This week we continue our menu from The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan, a nationally known Turkey Day prepping and cooking expert. For last week’s brining methods, click here.

Tell us what you think of these recipes–do they make you want to try them? Have you tried them out and have some insight to offer? Enter to win a copy of the book by leaving a comment letting us know!

Maple-Glazed Roast Turkey with Applejack Giblet Gravy

This burnished, maple-glazed roast turkey combines all the luscious fall flavors of New England—crisp apples, pure maple syrup, and, in the Yankee spirit, a gravy spiked with applejack brandy.

1 large yellow onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic
2 Golden Delicious apples, cored and quartered
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 fresh sage leaves
One 12- to 16-pound brined turkey made with Apple Cider Brine (recipe follows)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup homemade chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
Applejack Giblet Gravy (recipe follows)

Position a rack on the second-lowest level in the oven and preheat to 500°F. Have ready a large roasting pan with a roasting rack, preferably V-shaped, set in the pan.

Place the onion, garlic, apples, thyme, and sage inside the chest cavity of the turkey. Truss the turkey.  Using a pastry brush, brush the turkey with the melted butter. Season the turkey with a few grinds of freshly ground pepper. Place the turkey, breast side down, on the roasting rack. Add the stock and apple cider to the pan. Roast for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Baste the turkey with the pan juices and roast for 30 minutes longer.

Remove the turkey from the oven. Using silicone oven mitts, regular oven mitts covered with aluminum foil, or wads of paper towels, turn the turkey breast side up. (It won’t be very hot at this point.) Baste with the pan juices and return the turkey to the oven. Continue to roast, basting with the pan juices again after 45 minutes. At this point, check the internal temperature of the turkey by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of a thigh without touching bone. (As a point of reference, when the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 125°F, the turkey is about 1 hour away from being done. Of course, roasting times will vary, depending on the size of the bird, its temperature when it went into the oven, whether or not it is stuffed, and your particular oven and the accuracy of the thermostat.  During the last 20 minutes of roasting, brush the turkey with the maple syrup. Return the turkey to the oven and continue to roast until the instant-read thermometer registers between 160° to 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone.

When the turkey is done, tilt the body so the juices from the main cavity run into the pan. Transfer the turkey to a carving board or serving platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let the turkey rest for 30 to 40 minutes before carving, to allow the juices to redistribute. (The internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees while the turkey rests.)

Carve the turkey and serve, accompanied by the Applejack Giblet Gravy.

Serves 12 to 20, depending on the size of the turkey

Applejack Giblet Gravy

A touch of applejack spikes the flavor of this gravy, adding a subtle hint of the fermented and distilled, tree-ripened apples. It’s a terrific complement to the apple cider–brined turkey.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Cooked heart, gizzard, and neck meat from the Turkey Stock for Gravy (recipe follows), finely minced
1/4 cup instant flour such as Wondra or Shake & Blend
2 1/2 cups Turkey Stock for Gravy (recipe follows)
1/4 cup applejack brandy, or more to taste
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and swirl to coat the pan. Add the minced heart and gizzard and sauté until heated through, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the flour and 1/2 cup of the stock until the flour is dissolved.

Add the remaining 2 cups stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the flour mixture and simmer until the gravy thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the applejack. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more applejack, if desired. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Makes about 3 1/2 cups

Do Ahead
The gravy can be made up to 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat gently just before serving.

Apple Cider and Ginger Brine

I especially like to use this brine when barbecuing a turkey because the sweet apple cider flavor is a perfect match with the hickory smoke–infused bird.

2/3 cup (3 ounces or 85 grams) Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar
6 whole cloves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
2 teaspoons whole allspice berries, crushed
6 quarter-size slices fresh ginger
2 bay leaves
6 cups unsweetened apple cider or juice
2 cups hot water
4 cups ice water
1 large navel orange, cut into 8 wedges

In a large saucepan, stir together the salt, sugar, cloves, peppercorns, and allspice. Add the ginger and bay leaves along with the apple cider and hot water. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Boil for 3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Add the ice water and orange pieces and stir to cool the mixture. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.

Proceed with brining the turkey.

Makes 3 1/2 quarts brine, enough for a 10- to 25-pound turkey

Do Ahead
The brine can be made up to 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Turkey Stock for Gravy

This is the simplest way I know to make a rich turkey stock, utilizing the turkey neck, tail, gizzard, and heart found inside of the neck cavity of the turkey. (I never use the liver, also found in the packet of giblets, for making stock, because it gives the stock a bitter flavor. Sometimes, I cook the liver separately, chop it, and add it to my stuffing, or I serve it in small quantities to a four-legged friend.

To make a bigger batch of stock that you can cook well in advance of the holidays and freeze, use approximately 5 pounds of turkey wings, thighs, or drumsticks in place of the giblets and turkey neck listed in this recipe and double the quantities of the rest of the ingredients. Brown the turkey parts in a roasting pan in a preheated 400°F oven for 1 1/2 hours, then transfer them to a stockpot and proceed with the recipe, starting after the browning step.

2 tablespoons canola oil
Turkey neck, tail, gizzard, and heart
1 yellow onion, root end trimmed but peel left intact, quartered
1 large carrot, scrubbed but not peeled, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 large rib celery including leafy tops, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
2 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
5 cups cold water

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the turkey neck, tail, gizzard, and heart and sauté until browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, chicken broth, and water to the pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Skim any brown foam that rises to the top. Simmer the stock until it reduces by half, about 1 hour. Pour the stock through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl or 4-cup glass measure. Set aside the neck, gizzard, and heart until cool enough to handle. Discard the rest of the solids. Let the stock cool completely. Skim off any fat that rises to the top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (When you’re ready to make gravy, skim the fat from the top of the stock again, if necessary.)

If making giblet gravy, shred the meat from the neck and finely dice the gizzard and heart. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use. (Some cooks prefer to make a smooth gravy and add the diced gizzard and heart to their stuffing.)

Makes about 3 cups

Do Ahead
The turkey stock can be made up to 2 days in advance. Let cool completely, cover, and refrigerate. Refrigerate the neck, gizzard, and heart in a separate covered container. If making a large batch of stock from purchased turkey parts, the stock can be made up to 1 month in advance and frozen in airtight containers.

Purchase The New Thanksgiving Table and kick off your holiday shopping with 25% off plus free ground shipping on your entire order. Use promo code THANKSGIVING at checkout. Ends Nov. 29.

Click here for more great recipes.

Peter Perez
Senior Marketing Manager

Popularity: 1% [?]

This week we have two methods for brining a turkey from The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan, a nationally known Turkey Day prepping and cooking expert.

Tell us what you think of these recipes–do they make you want to try them? Have you tried them out and have some insight to offer? Enter to win a copy of the book by leaving a comment letting us know!

Two Methods for Brining

I offer two methods for brining: one for the home cook who has limited refrigerator space, and another for the cook who has either a second refrigerator or the room to take 1 or 2 shelves out of their refrigerator in order to allow a tall stockpot or container to fit upright in it.

Ideally, make the brine solution on the Monday before Thanksgiving. Brine your turkey beginning on Tuesday or Tuesday night. Remove it from the brine solution on Wednesday or Wednesday night. Let it rest, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 6 hours or up to overnight. Then, it’s ready to roast on Thanksgiving Day.

Method 1: Brining in a Bag

This method involves brining the bird in turkey oven bags set in a roasting pan. The roasting pan will fit on 1 shelf in the refrigerator, saving critical space.

2 turkey-sized plastic oven bags or brining bags (see Cook’s Note)
1 large roasting pan
1 fresh or thawed frozen turkey (12 to 20 pounds), prepared for brining as directed above
1 recipe Apple Cider and Ginger Brine (to be featured in next week’s blog post)

Nest 1 plastic oven bag inside the other to create a double thickness (see Cook’s Note). Place the double bag, mouth open wide and facing up, in the roasting pan.

Fold back the top one-third of the double bag to make a collar (this helps keep the bags open). Place the turkey inside the double bag. Unfold the collar of the double bag and pour the brine over the bird, then add 2 cups of cold water. Draw up the top of the inner bag, squeezing out as much air as possible, and secure it closed with a twist tie. Do the same with the outer bag. Turn the package so the turkey is breast side down in the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 12 and up to 24 hours. Turn the turkey 3 or 4 times while it is brining.

Remove the turkey from the brine. Discard the bags, brine, and any cured herbs or spices remaining on the bird. (Discard the oranges and ginger if using the Apple Cider Brine.) Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey back in the roasting pan and refrigerate, unwrapped, for at least 6 hours or up to overnight. This resting period allows the skin of the turkey to dry a bit so it is crisp when roasted. The turkey is now ready to be roasted.

Cook’s Note
Plastic oven bags (made by Reynolds) are found with other food storage bags at supermarkets. Buy the turkey-sized bags. They are food-safe, plus they are big, strong, tear-resistant, and come with twist ties. Do not use plastic garbage bags, as they are not intended for food storage. I use a double thickness of bags as a precautionary measure against leakage. For the same reason, I place the bagged turkey in a roasting pan.

Method 2: Brining in a Pot or Container

This method involves brining the turkey in a large stockpot or a sterilized, leak-proof container such as a bucket or restaurant-grade storage container. The pot or container needs to stand upright in the refrigerator, which usually requires removing 1 or 2 refrigerator shelves.

1 fresh or thawed frozen turkey (12 to 20 pounds), prepared for brining as directed above
1 stockpot or sterilized, leak-proof container large enough to hold the turkey (either upright or on its side) with 3 to 4 inches of headroom
1 recipe Apple Cider and Ginger Brine (to be featured in next week’s blog post)

Place the turkey in the stockpot or container, standing it upright or on its side, however it fits best. Pour the brine over the bird, then add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Cover the container with a lid, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 and up to 24 hours.

Remove the turkey from the brine. Discard the brine and any cured herbs or spices remaining on the bird. (Discard the oranges and ginger if using the Apple Cider Brine.) Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the turkey in a large bowl or roasting pan and refrigerate, unwrapped, for at least 6 hours or up to overnight. This allows the skin of the turkey to dry a bit so it is crisp when roasted. The turkey is now ready to be roasted.

Purchase The New Thanksgiving Table and kick off your holiday shopping with 25% off plus free ground shipping on your entire order. Use promo code THANKSGIVING at checkout. Ends Nov. 29.

Click here for more great recipes.

Peter Perez
Senior Marketing Manager

Popularity: 1% [?]

It’s holiday time again, and time for vegetarians to decide on a centerpiece main dish for those special meals. I’ve been teaching classes on the topic of “Vegetarian Main Dishes,” and “Vegetarian Holidays” for many years, and I think I have a few things figured out.

The special meal is not a time for stir fry or something ladled over rice. No, the special meal is one where you want to have everyone else look at your plate with longing. You deserve beautiful food that stands alone, like a savory pastry, a timbale, or this fab sformato.

I actually developed this recipe years ago for a class I was teaching with my friend Michael Rostance, a prominent local chef and authority on Italian food. I had to bring my A-game. My course was the sole veg-friendly item on a menu with pork, and I wanted it to wow them. I spent hours poring over Italian cookbooks, and pondering the elements that were needed for a really impressive veg main course.

The Sformata went over well that day-even the folks who were really there for Michael and his Ligurian porchetta loved it. For many years since, I’ve made it in vegetarian classes, for catered parties, and special meals, always tweaking it a bit. The version you see here is the result of all that experimentation and feedback.

So, here it is. A great, solid main course that looks good on the plate, slices well for a neat presentation, and that can be made ahead. It can sit in the fridge for a couple of days, well wrapped, and freezes beautifully. To thaw, let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple of days to give it time to fully de-frost. Reheat gently in a 350 oven.

Like all the dishes in New Vegetarian, this will go over just as well with the meat-lovers as the vegs, so make sure you save a slice for the guest who is going meatless. You can feel good about showing the rest of them a fun way to enjoy eggplant!

Grilled Vegetable Sformato

This layered sformato is pretty and filling enough to be a centerpiece main dish. It can be made a day ahead and reheated, or made a few weeks ahead and frozen, then thawed overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven at 350°F.

Serves 8

3 large yellow bell peppers, or jarred roasted yellow peppers
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large eggplants, thinly sliced lengthwise
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups ricotta cheese
6 ounces Romano cheese, shredded
4 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup pistachios, shelled
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups whole wheat penne, cooked
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
Basil leaves

1. Preheat the broiler or barbecue grill and roast the bell peppers until skins are blackened. Place them in a small airtight container and close tightly to steam for 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel, dice, and drain the peppers in a mesh colander, pressing out excess moisture. (If using jarred peppers, drain, rinse, and chop them.)

2. Brush an 11-inch springform pan with some of the olive oil, then set aside. Heat a grill pan or use the grill. Brush the eggplant with olive oil. Grill the slices until tender and decorated with black grill marks (running lengthwise), 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Put a small slice in the center of the springform pan. Lay slices in a fan or flower design covering the bottom and sides and leaving an inch or so hanging over the edges to wrap around the top of the filled pan.

3. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, cheeses, salt, and pepper. Remove half of the mixture to another bowl. Use a food processor to finely grind the basil, garlic, and pistachios, then mix it with half of the cheese mixture. Dice the tomatoes and add it to the other half of the cheese mixture, then mix in the cayenne. Divide the cooked pasta between the two bowls and fold the contents of each bowl together gently.

4. Preheat the oven to 400F°. Into the eggplant-lined pan, sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs and distribute the pasta and tomato mixture. Level the surface and top with the yellow bell peppers and another 2 tablespoons crumbs. Top with the remaining pasta mixture, level, and cover with the remaining crumbs. Fold the overhanging eggplant back onto the top of the peppers.

5. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes and let stand for 20 minutes before serving to firm up. Run a sharp knife around edge of pan. Invert the pan onto a serving plate and release springform, carefully removing bottom. Garnish with the basil and serve.

Robin Asbell
Author of New Vegetarian and The New Whole Grains Cookbook

Popularity: 1% [?]

This year, it feels like the holiday season is a tidal wave: there’s no stopping it, it’s coming awfully fast, and it’s going to wash right over me and sweep everything else away. Do you feel the same way about the holidays? My strategy for handling things: relax, stay organized, and have a good cocktail ready.

I’m planning a “spicy cocktail party” this year to help keep the mood light and festive. Here are a few quick tips for those planning to do the same.

Spicy Dos and Don’ts

Do:
• Keep flavors balanced. Heat alone does not make a great drink — use spicy ingredients to enhance and play off other flavors in a drink.

• Wear gloves if you’re cutting hot peppers. A small but important precaution to take, especially when working with habaneros, serranos, and other peppers on the hotter end of the scale. Exposure to chiles – especially oils from the seeds – can irritate cuts or abrasions on your hands.

• Start with less heat – you can always add more! Start with a couple of drops of hot sauce, and taste your drink. Add a little more if the heat level needs more intensity.

• Serve cooling foods to pair with spicy drinks (and vice versa). For example, pair cheese gougeres with a Cajun Martini, or nachos with plenty of sour cream and guacamole with a jalapeno-spiked Blood Orange Margarita.

Don’t:
• Use shriveled old peppers – fresh is best. Just as you shop for the freshest fruits and vegetables, apply the same standards to chile peppers. Younger peppers tend to have more heat and flavor. Look for vibrant color and glossy, smooth skins (except for poblano peppers, which are naturally a bit wrinkly).

• Assume guests can handle heat. It’s tempting to show off an “extreme” cocktail to impress guests, but not everyone enjoys spicy food or cocktails. For parties, consider serving drinks with and without spice-rimmed glasses, or let guests rim their own glasses for fun.

• Rub eyes after cutting peppers – ouch! Trust me on this one. Remove your gloves and wash hands thoroughly before touching your eyes, nose, anywhere else on your face. Should you carelessly forget, apply a cold, wet compress. Although it won’t cause permanent damage, it sure can sting!

• Forget to have fun! Spicy cocktails are a little bit on the flamboyant side – couldn’t be wallflowers if they tried. And that’s what makes them great party guests!

Sample a recipe from Spice & Ice:

Fall Spice Cordial
Yield: 1 drink

Rich with the flavors of orange and vanilla and the caramelized goodness of bourbon, this drink falls more on the spiced than spicy side of the spectrum. This sweet cordial pairs well with autumn pies and other desserts or makes a great sipper to enjoy fireside.

1 ounce bourbon
3/4 ounce chipotle-orange syrup
1 ounce vanilla vodka or Navan vanilla cognac
2 dashes Regan’s orange bitters
Orange peel, for garnish

Mix together all ingredients except for orange peel. Shake together with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with orange peel.

Kara Newman
Author of Spice & Ice, 70 Tongue-Tingling Cocktails

Tell us what your favorite spicy and/or fiery drink embellishment is and enter to win a copy of Kara’s book. Click here for more great recipes.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Who doesn’t love savory baked goods? Amazingly, there currently aren’t any cookbooks out there that have recipes for baking non-sweet treats.
Indulge with the following recipe, perfect for autumnal eating.

What’s your favorite baked savory? Post a comment and enter to win a copy of this tasty, and beautiful, book.

Chile-Cheese Gratin Sandwiches

Thick slices of warm, moist cheese bread with a kick of jalapeño are topped with ripe tomato slices and a cheese topping, then broiled until bubbly and golden brown. Make the bread and topping ahead and toast sandwiches in an instant. You’ll be sure to make these fork and knife open-faced sandwiches often for lunch or brunch.

(more…)

Popularity: 2% [?]