


Method

Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan and stir well. Place pan over medium heat and boil until berries pop open, about 10 minutes. Skim the foam off the surface with a metal spoon and let the relish cool to room temperature. Refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 months. Makes 10 servings.

Lindaraxa Variations: reduce orange juice by 1/2 cup and add port in the same amount

You might also like:

Cranberry Orange Sauce

Cranberry Sauce With Port

Thanksgiving On The Move

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So last year we had Thanksgiving on the road and this year we have it on the move...literally.  Yes dear readers we are moving over the Thanksgiving holiday.  Actually, the big move is on Friday which means that while all of you are out shopping the sales I will be packing and moving.  If it weren't for the fact that the new house is beautiful and my daughter is over the moon, I would be having a hissy fit, as they say here in the South.  In spite of the ruckus, there is no way I will be forfeiting my favorite holiday dinner.  It will be simpler and easier, but the basics will be there. If I had a fabulous restaurant nearby, well I might consider going out, but there is no such thing within 60 miles of where I live.

I will tell you that the one time I managed to have a spectacular Thanksgiving at a restaurant was in London, at Claridge's, in the early 90's.  I was there on business and managed to coincide with my friend Silvia who happened to be there for meetings also. There must have been a crisis or something because it is strange that both of us would have been away for Thanksgiving and in London at the same time. In any event, I was staying at Claridge's and invited her to come over and have dinner with me.  We were offered a choice of the regular or Thanksgiving menu and being the more adventurous I opted for the latter. Well, let me tell you, never have I ever had such a delicious Thanksgiving dinner in my life.  It was worth ordering just to see the enormous silver domed serving trolley rolled over to your table and a  perfectly cooked turkey sliced by the maitre d'  who was as elegant and, well, butlery as Anthony Hopkins in The Remains Of The Day.  What a treat and one I highly recommend if you happen to be on that side of the pond.  But I digress...

This year's Thanksgiving will be spent very far from those surroundings but it will be just as special, for I will be celebrating in the company of my daughter who has just bought her first house.  Unlike years past when I spent hours cooking and setting the perfect Thanksgiving table, this year's dinner will be probably enjoyed on a simple card table and rattan folding chairs surrounded by cardboard boxes and masking tape.    But there will be a real tablecloth and fresh napkins, wine glassses and silverware and the simple meal will be just as enjoyable as those of the past for there is nothing in this world that I would rather be doing than exactly what I will be doing this coming Thanksgiving Day. 

For those of you going the normal route, there are plenty of Thanksgiving recipes on the blog and I encourage you to take a look at some past menus here and here.  More on table etiquette and table setting can be accessed by entering Thanksgiving on the Search box.  I might be offline for a while but I will be back...promise.  It all depends how long it will take Comcast to get us back on.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, don't burn the turkey and, above all,  don't sweat the small stuff!


Photo Southern Accents


  

A Tale Of Two Turkeys...Stuffed Turkey Breast With Chestnuts And Prunes

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On weekday mornings I usually get up fairly early, get a strong cup of coffee and turn on CNBC for the usual dribble on Greece, Italy,  gold and everything bad that is going on in the world economies.  This morning the news was all about "Mario's gaffe" last night. Mario? what Mario? a new Prime Minister for Italy? Did Berlusconi finally throw in the towel? Nothing doing, this was none other than our friend Mario Batali, the well known cookbook author, chef and owner of several restaurants in New York, most of which none of us can afford.

Apparently last night at a Time magazine event promoting its Person of the Year issue,  our culinary friend nominated the food writer Michael Pollan, then went on to say:

"But I would have to say that who has had the largest effect on the whole planet without us really paying attention is the entire banking industry, and their disregard for the people that they're supposed to be working for."He added: "The way the bankers have toppled the way money is distributed – and taken most of it into their own hands – is as good as Stalin or Hitler and the evil guys."

Well!

The reaction from Wall Street was swift and merciless. Bankers took to their Blackberries and Bloomberg terminals to sound off and organise a boycott. This message was sent out across trading floors:

"Celebrity Chef Mario Batali Says Bankers As Bad As Hitler, Stalin … a list of his restaurants – *B&B Ristorante *Osteria Mozza *Babbo *Otto *Bar Jamon *Pizzeria Mozza *Carnevino Italian Steakhouse *Tarry Lodge *Casa Mono *Tarry Market *Del Posto *Mozza2Go *Esca *Manzo *Lupa – cancel all reservations … pass the word."

On Twitter, the reaction was also fast and furious.

"Wow. Mario Batali pisses off the only people who can afford to eat at Del Posto," wrote one.

Later Batali took to Twitter to "clarify" his views.

"To remove any ambiguity about my appearance at yesterday's Time Person of the Year panel, I want to apologise for my remarks," he wrote. "It was never my intention to equate our banking industry with Hitler and Stalin, two of the most evil, brutal dictators in modern history."

Mario, Mario, Mario...what where you thinking?! Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!

So, if you are not a banker and have always wanted to eat at one of his restaurants, this might be your only chance.  But don't tell them who sent you. I still have some "Nazi" friends who might not return my phone calls if they find out and who knows when I may need them.

So talking about turkeys, here's a great recipe for a Sunday family dinner or Thanksgiving for a small crowd.  Enjoy!

Tacchino Ripieno...Stuffed Turkey Breast With Chestnuts and Prunes

Serves 10-12 people
Ingredients

• 1 (5 to 6 pound) whole turkey breast, removed from the bone, halved and butterflied by your butcher
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus 1/4 cup
• 1/2 pound pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 1/2 pounds ground pork shoulder
• 10 Italian prunes, pits removed, cut into quarters
• 12 chestnuts, roasted, peeled, and halved

• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoons each chopped fresh rosemary and sage
• 2 cups dry white wine plus 1 cup

1/2 cup brown chicken stock, recipe follows

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BROWN CHICKEN STOCK:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 1/2 pounds chicken wings, backs, and bones
• 3 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped

• 4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 bunch parsley stems

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the pancetta pieces and cook until golden brown, about 7 to 9 minutes. Add the ground pork and cook until starting to brown in its own fat, stirring regularly. Drain all but 4 tablespoons of the fat from the pan, then add the prunes and chestnut, and continue cooking for 8 minutes, until the prunes start to really soften. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, about 20 minutes.

Add the bread crumbs, the Parmigiano, the eggs, the pepper, nutmeg, and herbs and just bring together, stirring with your hand. Over-mixing here can result in a lead torpedo for a stuffing, so don't.

Place the 2 turkey pieces on a cutting board and divide the stuffing between them.

Roll each of the breasts like a jelly roll and tie them firmly with butchers twine.

Place the 2 breasts, skin side up, on a roasting rack in a roasting pan and pour 2 cups wine over them.

Season with salt and pepper, and place into preheated oven and cook uncovered until dark golden brown outside and a meat thermometer reads 165 at the thickest part of the breast, about 1 hour, plus or minus 10 minutes.

Remove and allow to rest 15 minutes before carving.

Add remaining 1 cup of wine to the roasting pan and deglaze, scraping with a wooden spoon. Add chicken stock and cook for 5 minutes. Add the 1/4 cup remaining oil and season with salt and pepper.

Carve turkey into 1-inch slices and serve with pan sauce.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over high heat until smoking. Add all the chicken parts and brown all over, stirring to avoid burning. Remove the chicken and reserve.

Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the pot and cook until soft and browned.

Return the chicken to the pot and add 3 quarts of water, the tomato paste, peppercorns, and parsley.

Stir with a wooden spoon to dislodge the browned chicken and vegetables bits from the bottom of the pan.

Bring almost to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a low simmer until reduced by half, about 2 hours, occasionally skimming excess fat.

Remove from heat, strain, and press on the solids with the bottom of a ladle to extract out all liquids.

Stir the stock to facilitate cooling and set aside. Refrigerate stock in small containers for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.

Yield: 1 1/2 quarts

Mario Batali recipe

Brussels Sprouts Gratin with Shallots and Rosemary

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Remember the Brussels sprouts recipe from the New York Times that I posted a couple of years ago? The same one that got Brussels sprouts haters all over the world, including my daughter, to give them another chance? The same one Reggie D included in his Thanksgiving menu and my friend Silvia  (who doesn't cook) now makes when she is forced to entertain? Well, I think this one is a close second, although I'm sure the diehards will disagree.

The secret, methinks, is shredding the Brussels sprouts.  Somehow that takes away the stigma engraved in our minds from boarding school days and Charles Dickens books.

This rich, creamy side dish is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Brussels sprouts, pan-roasted in brown butter until tender and nutty, are mixed with sweet, earthy Gruyère and topped with crisp breadcrumbs. For a casual dinner, serve it straight from the oven proof skillet after browning the topping in the oven;  although I much prefer to serve and bake in a gratin dish.

I loved it!

Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts, trimmed

2 large shallots, halved
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
3-1/4 oz. (1-1/4 cups) finely grated Gruyère
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cayenne
3/4 cup panko
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F. In a food processor fitted with the slicing blade, slice the Brussels sprouts and shallots.

In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter until it begins to brown and smell nutty. Set aside 1 Tbs. of the browned butter in a medium bowl.

Add the Brussels sprouts, shallots, 2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper to the pan and toss to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the Brussels sprouts and shallots begin to soften and brown in spots, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Meanwhile, in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, Gruyère, nutmeg, cayenne, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Heat until the cheese is melted, whisking occasionally, about 4 minutes. Do not boil.

Add the sauce to the Brussels sprouts, carefully stirring to combine.

Add the Panko, Parmigiano, rosemary, and a pinch of salt to the reserved butter and mix thoroughly.

Top the sprout mixture with the panko mixture.*

Bake until the crumbs are browned and the Brussels sprouts are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. )It tool a little longer for me...more like 25 minutes). Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.

*Alternatively, transfer the Brussels sprout mixture to a 12-inch-wide, 1-1/2-inch-deep ceramic baking dish before topping with the panko and baking.

Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine

Sunday Family Dinner...Turkey A La King And Four Others!

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When I was growing up, I could always count on having Turkey A la King,  Turkey Croquettes or Turkey Tetrazzini within a couple of days of the big turkey dinner.  Nowadays, kids look forward to either Turkey Chili or Turkey Enchiladas with the same anticipation.   Well, guess what? I've got all bases covered between this blog and the country blog so enjoy an easy day tomorrow!

This is really my recipe for Chicken A La King with turkey substituted.  Those of you who, like me, are of a certain age will remember it well.  Enjoy!

Yield: Makes 6 servings


Ingredients


3/4 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 lb cooked turkey meat, both white and dark or skinless boneless chicken breast halves

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 green bell peppers, cut into small pieces

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1/4 lb white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered

3 large egg yolks

1 small can red pimientos dices

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

2 tablespoons dry Sherry, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon paprika (not hot)

6 puff pastry shells

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley


Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 4- to 5-quart wide heavy pot over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then cook peppers, stirring, until softened (do not brown), 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer peppers to a bowl and stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Add onion and remaining 3 tablespoons butter to pot and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add flour and remaining teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and reduce heat to low, then cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in 3/4 cup broth, then all of cream and mushrooms, and simmer until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together yolks, lemon juice, Sherry, and paprika in a small bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup sauce, then stir yolk mixture back into sauce remaining in pot. Cook over low heat, stirring (do not simmer, or sauce will curdle), until sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.

Cut turkey crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices and add along with peppers to sauce, then cook over low heat (do not simmer, or sauce will curdle), stirring occasionally, until turkey and peppers are just heated through. Add more broth to thin if desired.

Spoon turkey à la king over shells or toast on 6 plates, then sprinkle with parsley.

You may also want to look at these four and substitute with leftover turkey:

Turkey Chili
Turkey Croquettes
Turkey Tetrazzini
Turkey Enchiladas


Photo: Google

Thanksgiving Leftovers...Stuffing Stuffed Mushrooms

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This is the best leftover stuffing idea idea I've seen yet.  You can make these the next day or freeze the stuffing and prepare the mushrooms at a later date.

Directions


Mix 1 cup leftover stuffing with 1/4 cup grated parmesan, 2 tablespoons each olive oil and chopped parsley and 1 minced garlic clove. Stuff into 24 button mushroom caps; top with more parmesan and olive oil. Bake 20 to 25 minutes at 375 degrees. *

I added more parmesan and a shake of red pepper flakes.  Very nice!


Recipe courtesy Food Networks
Photograph by Kang Kim



Check out these other leftover ideas from Lindaraxa's Garden

Turkey Tetrazzini
Turkey Chili

Turkey Day Etiquette...Y'All Behave!

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It's that time of the year again...The Family Dinner From Hell.

This is the time when family grudges are aired in anticipation of forgiveness and peace by the time the Christmas holidays come around.

Here are a few tips for hostesses, family members and guests to make the holiday a pleasant one for all involved:

Guests:

Dress appropriately, watch your language, arrive on time and keep your elbows off the table!

Try a little of everything and praise everything that is laid on your plate even if its burned or raw.  Thank your lucky stars you are having a warm meal that someone else cooked for you!

Don't get mesmerized by the football game.  Socialize, talk to others outside your group or family and help your hostess by offering to fix drinks or pass the appetizers.  She will be most grateful.

Talk to the old people. They appreciate every nice gesture we throw their way.

Turn your damn i-phone off and, by all means, don't even consider bringing it to the table!  Texting is NOT an alternative.  Make this sacrifice for world peace...

Stay out of the kitchen. Your hostess is hassled enough without you going in and bombarding her with stories of your last trip to Paris with your new boyfriend.

Don't surprise your hostess with unexpected  "guests of guests".  Call beforehand, make sure it's okay and bring something edible like an extra pie or casserole AND a couple of bottles of wine.

Family Members:

Avoid confrontations, unpleasant surprises and sarcastic comments.  That's all..

Wait!... and serve your little ones before you and everyone else sits down at the table.

Hostesses:

Don't try to cook everything at the last minute.  Be calm, cool and collected by the time your first guest arrives.

Your turkey should be out of the oven at least 1/2 hour before guests arrive and kept warm by tenting it.  Everything should be done by the time the doorbell rings... that includes the gravy.  1/2 hour before serving, stick your casseroles and dressing or stuffing in the oven for warming.

Spend time with your guests and family, that's what this holiday is all about.

Keep the booze light.  Alcohol has a way of un-inhibiting the inhibited and accentuating delusions...

Don't delay the meal waiting for "halftime".  Serve when you are ready!

At this point it's up to the gods of civility.  What will happen is going to happen... you have done your bit.   Don't sweat the small stuff and have a good time!

Have A Happy Stress-Free Thanksgiving!

Top image Google

Cartoons from cartoons.com

Cranberry Sauce With Port

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This year I am going to do a variation of my Cranberry Orange Sauce by reducing the orange juice by half and adding port.  That's it!

Makes 2 Cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup ruby port

Three 1-by-3-inch strips of orange zest, cut into thin matchsticks

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

12 ounces fresh cranberries

3/4 cup sugar

Directions

1.In a medium saucepan, combine the port with the orange zest and orange juice and bring to a boil. Add the cranberries and sugar and simmer over moderately low heat until the sauce is jamlike, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and serve warm or at room temperature.


Make Ahead

The cranberry sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

You might also like:

Cranberry Orange Sauce 
 
Photo: William Meppen