People are starting to ask about Thanksgiving dinners so I thought I'd better post a menu of choices and what a menu it is. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite events, especially for food. It's really easy to create a vegetarian feast as most of the offerings, besides the turkey, are basically vegetarian.
I've frequently cooked for people the day before. If you put everything in a casserole in the fridge and simply reheat it everything goes well. Most things taste better the next day. And if you think restaurants don't do that you are mistaken. The turkey can be prepped and you can put it in the oven yourself. I provide directions and even the base for making a great gravy. Some people even like to cook along with me and get a great cooking lesson at the same time.
In a restaurant you might get a starter or soup, a plate with Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy, with one or two vegetables, and a dessert. If you are having a party in your house, skip the dessert and ask people to bring one.
Add an hors d'oeuvre or two to help everyone settle in and wait for all your guests to arrive. Never use cheese as an appetizer as everyone gets filled up and can't eat dinner, plus cheese is for after as the enzymes help digestion.
Food for Thought
THANKSGIVING list
Stuffed Mushrooms *
Spiced Walnuts *
Crudites and Dip
Radish, peppers, carrot,
broccoli, cauliflower,
cucumber, cherry tomatoes, celery, asparagus
cucumber, cherry tomatoes, celery, asparagus
Dip: 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
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, Parmesan with Pear Vinaigrette
Beet and Fennel
Waldorf
Pear, Endive, dried Cranberries and Gorgonzola
Main Dishes:
Roasted Turkey or other fowl ( Capon, Goose, Pheasant,
Quail, Moscovy Duck, Cornish Game Hens, Squab,
Guinea Hen, Poussin)
Quail, Moscovy Duck, Cornish Game Hens, Squab,
Guinea Hen, Poussin)
Rubbed with Sage and Parsley Butter
or Butter and Fresh Truffles
or Butter and Fresh Truffles
Giblet
Gravy
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:
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
Celery Root Puree
Diced Roasted
Vegetables
Roasted Brussels
Sprouts and Chestnuts, Bacon *
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) *
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:
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
With Red Wine
Etc.
Gelatin
Mold
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 terrific site for Thanksgiving recipes from expert Rick Rodgers. He seems to have Thanksgiving as one of his specialties with 3 books and many classes: http://rickrodgers.com/thanksgiving.html
