Thanksgiving My Way

Everyone else does a Thanksgiving Special, right?  So this is Thanksgiving My Way!  T-Day is such an iconic food day that one really doesn't want to mess with tradition very much.  But these are some of my variations on Thanksgiving classics.

Red Cooked Turkey Breast

I'm not a big fan of poultry or fish skin, whether golden brown and crispy or not.  I do love poultry white meat, and so does Lady Sally but we're not so fond of dark meat except as an ingredient in a dish. 

Sally always thought turkey white meat was dry -- until I made this recipe for her a couple years ago. I got the recipe from Martin Yan, of Yan Can Cook, decades ago. I think it was in his first or second cookbook.  

This is the most perfectly simple way to cook turkey you've ever seen. Martin called this "red cooking", but it's really a form of poaching. The technique also works for a whole chicken, small whole turkey, or 5-10 lb bags of poultry parts like wings, thighs, etc. 

 All sorts of courtbouillons (fancy name for "poaching liquids") can be used too, if the Asian theme doesn't appeal to you, such as citrus-infused water, wine/water, fruit juice/wine etc.

However, for the first time I suggest you try Martin's version.  It's not salty, or heavy soy sauce flavored, or perfumed with anise.  But your guests will go "Wow... that's great!"

Thawed Turkey Breast

Soy Sauce

Water

1 whole Star Anise

Put the breast in a LARGE pot. Cover by an inch with a mixture of half soy sauce and half water. Remove the meat. Add a single whole star anise. Bring liquid to a hard rolling boil. Put the meat back in the pot. Return to a hard rolling boil. Put the lid on, turn the fire off, and walk away for two hours.

Don't peek, don't stir. Leave it alone! For two hours.

At the end of the time you will have the most flavor-filled, moist and juicy turkey breast you have ever experienced.

The meat draws the heat out of the liquid, the pot and the stove top and carries the flavor all the way to the bone. After 2 hours it's still hot enough you don't want your hands in it, so be careful when you remove the breast. If you want it browned, use your broiler for 10-15 minutes. After a 10-15 minute rest, slice the breast and serve -- be prepared for rave reviews.

Tips: Buy your soy sauce at an Asian market, you'll get a better product for a lot less money. I got a gallon jug of mushroom-infused soy sauce for less than the price of a quart at the megamart.

Sage & Mushroom Dressing

1 bag cubed Dressing croutons -- I prefer Pepperidge Farms

2-3 stalks Celery, chopped

1-2 Sweet Onion, diced

3-4 cloves Roasted Garlic

8 oz sliced Mushrooms

1 Tbsp Rubbed Sage

1 stick Butter, melted

1-1/2 cup water or broth

Toss to combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the liquids over all and toss again. Place in a baking pan and bake at 350F for 30 minutes, covered.

I prefer dressing to potatoes or rice any old day!

Ginger-Orange Yams

4-6 large Yams, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup OJ concentrate, thawed

1 thumb fresh Ginger, minced

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cardamon seeds

Toss to combine everything in a large bowl. Can be microwaved for about 9 minutes, covered, or baked @ 350F for 30-45 minutes until fork tender.

Cranberry Mold

Easily done the day before.

1 bag Fresh Cranberries - 12-14oz.

1 envelope unflavored Gelatin

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Water

zest of 1 orange

1/4 tsp each ground cinnamon, allspice and cloves

Combine cranberries, zest, spices, sugar and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boild cook until the cranberries 'pop' and the liquid starts to thicken Meanwhile add the gelatin to 2 Tbsp water and allow it to 'bloom'. Remove cranberries from heat. Temper gelatin with hot cooked juice, then add it to the pan of cooked cranberries. Pour the mixture into a prepared mold and allow to cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating.

You'll never used canned cranberry sauce again!

Unmold to your serving plate and garnish as desired.  Here you see sage leaves and uncooked cranberries.

Smashed Potatoes

Comfort food of the first stripe.

Potatoes -- I prefer Yukon Gold if you can get them. Or Reds. Not those big brown things...

Fat -- butter and/or sour cream, and/or cream cheese to taste

Dairy -- milk, half & half or cream to taste

Roasted Garlic - a clove or two minced

Peel the potatoes if you must. I like skin-on. Quarter them more or less, depending on size. Put in a large pot of water with a little salt, and boil until mashing tender. Drain and return to the hot pot for a couple minutes to evaporate excess water. Then mash and add the garlic, fat and dairy. How much is up to you. I like my potatoes sort of rustic -- not completely mashed, and certainly not whipped.

Green Beans

I like these with cream of mushroom soup. But that's not so good for the old diet and salt intake. So these days I keep them pretty simple.

Fresh Green Beans -- never canned, frozen only if you simply must.

1/2 tsp Thyme, to taste

Juice of a Lemon

Roasted Red Bell Pepper for garnish

Slivered Almonds for garnish

Trim the tips and cut to the length you like. Place beans, thyme and lemon juice in just enough water to cover, in a covered pan on the stovetop, and simmer 15-20 minutes until tender.  Plate, garnish and serve.

Meyer Lemon Pie

Another version of the basic no-bake refrigerator cream pie I wrote about on Nov. 10th.

This time I use Meyer Lemon Juice that I had previously frozen, and zest from a couple other lemon that would be used for other things.

We went to the upscale regional grocery called Fresh Market the other day and I was tempted to buy one of these:

and stick it in the middle of the pie, just for the shock factor! But Lady Sally wouldn't let me.....

No, that's not a Lemony Snicket! It's called a Buddha Hand citrus or Fingered Citron. It's primarily used in China and Japan. Can be grown anywhere other varieties of citrus are grown. Very lemon-aromatic, it can be used as you would lemon.

1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice

1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

8 oz softened or whipped Cream Cheese

Zest from 2 lemons

Oreo Cookie pre-made crust

Whipped Cream for topping