Thanksgiving Part 3

A cocktail, an improved green bean casserole and a Friendsgiving Recap

Hello and Happy Tuesday! I am happy to report back that I survived Friendsgiving(barely) and my first ever turkey was a success.

apologies for the sub par turkey photo, I was WAY too busy living in the moment...

My Turkey Takeaways:

*Note: this was my first turkey! So this is not professional advice, this is just what worked for me using the knowledge I have with cooking poultry!*

*due to timing I did not have the chance to dry or wet brine my turkey, which is what my mom always suggests to do!*

• I was a little pressed for time so I roasted the turkey at 375ºF rather than 350ºF. I found that to bird browned really well and it cut down on time. If you saw my story, I was cooking at a friends house who just so happened to have a 6 burner Viking Range. Let me just say what a LUXURY it was to cook with!

• If you want a brown crispy crust: Pat the skin dry with paper towels. Season the top and the inside of the cavity with salt, pepper, paprika. Take a little brown sugar and rub into the top of the skin.

• Don’t throw out the neck and giblets.

• My Turkey must have had awkward proportions because only one wing tip could actually stay tucked under the turkey… so i just covered them with aluminum foil so they wouldnt burn, highly recommend doing this if you also have trouble!

• Stuff the turkey cavity with onion, celery, carrots, garlic, lemon and thyme.

• Make a compound butter. For a 20 lb turkey I used 2.5 sticks of butter. Using majority of the butter under the skin, and a little for the top.

  • Compound Butter Ingredients

    • 2.5 Sticks Unsalted Butter Room Temp

    • Zest of an Orange

    • 1 Tbsp Thyme

    • 2 Tbsp Chopped Rosemary

    • 2 Tbsp Chopped Sage

    • 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

    • 1 Tbsp Whole Grain Mustard

    • 1 Shallot Minced

    • 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar

    • Pinch of Salt

    • Pepper

    • 1/2 tsp Paprika

• I left the bird uncovered in the oven for about 30 minutes in the very beginning so the sugar could caramelize the top and create and nice brown crust. Then I covered it loosely with aluminum foil. I removed the foil for the last 15-20 minutes of cook

• Add the neck and giblets to a medium sized saucepan with half water and half chicken broth. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic and thyme. Simmer and Skim any scum that appears. Simmer for 2-3 hours, strain and use it for homemade gravy along with the turkey drippings!

• I used a meat injector to ensure the turkey wasn’t dry. I injected it at the half way point with melted rosemary butter (place butter (1.5 sticks in a sauce pan on low heat, once it melts add in a clove of garlic and rosemary sprigs, allow rosemary to slowly steep in the butter releasing its flavor) I then injected it once more during the last hour of cooking. Basting it in between about every 30-45 minutes.

• Let the turkey rest for 30 Minutes before slicing. During this time I had my side dishes heating in the oven and making the gravy in a skillet. Making homemade gravy is super simple! Using a saucepan or skillet add the turkey drippings, slowly add flour and whisk, thinning it out with the turkey stock. Season to taste.

Overall, cooking for 30 people was a CHALLENGE. If you’re also cooking for a very large crowd this year I highly recommend time blocking your schedule, making a grocery list (and checking it twice), along with prepping as much as you can the day before! Time management is everything. :)

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OKAY. Back to the regular program.

Cranberry Spritz

-You can easily turn this cocktail into a batched cocktail station!

Ingredients For 1 Cocktail

• 1 oz. Cranberry Ginger Syrup (recipe below)

• 2 oz. Aperol

• 3 oz. Prosecco

• Top with Sparkling Water/Club Soda

• Garnish: Rosemary, Cranberries and Orange Slices

To a cocktail or wine glass add 1 oz. Cranberry Syrup, 2 oz. Aperol. Add ice. Top with Prosecco and a splash of soda. Garnish with an orange slice, fresh cranberries and a sprig of rosemary.

For a batch! (makes 8 cocktails)

• 8 oz. Cranberry Ginger Syrup (recipe below)

• 16 oz. Aperol

• 1 Bottle of Prosecco

• 1 Liter of Soda Water

• To a large container combine aperol and cranberry ginger syrup. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

• Prepare a Cocktail station with garnish, prosecco and sparkling water/club soda

Cranberry Ginger Syrup Ingredients

• Juice of 1 Orange (~1/4 Cup)

• 4-5 Orange Peels

• 4-5 Pieces of Sliced Ginger

• 1 Cup Water

• 1 & 1/2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries

• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar

How I made it:

In a saucepan combine the juice of one orange, water, orange peels, ginger, sugar and cranberries. Stir on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Simmer for 10 minutes or until 75% of the cranberries have split/popped. Allow to cool before straining and storing in the fridge. Syrup can last up to 1 month in the fridge.

Cranberry Spritz

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Miso Green Bean Casserole

Very Classic but with a couple twists and a homemade mushroom gravy situation.

-The inspiration for this recipe came from a couple places. I find that green bean casseroles are quite boring? So I wanted to mix it up. There was a spicy/crunchy green bean dish on the menu at a restaurant I worked at so I thought the crunchy fried alliums mixed with something spicy on top would work better than the store bought kind(and I was right). An impulse buy of a large container of miso happened a couple weeks ago so I knew I wanted to incorporate that with the mushrooms. Panko breadcrumbs and the new Algae Cooking Club Gochugaru Chili Oil were also used (regular chili crisp/chili oil works too!). OR go check out Meredith’s Thanksgiving chili crunch from Wishbone Kitchen, it looks DIVINE. -Recipe is on her website!

*Keep in mind, I am trying to use some of the specialty grocery items (like miso paste) in more than one thanksgiving recipe because I don’t want you buying something to use once and waste away in your fridge!*

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 45 Minutes

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• 24 oz. FRESH Haricots Verts/Green Beans (1 & 1/2 lbs)

• 8 oz. Baby Bella Mushrooms Halved and Sliced Thin

• 1 Medium Yellow Onion Diced

• 3 Cloves Garlic Minced

• 1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme Chopped

• 2 Tbsp White Miso Paste

• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

• 3 Tbsp Butter

• 1/4 Cup Flour

• 1 & 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream

• 1 Cup Chicken Broth

• 1/3 Cup Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs

• Salt and Pepper

• Red Pepper Flakes

• Olive Oil

Crispy Topping Ingredients

• 5 Cloves Garlic Thinly Sliced

• 2 Small Onions Thinly Sliced

• 2 Shallots Thinly Sliced

• Vegetable/Canola Oil

• Flour

• Salt

• Optional: Chili Crunch and Chili Oil

How I made it:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF

In a medium sized pan bring water up to a simmer. Salt the water. Blanch Haircot Verts/Green Beans for 2 Minutes. Strain and plunge into ice cold water. Optionally you can cut the beans in half if you so choose.

In a skillet on medium heat, add olive oil and 1 Tbsp of butter. Once butter is melted add chopped mushrooms. Spread in a single layer. Cook for 3 minutes without disturbing. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 1 minute. Add Onions. Cook for 2 minutes. Once onions begin to have translucent edges add fresh thyme. Stir. Add soy sauce and minced garlic along with a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook for 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Add 2 Tbsp of Butter and 2 Tbsp of miso paste. Stir. Once miso paste is worked into the mixture gradually sprinkle in 1/4 Cup of Flour. (it’s going to look funky… trust the process!). Slowly pour in 1 Cup of Chicken Broth. Stir and allow to thicken. Once a thick paste forms add in Heavy Cream. Bring to a simmer. Add LOTS of Black pepper.

While the mushroom sauce is thickening use a small skillet/saucepan to toast the panko over low heat until golden brown.

Once sauce is thickened season to taste.

Using a baking dish add blanched green beans, pour sauce over the top making sure green beans have all been covered. Top with a thin layer of toasted panko breadcrumbs.

Bake in the oven for 25-30 Minutes until warm and bubbly. While this is baking, heat up vegetable/canola oil in a skillet. Lightly flour the onions. Fry the shallots, onion and garlic until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Place on paper towels to soak up any excess oil. Season with a pinch of salt.

Sprinkle over fried alliums along with a drizzle of chili oil/crunch. Serve and enjoy!

Miso Green Bean Casserole

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Happy Cooking and Happy Eating :)! -Kristen Faith

Part 4 will have the sweets and remaining cocktails!!