Dayrecipe Food Community

We think all turkeys are improved by brining (soaking in salt water), but it’s a cumbersome task that few holiday schedules can accommodate. We find kosher turkeys, which are salted during the koshering process, to be just as flavorful and succulent as brined ones, without all the fuss.

However, if you’d like to try brining, stir together 8 quarts water with 2 cups kosher salt in a 5-gallon bucket lined with a large heavy-duty plastic garbage bag and soak your raw turkey, covered and chilled, 10 hours.

*Note: The Spinach, Bacon, and Cashew stuffing for this turkey is contained in the Stuffed Onions recipe.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• for glazed turkey
• 1/2cup plum jam (preferably damson plum) or red currant jelly (6 oz)
• 2teaspoons chinese five-spice powder
• 2tablespoons whole black peppercorns
• 2tablespoons water
• 1 1/2teaspoons salt
• 1(12- to 14-lb) turkey (preferably kosher), any feathers and quills removed with tweezers or needlenose pliers, and neck and giblets (excluding liver) reserved for making stock
• 5to 7 cups spinach, bacon, and cashew stuffing (see stuffed onions)
• 1/2stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, meltedfor plum gravy
• pan juices from roast turkey
• about 3 1/2 cups turkey giblet stock
• 1/2cup dry red wine
• 1/4cup plum jam (preferably damson plum) or red currant jelly (3 oz)
• 1/3cup all-purpose flourspecial equipment:2 small metal skewers or wooden toothpicks; kitchen string; an instant-read thermometer

DIRECTIONS Make glaze and roast turkey:
Preheat oven to 425°F.

Simmer jam, five-spice powder, peppercorns, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan, stirring, until jam is melted, about 3 minutes. Pour glaze through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, pressing on and discarding solids, then cool.

Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Season inside and out with remaining teaspoon salt. Loosely fill large body cavity (and neck cavity if desired) with stuffing and tie drumsticks together with string. Fold neck skin under body and secure with skewers, then tuck wings under.

Put turkey on a rack set in a large flameproof roasting pan and roast in middle of oven 30 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Brush melted butter over turkey and roast, basting every 30 minutes (add a little water to pan if juices get too dark), 1 1/2 hours.

Brush turkey with plum glaze and continue to roast until thermometer inserted in center of body cavity (stuffing) registers 165°F (fleshy part of thigh will be about 180°F; do not touch bone), 1 to 1 3/4 hours more. If glaze starts browning too much, tent turkey with foil. (Total roasting time: 3 to 3 3/4 hours.) Transfer turkey to a platter (do not clean roasting pan), then remove skewers and discard string. Transfer stuffing from cavity to a serving dish and keep warm, covered. Let turkey stand 30 minutes.

Make gravy while turkey stands:
Transfer pan juices to a 2-quart glass measure, then skim fat, reserving 3 tablespoons of it.Add enough turkey stock to pan juices to total 4 1/2 cups. Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners, then add wine and deglaze pan by boiling over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add stock mixture and jam and boil, stirring, until jam is melted. Pour through fine-mesh sieve into glass measure.

Whisk together reserved fat and flour in a large heavy saucepan (it will be about the thickness of peanut butter) and cook roux over moderately low heat, stirring, 3 minutes. Add hot stock mixture in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in turkey juices accumulated on platter and simmer 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve turkey with gravy.

Cooks’ note:
• If you choose not to cook your stuffing inside the bird, your turkey will take less time to roast (thigh should register at least 170°F).

The yield for these Popsicles depends on the size of your molds — you could use anything from paper cups to store-bought specialty molds.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 8 1/2 hr (includes freezing)

Makes 6 to 10 popsicles.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4cup superfine or regular granulated sugar
• 1/4cup water
• 1(3 1/2-lb) ripe honeydew melon, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (4 cups)
• 2/3cup fresh lime juicespecial equipment:6 to 10 popsicle molds and sticks

DIRECTIONS Dissolve sugar in water by stirring if using superfine or by heating in a small heavy saucepan if using regular granulated (then cool).

Blend half of melon and half of lime juice in a blender until smooth. Add syrup and remaining melon and lime juice and purée until smooth. Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart glass measure or bowl, pressing on solids and then discarding them.

Pour mixture into molds and freeze until slushy, about 2 hours.

Insert sticks, then freeze Popsicles until completely hardened, at least 6 hours.

Cooks’ note:
Popsicles can be made 2 days ahead (flavor diminishes if made any earlier).

This is terrific with sautéed green beans, a plate of sliced tomatoes topped with grated hard-boiled egg and olive oil vinaigrette, and a toasted sourdough baguette. Pound cake with strawberry sauce makes a nice dessert.

Makes 2 servings.

INGREDIENTS

“I have a ’stragglers Thanksgiving’ — that’s what I call it — at my house every year,” writes Frances Teasley of North Hollywood, California. “I know a lot of people who, like me, don’t have any family nearby. Thirteen years ago I started inviting a few people for dinner. And that small holiday gathering has become a big tradition among my friends. For weekday meals, I look for shortcuts and do-aheads. But for holiday meals, I like to do everything the same day because I love the smell of cooking that fills the house.”

Nice, fresh flavors for a side dish or salad.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1teaspoon dijon mustard
• 5tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2cup thinly sliced fresh basil
• 1/2cup paper-thin slices red onion1 1/2pounds medium zucchini, trimmed, quartered lengthwise, then cut crosswise in half

DIRECTIONS Combine lemon juice, lemon peel and mustard in bowl; gradually whisk in oil. Stir in basil and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours, stirring occasionally.

Steam zucchini until just crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl; cool completely. Add dressing and toss to coat. Let stand 1 hour for flavors to develop, stirring often.

Piquant and full of spices, this chutney is an unexpected, pleasantly bright condiment for scrambled eggs.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 week (includes allowing flavors to develop)

Makes about 2 cups.

INGREDIENTS

• 12garlic cloves
• 1(2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 1/4cups red-wine vinegar
• 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• 6fenugreek seeds*
• 1/4teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/8teaspoon nigella seeds* (sometimes called black onion seeds)
• 2lb tomatoes, peeled (see cooks’ note, below), seeded, and chopped, or 1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes in juice, chopped, reserving juice
• 3/4cup sugar
• 1 1/2teaspoons salt
• 1/4teaspoon cayenne

DIRECTIONS Purée garlic, ginger, and 1/2 cup vinegar in a blender.

Heat oil in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and add mustard seeds. When seeds begin to pop, stir in fenugreek, cumin, fennel, and nigella. Add garlic mixture, then cook over moderate heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes (with juice), remaining 3/4 cup vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer chutney, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 1/2 to2 hours (lower heat as necessary).

Transfer chutney to a bowl. Cool, uncovered, then chill, covered, at least 1 week to allow flavors to develop.

Cooks’ notes:
• To peel fresh tomatoes, first cut an X in the end opposite the stem and immersein boiling water 10 seconds. Transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water and then peel.
• Chutney keeps, chilled in an airtight container, 1 month.

*Available at Indian markets (ask for kalonji for nigella seeds), Middle Eastern markets, and from Kalustyan’s (800-352-3451; kalustyans.com).