The Holiday season is fast approaching and with that comes some great festive food. Thanksgiving is an American and Canadian Holiday that is a celebration of the past years harvest and it is a time for family’s to come together and give thanks for all that they have. Thanksgiving is not a widely celebrated Holiday here in UB but that does not mean you can’t take part in the fun and have a great meal with family and friends. Traditionally a Thanksgiving menu centers on a whole roasted turkey and many elaborate side dishes. I was raised in an Italian American household so many Italian flavors made there way onto our table, so as you create your holiday tradition and bring your own flavors to the table. Here are some recipes for you to try from my family to yours.
Roasted Holiday Turkey
The Holiday turkey is the center piece for any Thanksgiving meal, for the best results I suggest brining your turkey, brining is a process of similar to marinating in which a meat is placed in a salted and flavored liquid, this help to hydrate the proteins in the meat and keeps the meat tender during cooking. Bring takes some extra planning and additional time but the result is a very moist and flavorful bird.
Ingredients
1 (6 to 8 Kg) frozen turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 L water
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 sticks cinnamon
6 cloves of garlic
4 whole star anise
3 lemons halved
For the inside of the bird:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
2 twigs of rosemary
1 cinnamon stick
½ lemon cut in half
½ orange cut in half
Soy oil or vegetable oil
Directions
Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler. This can take up to 24 to 36 hours.
To make the brine combine the water, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, garlic cloves, stare anise and lemons in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and bring to a boil. Once the brine reaches a boil remove from the heat, cool to room temperature.
In a large container place the thawed turkey (innards removed) breast side down add the brine, and enough ice to completely cover the turkey If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees C. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
Place the bird breast side up on roasting rack inside a deep ovenproof pan and pat dry with paper towels.
Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with soy oil, salt and pepper. Season the inside of the bird with salt and pepper, then Stuff with lemon, onion, rosemary, orange, cinnamon stick and apple, these are just for flavoring well the Turkey is roasted.
Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 250 c for 30 minutes. After 30 min reduce the oven temperature to 176 c. A 6 to 8 kg bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Using a meat thermometer check the thickest part of the turkey breast it should register at least 71 c Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil 15 minutes before carving
Cranberry Sauce with Local berries
Ingredients
400 g Cranberries (Anis)
1 large strip of orange zest
1 large strip of lemon zest
250ml white sugar
50 ml water
1 cinnamon stick
Directions
Place 300g of berries in small saucepan, reserve the other 100g of berries in a bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and place the stove set to medium high heat. Bring to a boil and stir frequently till all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture starts to thicken about 10 minutes. Stir in the reserved berries and set aside to cool. Discard the cinnamon stick and serve well chilled
About the Author
Cliffe Arrand is the Executive Chef at Rosewood restaurants; he is an Italian American from Boston Massachusetts. He loves to eat and travel here he will share it all with you.
Facebook.com/Chefcliffearrand
Follow me on instagram.com/Chefarrand
Follow me on Twitter @Chefarrand
The Holiday season is fast approaching and with that comes some great festive food. Thanksgiving is an American and Canadian Holiday that is a celebration of the past years harvest and it is a time for family’s to come together and give thanks for all that they have. Thanksgiving is not a widely celebrated Holiday here in UB but that does not mean you can’t take part in the fun and have a great meal with family and friends. Traditionally a Thanksgiving menu centers on a whole roasted turkey and many elaborate side dishes. I was raised in an Italian American household so many Italian flavors made there way onto our table, so as you create your holiday tradition and bring your own flavors to the table. Here are some recipes for you to try from my family to yours.
Roasted Holiday Turkey
The Holiday turkey is the center piece for any Thanksgiving meal, for the best results I suggest brining your turkey, brining is a process of similar to marinating in which a meat is placed in a salted and flavored liquid, this help to hydrate the proteins in the meat and keeps the meat tender during cooking. Bring takes some extra planning and additional time but the result is a very moist and flavorful bird.
Ingredients
1 (6 to 8 Kg) frozen turkey
For the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 L water
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
2 sticks cinnamon
6 cloves of garlic
4 whole star anise
3 lemons halved
For the inside of the bird:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
2 twigs of rosemary
1 cinnamon stick
½ lemon cut in half
½ orange cut in half
Soy oil or vegetable oil
Directions
Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler. This can take up to 24 to 36 hours.
To make the brine combine the water, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, garlic cloves, stare anise and lemons in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and bring to a boil. Once the brine reaches a boil remove from the heat, cool to room temperature.
In a large container place the thawed turkey (innards removed) breast side down add the brine, and enough ice to completely cover the turkey If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees C. Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
Place the bird breast side up on roasting rack inside a deep ovenproof pan and pat dry with paper towels.
Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with soy oil, salt and pepper. Season the inside of the bird with salt and pepper, then Stuff with lemon, onion, rosemary, orange, cinnamon stick and apple, these are just for flavoring well the Turkey is roasted.
Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 250 c for 30 minutes. After 30 min reduce the oven temperature to 176 c. A 6 to 8 kg bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Using a meat thermometer check the thickest part of the turkey breast it should register at least 71 c Let the turkey rest, loosely covered with foil 15 minutes before carving
Cranberry Sauce with Local berries
Ingredients
400 g Cranberries (Anis)
1 large strip of orange zest
1 large strip of lemon zest
250ml white sugar
50 ml water
1 cinnamon stick
Directions
Place 300g of berries in small saucepan, reserve the other 100g of berries in a bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pan and place the stove set to medium high heat. Bring to a boil and stir frequently till all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture starts to thicken about 10 minutes. Stir in the reserved berries and set aside to cool. Discard the cinnamon stick and serve well chilled
About the Author
Cliffe Arrand is the Executive Chef at Rosewood restaurants; he is an Italian American from Boston Massachusetts. He loves to eat and travel here he will share it all with you.
Facebook.com/Chefcliffearrand
Follow me on instagram.com/Chefarrand
Follow me on Twitter @Chefarrand