Terry Zila's Thanksgiving Recipes, 2015

Last Tuesday, Terry Zila joined me and we talked Thanksgiving.  Here are the recipes we talked about that morning!

Apple Cider Brine

Ingredients:

1 fresh or thawed turkey

2 oranges, sliced

8 cups apple cider
2/3 cups kosher salt
2/3 cup sugar

8 slices fresh ginger root
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 teaspoons allspice berries, crushed
4 cups cold water

1.     Combine the cider, salt, sugar, ginger, onion, carrots, bay leaves, peppercorns and crushed allspice berries in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the heat, add the cold water, and cool to room temperature.

2.     Have ready a pot large enough to hold the turkey and the brine. Place a plastic oven bag inside another to create a double-thickness.  Rest in the bags in a pot or roasting pan to collect any possible leaks and to make moving the turkey easier. Wash the turkey inside and out and remove the giblets and neck and reserve for gravy or stuffing if desired.

3.     Place the turkey inside the double-thickness bag and stand it upright. Place orange slices in the main cavity. Cover the turkey completely with the brine.

4.     Cover or tightly close the bag and refrigerate for 12-24 hours. Turn the turkey 3 or 4 times during the brining.

5.     Before roasting, remove the turkey from the brine and rinse with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels before roasting.

Roast Turkey Breast with perfect poultry gravy

Serves 6

Special equipment: Roasting pan

                              : Roasting rack

                              : Turkey baster

For the turkey breast:

Ingredients:

1 whole 4 ½ to 5 pound, bone-in, turkey breast

¼ cup lemon juice

½ cup olive oil

3 tablespoons minced fresh sage

1 ½ tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the gravy:

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups low sodium chicken stock

1.  Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rinse the turkey breast well and pat dry with paper towels.

     Place a roasting rack in a roasting pan and set the turkey breast on the rack.

2.  In a large mixing cup, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, sage and thyme. At the top

     of the breast, slide your fingers back and forth underneath the skin to separate it from

     the entire breast to create a pocket. Be careful not to tear the skin.

3.  Pour half the mixture inside the pocket and pour the rest over the turkey. Season with

     salt and pepper and place the breast on the roasting rack skin side up.

4.  Roast the turkey breast, basting every 30 minutes, until the juices run clear and

     an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of the breast reads 165°F,

     about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours. Remove the turkey breast from the rack and allow the

     cooked turkey breast to rest while making the gravy.

To make the gravy:

1.  In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, mix the flour and ¾ cup of the chicken stock.

     Shake to completely dissolve the flour in the stock.

2.  Place the roasting pan with the juices on the stove over medium heat. Scrape and

     brown bits up from the bottom of the roasting and with a wooden spoon and

     bring to a simmer. Shake the flour/stock mixture again. Using a whisk, slowly

     add the flour mixture to the pan drippings, whisking constantly until the gravy

     is smooth and thickened. Add additional stock if needed to adjust the thickness

     of the gravy.

Classic Sage Stuffing

Makes 8 cups

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped white onion

½ cup unsalted butter

1 ½ tablespoons fresh sage

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 cups dry bread cubes

1 ½ cup low sodium chicken stock

3 tablespoon unsalted butter

1.   Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, melt the butter and sauté the celery and

      onion until tender but not browned. Add the fresh sage and salt and pepper to taste.

2.   Butter a 2 quart baking dish. Set aside.

3.   Place the bread cube in a large bowl and add the onion mixture and toss to mix.

      Slowly drizzle the chicken stock over the bread cubes, tossing occasionally to

      moisten the bread cubes evenly.

4.   Place stuffing in buttered baking dish and bake, covered, for 30 to40 minutes or until

      heated through. When the stuffing had reached and internal temperature of 160°F,

      remove from oven and uncover, then return stuffing to the oven to crisp the top,

      if desired.

Creamy Paprika Cauliflower with Wild Mushrooms

Serves 8

Special equipment: Enameled Cast Iron 2 quart baking dish

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter separated into two-4 tablespoon portions

¼ cup plain breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

One-2 pound head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 1 inch long florets

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces fresh sliced wild mushrooms

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup flour

2 to 3 tablespoons Agave syrup

3 tablespoons paprika (Not smoked paprika)

3 cup low sodium vegetable broth

1.   Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter baking dish with 4 tablespoons of the unsalted butter.

2.   In a 12-inch skillet, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over high heat. Add the

      breadcrumbs, thyme, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper and sauté until

      breadcrumbs are golden and crisp. With a heat-proof silicon spatula, scrape the

      sautéed breadcrumbs into a small bowl and wipe out the skillet.

3.   Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the same skillet until the butter begins to brown.

      Add half of the cauliflower and sauté until well browned. Transfer the browned

      cauliflower to a bowl and melt the remaining tablespoon of butter. Add the second

      half of the cauliflower and sauté until browned. Return the first batch of cauliflower

      to the pan and add the broth. Cook cauliflower until tender-crisp, then remove from

      heat  and add 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

5.   In the same pan, heat the tablespoon of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cook until

      all the moisture they release has evaporated. Remove from pan and set aside.

6.   Again in the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the flour and,

      stirring constantly, cook until the flour mixture is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

7.   Whisk in the Agave syrup and paprika.

8.   Slowly add the stock over medium heat and whisk until the mixture is smooth and

      creamy.

9.   Place the cauliflower and mushrooms in a large mixing bowl. Pour the sauce over the

      vegetables and toss gently to coat.

10. Spread the mixture into the buttered baking dish and sprinkle the breadcrumbs

      evenly over the top. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Pie Crust

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

¾ cup shortening

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup whole milk

1. Pulse the flour, salt and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a

    metal blade.                       

2. Pulse in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

3. In a mixing cup, measure milk, add egg yolk and lemon juice and blend.

4. Pulse in the milk mixture into the flour/shortening mixture until a soft dough forms.

5. Turn onto a work surface and knead the mixture until smooth and uniform

    (about 30 seconds)

1. Place desired dough between two sheets of waxed paper and roll dough into an 11-inch

    round, ⅛ inch thick.

2. Carefully peel off the top sheet of waxed paper, replace, turn dough over and carefully

    remove the second piece of waxed paper.

3. Slide a hand underneath the waxed paper and place the tart pan over the dough and

    invert.

4. Repeat with the remaining dough for the top crust.