The Thanksgiving Menu: A Last-Minute Trimming

Photo by Susie Cushner

Yesterday at a book signing for my new book, Sunday Roasts, I offered samples of Golden Cider-Roasted Turkey mounded on baguette slices, topped with spoonfuls of glistening Cranberry and Dried Cherry Chutney. 

Those who stopped by all commented on the moistness of the turkey, but what really caught their eye and their palate was the deep crimson chutney. One woman told me that she had not been pleased with her cranberry sauce the previous year, and was eager to try this chutney.

I’ve included this special condiment more than once in my Thanksgiving classes, and each time it turned out to be one of the most popular dishes on the menu. Everyone loves the balance of flavors—the sweetness of the cherries countered by the tartness of the cranberries.

If you’re still looking for a great complement to your bird, give this chutney a try. It takes about 10 minutes to prepare and can be made several days ahead. Store it in the fridge, and at serving time mound it in a bowl. Then watch your family and friends reach for seconds!

Turkey Tips--Getting Ready for Thanksgiving

Golden Cider-Roasted Turkey from Sunday Roasts

If you’re beginning to worry about roasting your holiday bird until it's a rich golden brown with tender, moist flesh beneath, check out the interview I just did for The Daily Meal. There are plenty of tips and suggestions for helping you to turn out a bird that’s picture perfect!

The interview, including the recipe for the turkey pictured here, should be on The Daily Meal's s home page for the next week or more. The photo at left is by Susie Cushner.

Emergency Red Beans and Rice!

I live in western Massachusetts, and so far this year we’ve had a day of tornados in the spring, a slight earthquake and a major hurricane in the summer, and just a few days ago a totally unexpected, out of nowhere, fall snow storm!  The latter, a true Nor’easter, did so much damage that almost everyone in our little college town ended up for the better part of a week without power or heat, and in some cases without phone and water.

At my house we had no electricity or heat, but my trusty Viking gas stove top worked, making it possible for me to cook during the black out. The first dish I made was “quick” red beans and rice. Instead of following tradition and using dried beans, which are soaked, and then simmered slowly with ham hocks for several hours, I used canned ones, rinsing them off first to remove their salty taste. 

New York’s Telepan Restaurant—Still Fabulous!

Interior views - Telepan Restaurant

 When I’m in New York I get so caught up trying the newest restaurants that I often forget about places that have provided me with memorable meals in the past. Last weekend in the Big Apple for a short visit, I couldn’t wait to meet a friend for lunch at a hot new Soho spot, but for dinner I opted for Telepan, a restaurant that had pleased me on several earlier visits with its inventive and delectable fare.

Chef Bill Telepan

 The first time I dined at Telepan (named after Bill Telepan, the talented chef and owner) was in 2006. I still remember the meal: the waiter arriving with a basket of warm breads, a velvety butternut squash soup sprinkled with parsley and walnuts, beautifully cooked quail in a dried fruit sauce, and a superb quince granità layered with whipped cream, almonds, and prosecco. All the food was prepared with excellent ingredients and served in an unpretentious setting. I made one more visit after that one, but did not return for a few years.

A Fall Dinner That’s Quick, Easy, and Impressive

Okay, so your schedule is overbooked; you’re hard pressed to find an extra minute of spare time, but you really would like to have a few people over for dinner. Well, here’s a main course along with a few suggestions for sides that will let you pull off an evening without stress!

Try the following recipe for Fennel-Scented Pork Tenderloins with Roasted Vegetables. With just a little bit of effort you’ll end up with fork-tender roasts napped with a luscious pan sauce and a colorful accompaniment of carrots and fennel. The secret to this dish lies in ...

Southern Cooking gets a Latino Twist

I got to know Sandra Gutierrez several years ago when she arrived to give a cooking class at Different Drummer’s Kitchen in Northampton, Massachusetts, where I oversee the cooking school. Warm, outgoing, and passionate about food, she made a fine impression on our students as she showed them how to prepare a tempting menu of Latin American favorites. At the time she mentioned she was working on her first book—a collection of recipes that reflected both her Southern (she has lived in North Carolina for many years) and Latin roots (she was brought up in Guatemala). 

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when a copy of The New Southern-Latino Table arrived at my door. A Southerner myself, I recognized many recipes from my childhood, often with spicy accents, and was tempted by others with definite Latino origins. But, what really intrigued me was the way Sandra had seamlessly combined these two popular cuisines. Chili Cheese Biscuits with Avocado Butter, Collard Green Tamales, and Chili-Chocolate Brownies are among the scrumptious samplings.

Quick and Easy for Weeknights!

Don’t you find weeknight cooking is a challenge?  After a long day of work, who (even those of us in the food world!) has the energy to tackle recipes that are time consuming or complicated? For meals that follow hectic days, I turn again and again to my old stand-bys. My “go to” choices often include a short-cut version of New Orleans red beans and rice (a nod to my Southern upbringing); Italian-style sautéed chicken breasts with capers, lemon, and white wine atop pasta; and grilled turkey burgers crowned with blue cheese and red onions garnished with a green salad.

Now I have a new dish to add to this fast and fresh repertoire.