Are you one of those people who want to celebrate Thanksgiving with sumptuous food but don’t want to risk stepping out of home on a cold, rainy Bengaluru night? Fret not. This Thanksgiving Day, we bring to you recipes of three traditional dishes by Hilton Embassy Bangalore Golflinks Executive Chef Gaurav Paul. You can whip these up yourself and enjoy a warm and hearty meal in the comforts of your home!
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Ingredients
● 1 onion, quartered
● Fresh bay leaves, to flavour and serve
● 4.5-5.6 kg/10-12 lb bronze Turkey, giblets removed
● 1 quantity of stuffing
● 85 g butter, softened
● 1 whole nutmeg
● 10 rashers streaky bacon
● Glass red wine, such as Merlot
Method
Step 1:
Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Put the onion and a large spring of bay in the cavity between the legs. Now pack half the stuffing into the neck end, pushing it towards the breast. Secure the neck skin in position with skewers and tie the turkey legs together at the top of the drumsticks to give a neat shape.
Step 2:
Weigh the turkey and calculate the cooking time at 20 minutes per kilogram, plus 90 minutes.
Step 3:
Put a large sheet of extra-wide foil in a large roasting tin, then put the turkey on top. Smear the breast with the butter, grate over half the nutmeg, and season well. Cover the breast with bacon, pour over the wine, loosely bring up the foil, and seal well to make a parcel.
Step 4:
Roast in the oven, then 90 minutes before the end of cooking, open the foil, discard the bacon, and drain off excess fat from the tin. Leaving the foil open, return the turkey to the oven to brown, basting with the juices several times. 30 minutes before the end, place pigs-in-blankets and stuffing of your choice around the turkey, or cook in a separate lightly oiled tin.
Step 5:
To test whether the turkey is cooked, push a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh – the juices should run clear. If they are pinkish, cook for 15 minutes more, then test again.
Step 6:
Transfer the turkey, stuffings, and pigs-in-blankets to a platter, cover with foil, then a couple of tea towels, and allow to rest for up to 30 minutes before carving. This gives the juices time to settle back into the meat, ensuring that the turkey will be juicy. Garnish with sprigs of bay leaves.
Ingredients
● 1 kg Chantenay or other small carrots
● 3 tbsp. sunflower oil
● 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
● 2 tbsp. clear honey
Method
Step 1:
Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Tip the carrots into a roasting tin and toss with the sunflower oil and some salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes.
Step 2:
Drizzle the vinegar and honey over the carrots, toss well and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes. Once done roasting, serve it hot.
Ingredients
● Flour, for dusting
● 500 g pack of sweet shortcrust pastry
● 75 g butter, softened
● 100 g golden caster sugar
● 175 g golden syrup
● 175 g maple syrup
● 3 eggs, beaten
● ½ tsp vanilla extract
● 300 g pecan halves
● Double cream, whipped, to serve method
Method
Step 1:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry. Use the pastry to line a 23 cm tart tin, keeping any off-cuts in case you need to fill any cracks after blind-baking. Prick the base of the pastry case with a fork and chill for 30 minutes, or until firm.
Step 2:
Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line the pastry case with baking parchment, fill it with baking beans and bake for 15-20 minutes until the sides are set. Remove the beans and parchment and return the tin to the oven for 5-10 minutes until the pastry is golden and the base is set. Leave to cool.
Step 3:
Increase oven to 200C/190C fan/gas 6. Use an electric whisk to beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Keep the beaters going and pour in both of the syrups. Gradually add the eggs, ¼ tsp salt, and vanilla, then whisk until combined. Stir through the pecans, then pour the mixture into the tart case. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn heat down to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and continue baking for 30-35 minutes (the pie should be golden brown and the filling should wobble a little in the centre when shaken). Leave to cool in the tin. You’ll probably need to run a knife around the tin to lift out the pie. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Email: prattusa@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @MallikPrattusa