Thanksgiving may be the ultimate "comfort food meal." Certain dishes are iconic--roasted Turkey (yes, with a capital "T"), cranberry sauce, stuffing, pumpkin pie. And while variations and "twists" on the classics abound, the classics remain classics for a reason--they are time tested, taste tested, and well loved.
This year, many friends and family members are on tight budgets, pairing down extravagances, and returning to the simple, classic Thanksgiving Dinner. There is an extra dose of comfort in what is most familiar. For those of you who have asked, I offer you these recipes straight out of my own childhood (minus the candied yam casserole topped with marshmallows--a dish I hope will be permanently retired from the menu). Just the basics.
Thanks for reading, and enjoy your holiday.
Roasted Turkey
The turkey is the star of Thanksgiving Dinner. Keep it simple with a whole roasted bird. Use a fresh bird if you can, or make sure a frozen bird is thawed completely by cooking time. Prepare the bird by rinsing it and patting it dry. Lift the skin of the breast and smear with softened butter. Salt the bird inside and out. As for how to cook the bird, roast according to your regularly scheduled method, follow the directions on the package, or from your butcher, or call the Butterball hotline.
Gravy
I'm not a big fan of gravy, but I do enjoy making it. Grandma made the gravy last, with the pan drippings while the turkey was resting after cooking. She would pour off about 2 cups of the liquid and let it separate in a large glass measuring cup.
Ingredients:
Pan drippings (the oily parts)
Pan juices (the liquidy parts without the oil)
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1/2 diced yellow onion
2 tbsp flour
water or stock, if desired
Method:
1. In a medium saucepan, saute mushrooms and onions in turkey pan drippings until soft.
2. Sprinkle with flour. Stir and continue cooking for one minute.
3. Whisk in pan juices (1-2 cups as desired) and raise heat. Bring to a boil, then simmer until thickened. Thin with water or stock if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stuffing
I prefer my bird unstuffed, and make the stuffing on the side like my grandma did (which is technically called "dressing"). Grandma also grew her own sage, which she used liberally in this dish.
Ingredients:
2 loaves sliced bread (white or wheat, whichever you prefer), dried in oven
3 tbsp bacon drippings (or olive oil)
2 yellow onions, chopped
4-6 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
3-4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup raisins, plumped1 cup chopped walnuts (optional, but I always opt)
salt and pepper, as needed
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9" x 13" casserole dish.
2. Break or slice bread into small pieces. Set aside in a large mixing bowl or stock pot.
3. In a large pan, saute onions and celery in bacon drippings or olive oil until soft. Add sage and thyme and saute another minute until aromatic.
4. Add melted butter and 1 cup stock. Cook another minute, then remove the thyme stems, plucking any hanging leaves and returning them to the pan.
5. Pour onion mixture over bread mixture and toss to combine.
6. Add egg, raisins and nuts and mix well. Add just enough more stock to moisten the bread, but not so much that it gets soggy or mushy. Toss well to mix.
7. Place into prepared casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 45-60 minutes until sides are nicely browned and crisp.
Brussel Sprouts with Sweet Onions
Brussel sprouts were my dad's favorite vegetable, and these have a dressing similar to hot german potato salad. I like to use rice wine vinegar, although I think plain white or apple cider vinegar is more traditional. These are prepared on the stovetop, so they don't have to compete with the turkey and stuffing for oven time.
Ingredients:
1 pound small brussel sprouts
3 tbsp bacon drippings (or butter or olive oil)
1 sweet onion (red or white), chipped
1 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp vinegar (white, apple cider, or rice wine)
Method:
1. Clean brussel sprouts and slice in half through the base, leaving the base intact so the sprouts don't fall apart.2. Steam brussels in a large steamer basket until tender but still crisp, about 7-8 minutes (longer for bigger sprouts). Remove from steamer.
3. In a large saute pan, cook onions in bacon drippings (or butter or oil) over medium high heat until translucent (about 3-5 minutes).
4. Add sugar and cook until onions begin to caramelize.
5. Deglaze with vinegar. Add brussel sprouts to pan and toss to coat. Serve hot.
Cranberry Orange Relish
This uncooked cranberry orange relish is best made a day ahead. It is delicious on turkey sandwiches, too. You will need a food processor or blender for this recipe.
Ingredients:
1 bag (12 oz) fresh cranberries
1 whole navel orange (with peel), cut into 8 slices
1 cup white sugar
Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor.
2. Pulse/blend until evenly chopped, which may take several minutes.
3. Taste, and add a little more sugar if too tart, or a squeeze of lemon juice if too sweet.
4. Store in refrigerator. Serve chilled.
Pumpkin Pie
One secret to good pumpkin pie is getting good pumpkin. Use canned organic pumpkin if you can find it.
The other secret is the crust. My grandma taught me how to make wonderful rolled pie crusts with butter and flour, but it is impossible to pass along the method without showing it to you in person. So much of working with dough is how it feels. And a miserable pie crust simply ruins a pie, especially if it is a simple but special pie such as this one. A gingersnap crust is delicious with this pie, and practically fool proof. Pie can be made the day before serving, and should come out of the oven at least four hours before serving.
Crust:
2 cups crushed gingersnaps
1/4 cup melted butter
Combine and press into a 9" deep dish pie pan, or a 9" spring form pan. Set aside.
Pie filling:
4 oz softened cream cheese
3 tbsp butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 can (15 oz) canned pumpkin
1 egg
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp fresh grated ginger (optional, but I like to opt)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Beat together cream cheese, butter and sugar until well combined.
3. Add pumpkin and beat well to combine. Add remaining ingredients, beating well to combine.
4. Pour filling into crust-prepared pan.
5. Bake for 50-60 minutes until center is set.
6. Cool completely to room temperature. Serve with copious amounts of whipped cream.
