http://www.latimes.com/features/food/foodanddrink/sns-fdcook3-wk1,0,3477284.story
From Newsday
A Thanksgiving meal that doesn't cost a fortune
Save time and money with our supermarket Thanksgiving dinner
By Erica Marcus, Newsday Staff Writer
This probably isn't the year to mail-order a pasture-raised heritage-breed turkey (about $12 a pound) or drizzle the sweet potatoes with 25-year-old balsamic vinegar ($160 for a 3.5-ounce bottle). In 2008, most families are looking for ways to economize without renouncing the spirit of abundance that is the hallmark of Thanksgiving.
Good news: Even a belly-busting Thanksgiving needn't be extravagantly expensive. The centerpiece of our meal, a roast turkey, is about as cheap a main course as there is. This fresh 13-pound turkey cost about $40; a frozen bird would have cost less than $15. Around that turkey, we've crafted a six-course feast for which every element was purchased at the supermarket.
Aside from the bird, we're presenting two choices for each course. The recipes are classic and delicious, based on holiday stalwarts - root vegetables, cornbread, bacon, string beans, mushrooms, nuts, apples, pumpkin - that everyone secretly prefers to newfangled ingredients, anyway. This supermarket Thanksgiving just might be the best one yet.
Roast turkey
We prefer to roast the bird unstuffed (it's quicker, and once the bird is cooked through, you don't have to worry about whether the stuffing is hot enough), but this recipe will work either way.
Ingredients
1 (14-pound) turkey; giblets, neck and liver removed
8 cups stuffing (optional) or about 2 cups equal amounts chopped onion, carrot and celery
4 Tbsps. unsalted butter, half softened, half melted
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. salt
10 to 20 fresh sage leaves (optional)
1 tsp. black pepper
1. Position a rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 325 degrees. Remove neck and giblets from turkey; cut off (and reserve) yellow tail fat. Pat turkey dry.
2. If stuffing the bird: Loosely fill the neck cavity with some stuffing. Fold over the neck skin and secure to the back skin with a skewer or toothpick. Loosely fill body cavity with some of the remaining stuffing. Cover exposed stuffing with foil. If not stuffing: Loosely fill neck and body cavities with chopped vegetables.
3. Mash the softened butter with 1 tsp. of salt. If there is a pop-up timer in the breast, remove it. Slipping your fingers between the skin and meat of the breast, gently loosen the skin; do not tear it, or the membrane that separates the two halves of the breast. Work your way toward the neck end of the bird so you can fit an entire hand under the skin of each side of the breast. With your hand, spread on the salted butter. If desired, also arrange sage leaves under the skin.
4. Tuck the ends of the drumsticks under the flap of skin or the plastic or metal "hock lock." (If none exists, tie ends together with kitchen twine.) Place turkey on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan. Add the reserved turkey fat to the pan. Brush turkey all over with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper.
5. Make a "breast shield" by taking a piece of foil larger than the turkey's breast and placing it flush on the breast. Fold edges of the foil so the shield exactly conforms to the breast - it should be like a bathing suit that entirely covers the body (including the skin-covered neck cavity) while leaving legs and wings exposed.
6. Place 1/2 cup of water in bottom of pan. Roast, basting after 1 hour and every 45 minutes thereafter (including area under foil), until an instant-read thermometer inserted in meaty part of the thigh (not touching a bone) registers 180 degrees, 3 1/2 to 4 hours if the bird is stuffed, 3 to 3 3/4 unstuffed. During the last hour of roasting, remove and discard the foil. If the drippings in the bottom of the pan start to scorch, add more water.
7. Transfer turkey to a platter, reserving the pan drippings for gravy. Let the turkey stand, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes (and up to 1 hour) before carving.
Herbed turkey gravy
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Pan drippings from roast turkey
4 to 5 cups chicken broth or turkey stock (see note)
Butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary or sage leaves (or 1 1/2 tsps. crumbled dried rosemary or sage)
Salt and pepper to taste
1. After you have removed turkey from roasting pan, pour the pan drippings into a large (8-cup) heatproof glass bowl or measuring cup.
2. Pour a cup of chicken broth or turkey stock into the roasting pan, and place it over 2 burners. Turn the heat to medium, and bring liquid to a boil, all the while scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wood spoon or spatula. When the bottom of the pan is clean, turn off the heat.
3. By now, the fat should have risen to the top of the drippings in the large bowl. Skim it off. You will need 1/2 cup fat; add butter if you don't have enough.
4. Add the liquid from the roasting pan to the skimmed drippings, and add enough chicken broth or turkey stock to make 6 cups total.
5. Place the turkey fat and flour in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir with a wood spoon until the flour is slightly browned and the mixture begins to smell toasty.
6. Beat fat-flour mixture with a wire whisk while gradually adding the chicken broth. Add herbs and simmer over medium heat, whisking often, until the gravy has thickened and no trace of flour taste remains, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and, if desired, giblets.
Note: To make stock, place turkey neck, heart and gizzard in a saucepan with 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped carrot, 1 chopped rib of celery, 2 sprigs of parsley, 1 bay leaf, several peppercorns and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 1 hour, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface. Add the liver during the last 5 minutes. Strain, cool and skim any fat that rises to the surface. Makes about 4 cups. (For giblets, chop the heart, gizzard, liver and some of the meat from the neck.)
Escarole salad with olive oil-toasted almonds
Sherry vinegar is rich and mellow but much less sweet than balsamic vinegar, although you could also use balsamic here. Toasting the almonds in olive oil makes the almonds and the oil taste even better.
Ingredients
1 cup (3 1/2-ounce package) blanched slivered almonds
4 Tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot (or two small ones)
1 head escarole
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tsps. sherry vinegar
1. Place almonds and olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, shaking pan frequently, until nuts turn a light golden brown. Watch them carefully: they can go from light golden brown to burned very quickly. Take pan off heat and pour contents through a mesh sieve into a heat-proof bowl or measuring cup. Reserve almonds and cool both almonds and oil. Set both aside.
2. Peel shallot and slice as thinly as possible. Soak slices in cold water 20 to 30 minutes, then drain, blot dry and set aside.
3. Remove the tough outer leaves from escarole (save for soup), then tear remaining leaves into bite-size pieces, removing any browned or tough areas. Wash and spin dry.
4. To serve: Place escarole in a very large bowl. Sprinkle with a good amount of salt and pepper, the vinegar and the oil. Toss well.
5. Place dressed escarole on individual salad plates, then top each serving with a few slices of shallot and, finally, 2 Tbsps. of almonds. Makes 8 servings.
Winter white salad
This delicious and very popular salad is a signature dish of chef Anna Klinger at al di la trattoria in Park Slope,
For the vinaigrette
ingredients
8 ounces Gorgonzola dolce or mild blue cheese, crumbled and divided
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
2 tsp. salt
For the salad
2 small turnips, peeled
1/2 celery root, peeled
2 large parsnips
1 fennel bulb, core removed
1/2 head cauliflower, trimmed
2 leeks, white part only
2 large white endive
1. Make the vinaigrette. In a blender, combine the vinegar, salt and 4 ounces (half) of the cheese. Turn on the blender and slowly drizzle in the oil. Set aside while you prepare the vegetables.
2. For the salad, all the vegetables, except the endive, need to be sliced as thinly as possible on the mandolin. The turnip, celery root, parsnips and fennel are straightforward: Peel and trim them into a manageable size and slice. Cut the cauliflower through the stem into wedges, then slice the wedges along the length of the florets and not across them; this produces beautiful lacy pieces. Slice the leeks crosswise into rounds, then rinse in several changes of water and dry on a towel. Cut the endive in half lengthwise and then again into quarters. Cut the core out of each quarter, then slice lengthwise into julienne strips. Except for the endive, all the vegetables can be prepped ahead. Wrap them in damp paper towels and store, refrigerated, in resealable plastic bags.
3. When ready to serve, place all the vegetables in a large bowl and dress with the vinaigrette - you may have more than enough. Season liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Divide among individual plates, mounding the vegetables in the center. Sprinkle each salad with the remaining crumbled Gorgonzola dolce cheese. Makes 8 to 12 servings.
Cornbread stuffing with sausage and apple
Ingredients
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn-muffin mix (see note)
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 pound uncooked (sweet) sausage
3 Tbsps. butter, divided
2 Tbsps. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 cup chopped parsley, divided
10 to 15 sprigs fresh thyme, or 2 tsps. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried sage
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, diced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil so it overhangs the dish by at least 3 inches; spray the foil with cooking spray. Prepare cornbread according to package directions with the egg and the milk. Pour into dish, spreading batter evenly to all four corners, and bake 15 minutes, until lightly browned on top. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then lift out foil and cool cornbread to room temperature.
2. Break up cooled cornbread into irregular olive-size pieces and spread pieces on a baking sheet. Toast in 400-degree oven until they dry out, about 10 minutes, but watch closely so they don't get too dark. Set aside.
3. Squeeze sausage out of casings and cook in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. When it has lost all its pink color, remove from heat, transfer sausage to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside to cool.
4. Pour out excess sausage drippings and add 1 Tbsp. butter and all the vegetable oil to pan. Add diced onion, celery, half the parsley, the thyme and the sage to the skillet, season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper, and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft and translucent but have not started to brown, about 10 minutes. Add diced apple and cook 5 minutes, or until it's tender. Remove thyme sprigs.
5. Transfer vegetable mixture to a large bowl and combine with the drained sausage and the remaining parsley. Taste for salt and pepper. (At this point, you can refrigerate the bread-less stuffing for up to a day, bring to room temperature and proceed with recipe on Thanksgiving.)
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine vegetable-sausage mixture with cornbread and spoon into a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour broth over stuffing, cover dish with foil and bake until heated through, 20 to 40 minutes. Remove foil for last 10 minutes to get stuffing crisp on top. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Note: 1 box of mix makes 4 cups of cornbread pieces. You can substitute 4 cups of store-bought cubes, if you prefer.
Mushroom-herb stuffing
Most supermarkets sell mixed-variety packages of trimmed and sliced mushrooms. We used a mixture of oyster, cremini (Baby Bellas) and shiitakes.
Ingredients
1/2 ounce dried mushrooms
1 (14-ounce) package of cubed herb-seasoned stuffing
1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups low-sodium canned chicken broth
12 Tbsps. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1 large rib celery, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
3 Tbsps. fresh parsley, finely chopped, divided
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound mixed variety of mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
1. To rehydrate dried mushrooms, place in a heatproof measuring cup and cover with 1/2 to 1 cup very hot water. Soak mushrooms for about 1/2 hour and up to 2 hours. When you are ready to make the stuffing, lift the mushrooms out of the liquid with your fingers to leave any unwanted debris behind. Rinse mushrooms quickly in cold water, squeeze dry, chop and set aside. Strain the soaking water through a fine-mesh sieve or coffee filter and reserve.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Empty the package of stuffing mix into a bowl large enough to accommodate all the ingredients. Put the mushroom-soaking liquid and enough broth to make 2 1/2 cups into a saucepan. Add 1 stick butter, cover pot and simmer until butter melts. Turn off the heat and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, preferably nonstick, melt 2 Tbsps. butter. Add the celery, sage, thyme and 2 Tbsps. of parsley and onion. Saute until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. If you find the pan is too dry, add butter or vegetable oil. When the vegetables are done, scrape them into the bowl of dry stuffing.
4. In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 Tbsps. butter. Add the fresh mushrooms and sauté until they give up most of their moisture. Add reserved dried mushrooms and cook off most of the liquid, then scrape mushrooms into the bowl of stuffing. Add the pecans and mix all ingredients thoroughly.
5. Pour the broth-butter mixture into the bowl and combine well until all the liquid is absorbed by the bread cubes. Put the stuffing into a lightly buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 1/2 hour. If you like your stuffing with a crusty top, remove the cover and bake 10 minutes longer. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
String beans with caramelized pearl onions
Ingredients
2 pounds green beans
1 (16-ounce) package frozen pearl onions
3 Tbsps. butter
3 Tbsps. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper
1. Snap off the stem ends of the beans and, if desired, snap in half. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Drop in beans and cook until they are just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain beans and transfer to a large bowl filled with ice water. Swish beans around until they are cool (you may need another bowl of ice water) then drain them again and place them on a large absorbent towel. Blot away as much moisture as possible, then place beans in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate until needed. Remove from refrigerator an hour before serving so they can come to room temperature.
2. Defrost onions; when they reach room temperature, blot them dry with paper towels. Place them in a shallow, nonstick pan that accommodates them in one layer - a 10-inch straight-sided skillet or 12-inch slope-sided sauté pan works well. Add 1 Tbsp. each butter and oil, the sugar and 1/2 tsp. salt, and place over medium-low heat. Cook about 20 minutes, shaking pan frequently and gently turning onions so they brown evenly. Set aside.
3. When you are ready to serve, heat remaining butter and oil in a large (14-inch) skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beans and toss until they are heated through. Add onions, season to taste with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Makes 8 servings.
Peas with bacon and mint
ingredients
4 slices thick-cut bacon
2 shallots, sliced
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen petite peas, thawed
2 tsps. unsalted butter
2 Tbsps. chopped fresh mint
1. Cook the bacon in a large, nonstick skillet for 10 to 12 minutes, or until crisp. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Leave 3 tsp. of bacon fat in the skillet.
2. Saute the shallots in the bacon drippings for 2 to 3 minutes, or until soft. Add the lemon rind, broth, about 1/2 tsp. salt and a grinding or two of pepper. Cook, stirring now and then, until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the peas and cook until they have warmed through. Stir in the butter and mint. Serve the dish topped with crumbled bacon. Makes 8 servings.
Rolls
Homemade rolls for Thanksgiving deserve to be a tradition. While some recipes are specially formulated to make ahead, any yeast-roll recipe can be started the day before. Just form the rolls, then cover and refrigerate them overnight. (If the weather is cold enough and you are running out of refrigerator space, put the rolls in the car overnight; I do.) Then "bake-off" the next day.
Buttery yeast rolls
These tender rolls, light as feather pillows, are adapted by Sylvia Carter from a recipe by Marion Cunningham.
Ingredients
2 packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup butter (5 Tbsps.) plus 1 stick ( 1/2 cup) melted butter, divided
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsps. salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1. Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a large mixing bowl and let it dissolve for 5 minutes. Put milk and 1/3 cup butter in a saucepan and heat until butter melts. Cool to lukewarm.
2. Pour cooled milk mixture over yeast, then stir in sugar, salt, eggs and 2 cups of the flour. Beat briskly (or do this with a free-standing mixer) until well blended. Add remaining flour and beat until smooth. Resist the temptation to add more flour; you want a "slack" dough. Cover bowl and let rise until double in bulk.
3. Punch dough down and form into small rolls. It may help to butter your hands or dip them in water. Don't be concerned if the dough balls look lumpy; they will even out as they rise. Dip each ball of dough into melted butter and place in 2 buttered 9-by-5-inch loaf pans, nestling them side by side. (The butter will help rolls pull apart after they're baked.) Cover and refrigerate overnight. Or, if proceeding immediately, preheat oven to 425 degrees and let dough rise again about 20 minutes, uncovered.
4. Bake rolls 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden; don't let them get too brown. Makes about 30. (I often double the recipe; if there are leftovers, guests are always happy to take some home.)
Crisp mashed potatoes
This is adapted from a recipe that ran in the January 2007 issue of Fine Cooking magazine.
Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds very small boiling potatoes (red- or white-skinned)
Salt
1 cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place potatoes in a large, wide pot so they are not stacked more than 2 potatoes-deep. Cover with cold water by two inches, add at least a tsp. of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer potatoes until they are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Transfer to a baking sheet (or two) covered with two layers of dish towels.
2. After 5 minutes or so, smash the potatoes: place either a folded dish towel or a (clean) pot holder on each potato. With the heel of your hand, press gently down until the potato is flattened to about 1/2 inch thick. Don't worry if a potato breaks apart.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange the potatoes on a parchment-lined (or nonstick) baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Gently pick up each potato and turn it over so the bottom and top are coated with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake until potatoes are brown and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes. Makes 8 servings.
Roasted sweet potatoes with sage
6 to 8 sweet potatoes (4 to 5 pounds)
4 Tbsps. olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 bunch fresh sage leaves
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel sweet potatoes and cut each in half lengthwise. Lay each half flat on a cutting board and cut it, crosswise at opposing angles, into 4 to 6 wedges.
2. Place wedges in 1 layer on a low-sided baking sheet. (You may need two sheets.) Pour olive oil over potatoes, along with a good amount of salt and pepper and 3 tablespoons of water. Mix everything with your hands. Place 12 to 16 sage leaves on potatoes, tearing large ones in half.
3. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Turn heat up to 450, uncover pan and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the bottoms of the wedges are browned. Remove from oven, gently turn the wedges with a spatula, and continue baking until the bottoms again are browned, about 10 minutes longer. Makes 8 servings.
Doctored canned cranberry sauce
1 can cranberry sauce
3/4 cup dried cranberries or a combination of dried cranberries and dried cherries
Empty can into a small saucepan; add dried cranberries (and cherries, if using) and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer, turn heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Turn off heat and allow sauce to cool in pan. Scrape into a container. Refrigerate. Makes 2 cups of sauce.
Pumpkin Pie
If you don't want to make your own pastry, you can use a store-bought crust. The refrigerated ones that you press into the pan yourself tend to be better than the frozen ones already in the aluminum pans.
Ingredients
Dough for 1 (9- to 10-inch) piecrust (see recipe)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (15-ounce) can of solid- packed pumpkin
3/4 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon, plus more for garnish
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
3/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough into a 13-inch circle. Shape into a 9- or 10-inch lightly buttered Pyrex pie plate. Trim the dough so only 3/4 inch hangs over the side. Roll the overhang under to make a rim of dough around the edge of the pie plate. Crimp the edge using the tines of a fork or your fingers.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat the eggs and vanilla in a large bowl and add the pumpkin. Mix until smooth. Mix the sugar, salt and spices together, then combine with the pumpkin mixture. Slowly add the milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Blend all the ingredients together, taking care not to over mix.
3. Place the unfilled pie shell on a cookie sheet and pour in the pumpkin filling. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the pie is set in the center. Cool completely.
To serve, whip the remaining cream and spoon a dollop, along with a little sprinkling of cinnamon, on each slice.
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