THANKSGIVING HARVEST MENU & CLAFOUTIS RECIPE

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 Soon it will be time to celebrate and voice our appreciation for life, for each other, for gratitude and to praise each other. Here is a list of some items you might like to share with relatives and friends. I and my staff are available, so far, this Thanksgiving to cook for you from this menu or from your special and traditional recipes. Whatever you do, enjoy the day.

Give a call to discuss your plans: 845-365-0042.

Thanksgiving Harvest Menu

Hors D'oeuvres:

                        Stuffed Mushrooms *

                        Spiced Walnuts *

                        Crudites and Dip

                                    Radish, peppers, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber,

                                    Cherry tomatoes, celery, asparagus

                                    Dip:            Walnut Garlic Potato

                                                Red pepper

                                                Artichoke Garlic

                                                Smoked Salmon Horseradish

                                                Onion Spinach

                        Shrimp or Scallops with Bacon *

                        Shrimp on Bread Rounds with Curried Mayo

                        Coconut Shrimp

                        Crabcakes with Sauce

                        Pissaladiere (onion, anchovy, tomato on puff pastry)

                        Prosciutto with fig, salad or fruit or mozzarella

                        Fried Oysters

                        Crostini: Liver Pate

                                    Mushroom Pate

                                    Caponata

                                    Seafood

                                    Artichoke

                                    Black Olive Tapenade

                                    Roast Goat Cheese w/honey walnut

                        Corn cakes with sour cream and lox *

                        Smoked Salmon with horseradish and dill on dark bread *

                        Buckwheat Blini with crème fraiche and caviar

Soups:

                        Pumpkin/Squash (served in a pumpkin if available) *

                        Roasted Root Vegetable

                        Corn Chowder *

                        Mushroom and Leek

                        Oyster and Ginger

                        Corn and Lobster Chowder

Salads:

                        Mixed Greens with Raspberry Vinaigrette

                        Fennel, Radicchio, Parmigiano with Pear Vinaigrette

                        Beet and Fennel

                        Waldorf

                        Pear, Endive and Gorgonzola

Main Dishes:

Roasted Turkey or other fowl ( Capon, Goose, Pheasant, Quail, Moscovy Duck, Cornish Game Hens, Squab, Guinea Hen, Poussin)

            Rubbed with Sage and Parsley Butter or Butter and Fresh Truffles

Giblet Gravy             

Stuffing:

                        Sausage and Sage *

                        Sausage and Chestnut

                        Sausage and Apple

                        Chestnut

                        Sage and Chestnut *

                        Cornbread and Oyster

                        Giblet and Mushroom

                        Walnuts and Currants

                        Wild Rice and Hazelnuts *

                        Wild Rice and Dried Cherry

Vegetables:

                        Mashed Potatoes

                                    In Skins - Twice Baked *

                                    Plain Mashed

                                    Garlic Mashed

                        Sweet Squash Pudding

                        Sweet Potatoes

                                    Maple Whipped *

                                    Roasted with Ginger and Maple Syrup

                                    Candied with (marshmallows)

                        Celery Root Puree

                        Diced Roasted Vegetables

                        Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Chestnuts *

                        Corn Pudding with Roasted Garlic *

                        Succotash

                        Broccoli with Roasted Garlic Oil

                        Steamed Rutabaga with Butter

                        Green Beans with Almonds

                        Peas and Pearl Onions

                        Baked Rosemary Onions au Gratin

                        Turnip Puree with orange and nutmeg

                        Root Vegetable Puree (potato, parsnip, celery root, carrot) *

                        Braised Fennel with Parmigiano

                        Wild Rice Cakes

                        Red Cabbage with Blueberries

                        Other: Turnips, Rutabaga, Jerusalem Artichokes, Acorn Squash, Butternut Squash,

                                    Beets, Carrots, Fennel, Endive, Corn, Brussels Sprouts

                        Cranberry Sauce:

                                    Sweet Traditional

                                    With Orange Zest and Ginger

                                    With Grand Marnier

                                    With Pineapple

                                    Etc.

                        Gelatin Mold

Breads:

            Sweet Loaves::

                        Maple-Pecan Cornbread

                        Pumpkin Chutney

                        Cranberry Walnut

                        Tropical Banana

                        Mocha Pecan

                        Iron Skillet Cornbread

                        Carrot Walnut

            Savory Loaves:

                        Parmigiano Herb

                        Dill and Cheese

            Popovers

Sorbets:

                        Pear Lime

                        Pear Ginger

                        Lemon Apple

                        Persimmon

                        Pomegranate

Desserts:

                        Apple or other seasonal fruit Crisp

                        Apple Pie with Cheese Crust or Standard *

                        Apple or Pear Cake with Chocolate Disc

                        Pumpkin Pie *

                        Chocolate Cake

                        Flourless Chocolate Cake

                        Southern Sweet Potato Pie

                       

                        Whipped Cream

HERE IS A RECIPE FOR A CLAFOUTIS (Cla-foo-TEE) OR (Cla-FOU-tee):

PLUM CLAFOUTIS

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 eggs, room temperature
2-3 tablespoons sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for the dish
pinch salt
1 cup milk, room temperature
 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 pound cherries, pitted, or other seasonal fruit
confectioners' sugar

Oven 375 - 400 F degrees

Butter the dish well then sprinkle with sugar. Roll the sugar around to cover all the insides.
Put the eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla into a blender. Whirl briefly on low. Add the flour and whirl until mixed. You may have to scrape the side down once, then whirl again briefly. 

Spread the cherries or other fruit in the baking dish or use a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Pour the batter over the fruit.

Bake on the middle shelf for 30-40 minutes or until the clafoutis puffs up and is slightly browned (see picture). Remove and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. The clafoutis will deflate somewhat. Eat hot or room temperature. Great as a dessert or for brunch.

For Thanksgiving, it's great the day after if you have guest who have stayed over. It's really easy and impressive.

Vegetables Served

A RECENT ASSORTMENT of Vegetable and near-Vegetable dishes made at a high altitude. Don't let anyone tell you that there is no difference in the cooking style. You need to cook everything with lots more liquid. Here are the platters:

IMAM BAYALDI otherwise known as the Imam Fainted...

An eggplant dish with onions, tomatoes and raisins, slowly braised in a covered pan with plenty of olive oil. Decorate with fennel fronds.

 STEAMED GREENS (KALE AND SWISS CHARD fresh from the garden) 

in a Lemon Vinaigrette with Zucchini that were steamed whole.

Some tomato flesh on top.

STUFFED PEPPERS fresh from the garden. 

(Yes, they grow that way...complete with the stuffing...not...)

Stuffed with rice and ground beef, pine nuts with who-knows-what and then some...

The sauce is made from whole plum tomatoes put into the food processor and

some Pomegranate Molasses added. Cook in  a covered pot with plenty of liquid. 

Whole pomegranate seeds, orange zest and mint tossed on top.