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Thanksgiving Recipes

This is the best turkey preparation! I have done this one for years and it always is a crowd pleaser. Easy - just prep on the day of. Do NOT BRINE THE TURKEY BEFORE! Just follow this recipe.

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** Ask for all the ingredients in your next online order or print!

Best Turkey Recipe - No Brine and Amazing!

Vegan "Turkey" Recipe

Maple Walnut Brussel Sprouts

Roasted Cauliflower

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The Best Turkey Recipe

Adapted from New York Times Cantonese Style Turkey

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1 12- to 14-pound turkey

  • 4 tablespoons neutral oil (such as canola)

  • 6 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 3-inch knob ginger, peeled and minced

  • 6 scallions, thinly sliced

  • 2 leeks, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)

  • 4 stalks celery, thinly sliced

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce

  • 1 2-inch strip dried orange or tangerine peel (or use 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice)

  • 2 tablespoon light brown sugar

  • ½ cup rice wine or sherry

  • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper

  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce ( or combine soy sauce, worchester, sugar)

  • 3 ½ pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, halved

  • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

 

PREPARATION

Step 1: Remove turkey from refrigerator and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack in a roasting pan and allow turkey to come to room temperature while you prepare the sauce.

Step 2: Swirl 3 tablespoons oil into a wok or large Dutch oven and set over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add scallions, leeks and celery and cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften and cook down, 10 to 12 minutes.

Step 3: Add soybean sauce, orange peel, sugar, rice wine or sherry, white pepper, soy sauce and oyster sauce to the vegetable mixture, along with 2 cups water. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and allow mixture to simmer and thicken, 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 20 minutes.

Step 4: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce over turkey and spoon 2 tablespoons into its cavity. Tuck the tips of the wings under the bird and truss its legs together with kitchen string. Pour remaining sauce and 2 cups water into roasting pan and transfer to oven. Roast turkey, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Step 5: Reduce oven to 325 degrees. Baste turkey with pan juices, and tent it with foil. Continue roasting another 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees. If pan starts to look dry, add hot water or turkey or chicken stock, if you have any, 1 cup at a time.

* If doubling the recipe for a larger turkey, increase cooking times based on weight. 20 pound turkey will cook 7 hours.

Step 6: Transfer turkey to a cutting board or platter and let rest at least 30 minutes before carving. Pour pan drippings into a small pot, adding enough warm water or stock to equal 1 cup, and keep warm on the stove.

Step 7: Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Grease a large sheet pan with 1 tablespoon oil, and arrange halved potatoes on the pan, cut side down. Season with salt and black pepper, and slide potatoes into the oven. Cook, undisturbed, until potatoes are tender and cut sides are nicely browned and crisped, 30 to 35 minutes.

Step 8: Remove pan from the oven, drizzle reserved drippings all over potatoes, toss and return to the oven to finish cooking, 5 minutes longer. Serve potatoes with turkey.

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Tofu Turkey for VEGAN Thanksgiving

Serves 12 to 16.

INGREDIENTS

  • 5 lbs. tofu, medium in firmness

  • Stuffing of choice

  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil

  • 1 cup onion, diced

  • 1 cup mushrooms, diced

  • 1 cup celery, diced

  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning

  • 1/4 tablespoon sea salt

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce

  • 4 cups whole wheat bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced

 

BASTING LIQUID

  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup sesame oil

  • 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup soy sauce

 

Step 1. Assemble “Turkey”- Mash tofu well. Line a colander (11 3/4”wide including lip) with a single layer of moistened cheese cloth. Transfer tofu to colander. Press tofu to flatten and fold edges of cheesecloth over it. Place a cake tin or other flat object over the surface of the tofu and weight it down with a heavy object (about 5 lbs.) to press liquid from tofu for one hour.

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Step 2. To prepare stuffing, heat oil and sauté onion, mushrooms, celery and garlic. Sprinkle poultry seasoning over vegetables. Dissolve salt in soy sauce and add to pot. Stir, cover, and continue to cook until vegetables are done (about 5 minutes). Add bread cubes and parsley and mix well.

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Step 3. Hollow out tofu to within 1 inch of colander. Pack in stuffing and cover with remaining tofu. Pat down so surface is flat and firm. Oil a baking sheet and flip filled tofu onto sheet so the flat surface faces down. Remove cheesecloth.

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Step 4. Mix basting liquid and brush tofu with it, then cover the tofu with foil. Bake at 400ËšF for one hour. Remove foil, baste, and return to oven to bake uncovered until “skin” becomes golden brown, about 1 hour more. Baste again halfway through.

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Step 5. After baking allow your Tofu Turkey to rest for at least 15 minutes. Carefully slide the turkey onto a large, flat serving plate

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Slice the turkey into wedges, much the same way you would slice a pie. Top with Miso Gravy and enjoy! Leftovers are delicious cold!

 

MISO GRAVY

From the “Book of Miso” by William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi

  • 4 tablespoons butter

  • 1 large onion, minced

  • 6 tablespoons whole wheat flour

  • 3 tablespoons miso(red or barley)

  • 2 cups water

  • Dash of pepper

 

Step 1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until soft and lightly browned.

 

Step 2. Add remaining butter; when melted add flour and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add miso and sauté for 30 seconds more. Now add the water a little at a time, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, season with pepper, and simmer for 1 minute.

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BRUSSELS SPROUTS with MAPLE & WALNUT VINAIGRETTE
Serves 8 (big servings, likely 16 for big Thanksgiving meals)


INGREDIENTS

Salted water
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and X - ed

VINAIGRETTE
4 tablespoons sherry vinegar (lovely tasting stuff, this)
4 tablespoons maple syrup (use Grade B, yes B, for the most flavor)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons walnut oil (the inspiring recipe called for 8 tablespoons, to my taste, 4 tablespoons is plenty rich)
Freshly ground nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup toasted walnuts

 

Bring water to a boil. Add sprouts to water, cover and cook for about 10 minutes (for small sprouts) or 15 (for large) or until a knife can be inserted easily into the center. Drain and return to hot pan.

Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together. Toss hot sprouts with a portion of the vinaigrette, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with walnuts.


TO PREP AHEAD
VINAIGRETTE Mix 1 - 2 days ahead, then re-whisk before using.
SPROUTS Wash, trim and X the sprouts day before or morning of
 

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