2C FOOD
Thai
Continue from Page 1C texture that defines a custard… without all the fat and calories. In the end, nobody will suspect that they’re digging into custard “lite.” THAI PUMPKIN CUSTARD Start to finish: 7 hours 30 minutes (20 minutes active) Servings: 6 3 large eggs 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, preferably dark 1/2 cup lite coconut milk 5 ounces fat-free evaporated milk 2 teaspoons finely minced Kaffir lime leaves (or 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest) 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons dark rum (optional) Seeds from 1 vanilla bean or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon table salt 1 cup pumpkin puree Chopped crystallized ginger or toasted coconut, to garnish Heat the oven to 350˚F. Bring a kettle of water to a simmer. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs. Add the brown sugar and beat just until any lumps have dissolved. Add the coconut milk, condensed milk, lime leaves, lime juice, rum, if using, vanilla seeds or extract, salt and pumpkin puree. Beat just until smooth. Divide the mixture between six 1-cup ramekins. Set the ramekins into a rectangular baking pan (such as a lasagna pan), pour enough simmering water into the baking pan to come half way up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully transfer the baking pan to the oven’s middle shelf and bake until a knife inserted at the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the water bath and cool on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 6 hours. Serve each portion topped with some of the crystallized ginger or coconut. Nutrition information per serving: 170 calories; 30 calories from fat (18 percent of total calories); 3.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 90 mg cholesterol; 26 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 23 g sugar; 6 g protein; 170 mg sodium.
Grill
Continue from Page 1C food-safe container large enough to hold the turkey and liquid, combine an additional 2 quarts of cool water, the oranges, cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns. Add the warm sugar-salt solution and stir. Let come to room temperature before using. To use the brine, submerge the turkey in the cool brine. If necessary, add more water to cover turkey and top with a weight to make sure it is completely covered with the liquid. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. GRILLED TURKEY WITH MAPLE-SOUTHERN COMFORT GLAZE The sweet maple syrup, sharply sweet notes of orange—and of course the Southern Comfort— combine not only to create a luscious glaze for the turkey, but also lend an amazing flavor to the pan juices, which make a wonderful gravy. Just remember to glaze only during the final 30 minutes of cooking to prevent burning. Start to finish: 2 to 3 hours (mostly inactive), depending on size of the turkey Servings: 14 1/2 cup maple syrup Juice of 1 small orange 2 tablespoons Southern Comfort 12- to 14-pound turkey, thawed and brined (neck and giblets removed) 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil Ground black pepper Prepare your grill for indirect, medium heat cooking. On a charcoal grill, this entails banking the coals to one side. On a gas grill, it means turning off one or more burners to create a cooler side. In a small bowl or 2-cup measuring cup, whisk together the maple syrup, orange juice and Southern Comfort. Set aside. To prepare the turkey for grilling, remove it from the brine. Set it on a large cutting board. Use kitchen twine to tie together the ends of the legs, then tuck the tips of the wings under them. Brush the olive oil over the entire turkey, then season it with black pepper. Place the turkey on a disposable foil pan before setting on the grill grates. Cover the grill and cook for 11 to 13 minutes per pound, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted at the thickest part of the thigh (not touching the bone) registers 175 F and the juices run clear. Brush glaze on the turkey during the final 30 minutes. Transfer turkey to a platter and let stand for at least 20 minutes before carving.
TEXARKANA GAZETTE 2 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013
Know audience before deviating from tradition By Michele Kayal The Associated Press
Some cooks like to change up the Thanksgiving meal—a sous vide turkey here, a sweet potato souffle there. But on a holiday dedicated to tradition, innovation can spark revolt. “Know your audience,” says Jack Bishop, editorial director of America’s Test Kitchen. “The people I know want a pie for dessert and they’re not really interested in going too far afield. And the turkey is the turkey, and there’s not really a lot you can do there.” But if you’re the cook, making the same meal year after year can be mind-numbing. Here’s a brief guide to knowing just how classic you have to keep the classics, and how far you can push things. TURKEY: Go classic in the prep, but modern in the method. The classic Thanksgiving turkey gets rubbed with butter and salt, and maybe a few herbs. “A lot of people expect the same meal all the time,” says Mary Risley, director of San Francisco’s Tante Marie’s Cooking School. “It’s the one meal that every ethnic group across this country eats. And maybe the Italians have ravioli before, and maybe the Chinese have dumplings before, but everybody has turkey. So don’t mess with the turkey.” But Rick Rodgers, author of more than 40 cookbooks, including “Thanksgiving 101,” says you can keep it real but still have a little fun. “Doing something as simple as cooking the turkey outdoors on your grill is a way to take something traditional into the 21st century,” he says. Bishop says once you’ve broken that mold and put the bird on the grill, you might as well play with a few flavors. “Doing a spice rub with cumin and chili powder and cinnamon, you can have some fun there,” he says. “As long as you choose a spice rub that’s not too unusual and you don’t do it two years in a row you’ll be fine.” And in the home of Erling Wu-Bower, chef de cuisine at Chicago’s Nico Osteria, Cajun-rubbed turkey is traditional. “We make this spicy Cajun lemony rub and poke holes and put whole cloves of garlic in it.” Wu-Bower cooks the bird in the oven wrapped in foil so it essentially steams, then browns it at high temperature. “You can’t touch the turkey,” he says. “This is the traditional bird.” MASHED POTATOES: Go classic, period. If you must play, go no further than casserole. “There has to be mashed potatoes and I’m just not going to mess with that because there’s going to be a lot of people who are going to be very vocal,” Bishop says. He admits to occasionally using eggs to turn the mashed potatoes into a souffle, but nothing crazier than
Associated Press
Q Classic mashed potatoes are a must-have for many peope at Thanksgiving. A host must know their audience, and just how far they can deviate from the same holiday dishes they’ve served year after year. that. “Chives are in it,” he says. “That’s the most out-there ingredient in mashed potato casserole.” Rodgers says your approach to mashed potatoes should be even more basic than that. “Ask yourself, ‘Will it taste good with gravy on it?’” he says. “You have to make mashed potatoes that taste good with gravy.” STUFFING: Go classic on the foundation, innovate on the add-ins. Bishop says first deal with the stuffing base: will it be white bread, cornbread, multi-grain or rice? After settling that, go for the flair. “If you want to experiment, stuffing gives you the most leeway,” he says. “You can add apples, fennel, sausage, bacon, nuts and dried fruit.” If you have a really picky audience, you might want to play it even safer. “Stuffing is a good example of where people expect the expected,” Rodgers says. To feed his jones for something new, Rodgers makes two stuffings—one nothing but white bread, celery, onion and herbs, and one with oysters or wild mushrooms. SWEET POTATOES: Go classic on the concept, modern in the execution. Marshmallows are the classic topping for Thanksgiving sweet potatoes. But the sweetness of that dish and its festive
sensibility can be captured in other ways without causing a riot, these experts say. Bishop suggests a sweet potato puree topped with a streusel of brown sugar, butter and spices. “It’s for people who love the idea of the marshmallows, but it’s more sophisticated,” he says. “Even the people who love the marshmallows seem pretty happy when they get this. It’s sweet, but it’s also crunchy.” If your guests can handle it, Bishop says go nuts and take the dish Indian with cashews and chilies. Maybe even some coconut and cilantro, or coriander and peanut butter for an African flavor. Wu-Bower takes the sweet potato experiment one step further. He suggests browning rounds of roasted sweet potato in olive oil then dousing them in butter, brown sugar, red wine vinegar and neonata, a chili-infused Calabrian fish sauce. Deep fried capers add crunch. VEGETABLES: Do a classic green bean casserole, or go completely off the rails. “I can’t stand green bean casserole,” Bishop says. “There, I just said it. It’s a lot of work and it’s not very good.” Instead, he suggests roasting green beans with red onions and walnuts or tossing them with a maple-mustard glaze. Or simply blanche them and toss them with something crunchy, like sliv-
ered almonds or roasted pumpkin seeds. Wu-Bower offers an Italian take on Szechuan green beans, sauteing them with ground pork, garlic, onions, chilies and garum, a Roman fish sauce. Or break away from the green beans altogether. Wu-Bower suggests marinating broccoli in salt, pepper and olive oil, then grilling it and dressing it in lemon zest, raw garlic, Fresno chilies, mint and white wine vinegar. Tante Marie’s Risley suggests pulsing Brussels sprouts in the food processor and roasting them with olive oil, salt and pepper. PIE: Stick with the classic assortment, but jazz up the ingredients if you must. “You gotta have pumpkin pie, pecan pie and apple pie,” says Wu-Bower. “I feel like half-a-pie per person is a fair amount.” Bishop suggests dressing up the pecan pie with a mixture of semi-sweet, milk and white chocolate chips. Or you can combine the pecan and the pumpkin pies by putting a praline top on a classic pumpkin base. “It feels totally out there, but it’s totally classic,” he says. “That’s a nice twist on a classic.” Apple pie can make friends with cranberries, Bishop says, with a layer of crisp apples atop a base of cranberry jam. “It’s kicking-it-up-a-notch apple pie,” he says.
Another way of presenting butternut squash—in a savory tart By J.M. Hirsch
to make, it even can be prepared ahead Fill a medium saucepan with 2 inchof time (saving valuable oven space on es of water, then fit it with a steamer Much as I love butternut squash— the big day), then briefly reheated just basket. Set the squash in the steamer and firmly believe it belongs on the before serving. basket, then bring the water to a boil. Thanksgiving table—I’ve grown bored Cover and steam the squash until very SAVORY BUTTERNUT with the ways it typically shows up. tender, about 15 minutes. SQUASH TART Too often, the squash is cut into Transfer the squash to a blender or Start to finish: 45 minutes (15 minutes chunks, then either seasoned and roastfood processor. Process or blend until active) ed or steamed and mashed. And while Servings: 8 mostly smooth. Add the eggs, cheese, both approaches can be delicious, they 9-inch prepared (rolled) pie crust brown sugar, thyme, salt and pepper, get tedious year after year. They also 1 3/4 pounds peeled and cubed (about then process again until very smooth. don’t do the squash justice. Face it, a 1/2-inch cubes) butternut squash Remove the crust from the refrigerabowl of mashed squash will always be 3 eggs a runner up to mashed potatoes. And tor and set it on a rimmed baking sheet. 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese of the many roasted dishes that land Carefully pour the squash mixture into 2 tablespoons brown sugar on the table, squash isn’t the one most the crust, then bake for 25 minutes, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme people will reach for. 1 teaspoon salt until set at the center. Cool slightly So I decided to reinvent the 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper before cutting into slices. Thanksgiving squash dish. I wanted Heat the oven to 350˚F. Nutrition information per serving: 220 something with a bit of backbone. Unroll the pie crust and set it over a calories; 90 calories from fat (41 percent Something that stood out and didn’t 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom. of total calories); 10 g fat (4 g saturated; resemble every other—or any other— Gently press the crust into the pan 0 g trans fats); 75 mg cholesterol; 29 g dish on the table. and up the sides. Using your fingers, What I came up with is a simple, crimp and remove any excess dough. carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 6 g savory squash tart. Not only is it easy Refrigerate the crust. protein; 430 mg sodium. The Associated Press
Associated Press
Q A savory butternut squash tart.
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Continue from Page 1C lemons and fresh rosemary into the cavity. (Don’t fret over needing room for the stuffing. We’ll get to that in a moment.) This all takes a few extra minutes, but it’s well worth it. THE BASTE Do it. But don’t do it more than every 30 minutes. Every time you open that oven door, all the heat rushes out. Baste more than every half hour or so and your bird won’t be done until Christmas. THE ROLLS Unless you are an amazing baker, buy your rolls. They’ll be better than what most amateurs can produce. And you won’t spend hours fighting with the dough. Want a homemade touch? Make the butter to go with the rolls. It takes 5 minutes and will be the best butter you’ve ever eaten. Seriously. Dump a quart of heavy cream in a food processor, then turn it on. Let it go for about 3 to 5 minutes. First it will turn into whipped cream, then the buttermilk will break away from the fat. Once the fat (butter) is all clumped together, dumped out the liquid. Place the butter in a bowl and knead it to squeeze out more liquid. Once no more liquid comes out, season it with kosher salt and eat it
at room temp. Best. Butter. Ever. THE MASHED POTATOES Dry potatoes are better potatoes. So after you boil them, spend a few extra minutes spreading them on a baking sheet. Pop the potatoes in the oven at about 350 F for 10 minutes. After the potatoes are dried out, use a ricer to get just the right texture. Then load on the butter and milk. Spare the fat, spoil the potatoes. THE SALAD Waste of time. Waste of money. Don’t do it. Nobody wants it. Nobody eats it. Thanksgiving is about carbs and fat. Be virtuous the next day. THE STUFFING Don’t complicate your life— or your bird—by stuffing your stuffing. This is why casserole dishes were invented. But do spend a little extra to use real bread (not bagged stuffing). Get good bread, let it go stale, cut it into cubes, then toast it in the oven. And when you assemble the stuffing, get some dried fruit in there, which offers a nice contrast of texture and flavor. Dried cherries, cranberries and apricots are all excellent choices. And tons of onions, sage and celery are nice counterpoints to the fruit. Don’t forget an egg or two for structure.
THE CRANBERRY SAUCE Just make it. It’s 5 minutes out of your life and it will make such a difference at the table. Use the recipe on the bag, but add as many other varieties of dried and fresh fruit as you can handle. THE GREEN VEGGIES When in doubt, add bacon. Green beans. Brussels sprouts. Whatever. Bacon makes them better. Money spent on bacon is money very well spent. THE ORANGE VEGGIES We’re talking sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Leave the mashing for the white potatoes. Instead, cut the orange ones into cubes, dust them with cornstarch, a sprinkle of oil and whatever seasonings get you going, then roast them until lightly browned and tender. THE PIE Unless you’ve recently won a bake-off, here’s another place to spend money instead of time. A good baker will make your efforts taste like something from 7-11. Instead, spend your time making fresh whipped cream using really good heavy cream spiked with fresh vanilla bean and a bit of powdered Associated Press sugar. And the same cream can Q Herbs and spices for brining a turkey are shown. Many experts say be piled onto the coffee you even a frozen supermarket bird will suffice if you brine it and brown it. serve with dessert.