A Midwestern Thanksgiving (Recipes)

A Midwestern Thanksgiving

When La Brea Living Editor Rick Eisenlord asked me to make entire Thanksgiving feast based on our common Midwestern upbringing, I leaped at the chance. Thanksgiving is, was and will forever be my favorite holiday.

I started to ruminate over the aromas, the platters of food, the warm espirit de corps of family on the one fight-free feast of the year.

Then, Rick and I spoke about what "traditional, Midwestern" Thanksgiving tables bore. His Michigan roots and my Upper Mississippi River Valley roots seemed to share few common elements: A roast turkey, a cranberry dish, mashed potatoes, stuffing or dressing, and pumpkin pie.

Sides -- now that was a different story. There were dishes that had wild rice, sweet potatoes, corn seven ways and corn bread, green bean casseroles, green beans almandine, and green beans with bacon. There cheese breads from Wisconsin, prairie rolls from the Dakotas, and diner rolls of every variety from any and every mega-mart.

Perhaps our grandparents shared a complete meal, but our childhoods were clearly divergent. Did food television, which was first widely broadcast in the time of our childhood, influence changes in tradition? Did the increasingly mobile nature of American work and families result in some sort of cross-regional, cross-cultural pollination? Had there simply never been a singular, traditional Midwestern Thanksgiving table? Or did individuals seek out changes to tradition to align the food served with their own tastes.

This is how I figure the Southern classic whipped sweet potatoes with a pecan and marshmallow topping made it into my family's turkey day tradition. Or how cherry pie -- a major Michigan crop -- was not part of Rick's family feast.

When preparing for this article, my mom reminded me that we always had some sort of Jell-O-eee thing each Thanksgiving. I think the evolution went something like: strawberry Jell-O with fruit cocktail then a pistachio pudding-Dream Whip-pecan-apple salad; followed by Jell-O free of all fruit but in carefully prepared layers of varying color and flavor. As I was writing the previous sentence I regrettably remembered there was also at some point an orange-flavored Jell-O with suspended shredded carrots. Yes, you read that correctly. And yes, I should be seeing a culinary therapist weekly in an effort to recover from the trauma.

Below are good Midwestern-style recipes for the core of my favorite holiday of the year: Roast Turkey, Cranberry-Orange Relish, Mashed Potatoes, Giblet Gravy, Mom's Dressing, and Pumpkin Pie.

You will not see a recipe for Minnesota Wild Rice, or Iowa Corn Bread, or Cheese Bread from Wisconsin. Undoubtedly, there are dozens of traditional Midwestern Thanksgivings, but here we emphasize the commonalities that bind us to family and re-awaken comforting memories on a day when many of us in Los Angeles long to be home.

Roast Turkey

Ingredients
1 Un-stuffed turkey (16-18 lbs.)
8 Oz Melted butter
2 T Finely chopped fresh sage
1 T Finely chopped fresh thyme
2 T Maple syrup or honey

Procedure
1. Defrost the turkey safely. Remove the neck from the cavity and the package of giblets. Rinse the turkey inside and out. Pat thoroughly dry with a paper towels.

2. Discard the liver (it makes things taste bitter) but reserve the neck, heart and gizzard for gravy-making as detailed below.

3. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the un-stuffed turkey on a roasting rack or on top of crumpled rows of aluminum foil or coarsely chopped celery, carrots and onions.

4. Melt one stick of butter on very low heat. Chop the thyme and sage very finely and warm it in the butter. Add the honey to incorporate. Baste the turkey thoroughly before placing in the oven. Baste every 20 minutes for the first hour. Then turn the heat down to 275.

5. Cover the breast portion with a triangular aluminum shaped protector. Roasting this un-stuffed bird that started at room temperature should take 4 hours. But use temperature as the final determiner of doneness. An instant read thermometer should register at 160 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh meat in order for the turkey to be truly done.

Hints and Tips
A. Brining poultry, roasts and even seafood is becoming more and more commonplace. Soaking the turkey for 12-24 hours in a heavily salted and evenly flavored liquid allows the turkey’s proteins to relax and take in more liquid. This results in a moister and more flavor-filled bird.

B. When roasting a large piece of meat, like a turkey, start the roasting after the meat has come to room temperature. This allows for even roasting and a shorter cooking time.

C. To encourage brown skin try any, some or all of the following: rinse and then dry the turkey because dry skin promotes browning; brush with a mixture of melted butter and honey (or brown sugar) before and during the roasting; brush with liquid smoke; roast at a high temperature to turn the skin brown, then reduce the heat and cover the breast with a triangular shaped piece of heavy aluminum foil.

Cranberry-Orange Relish

Ingredients
2 bags of fresh cranberries, cleaned and picked over (12 oz. each)
2 1\2 c sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
1\2 t ground allspice
1\2 t ground ginger
1\2 t ground cloves
1 large orange, zested
2 small cans of mandarin oranges, thoroughly drained and broken into pieces
2 packets of clear gelatin
1 cup toasted walnuts, whole and in pieces

Procedure
1. Toast the walnuts on a nonstick baking sheet until golden brown and fragrant.

2. Combine the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, allspice, cloves and ginger in a medium-sized, non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the cranberries begin to pop and the mixture thickens slightly.

3. Remove from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Use a stick blender to combine about two thirds of the berries, leaving some whole and some pieces.

4. Then stir in orange pieces, orange zest, gelatin and chopped walnuts.

5. Cover and refrigerate. This dish can be made up to three days ahead of time. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Hints and Tips
A. If you do not want your cranberry sauce to solidify into a jelled consistency, then simply omit the gelatin. It will remain much more sauce-like.

B. Leave the walnuts in large pieces. If your guests do not like nuts, then they are much easier to remove.

C. Using a flavored gelatin will further soften the tartness of the cranberries. But then again, tartness paired with the round, savory flavors of the roast turkey is a natural match.

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients
8 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 2\3 c Milk or sour cream, heated
8 T Unsalted or sweet butter
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Chopped fresh parsley or sweet paprika for garnish

Procedure
1. Peel and quarter lengthwise all the potatoes. Be sure to remove any dark spots and any deep eyes. Please in a large soup or stock pot with cold water.

2. Once all the potatoes are peeled, change out the water, please on a burner set to high. After 10-15 minutes when the water has warmed, then add salt so it dissolves upon hitting the water. (This will prevent scarring of your stainless steel.)

3. Boil the potatoes. Test for doneness by using a table knife. If you can insert the knife into the potatoes and remove it with little, then the potatoes are done.

4. Strain the potatoes and set them back on the stove in the same pot. Meanwhile heat the milk and 6 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan.

5. Using a hand masher begin to push down on the potatoes. Remember to mash from side-to-side as well as up-and-down. Once most or all of the potatoes have been smashed, pour half of the mil and butter mixture into the potatoes. Fold to incorporate. Add more liquid as needed until potatoes are mashed to desired consistency. Add salt and white pepper to taste.

6. Garnish with chopped parsley or sweet paprika and two set two tablespoons of butter atop the bowl of mashed potatoes.

Hints and Tips
A. I like a few lumps in my mashed tater to remind me they are homemade. But using a potato ricer eliminates all lumps. If using a ricer, then fold in the wet ingredients gently. Do not mix them in.

B. Do not use a handheld or standing mixer to whip the potatoes. You are just inviting the starched to become gluey. Gluey is not now nor will it ever been good for potatoes.

C. Use Yukon or some other golden potato variety. They're the best par none.

Giblet Gravy

Ingredients for Turkey Giblet Stock
4 C chopped onions
3 C chopped carrots
1 C chopped celery
1 T chopped fresh marjoram
1 t dried thyme
2 bay leaves (Turkish), broken into thirds
2 bunches fresh parsley, stems only
8 C canned low-sodium chicken broth
3 C filtered water or white or port drinking wine
Vegetable oil for browning
Reserved neck, gizzard and heart from turkey or chicken backs

Ingredients for Giblet Gravy
6 T Unsalted butter
2 T Olive oil
10 Shallots, finely minced
1 T Poultry seasoning
1 T Fresh thyme leaves
1 T Dried thyme leaves
1\2 t Ground ginger
8-10 C Stock yielded from the above, defatted
Liquid from inside the roasted turkey's cavity and pan drippings
1\3 C Flour or 1\4 C arrowroot or cornstarch

Procedure
1. To make the stock for the gravy, heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Pat dry the neck, heart and gizzard. Chop them each into several pieces and then add to the pan. Brown, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Do not cover -- this will steam the meat parts instead of brown them.

2. Add onions, carrots, celery, marjoram, thyme, and bay leaf. Tie the parsley stems together and add to the pot. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender – about sauteinutes. Uncover and sauté until vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Add broth and water or wine; bring to simmer. Partially cover pan; simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Never boil! Boiling makes stock taste bitter. Bitter is bad.

4. Strain mixture into a heat resistant bowl, pressing on solids with back of spoon.

5. Reserve the liquid for the gravy. If placed in a refrigerator overnight, the stock's fat will congeal in a layer on the top and it can be skimmed off before being used to make the gravy.

6. To make the gravy, melt 2 tablespoons of both olive oil and unsalted butter on medium in a heavy bottomed stock pot. Add the ten shallots to the food processor fitted with a steel blade. Mince very finely and add to the hot butter and oil. Sweat until the shallots caramelize to a medium brown.

7. Remove the shallots to a bowl, then add and melt the 6 remaining tablespoons of unsalted butter on medium heat. Once the bubbling of the butter subsides, whisk in a half cup of flour or a quarter cup of arrowroot or cornstarch. (Dissolve both of these in water first.) Continue to stir the flour and fat mixture cooking it to a medium brown color.

8. Slowly whisk in the stock until all of it has been added to the pot. Next, whisk in all the seasonings and then taste for salt. Adjust salt and pepper to desired levels. Gravy will thicken when the gravy mixture reaches a full boil.

9. Re-incorporate the shallots. Check seasonings a final time. Pour into gravy boats.

Hints and Tips
A. Whatever color the roux is when stock is added will determine the color the gravy will end up being. Be patient. Let heat slowly works its magic.

B. This gravy can be made in the roasting pan to take advantage of the pan drippings or the pan drippings can be incorporated into the gravy pot.

C. Leave the ginger and flour out of this recipe and thicken the gravy with 30 gingersnap cookies ground into a fine powder in a food processor.

D. To reduce the carb level, leave out the flour and thicken the gravy with ground almonds or almond flour.

E. Marjoram is one those herbs that help the house smell like Thanksgiving, but when using it in this gravy recipe, do not use ground marjoram which will turn your gravy olive, drab green. Use chopped fresh or whole leaf dried.

Mom's Dressing with Sausage, Apples & Raisins

Ingredients
2 T Butter
2 T Olive oil
2 C Yellow onions, diced to a medium chop
2 C Celery ribs, ends trimmed and cut to a medium chop
2 Apples, peeled, deseeded and cubed to a medium size
2\3 C Raisins
1 t Fennel seed
4 T Poultry Seasoning
1\2 C Chopped fresh parsley
1\2 C Chopped fresh sage
1 Package of 5 or 6 mild Italian sausages
1 (one-pound) package of prepared stuffing mix, like Cubbison's
8 C Chicken broth (low sodium)
3 Eggs, lightly beaten
Additional filtered water (see below)
Kosher salt and black pepper, roughly ground, to taste

Procedure
1. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the Italian sausage after it is removed from its casings. Break it into bit size pieces using the back of a wooden spoon. Drain the excess oil and then place the sausage into a very large bowl.

2. Heat oil over moderate heat in the same pan. Add half the onions, apples, celery seed aSauteelery, and fennel seed. Saute until tender and add to the sausage.

3. Deglaze the pan with wine, cook down 2 minutes to evaporate the alcohol. Stir in the cream, check seasoning. Pour into the large bowl.

4. sautedd the other half of the sauted items to the large bowl. Sprinkle in orange zest and the parsley and sage.

5. Add the stuffing croutons and low-sodium chick stock. Mix with your hands until softened and incorporated. Lightly beat the eggs and add to the stuffing mixture.

6. For a more loose or moist stuffing, simply add water until it is the texture anticipated. (My mom likes stuffing that is as wet as stew and I like stuffing that can be sliced.)

7. Place the stuffing in a large casserole dish. As it cooks it will expand and as it cools it will shrink. Make sure it has room to expand. The stuffing is fully cooked when it reached at least 140 degrees for at least 10 minutes. This will guarantee the eggs are cooked.

Hints and Tips
A. Stuffing can be made a head and refrigerated until it is time to bake it off.

B. Be creative with your flavor agents -- pair things that you know you already like: dried fruit and cognac; oysters and cornbsaute; or sundried tomatoes and sauted, wild mushrooms.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients for 8-inch Pie
Crust:
1 1\4 C All-purpose flour
2 t Dark brown sugar
1\2 t Cinnamon
1\8 t Ground cloves
4 T Frozen butter, cut in pieces
4 T Butter-flavored Crisco shortening, frozen in pieces
1\2 Egg, lightly beaten
3 T Ice cold water
Tiny pinch of ground ginger
Pinch of kosher salt

Filling:
1 can Pumpkin (15-oz.)1 can Evaporated milk (12-oz.)
3\4 C Light brown sugar
2 Eggs, size large and beaten well
1 t Cinnamon
1\2 t Ground ginger
1\2 t Ground cloves
Healthy pinch of kosher salt

Procedure
Crust:
1. In a food processor with the steel blade, process the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt until combined. Add the frozen butter and process until it is the size of peas. Add the frozen shortening and pulse twice. In a measuring cup, combine half of the beaten egg and 3 tablespoons of the reserved water. Add egg mixture and process to the count of five. If the dough is pulling away from the sides of the processor bowl, then empty the dough onto the counter and incorporate all contents into a single mass. Do not overwork the dough. Let rest 2 hours. If the dough does not pull away from the bowl, add another tablespoon. Do not add more than 4 tablespoons in all.

2. In medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs then add the sugar, salt and spices, pumpkin and evaporated milk. Pour into 8-inch pie shell. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 and bake for an additional 45 minutes.

3. Begin checking for doneness after first 25 minutes of the 45 minute block of time. When about a four inch disk in the center of the pie can still jiggle, then turn the oven off, leave the door open for a minute or two, close the door and leave the pie sit in the oven for one hour.

Hints and Tips
A. Adding sugar to the pie crust encourages browning. If you fear the crust is getting too dark, then cover the edges with strips of aluminum foil.

B. Cooking on a lower-than-usual temperature helps prevent the pie from cracking. Cracks can be covered up my mounds of whipped, sweetened cream.

C. For a real Midwest flavor, use two teaspoons of Pumpkin Pie Spice in place of the spices listed in the filling ingredients.