Thanksgiving 2009: The Groaning Sideboard
November 26, 2009 · 1 comment
There it is, my fifth and final Thanksgiving meal of the season. It was really special for me because I was able to share the meal with two good friends and my father, who will be celebrating his 79th birthday on Christmas Day!
From left to right, here’s what we had:
- Cranberry-Apple Chutney with a pear in place of one of the apples, a hint of chipotle, and mulled cider instead of simple syrup!
- Oven-Roasted Bourbon Red Turkey, brined for 36 hours in an Apple Brine, then rubbed with a spicy chipotle rub; the turkey was from my friends at Kookoolan Farms
- Turkey Gravy
Mushroom Dressing featuring fresh chantarelles, criminis, and shiitakes, and freshly made bread because dressing made with fresh bread is so much better!- Chipotle Whipped Sweet Potatoes to which I added a bit of Grade B Maple Syrup to cut back on the heat for my guests who can’t take heat
Pan-Roasted Carrots done in the oven because I was busy and didn’t have an extra set of eyes to watch another pan- Truffled Spinach and Chantarelles with some red bell pepper and white truffle oil
Oh yeah, there was dessert as well. Butternut Squash Cheesecake with Bourbon Chantilly and Cranberry-Apple Chutney. I’ll write about it just as soon as I finish digesting this meal. Maybe tomorrow.
My name is Gareth Mark, and I live in Portland, Oregon. I've been a line cook a few times and worked several years as a pastry chef.
Sounds and looks like an absolutely tantalizing meal!