Food and Cooking

I have been, up until very recently, a "Thanksgiving Traditionalist", in that I loudly proclaimed that one should muck around with the traditional basics.

But last year, I changed my tune. We had a dinner based around Stanley Tucci's timpano instead of turkey (yes, the famous timpano from the movie BIG NIGHT). That was a big success.

This year, because I have some very dear friends who are vegetarians and who kind of slink away when anyone discusses Thanksgiving traditional dishes, I wanted to make dinner with their needs/desires squarely in mind, so I am doing a completely vegetarian menu. I generally despise "meat analogues", so no, we're not having tofurkey. So, here's the menu:

• velouté de châitagnes (chestnut soup)
• Spanish tortilla (the potato dish, not the Mexican flatbread)
• my grandmother's green bean casserole (very unique, not-what-you-expect, nod to tradition)
• roasted root vegetables (catch-all, probably rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, etc...)
• Jacque Pepin's "easy" corn soufflé
• a massive onion-mushroom tarte tatin as the centerpiece (onions, mushrooms, gorgonzola, walnuts, butter, pastry crust)
• fresh homemade pickles (various)
• fresh homemade bread (baguettes, sourdough boules, etc)
• risalamande (Scandinavian rice pudding)

I am probably forgetting something. Guests are bring desserts and wine (one is a L3 sommelier, never disappoints).

Funny Americans and your November thanksgiving.

Why don't you have it in October like the smart people.

Sorry for the huge offtopic but as an expat living in north america I always wanted to ask: Isn't Thanksgiving kind of problematic due to first nations genocide and such? I'd love some insights from my fellow beeples

The last few years I have done sous vide turkey breast instead of a traditional roast bird. So much easier, so much tastier, and takes way less prep. Put the turkey in the bag, add some olive oil (or butter, but I get better results with olive oil), some salt, pepper, and herbs (I use sage, rosemary, and thyme), vacuum seal and put in a 140°F bath for at least 2.5 hours. I usually prep the day before and sous vide overnight, though. Never noticed any weird textures. Once you are ready to serve, get a cast iron skillet hot, and sear both sides of the breast in some butter. This is just for some good skin and nice maillard action. I also make a grave from the juice left in the bag, but that is entirely optional.

I like to have fun with it.

Stuffing waffles. Cranberry foam. Pumpkin creme brulee. Roasted zucchini and potato pave. Beer braised roast cause I get free beer from work.

Turkey is overrated. Realistically there's too much richness in the meal, it needs more acid.

For the past few years I’ve been perfecting a sort of weird pumpkin pie.

I take a pie pumpkin, core out the inside, then rub it with pumpkin pie species and sugar, then roast the whole thing till tender but not falling apart. Then I make a simple Vanilla egg custard on the stove and poor it in to the pumpkin and put it all to the side to set.

The first year i broke the custard, the second the custard came out perfectly, but I found the flesh to of the pumpkin to be a bit bland, so I’m working on ways to flavor the roasted pumpkin a bit more.

A few years ago Cook's Illustrated published a recipe for turkey thigh confit. We figured, what the hell, let's try it, if we aren't going to do a ridiculous project like this at Thanksgiving, when will we?

It was incredible. Absolutely worth the work - the turkey comes out almost ham-like. We have done it every year since. It doesn't scale to larger parties very well, but if you eat meat and have a small group (with 6 you won't have leftovers), give it a try.