Those Small Moments...

...can really help make your holiday table bright. Jessie-Sierra Ross, who wrote the new cookbook Seasons Around the Table, came by Tonia's Kitchen with some ideas about how your holiday table can really stand out! Jessie told Tonia that she wants you in with your guests, instead of stuck to your stove. She adds that perfection at the table doesn't really matter, it's how you try to give everything a slight distinction. Case in point, the chinaware. Jessie says it doesn't have to be completely matched, mix some of your grandmother's set in with more modern plates. Have fun, and remember, it's all about the memories you make

From All of Us at Tonia's Kitchen Happy Thanksgiving!

Brine the Bird on Thanksgiving

 

Almost time for Thanksgiving and one way to ensure that you have a perfect roasted turkey: brine it.  And don't way until Turkey Day to baste that bird!  Amy Traverso with Yankee Magazine stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk turkey.  Specifically how to cook one that could be the best you've ever had! Amy told Tonia the secret to a crispy delicious skin is in the brine. In fact, Amy says you might never go back to an unbrined bird. She says the ideal is to start two days before Thanksgiving, and leave the turkey in the fridge, uncovered.  One more tip, Amy says you can use bacon while the bird is cooking.   Place the bacon on top of the bird and it's fat will render itself on the turkey.  Simply but, that's terrific!

Brined Bourbon–Pecan Turkey & Gravy

Total Time: About 3.5 hours, plus at least 8 hours brining

Hands On Time: 45 minutes

Yield: About 12 servings turkey, with 5 cups gravy

For the Brine:

Ingredients:

    1 12- to 15-pound natural turkey (see “Note,” below)

    2 ½ gallons cold water

    2 ¼ cups kosher salt

    1 ¼ cups bourbon

    1 cup granulated sugar

    3 cloves garlic, crushed

    3 bay leaves

Instructions:

Remove the giblets and neck from the bird, saving the neck if you plan to make stock (for a recipe, go to: YankeeMagazine.com/Stock). Set aside.

The evening before you roast the turkey, mix the water, salt, bourbon, sugar, garlic, and bay leaves in a lobster pot or other container large enough to accommodate the bird; stir until the salt and sugar have completely

dissolved.

Place the whole turkey in the brine, breast side down, and move it around a bit to expel air from the cavity. Place the container in the refrigerator (if brining outside, remember to add ice and secure the lid). Let the turkey rest in the brine 12 hours.

Remove the bird from the brine, and drain and pat dry. Let the turkey sit, uncovered, 30 minutes at room temperature before roasting. Discard the brine. Preheat your oven to 400° and set a rack to the lowest position.

Additional Notes:

This recipe works best with a natural, untreated turkey. If you’re using a kosher or pre-brined turkey, skip the brining step.

For the Basting sauce:

Ingredients:

    ½ cup salted butter

    ½ cup bourbon

    ¼ cup chopped pecans

    1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup

    4 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock or turkey stock, divided

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Put bourbon and pecans in a blender; blend until smooth. Add to the saucepan, along with the maple syrup. Do not boil.

Tie the turkey’s legs together with butcher’s twine. Place the turkey, breast side down, on a rack in a large roasting pan and brush the cavity with half of the Basting Sauce. Pour 2 cups of chicken or turkey stock into the bottom of the pan. Cover the turkey with tented aluminum foil; just pat it down over the meat (no need to seal).

Transfer to the oven and reduce the heat to 325°. Roast 1½ hours; then remove the foil and flip the bird breast side up and baste. Return it to the oven and roast, uncovered, basting with Basting Sauce every 30 minutes or so—and adding stock to the pan as needed to keep the drippings from burning—until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast to the bone registers 160°, another 1½ to 2 hours, depending on the size of your bird. Remove from the oven and transfer the bird to a carving board; tent it with foil. Reserve the drippings in the roasting pan. Let the turkey rest 20 minutes before carving.

For the Gravy:

Ingredients:

    Drippings from the roasting pan

    Remaining Basting Sauce

    ½ cup all-purpose flour

    4 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock or turkey stock

    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

    1 tablespoon bourbon

Instructions:

While the turkey is resting, make the gravy: Set the roasting pan with the drippings over two burners on your stove and set both to medium heat. Add the remaining Basting Sauce and whisk in the flour. Cook, whisking continuously to pick up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock and cook, stirring, until the gravy is thickened and smooth (if needed, run it through a strainer). Season with salt, pepper, and bourbon. Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy.

Lemons On (In) a Roll!

  

You'll be on a roll, with this cake! Abby Dodge, who wrote the cookbook The Everyday Baker, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about My (her) Mom's Lemony Roll Cake. Now here's the scoop, at its core, this is a Lemon-filled sponge cake that has an incredible dessert flavor at home in either a fancy dinner party or a casual get-together. Abby told Tonia that when the cake is hot from the oven, you roll it up to give it the shape of the name.  Abby also says this cake is bursting with flavor, thanks to the goat cheese that's enhanced with the zing of fresh blueberries. That of course, is combined with the decadence of sugar and heavy cream for an amazing treat you'll be sure to enjoy many times over.

LEMON-POPPY SEED ROLL CAKE WITH WHIPPED STRAWBERRY MASCARPONE

Happy Spring everyone and remember that Everyday is a great day for baking!

Abby

Lemon-Poppy Seed Roll Cake with Whipped Strawberry Mascarpone

Makes 8 to 16 servings.

For the cake

Nonstick cooking spray or softened butter + flour, for preparing
the pan

1 cup (7 oz./198g) granulated sugar, divided

1 Tbs. finely grated lemon zest

1 1/2 cups (6 oz./170g) cake flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. table salt

4 large eggs, divided

1/2 cup (120 ml) neutral oil (safflower, canola or vegetable)

1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk

2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp. poppy seeds

Confectioners’ sugar (sifted if lumpy), for dusting (about 1 cup/4 oz./113 g)

For the filling

1 quart (1 lb./454g) medium-sized, fresh strawberries, rinsed and dried

2/3 cup (4 5/8 oz./131g) granulated sugar

1 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, chilled

3/4 cup (6 oz./170g) mascarpone

Pinch of table salt

Make the cake

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F (180°C /gas 4). Lightly grease the sides and bottoms of a 13x18x1-inch (33x46x2.5 cm) half sheet pan and line the bottom with parchment. Lightly grease and flour the parchment and lightly flour the sides of the pan.
2. Put 3/4 cup (5 1/4 oz./149g) of the sugar and the lemon zest in a blender or food process and pulse until the zest is finely chopped and the sugar is fragrant. Sift the cake flour into the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mixer (or in a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer fitted with wire beaters), add the lemon-sugar, baking powder and salt and whisk until blended. Add the egg yolks, oil, buttermilk and vanilla. Beat on medium-low speed until blended. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until lighter in color and thin enough to form a ribbon of batter in the bowl when the beater is lifted, 3 minutes. Add the poppy seeds and mix briefly until blended.
3. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer fitted with wire beaters) and beat on medium-low speed until foamy. Increasing speed to medium, and beat until whites are opaque and climbing about half way up the bowl (the tracks from the whisk will be beginning to hold their shape) forming very soft peaks. Continue beating while slowly adding the remaining 1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz./50g) granulated sugar. Beat until the whites are thick, shiny and form medium peaks. (The peaks should droop over gently.) Do not over beat or the whites won’t expand during baking and the batter won’t rise as high.
4. Scrape about a quarter of the whites into the flour mixture and, using a large silicone spatula, gently stir until blended. The batter will become lighter and make it easier to fold in the remaining whites. Add the remaining whites and gently fold until just blended with no visible streaks of either the whites or batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and, using an offset spatula, gently spread into an even layer. Bake until the cake is pale golden brown and the top springs back when lightly touched, 13 to 15 minutes.
5. While the cake is baking, have ready two long strips of paper towels (two large squares per strip), the confectioners’ sugar for dusting, a fine- mesh sieve, and two large racks.
6. Move the pan to a rack and run the tip of a small knife around the edges to loosen the cake from the pan. Let cool 10 minutes. Sift the confectioners’ sugar over the cake in a generous layer. Cover the top of the cake completely with the strips of paper towels and cover with a rack large enough to overhang the edges of the pan. Gripping both racks with towels and with the sheet pan sandwiched in between, flip the pan and racks to invert. Lift the pan from the cake and carefully peel away the parchment.
7. Beginning on one short (or, to serve 16, long) side, roll up the cake and paper towel layer together. Do this while the cake is still war or it will crack. Arrange, seam side down (the seam will not be directly under the cake but just to the side facing down), on the rack and let cool completely.

Make the filling and assemble

1. Hull the strawberries and cut each in half then each half in half or quarters, if large. You should have about 4 cups of chopped strawberries. Scrape about half of the berries into medium saucepan and the sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the berries have released their juice and burst when lightly pressed with the spatula, about 6 minutes. Add the remaining berries and cook, stirring, until the syrup is thick and jam-like (you will have about 1 1/2 cups), 6 to 8 minutes. Slide the pan off the heat, let cool completely and refrigerate until chilled. For faster cooling, Scrape into a bowl and set the bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice and a little water, stirring and scraping the sides frequently.
2. Put the mascarpone, heavy cream and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer fitted with wire beaters) and beat on medium-low speed until blended and smooth, about 1 minute. Increase to medium-high speed and beat until thick enough
to hold firm peaks when the beater is lifted, about 2 minutes. Add the cooled strawberry mixture and, using a silicone spatula, fold until just blended.
3. Carefully unroll the cake and remove the paper towels. It will look a bit wavy, uneven and will be curled at one end. Scrape the filling onto the cake and, using an offset spatula, spread evenly over the cake to within 1/2 inch of one of the short sides, the two long edges and to 1 inch of the remaining short (or long) side. Beginning with the shorter side with the filling almost to the edge, gently roll the cake without the paper towels. Using a long metal spatula, place the cake, seam side down (the seam will not be directly under the cake but just to the side facing down), on a flat serving plate or board. Refrigerate for 2 hours then cover loosely and continue chill for another 2 hours or up to 12 hours before serving.
4. About 30 minutes before serving, remove the cake from the refrigerator. Dust the top of the roll with additional confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Using a serrated knife, cut the cake on alternate angles into wedges about 2 inches thick at the widest end and serve with additional fresh strawberries, if desired.

Why Ask Why? Try Borbon and Vodka Pie!

  

And by spirited, we mean classic spirits like Vodka and Bourbon.  Both are represented in this pie that's perfect for Thanksgiving!  Senior Food Editor Amy Traverso stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her Bourbon Walnut Pecan Pie that has vodka in the crust!  Amy told Tonia when you make a

pie crust, you typically use water.  Here use  half-water, half-vodka  mix to create a crust that's far more moist than anything you've tried.  Amy says not to worry about getting drunk off the pie, as most of it will burn off during the cooking (that's what pre-dinner cocktails are for, right?)

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Tonia's Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled
• 3 tablespoons ice water
• 2 tablespoons vodka

Instructions

First, make the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Sprinkle the butter over the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter to break the butter into smaller pieces, then use your fingers to smear the butter into the flour. Stop when the mixture looks like cornmeal, with pea-size bits of butter remaining.

Sprinkle the ice water and vodka over the mixture and stir with a fork until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter, knead once or twice to form a ball, then press the ball into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to two days.

Preheat oven to 400° and set a rack to the lower position. Unwrap the dough and place it in the center of a large sheet of parchment paper. Cover with a second piece of parchment. Roll out, working from the center, to a 12-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet of parchment paper and transfer dough, peeled side down, into a 9-inch pie plate, pressing it into the sides. Peel off the remaining parchment and fold under and crimp the edges. Line dough with a piece of parchment paper or large coffee filter and fill with beans. Set the pie plate on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then take the crust from the oven, remove the beans and liner, and reduce oven temperature to 325°. Set crust aside.

For the filling

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2  cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter, corn syrups, sugar, bourbon, and salt until smooth. Spread the nuts in an even layer in the bottom of the prepared crust, then pour the egg mixture over the top. Set the pie on the baking sheet and bake until set, 30 to 40 minutes.

Stuffing-Sans the Egg

  

So says Chef Billy from Restaurant Associates. He stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about a little different take on stuffing. This year Billy is making a no-egg, dried fruit stuffing with sourdough, and brioche, chopped apricots, dried cranberries, golden raisins, celery, onions, thyme, sage and chicken stock. He told Tonia you don't need the egg to hold the stuffing together, rather just use less chicken stock, make sure the bread is a little stale, and let the mixture absorb the stock longer. He also adds that using brioche gives the mix a very buttery flavor that really goes well with turkey or any dish! Save the eggs for breakfast!

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

One 1/2 pound of sourdough bread, One 1/2 pound of brioche, slightly stale

3/4 cup mixed chopped dried fruit, such as apricots, cranberries and figs

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 large apple, such as Golden Delicious, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Cut or tear the bread into bite-size pieces. Divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread into a single layer. Bake until slightly dry and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.
2. Meanwhile, melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the dried fruit, sage, thyme, apple, onion, celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and parsley and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl.
3. Add the toasted bread to the onion mixture and toss until evenly moistened.Transfer to the prepared baking dish and evenly spread without packing the stuffing down too much. Bake until the top is crusty, about 40 minutes. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and drizzle over the top. Continue to bake until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more. Garnish with parsley and thyme.

Thanksgiving-What's the Best Wine?

   

That's a very tough question.  Karen MacNeil, who's the author of The Wine Bible, paid a Thanksgiving visit to Tonia's Kitchen to talk about the perfect wine to pair with the turkey and the trimmings. It turns out, Karen says, there is no perfect wine!  She bases her selection on "mood" as much as food and puts out a number of different bottles for guests to enjoy with their meal.  Karen also adds that this is nothing you should stress over, because in reality turkey is a very easy dish to pair with a number of wines, as are the traditional Thanksgiving sides. She does recommend a delicious Pinot Noir, with an American vintage she says can compete against some of the greatest wines in the world! 

If you're interested in learning more on Karen's thoughts about wine and food, visit her website, where you can find out more about her Friday tip sheet on the best wines there are.  Visit her website here.

From All of Us at Tonia's Kitchen. Happy Thanksgiving!

The No-Egg Stuffing

 

So says Chef Billy from Restaurant Associates. He stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about a little different take on stuffing. This year Billy is making a no-egg, dried fruit stuffing with sourdough, and brioche, chopped apricots, dried cranberries, golden raisins, celery, onions, thyme, sage and chicken stock. He told Tonia you don't need the egg to hold the stuffing together, rather just use less chicken stock, make sure the bread is a little stale, and let the mixture absorb the stock longer. He also adds that using brioche gives the mix a very buttery flavor that really goes well with turkey or any dish! Save the eggs for breakfast!

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

One 1/2 pound of sourdough bread, One 1/2 pound of brioche, slightly stale

3/4 cup mixed chopped dried fruit, such as apricots, cranberries and figs

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 large apple, such as Golden Delicious, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Cut or tear the bread into bite-size pieces. Divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets and spread into a single layer. Bake until slightly dry and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely.
2. Meanwhile, melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the dried fruit, sage, thyme, apple, onion, celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and parsley and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour into a large bowl.
3. Add the toasted bread to the onion mixture and toss until evenly moistened.Transfer to the prepared baking dish and evenly spread without packing the stuffing down too much. Bake until the top is crusty, about 40 minutes. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and drizzle over the top. Continue to bake until the top is crisp and golden, about 20 minutes more. Garnish with parsley and thyme.