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THANKSGIVING IS LESS THAN THREE WEEKS AWAY!
14 comments
06 November 2009
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FOLLOWING IS HOW WE PREPARE STUFFING AND ROAST TURKEYS, AT THANKSGIVING, PARIS
Thanksgiving's method for a perfect turkey…
Preheat oven very hot (250°C). While oven is heating, rub the exterior of the turkey with butter, duck or goose fat and season the cavity with salt, pepper and your favorite herbs. Stuff about ¾ full just before putting in the oven to allow the stuffing to expand during cooking. Roast at this high temperature 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 150°C (350°F). Plan on 40 minutes of cooking time per KG for a stuffed bird under 7 KG; for larger or unstuffed turkeys allow 30 to 35 minutes per KG. If your oven is convection (air pulsé or chaleur tournant), roasting time should be cut by about 20%. Baste with the rendered juices every 20 minutes or so, squirting a bit of juice into the cavity from time to time to moisten the stuffing. If the top of the turkey is closer than 3cm to the roof of the oven or heating element, tent the turkey loosely with foil after it has browned to prevent burning. Large turkeys also benefit from a loose foil covering after browning. About twenty minutes before the end of planned cooking time, prick the part of the thigh closest to the body with a knife. If the juices run clear or yellow, the turkey is done. If the juices are pink, return the turkey to the oven and try again in 10-20 minutes. After the turkey is cooked, allow it to stand at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes, according to size, before removing the stuffing and carving the bird.
…. and basic stuffing
Combine dry stuffing crumbs such as Pepperidge Farm with leftover stale bread of any sort (cornbread is worth making just for this), broken into tiny pieces--run briefly through a food processor if necessary (but don't process too fine or you will have soggy stuffing). The more variety of breads and size of crumbs the better. Two days before cooking your turkey, add chopped raw onion and celery (app 1 cup of each to 4-6 cups or dried bread), herbes de provence and/or sage, oregano, thyme, etc, salt and pepper, dried cranberries and broken pecans to the bread, mix thoroughly, and store in a bag or covered container in the fridge. The humidity of the veggies will slightly moisten the crumbs and flavor them. Stuff your turkey as indicated above and roast, remembering to squirt some juices into the turkey while basting it during the cooking period. Personalize the basic mix by adding: olives, dried apricots, chopped fresh or rehydrated dry mushrooms, pine nuts, seeds, apples, fresh raw cranberries, garlic, corn kernals, water chestnuts, bacon—or whatever strikes your fancy. Only stuff the bird ¾ full; you should make extra stuffing mix as there is never enough stuffing in the bird to go around. To prepare on top of the stove, melt butter in a large pot (about 125g, or 1 US stick) per 8 cups of stuffing, add the stuffing and stir over med-high heat until the butter is distributed throughout. Add about 1 cup of chicken stock or water—it should hiss: immediately lower the heat to minimum, cover and let steam for 5-10 min. Then remove lid and stir. Add more liquid if necessary, and let sit covered until desired consistancy. Before serving, mix with stuffing from turkey.
08 November 2009 08:03
Helen Boudreaux, Catahoula, Louisiana, USA
Fig Cake
1 cup sugar
½ cup soft oleo (margarine)
½ cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup boiling water
1 pint fig preserves (or any preserves you want)
2½ cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans
Mix all ingredients by hand, do not use mixer.
Add water last.
Pour in well greased & floured pan.
Bake 350 degrease for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until tests is done.
Compliments of Mary Zula Broussard
Lafayette, Louisiana, USA
01 November 2009 21:31
Helen Boudreaux, Catahoula, Louisiana, USA
Tarte du vieux temp
(Old time tarts)
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp soda
1 cup flour
1 egg
¼ cup shortening
½ cup evap milk
1 tsp vanilla or nutmeg
Have all ingredients at room temperature.
Sift and combine dry ingredients.
Cream sugar and oil, add egg and cream again.
Combine dry ingredients with creamed mixture, alternating with milk.
Use all the flour until the dough is manageable. Roll dough into 12 balls. Roll out saucer size. Spoon in favorite preserves, fold over into half moon and seal.
Bake at 375 degrees until light brown- about 12 to 15 minutes.
Compliments of Mary Zula Broussard.
Lafayette, Louisiana, USA
October 31, 2009
01 November 2009 20:59
Loni Sherman, New York City and Connecticut
For the past 10 years, we have celebrated the holiday in our country home in CT. It is a true "colonial home" having been built in the 1770's. We pray for cold weather so we can light all three fireplaces but the huge one in the dining room is our favorite. It has been a very small gathering in the past, my husband, two daughters, and brother-in-law. However, Robin was married last year to Rob whose 10 year old daughter, Sabena, joined us last year. This year we have invited Sabena's mother, her new husband, and even her mother to join us and we hope they enjoy our gathering as much as we do. As the main cook (both our daughters contribute offerings), I have been instructed, rather ordered, not to tamper too much with tradition. The roasted turkey is far too big for our small group but we do not waste a scrap and look forward to preparing Michael Field's wonderful soup with barley and wild mushrooms. The stuffing will never change: one cup each fresh bread crumbs, uneeda biscuit crumbs, grated carrot, minced celery, minced onion, minced mushrooms (thank heavens for the Cuisinart) along with lots of parsley, herbs, and eggs. Plain veggies to replace the Julia's broccoli mornay we used to make; oh, always gravlax with drinks before dinner. Of course, a good cooked cranberry compote and LOTS of desserts. Robin will make a vegetarian "plat" but will probably say, "someday I might eat turkey again; it smells so wonderful"; Sabena's mom is also a vegetarian. You can see we are creatures of habit when it comes to this holiday. But this year I am adding a terrific new (to us) condiment: a warm quince and apple compote (or course, it would be even better with a pork dish). The quince are from our centuries old tree; while you hardly see the fruit in the markets, the colonists in New England often planted a tree near their homestead. We have a bumper crop this year so I hope to put up or freeze lots of this wonderful savory and not very sweet condiment. I hope everyone likes it as much as I do. Happy holiday to all.
26 October 2009 16:32
Angie, Houston, TX
Plans are shaping up this year to have Thanksgiving Dinner with our sailing friends. Anytime you do a dinner with another family, your recipes change or meld together. We may be cooking here at our house or at our friend's house. It all depends on just who all joins us.
We discussed making a roasted turkey and a smoked turkey in our smoker (if we are out here). We like wild rice stuffing and bread stuffing. I like bread stuffing, my husband likes wild rice stuffing so we have to have both. We will have the standard mashed potatoes and turkey gravy, for sure. We both like our own grandmother's green beans which are cooked a long time with bacon, pepper and onion. Luckily, our recipes sound very similar.
I want to make homemade rolls using a recipe from our friend's in Mobile, Alabama. We can start these the night before. We will also have some type of sweet potato casserole, corn cooked simply. We also like green olives stuffed with pimento and jellied cranberry sauce on the side. I'm sure other things will appear on the table when we get together which makes it all fun!
Wishing you all a very happy and family-filled holiday!
25 October 2009 23:13
Marian Campbell Fyfe, Dana Point, CA
Judy...I am so sorry, I love to cook, but my family is so small that it's just easier to make reservations...(isn't there a Jewish girl joke here?). This year we're going to the Chart House. Last year, we went to the Ritz Carlton. Can you believe that they didn't have a real turkey carving?....It was turkey loaf! I never knew that I needed to ask the Ritz. So, we are happily dining at the Chart House who does have the turkey carved by the chef...
If you do this at Christmas, I'll send my crown prime rib menu :)
24 October 2009 02:23
Margery Cohen, Red Bank NJ USA
I'll be making my usual: a stuffed pumpkin. The stuffing will have onions, spinach, mushrooms, parmesan and croutons. My sister will bring the turkey; I'm a vegetarian. Still thinking about the other dishes. Perhaps acorn squash soup with fennel or.... I had a dream that I made a shrimp and corn chowder so I might make that. A previous post made me think to roast the corn first. I'd like to make a kale dish too. And a roasted root medley. I'll go to the Asian market and get some unusual root vegetables to include with potatoes and yams.
23 October 2009 15:58
Evan Bench, Paris
We are planning a Mexican Thanksgiving this year instead of the traditional Turkey, etc. we make Mexican holiday dishes:
Traditional Mexican Caldo
Tamales
Cochinita Pibil
lots of guacamole
fried plaintains
I've found almost everything in Paris except for the Plantains...(and we can't use bananas - just wouldn't be the same).
Evan & Delphine
You can find plantains at the African market at Chateau Rouge--open every day but Monday
Judith
22 October 2009 19:27
nanny, atlanta
OK, feeling terribly guilty for being so hard to please... I thought of another time...I tried to do something nice...A young, handsome artist who was a close friend, arrived with a grocery store apple pie in the foil thing with the label...As he handed it to me he saw the Apple tart that I had made arranged like rose petals with an apricot glaze and rose leaves around the edge. I was trying to avert his attention but it was too late and he had seen mine...He just shrugged and said we should save his for an emergency...The next year he was last to arrive and we looked out the window and an unfamilar SUV was outside. I opened the door and he was carrying a large painting...One in a series of 3, one of the others is owned by Elton J...I guess I didn't offend him after all!
21 October 2009 23:19
anonymous
This one will have to be anonymous! For years I had many of my friends to dinner for Thanksgiving. I was the only one with parents who lived locally so I did all of the holidays for them. We had printed menus, a gift at each place, hand written invitations, etc. Very fancy! The year after my Mother died, I realized that I had really gone to all of that excess for her...she enjoyed it So much. So that next year I told my friends that I would still have the holiday at my house... I love to set the table, etc...I would do the Turkey, Bar and several other traditions that each of my friends enjoyed...BUT I was asking everyone to make something for the first time. Without talking to each other they each said "NO"...What! Individually each said that it would never be right, never be on the right dish and it would make me miserable. Am I really that tough?? I was in Interior Design school at the time and told a teacher about this response...He said" Oh, honey they are so right...don't ever do that...if you ask them to bring something you must give them a recipe and the proper dish to bring it on!" So I am going to try it again this year (16 years later)... I'll let you know!
21 October 2009 21:59
daviddrinks, Paris
It all sounds delicious. Makes me hungry just reading it. I look forward to more in the days and weeks to come!
21 October 2009 12:31
Bob Harrington, Fayetteville, Arkansas USA
I am currently living in Northwest Arkansas. I have an interest in regional cuisines of North America and will be sharing the following dishes over Thanksgiving. These are contemporary versions of traditional Arkansan foods and preparations. Attached are recipes for the duck and sweet potato pone.
Cheers,
Bob Harrington
SOUP
Roasted corn and tomato soup with peppered bacon and smoked catfish
MAIN COURSE
Molasses glazed duck breast with sweet potato pone and baby green beans
DESSERT
White Chocolate-Blueberry Biscuit Pudding with Ruby Port/White Chocolate Sauce
RECIPES
MOLASSES GLAZED DUCK BREAST WITH SWEET POTATO PONE AND BABY GREEN BEANS
Ingredients:
6 each duck breasts, boneless (about 3-4 ounces per person)
½ cup brandy (or moonshine if you have it)
1 ½ ounces fresh thyme
2 each bay leaves
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 Tblsp. Whole-grain mustard
1 Tblsp. Sorghum Molasses
¾ cup of red wine
1 cup of veal stock
Cornstarch
Salt and course ground black pepper to taste
Servings: 6
Duck preparation:
1. Combine the brandy, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, molasses and mustard. Trim the duck breasts to remove about 1/3 of the duck skin/fat, add the duck to the marinade for several hours or overnight.
2. Remove the duck breasts from the marinade, reserving the marinade for use in the glaze. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat; place the duck breasts in skin-side down and sear. Once nicely seared, turn the breasts over and place the sauté pan in a preheated oven of 400 degrees. Cook until the breasts are medium rare inside.
3. Remove the duck breasts from the pan and keep warm. Pour off excess fat from the pan and deglaze the pan with the red wine; reduce by 1/2. Add the ½ of the marinade and stock and reduce by 1/2. Season the reduced liquid with salt and pepper. Thicken the sauce to a jus lie consistency with a little cornstarch (or arrowroot) mixed in water.
4. Slice the duck breasts on the bias and serve with sweet potato pone, drizzle with jus lie and garnish with sautéed baby green beans and “deviled tomato”.
SWEET POTATO PONE
Pone is a traditional southern term for a dish made which can be made from corn, sweet potato or regular potato. This version is sweet with sweet spices similar to other southern sweet potato dishes.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups finely grated raw sweet potatoes
1 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
PREPARATION:
Mix the grated sweet potatoes with the milk to prevent discoloring. Combine the ingredients in order given. Pour into a greased shallow baking pan. Bake in a 350° oven for 30 minutes; stir with a fork.
20 October 2009 22:55
Amber F, Paris
I plan on having a Franco-American Thanksgiving dinner (evening) with my French boyfriend Germain's family. It will be similar to last year, with a delicious stuffed Turkey catered from Thanksgiving Paris, and the following homemade items:
En entree:
Champagne and roasted pumpkin seeds
En plat:
-Turkey and stuffing (Judith's is divine)
-Sweet potato casserole (the marshmallows on top shocked my French dinner guests last year; Germain's mother hesitated to allow his little brother even to have any during the meal)
-Green beans with almonds
-Mashed potatoes and gravy
-Wild rice with turkey drippings (my dad's favorite)
-Homemade rolls (instead of baguette! Scandalous!)
-French red wine!
En dessert:
-Shockingly enough, no cheese plate; I had to strong arm Germain's family last year to save fromage for another day!
-Homemade cheesecake, my mother's recipe
-Homemade pumpkin pie (Germain's uncle's favorite)
20 October 2009 22:31
Debbie, Fort Washington, Maryland, USA
My Thanksgiving Menu usually consists of the following: (Everything is Homemade)
Turkey withcornbread/sage sausage stuffing/Gravy
Leg of Lamb/Gravy
Spareribs/Sauerkraut
Macaroni and Cheese
Mashed Potatoes
String Beans
Kale, Collards, Turnip Greens Mixed
Candied Yams
Turnips
Apple Pie
Sweet Potato Pie
Spinach/Potato Soup
Pumpkin Cheesecake/Topped with Miniature Marshmallows,Coconut,Pineaple, Manderin Oranges
Lemon Pound Cake/Lemon Drizzle
Chocolate Layer Cake/Milk Chocolate Icing
Sometimes Griffin will also fry a turkey for me, that's delicious too!
I love to cook!!! When everyone moans while eating and they all start looking sleepy right after eating...I know I hit the nail on the head! (Smile)
I cook like my Mom has done for years. I don't have any recipes per se however I know by touch, feel, taste and appearance for presentation. When I visit we can do things together so you can see how I do things and maybe some recipes will come out of it
Love, Peace and Happiness,
20 October 2009 15:22
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20, rue Saint Paul 75004 PARIS Tel: 01 42 77 68 29
store hours: Tues-Sat 10:30am to 7:00pm, Sun 11:00am to 6:00pm
restaurant: Saturday brunch 12:00 to 2:30pm, Sunday brunch 11:00 to 3:30pm reservations recommended