Ironic, isn't it, that I haven't posted a thing since just before Thanksgiving? The holidays are that busy time of year for food and drink. This is precisely why I have not posted, because I've been so preoccupied with organizing my family, preparing the home, hosting, traveling, etc. With the holidays ending and into this New Year of 2010, I feel I can finally reflect on that positive yet hectic cluster of weeks.
I will start with an observation. My husband and I are huge fans of the TV show Heroes, and I watched amused as Noah (Jack Coleman) met up with his former covert-op colleague in a grocery store. They discussed Thanksgiving preparations, and she advised him not to buy a frozen bird "unless you want to wait till Christmas (for it to thaw)"...then she guided him through the myriad traditional Thanksgiving recipes and preparations. This struck me as implausible, that a career spy such as this woman, who is young and consumed by her job, is such an expert on large-scale, from-scratch food preparations! OK, perhaps she has a 'hidden' past...the older sister who had to help parent several siblings, or she threw herself into domesticity after high-school/college before deciding on a career in espionage. But really, this is unlikely. And if that is NOT the case, how did she gain such know-how about Thanksgiving meals? Wow. Speaking for myself, it took me years -- YEARS!-- of cooking for myself, then my family, of consulting recipes, developing techniques, and hours in the kitchen and grocery store, to develop any knack for roasting a bird and preparing stuffing from scratch. I don't say that to tout my own horn, but to ask, where and how did she find the time?! If anything, her friend Noah, a married family man for years, would possibly know more than her on that count. At least he would have heard his wife grousing about defrosting the turkey on time, right? Hmmm...or maybe since she is a woman she learned through gender osmosis? I know, it's just a TV show, and a minor point, but I couldn't help find it funny.
Having said all this, I should bring up a point that negates that very assertion: plenty of world leaders, politicians, etc. love to cook. Even more of them love to eat. But the chefs among them often grew up in a family of cooks, and that is where they picked it up. More food for thought, no pun intended. Ok enough on that. Now that I got that out of my system, I'd like to hear your own thoughts on this. And move on to another subject.
Speaking of food preparation, I have discovered that cooking for myself or my family is one thing: entertaining for a larger crowd with diverse tastes, ages, and appetites is another. So this year, I did the American thing and outsourced most of the Thanksgiving meal. I focused mainly on preparing the turkey, and bought most other dishes ready-made. This allowed me to have one centerpiece dish in which to pour my passions, and focus the rest of my energy on serving and presenting the food. Way easier on my body.
Thanksgiving Turkey
My method for turkey has evolved over time, but it works for my family. At least it must, because they ask for it yearly. Generally I buy a 15-18-pound bird, organic and free-range. I prepare it on the Wednesday/day before Thanksgiving. I place 2 4-foot sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil in a large roasting pan, letting about 2 1/2 feet hang out (so I can later fold it over the bird for cooking). I fold the wings back into "sunbathing" position, then manually separate the breast and leg skin from the flesh. Don't forget to open the giblet package, rinse and place in the pan too! Then, pack a mixture of crushed and chopped fresh rosemary, fresh sage, fresh thyme, oil, garlic powder, worcestershire sauce inside that skinflap and rub it around. Add sliced raw yellow onions to the skinflap and cavity. Douse 1/3 of a bottle of good-quality cognac in that flap, in the cavity, and around the outside of the bird. Cover with the foil, place in a fridge or cold garage shelf, and marinate for 24 hours. Then, at about 12noon on Thanksgiving Day, I put the bird into the oven and add about 2 cups of water to the pan. Bake on a convection current at 350 degrees (Fahrenheit). Baste every 20 minutes or so, for the next 4-5 hours. During the last hour, I uncover the bird so it can brown nicely. The bird will be very tender.
While the bird cooks, I do make a low-fat stuffing with pepperidge-farm cubed stuffing and low-sodium chicken broth. And a fresh green salad, and cranberry sauce, because it is very simple to make. The rest of the side dishes and desserts, such as sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, peas, I buy ready-made from a store of my choice. I prefer the sides from Whole Foods, but the apple and pumpkin-pies from a local bakery. Outsourcing works for setting the table! Have a family member do it, and thank them profusely. No need to be a martyr -- accept help. That's my philosophy right now. Voila, a dinner is made, and I have not fallen from exhaustion.
No comments:
Post a Comment