Countdown 6 Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey My Way Recipes

COUNTDOWN #5 RADICCHIO AND GRAPE SALAD WITH PECORINO AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• 1/2 cup whole pistachios
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Salt
• 1 1/2 cups Concord grapes (with seeds)
• 1 bunch fresh tarragon, divided
• 1 1/2 cups Fantasy grapes (seedless)
• 1 1/2 cups Red Flame grapes (seedless)
• 2 heads Chioggia radicchio
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Zinfandel Vinaigrette, recipe follows
• Wedge young Pecorino, for garnish
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Toss the pistachios in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt. Toast in the oven until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool
• Heat 2 medium saute pans over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to each. To one of the pans add the Concord grapes and half the tarragon. To the other pan add the Fantasy and Red Flame grapes and the remaining tarragon. Blister the skins for 2 to 3 minutes for the Concord grapes and 3 to 4 minutes for the Fantasy and Red Flame grapes. Once blistered, place the grapes on a sheet pan to cool.
• Split the head of the radicchio and remove the core. Slice the head into 1/4-inch ribbons and place in a mixing bowl.
• Once the grapes are cool, toss them in the bowl with the radicchio and pistachios, season with salt and black pepper, and then dress with the Zinfandel Vinaigrette and mix gently.
• To serve: Place on a large platter to share family style or divide the salad among 6 to 8 plates. With a vegetable peeler, shave the Pecorino over the salad and finish with a grind of black pepper.
• Pour the vinegar into a mixing bowl and then gradually whisk in the oils. Once the oils are incorporated, season with salt and pepper. To help with the final balance, squeeze in a bit of lemon juice.

DOUGHBOYS

Steps:

• Sponge: In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and stir in the flour. Allow the mixture to sit until quite bubbly, about 30 minutes.
• Mix together the white flour, rye flour and salt in a bowl. Stir 1 cup of this mixture and 1 cup of cold water into the sponge. Mix thoroughly and allow to sit another 30 minutes.
• Add the whole-wheat flour, chestnut flour and the olive oil. Knead the dough either by hand or in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix until the dough is soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. You may need to add a little more flour if the dough is too wet, but you want a soft, slightly sticky dough. Very soft, moist dough makes the best crust!
• Put the dough in a large bowl, cover with a towel and allow it to rest in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours. If you are making the dough a day before, put the bowl in the refrigerator and let rise slowly overnight.
• To cook the doughboys, preheat a deep-fryer or heavy-bottomed pot, with enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to 375 degrees F.
• Be sure to use a frying thermometer to be accurate. Pull the dough into odd shapes that look like elephant ears, then drop them into the fryer, in batches, and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip them over with a chop stick and cook the other side until golden brown, a few more minutes. Repeat the process until all of the dough is used. Arrange them on a serving platter and serve with jam, maple syrup, and powdered sugar. Sit down, get coffee and eat.
• Cook's Note: The dough usually made a day before using.

ROASTED THANKSGIVING TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove the turkey from its packaging and remove the bags with the neck and giblets from the cavity. Rinse the neck and giblets and put them in a plastic bag in the fridge; you'll need them for the gravy. Rinse the turkey thoroughly with cold water. Place the turkey into a large brining bag or pot. Pour in My Favorite Turkey Brine and place in the fridge for 16 to 18 hours so the brine can work its magic.
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse thoroughly, inside and out. Soak the turkey in cold water for 15 minutes, then rinse again and pat dry.
• Truss the bird or tuck the legs and wings however you like. Place the bird, breast-side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Cover the whole pan, tenting the bird, with heavy-duty foil so that it's well sealed. Place in the oven and roast the turkey for about 10 minutes per pound. (So, for a 20-pound turkey, about 3 1/2 hours; for a 15-pound turkey, about 2 1/2 hours.) Note: There will still be more cooking time after this, but it'll be at a different temperature.
• When it's time to remove the turkey from the oven, mix together the butter, rosemary and orange zest. Remove the turkey from the oven and increase the temperature to 375 degrees F. Remove the foil and set aside. (Put stuffing in the bird if you wish at this point.) Rub the butter mixture all over the skin of the turkey, getting in the crevices. Insert an oven-safe meat thermometer into the thigh, near the hip joint. Place the turkey, uncovered, back into the oven and continue roasting, basting/brushing with the juices in the pan every 30 minutes, until the thermometer registers 165 degrees F and until the juices no longer run pink. This will take another 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the bird.
• Remove from the oven and cover lightly with foil until you are ready to carve.
• Combine the water, cider, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, orange strips and rosemary in a large pot. Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Bring to a boil, then cover and turn off the heat. Allow to cool completely before placing in the fridge to chill.

COUNTDOWN #4 CLASSIC ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Once preheated, place the oven thermometer in the oven to make sure your oven is reading an accurate temperature and adjust accordingly.
• Remove the turkey innards and rinse the turkey well. Pat dry and place on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan. Salt the turkey cavity and squeeze the lemons inside the cavity. Stuff with the lemon rinds, herbs, and 2 onion halves. Add the remaining onion halves, all giblets and turkey parts, and 4 cups water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Rub the skin of the turkey with the butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Place the turkey in the oven and cook until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer, 3 1/2 to 4 hours, basting with pan juices every 30 minutes. Cover the turkey with foil if the browning gets too dark. Remove the turkey when done and allow to rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving.