Aidann Greenwolfe Thanksgiving feast: Main Course by Aidann Greenwolfe

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Here's our menu for Thanksgiving this year. It's going to be fun...we have a few good friends coming over for dinner. I'm looking forward to having a day off of work to do what I love....COOK. :D! I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!

The main dish for our vegetarian friends:


*Stuffed Pumpkin

Ingredients:

1 2-1/2- to 3-lb. pumpkin
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 lb. stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 lb. cheese, such as Gruyère, Emmenthal, cheddar, or a combination, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2-4 garlic cloves (to taste), split, germ removed, and coarsely chopped
4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped
About 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives or sliced scallions
1 Tbs. minced fresh thyme
About 1/3 cup heavy cream
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Directions:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment, or find a Dutch oven with a diameter that's just a tiny bit larger than your pumpkin. If you bake the pumpkin in a casserole, it will keep its shape, but it might stick to the casserole, so you'll have to serve it from the pot - which is an appealingly homey way to serve it. If you bake it on a baking sheet, you can present it freestanding, but maneuvering a heavy stuffed pumpkin with a softened shell isn't so easy. However, since I love the way the unencumbered pumpkin looks in the center of the table, I've always taken my chances with the baked-on-a-sheet method, and so far, I've been lucky.

Using a very sturdy knife - and caution - cut a cap out of the top of the pumpkin (think Halloween Jack-o-Lantern). It's easiest to work your knife around the top of the pumpkin at a 45-degree angle. You want to cut off enough of the top to make it easy for you to work inside the pumpkin. Clear away the seeds and strings from the cap and from inside the pumpkin. Season the inside of the pumpkin generously with salt and pepper, and put it on the baking sheet or in the pot.

Toss the bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, and herbs together in a bowl. Season with pepper - you probably have enough salt from the bacon and cheese, but taste to be sure - and pack the mix into the pumpkin. The pumpkin should be well filled - you might have a little too much filling, or you might need to add to it. Stir the cream with the nutmeg and some salt and pepper and pour it into the pumpkin. Again, you might have too much or too little - you don't want the ingredients to swim in cream, but you do want them nicely moistened. (It's hard to go wrong here.)

Put the cap in place and bake the pumpkin for about 2 hours - check after 90 minutes - or until everything inside the pumpkin is bubbling and the flesh of the pumpkin is tender enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a knife. Because the pumpkin will have exuded liquid, I like to remove the cap during the last 20 minutes or so, so that the liquid can bake away and the top of the stuffing can brown a little.

When the pumpkin is ready, carefully, very carefully - it's heavy, hot, and wobbly - bring it to the table or transfer it to a platter that you'll bring to the table.


*The Turkey:

Sage's Herbed Turkey

1 13-20 lb Turkey thawed if frozen, fresh is best, gibbllets removed and reserved, brined over night. (brining recipe to follow)
2 large lemons, one cut in half, the other in wedges
3 apples, any variety, cut in wedges
2 large onions, cut in wedges, reserve 1/4- of one of the onions and chop fine.
5 large cloves garlic, 3 chopped into a fine mince, 2 crushed and left whole.
2 oranges, one cut in wedges, one in slices to reserve for garnish
1 stick cold butter, chopped, 1/2 reserved for basting.
1 good handful each fresh thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano, & sage. (feel free to use a mixture of fresh herbs that you enjoy), coarsely chopped.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

*The gibbllets: use the neck, heart and liver discard the rest. Bring a medium pot of water to boil filled halfway. Toss in 1 wedged onion, 1 chopped carrot, 2 ribs celery, chopped, 6 whole peppercorns, salt, 1 bunch parsley left whole and bound with a string, 3 sprigs thyme, left whole, bundled with a string, 2 whole bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 11/2-2 hours to make a nice stock. strain solids and reserve liquid.*

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. After brining turkey over night rinse it thouroughly. Rub inside and out with the lemon cut in half, squeezing its juice. Season with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with reserved lemon cut in wedges, apples, onions in wedges, and the orange in wedges. Stuff fairly full. Rub half the butter under the skin and season with salt and pepper. stuff all the herbs under the skin as evenly as possible, along with the minced garlic. Melt the remaining butter and brush the outside of the skin. Place turkey in a roasting pan with a grate to lift it up from the bottom. Add about 1 inch of prepared stock to the bottom of the pan along with 1/4 chopped onion and crushed Garlic cloves. add a few pepper corns and a dash of salt.(there will be time later to adjust the seasonings for the gravy) cover turkey with foil or a lid and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes then lower the temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake a further 20 minutes for each pound of turkey you have. The last hour or so of baking bast turkey alternating with melted butter and stock every 15 minutes. The last 15 minutes uncover and bast turkey to brown the outside well. Remove turkey from oven and pan. Reserve, covered with foil for at least 30 minutes to redistribute the juices. Meanwhile, make the gravy. And bake the sides.

The gravy:

Skim off most of the fat layer from the drippings in the roasting pan. Place on 2 burners on stove and bring to a simmer. Add the rest if the reserved stock depending on how much gravy you want and add a slury of 2-3T flour or cornstarch and 1/4 cup water to the liquid. Thicken and season to taste. Strain and pour into a clean pot on very low heat until the sides are done baking. Then into the gravy boat. :-).
Remove the stuffing from the turkey cavity, garnish turkey on serving tray with oranges grapes and leftover herbs. Serve.


Brining recipe:

Keep it simple!
8-10 quarts water or more to cover turkey. 3-5 cups kosher salt, herbs and spices of choice if desired. May add up to 1 c sugar if desired. Mix all ingredients in a very large stock pot big enough to house the turkey. Refrigerate overnight. Can also use a plastic tub filled with ice if you run out of refrigerator room, just make sure to cover it up well with towels or an old blanket.... Or use a large cooler filled with ice.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

The sides and gravy are my favorite part of the whole meal!

*Aidann's Rosemary and Garlic mashed Potato Medely

I love Yams and sweet potatoes...but I don't care to have them made sweeter. I prefer a more savory approach. This dish gets rave reviews. :D

Serves 8-10

4 Orange Yams, peeled and cut into 3 inch chunks
3 Russet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 inch chunks
3 Large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 inch chunks
2 T fresh Rosemary, Chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed, and minced very fine. Or put through a garlic press
1/2-3/4 C milk or sour cream. (for a lower calorie side use Greek yogurt)
1/2 stick unsalted butter ( substitute low-calorie spread or margarine)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place potatoes in a large pot covered with salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer on high for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are fork- tender. Drain water. Return potatoes to pot and add all the ingredients. mash with a potato masher until you reach your desired consistancy. Season to taste.


*Pumpernickle Stuffing


One 14- to 16-oz. loaf pumpernickel bread
2 Tbs. melted unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil; more as needed
2 cups chopped onion
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1-1/2 cups chopped apples
1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apples
1/2 cup chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. caraway seeds, toasted in a dry skillet for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
2 cups turkey or chicken broth, more as needed
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Vegetable oil or cooking spray, for baking dish
Tear or cut the bread into 3/4-inch pieces until you have 8 to 10 cups. If working a day ahead, lay the pieces out on a rack and leave them uncovered on the counter to dry overnight. Otherwise, spread the bread out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 275° F oven, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until it is crisp and mostly dry; it will continue to dry a bit as it cools. Depending on how moist the bread is to begin with, oven-drying takes 15 to 45 minutes.
Melt the 2 Tbs. of butter or heat the 2 Tbs. olive oil in a large covered skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions, celery, and apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re slightly softened but still have some crunch. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in dried apples.
Add the bread to the large mixing bowl, along with the parsley, thyme, and caraway seeds and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour 2 cups of the broth over the stuffing. If the liquid isn’t immediately absorbed and pools at the bottom of the bowl, you should have enough; just toss the mixture occasionally for a few minutes until the liquid is absorbed. At first, the bread cubes may feel wet on the outside and still be dry on the inside, but they’ll even out as the stuffing cooks.
If the bread immediately sucks up the initial 2 cups of liquid, add another 1/2 cup of broth and taste the mixture. The bread should be moist but not soggy. Add up to another 1/2 cup of broth if necessary.
Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper as needed. If the mixture doesn’t taste as rich as you’d like, add enough melted butter or olive oil to suit your taste, up to 1/4 cup more. Once you’re satisfied with the flavor of the mixture, stir in the beaten eggs.
Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil or cooking spray. Spread the stuffing in the dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is lightly browned and crisp, an- other 20 to 30 minutes.


*Classic Dinner Rolls

18 oz. (4 cups) all-purpose flour
1 package (2-1/4 tsp.) rapid-rise yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
4 oz. (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
In a large bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Put the bowl in the mixer stand and fit it with the dough hook.

In a small saucepan, heat the milk and butter, stirring until the butter melts and the liquid is very warm, between 115° and 125°F.

Dump the warm milk-butter mixture and the egg yolks into the flour and mix on medium-low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until the dough is smooth and shiny, about 8 minutes.

(If you don't have a stand mixer, you can make a well with the dry ingredients, gradually add the wet, and then knead the dough by hand until smooth and shiny.)

Remove the dough from the bowl, shape it into a neat ball, and then return it to the bowl. Lightly grease the sides of the bowl and cover the top securely with plastic. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish. Turn the dough onto a clean work surface (no need to flour; the dough is soft but not sticky) and gently press to deflate. Using a pastry scraper, divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, each about 2 oz. (use a scale to be sure).

Put a piece of dough in your palm (again, no flour). With the edge of your other palm (curved slightly), press gently but firmly on the dough, rotating it repeatedly until it forms a smooth-skinned ball with a sealed bottom. Put the ball in the pan, sealed side down, and repeat with the remaining dough.

Cover the pan with plastic and let the dough rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375°F. Remove the plastic and bake the rolls until they're puffed and browned, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

make ahead tips

You can make the dough and shape the rolls up to a day ahead of baking. Take the recipe to the point where the rolls are shaped and in the pan but not yet proofed and immediately refrigerate them. About four hours before you're ready to bake, transfer them to a warm place to let them proof until almost doubled before baking them.


*Beet Salad with Oregano, Goat Cheese, and Pecans.

8 to 10 medium beets (red, golden, or a combination)
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. aged balsamic vinegar
Sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 oz. soft goat cheese, crumbled
2 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup chopped lightly toasted pecans

If the beets have leaves and stems, trim off the leaves and all but 1/4 inch of the stems. Wash the beets. In a large saucepan or stockpot fit with a steamer basket, steam the beets until a paring knife enters them easily, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on their size. Set aside until cool enough to handle but still warm.
Peel the beets; the skin will rub right off. Trim and discard the tops and tails and cut the beets into thick wedges. Transfer the beets to a large serving bowl and drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sprinkle the goat cheese, oregano, and pecans over the beets and serve.

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

Gotta love the pies on thanksgiving! It's good cause I'm not a huge baker and it's hard to mess up a pie. These are two of my faves! Got to start them a day or two before the day.



*Apple-Cheddar Pie

Apple pie served with a slice of cheddar cheese is a traditional combination. In this delicious twist on the classic recipe, white cheddar cheese is blended into the piecrust.
Ingredients:
For the dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. sugar
6 oz. white cheddar cheese, finely grated
16 Tbs. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut
 into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water

For the filling:
2 lb. Braeburn apples, peeled, cored and cut
 into slices 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 lb. Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored
 and cut into slices 1/4 inch thick
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 Tbs. cornstarch
2 Tbs. heavy cream
Directions:
To make the dough, in a bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar and cheese, breaking apart any large clumps of cheese. Put the butter in a separate bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 10 minutes.

In a food processor, pulse the flour mixture until the ingredients are combined, about 5 pulses. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 15 to 20 pulses. Add 1/3 cup of the ice water and pulse twice. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water 1 Tbs. at a time, pulsing twice after each addition. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide in half and shape each half into a disk. Wrap the disks separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, in a large bowl, combine the apples, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and stir to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, remove 1 of the dough disks from the refrigerator and let stand for 5 minutes. Place the dough between 2 sheets of lightly floured waxed paper and roll out into a 12-inch round about 3/16 inch thick. Brush off the excess flour. Transfer to a pie dish and press the dough into the dish. Trim the edges, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Pour the apples into a sieve set over a small saucepan, then transfer the apples to a large bowl. Set the saucepan with the juices over medium-high heat, add the butter and cook until reduced to 1/3 cup, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the apples and toss to combine, then stir in the reduced juices. Transfer the apples to the pie shell.

Roll out the remaining dough disk into a 12-inch round about 3/16 inch thick. Drape the dough over the apples and press gently to eliminate any air pockets. Trim the dough flush with the rim of the dish. Fold the bottom crust over the top crust and crimp to form a decorative edge. Cut 4 slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the top of the crust with the cream.

Bake for 20 minutes. Cover the edges and top with aluminum foil if they begin to get too dark. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue to bake until the apples are easily pierced with a knife, 65 to 70 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 1 1/2 hours before serving. Serves 8 to 12.
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.


*Pumpkin Pie

c.1997, M.S. Milliken & S. Feniger, all rights reserved

Prep Time: -- Inactive Prep Time: -- Cook Time: --
Level:
Easy
Serves:
10 servings

Ingredients
1 cup cooked and pureed pumpkin, drained in a fine strainer
3/4 cup creme fraiche
Generous 1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch ground cloves
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons brandy or dark rum
1 (10-inch) prebaked pie shell, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pureed pumpkin, creme fraiche, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves and whisk together until thoroughly blended. Stir in the eggs, vanilla, and brandy or rum. Whisk again until thoroughly blended.

Mound the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell and jiggle the pan gently to help it find its level. Bake for about 1 hour, until set in the center.

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