So, here goes:
My turkey brine: Salt, water, peppercorns, whole coriander seeds, bay leaves, rosemary, sage, thyme, apple onion, celery, lemon...I think that's it...get the turkey in there and let it sit over night in the fridge. Drain, rinse, pat dry and get ready to roast that beast!
The beginning of the dressing flavor base; butter, onions, celery...later, thyme, sage, salt, pepper and broth!
My centerpiece...red sand, cranberries, limes and sticks. It's pretty, but seems to need a dramatic mantle to sit on, not my little table.
My Thanksgiving this year had a tasting menu that started the eating at 1pm. We started with lentils. A warm French lentil salad. YUM. Very tasty, pretty easy and very filling.
Just a few small bites.
The second tasting course was at 3pm with an onion and sage tart. I was back and forth, back and forth...do I buy a pastry crust...do I make my own, do I make a full size tart, use the tart pan, make mini tartlettes in the mini muffin tin? I went with two full size rustic tarts. One veggie version, one bacon version.
I think the tart could have gone another few minutes, but I had no idea...but it was very tasty. I would make this again, serve with a salad and call it lunch or a light dinner. Recipe will follow.
The final tasting course was at 5pm. Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Bisque. I made this the other night, so all I had to do was warm it up and add the cream.
Here's where the pictures are few and far between. We have the start of the sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes, brown sugar, all spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, salt. Later I added the marshmallows!
After the brine, the main flavor component of the turkey was a compound butter. Butter mixed with herbs, salt, pepper and lemon zest (which I haven't added yet in this photo). We have parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Take the butter and rub it all over your turkey. Get it under the skin and baste it as you go. 
There he is. Tom Turkey. He seems to have a skin condition. That's partly from my oven not being the greatest and from areas I missed with the butter. But really it didn't matter, because that was one juicy, flavorful bird!That's what I have for you folks. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and I wish you all happy holidays as we move towards the end of the year.
Next Steps: I'll post the recipe for the onion and sage tart and I will get photos of the final dessert; and I'll give you the recipe.
5 comments:
I wish I had tasted the onion Tart. Overall one of the best meals I have had at Scott and Jason's. Props especially to the drunken cranberries, the dressing, the mashed potatoes, and of course the Bird. The cranberry sorbet at the end was quite a surprise and very intense. I would suggest in the future to serve it with chocolate straws or something orange in flavor have something to alternate the flavor with. Loved it.
What a beautiful centerpiece! (Good choice with the limes.) And that Turkey doesn't look half bad either! Can't wait to hear about it!
I still worship at the feet of anyone who can make the squash soup... it was another fantastic dinner, and the new menu items were all winners in my book. I just might have to try making the lentils sometime!
But really y'all. Pumpkin Pudding!!! The pairing of ginger cookies and pumpkin pudding is the most divine. It was only the rule that I imposed on myself of only using the pudding for a gingersnap dip did I stop myself form inhaling the whole bowl. Your brother is adorable stef. If he ever wants to move to DC I've got a line of single ladies ready to date him.
HAHA - just saw this... DCFB, I may just have to tell my bro that he's got his own, ahem, "dating service" at the ready here in our nation's capital!
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