Cooking a Thanksgiving Dinner

For the first time I cooked a Thanksgiving dinner at the B & B. It included a turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, orange glazed carrots, orange buttermilk rolls, two pies--pumpkin and blackberry, cranberry sauce and sparkling cider. This was not for the guests but for my family. I had the dining room all set up for the big day and worked for two days to get the food prepared. I was a bit nervous about cooking a turkey because I was not sure of the cooking process. My friend Gayle shared with me a great turkey recipe and together we got it ready. It turned out to be very successful and everyone loved it! It was very moist and savory. I would like to share this recipe with you too! The recipe comes from the November 2008 edition of Bon Appetit magazine. It is a classic recipe and the meat will taste of sage, rosemary, and thyme.


Salted Roast Turkey with Herbs and Shallot-Dijon Gravy

8 to 12 servings

Ingredients

Herbed Salt

• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
• 3 small bay leaves, coarsely torn
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

Turkey

• 1 14- to 16-pound turkey (neck, heart, and gizzard reserved)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 1 whole lemon, chopped with peel
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups (or more) Golden Turkey Stock

Gravy

• 3 1/2 cups (about) Golden Turkey Stock
• 2/3 cup chopped shallots
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Preparation

Herbed salt

• Rub first 6 ingredients in small bowl to crush herbs finely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; store at room temperature. Stir in peel before using.

Turkey

• Rinse turkey inside and out (do not pat dry). Pull any fat pads from main cavity and neck cavity of turkey; wrap, chill, and reserve fat for roasting. Place turkey in roasting bag; sprinkle inside and out with herbed salt. Close bag. Place on baking sheet; refrigerate 18 to 24 hours.
• Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 325°F. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat very dry. Stir chopped onion and next 5 ingredients in small bowl. Divide onion mixture between main and neck cavities. Fold neck skin under and secure with skewer. Tuck wing tips under. Tie legs together loosely. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Spread butter all over turkey. Place reserved fat pads and reserved neck, heart, and gizzard in pan; pour in 2 cups Golden Turkey Stock.
• Roast turkey 45 minutes. Baste with pan juices. Continue to roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F to 170°F, basting every 45 minutes, adding stock or water to pan if dry, and tenting loosely with foil if browning too quickly, 3 to 3 1/2 hours longer. Transfer turkey to platter; tent very loosely with foil and let rest 30 to 45 minutes. Reserve roasting pan with juices for gravy.

Gravy

• Remove turkey neck, heart, and gizzard from roasting pan. Pull meat off neck; chop neck meat, heart, and gizzard and reserve for gravy, if desired. Pour pan juices into 8-cup measuring cup. Spoon off fat from surface, reserving 1/2 cup fat. Add enough turkey stock to degreased pan juices to measure 5 1/2 cups total.
• Place roasting pan over 2 burners on medium heat. Add 1/2 cup reserved fat and shallots; sauté 1 minute. Whisk in flour. Cook until roux is light brown, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Whisk in wine, stock mixture, mustard, and fresh rosemary. Bring to boil, whisking to blend. Boil until gravy coats spoon, about 3 minutes. Add neck, heart, and gizzard, if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve turkey with gravy.

I would also like to share with you my mashed potato recipes. It is unique and healthy.

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• Yukon Gold Potatoes
• half a head of cauliflower
• 1 small carton of plain Greek yogurt
• chopped chives
• butter
• milk
  

Quarter the potatoes and boil until tender. Steam cauliflower until tender. Transfer potatoes with skins on and cauliflower to mixer and whip. Add carton of yogurt and whip. Add some butter and milk and whip until you get a consistency you like. Stir in chopped chives. Serve and enjoy!