Post date: Sep 10, 2014 7:7:6 PM
menu:
Turkey: Lemon-Herb Turkey with Lemon-Garlic Gravy Stuffing: Leek & Tarragon Cranberry Sauce: Alex’s usual (I didn’t see any recipes I liked better) Potatoes: I’ll make the “deluxe” mashed potatoes the kids love. Veggies: Sauteed Parsnips & Carrots with Honey & Rosemary. Also, brussels sprout hash with caramelized shallots
Dessert: Apple Tart, Sherbet.
Alright, so some comments:
The turkey wasn’t a big deal. We brined it (which wasn’t mentioned, but we followed an Alton Brown recipe that seemed reasonable), and that made it a lot moister. It also made it harder to dry, to make the lemon-butter stick to the skin. Still, it worked – and the end result was very moist.
We innovated on the lemon-butter – they apparently didn’t know that the best way to get flavour and colour (yes, I’m Canadian, we can afford the ‘u’ in some words) out of saffron is to marinade the threads in a tablespoon or so of lemon juice before using. We did this and you could both see the difference (vivid yellow) and taste the difference. Also had some lavender in the garden., so added that.
Must remember that the Leek and Tarragon stuffing is 2 hrs work – you have to toast 4 trays of bread, for example.
The recipe did not suggest stuffing the turkey, so we baked the stuff separate. That was a good idea from two perspectives: the brined turkey would have been salty, and contaminated the stuffing, and the stuffing would have clashed with the lemon-saffron thing.
Finally, we seperated the giblets and neck into a separate pan; browned quickly, added water, carrots, onions, and made a stock. Used this stock for the gravy and to baste the pan. One advantage here was – no salt. Have had bad experiences in past with brined turkeys and making gravy from the pan drippings – much saltier than one would expect, especially after reduction.