Have a thankful treat
Though the thanksgiving dinner table we grew up seeing on television always looked luxurious but the items are not that hard to prepare
Remember Joey wearing his extra-large thanksgiving pants (which was a maternity pant actually) to finish the huge turkey alone made by Monica on thanksgiving?
Well, get your pants ready too as the thanksgiving is just a few days away.
Though Thanksgiving in the US has a rich history and tradition but for us Bengalis, it only means a lavish dinner table with a mouth-watering roasted turkey in the middle.
The number of turkey-lovers is at its increase in Bangladesh. Though for a long time it was rare to find it, now increase in the number of farming turkey has made it easy to get. Starting from the local markets, super shops are also having this meat.
Other thanksgiving classing menu include stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie.
Though the thanksgiving dinner table we grew up seeing on television always looked luxurious but the items are not that hard to prepare.
So in the upcoming thanksgiving, you won't have to bother much about calming down your tummy seeing those beautiful dinner table pictures. Here are some recipes to make our own thankful dinner menu.
Roasted Turkey
Ingredients
• 1 whole turkey (5kg)
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1 apple, quartered
• 340g fresh rosemary
• 340g fresh thyme
• 340g fresh sage
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-teaspoons dried basil
• 2-tablespoon garlic powder
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 4-tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Preparation
1. Remove the thawed turkey from the fridge an hour before roasting it, so that it can come to room temperature.
2. Adjust your oven rack so that the turkey sits on the centre and preheat oven to 325°F.
3. Make the herb butter by combining room temperature butter, minced garlic, salt, pepper, one-tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary, one-tablespoon fresh chopped thyme, and half tablespoon of fresh chopped sage. (You will use the remaining fresh herbs for the stuffing)
4. Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper and stuff it with the quartered lemon, onion, apple and leftover herbs.
5. Use your fingers to loosen and lift the skin above the breasts and smooth a few tablespoons of the herb butter underneath.
6. Tuck the wings of the turkey underneath it and set the turkey on a roasting rack inside a roasting pan.
7. Microwave the remaining herb butter mixture for 30 seconds (it does not need to be completely melted, just really softened). Use a basting brush to cover the meat with the remaining herb butter.
8. Cover and roast for 2 hours for a small turkey under 5 kilos, 3 hours for 5-7 kilos, and 4 hours for large turkey over 7 kilos.
9. Uncover the turkey, baste it with the pan juices and continue roasting for 20 - 30 minutes until its skin turns golden-brown.
10. Turn the turkey over so that it is breast side up. Spread the reserved herb butter on top of your turkey for extra flavour (the turkey will be hot and the butter will melt nicely over the skin). Pour any remaining juices over your turkey.
11. Reduce heat to 325 degrees F and continue roasting while basting every 15 minutes, until completely cooked through.
12. For extra crispy skin, broil the turkey for a further 10-15 minutes, keeping your eye on it so it does not burn, until the skin is crispy and golden-brown all over.
13. Tent turkey with foil and allow it to rest for 15-30 minutes before carving and serving with gravy, cranberry sauce or other condiments of your choice.
14. Remove the liquid from the pan juices (top up with stock if you need too), strain and reserve for the gravy.
Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3 1/2 tablespoons cold water
• 2-cups mashed, cooked pumpkin
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Prepare the piecrust by mixing together flour and salt. Cut shortening into the flour; add 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time (you may need only 3 tablespoons, or up to 4 tablespoons). Mix dough and repeat until dough is moist enough to hold together.
3. With lightly floured, hands shape dough into a ball. On a lightly floured board, roll dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness.
4. With a sharp knife, cut dough 1 1/2 inch larger than the upside-down 8- to 9-inch pie pan. Gently roll the dough around the rolling pin and transfer it right-side up onto the pie pan. Unroll, easing dough into the bottom of the pie pan.
5. In a large bowl, beat in pumpkin with evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt with an electric mixer or immersion blender. Mix well.
6. Pour into a prepared crust. Bake 40 minutes or until when a knife is inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean.
Apple Pie
Ingredients
• 2-pie crust
• 2 kg apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400º F.
2. Place all your sliced apples in a large bowl and pour lemon juice over the top. Toss thoroughly to make sure apples get coated and won't turn brown.
3. In a separate small bowl, mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
4. Sprinkle sugar mixture over the apples and toss again to coat well.
5. Take your puff pastry sheet and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to form a 12-inch circle.
6. Transfer pastry to 9 or 10-inch pie dish and trim off excess.
7. Arrange apple slices in concentric circles, starting from the middle and working your way out.
8. Place pie dish in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until puff pastry is golden and apples are tender.
9. Remove from oven and let rest at least 15 minutes before serving.
Garlic Bread
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 loaf (450g) French bread, halved lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Preparation
1. In a small bowl, combine butter and garlic. Brush over cut sides of bread; sprinkle with parsley. Place, cut side up, on a baking sheet.
2. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Broil 4-6 in. from the heat for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into 2-in. slices. Serve warm.
Smash Potato
Ingredients
• 2 kg potatoes
• 1/3 cup salted butter melted
• 1 cup milk or cream
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3-cloves garlic optional
Preparation
1. Peel and quarter potatoes, place in cold salted water.
2. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain well.
3. Heat milk on the stove top (or in the microwave) until warm.
4. Add butter to the potatoes and begin mashing. Pour in milk a little at a time while using a potato masher to reach desired consistency.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2-cups all-purpose flour
• 2-tablespoons white sugar
• 2-teaspoons baking powder
• 1-teaspoon salt
• 3-tablespoons softened butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar (optional)
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (optional)
• 120g butter, softened (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
2. Whisk flour, 2 tablespoons white sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Work 3 tablespoons softened butter into flour mixture using your hands. Beat milk and egg together in another bowl; pour into flour-butter mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms.
3. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and roll dough into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Brush surface of dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
4. Whisk 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1/2 of the cinnamon sugar mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar over butter-brushed dough. Roll dough around filling to form a log; cut log into 18 rolls and place rolls in the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until rolls are set, 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Beat confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, 1/4 cup softened butter, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until frosting is smooth. Top hot cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting.