Cook Like James

Perfect Thanksgiving Roast Turkey

 

I usually prefer to share recipes with my own photos, but decided to add my favorite Thanksgiving recipes and hope they’re helpful (I’ll add photos after the holiday!

Roast Juicy Turkey

Brining seems to be the most popular method to keep the bird juicy and moist. It’s a simple water/salt solution, but a few other additions can add a lot of great flavor. Brining bags are usually available at grocery stores, or use a large lobster pot with lid.

1 (14 to 16 pound) frozen or fresh young turkey

For the brine:

1 gallon water

1 ½ cups kosher salt

½ cup light brown sugar

½ cup maple syrup or honey

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1/2 tablespoon allspice berries

1 tablespoon candied ginger

2 oranges, quartered

2 lemons, quartered

1 gallon iced water

For the turkey cavity:

1 red apple, quartered

1 onion, quartered

4 sprigs rosemary

6 leaves sage

For the roasting pan:

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onions

Combine all brine ingredients, except ice water, in a stockpot, and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve sugar, then remove from heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Early on the day of cooking, (or late the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a clean 5-gallon bucket. Place thawed turkey breast side down in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 6- 8 hours.

A few minutes before roasting, heat oven to 500 degrees.

Scatter the carrots, celery, and onions a roasting pan with v-rack.

Remove turkey from brine and  rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard brine.

Place bird on roasting rack over the vegetables, breast-side up, in the roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels. Add aromatics to cavity along with rosemary and sage. Tuck back wings and using kitchen twine, tie the legs together. This will make a compact shape and will create a great presentation. Coat the whole bird liberally with canola (or other neutral) oil.

Roast on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees  for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover breast with double layer of aluminum foil that has been sprayed with Pam, insert probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and return to oven, reducing temperature to 350 degrees. Set thermometer alarm (if available) to 165 degrees. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let turkey rest, loosely covered for 20 minutes before carving.

Download Roast Juicy Turkey
  

World's Best Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie

There are tons of pumpkin pie recipes, and in November all of the food shows and magazines are filled with both classic and innovative recipes. I think I’ve tried all of them – most started with canned pumpkin, and then the ingredients vary  - some use heavy cream, others swear by evaporated milk, some are heavily spiced with cinnamon and cloves.  I love pumpkin pie, but have never found what I would call the BEST pumpkin pie until recently. I was watching an episode of America’s Test Kitchen (the leader in test perfected recipes) called “An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving”. The ingredients and the method were quite original and I couldn’t wait to try it. There are a few extra steps, but well worth it. If you don’t want to make your own crust, you can use a Pillsbury Ready Made crust. Feel free to alter the amount of cinnamon (I used Penzey's Extra Fancy Vietnamese Cassia Cinnamon Click here for Penzey's), but the fresh ginger is key to the pie’s flavor.

Fool Proof Pie Crust  

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 tablespoon sugar

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold, cut into two pieces

2 tablespoons vodka, cold 

2 tablespoons cold water

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

3 large eggs plus 2 large yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 cup drained candied yams from 15-ounce can

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (Extra Fancy Vietnamese Cassia Cinnamon is best)

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon table salt

 For the Crust:

1. Process 3/4 cup flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about two 1-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 10 seconds; dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and redistribute dough evenly around processor blade. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour and pulse until mixture is evenly distributed around bowl and mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty the mixture into a medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. With rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix, pressing down on dough until dough is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten dough into 4-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

3. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out on generously floured (up to 1/4 cup) work surface to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin and unroll into pie plate, leaving at least 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around circumference, ease dough into plate by gently lifting edge of dough with one hand while pressing into plate bottom with other hand. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

4. Trim overhang to 1/2 inch beyond lip of pie plate. Fold overhang under itself; folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Using thumb and forefinger, flute edge of dough. Refrigerate dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.

5. Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with foil, and fill with pie weights or pennies. Bake on rimmed baking sheet 15 minutes. Remove foil and weights, rotate plate, and bake 5 to 10 additional minutes until crust is golden brown and crisp. Remove pie plate and baking sheet from oven.

6. For the Filling: While pie shell is baking, whisk cream, milk, eggs, yolks, and vanilla together in medium bowl. Combine pumpkin puree, yams, sugar, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in large heavy-bottomed saucepan; bring to sputtering simmer over medium heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Continue to simmer pumpkin mixture, stirring constantly and mashing yams against sides of pot, until thick and shiny, 10 to 15 minutes.

7. Remove pan from heat and whisk in cream mixture until fully incorporated. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over medium bowl, using back of ladle or spatula to press solids through strainer. Re-whisk mixture and transfer to warm prebaked pie shell. Return pie plate with baking sheet to oven and bake pie for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until edges of pie are set (instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175 degrees), 20 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer pie to wire rack and cool to room temperature, 2 to 3 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.

  

 

Rustic Butternut Squash Chowder with Apples and Sage

Rustic Butternut Squash Chowder with Apples and Sage

I recently watched Mark Bittman make this on the Today show and thought it sounded like a great recipe. It’s so easy to throw together because it all cooks in one roasting pan and does not require pureeing. The apples lend a nice sweetness and the sage works perfectly with the butternut squash. I served it for lunch with whole wheat grilled cheese sandwiches – it would also be a great first course for Thanksgiving.

Download Rustic Butternut Squash Soup recipe

Serves 4

1 butternut squash, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes

1 large onion, chopped

2 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped

2 bacon slices, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

Salt and black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

1/2 cup dry white wine or water

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock or water

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Spread the squash, onion, apples, bacon and garlic in a deep roasting pan or on a baking sheet.

3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with the oil.

4. Roast, stirring every now and then, until the squash, onion and apples are tender and browned and the bacon is crisp, which takes about 45 minutes.

5. Remove the roasting pan from the oven.

6. Stir in the sage and white wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom.

7. If you're using a roasting pan that can be used on the stovetop, position the pan over 2 burners and put both on medium heat. Otherwise, transfer the contents of the pan to a large pot or Dutch oven and set it over medium heat.

8. Add the stock and cook until the squash, onion and apples break apart and thicken and flavor the broth, which takes about 25 minutes. You can help the process along by breaking the mixture up a bit with a spoon.

9. If desired, garnish with crisp sage leaves - just heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Add whole sage leaves and cook for 15-20 seconds, and then transfer to paper towel.

Quick Biscuit Turkey Pot Pie

 

Quick Biscuit Turkey Pot Pie

 

 

This is a quick and tasty way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey (also works great with a supermarket rotisserie chicken). You can make homemade biscuits, but the ready-made biscuits make the recipe a breeze to put together. You can serve the pot pie right out of the skillet or transfer the mixture to a large pie plate and top with the baked biscuits.

 

1 package Pillsbury Refrigerated Grands Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits

Table salt  

4 tablespoons unsalted butter  

1 medium onion, minced 

1 rib celery, chopped fine 

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves  

1/4 cup all-purpose flour  

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper  

½ cup dry vermouth or dry white wine

2 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth  (or leftover turkey stock)

1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half 

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas or carrot and pea medley (or leftover roasted vegetables)

2-3 cups cooked turkey, shredded or 1 whole rotisserie chicken - skin discarded, meat shredded into large bite-sized pieces

4 teaspoons lemon juice  

Salt and Ground black pepper  

Chopped scallion greens or parsley, for garnish

 

 

1. Remove biscuits from package, place on baking sheet, and sprinkle with a little salt. Bake according to package instructions.

 

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery thyme and ½ tsp. salt and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

 

3. Stir in flour and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until incorporated 1-2 minutes.

 

4. Stir in vermouth and cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in broth and cream and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in vegetables, turkey, and lemon juice and simmer until vegetables and chicken are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top with biscuits and and garnish with scallions and serve.

  

Download Quick Biscuit Turkey Pot Pie

 

 

 

  
 

 

Favorite Turkey Tetrazzini

 

Turkey Tetrazzini

A post Thanksgiving favorite! Tetrazzini is also great with leftover chicken.  

Breadcrumb Topping:

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs 

 Pinch table salt 

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)

Turkey Filling & Sauce:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), plus extra for baking dish

8 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thin (3 cups)

2 medium onions, chopped fine (1 1/2 cups)

3/4 pound spaghetti or other long-strand pasta, strands snapped in half

1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 

2 cups turkey stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup light cream

3 tablespoons dry sherry 

3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)

1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg 

2 teaspoons lemon juice from 1 small lemon

2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves 

2 cups frozen peas 

4 cups leftover cooked boneless turkey meat or chicken meat, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

For the Topping:

1.    Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix breadcrumbs, salt, and butter in small baking dish; bake until golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature and mix with 1/4 cup grated Parmesan in small bowl. Set aside.

For the Filling:

1.    Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat until foaming subsides; add mushrooms and onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until onions soften and mushroom liquid evaporates, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and ground black pepper to taste; transfer to medium bowl and set aside.

2.    Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, drain spaghetti, and return to pot with reserved liquid.

For the Sauce:

1.    Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in cleaned skillet over medium heat. When foam subsides, whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour turns golden, 1 to 2 minutes.

2.    Whisking constantly, gradually add chicken stock. Adjust heat to medium-high and simmer until mixture thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in light cream and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Off heat, whisk in sherry, Parmesan, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and thyme.

3.     Add sauce, sautéed vegetables, peas, and turkey to spaghetti and mix well; adjust seasonings to taste. Turn mixture into a buttered 13- x 9-inch baking dish (or other shallow, ovenproof dish of similar size), sprinkle evenly with reserved breadcrumbs, and bake until breadcrumbs brown and mixture is bubbly, 13 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

 

Download Turkey Tetrazzini

Turkey Cooking Times Temperatures

Butterball has a handy web calculator that really helps with cooking times. Most people OVERCOOK the bird. Find a good thermometer to test the temperature of the bird - it makes all the difference. I usually take mine out when thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees and thickest part of thigh registers 170 to 175 degrees on instant-read thermometer. Let the turkey rest 35 to 40 minutes before carving!

Turkey Cooking Times site:

http://www.butterball.com/tips-how-tos/tips/calculators-and-conversions

Thanksgiving Peas with Shallots and Thyme

 

Peas with Shallots and Thyme

Serves 12

Do not thaw the peas before adding them to the skillet. Save time by prepping other ingredients a couple of hours before and keep in a plastic wrapped dish. Then throw it all together just before dinner

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 

2 shallots, minced

2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves 

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds frozen peas 

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt and pepper

Instructions

1.  Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, thyme, and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the peas and sugar. Cover and cook until the peas are heated through, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Download Peas with Shallots and Thyme

 

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Classic Sage Onion Bread Stuffing

 

Classic Sage Bread Stuffing for a Crowd

Drying the bread before making the stuffing is crucial for texture and flavor. If you plan ahead, you can simply leave the bread cubes out on the counter for a few days to become stale. Otherwise, spread them out on baking sheets and dry in a 300-degree oven for 30 to 60 minutes. Let the bread cool before using in the stuffing. You can substitute three 14-ounce bags of plain dried bread cubes for the homemade dried bread cubes, but you'll need to increase the amount of  broth to 7-8 cups. FRESH HERBS ARE ALSO CRITICAL TO THE FLAVOR OF THIS RECIPE. This recipe can easily be halved and baked in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish for a smaller crowd.

To Make Ahead:

The stuffing can be assembled in the baking dish, then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. To bake, let the stuffing stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap and proceed to bake as directed in step 3.

1 stick unsalted butter (plus extra for baking dish)

4 medium ribs celery, chopped fine

2 large onions, minced

4 scallions, chopped fine

3 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves or 2 teaspoons dried

3 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried

1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tsp. dried tarragon or basil

¼ tsp. nutmeg

2 tablespoons cognac

3-4 cups Homemade Turkey Stock, or canned low sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat

2 pounds high-quality sandwich bread (like Pepperidge Farm White), cut into 1/2-inch cubes and dried

5 cups turkey stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth

3 large eggs , beaten lightly

¼ cup cream

1 loafs stale white bread (about 18 slices), crust on, cut into 1-inch cubes

1-2tsp. poultry seasoning

1-2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1½  cups fresh coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves (about 1 bunch)

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions, scallions, and celery, and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent, about 10-15 minutes. Add sage, thyme, marjoram, tarragon and nutmeg and stir to combine, and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Add cognac to deglaze pan, and then 1/2 cup stock, and stir well. Cook for about 5 minutes, until liquid has reduced. Transfer to a very large mixing bowl.

2. Add the dried, cooled bread, stock or broth, eggs, salt, and pepper to the sautéed vegetables and toss gently to distribute dry and wet ingredients evenly. Turn mixture into buttered 15-x 10-inch baking dish.

3. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until golden, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Download Classic Sage Bread Stuffing for a Crowd

  

Perfect Turkey Gravy with Make Ahead Turkey Stock

 
  

Rich Turkey Stock

This stock has incredible flavor and can be made ahead to save time at Thanksgiving. It’s the base for perfect turkey gravy, and can also be used in your favorite dressing recipe. To roast the trimmings and vegetables, it’s best to use a roasting pan that can sit on the stovetop, so that you can deglaze the pan and make sure all the dark flavorful bits wind up in the stock.

 6-8 turkey parts – wings, thighs, neck (most local markets will carry these around the holidays) 

2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces  

2 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces 

2  onions , chopped coarse 

1 leek, white and light green parts only, chopped in 2” pieces

1 head garlic , unpeeled 

12 cups homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups dry white wine  

6-8 sprigs fresh thyme

1 sprig rosemary

6 sprigs flat leaf Italian parsley

1 tsp whole peppercorns

1 bay leaf   

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place turkey trimmings, carrot, celery, onions, and garlic in large flameproof roasting pan. Spray lightly with cooking spray and toss to combine. Roast, stirring occasionally, until well-browned, 60-90  minutes.

2. Remove roasting pan from oven and transfer contents of roasting pan to large stockpot. Place roasting pan over 2 burners set at medium high heat; add 4 cups of chicken stock and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan with wooden spoon, and then pour into stockpot.

3. Add remaining chicken stock, wine, and herbs; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until reduced by half, about 1 1/2 hours. Strain stock into large pot using cheesecloth lined strained. Cool to room temperature; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until fat congeals, at least 1 hour or overnight. Skim fat from stock and reserve for Turkey Gravy recipe.

Turkey Gravy

 

½ cup reserved turkey fat (add melted butter if needed to make ½ cup)

½ cup all purpose flour

6-8 cups Rich Turkey Stock

Salt and pepper

1. Bring stock to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. In second medium saucepan, heat reserved turkey fat over medium-high heat until bubbling; whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until combined and honey-colored or brown, about 2-5 minutes. Continuing to whisk constantly, gradually ladle in hot stock; bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 -15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with turkey. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat in medium saucepan over medium heat until hot, about 8 minutes.

 

 Download Rich Turkey Stock Recipe

Favorite Cranberry Sauce with Pears and Fresh Ginger

 

CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH PEARS AND FRESH GINGER

There are so many variations for cranberry sauce – experiment with a few until you find a favorite – this is one of mine. The maple syrup gives a more mellow sweetness than granulated sugar.  If you've got frozen cranberries, do not defrost them before use; just pick through them and add about 2 minutes to the simmering time.

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup water, orange juice, or cranraspberry juice

1 cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon table salt

1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries , picked through

2 medium firm, ripe pears , peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch chunks

INSTRUCTIONS

1.    Combine all ingredients in medium nonreactive saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until saucy, slightly thickened, and about two-thirds of berries have popped open, about 5 minutes. Transfer to nonreactive bowl, cool to room temperature, and serve. (Can be covered and refrigerated up to 7 days; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)

 

Download CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH PEARS AND FRESH GINGER