Thursday, November 22nd, 2012

HAPPY TURKEY

I wanted to send a quick message wishing you and yours a wonderful, sane, delicious, relatively stress-free Thanksgiving holiday. I am presently awaiting the arrival of my in-laws from Minnesota, and plotting my first Thanksgiving meal in years. My menu (see above) may be a little ambitious (no way I’m getting it all on the table)…how about yours? Is there one dish you always have to have or make? And do you always give a new one a whirl (because you read it in The New York Times or some blog)? For me, the must-have dishes are the sweet potato gratin with thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley and gruyere, and always some crispy tender brussel sprouts (sometimes blanched then sauteed with pancetta and lemon zest, this year I’m going to try a brown butter and maple syrup concoction…or this one from the NY Times). And this year’s give-it-a-whirl is the mashed parsnips.

Here is the 15 pound bird dry-brining in the fridge.

I took the tip from the holiday issue of Canal House–rub all over with kosher salt, put in the fridge for 3 days, massage occasionally, then dry and shove in the oven (this now sounds like fowl erotica).

The result will hopefully be an exceptionally tender turkey. And because we are very lucky, our cousin Nichole brought us a beautiful Bourbon Red from Stone Barns for this year’s feast. She even chased, dispatched, and plucked some of the birds herself. Don’t feel bad for them, they had a very nice life in the hills above Tarrytown, NY.

Have a wonderful holiday! Don’t worry, every family is crazy, not just yours. And let me know what you’re making/eating this year!