Thanksgiving recipes -- let's see 'em!

Food & Cooking
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With Thanksgiving coming up next week, I thought it would be appropriate to start a Thanksgiving recipe thread.  From the traditional to the exotic, share your best recipes!

We usually make two birds at our house.  One is a very traditional, oven-roasted turkey with gravy made from pan drippings.  The other is totally experimental.  This year, it’s going to be a mezcal and lime brined, adobo-rubbed smoked turkey, with smokey adobo gravy made from the pan drippings.

Here are the brine and rub recipes (note: these recipes are for a smaller, bourbon red turkey):

Brine
1/2 cup mezcal
1/4 cup lime juice (about two limes)
1 cup warm water
2/3 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup honey
1 serrano chile, split in half

In a large bowl, whisk the mezcal, lime juice, water, salt, and honey until the salt and honey are dissolved.  Add the serrano.

Place turkey in a one-gallon ziplock bag and add the brine.  Set the bag in the sink and fill with cold water, within 1 inch of the zipper (8 to 10 cups of water, depending on the water displacement from the volume of the chicken).  Press the air out of the bag and seal.  Place the bag in a large bowl or on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips.  Allow the turkey to brine for 6 to 12 hours in the refrigerator, turning the bag once or twice to redistribute the brine.

About an hour before you plan to start cooking, remove the turkey from the brine. Rinse the bird under cool running water and pat dry with paper towels. This removes sugar from the skin and prevent burning during cooking.

Tuck the wings under the body to keep them out of the way during cooking. For a neat appearance, pin the neck skin down to the back using toothpicks or skewers, and tie the legs together using kitchen twine.

Apply a light coat of canola oil or other vegetable oil to the turkey, then sprinkle with the adobo rub.

Adobo Rub
4 dried guajillo chiles (2 oz), stemmed and seeded
3 dried ancho chiles (1 1/2 oz), stemmed and seeded
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 (1/2-inch) piece cinnamon stick, smashed
2 whole allspice
1 clove
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme leaves

Toast chiles until they release their fragrance, being careful not to burn them.  Set aside.

Toast the cumin seekd, cinnamon stick, allspice, and clove over medium-high heat, until they become fragrant.  Be careful not to burn them.  Set aside and let cool.  When the spices have cooled, grind them in a spice grinder along with the toasted chiles, and transfer to a small bowl.  Add the remaining rub ingredients to the bowl and mix well.

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I’m still toying with the adobo gravy recipe, but it will be something like this:

Smoky Adobo Gravy
Pan drippings from smoked turkey
Turkey stock
Adobo rub
Flour
Reserved fat from pan drippings
Melted butter
Cider vinegar
Turkey stock
Salt

After turkey has been smoked, transfer the pan drippings to a large saucepan.  Add 1 cup turkey stock and boil over high heat for two minutes.  Strain pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into fat separator.  Reserve fat.  Add enough turkey stock to liquid to bring total to 5 cups.

Whisk together adobo rub, flour, reserved fat, butter, and cider vinegar over medium heat for three minutes, whisking constantly (mixture will be thick).  Add pan juices and turkey stock in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.  Bring to a boil, whisking, them simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.  Season with salt.

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here are some non-traditional italian recipes…

Bolognese (meat sauce)

very few italian dishes have one set recipe. different regions and different families have their own way of doing dishes that go by the same name. Consequently, there is no one way to do Bolognese Sauce. This is the most basic recipe.

1/2 - 3/4 pound lean beaf, coarsely ground
4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 stick celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
parsley, chopped
thyme, leaves only
2 bay leaves
2 pieces clove
salt and pepper to taste
stock

optional: cup of red wine
1 small can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon of flour
parmesan cheese

heat butter in a tall skillet or a saucepan. add onion, celery, carrot and meat. when the meat begins to brown, add a little stock and continue adding from time to time so the bottom of the pan always has some liquid. at this time you may also add a cup of red wine. allow the wine to evaporate before adding more stock. after the wine has evaporated, tomatoes may be added. also, a sprinkling of flour may be added. bolognese with tomatoes is more common than without.

add parsley, thyme, bay leaves, cloves, salt and pepper. lower heat and cook, covered, for one hour or more.

serve grated parmesan on the size.

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Lasagna

in the region of the Marche, and nowhere else, lasagne is called Vincisgrassi. some say the name “Vincisgrassi” is drived from Windish Graetz, Napolean’s general who occupied Ancona in 1799. according to this theory, the Austrian general’s personal chef invented thie pasta dish that became Windish Greatz’s favorite. others claim the pasta dish was already in existence before the napoleonic wars of 1799. in a publication of 1780, Antonio Nebbia, a chef from Macerata, Marche Region, describes a sauce for “Princisgras” became “Vincigrassi”.

Vincisgrassi

the basic ingredients of lasagna consist of sheets of pasta dough, a bechamel sauce and a meatsauce. older recipes for the meat sauce contained the outer extremities and the inner organs of chickens (rigalie di pollo) and the brain and sweetbreads of calves (cervella, filoni e animelle).

sheets of dough sufficient to make 5 or six layers in a baking pan appriximately 8 x 10 inches

for the meatsauce:

1 pound ground beef
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 can (28 ounces) tomato puree (passato) or diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste

brown the beef in olive oil. add onion, celery and carrot and cook about 10 minutes. add tomatoes, salt and pepper. cook an additional hour. the sauce should have a thick, fluid consistency. if it appears to get to dry, add a little water. if it’s too fluid, cook a little longer.

for bechamel sauce:

6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
1 quart milk
zest of 1 lemon
salt

melt butter in saucepan. add flour and whisk until blended.

in another saucepan, bring milk to a boil. add milk and lemon zest to flour, stirring rapidly to blend. cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until sauce thickens.

cut the dough into manageable sheets, about 4 x 6 inches. cook sheets in salted water, a few at a time, about 2 minutes for fresh pasta. remove sheets one at a time, and spread on a clean damp cloth.

cover bottom of buttered baking pan with liquid from meatsauce. then cover the bottom with 1 layer of cooked lasagne sheets. cover the layer lightly with meatsauce. then spread on bechamel sauce lightly. finally sprinkle generously with parmesan. repeat the layering process for 5 or 6 layers if the baking pan permits. be sure to allow sufficient space for the sauce to bubble without spilling over.

dot the top layer with butter, after sauces and parmesan. cook in preheated oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. allow pasta to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

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eggplant parmesan

the original sicilian recipe for eggplant parmesan included sliced potatoes and sliced onion, each fried separately and placed in alternate layers with the eggplants. finally, there was a topping of tomato sauce, medallions of mozzarella and basil leaves.

3 medium eggplants
1 quart of basic tomato sauce
1/2 pound of sliced mozzarella
2 cups grated parmesan
bread crumbs
butter
olive oil for frying (yes, olive oil)
fresh basil

cut the eggplants lengthwise (japanese eggplant) or the other way for the big round eggplants and allow them to drain either laying them out in the sun or by salting and laying them on an inclined surface.

fry the eggplants in olive oil, not so much as to cover the eggplant however. do not drain the eggplant. in an oiled pan, layer the eggplant slices, tomatoe sauce, mozzarella slices, and parmesan cheese. end with a topping of parmesan, bread crumbs & small pieces of butter.

bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes. garnish with fresh basil.

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tiramisu (trasnlation: “lift me up”)

9 eggs, separated
9 tablespoons sugar
1 cup brandy or or sweet marsala, divided
1 cup strong espresso coffee, divided
1 pound mascarpone cheese at room temperature, divided
2 pints heavy cream
2 packages of Savoiardi or ladyfingers
4 tablespoons grated semisweet cocoa, divided

make a zabaione by beating the egg yolks and add sugar gradually in the top of a double boiler until ivory colored. add 3/4 cup brandy (or marsala) and whisk over simmering water until mixture begins to thicken. let cool.

stir 1/2 cup espresso coffee into the mascarpone. whip heavy cream to soft peaks. beat egg whites until stiff. fold the egg whites into the zabaione.

arrange Savoiardi (ladyfingers) in a single layer in the bottom and on all sides of a large trifle bowl (10 or 11 inches) or rectangular dish (10 x 13 x 3). sprinkle savoiardi (ladyfingers), until soaked but not soggy, with mixture of remaining brandy (or marsala) and espresso (1/2 of each).

over the Savoiardi (ladyfingers), layer half the mascarpone, then half the zabaione and one third of the whipped cream. sprinkle with one-third of the cocoa. repeat layers, finishing with remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with remaining cocoa. refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferable overnight.

serves 12 to 15.

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anise cookies

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon anise flavoring
1 stick butter
1 cup chopped pecans
juice of 1 orange
zest of 1 orange
raisins (optional)
whiskey (optional)

mix all ingredients and knead slightly. gradually add mor flour until dough consistency is hard.

make dough into 1/3 to 1/2 inch rolls and cut into 2 inch pieces.

place cookies on baking sheet about 1 inch apart. bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

this recipe was from my grandmother (RIP), louise, who go the recipe from her sister nancy mancini biondini.

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fried eggplant balls

2 pounds medium eggplant
3 eggs, separated
2 cups bread crumbs
2 cups grated pecorino cheese
1/2 cup chopped basil
red pepper flakes to taste
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil for frying

cut the eggplants into small pieces, put in colander, salt well, and allow to rest at least 1hour to remove excess fluid. dry, removing salt and fluid.

cook in salted water, but be aware eggplant already has some salt.

drain eggplant and chop finely. combine eggplant with bread crumbs, pecorino cheese, egg yolks, basil, red pepper flakes and pepper.

form eggplant mixture into balls the size of ping-pong balls. fry in hot oil. the eggplant balls may be dredged in egg whites and bread crumbs then fried.

this recipe is from the region of Calabria.

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stracciatella (italian egg drop soup)

4 cups chicken broth
2 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan
zest of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper

bring broth to a boil. beat two eggs with a fork. add remaining ingredients and mix. the mixture should be a dense fluid. if it’s too dense, add either another egg or a little milk.

remove boiling broth from heat and stir in egg mixture, stirring constantly to avoid lumping. return to heat for 3 minutes.

serve with additional parmesan.

chicken broth (stock)

1 chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
1 onion, stuck with 2 cloves
3 ribs celery
2 carrots
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 quarts water

put all ingredients in a large pot anc cook gently for 2 or 3 hours. skim often if necessary. remove chicken and bone it for use as desired. after broth has cooled, remove fat from top.

the chicken makes an excellent chicken salad mixed with chopped celry, sweet pickes, hard-cooked eggs and mayonnaise.

be sure to season the broth when you use it. some cooks prefer chicken broth without the onion and celery.

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carlo’s pasta fagioli

for the beans:

1 pound of pinto beans (or borlotti if available)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
4 cloves of whole garlic
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon baking soda
salt

soak the pinto beans in plenty of water with the baking soda overnight. drain the beans and combine with the other bean ingredients. cover with wter adn cook until beans are tender, but not soggy.

drain beans but retain cooking water.

for the sauce:

6 tablespoons olive oil, one for each person
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 vegetable buillion cubes
red pepper flakes
1 large can of peeled tomatoes, mashed
salt to taste
parsley and basil

heat olive oil and saute onion, celery and garlic. cook about 5 minutes over medium heat. add tomatoes, buillion cubes, red pepper flakes and salt. cook an additional 30 minutes.

for the pasta:

1 pound of short elbow pasta or linguini broken into pieces about 3 inches long

cook pasta al dente in plenty of salted water.

drain pasta.

combine pasta, beans and sauce. if the combination is too dry, add some liquid drained from the beans. the pasta fagioli should be soupy. sprinkle with parsley and basil.

serve pasta fagioli in a bowl with ground parmesan and extra red pepper flakes on the side.

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brodetto (fish stew) Ancona style

brodetto, a fish stew with a tomato base, is a specialty of the Marche region of Italy. there are several recipes for brodetto, even within the Marche. this recipe belongs to the provence of Ancona. in this recipe, we are using fish available to the southern united states.

2 1/2 to 3 pounds of mixed fish - swordfish, orange roughy, squid, red snapper, shrimp, clams, mussels, lobster. clean the clams and mussels well and put them into the stew whole. when i make brodetto for a large group, i cook the whole lobster in the stew. then i remove the meat from the tail, chop it and put it in the stew. i put the whole remaining lobster shell on top for presentation.

1 onion, chopped
1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, pureed or peeled and mashed
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 cup chopped parsley
red pepper flakes to taste
1/2 cup white vinegar or 1 cup white wine
olive oil
salt and pepper
about 3 cups fish stock
6 slices firm bread (one per person)

cut fish into large pieces. heat olive oil in large saucepan, dutch oven, or preferable, a clay pot. add onion, garlic, carrot, celery, bay leaves, parsley and red pepper flakes. cook about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

add tomatoes and cook about 15 minutes. then add fish, beginning with the fish that takes the longest to cook. add pepper and salt. add vinegar (or wine). when wine has evaporated, add fish stock. the amount of fish stock is determined by the amount of liquid in the pot. th brodetto should be very soupy. cover and cook 15 minutes.

toast the bread and place a slice at the bottom of each person’s bowl. ladle brodetto over bread and serve immediately.

some versions of brodetto use saffron instead of red pepper flakes and white wine instead of vinegar. also, you can substitute rice for bread.

fish stock

1 or 2 pounds of throw-away parts of fish
1 onion
2 carrots
3 ribs celery
3 quarts water

put all ingredients in a large pot and boil gently for 2 hours. strain. you may freeze extra stock.

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caponata

2 pounds eggplant (preferably long and seedless)
salt
olive oil
2 cups coarsely chopped celery, white interior part
1 onion, chopped
1 small can tomato paste
3 teaspoons sugar
1 cup good quality red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons capers, chopped
3/4 cup green olives, chopped
pepper to taste
salt to taste

dice eggplant, sprinkle with salt and place in a colander to drain for at least 1 hour. dry eggplant with paper towel and fry in plento of hot oil until well browned. remove eggplant from oil and spread on paper towels to drain.

fry celery in same oil until tender and drain on paper towels.

pour about 1/4 cup of the same oil into another pan and cook onion until golden. dilute the tomatoe paste in 1/2 cup warm water and stir into onion. season with salt and cook 15 minutes over moderate heat. add sugar, vinegar, capers, olives, eggplant and celery. add plenty of freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. simmer 10 minutes. serve cold.

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chicken with olives and tomatoes

1 chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 cup pitted green olives
2 cups tomato puree
6 anchovy fillets, mashed into paste
1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed and mashed into paste
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

in a deep skillet or large saucepan, heat oil. add chicken, salt and pepper. brown pieces of chicken on all sides. remove chicken and keep warm.

put anchovy, garlic and tomato puree in the same pan and cook for 10 minutes. scrape bottom and sides of pan with wooden spoon. stir well.

return chicken to the pan. add olives, bring to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of water. cover and continue cooking for 15 minutes.

place chicken on serving dish and sprinkle with parsley. serve immediately.

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chicken calabrese

1 tender chicken cut into serving pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup white vinegar
4 cloves garlic
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped sage
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon capers
salt and pepper

brown chicken on all sides in olive oil and butter.

in a blender mix wine, vinegar, garlic, tomatoes, rosemary, sage, oregano, capers, salt and pepper. pour mixture over chicken and bring to a boil.

uncover adn cook over low to moderate heat for 30 minutes. if excess liquid remains at conclusion of cooking, remove chicken and turn up heat to reduce liquid.

place chicken in a serving platter and pour reduced sauce over the chicken and serve.

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goulash

(for 6 servings)

1/2 pound lean beef, cut into bite-size pieces
2 onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 potatoes, cut inot bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
1 bay leaf
dash of cumin
dash of majoram
zest of 1 lemon

cook onion and garlic in oil and butter until onion is transparent. add meat, paprika and tomato paste. cook for 15 minutes. then sprinkle lightly with flour. add 1 1/2 quarts water. salt to taste and continue cooking until meat is almost tender. add potatoes. when the potatoes are cooked, add bay leaf, lemon zest, cumin and majoram. cook about 5 minutes longer and serve.

(from the region of Trentino Alto Adige)

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eggplant slices, tomatoes and mozzarella

2 or 3 medium round eggplants
flour for dredging
4 round tomatoes, sliced
2 anchovy fillets, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
sliced mozzarella
1/2 cup basil, chopped
vegetable oil
olive oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

slice eggplants. dredge eggplant slices in flour and fry in plenty of vegetable oil. do not allow to get too crisp. remove eggplant slices from oil and place on paper towel to drain.

oil a baking dish and place in 1 slice of eggplant at a time. on each slice of eggplant place a slice of tomato and a thin slice of mozzarella. place the next slice of eggplant halfway over the previous slice and continue until the bottom of the dish is covered. the eggplant should be so staggered that half of the previous slice is exposed. bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

in a saucepan heat 1/2 cup olive oil. add finely chopped anchovies, garlic, basil, vinegar, salt and pepper. stir well to dissolve anchovies. remove from heat.

remove eggplant slices frmo the oven and immediately pour on sauce. allow to cool slightly. eggplant may also be served cold.

(from the region of Campania)

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tortellini

various combinations of meats are used for tortellini filling depending on region and personal taste. in bologna, known for its tortellini, the filling usually consists of turkey bread (or capon), pork, prosciutto and parmesan

3 tablespoons butter
1/4 pound pork loin
1/4 pound turkey breast
1/4 pound mortadella
1/4 pound prosciutto
1 bay leaf
1/2 to 3/4 cup grated parmesan
pinch of nutmeg
1 egg
salt and pepper

cut pork and turkey into small pieces and cook in butter with bay leaf. remove bay leaf and allow to cool.

in a food processor combine the pork, turkey, drippings from cooking pan, mortadella and prosciutto. grind, but do not puree. mix meats with cheese, nutmeg, egg, salt and pepper. cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

use dough cut in rounds, 1 3/4 to 2 inches.

place a teaspoon of filling on each round. moisten the edges of the round with egg or water. fold the round, forming a crescent, enclosing the filling. seal the edges by pressing with your fingers or the prongs of a fork. then bring the two ends of the crescent together, overlapping them and twisting one end over the other. seal the ends. the sealed edges should be curved up in the shape of a little hat. tortellini are sometimes called capppelletti, little hats.

spread the finished tortellini on a cloth. turn after about 30 minutes so the tortellini can dry on both sides.

for the dough…

3 cups flour
4 eggs
salt to taste
2 tablespoons water

put the flour in a bowl or on the countertop. make a well in the flour. break eggs into the well and add salt. beat the eggs with a fork and gradually pull in and mix the flour and egg with your hands.

work the dough, adding a few drops of water if the dough is too dry. if the dough is too moist, add a little flour. knead the dough in a rolling motion, pushing it away from you wht the heels of your hands. knead until the dough is smooth. the dough should remain soft but not sticky. when the kneading is complete, break the dough into 6 or 8 pieces, roll into balls, then flatten the balls somewhat, and oil them slightly to prevent drying. put the balls in separate plastic bags. wrap the dough in a cloth and allow it to rest for 1 hour.

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Maybe we could stick to just 2 or 3 of our favorites?  :wink:

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sorry if i got carried away.  didn’t realize we had a two or three post limit per thread…

:stuck_out_tongue: :-* :-[ ;D

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Here is an image from last years Smoked turkey pork and chicken.

MAn that was awesome. The Turkey and Pork were cured in a mixture of salt with 5% sodium nitrite mixed with brown sugar, maple syrup and herbs and spices for a week before I cold smoked them. They cold smoked for about 48 hours then I roasted them for about an hour just before serving. Fantastic!!!

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This year it is at my sisters house so all I am doing is a bunch of pies.

Gonna make apple dumplings.

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That one is simple. Just put a cored granny smith apple with a little cinnamon and sugar and a pat of butter on it, wrapped in your best homemade pie crust and bake till golden brown.

Im gonna bring a few custard pies too.

A pumpkin custard pie, a plantain custard pie, and a corn custard pie.

Ill post some pictures and recipes soon. Im still tweaking the recipes a little.

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