French Gourmet Thanksgiving Dinner
Appetizer: Beet soup in Acorn Squash
Squash makes a perfect bowl for this soup.A festive presentation brings a holiday feel to the inventive beet soup.
Recipe from Epicurious.com.
For roasted squash:
8 (1- to 1 1/4-pound) acorn squash
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
For soup:
1 large red onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 medium beets (2 pounds without greens), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red apple such as Gala or Braeburn, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
4 to 5 cups water
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cut off "tops" of squash (about 1 inch from stem end) and reserve. Scoop out seeds and discard. Cut a very thin slice off bottoms of squash to create a stable base. Brush "bowls" and tops all over with oil and sprinkle salt inside. Arrange squash bowls, with tops alongside, stem ends up, in 2 large shallow baking pans.
Roast squash in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until flesh of squash is just tender, about 1 1/4hours total.
Make soup while squash roast. Cook onion in oil in a 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add beets and apple and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds.
Add broth and 4 cups water, then simmer, uncovered, until beets are tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in vinegar and brown sugar.
Purée soup in 3 batches in a blender until very smooth, at least 1 minute per batch (use caution when blending hot liquids), transferring to a large bowl. Return soup to pan, then season with salt and pepper and reheat. If soup is too thick, add enough water to thin to desired consistency.
Serve soup in squash bowls.
Entree: Cornish Hen and Blood Orange Pot au Feu
Two finished and served hens.For a Thanksgiving feast that is sure to impress, cornish hen makes a great replacement for turkey. This is a French dish ideal for serving individual guests.
Recipe from VisualRecipes.com.
2 Cornish Hens
3 cloves Garlic (diced)
1 small bulb Fennel
2 Carrots
1-2 Parsnips
2 stalks Celery
1 small Onion
1 Sweet Potato
3-4 Red Pearl Onions
3 Medjool Dates
15-20 Tellicherry Peppercorns (roasted)
2 Bay Leaves
2 sprigs Thyme
1 Blood Orange (peeled and segmented in supremes)
1 cup Blood Orange Juice
2 tbsp Ginger (minced)
1/3 cup Cognac
For the glaze:
3 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
3 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Honey
1/2 Blood Orange
Tourne the carrots, sweet potato, and parsnips (getting about 3 bouquetieres of each per serving). Peel the pearl onions, and wash and pit the dates. Save the carrot peelings for mirepoix later. Dice the celery, onion, fennel, and garlic.
Place the cornish hens and giblets in a pot and fill with enough cold water to cover them. Bring the Water to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Skim off the top layer. Add your mirepoix, fennel, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
For the glaze, zest the blood orange and add the juice from it. Add the honey, mustard, and vinegar, and while whisking, slowly add the olive oil.
Side: Winter Fruit and Nut Stuffing
A spoonful of stuffing. Most stuffings are bread, herb and meat-based, so this recipe offers a creative change with dried fruit and wine.
Recipe from Epicurious.com.
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter
2 large Anjou pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups Sauternes or other sweet white wine
1 1/2 cups chopped pitted prunes
1 1/2 cups chopped dried apricots
1 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
14 cups 1/2-inch cubes crustless firm white bread (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 cup pecans, toasted, chopped
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears; sprinkle with sugar. Sauté until pears are golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to very large bowl; mix in cinnamon. Melt remaining 10 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery; sauté until golden, about 15 minutes. Add wine and next 5 ingredients. Simmer until liquid is reduced almost to glaze and mixture is soft and moist, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Mix into pears. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Reheat to lukewarm before continuing.)
Mix bread and pecans into fruit mixture. Season stuffing with salt and pepper.
To bake stuffing in turkey: Loosely fill main cavity and neck cavity of turkey with stuffing. Generously butter baking dish. Spoon remaining stuffing into prepared dish. Cover dish with buttered foil, buttered side down. Bake stuffing in dish — alongside turkey or while turkey is resting — until heated through, about 25 minutes. Uncover stuffing in dish. Bake until top of stuffing is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer.
To bake stuffing in dish: Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Transfer stuffing to prepared dish. Bake uncovered until heated through, about 35 minutes.
Side: Herbed Potato Gratin with Roasted Garlic and Manchego
A dish of the simmering gratin. Again, nix the potato casserole in favor of this side, which incorporates smoky cheese and yummy potatoes.
Recipe from FoodAndWine.com.
3 heads of garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 quart half-and-half
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper
5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
9 ounces aged Manchego cheese, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
5 ounces San Simón or smoked Gouda cheese, shredded (1 cup)
Preheat the oven to 375°. In a 9-inch cake pan, drizzle the garlic with the oil. Cover with foil and roast for 40 minutes, until tender. Let cool, then squeeze out the cloves.
Mash the garlic to a paste and transfer to a saucepan. Add the half-and-half, thyme and rosemary and bring to a boil. Simmer over very low heat until reduced to 3 cups, 20 minutes; season with salt and pepper.
Arrange one-fourth of the potatoes in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with one-fourth of the shredded cheeses and drizzle lightly with the garlic cream. Repeat the layering with the remaining potatoes, cheese and cream. Pour any remaining cream on top and press the top layer of potatoes to submerge it.
Bake the gratin for about 1 1/2 hours, until golden and bubbling. Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
Dessert: Spiced Pumpkin Souffle
A ramekin filled wtih the souffle.Instead of pie, try this pumpkin dessert that is (again) perfect for individual servings and has Thanksgiving flavors to round out your meal.
Recipe from Epicurious.com.
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of ground cloves
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided, plus additional for coating ramekins
3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin (from a 15-oz can, not pie filling)
10 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
Equipment: 8 (6-ounce) ramekins
Garnish: confectioners sugar
Whisk together milk, cornstarch, spices, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking, then simmer, whisking, 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and whisk in pumpkin. Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in lower third. Butter ramekins and coat with granulated sugar, knocking out excess, then put in a large shallow baking pan.
Beat egg whites with salt in another large bowl using an electric mixer until they hold soft peaks. Add remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar a little at a time, beating, then beat until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks, 1 to 2 minutes more.
Fold one third of whites into cooled pumpkin mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Divide mixture among ramekins, mounding it.
Bake soufflés until puffed and golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Dust with confectioners sugar and serve immediately.
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