I’ve grated a granny smith apple into the mix, tried the zest and juice from various citrus fruits and even added small amounts of cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. They were all good, but I still felt I could do a little better.

This year I think I’ve finally found the right mix of things. Not that it will stop me from experimenting again next year.

grand marnier scented cranberry sauce

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• 1 bag cranberries, washed
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Zest and juice of one orange
• 1 vanilla bean split and scraped
• 1 shot Grand Marnier liqueur
• Pinch of kosher salt

assemblage

1. Bring the water to a boil and dissolve the cup of sugar
2. Add the cranberries let them cook for five to seven minutes
3. As the cranberries begin to swell and burst add the orange zest and juice and vanilla bean pulp (you can also toss in the actual beans for a few minutes if you want)
4. Stir to combine and cook for three more minutes
5. Pour in the shot of Grand Marnier and cook for about a minute, add the kosher salt and then remove from the heat
6. Allow to cool before refrigerating
7. Can be made a day or two in advance

Over the past few years I’ve roasted, smoked and prepared an osso bucco style turkey to keep things interesting at Thanksgiving. This year I mixed up my menu yet again by preparing a braised stuffed turkey breast.

I was inspired to stuff a turkey breast after reading Chef Mario Batali‘s recipe for tacchino ripieno (stuffed turkey with prunes), however I decided to use my grandmother’s Italian stuffing recipe as the filling. To that I added a thin layer of pancetta, then rolled it up and braised it in wine and stock.

braised stuff turkey breast

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• 1 butterflied turkey breast
• 1 to 2 cups stuffing (use your family favorite)
• 1/4 pound thinly sliced pancetta
• 1 medium onion
• 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup turkey or chicken stock
• 2 cups red or white wine
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil
• butchers twine

assemblage

• Using a meat tenderizer, pound the butterflied turkey breast down until the thickness is even
• Spread a thin layer of stuffing across the whole breast

• Then layer on the pancetta

• Roll it up and tie tightly with butchers twine in several places

• Rub it down with olive oil and sear on all sides, then remove from the pan or dutch oven
• Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic and saute for five to six minutes, or until fragrant
• Return the turkey breast to the pan or dutch oven, then add the stock and the wine

• Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer for 75 to 90 minutes
• Remove from braising liquid and allow to rest for a few minutes
• Cut the breast into slices, removing the twine as you go to help keep it together

presentation

I simply plated this up by putting two slices on a plate and saucing it with a pearl onion and cranberry sauce that I first discovered a few years ago in Charlotte magazine.

When it came time to choose the dessert portion of our holiday meal we had considered going with the old standby of apple pie. I don’t like pumpkin pie and as much as I love pecan pie the standard configuration would surely wreak havoc on my blood sugar.

However, a friend of ours came over for dinner one night before Thanksgiving and told us about this recipe she found on Whole Foods Market’s website for a chocolate pecan pie that didn’t use a lot of sugar. Intrigued, we looked up the recipe and determined that it was certainly a solid option to do something new for Thanksgiving.

We made a few modifications to the recipe in that we used a mix of baking chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate. Also, we substituted brown sugar for agave nectar, which has been a great find considering my lingering sweet tooth despite my diabetes diagnosis.

For the first run at a recipe the results were great and we will surely be making this again.

chocolate pecan pie

adapted from this Whole Foods Market recipe

hardware

9 in pie pan
large and medium mixing bowls
whisk and spatula
parchment paper or aluminum foil
pie weights or a package of dry beans

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1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust
4 squares (or 4 ounces) baking chocolate
4 squares (or 4 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup+ 1 tablespoon agave nectar*
2 eggs
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups chopped pecans

* you can use 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar as the original recipe called for instead

assemblage

• preheat oven to 350 degrees
• line pan with pie crust, then cover with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans
• bake pie crust for 10-12 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool
• reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees
• melt the chocolate and butter in medium mixing bowl
• combine agave nectar, eggs, vanilla and pecans in large mixing bowl
• stir chocolate mixture into large mixing bowl, then pour into pre-baked pie crust
• bake until set in the middle, approximately 50 to 60 minutes
• be sure to check on the pie as it bakes and cover the crust with foil or pie shield to prevent burning

presentation

When it came time to serve the pie we decorated the edges of the pie with some piped on homemade whipped cream. Then, we served our pie up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

pearl onion & cranberry sauce

courtesy of Charlotte Magazine

• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 ½ c. dried cranberries
• 2 c. peeled pearl onions
• 5 slices bacon (or pancetta)
• 1 c. dry sherry
• 1 c. chicken stock

1. Render bacon with pearl onions for 8-10 minutes
2. Add flour, stir to create a roux
3. Add sherry and chicken stock
4. Add cranberries
5. Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes

grand mariner scented orange cranberry sauce

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 12oz package cranberries
• zest and juice of one orange
• pulp of one vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon extract
• nutmeg, to taste
• cinnamon, to taste
• pinch, kosher salt
• 1 shot Grand Mariner liqueur

1. Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil
2. Rinse the cranberries and sift through them to make sure they are all good
3. When the sugar has completely dissolved in the water add the cranberries
4. Return to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cranberries burst
5. Add the orange juice and zest, vanilla bean pulp (or extract), nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and shot of Grand Mariner
6. Cook for three to five minutes on low, then remove from the heat
7. Put the cranberry sauce in a storage container uncovered for thirty to forty minutes, then cover and refrigerate until it is time to serve

garlic & parmesan smashed potatoes with chives & creme fraiche

• 8 or 9 medium Yukon gold potatoes
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup finely grated parmesan reggiano
• 1 container creme fraiche (can substitute sour cream)
• 1 package of chives, finely chopped

1. Boil the potatoes whole for 35 to 40 minutes, or until fork tender
2. Drain the water and smash the potatoes with a masher
3. Add the garlic, parmesan and half of the creme fraiche and combine
4. Add the remaining creme fraiche and chives, then cover until ready to serve

sauteed green beans with garlic & white wine

• 1# green beans, trimmed and washed
• olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a medium sauce pan bring some water to boil
2. Blanche the green beans for two to three minutes, then remove and shock in an ice cold water bath
3. In a saute pan heat some olive oil, then add the shallot and garlic and cook for two to three minutes
4. Add the blanched green beans to the pan, then season with salt and pepper and cook for two to three minutes
5. Bring up the heat in the pan and then deglaze with the white wine
6. Then add the drained diced tomatoes, if you so choose, cover and remove from heat until ready to serve

stay tuned for tomorrow’s installment – chocolate pecan pie

Even though I ended up roasting the turkey I’m confident that this preparation would produce a fine result if it had been smoked. Once I have resolved my equipment issues I will be recreating this preparation.

dry brine

1 tablespoon kosher salt/5# of turkey

• follow the directions in this LA Times article on how to dry bring your turkey

rub & compound butter

• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon rubbed sage
• 1 tablespoon toasted and cracked fennel seed
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

1. Toast the fennel seed in a dry frying pan for three to five minutes, or until they start to turn a toasty brown color, then set aside and let them cool before grinding in a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle
2. Measure and combine all the remaining spices and add them to the cracked fennel in a medium mixing bowl
3. This recipe will yield a little more than 1/2 cup of the spice rub mixture (which is also equivalent to a little more than 8 tablespoons)
4. Combine 2 tablespoons with 1 stick of room temperature butter and mix to create the compound butter
5. Reserve the rest (or transfer into a shaker, if possible) and use to rub on the turkey before putting it in the smoker

apple & pecan smoked turkey

14 pound dry brined whole turkey
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
1 fennel bulb, quartered
1 granny smith apple, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
1 orange, quartered
3-4 sprigs, fresh thyme
3-4 leaves, fresh sage
1/4 cup mayonnaise
spice rub mix, as prepared
1 cup each apple and pecan hardwoods, soaked in water for at least one hour

• Take all the aromatics and herbs and fill the turkey’s cavity
• With a basting brush lightly coat the exterior with the mayonnaise
• Sprinkle the spice rub mixture all over the turkey with amount and emphasis up to you
• Put the turkey in the smoker (that has been preheated to 225 degrees for 6 to 8 hours or until the meatiest part of the thigh reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees) and put a few cups of water in the smoker’s pan (you can also use apple juice, cola or a beer, if desired)

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s installment – the sides & sauces

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