Talking turkey

November is here so it's time to talk turkey. By now most of us know if we're cooking it at home or carrying a sidedish to the table elsewhere. In either event, we can't really get too creative: Americans expect this one meal of the year to completely match traditional expectations for turkey, cranberry, and pumpkin--and get cranky when it doesn't.  This doesn't leave us totally stuck. I like to riff on the Thanksgiving theme without jarring sensibilities and expectations, like putting BBQ sauce all over the turkey.

I find the easiest way to devise a menu is to remember Thanksgiving began as a harvest celebration in the Northeast.  Festive banqueting happened at the frost line, the second week of October, and that's when it continues to happen in Canada today. Our groaning table was crassly moved to late November to give Christmas shopping a starting gun. It is not connected to anything. 

But I can connect it to American tradition by focusing on those particular foods European arrivals discovered here, foods they did not have back home. I can make the meal a real Thanksgiving for these quintessentially American ingredients: wild turkey, corn (and corn meal), squash, beans, chilies, cranberries, wild rice and potatoes. Also cod, whose pursuit is how North America was actually discovered and whose fishery founded the first colonies. The United States came to be because of salt cod.  (I have posted the always requested incredibly delicious brandade --salt cod with mashed potatoes-- before at least twice.) 

So here are a few of my celebration standards: 

Turkey Barbeque Sauce
This is my tribute to both the wild northern turkey and the southern BBQ tradition. It's also my way to put real flavor in that tasteless bird.  Almost everyone who eats turkey roasted this way immediately needs the recipe. I was, in fact, invited to someone's dinner just to make this for the occasion. 

I slather this all over the turkey, inside and out, the night before I roast it and slather a bit more on as I put it in the oven. I keep some for basting as it cooks. I do not stuff the turkey except perhaps when I remember I will put two peeled onions studded with cloves inside.  I put the giblets in the roasting pan outside big bird where they flavor what becomes unfloured gravy.                       

The truth is the recipe isn't exact. I made it up and I still do that. I throw things into a bowl and blend. What follows is as close as I can get.  It's for a 14-16 lb turkey. 
And that's another thing: I find cooking two smaller turkeys (12 lbs) is definitely better than one oversized bird. The meat is juicier and there are more parts so people get what they like.

Combine everything into a thick sauce. Taste it and adjust it to your liking.      

4” fresh ginger peeled and minced or mashed

8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced or mashed

(you can put the two together in a mini processor)

1 tbsp + 2 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground chipotle chili powder

1 tsp ground arbol chili powder or cayenne

2 tsp dried rosemary leaves

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cracked or freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp ground cloves

2 tsp dried sage leaves

2/3 cup ketchup

1/3 c Chinese black bean garlic sauce

2 cups corn oil

1 tbsp +1 tsp soy sauce

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp honey or maple syrup (molasses is too strong)

1 tsp Asian chili garlic hot sauce (sriracha)

 As I explained above, you slather this all over the bird the night before and brush it up when ready to roast.  Put about an inch of chicken broth in the bottom of the pan and start roasting at a preheated 450º and keep it there for about 20 minutes. Then baste, add another inch of broth and drop the heat to 350º. Roast 20 minutes per pound, basting every 30-40 minutes adding broth if need be, until it's done. I like to cook it a long time til it's almost but not quite pulled turkey.    

Molded Indian Pudding with Apples and Raisins 

 I'm jumping right to dessert because this one's the killer, perfect for even the gluten-free among us. There's probably no more traditional New England harvest dessert than Indian pudding, the English colonists' mix of the cornmeal they got from the  natives and the molasses Boston merchants were getting wealthy from as they extracted it from the sugar cane during their Caribbean rum making operations.  This version gussies it all up to present like whipped cream cake, making it delicious in the process. And if by odd chance there's any left, it makes a great breakfast. I have posted this before because it's one of the keepers you make again and again.

  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

¼ tsp ground ginger

1 tsp nutmeg

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup raisins (dark ones show up easier)

2 Granny Smith* apples, peeled, cored and diced

Freshly whipped cream with vanilla 

ground nutmeg                 

*Granny Smith apples, in addition to being tartly sweet, do not  lose shape and become mush when baked.

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.

Invert the pan onto a cake stand or serving platter and “ice” with whipped cream. Sprinkle with nutmeg or freshly grated ginger to serve.  

HINT: To make whipped cream manageable as icing, use confectioners (aka powdered) sugar instead of granulated sugar. And don't forget to put in a tsp of vanilla.        

Cranberry walnut chutney

I think I post this every autumn when I jar a batch.  I've been using it for decades because it's less cloying and less slimy than canned cranberry sauce. The walnuts provide crunchiness. 
 This should make about 4-6 pints.

1 lb cranberries, cleaned          

1½ c granulated sugar

1 c water                                   

1 tbsp orange peel

1 c dark raisins or currants       

1/3 c orange juice

1 c toasted walnut pieces         

¼ tsp ground cloves

 ¼ tsp ground allspice

Combine cranberries and water in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until the cranberries burst. Add sugar, raisins, spices, orange peel and juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until mixture is as thick as jam, about 10 minutes. Stir in the nuts. Remove from heat. If serving soon, refrigerate covered in a serving bowl. If saving, ladle into hot sterilized jam jars, seal and put in a water bath for 10-15 minutes depending on size of the jar.

OPTIONALLY: Add a tsp rose water or orange flower water.

Cornbread with corn and chili
 This is my tribute to the Central Americans and North American natives who gave us corn and chili peppers.  I find it's also the best "bread" to serve with a BBQ turkey since it's gluten-freeTr and puts bright color on the table.  I have a bunch of cornbread and corn muffin recipes but tend to use this one for turkey time because it's moist.
 serves 6 (you can double this) 

 2 1/2 c water
1 c yellow cornmeal
1 tsp salt 
1 c  milk or buttermilk
 4 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp unsalted butter + extra to grease pan
1/2 c corn kernels
1/2 sm green chili, seeded and finely diced

Heat oven to 400º.  Butter an 8 x8" square pan or a  1 1/2 qt casserole.
  Stir 1/2 c water into the cornmeal, trying to prevent lumps.
In a med saucepan, heat the remaining 2 c water to a boil. Add salt. Then slowly whisk or stir in the cornmeal, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook 1 minute.  Remove from heat.
   Beat in the milk, eggs, butter, corn kernels and minced chili.  Make a smooth batter. Transfer the batter into the baking dish and spread evenly and level at the top. Bake 30-35 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool, cut in squares and serve piled high.  
             
Wild Rice with pecans and clementines
This is a grain Native Americans painstakingly harvested from   northern  lakes. It's not exactly "rice." It's a grass- - and it's gluten free. It's high in protein and fiber and actually has a distinct nutty flavor. Hard for people to refuse or resist it at the table.   There is however a difference between "real" wild rice still harvested by hand in the Great Lakes region and industrial agriculture's wild rice farmed in California.
     
You can serve a bowl of plain wild rice which will be very tasty or you can added toasted pecans to it for more crunch. Or you can try my blend which is something of a salad that can also be served warm. Having it as a salad can save you burner juggling just before dinner time and nobody seems to mind that it's room temperature.   It's a nourishing dish for vegetarians. This is also a winner for Christmas dinner.       

serves 6 (serve warm or cold)

4 c cooked wild rice (can be hot from the pot or room temperature)

1 c toasted pecan halves (can be warm or room temperature)

2 seedless mandarins or clementines, peeled and segmented

½ c fresh cranberries OR 2 tbsp. dried cranberries

1/3 c finely chopped fresh parsley leaves (about 6 sprigs)

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp orange juice or 1/8 tsp. orange flower water

1 tsp raspberry vinegar or Spanish sherry vinegar

¼ c fruity olive oil or walnut oil

Combine the wild rice, toasted pecans, citrus segments and cranberries in a serving bowl.

Combine in a small bowl or cup the orange juice or flower water, vinegar, oil and salt. Whip to blend.  Pour the dressing over the rice mixture and carefully blend. Garnish with the chopped parsley to serve.

Squash stuffed with coconut rice and beans

This recipe, which I devised for my cookbook, Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking, is my go-to for vegetarians at the table. The squash and beans are all-American and the coconut rice presentation represents the Caribbean to which we owe much of our discovery and wealth. 

serves 8 (cut it in half for 4)  

8 small acorn or dumpling winter squash

1 tbsp olive or corn oil

1 cup long grain rice

1 15 oz can pinto or red kidney beans, drained

1 cup coconut milk (lite is okay)

1 small hot red pepper, seeded and minced

1 med-lg onion, peeled and finely diced

½ tsp dried thyme leaves

1 tsp ground allspice

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp fresh or coarse ground black pepper

¼ cup (4 tbsp) apple cider or pure apple juice

½ tsp ground cinnamon

pinches of salt

½ bunch fresh cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish

Slice the point off the bottom of each squash to flatten it so it sits steady on its own. Put the squashes in a microwave on medium for 1 min 30 seconds to slightly soften. (Microwave times vary with the machine’s strength so the goal is to produce squash that isn’t rock hard.) Let sit five minutes. Then neatly cut about ¼” off the top. Scoop out any remaining pulp at the top to get to the cavity. Clean out the seeds and strings.  Preheat the oven to 350º.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan that has a cover. Add the onion and sauté until soft and golden, maybe five minutes on medium heat.  Add the thyme leaves, hot red pepper, allspice, black pepper and rice and stir to blend. Add the coconut milk. Now add enough water to cover the rice by 1 inch. Add the salt and beans. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, checking that it doesn’t burn and adding ¼ cup of water at a time to prevent that.

Put 1/2 tbsp apple cider/juice in the bottom of each hollowed out squash. Add a pinch of ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Swirl the seasoned liquid around so it reaches all the squash. Fill the squash to the top with the rice and beans, heaping it no more than ¼-½ inch from the top.

Fill a half-sheet baking pan with ½ inch water and arrange the squash in it.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350º until squash is tender, maybe 40 minutes.

Garnish the top of each squash with a few chopped cilantro leaves to serve.

Other useful Thanksgiving recipes you can find on this blog are:
green bean and mashed potato cake
potato rutabaga gratin
blueberry apple chutney

and in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking:
South American black bean, purple potato and winter squash stew (you could stuff this in small squash too) 

Turkish pumpkin pancakes