Thanksgiving Recipes and Wine Pairings
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
From Wine Club Member, Kevin Gehringer
Wine Pairings:
Torii Mor Chardonnay
Torii Mor Pinot Blanc
| Ingredients: 1 Medium/large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ½ inch cubes 4 Medium/Large carrots cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 Stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 3 Cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 3 Small white potatoes, with skins, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 3 Large apples, peeled, cored, coarsely chopped (honey crisp, pink lady, or granny smith) |
1/4 t Ground cayenne pepper (add more or less to your taste) 1/2 t Cinnamon 1/4 t Turmeric 1/2 t Fresh finely ground black pepper 1 t Salt 2 T Olive Oil, enough to just coat the bottom of the pan |
Makes: 6-8 servings
Combine butternut squash, carrots, celery, and garlic in a bowl. Just before cooking, prepare the apple and add it to the bowl with the other vegetables. This prevents browning of the apple.
Put potatoes in a separate bowl with 2 cups of water, or enough water to cover the potatoes and prevent browning. The water will be added to the pot too.
Heat a 4-quart stock pot over medium/medium-high heat until hot, and then add olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When ready, the oil should shimmer but not smoke. Add spices to the hot oil blooming the flavors for several seconds, until fragrant.
Add the chopped apple and all of the cut vegetables except the potato to the pot and stir to thoroughly mix and evenly distribute the oil and spices. Cook until some browning occurs, most of the moisture has evaporated, and a fond begins to develop on the bottom of the pan. Be careful not to burn it!
Add potatoes and their water to the pot, with additional water, if necessary, to just cover the vegetables. Bring back to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cover. Let cook until squash and carrots are soft, and potatoes are completely cooked, stirring occasionally to cook evenly.
When the vegetables are done, puree with a blender until smooth. Additional water may be needed to get the desired consistency or to help the pureeing process. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper. Be careful with the salt if you plan to use finishing salt.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt in the center of soup, garnish with smoked salt, fresh ground black pepper, and chopped basil.
MAPLE TURKEY WITH HAZELNUT STUFFING
Wine Pairings:
Torii Mor Yamhill Carlton Select Pinot Noir
Torii Mor Alloro Vineyard Pinot Noir
Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, room temp.
1 14-16 lb turkey, giblets removed
1/4 bunch fresh sage, finely chopped
8 strips thick- cut bacon
Zest of 1 orange
1 cup pure maple syrup
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 T hot water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter, orange zest and sage in small bowl until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. After rinsing the turkey inside and out with cold water, pat dry and sprinkle the inside cavity with a liberal amount of salt and pepper. With your fingers, gently separate the skin from the breast meat and spread the sage butter on the breast. Truss the bird and put on a rack in a large roasting pan. Salt and pepper. Cover the breast area with the bacon strips, ensuring that they completely protect the meat. Cover the turkey with aluminum foil and place in oven. In a small bowl, stir the maple syrup with the hot water to thin. Roast the turkey for approx. 2 hours, basting with the maple glaze every 30 minutes, being sure to glaze the bacon as well. Continue cooking until the internal temperature on the thigh is at 170 degrees and juices run clear when pricked with a knife (about 15 minutes per pound). About 30 minutes before turkey is done, take off aluminum foil to allow the turkey to brown. When done, take out of the oven and let rest for about 20 minutes before carving.
HAZELNUT STUFFING
| Ingredients: 8 c 1/2” cubes of slightly stale Challah bread 2 T Olive oil 2 onions, finely chopped 3 celery ribs, finely chopped 1 T plus 1 tsp thyme 1 T pls 1 tsp sage |
1/2 cup dry white wine
|
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Place bread cubes in large bowl. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and golden. Add celery, thyme, sage and 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and browned, about 10 minutes. Add wine to pan and boil, stirring and scraping any browned bits from bottom and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Transfer to bread bowl. Add the hazelnuts and parsley and mix. Whisk stock and eggs together and add salt and pepper. Add to bread mixture, stirring, until very moist. Check the seasonings and adjust if necessary. Transfer to baking dish, cover with foil that has been sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until the top is browned.