The Thanksgiving Turkey

Before you even begin to read this, please remember this is a Thanksgiving recipe. It is meant to be extremely calorie-laden. This turkey is gluttony at its finest. Try not to think of the calories or the fat content as you read it ;)

I got this incredible recipe from Tyler Florence and make it every year (oddly, I switch all my dishes every year but the turkey--you cannot top perfection)

Maple Glazed Turkey with Bacon

(gluten free addition)

Ingredients:

1 11-13 pound turkey (thawed, brining optional)

2 sticks butter, room temp

handful fresh sage, chopped

1 C maple syrup (yes, real!)

1/4 C hot water

10 strips bacon (uncooked)

1/4 C arrowroot flour (or regular flour)

Chicken stock (amount varies but have a full box handy)

1/4 lemon, juiced

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Combine sage and butter in small bowl ( great smaller kids activity if you don't mind greasy fingers!). Season with salt and pepper.

Remove gizzards and neck from turkey. Carefully rinse in cool water and pat dry.

Using your fingers, pull up the turkey's skin and push in the sage butter all around the bird. Try to push the butter back as far as possible for an even coat. Truss (tie up the turkey) and place in large roasting pan. Pop in the oven.

Combine maple syrup (and it is real, right?!) and hot water. You are going to baste the turkey with this. Suck up the juice with the baster and baste the bird. Baste using the juices from inside the pan every 30 minutes.

In about two hours, pull out the turkey to add the main attraction (at least it is here), the bacon. Carefully layer the bacon over the turkey covering the entire turkey breast (think roof shingles). Place back in the oven.

Turkey should be ready in about 3 hours. You should place a meat thermometer in the turkey thigh (meatiest part) to really know when it is done. Turkey temp should be 170. Another hint is seeing CLEAR juices if you stab the thigh with a fork or the thermometer. (For everyone's sake, please use the thermometer!)

Take the turkey out and let rest on a carving plate for at least 20 minutes prior to carving (keep the pickers away!).

Place your roasting pan over two burners over medium-high heat. Skim off the big chunks of fat. Carefully add your arrowroot and whisk away. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully add chicken stock to get the right consistency.

After about 5 minutes, finish your gravy off with the lemon juice. Continue to whisk and then add to the gravy boat.

Voila!

Let's Talk Bacon

Bacon is one of the most fattening things on the planet; that being said it is, let's face it, one of the tastiest things on the planet. I was a vegetarian for 6 six years (vegan for 1) and the one thing I missed, BACON. 

Sure there is turkey bacon, soy bacon but none can come close to the that sweet, salty, smokey, chewy, crispy bacon. It cannot be duplicated in my mind.

But can you be a healthy family and eat bacon?

This family does, about twice a month max. The guidelines for us--it's exactly 1/2 pound for all six of us and the bacon has to be top quality organic. A 1/2 pound keeps us from gorging ourselves, organic because lots of the hormones, etc. given to pigs reside in fat and bacon is pretty much all fat and top quality because I am not going to waste my rare bacon treat on the pre-packaged junk.

I have the two slice rule for myself and older kids. My kids under 5 have one slice, that I cut in half ;)

The good news is good bacon is not as expensive as you think. Fresh, smoked bacon at Whole Foods is $6.99 a pound--not terrible considering wild salmon can go up to $30 a pound. 

And bacon is more than just breakfast--think wrapped around fish or asparagus, chopped over a spinach salad or added to a soup.  The flavor adds so much to so many dishes--and a little goes a long way.

So go ahead and allow your kids some bacon--just remember moderation is the key :)

St. Paddy's Day Casserole

This is another one from Jamie Oliver; specifically his Food network show, "Jamie at Home".
We made this for dinner tonight and it is amazing! Be warned this is absolutely not low fat but it does have some good green veggies and the leftovers last for days. Oh and don't forget the anchovies; they add a great richness without a fishy taste.
This is a rich dish so keep the portions small!
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 C white wine
1 cabbage, stalks removed, washed and roughly chopped
3 big handfuls r kale, stalks removed, leaves washed
and roughly chopped
1 sourdough bread round
1 clove garlic, cut in 1/2
12 slices bacon
1 (4-ounce) tin anchovy fillets, in olive oil
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked
7 ounces fontina cheese, grated
5 ounces freshly grated Parmesan
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 TBSp butter
Small bunch fresh sage, leaves picked

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring the stock and wine to the boil in a large saucepan and add the cabbage and kale. Let cook in pan.
Toast all but 3 of the bread slices on a hot griddle pan or in a toaster, then rub them on 1 side with the garlic halves, and set aside.
Heat a large 4-inch-deep ovenproof casserole-type pan on the stove top, pour in a couple of glugs of olive oil and add bacon and anchovies. When the bacon is golden brown and sizzling, add the rosemary and cooked greens and toss to coat. Put the mixture and all the juices back into the large bowl. Drain fat out of casserole-type pan.
Place 4 of the toasted slices in the pan, in 1 layer. Spread over 1/3 of the cabbage leaves, sprinkle over a 1/4 of the grated fontina and Parmesan and add a drizzle of olive oil. Repeat this twice. Just pour in all the juices remaining in the bowl and end with a layer of untoasted bread on top. Push down on the layers with your hands.
Pour the stock gently over the top until it just comes up to the top layer. Push down again and sprinkle over the remaining fontina and Parmesan. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper . Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and golden on top, approx 30 minutes.
When the soup is ready, melt the butter in a frying pan and add the sage leaves; until they're just crisp and the butter is lightly golden. Plate small portions of the 'casserole' and spoon a bit of the flavored butter and sage leaves over the soup and add another grating of Parmesan.

January 2--white fish in bacon

So we need to eat more fish to be healthy, right?! So I am taking a healthy white tilipita and wrapping it in smoked bacon- hey it's organic;)

This is adapted from "Cook with Jamie"

4 7 oz.white fish, skinned and deboned (I used tilipita--smoothe tasting for kids)
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves pulled and finely chopped
zest and juice of two lemons
freshly ground pepper
16 slices smoked bacon
olive oil

Season fish with rosemary, lemon and pepper. Wrap four pieces of bacon around each fish--in roof shingle fashion. Flash fry in olive oil for 1 minute and finish in a 400 degree oven for 12 minutes.
Jamie Oliver suggests serving with asparagus which is what I plan to do even though it is not spring. I just love asaparagus. I'm betting broccollini would work too!