Thanksgiving, the harvest holiday is upon us. Markets are piled to
the brim with pumpkins, squash, cranberries, root veggies, apples and
the whole cole crop, of which Brussels sprouts seem to be most popular
for the occasion. So here, without much ado or photos, are some recipes
from my catering business to make your dinner eye popping, delicious
and memorable. You can get started on the shopping now and beat the last
minute crowds next Wednesday.
Pumpkin Black Bean Soup
It’s gracious to pass around small mugs of hot soup while waiting for
everyone to get to the table. It’s also traditional to have a first
course before the grand turkey presentation. In years past I’ve posted
salt cod recipes to keep the day focused on the food that brought
America into being. Well there’s nothing more all American (I mean both
continents of the New World) than pumpkins and black beans so here you
go. This can be a two can recipe which means it’s speedy with no mess.
Just the thing to bring if you’ve been invited out and don’t have time
to spare. It’s also terrific to make the day after to go with the
inevitable turkey sandwiches.
serves 4 as a bowl; 6-7 as a mug (double or triple it for your crowd)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 heaping cup cooked, mashed pumpkin (yes, you can use canned)
1 med onion, peeled and minced
2 lg garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
salt to your taste
1/2 tsp curry powder or garam masala (whichever you have)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 3/4 c chicken broth (if you’re vegetarian, use veg broth)
1/4 c unsweetened evaporated milk
1/2 c cooked black beans, drained (yes, you can use canned)
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
In a large saucepan over med/high heat melt the butter. Add the onion, put the garlic on top of it. Reduce heat to medium so nothing burns and sauté until onions are soft and golden, maybe 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in pumpkin, spices, black pepper and chicken broth. Stir to blend. Cover the pot. Simmer 10 minutes. Add salt and black beans. Stir to distribute evenly. Stir in the evaporated milk. If the soup looks too thick to you, add 2 tbsp evaporated milk. Still on simmer, heat 5 minutes until it’s hot enough to serve. Do not let it boil. Stir in the chopped cilantro leaves to serve. You can also add a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche to each bowl when serving.
1 lb rutabagas, peeled
2 tbsp butter
1/8 tsp ground cloves
¾ c light cream
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp salt
4 eggs
¼ c ricotta or soft cream cheese
1 star anise
Dice the rutabaga and cook it with a star anise in boiling water until very tender. Drain well. Remove star anise. Preheat oven to 400º and butter six 6 oz ramekins or Pyrex dishes. Boil 2 cups of water. In a small sauté pan, melt butter and sauté shallots 2 minutes until soft. Puree the rutabaga. Add shallots, spices, cream, cheese, salt and eggs to it, and process until smooth. Ladle rutabaga mixture into the buttered dishes, put the dishes into a large baking pan and pour the boiling water into the bottom of that pan to come 1/3 up the ramekins. Bake 25 minutes, or until center is puffy and firm. Remove from pan and cool 10 minutes. Carefully knock the bottom and sides of each dish to loosen the timbales. Shaking each slightly, invert them onto a serving plate and lift the dish away.
makes 4 1/2 doz
8 med sweet potatoes, baked* until just tender, cooled and peeled (you can do this ahead)
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tbsp + 1 tsp all purpose, unbleached flour
2 extra lg eggs, whites only
Freshly ground black pepper to your taste
1 1/2 c shelled, unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped (you can use a processor)
Preheat oven to 400º. Lightly oil a cookie sheet. (For faster clean up, line it first with parchment paper.)
Coarsely mash sweet potatoes and stir in all ingredients except the pistachio nuts. Using a round tablespoon or soup spoon, form the mixture into walnut size balls. Spread the nuts evenly on waxed paper or a large plate. Put the oiled cookie sheet into the oven on the lowest rack for 5 minutes. While it heats, roll the balls in the pistachio nuts and coat evenly. Place on the hot cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes. That’s it! Serve hot.
serves 8
1 9″ buttery pie crust (You can buy it. If you want to make it, recipe is at bottom.)
1 c cooked chestnuts, pureed (you can find in cans)
3/4 c ricotta cheese
1/2 c heavy cream
2 tbsp beef stock (if you need this to be vegetarian use veg stock with a pinch of allspice)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 scallions, minced
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp (heaping) Parmesan or asiago cheese, finely grated
Preheat oven to 375º. Lightly butter a 9″ pie dish and line it with the dough. Flute the edges by squeezing dough through your first and second figures or just make a pattern using fork tines: whatever. Fill the dough with baking weights or another two pans as weights and bake it 20 minutes until the bottom is crisp.
Meanwhile, blend (you can use a processor or immersion blender or your own strength with a wooden spoon) all the other ingredients. Transfer the mixture into the warm tart shell and spread it evenly. Bake at 375º 25 minutes or until the center is set or a cake tester comes out clean and the top is slightly brown. The crust edges should be golden brown.
To make your own butter crust: In the bowl of a food processor or mixer combine 1 stick unsalted butter and 1 1/2 c all purpose unbleached flour. Process to get a crumbly mixture--i.e break up the butter as much as you can. Add 1 tsp vinegar (this makes flakiness) and 3 tbsp ice water and blend into a dough. You may need 1 more tbsp ice water but be sure because you don't want to ruin the dough.) Roll into a ball, refrigerate at least 10 minutes, then roll out to fit the pan. Work fast.
for a 12 lb turkey (double it for big birds)
4 c bread cubes and crumbs*
2 tsp dried sage
1 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp cracked or coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch ground cinnamon
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 med onion, peeled and diced
1 turkey liver (it’s inside the bird), chopped
1 sm Granny Smith apple, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
6 med/lg shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1/2 sm red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (be generous)
2 tbsp fresh apple cider
*If you aren’t buying bread cubes that are usually available right now, cut a loaf into 1/4-1/2″ cubes, saving all the crumbs. You can also put chunks of bread into a food processor so long as you just chop it until it is coarse but still in distinct pieces. Don’t go to breadcrumbs!
In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add onion and sauté 3-5 min until it starts to soften. Add red pepper, mushrooms, turkey liver, sage, celery seed and black pepper. Sauté until everything looks soft and moist, 3-5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring to mix. Cover the pot and simmer 10-15 minutes until the bread is soft with moisture. If it looks dry, add 1/4 c chicken or veg broth. Taste and salt. The stuffing should be a soft, coherent mass. Remove from heat and insert it into both cavities of the turkey when you are ready to roast it.
This
is an old favorite that still wins applause every year. It’s a gift to
the gluten-free and about as traditional an all-American dessert as you
can bring to the Thanksgiving table. This version is fancy: the pudding
gets molded into cake form and then iced with cinnamon spice whipped
cream for a real eye popping presentation. It’s also fabulous the next
morning for breakfast. I love this so much I included the recipe in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking.
Serves 12 (cut in half for 6)
5 cups milk
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 extra large or jumbo eggs
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar (use ¼ if you half the recipe)
½ cup molasses
3 tbsp real maple syrup
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins (dark ones show up easier)
2 Macintosh apples, peeled, cored and diced
Optional: fresh whipped cream
Preheat over to 325º. Butter a 3 quart soufflé dish or charlotte mold or other deep ovenproof baking dish. (Use a 1½ quart if you half the recipe.)
In a very large saucepan or medium casserole, scald milk. (This means bring it to a boil fast over high heat so a skin forms and bubbles appear.) Whisk in cornmeal and over medium or medium high (depending on the strength of your stove) heat, continue to whisk until the mixture thickens (90 seconds-3 minutes). Remove from heat. Whisk in butter, then carefully eggs. Whisk in brown sugar, molasses and maple syrup. Whisk in salt and spices. Stir in raisins and apples, distributing evenly. Pour mixture into baking dish, shake and level. Bake at 325 degrees in the center of the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the center of the pudding is firm when you shake the pan. Remove from oven and cool.
To serve: spoon from the baking pan and top with vanilla ice cream. Or, invert the pan onto a cake stand or serving platter and “ice” with whipped cream. Sprinkle with cinnamon or freshly grated ginger to serve.
And finally, you will find easy, tasty recipes for potato/rutabaga gratin, grit souffle and pumpkin fritters in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking. Recent posts have celeriac puree and butter braised fennel. May your holiday be delicious. Baking recipes next time.
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Pumpkin Black Bean Soup
It’s gracious to pass around small mugs of hot soup while waiting for
everyone to get to the table. It’s also traditional to have a first
course before the grand turkey presentation. In years past I’ve posted
salt cod recipes to keep the day focused on the food that brought
America into being. Well there’s nothing more all American (I mean both
continents of the New World) than pumpkins and black beans so here you
go. This can be a two can recipe which means it’s speedy with no mess.
Just the thing to bring if you’ve been invited out and don’t have time
to spare. It’s also terrific to make the day after to go with the
inevitable turkey sandwiches.serves 4 as a bowl; 6-7 as a mug (double or triple it for your crowd)
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 heaping cup cooked, mashed pumpkin (yes, you can use canned)
1 med onion, peeled and minced
2 lg garlic cloves, peeled, smashed and minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
salt to your taste
1/2 tsp curry powder or garam masala (whichever you have)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 3/4 c chicken broth (if you’re vegetarian, use veg broth)
1/4 c unsweetened evaporated milk
1/2 c cooked black beans, drained (yes, you can use canned)
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro leaves
In a large saucepan over med/high heat melt the butter. Add the onion, put the garlic on top of it. Reduce heat to medium so nothing burns and sauté until onions are soft and golden, maybe 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in pumpkin, spices, black pepper and chicken broth. Stir to blend. Cover the pot. Simmer 10 minutes. Add salt and black beans. Stir to distribute evenly. Stir in the evaporated milk. If the soup looks too thick to you, add 2 tbsp evaporated milk. Still on simmer, heat 5 minutes until it’s hot enough to serve. Do not let it boil. Stir in the chopped cilantro leaves to serve. You can also add a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche to each bowl when serving.
Rutabaga Timbales
This is another way to jazz up a tired standard: mashed turnips (aka rutabagas). You turn them into little custards that stand up on their own. If you don’t have ramekins or the like, you can use a muffin tin.1 lb rutabagas, peeled
2 tbsp butter
1/8 tsp ground cloves
¾ c light cream
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp salt
4 eggs
¼ c ricotta or soft cream cheese
1 star anise
Dice the rutabaga and cook it with a star anise in boiling water until very tender. Drain well. Remove star anise. Preheat oven to 400º and butter six 6 oz ramekins or Pyrex dishes. Boil 2 cups of water. In a small sauté pan, melt butter and sauté shallots 2 minutes until soft. Puree the rutabaga. Add shallots, spices, cream, cheese, salt and eggs to it, and process until smooth. Ladle rutabaga mixture into the buttered dishes, put the dishes into a large baking pan and pour the boiling water into the bottom of that pan to come 1/3 up the ramekins. Bake 25 minutes, or until center is puffy and firm. Remove from pan and cool 10 minutes. Carefully knock the bottom and sides of each dish to loosen the timbales. Shaking each slightly, invert them onto a serving plate and lift the dish away.
Pistachio-crusted Sweet Potato Balls
Here’s how to keep mashed sweet potatoes, almost required at these events, from getting tired, old and boring. Nobody can say “been there done that” with this version. And it’s really simple.makes 4 1/2 doz
8 med sweet potatoes, baked* until just tender, cooled and peeled (you can do this ahead)
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 tbsp + 1 tsp all purpose, unbleached flour
2 extra lg eggs, whites only
Freshly ground black pepper to your taste
1 1/2 c shelled, unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped (you can use a processor)
Preheat oven to 400º. Lightly oil a cookie sheet. (For faster clean up, line it first with parchment paper.)
Coarsely mash sweet potatoes and stir in all ingredients except the pistachio nuts. Using a round tablespoon or soup spoon, form the mixture into walnut size balls. Spread the nuts evenly on waxed paper or a large plate. Put the oiled cookie sheet into the oven on the lowest rack for 5 minutes. While it heats, roll the balls in the pistachio nuts and coat evenly. Place on the hot cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes. That’s it! Serve hot.
Chestnut Tart
This is a gift to the vegetarians in your crowd. It’s also very classy to bring to the hostess if you’ve been invited out. Chestnuts are coming into season so it’s perfect for right now.serves 8
1 9″ buttery pie crust (You can buy it. If you want to make it, recipe is at bottom.)
1 c cooked chestnuts, pureed (you can find in cans)
3/4 c ricotta cheese
1/2 c heavy cream
2 tbsp beef stock (if you need this to be vegetarian use veg stock with a pinch of allspice)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 scallions, minced
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp (heaping) Parmesan or asiago cheese, finely grated
Preheat oven to 375º. Lightly butter a 9″ pie dish and line it with the dough. Flute the edges by squeezing dough through your first and second figures or just make a pattern using fork tines: whatever. Fill the dough with baking weights or another two pans as weights and bake it 20 minutes until the bottom is crisp.
Meanwhile, blend (you can use a processor or immersion blender or your own strength with a wooden spoon) all the other ingredients. Transfer the mixture into the warm tart shell and spread it evenly. Bake at 375º 25 minutes or until the center is set or a cake tester comes out clean and the top is slightly brown. The crust edges should be golden brown.
To make your own butter crust: In the bowl of a food processor or mixer combine 1 stick unsalted butter and 1 1/2 c all purpose unbleached flour. Process to get a crumbly mixture--i.e break up the butter as much as you can. Add 1 tsp vinegar (this makes flakiness) and 3 tbsp ice water and blend into a dough. You may need 1 more tbsp ice water but be sure because you don't want to ruin the dough.) Roll into a ball, refrigerate at least 10 minutes, then roll out to fit the pan. Work fast.
Turkey Stuffing
There is cornbread with corn, chilies and kidney beans. There is my old favorite rice with many vegetables and its variation: wild rice with mushrooms, leeks and cranberries. And this one that satisfies the nostalgia for traditional bread stuffing but wakes it up into something bright and tasty on its own.for a 12 lb turkey (double it for big birds)
4 c bread cubes and crumbs*
2 tsp dried sage
1 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp cracked or coarsely ground black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp ground cumin
pinch ground cinnamon
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 med onion, peeled and diced
1 turkey liver (it’s inside the bird), chopped
1 sm Granny Smith apple, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
6 med/lg shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
1/2 sm red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (be generous)
2 tbsp fresh apple cider
*If you aren’t buying bread cubes that are usually available right now, cut a loaf into 1/4-1/2″ cubes, saving all the crumbs. You can also put chunks of bread into a food processor so long as you just chop it until it is coarse but still in distinct pieces. Don’t go to breadcrumbs!
In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add onion and sauté 3-5 min until it starts to soften. Add red pepper, mushrooms, turkey liver, sage, celery seed and black pepper. Sauté until everything looks soft and moist, 3-5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring to mix. Cover the pot and simmer 10-15 minutes until the bread is soft with moisture. If it looks dry, add 1/4 c chicken or veg broth. Taste and salt. The stuffing should be a soft, coherent mass. Remove from heat and insert it into both cavities of the turkey when you are ready to roast it.
Big Mac Indian Pudding
This
is an old favorite that still wins applause every year. It’s a gift to
the gluten-free and about as traditional an all-American dessert as you
can bring to the Thanksgiving table. This version is fancy: the pudding
gets molded into cake form and then iced with cinnamon spice whipped
cream for a real eye popping presentation. It’s also fabulous the next
morning for breakfast. I love this so much I included the recipe in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking.Serves 12 (cut in half for 6)
5 cups milk
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 extra large or jumbo eggs
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar (use ¼ if you half the recipe)
½ cup molasses
3 tbsp real maple syrup
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup raisins (dark ones show up easier)
2 Macintosh apples, peeled, cored and diced
Optional: fresh whipped cream
Preheat over to 325º. Butter a 3 quart soufflé dish or charlotte mold or other deep ovenproof baking dish. (Use a 1½ quart if you half the recipe.)
In a very large saucepan or medium casserole, scald milk. (This means bring it to a boil fast over high heat so a skin forms and bubbles appear.) Whisk in cornmeal and over medium or medium high (depending on the strength of your stove) heat, continue to whisk until the mixture thickens (90 seconds-3 minutes). Remove from heat. Whisk in butter, then carefully eggs. Whisk in brown sugar, molasses and maple syrup. Whisk in salt and spices. Stir in raisins and apples, distributing evenly. Pour mixture into baking dish, shake and level. Bake at 325 degrees in the center of the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the center of the pudding is firm when you shake the pan. Remove from oven and cool.
To serve: spoon from the baking pan and top with vanilla ice cream. Or, invert the pan onto a cake stand or serving platter and “ice” with whipped cream. Sprinkle with cinnamon or freshly grated ginger to serve.
And finally, you will find easy, tasty recipes for potato/rutabaga gratin, grit souffle and pumpkin fritters in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking. Recent posts have celeriac puree and butter braised fennel. May your holiday be delicious. Baking recipes next time.
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