Tender at the Bone

I've known for a long time that it would probably be better for me to start cooking chicken on the bone. Money-wise, buying chicken or any other protein on the bone is always the way to go--the less work involved in getting your meat to you the cheaper it will be. So it stands to reason that bone-in, skin on chicken would be cheaper than even the largest "family value" pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, not to mention packed with flavor in the form of delicious (albeit fatty) skin. So why then, have I been buying the more expensive, less flavorful chicken breast? While I could blame the ubiquity of the boneless skinless chicken breast, the real culprit is unadulterated laziness. Sure, 90% of the chicken case at my local supermarket is made up of these "healthy cuts" (as is 100% of the organic chicken section), but the truth is that it's just as easy for me to reach for a package of chicken thighs, wings or even a whole chicken. It's like the people I chastise for leaving the house in sweat pants--doesn't it take just as much effort to reach for your jeans and not look like a total slob? So why can't I take my own advice?

This all started when I received my first winter CSA share, which came chock full of veggies, eggs, milk, canned tomatoes, and half a chicken. At first excited by the prospect of an entire half of an organic, free-range chicken, I set it in the freezer while I took a few days to plan how I'd use it (sadly they're partially frozen anyway for the long drive from our farm in upstate New York). Several days later I found myself stuck. It turns out that I don't really cook with chicken all that much, and when I do, it's usually just as a vehicle for some kind of sauce or vegetable. In the rare cases when it's not, it's usually because I have a few of the aforementioned boneless cutlets in the freezer and they're easy enough to cook and defrost when I'm feeling lazy (what appears to be a keyword in today's post). So looking for a way to use this half a chicken in a way that didn't take all day proved to be more difficult than I had thought. I considered using the slow cooker, which meant that I could start the chicken in the morning and have it ready by the time I came home from work. The obvious downside was not that I'd need to leave the slow cooker unattended, but that I'd need to wake up early enough before work to brown the chicken and chop/prepare any veggies that would go with it. I ultimately discounted the slow cooker idea, on account that it was more trouble than it was worth (i.e. I was too lazy to wake up 45 minutes earlier than normal).

With my half a chicken wasting away in the freezer I decided on a whim to just defrost it and spend my lunch hour coming up with a way to use it. A Barnes and Noble coupon eventually led me to the answer, as I took to the web in search of a way to use said coupon (a gift from heaven just begging to be used on a cookbook). After a few minutes of searching it became clear that the two cookbooks I'd received for Christmas were the only ones I'd really wanted, so I called off the search, but not before encountering Daniel Boulud's cookbook focused on braising. Of course! How could I have been so blind? Meat on the bone just calls out for braising, a process that despite it's longer cooking time, doesn't actually always require much preparation if you seek out the right recipe. Armed with this new insight I quickly remembered that my favorite braised chicken dishes as a kid usually involved olives and roasted red peppers. After a quick look around the kitchen I found I had pretty much everything else that I needed to make the dish. And since oranges are in season and so wonderfully delicious this time of year, I decided to braise the chicken with oranges. It turned out great, and now I have a great new (affordable) dish in my repertoire. Here's the final recipe:

Chicken Braised with Oranges, Olives and Roasted Red Peppers

1/2 chicken's worth of bone-in chicken parts (about 6, light or dark meat)
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 white wine
1/2 cup olives, roughly chopped (I prefer green, but any other is fine)
1/2 an onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 large oranges, 1 cut into 6 wedges, the other halved
3 roasted red peppers, thinly sliced (jarred or fresh)
extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper

1. In a large skillet (or even a Dutch oven) saute onions, peppers and garlic in oil until just starting to brown. Remove onions and garlic and reserve for later, leaving as much oil as possible in the pan.

2. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper and add to skillet, browning thoroughly on both sides (this is only for color--it will not be cooked through). When the chicken is browned on all sides, remove it to a plate. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, careful to scrape up all of the browned bits. Cook a minute further, then add the chicken stock, olives and juice of half an orange. Stir to combine and return chicken, onions, garlic, and red peppers to plan. Arrange orange slices in pan.

3. Cover and cook on medium heat until chicken is cooked through. White meat will be done faster, so if you have a mixture of white and dark, remove the white meat immediately after it's done to prevent it from overcooking. Serve over rice, farro or quinoa and enjoy!

-Laura

A Classic Case of the Munchies

As I alluded in an earlier blog, I spent the week prior to Christmas working on an exciting photo shoot that I can't wait to share with you all. Although it kept me busy and on my feet--one whole day of shopping, prepping and cooking plus another day of cooking and styling on set--it was also inspiring in countless ways despite all the work involved. The recipes I styled were tailored towards the winter season so it was nice to actually work with the foods and vegetables that are currently in stores and at the market (often times publications shoot stories with a lead time of 2-4 months, so working in relative "real time" is a rarity). One dish I worked on utilized salmon, a protein that I am sad to say I do not cook nearly enough of these days despite how incredibly good it is for you (in addition to being delicious). I've been so focused on vegetables as of late that my once meaty ways have appeared to be a thing of the past. But I do still love my proteins, and it's nice to be reminded once in a while of how good some can actually be for you.

Once I was reminded of how tasty salmon was, the undeniable health facts came flooding to mind: it's packed with omega-3 fatty acids (especially the wild varieties) which are healthy, unsaturated fats that are great for your heart and even better for your skin and hair. The American Heart Association recommends eating these "fatty" fish (and others like mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna) at least twice a week, especially as a replacement for proteins packed with saturated fats. Unfortunately for all of us, the mercury levels found in some fish have deterred people like me, who used to eat fish 1-2 times a week from continuing to do so. I've instead turned to lean cuts of pork (remember when it was "the other white meat"?) and mountains of protein-rich grains like quinoa, but I'd like to once again give fish the old college try. The truth is that fish like salmon are filling and meaty without feeling heavy, and healthy preparations like oven roasting, poaching and steaming are often the way they're most delicious (try steaming that rib-eye and tell me how it tastes).

A healthy and filling portion of salmon generally weighs in at 6 ounces, which initially didn't sound like much to me, but after researching in several supermarkets and cookbooks it became clear that 6 ounces was plenty when served with a side of, well...pretty much anything. In fact, most supermarkets will get you by packaging one piece that's twice as large (and thus twice as expensive), and selling it to you as one portion. I've found that getting your portions cut at your fish counter is usually a better bet than getting the pre-packed pieces in the refrigerator case. Not only can you dictate the portion size, but you can often verify that a piece you see cut from a whole fish has not been previously frozen. Some higher-end markets like Whole Foods even have special deals on "healthy" portions of certain types of fish, which are worth taking advantage of, especially if you're only cooking for one.

Once I had salmon on the brain I knew exactly what to serve with it. I love the classic French pairing of salmon over lentils (talk about a health wallop), and there just happened to be enough French green lentils leftover from my photo shoot to round out the meal. These are small, dark lentils, which I really like because you can cook them fairly quickly (about 30 minutes) without having to let them soak in water overnight like larger lentils or dried beans. While they cooked I melted some butter and olive oil in a non-stick skillet and added the salmon, skin side down. Once it was browned I flipped it over and cooked it on the other side until the fish was medium and still slightly pink in the very center (which is my personal salmon preference). Then I removed it to a plate, lowered the heat and added the tiniest splash of white wine and the juice of 1 lemon. I let the mixture cook down a minute or two, then added one pat of butter, a little parsley and pulled it off the flame. While the salmon rested for a minute I sauteed the cooked lentils in olive oil with green onions, shallot, salt and pepper, then finished with a tiny splash of red wine vinegar. I plated the lentils with the salmon on top and a nice little arugula salad on the side. It was a perfectly filling meal which despite my lemon-butter sauce, I would consider relatively healthy and certainly affordable. I'll bet you could even entertain with this meal and only spend about $15 total for four people. Here's my final recipe.

Lemon-Butter Salmon with Lentils

(4) 6 oz portions of boneless salmon
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
extra virgin olive oil
1/8 cup white wine
juice of 1 lemon
3 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley, divided
salt
pepper
1 1/2 cups french green lentils
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 small shallots, finely chopped
1 Tbsp red wine or sherry vinegar

1. Add lentils to a large pot with 2 tablespoons of salt and cover generously with water. Bring to a boil and cook until done (soft but not mushy--I prefer mine a bit al dente), stirring occasionally. Set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and about 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add to the pan, skin side down (if all four pieces don't fit, do it in batches to avoid crowding the pan). Cook until crispy and flip to cook on the other side to your desired doneness is achieved. Remove salmon to a plate to rest.

3. Reduce the heat to low and add the wine, allowing it a minute or two for the alcohol to cook off. Then add the lemon juice and allow the sauce to thicken and reduce slightly. Finish with the last tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of parsley.

4. Add shallot, green onion and extra virgin olive oil to a non-stick skillet and cook on medium low heat for 30 seconds. Add lentils and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and fresh black pepper as necessary. Remove pan from heat, add vinegar, toss to combine and plate with salmon, drizzling salmon with lemon butter sauce. Enjoy!

-Laura

Kiss My Grits

Sorry for the long absence folks, but between the holidays and a food styling gig, I've clearly been otherwise engaged. Despite being MIA, I did get my first winter CSA box. While I didn't expect the kind of squeal-inducing produce that I received over the summer, I was pleasantly surprised to see gorgeous rainbow swiss chard among the pounds of potatoes, beets, carrots, squash and cabbage. I'd been waiting all year to make a dish that I found on a photographer's website while searching for photo inspiration. It appeared to have made excellent use of the lovely multi-hued greens, or at least that's what I got from the photo. Somehow I managed to go through all of 2009 without making it despite seeing the photo almost everyday and telling myself that it'd be a beautiful and easy dish. I thought of it often, but as almost always is the case, I went with something I already knew.

So finally, as things returned to normal and the Christmas season began to fade away, I flipped through my file of photo inspiration hoping to find a new way of using my winter CSA produce. As soon as I saw the photo it hit me that if I didn't make the swiss chard dish now, I'd probably never make it. It also helped that the greens were the most delicate of all my vegetables and likely the first to spoil. In the photo, a heaping pile of rainbow swiss chard rests on a bed of fluffy yellow polenta. It had been enticing me for a year, daring me to find a more comforting winter dish. With the photo as my guide I took to my pantry in search of polenta. I usually buy the cheapest possible cornmeal in the grocery store, foregoing the teeny tiny specialty packages labeled as polenta for the gargantuan, affordable ones labeled as cornmeal and located in the baking aisle near the flour. You could also buy grits, which are typically made with white hominy corn instead of yellow, but cornmeal is cheaper and usually worth more bang for your buck in terms of quantity (and quality wise I find they're the same, because in fact, they are). I like my polenta the way I like my grits--with heaps of salty butter and creamy cheese--and so, no matter what the preparation may have been in the photo, mine would simply consist of butter and cheese (with a dash of milk for creaminess and a big twist of white pepper for a little heat).

Once that was decided I figured I'd prepare the greens on the spicy side, the way I really like them, simply sauteed in olive oil with lots of garlic and red pepper flake. Departing from the photo I topped my dish with shrimp cooked similarly to the greens, creating a play on shrimp and grits. The shrimp were juicy and plump and cooked up in no time at all (honestly, if you're cooking shrimp more than 5-7 minutes they're probably overdone), as did the rest of the dish. The polenta is what takes the longest to prepare, but if you're really in a pinch you could use quick cooking grits or polenta. I'd say this is about a 30 minute meal already, but quick cooking grits would cut the time down to at least 20 minutes. But the truth is that despite the short cooking time the final dish manages to be both homey and elegant, two adjectives that popped into my mind when I first set eyes on my inspiration photo. I'd hoped that the shrimp would add enough protein to make it into a complete dish without cramping the elegant style of my inspiration dish. It ended up working out for the best, I think in fact adding a touch of sophistication to the overall dish. In the future I think I'll try it again with some kind of broth in the bottom of the bowl for a little added oomph--lately I've been daydreaming of the gorgeous meyer lemons that are currently in season, so maybe a nice lemony broth to contrast the rich polenta and spicy shrimp and greens. Stay tuned!



Spicy "Shrimp and Grits" with Rainbow Swiss Chard

16 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 cups rainbow swiss chard (or beet greens), washed and chopped
1 cup polenta or grits
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3 Tbsp butter (I like salted for this)
4 large or 6 small garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes, divided
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (or any cheese of your liking)
extra virgin olive oil
salt
black pepper

1. Bring stock to a boil and stir in polenta/grits and 1 Tbsp of butter. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until cooked through, about 30 minutes. If using quick cook polenta/grits, save this for the last step.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil, swiss chard stems, half of the garlic and half of the red pepper flakes in a non-stick skillet. Add the greens in batches if necessary and cook until wilted. Set aside.

3. Heat olive oil and the remaining garlic and red pepper flake in another skillet. Add shrimp and cook on each side until pink and tender. Stir cheese, milk and remaining butter into the cooked polenta/grits and plate, topping with swiss chard and 4 shrimp. Spoon garlic oil and bits of garlic over shrimp and serve. Enjoy!

-Laura

Back to the Future

Now that I'm no longer stressing about Thanksgiving I can go back to focusing on making easy dinners. The holiday leftovers lasted for one long week despite how hard we tried to incorporate them into every single meal (including bag lunches). I think I've had more turkey in the last 8 days than I have in my entire life, and I'm not happy about it. I've never been a fan of turkey and even the delicious garlic-cream pasta with spinach that I made last week for dinner seemed to mind that I deigned to add in some leftover turkey. But now all that has passed and I'm ready to go back to cooking from scratch. Unfortunately, while I was in the fifth circle of leftover hell, the majority of late fall's appetizing seasonal ingredients seem to have disappeared from most farmers markets. Some brussels sprouts can be found lingering and there are still plenty of winter squashes to be had, but other than that I'm left mostly with tubers and roots, which is when I predictably turn to soups and stews. It's not completely hopeless (yet) for a seasonal locavore such as myself, but until my winter CSA starts up in two weeks, I'll have a little bit of a challenge.

One of the things I can always count on regardless of the season is my pantry, the one little cheat that I allow myself when what's is season just doesn't satisfy. Cannellini beans can most often be seen coming to my rescue. They're a great bit of added protein that can really pull together a meal if you have a few ingredients that still need a little "something". I had a big bag of carrots still going strong and a few turnips and potatoes that I knew I needed to be used soon. These ingredients wouldn't amount to much on their own since they're in the same flavor and texture range, but with the addition of a little texture and an injection of flavor, you could really make all of the ingredients sing harmoniously. In the way of texture I popped open two trusty cans of cannellini beans, which would bring in a creamy mouth-feel and a slight legume nuttiness that would contrast really nicely with the firm, potatoes and sweet carrots. For added flavor I browned up some spicy sausage that I knew had smoked paprika and cayenne pepper, which would also lend some color to the dish.

I originally thought of making a hash, but the thought of having to chop everything teeny tiny or grating all of those vegetables after a log day at work made me change my mind. Instead I decided I'd make a winter vegetable soup with sausage and serve it with a side of arugula salad. The most time consuming part was preparing the vegetables, but it really only took me about 20 minutes total to wash, peel and chop everything (I did a rough 1/2 inch dice on all veggies--it didn't really need to be too perfect). I don't like the way onions feel in soup but love the flavor, so I just quartered mine and sauteed them in extra virgin olive oil with two cloves of garlic (smashed) and all of the vegetables. Before anything browned I removed the onions and garlic and added in a few cups of chicken stock. While everything came up to a boil and the vegetables cooked in the chicken stock (and added flavor to it) I began to brown the sausage in a separate skillet. Once the vegetables were tender I added the sausage and the beans and let them cook at a low boil until warmed through. That's all it took and it was hearty without being heavy, and all of the fall/winter veggies played their part. You could do this easily with any of your favorite veggies, not to mention you could even toss in some greenery like spinach, chard or turnips greens (ooh, ooh, or kale, yeah, kale!). It's a great way to make use of veggies or beans, and you could even switch up the type of beans. Once I get my slow cooker under control (after the holidays) I hope to start cooking dry beans en masse so I can forgo the canned ones for a while. But for now, they're still my pantry saviors. Here's how to make this soup yourself:

Winter Veggie Soup

3 small carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
3 large or 5 small turnips, peeled and roughly chopped
1 onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cans of cannellini beans, rinsed
4 spicy sausages (like hot Italian, andouille or chorizo), casings removed
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
8 low sodium cups chicken stock
salt
pepper

1. In a large pot, sweat onion and garlic in olive oil until slightly softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, potatoes and turnips and sauté briefly (about 30 seconds) before removing onion and garlic from pan (you can discard them). Cover with stock and cook until vegetables are tender.

2. Meanwhile, brown sausage in a skillet and set aside. When the vegetables are cooked, add beans and sausage to the pot and cook on medium low until beans are heated through and the sausage has colored the soup (about 5 minutes). Serve and enjoy!

-Laura

How to Roast the Perfect Turkey

Well, folks, now that I've successfully made a turkey, it's time to share a guide that I wish had existed when I was doing all of my research. Because I obsessed over every single step, I've boiled down my final recipe to the 3 essential steps that you need to know to ensure a perfect turkey. I, for one, find it comforting in hindsight to know that there are only three major things that I really needed accomplish correctly in order to tame my turkey, as opposed to the laundry list of items (3+ pages!) that I encountered while preparing. So, here are my 3 major steps to a great turkey, with tips on how to jazz up each step for an even more decadent turkey (but I promise, none of it is time consuming or difficult). First will come a quickie cheat sheet with your basic steps, followed by a detailed description of exactly how to do all of the steps, and the science behind why they work. I hope this helps out fellow novices, or those looking to pare down their roasting routine.

Turkey Roasting Cheat Sheet
3 easy steps to a perfect turkey--every time

1.Wash and Brine: Remove all innards stored in the turkey's cavity (check large and small cavity openings) and wash turkey with cold water inside and out. Fill a bucket lined with heavy duty garbage bags or a large stockpot halfway with cold water. Add 2 cups of kosher salt and stir until dissolved. Add turkey to container and more cold water to cover. Cover with a lid a refrigerate for 8-18 hours.

2. Dry: Remove turkey from brine 2 hours prior to roasting. Drain all liquid from cavity and dry turkey thoroughly inside and out. Place it on a roasting pan or large platter and set in the refrigerator uncovered for a minimum of an hour or until you're ready to roast.

3. Roast: Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Season your turkey with salt and pepper and any herbs or spices you'd like (additional fat like oil and butter is also optional). Place turkey in a roasting pan alone or with 2 cups of the liquid of your choice if you'd like to make gravy (chicken broth will do). Roast it in the 500 degree oven for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of your bird, then lower the heat to 375 degrees and continue roasting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (again, depending on the size of your bird). Once the time has passed, place a meat thermometer in the turkey's thigh (try to avoid touching the bone). You're looking for an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees and juices that run clear. If it's not ready, roast at 15 minutes intervals until you get 165 degrees and clear juices. Once you do, pull turkey from the oven and allow to rest for 25-45 minutes before carving. Enjoy!

Now that you know the fundamental steps to roasting your turkey to perfection, read below to find out exactly how it all works, along with a few tips from me on how to make it extra tasty.

Step 1: Wash and Brine

The first step to preparing ANY type of poultry is to remove the neck and gizzards from the cavity. It sounds gross and feels grosser, but make sure to look in both ends of the turkey. The neck bone is typically closer to the large cavity opening, and the bag of innards is usually closer to the smaller end, so make sure to take a look everywhere. Then your turkey is ready for washing. Run it under cold water, inside and out, giving him a good shower. When you're done, take a quick look and make sure there are no rogue feathers or quills sticking to the skin (most come pretty well picked over, but it's worth a check--I've always found at least one), just like you would a chicken.

Now you're ready to brine. The dirty truth about brining? It's just water and salt. Even if all you did was to toss your turkey into a lobster pot, covered it with cold water and 2 cups of salt and left it in the fridge overnight, you'd be brining, and your turkey would be all the better for it. It's that simple! You don't need to boil anything or use fancy ingredients. If your turkey is large like mine, use a very large lobster pot or a bucket lined with 2 heavy duty garbage bags. If it's smaller (under 15 lbs) you can probably fit it in your largest pasta pot. Fill it halfway with cold water, add 2 cups of kosher salt and stir until the salt is dissolved. Then add your turkey and more cold water as needed until it's fully submerged. That's it! Cover with a lid and let it sit for 8-18 hours in your fridge (if you don't have room in there, a cold porch or basement will do just fine). If you'd like to experiment as I did, add handfuls of your favorite spices and ingredients. I used peppercorns, bay leaves and brown sugar, but feel free to add anything from ginger to jalapeños.

Step 2: Dry

This step may seem too simple and silly to warrant it's own section, but you wouldn't believe how many people forget to do it (and do it well) and end up with a limp bird. Moisture is the mortal enemy of crispy skin, and as such, the only wetness that should ever come into contact with your turkey while roasting should be a fat that will help it crisp (this includes NOT basting...but more on that in Step 3). Remove your turkey from it's brine 2 hours before you intend to put it in the oven. Dry it thoroughly with paper towels inside and out, making sure to drain all liquid from the cavity. Place it in a roasting pan or large platter uncovered and back into the fridge for an hour to dry. The cold will help the skin tighten back up and dry it by pulling out any moisture. Think about how your face reacts to winter cold--the same science is at work here, only in a positive way!

Step 3: Roast

Once your turkey has dried you're ready to roast it. Another dirty secret? You could sprinkle it with salt and pepper, toss it in a roasting pan and throw it in the oven and be fine. There's enough fat in the skin to get it crispy and keep the turkey moist, so technically you don't even need a rub. And since you've brined, the meat has been plenty tenderized already. But, if you're a skin junkie like me, you might want to add some extra herbs and butter for some extra dark browning. Start by preheating your oven to 500 degrees. It's high, but it'll come down later. Then add whatever you'd like to your turkey. I used a little canola oil for added crispiness and some dollops of butter where I really wanted to see some darkening (a little food styling trick to help you get that Norman Rockwell turkey). I sprinkled the whole thing with chopped herbs (thyme, sage and rosemary) and filled my pan with a cup each chicken stock and apple cider. This way I'd have a delicious gravy that cooked itself without any effort on my part. Juices and herbs from the turkey would add flavor and salt and the heat from the oven would help it reduce and thicken slightly.

Once you've doctored your skin however you see fit, put your turkey into the 500 degree oven for 30-45 minutes (this depends on the size of your turkey), then lower the temperature to 375 and roast for 2 hours. The high temperature will again help shock the skin, helping it to brown and crisp. It's too high to continue roasting at that temperature because the skin would burn before the inside was cooked, which is the reasoning for lowering the temperature. Try to avoid opening the oven if possible, which would allow all of the built up heat to escape, and DO NOT baste. By wetting an already crispy skin, even with delicious juices, you are softening it and ruining it's chances of crisping. The mythology that basting will help keep meat moist is just that--a myth. Turkey skin is a waterproof barrier to meat just like your skin is to your flesh, so trust me when I say that none of that basting liquid is getting anywhere near the turkey meat. It's being absorbed by the skin and softening it the same way your skin absorbs lotion. Not to mention that it washes away anything you've rubbed on your turkey skin for added flavor.

If the turkey breast is browning too quickly, cover it with foil. Start checking in at about 90 minutes for doneness. Using your meat thermometer, poke the thickest part of the turkey, like the thigh, careful not to touch the bone, which can give you a false read (the bone conducts heat more easily than the meat and will therefore be significantly hotter). Once you reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, lightly push the spot where you've inserted the thermometer (I just used a spoon). If the juices released run clear, remove the turkey from the oven and cover lightly with foil so the meat can rest for 25-30 minutes and all of the juices can redistribute. Your turkey should rest (as any large piece of meat should) so that the internal juices have a chance to settle within the meat, keeping it juicy. If you cut into it immediately after pulling it from the oven, all of those juices will come streaming out of the meat and onto your plate instead of keeping the meat moist. If you've put any juices for gravy in your roasting pan, I recommend letting the turkey rest in a separate dish or carving board so you can put your roasting pan directly over the stove (I let mine reduce naturally over the flame to really concentrate the flavor). Once the resting time has passed, all that's left is to carve and serve and you're done!

-Laura

The Bird Is the Word

Well, Thanksgiving came and went at my house, blowing into town like those weird fall Nor'easters and disappearing just as quickly. I was overwhelmed with good wishes from readers and friends, all of which I took to heart and I think played a major role in making my first Thanksgiving behind the stove a rousing success. As I mentioned previously, my nerves were centered primarily around all activities involving the turkey. Adding an extra layer of fear to my day was my decision to try brining for the first time. I'm not sure what made 2009 the year of the brined turkey (although I think Alton Brown's mighty endorsement may have played a considerable role), but I couldn't go anywhere without a testimonial about how brining is an absolute must for a juicy and flavorful turkey. So, I decided to heed the advice of the more experienced masses and embarked on the surprisingly difficult journey of finding a 5-plus gallon bucket in New York City. Normally I scour the city looking for urban-ized accessories (i.e. small), of which I found plenty in place of the real-world bucket required for this endeavor.


But eventually the Home Depot came to my rescue with a traffic cone hued paint bucket that would house our turkey overnight. After removing the neck and gizzards that were stuffed inside and giving him a nice shower (inside and out) with cold water, our nearly 19 pound bird was ready for his salty soak. Since I was a newbie I took it easy on the brine, stealing a few simple tips from different recipes. I first lined the bucket with two heavy duty garbage bags, which made clean-up a cinch. Then, with the bucket halfway filled with cold water I tossed in 2 cups of kosher salt and gave the mixture a stir until all of the salt was dissolved. A cup of dark brown sugar, five bay leaves and a handful of peppercorns went in next, followed by the turkey and enough additional water to cover. Making sure it was fully submerged we clamped the lid on and hoisted the bucket onto its new spot in the fridge where it would brine for about 18 hours. The next day, bright and early we removed the turkey from its brine, careful to empty any juices that had collected in the cavity. We gave him a good pat dry (again, inside and out) and left him uncovered on a roasting pan in the fridge for an hour so the cold would help remove any remaining moisture on his skin. If there's one thing that was emphasized in all my research it's that a wet turkey will not crisp up, no matter how hard you try, so it's better to take a few extra minutes to ensure that your turkey has no extra moisture, especially on its skin (that's him chillin' down below).


Once the turkey was nice and dry I rubbed it generously with butter and canola oil (if it were a chicken I'd do all butter, but because of the long cook time and high temperature needed for a turkey it could all burn), then seasoned the bird lightly with salt and pepper. I preheated the oven to 500 degrees, sprinkled the entire bird with chopped rosemary, sage and thyme for a nice herb-y crust and filled the roasting pan with about a cup of chicken stock and another cup of apple cider, in order to create a rich base for my apple cider gravy. After tossing the neck into the pan I popped the turkey into the oven for 45 minutes, then lowered the temperature to 375. This shocks the skin, allowing it to immediately crisp and brown. I checked in on it periodically to make sure the breasts weren't browning too quickly, while also being careful not to open the oven door too often, which allows the heat to escape and causes the oven temperature to drop. Much to my surprise it only took 2 hours and 15 minutes for the thickest part of the turkey to register between 165 and 170 degrees and for all of the juices to run clear. I took it out to rest for 30-45 minutes and in the meantime managed to get the rest of the meal done, with a tremendous amount of help from my mom, a bona fide kitchen rock star. Once the turkey was sliced and plated we all dug in with enthusiasm. I couldn't believe how delicious the meat tasted. I'm generally a bigger fan of the Thanksgiving sides than I am of the meat, but this time all of the meat was juicy and tender. The brine had really worked it's way through to the meat, so every bit tasted as if it'd been seasoned with salt, instead of just the outer bits. Once I tasted it I knew that I was immediately sold on brining. After all, it took very little hands on time considering how much flavor it imparted to the meat. All in all I must say that it was quite the successful feat, and I'd like to encourage anyone that will be roasting a turkey this Christmas or in the coming future to try brining. Your turkey will not only be instantly tenderized, but infinitely flavorful. And of course as always if you do try it, I'd love to hear how it went and what you did. Did anyone else out there brine? Later on this week I'll make sure to post my full recipes!

-Laura

Thanksgiving Scramble

This weekend I bought my very first Thanksgiving turkey. Tonight, for the very first time I'll brine a turkey, and tomorrow, for the first time ever, I'll cook one. These are a lot of firsts for one week, not to mention that there will also be a first ever meeting of the in-laws over Thanksgiving dinner. Needless to say these are quite a few firsts, but of course I am most frightened by the prospect of completely ruining Thanksgiving for everyone by making a terrible turkey. Even though it's a daunting task I think that I'm finally ready. It's been requested by several parties that I keep the side dishes simple and store bought because that's what they were used to in their homes. And even though a small part of me died as I pulled 4 cans of cranberry jelly from the supermarket shelf and into my cart, I must say that I'm also a bit relieved. After all, with the pressure of executing a half dozen new recipes off the table, I can focus on perfecting my turkey. This way, the corn will be a cinch, my mother will be masterfully making the green beans Spanish style, the sweet potatoes need only be roasted, and the mashed potatoes (my specialty) will be a breeze. I may spill a tear or two over the Stove Top stuffing and cans of jellied cranberry, but in the end I'll be a less frazzled host that gives everyone what they want.

One thing that I thankfully will NOT need to do is bake. I've taken the advice of the many magazines I've worked for (and the other dozen or so that I read) and for once not rebuffed the offers of my guests to bring a dish. Since the sides will all be really simple and no trouble to complete while the turkey (hopefully!) roasts to perfection, I asked for guests to bring the dessert of their choice. This way I won't have to fret about heating or baking anything in the oven but the turkey, and I won't be adding any pressure to an already busy day by baking. But, for those of you that may need a last minute dessert to bring to dinner, here's what I would have done if I needed one: a light and slightly tart cranberry galette. All you need is a bag of thawed frozen cranberries and your favorite pie crust, rolled out (not too thin) to about a 12-inch diameter. Other than cutting and macerating the cranberries your work is pretty much done. See below for the recipe and I'll report back next week with tales of turkey brining and Thanksgiving meals. In the meantime, have a happy and delicious holiday!

Cranberry Tart

1 14 oz bag frozen cranberries, thawed and halved
1 pie crust, fresh or store bought
2 Tbsp grape, plum or strawberry jam (or your favorite flavor)
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten (for egg wash)

1. Combine halved cranberries and 1 cup of sugar in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Cover with cling wrap and place in the refrigerator anywhere from 2 hours to overnight (the longer the better).

2. Preheat over to 350 F degrees. Roll out pie crust to a 12-inch diameter, making sure it's not too thin (you don't want the liquid the leak through when it melts). Place crust on an oiled or buttered baking sheet. Carefully spread the jam over the pie crust, leaving a 1-inch border from the edge. Top jam with the macerated strawberries and fold the edges of the pie crust over (I use a pinch method so it looks neater).

3. Brush the crust with the egg wash and sprinkle sugar onto crust. Bake tart in the oven until crust is golden brown and crispy, 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!