Monthly Cooking Thread - November 2021

[Jamestown1630]

Norman Rockwell, Freedom From Want (1943)

People seem to want Thanksgiving to always be the same – there’s a lot of advice out there cautioning against trying something new for family or guests on that day. But I’ve often enjoyed very interesting new recipes at Thanksgiving, in the homes of friends and family who have ignored that advice. I recently found a recipe for turkey stuffing that is quite different from the plain type that I’ve always made; but I’m very tempted to try it. (It may be a little ‘busy’ for some who are used to a plainer bread stuffing.)

I watch a lot of YouTube cooking videos, and I think the most engaging host of all is Chef Jean-Pierre Brehier. He is extremely informative while also being fun and funny, and the kind of person you'd love to have a couple of drinks and a good conversation with.

Chef Jean-Pierre suggests using Costco corn muffins for this stuffing recipe, if you don’t want to make your own cornbread.

For those without access to fresh chestnuts to roast, there are lots of pre-roasted, packaged ones available; but the reviews for many of them are not very positive, so choose carefully. Jean-Pierre appears to use the Roland ones vacuum-packed in a jar, and he just squeezes/tears them into the mixture with his fingers. Fresh chestnuts are available from some of the nut companies if you can't source fresh ones nearby, but they seem to be tricky to buy ahead and store (if you have experience with this, let us know how you handle them.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gvui3lIfWI

Corn Muffins & Sausage Stuffing – Chef Jean-Pierre Brehier

Serves 10

1/2 Cup Dark Spiced Rum, for soaking the raisins

1 cup Dark Raisins

2 pounds Pork Turkey or Chicken Sausage, casings removed

2 cups Yellow Onions diced small

1 ½ cups Celery Hearts diced small

1 ½ cups Carrots diced small

2 tablespoons fresh Sage chopped

2 tablespoons fresh Rosemary chopped

2 tablespoons fresh Thyme chopped

6 cups Corn Muffins or Cornbread crumbled

1 Granny Smith Apples skinned and diced small

1 cup peaches in a light syrup cut into medium dice

¼ cup fresh Parsley chopped

1 cup Roasted Chestnuts

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 cup Milk or Buttermilk

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat Oven to 375°

Spray a baking pan or dish (approx. 15"x10"x2") with a non-stick spray or brush with butter.

Soak the raisins at room temperature in your favorite liquor for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.  If you do not have the time to wait, put them covered in the microwave for 2 minutes to plump them up.

In a large sauté pan over high heat, sauté the sausage and cook until golden brown.  Add the onions and cook until light golden brown.  Add the carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes.  Add the fresh herbs and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the vegetable are almost cooked but not mushy.

Transfer to a large bowl with the muffins; add the apples, peaches, chestnuts, salt and pepper, buttermilk, and raisins mix well.

Pack the lasagna pan with the mixure and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

Put the lasagna pan onto a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour or until the top is golden brown.

For those without access to chestnuts to roast, there are lots of packaged, pre-roasted ones available; but the reviews for many of them are not very positive. Chef Jean-Pierre appears to use the Roland ones vacuum-packed in a jar, and just squeezes/tears them into the mixture.

Fresh chestnuts are available from some of the nut companies, but they seem to be tricky to buy ahead and store (if you have experience with this, let us know how you handle them.)

The Chef also has a good idea for having garlic ready to go in the freezer for all of your recipes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZA2UcvnE6g

*******************************************************

Chef John of ‘Food Wishes’ has posted a recipe for Butterhorn Dinner Rolls which looks pretty easy even for novice bread bakers, and I don’t see why they couldn’t be made the day before and warmed up.

(These are very rich; but for most of us, Thanksgiving isn’t a ‘diet day’):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJUve3My3lE

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

Now, that looks very different and interesting.

I’ve never seen those ladyfingers in my grocery, that I’ve noticed. Is there a readily available brand, or a substitute? Can something Stella D’Oro substitute, if you soak it real well?

[Liz]

I have used other brands successfully.......but didn’t drown them in the syrup.

You want subtle flavors melded together in one Glorious bite.

[Deplorable American1776]

Before we invite family to Thanksgiving, I got to see if we should wear no, 1, 2, 3, or 4 masks at dinner. Anyone got Dr. Fauxi’s phone number? I don’t want to be unsafe... 🤓

[Jamestown1630]

Last year, my doc told me that he and his family were going to try and have Thanksgiving in their backyard - he smiled rather wryly, as if it wasn’t his idea. I’ll see him soon, and ask how it went and what he’s doing this year ;-)

[GnuThere]

All her Hamptons friends would abandon her if she were conservative.

[Liz]

.....I’m pretty sure she’s a “true believer”......

[Capt. Tom]

Get a dutch oven and a cast iron skillet. Those two items alone will greatly expand your cooking repertoire.

I didn't even know what a Dutch Oven was.

After looking at them it is something I would have invented if I was a cooking aficionado.

I am considering on getting a Dutch Oven that is totally cast iron, with a top that can be used separately as a skillet.
It should work on an electric stove.

At my age I don't have to worry about whether fried food is good or not good for me. -Tom

[TianaHighrider]

Cast iron is the healthiest thing to cook in. In my opinion.
You need iron to be healthy. And don’t need to worry about other chemicals from the pan.

And it lasts forever!

[SamAdams76]

Cast iron Dutch ovens are the best and yes, you can use the top for a skillet.

Just used it today. Slice up a couple sweet potatoes - thick slices and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay them on bottom and cook medium high on stovetop for 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

After seven minutes, lay a whole chicken, seasoned how you like it, on top of the sweet potatoes (without flipping the sweet potatoes) and cook for about 90 minutes taking the cover off for the last 30 minutes.

It will be about the best chicken you ever had.

[Jamestown1630]

Try to get one that’s pre-seasoned - or season it very well. They’re too expensive not to take care of. I’m not even sure you can trust pre-seasoned ones, without doing it again yourself:

https://www.southernliving.com/food/how-to/how-t0-season-a-cast-iron-skillet

[KC Burke]

In the last twenty years I have tried to add a lot of fish to my diet. I put Paul Prudhomme’s Salmon seasoning on store bought salmon and trout fillets. Light the grill, sprinkle seasoning on rinsed filet, hit the grill with a brush, spray the grill with Pam for Grilling, slap the fillet on the grill skin side down for 5 minutes, turn for 3 minutes or less. No pan to clean, just burn the grill off during the next pre-heat.

[FamiliarFace]

We volunteered to serve Thanksgiving dinner at a Boys’ and Girls’ Club one of our first year’s here when we moved. Didn’t know a soul and no family came except for one son, so it was very rewarding for us. Everyone was so appreciative and so kind! We need to do that again, but not this year, as we will be traveling to visit family.

[FamiliarFace]

Great tip! Thx!

[FamiliarFace]

Love tiramisu.

Here’s a link for others who want to read about that.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10150331/Tributes-restaurateur-Ado-Campeol-dubbed-father-Tiramisu-dies-aged-93.html

[Diana in Wisconsin]

*BUMP* for Morning Coffee!

[FamiliarFace]

If you can get a crock pot, you can throw a lot of ingredients in there and let it cook all day and do little of the work. Pretty darn good meals. Pot roast is a family fave. One caveat is that you need to brown the meat in the fry pan before putting it in the crock pot. I highly recommend this, and it will open up new avenues for you until you improve your skills. You can find decent ones at Thrift store like Goodwill if money is a problem, but new ones aren’t too terrible.

When I was a kid in college, I cooked a lot like you do now. All I had was a hotpot and an electric fry pan. Microwaves were allowed but I didn’t have money for one. Bought my stuff with Green Stamps (does anyone remember those?). It was all I could afford. I made Steak Diane in my electric frypan for my boyfriend, now my husband, as well as hamburger stroganoff, and chicken cacciatore. One pot meals is what I call them. My mom thought I should’ve written a cookbook. Maybe I would be rich now if I had but I bet there are a lot of one pot cookbooks out there. You can make some tasty and even elegant meals in one skillet or sauce pan. Good luck!

[boatbums]

Chef John of FoodWishes.com has a new episode in time for Thanksgiving where he describes 5 different recipes to cook turkey.

How To Cook Thanksgiving Turkey: From Beginner to Bold

[leaning conservative]

Thank you both for the vacuum sealer information. Really appreciate it.

[leaning conservative]

You’re most welcome. Putting anything dry into a glass jar with a tight fitting lid keeps thing fresh forever: rice,oatmeal, pancake mix, etc.....it also keeps the fridge smell out : )

[boatbums]

My family likes the dressing I make and it couldn't be easier. I take four boxes of Stove Top turkey flavor and then I doctor it some. I use the same amount of butter (two sticks for 4 boxes) but I lightly saute freshly chopped onion and celery in a saute pan with one of the sticks of butter. Then instead of the water, bring the same amount of chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan along with the remaining stick of butter then add the sauteed veggies and stir in the four bags of breading. I usually add a little extra broth and then bake the stuffing in a 9x13 pan for about 20 minutes or so to get a little crustification. You can customize it with adding cooked mushrooms, sausage and/or some toasted walnuts. The turkey Stove Top has some really good herbs in it and the breading is small cubed. It's kind of a cheater version but my fam always asks for it. Goes great with gravy*.

*My gravy is also a cheater version as I use Knorr turkey gravy and use unsalted chicken broth instead a water. I've also added a little cognac to it at times. Great flavor.