• 3½ – 4 lb. chicken

• 2 garlic cloves
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2-3 Tbs. butter

• 1½ to 2 lbs. small Yukon gold potatoes

• 3/4 cup white wine (or chicken stock)

Place the chicken in a roasting pan; with a kitchen knife, mash the garlic with the salt then mix in the butter. Spread this garlic mixture inside and outside the chicken and sprinkle with pepper. Put the chicken in the pan in a 500 degree oven to roast for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, while the chicken is cooking, put the potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Add salt and let boil until they are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain.

When the chicken is cooked remove from the oven and let cool. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, pour off the excess fat, deglaze the pan with the wine and toss the potatoes into the chicken juices. Cut the chicken into four, six, or eight pieces (according to my video).

Place the potatoes on warmed plates with the chicken on top and taste and spoon over the juices. Serve with a green vegetable if desired, or over a bed of greens.  Serves 4 to 6 MSR

Note: at Florio, they split the chicken and remove the breast bone before searing skin-side down in a very hot pan on top of the stove, and then it is finished in a hot oven. Brilliant!

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• 1 turkey
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 qt. homemade or canned chicken stock
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 sprigs parsley
• 6 peppercorns
• 1/2 cup flour

Note:

The newest trend is to brine the turkey 24 hours before cooking it — this is to make it juicy and flavorful when cooked.

Here is my adaption of the recipe that the San Francisco Chronicle published of the Chez Panisse method of brining turkey:

• 2-1/2 gallons cold water
• 2 cups coarse salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 bunch fresh thyme
• 8 parsley sprigs
• 1 whole head garlic, cut in half

Brining Directions

Dissolve the salt and sugar in a large plastic container of water. Add the bay leaves, thyme, parsley, garlic. Remove the innards from the turkey, rinse the turkey, and submerge it in the brine. Store in a cool place for 24 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine (discarding the brine), pat the turkey dry, and follow the instructions for roast turkey.

Directions

Sprinkle the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper and stuff the turkey, if desired. Generally, 1/2 cup of dressing should be prepared for each pound of turkey (5 cups dressing for a 10 lb. turkey). The dressing expands on cooking and therefore should be put in the cavity of the bird loosely. Stuff the neck first. Then pull the neck skin to the back, fold the ends of the skin under neatly. Now, put the stuffing in the body cavity. Don’t worry about securing the stuffing or the legs.

Place the turkey breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Spread with softened butter (butter can be put under the skin if desired). Pour the wine into the pan. Place the turkey in a preheated 350 degree oven and roast approx. 12 minutes per pound.(A 16 lb. turkey takes about 3 hours and serves 14 people). You can turn the turkey from time to time so that it cooks evenly. Some people baste the turkey with a bulb baster and the juices from the bottom of the pan, for even coloring. If you do baste, do so quickly so as to not drop the temperature of the oven. If the turkey becomes too brown, cover it loosely with foil.

While the turkey is roasting, prepare turkey stock by placing the turkey giblets, including the neck, heart, and gizzards (not the liver) in a large saucepan with chicken stock. Add the celery, carrot, onion, parsley, peppercorns, and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil, skim and simmer gently 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Strain and let cool.

The turkey is done when the juices in the leg will run clear when pierced with a fork; or when a meat thermometer inserted about two-thirds of the way into the white meat reads 165 degrees.

To remove the turkey from the pan, grab it with the pieces of foil or clean oven mitts and transfer it directly to a serving platter. Let rest 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, let the juices in the roasting pan cool for 10 minutes. Either pour or spoon off most of the fat from the top of the juices in the roasting pan, and add the turkey stock. Bring this mixture to a boil, scraping up the brown particles on the sides of the pan.

Strain the juices into a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil. While it is coming to a boil, mix together in a small bowl, 4 Tbs. butter with 5 Tbs. flour. This mixture should resemble cookie dough. Or mix 4 Tbs. flour in a glass jar with 1/2 cup water instead of butter. Either way, when the turkey juices are boiling, whisk in some of the flour mixture and let it thicken. Add more to reach the consistency you desire. Season with salt and pepper and serve in a sauceboat. (You can add the chopped, tender giblets to the sauce or a quickly sauteed turkey liver chopped).

Carve the turkey at the table by first removing the leg and thigh in one piece. Then, separate the leg from the thigh and slice the meat. Then slice the breast meat in long thin slices from the top to bottom. (Don’t forget to serve the stuffing from inside the bird and save the oyster for the server).

For complete menu suggestions and planning for Thanksgiving dinner click here.

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Ingredients

• 6 lb. chicken thighs, with bones and skin
• coarse salt

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. butter, plus 1 Tbs. to finish

• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. each ground ginger, turmeric, and paprika
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• big pinch saffron
• 2 preserved lemons, rinsed, flesh removed and rind small
• 3 Tbs. cilantro stems, minced
• 1 cup pitted green olives, preferably Castelvetrano
• 2 cups chicken stock

• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• fresh lemon juice

Directions

Rinse the chicken thighs, pat dry, and season well with salt.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, put the olive oil and butter. When hot, brown the chicken thighs, skin down at first. Turn and cool on other side. As they cook transfer them to a roasting pan. They should be snug but not touching each other. Into the pan, stir the onions and cook gently stirring from time to time until they are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the spices and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the lemons, cilantro stems, olives, another pinch of salt, and the chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Pour the onion mixture into the roasting pan. The mixture should not cover the chicken so that the skin is exposed and browns. Bake in a 375 degree oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

Remove when the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter. Boil up the juices in the pan on top of the stove. Stir in the chopped cilantro and remaining butter. Add salt to and lemon juice to taste. Pour over chicken. Serves 8. MSR (Recipe developed by Heidi Krahling of INSALATA’S in San Anselmo.)

Couscous

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups medium-grain couscous

Directions

To prepare the couscous, heat the water, butter and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour the couscous grains into a 9inch square baking dish. Add the hot water mixture and stir once to mix well. Cover the pan with a lid or foil and let stand about 10 minutes. Break up any lumps with a fork and fluff it with your fingers. The couscous can be kept warm over hot water for several hours, fluff it with a fork occasionally. Serves 6.

Preserved Lemons

Ingredients

• 6 lemons
• 2 cups kosher salt
• 1 cup lemon juice (or water)
• water

Directions

Cut each lemon into wedges, keeping them attached at the stem end. Place in a large crock. Pour the salt, and lemon juice over them with enough water to cover.

Cover. Refrigerate for at least one month, turning them over in the brine once in a while.

Note: Preserved lemons can be added to a fish cooked with onions, or a lamb stew, or in a salad with fresh tomatoes and black olives.
They keep for a year.

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Granny Risley’s Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 4 cups cranberries
• 2 tsp. orange zest, grated

Directions

Combine the sugar, water, and orange juice in an enamel saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat and simmer 5 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook the mixture over moderately high heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the berries have popped. Stir in the orange zest and let cool. Cover and chill.

Cranberry Chutney with Figs

This cranberry chutney is a wonderful alternative to traditional cranberry sauce. I like to serve both of these with Roast Turkey.

Ingredients

• 2 12-oz. packages of cranberries
• 2 oranges, chopped with skins (seeds removed)
• 1/2 cup chopped red onions
• 4 Tbs. fresh ginger, julienned
• 2 sticks cinnamon, 3 inches long, broken into halves
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp. mustard powder
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pistachios
• 1/2 cup black Mission figs, halved
• 1/4 cup dark raisins

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in an enamel pan and cook over moderate heat stirring often, until the sugar dissolves competely and the chutney comes to a boil. Continue cooking until the cranberries pop. Do not over cook or stir too much as the chutney will look unattractive. Store chutney in tightly sealed jars in the refrigerator. Keeps for six months.

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Ingredients

• 1 lb. loaf french bread (with crust)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 3 Tbs. butter
• 1/2 lb. fresh bulk pork sausage (optional)
• 1/4 lb. ground beef (optional)
• 2 to 3 cups milk (or chicken stock)
• 1 lbs. fresh chestnuts, peeled, roasted, chopped or 1 20-1/2 oz. can unsweetened chestnuts (optional)
• 3 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 Tbs. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 Tbs. fresh sage, chopped
• salt and pepper

Directions

Tear the bread into small chunks. Spread on a baking sheet to dry overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a baking dish. In a skillet, heat the butter and saute the onion and celery until transparent, about 2 minutes. Remove with a spoon to a bowl and reserve. In the same skillet, cook the sausage and ground beef, stirring until finely crumbled and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Soak the bread in as much milk as it will absorb. Add the onion and celery, the meat mixture, the chestnuts and the fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well. Put the dressing in a well-buttered baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until nicely browned. (or stuff it directly into a turkey just before placing the turkey in the oven).

Tante Marie’s Roasted Chestnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. With a sharp paring knife or short- bladed chestnut knife, cut a 1/2″ cross on the flat side of each chestnut, cutting through the shell. Spread the nuts out on a baking pan, pour in 1/2 inch of water, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the shells open. When cool enough to handle, peel chestnuts. Be sure to do this while they are still warm. You will probably need 2 lb. of chestnuts for a pound of shelled meats.

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Ingredients

• 3 pts. (3 boxes) cherry tomatoes
• extra-virgin olive oil, about 1/2 cup
• coarse salt
• 2 large bunches green asparagus spears
• 4 large zucchini
• 1 lb. manouri (or haloumi) cheese
• 2 cups arugula (or mixed greens)

• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 small bunch basil leaves

Directions

To prepare the tomatoes, cut them in half and spread them on a baking sheet. Coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Let cool.

To prepare the asparagus, trim off the tough ends and blanch the green part in boiling salted water for 4 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Coat with olive oil and sprinkle with walt.

To prepare the zucchini, cut off the ends of each zucchini and slice them lengthwise about 1/4 inch thin on a mandoline or with a knife. Coat with olive oil and season with salt.

Place a ridged heavy iron pan on high heat for about 5 minutes. Grill the zucchini and asparagus until colored. Remove and let cool.

Slice the cheese in 1/2-inch slices and lightly coat with olive oil. Grill quickly on the hot pan.

To make the basil oil, put the olive oil, garlic, basil and a sprinkling of salt in a blender and process until smooth.

To assemble, arrange the arugula, vegetables, and cheese in layers on a flat platter. Drizzle with as much basil oil as you like. Serves 8 to 12 MSR (Recipe adapted from OTTOLENGHI The Cookbook)

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Ingredients

Fish

• one 2 to 2 1/2 lb. catfish (or other freshwater fish  such as tilapia or trout)
• sea salt

Broth

• 1 tsp. shrimp (or anchovy) paste
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and smashed

Soup

• 1 2-inch piece lemongrass
• 1 1-inch piece ginger
• 3 garlic cloves

• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1/4 cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup minced shallots
• 1 Tbs. or more fish sauce
• 1/4 cup toasted chickpea flour (or rice flour)

• 5 shallots, peeled and cut in half

• 8 oz. rice noodles

Garnish

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 1/2 cup peanut oil

• 1 cup chopped scallion greens
• 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
• 2 limes cut in wedges
• 3 Tbs. red pepper flakes

Directions

To prepare the fish, rinse carefully and salt lightly.

To make the broth, in a wide pan, put the shrimp paste, turmeric, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass with 4 cups water.  Put in the fish and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes.  Remove the fish.  Pull the cooked fish off the bones, flake, and set aside.  Add the bones and skin back to the broth and boil for another 10 minutes, then strain and discard the solids.

To make the paste for the soup, place the lemongrass, ginger, and garlic in a food processor with a little salt and process to a coarse paste, or make into a paste with a mortar and pestle. To make the soup, heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat, stir in the turmeric, cayenne pepper, and minced shallots and cook for a few minutes, until the shallots are softened.  Stir in the lemongrass-ginger paste and cook until aromatic, about 3 minutes, stirring.  Stir in the fish sauce and the broth. Bring to a boil.  Mix in the toasted flour mixed with 1 cup cold water and bring to a boil again, stirring.  Let simmer gently to blend the flavors, about 5 minutes.  Add the whole or halved shallots and continue to simmer another 5 or more minutes until the shallots are softened.  Stir in the cooked fish, taste and add fish sauce for additional flavor.

Meanwhile, to make the fried shallots, put the thinly sliced shallots with the peanut oil in a small pan over medium-high heat.  Bring the heat up and slowly cook the shallots about 10 minutes, carefully stirring and browning them without the oil smoking.  Remove the shallots and let cool on paper towels.  Reserve the oil.

When ready to serve, bring a medium pot of water to a boil.  Stir in the noodles and boil gently until softened, about 1 minute.  Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.  Drizzle on the shallot oil and toss gently to prevent the noodles from sticking together.

To serve, put out bowls of fried shallots, chopped green onions, and chopped cilantro, limes, and red pepper flakes.  Place a generous mound of noodles in each guests bowl, and laddle over the soup making sure each serving has fish and whole shallots.  Let the guests help themselves to the garnish.  Serves 6.  MSR (Recipe adapted from BURMA Rivers of Flavor by Naomi Duguid)

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Ingredients

• 1 shallot, chopped finely
• 2 leeks, coursely chopped
• 1 Tbs. butter
• 2 cups light chicken stock
• 2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of heavy cream
• salt and pepper
• lemon juice
• 2 oz. Stilton cheese, crumbled

Directions

In a deep pan cook the shallots and leeks in the butter until translucent. Add the potatoes and chicken stock. Cook briskly until reduced by half and the potatoes are cooked. Blend with an emulsion blender or pass through a food mill. Add the cream, salt and pepper and lemon juice to taste. Serve warm with crumbled Stilton cheese.

Serves 4.

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Ingredients

• 2 whole chicken legs with thighs
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• sea salt

• 1 qt. chicken stock
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1 shallot
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2-inch piece of ginger
• 1 dried red chili
• 1/4 cup peanut (or other vegetable) oil

• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 8 oz. coconut milk
• 5 shallots, peeled and cut in half

• 8 oz. wheat noodles, rice noodles, or vermicelli

• 4 hard cooked eggs
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup red pepper flakes
• 4 limes, cut in wedges

Directions

To make the broth, cut the chicken into four pieces.  Rub with turmeric and salt.  Cook the chicken in the chicken stock plus 1 qt. water until opaque, about 20 minutes.  Take out the chicken and remove the meat from the bones and cut into small pieces.  Into the chicken broth add the chick pea flour mixed with 1 cup cold water and boil for 10 minutes.

To make the paste, process in a food processor or grind in a mortar and pestle the shallot, garlic, and dried red pepper.

To make the soup, in a large pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil.  Stir in the paste and cook, stirring until fragrant.  Stir in the thickened chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  Add fish sauce with a sprinkling of turmeric and the halved shallots, and boil for 10 minutes.  Stir in the coconut milk and return to the boil.  Taste and add fish sauce to taste.  Stir in the cooked chicken.

When ready to serve bring a large pot of water to the boil.  Stir in the wheat noodles and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain well and put in a bowl.  Reheat the soup, stirring.  Ladle the soup over mounds of noodles in individual bowls and serve with bowls of sliced hard-cooked eggs, chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, red pepper flakes, and lime wedges.  Serves 6.  MSR (Recipe adapted from a local  Myanmar cookbook)

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• 2 lbs. summer squash such as zucchini
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 3 Tbs. butter

• 1/4 cup sliced shallots
• 1 Tbs. thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup salsa verde

• 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Directions

To prepare the squash, cut them into 1/2-inch thick slices on the diagonal.  Toss the slices in a large bowl with 1 tsp. salt, and let sit 10 minutes.

To prepare the breadcrumbs, place them in a smaller bowl. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium high heat, and cook until it turns brown in color and smells nutty.  Pour the brown butter over the breadcrumbs and toss well.

Dry the squash with a towel and toss in the shallots, thyme, and 1/2 cup salsa verde, and some pepper.  Toss again, and season to taste.  To assemble, make a layer of half the squash in a pretty 9X9 inch gratin dish.  Cover with half the cheese and then half the breadcrumbs.  Repeat these layers of squash, cheese, and breadcrumbs.  Bake in a 350 degree oven until the squash is tender and the top is crisp, about 30 minutes.  Serves 6.  MSR (Recipe adapted from SUNDAY SUPPERS AT LUCQUES by Suzanne Goin)

Salsa Verde

Ingredients

• 1 tsp. marjoram or oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint
• 1 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1 salt-packed anchovy, rinsed, bones removed
• 1 Tbs. salt-packed capers, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 lemon, for juicing
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the herbs to a paste.  (You may have to do this in batches.)  Work in some of the olive oil, and transfer the mixture to a bowl.  Pound the garlic and anchovy, and add them to the herbs.

Gently pound the capers until they’re partially crushed, and add them to the herbs.  Stir in the remaining oil, a pinch of black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.  Taste for balance and seasoning.  Makes 1/2 cup.  MSR

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