I am obsessive/compulsive when it comes to cooking for parties or at holidays. I have been planning Thanksgiving for 3 weeks now. I have gone through at least 3 different menus, and read recipes galore. I compare techniques and ingredients and try to figure what’s going to work best for my situation. Well, it’s the day before and I’m in serious mode now. Here’s the final menu:
Cranberry Orange Salad
Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
Cornbread Dressing with Turkey Gravy
Haricots Vert with Roasted Shallots and Cremini Mushrooms
Ciabatta Rolls
Pumpkin Creme Brulee
I did my big grocery shopping last Thursday so I wouldn’t have to fight a crowd. I bought the things that would stay frozen or stay fresh until the Day. This afternoon, I’ll go buy the perishables. Then I’ll come home and make the creme brulees and the cornbread for the dressing, and then cook dinner for my mother-in-law who will be joining us. For dinner tonight I’m having an Italian casserole with a green salad which is as far from traditional Thanksgiving as I could get.
Tomorrow morning, I’m making individual Quiche Lorraines with Stewed Fruit and Spiced Pumpkin Bread. After breakfast I’ll put the shallots and mushrooms in to roast because they’ll only take about 20 minutes. I’ll but the turkey in to roast after that, and while it’s cooking, I’ll mix up the cornbread dressing and par cook the haricots vert. When the turkey comes out to rest, I’ll bake the dressing. When it comes out, I’ll put the rolls in and toss the haricots vert, mushrooms and shallots in a skillet with melted butter just to reheat. It should all come out at one time - with any luck at about 1:30. After we eat that, I’ll let LJ dazzle us with his magic chef’s torch on the pumpkin creme brulee’s and then we’ll all waddle away from the table. With any luck at all, the weather will be mild enough to let us take a walk in the afternoon.
I’m really looking forward to this. I love Thanksgiving because it combines two of my favorite things, family and food. I won’t have my family with me this year, but we’ll talk on the phone and moan about eating too much. And we’ll have LJ’s mom, which is good. I wish you and yours the best this year!
Pumpkin Crème Brulee
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ tsp. freshly grated cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground allspice
½ tsp. freshly grated ginger
¾ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
5 egg yolks
½ tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
6 Tbs. pumpkin puree
1/3 cup plus 4 tsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 300°F. Have a pot of boiling water ready.
Pour the cream into a small saucepan and whisk in the cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg. Set over medium-low heat and warm the cream mixture until bubbles form around the edges of the pan and steam begins to rise from the surface, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla, salt, pumpkin puree, the 1/3 cup granulated sugar and the brown sugar until smooth and blended. Slowly pour in the cream mixture, stirring until blended. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Divide the mixture among four 8-fl.-oz. ramekins and place in a large baking pan. Add boiling water to fill the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake until the custards are just set around the edges, about 30 minutes.
Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.
Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tsp. granulated sugar evenly over the surface of each custard. Using a kitchen torch according to the manufacturer’s instructions, move the flame continuously in small circles over the surface until the sugar melts and lightly browns. Serve immediately. Serves 4.