freshstart48
Quakertown, PA
age: 48
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Ok most of the time I'm a wiseass in the forums but one thing I do know is how to cook. I worked as a chef for several years and would like to share some great meals with you. Here's the first in the series.
Maple Glazed Turkey
If fresh majoram and thyme is unavailable, 2 teaspoons of dried may be substituted.
2 cups apple cider
1/3 cup real maple syrup
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram
2 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
3/4 cup butter
salt and ground black pepper to taste
14 pounds whole turkey, neck and giblets reserved 2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
2 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons apple brandy (optional)
1 Boil apple cider and maple syrup in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and mix in 1/2 of the thyme and marjoram and all of the lemon zest. Add the butter, and whisk until melted. Add salt and ground pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until cold (syrup can be made up to 2 days ahead).
2 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place oven rack in the lowest third of oven.
3 Wash and dry turkey, and place in a large roasting pan. Slide hand under skin of the breast to loosen. Rub 1/2 cup of the maple butter mix under the breast skin. If planning on stuffing turkey, do so now. Rub 1/4 cup of the maple butter mixture over the outside of the turkey. With kitchen string, tie legs of turkey together loosely.
4 Arrange the chopped onion, chopped celery, and chopped carrot around the turkey in the roasting pan. If desired, the neck and giblets may be added to the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining thyme and marjoram over the vegetables, and pour the chicken stock into the pan.
5 Roast turkey 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and cover turkey loosely with foil. Continue to roast, about 3 to 4 hours unstuffed or 4 to 5 hours stuffed, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C) and stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Transfer turkey to a platter, and cover with foil. Reserve pan mixture for gravy. Allow turkey to sit about 25 minutes before removing stuffing and carving.
6 To Make Gravy: Strain pan juices into a measuring cup. Spoon fat from juices. Add enough chicken stock to make 3 cups. Transfer liquid to a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, mix reserved maple butter mixture with flour to form a paste, and whisk into the broth. Stir in thyme, bay leaf, and apple brandy. Boil until reduced and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Oyster Stuffing
Ingredients :
1/2 cup Chopped celery
1/2 cup Chopped onion
1 x Bay leaf
1/4 cup Butter or margarine
6 cup Dry potato bread cubes
1 tbl Chopped parsley
3 cup Chopped oysters "reserve liquid"
1 Pound dry wild mushrooms "rehydrate and reserve liquid"
8 ounces wild rice cooked
1 tsp Poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 x Eggs, beaten
Method :
Cook celery, onion and bay leaf in butter until tender, but not brown.
Remove bay leaf. Add potato bread cubes and parsley to butter mixture. Mix throughly.
Drain oysters; reserve liquid. Add oysters, seasonings and eggs to bread cubes mix; add enough liquid mixture to moisten.
YIELD: Stuffing for 10 to 12-pound turkey.
Cranberry Orange Relish
Ingredients :
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Orange juice
3/4 cup Sugar
1 bag Whole fresh cranberries - (12 oz)
1 tbl Grated orange rind
Method :
Make this a day ahead and serve chilled.
In a non-reactive saucepan, combine the water, orange juice and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Add the cranberries and cook only until the skins of the berries pop. Remove pan from heat and add orange rind. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Left-overs can be thinned with some liqueur and used as a hot sauce to spoon over frozen yogurt or pound cake.
Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients :
1 med Pumpkin, quartered and cleaned of seeds
1 med Onion, thinly sliced
6 x Cloves garlic, coarsely chopped (up to 10)
Water
Pepper & salt to taste
2 cup Chicken or vegetable broth (up to 3)
Milk (amount varies according to desired richness)
Method :
Arrange quartered pumpkin in a baking dish, skin side down. Top with sliced onions and chopped garlic. Add water, enough for about 1-2 inches in pan.
Cover with foil and bake (about 350) until pumpkin is very tender. Pour off and reserve cooking water; scrape cooked flesh from pumpkin, and puree with onion, garlic, and cooking water when cooled. Transfer pureed mixture to pot. Add chicken broth to desired consistency and heat; add milk just before serving. SHredded mozzarella and/or croutons can be added, too.
Glazed Broussel Sprouts and Carrots
Ingredients :
2 packages of broussel sprouts
2 pounds of baby carrots
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Method:
cook broussel sprouts and carrots seperately untill 2/3's done.
Drain well.
In a small sauce pan combine dark brown sugar butter and pepper heat on low stir constantly untill melted and completely blended.
Put carrots and broussel sprouts in a warm serving dish and pour mixture over them stir to saturate veggies.
Peas with Musrooms and Bacon
Ingredients :
2 16 ounce caps of peas drained
1 pound of baby bela mushrooms quartered
1/2 pound of lean bacon cut in half inch pieces
Method:
Dice up bacon and fry in large skilet untill 3/4 done remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels.
leave 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in pan and add mushrooms cook untill they release their water. about 8 to 10 minutes
add peas and bacon to mushrooms and gentle combine untill peas are warmed.
Pour everthing in to a warmed serving dish.
Creamed Onions
Ingredients :
18 sm White onions
3 tbl Butter
3 tbl Flour
1 1/2 cup Milk, or use part cream
1/3 cup Chopped parsley
1/4 tsp Paprika
Method :
To prevent weeping, cook the onions in their skins until tender, 20 minutes or longer. Drain, cool slightly and peel.
In a small saucepan or Micro dish, melt butter. Add flour and stir with a whisk until blended. Meanwhile bring the milk to a boil and add, all at once, to butter mixture, stirring vigorously with whisk until smooth and thick. Add onions to sauce and reheat.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley and paprika.
Can make ahead and reheat in Microwave just before serving.
If using very small onions, cut sauce ingredients down by 1/3. Can do in Microwave.
Variations:
Cheese - Add 1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese to the sauce before adding the onions.
Mushroom: Saute 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms and add to sauce with the onions.
Thyme: Substitute 1 tsp. or less of thyme to sauce and omit paprika.
Mashed potatos, yams or corn are a no brainer.
If you have room for desert make and serve your favorite one.
[Edited 10/9/2007 3:35:55 PM]
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kyl3
Palm Harbor, FL
age: 32
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Think I may try that cranberry orange relish. Though I am thinking the addition of a balsamic reduction may give it a lil kick and bring out the flavor of fresh cranberries.
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freshstart48
Quakertown, PA
age: 48
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Thats the secret of great cooking...being willing to experiment. Try a small batch before you feed a group of people so they arent disapointed.
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