Can we start a TandT list for Thanksgiving (or does it exist somewhere?), please? Invited 8 people.

REC: Julia Child's Corn Chowder

This can be made the day before, reheated, and served in cups for a walking appetizer as last minute preparations are underway in the kitchen. Very handy...

"Once you have mastered a technique, you hardly need look at a recipe again."

Homemade soups fill the kitchen with a welcome air, and can be so full and natural and fresh that they solve that always nagging question of "what to serve as a first course."

CHOWDERS
"Traditional chowders all start off with a hearty soup base of onions and potatoes, and that makes a good soup just by itself. To this fragrant base you then add chunks of fish, or clams, or corn, or whatever else seems appropriate. (Note: You may leave out the pork and substitute another tablespoon of butter for sautéing the onions.)"

THE CHOWDER SOUP BASE
For about 2 quarts, to make a 2 1/2-quart chowder serving 6 to 8

4 ounces (2/3 cup) diced blanched salt pork or bacon
1 Tbsp butter
3 cups (1 pound) sliced onions
1 imported bay leaf
3/4 cup crumbled "common" or pilot crackers, or 1 pressed-down cup fresh white bread crumbs
6 cups liquid (milk, chicken stock, fish stock, clam juices, or a combination)
3 1/2 cups (1 pound) peeled and sliced or diced boiling potatoes
Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Sauté the pork or bacon bits slowly with the butter in a large saucepan for 5 minutes, or until pieces begin to brown.

Stir in the onions and bay leaf; cover, and cook slowly 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are tender.

Drain off fat and blend crackers or bread crumbs into onions. Pour in the liquid; add the potatoes and simmer, loosely covered, for 20 minutes or so, until the potatoes are tender. Season to taste with salt and white pepper, and the soup base is ready.

CHOWDER SUGGESTIONS

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER
For about 2 1/2 quarts, serving 6 to 8. Scrub and soak 24 medium-size hard-shell clams (see box). Steam them for 3 to 4 minutes in a large tightly covered saucepan with 1 cup water, until most have opened. Remove the opened clams; cover, and steam the rest another minute or so. Discard any unopened clams. Pluck meat from the shells, then decant steaming-liquid very carefully, so all sand remains in the saucepan; include the clam-steaming liquid as part of the chowder base. Meanwhile, mince the clam meats in a food processor or chop by hand. Fold them into the finished chowder base. Just before serving, heat to below the simmer--so the clams won't overcook and toughen. Fold in a little heavy cream or sour cream if you wish; thin with milk if necessary, correct seasoning, and serve.

To prepare clams:
Scrub one at a time under running water, discarding any that are cracked, damaged, or not tightly closed. Soak 30 minutes in a basin of salted water (1/3 cup salt per 4 quarts water). Lift out, and if more than a few grains of sand remain in the basin, repeat. Refrigerate, covered by a damp towel. It's wise to use them within a day or two.

FISH CHOWDER:
Prepare the chowder base using fish stock, and/or light chicken stock, and milk. Cut into 2-inch chunks 2 to 21/2 pounds of skinless, boneless lean fish, such as cod, haddock, halibut, monkfish, or sea bass, all one kind or a mixture. Add to the finished chowder base and simmer 2 to 3 minutes, just until fish is opaque and springy. Correct seasoning, and top each serving, if you wish, with a spoonful of sour cream.

CHICKEN CHOWDER:
Substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts for fish, and make the chowder base with chicken stock and milk.

CORN CHOWDER:
Prepare the chowder base using 6 cups of light chicken stock and milk. Stir 3 cups or so of grated fresh corn into the finished base, adding, if you wish, 2 green and/or red peppers chopped fine and sautéed briefly in butter. Bring to the simmer for 2 to 3 minutes; correct seasoning, and top each serving, if you wish, with a spoonful of sour cream.

 
Autumn Trifle With Roasted Apples, Pears, And Pumpkin-Caramel Sauce

Autumn Trifle With Roasted Apples, Pears, And Pumpkin-Caramel Sauce
A pastry bag and large rosette tip are optional for the whipped cream topping, which can also be spooned over the trifle.

Cinnamon pastry cream

6 large egg yolks
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cake flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter


Pumpkin-Caramel Sauce


1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin

Roasted Fruit

3 large Fuji apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
3 Bosc pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Assembly

3 1/2 dozen (about) soft ladyfingers
1/3 cup dry Sherry
2 cups chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 1/8-inch-thick slices Bosc pear
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

For cinnamon pastry cream:
Whisk yolks and 1/2 cup milk in large bowl. Add sugar, flour, vanilla, and cinnamon. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Bring 1 1/2 cups milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan. Cook until custard thickens and boils, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes.

Transfer to medium bowl. Add butter and stir until melted. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)

For pumpkin-caramel sauce:
Melt butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar and cook until mixture is deep amber, stirring constantly, about 8 minutes (mixture will be grainy). Reduce heat to medium-low. Add cream (mixture will bubble). Stir until caramel bits dissolve, about 2 minutes. Add pumpkin; stir until heated. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

For roasted fruit:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix apples, pears, and lemon juice in large bowl. Place butter on rimmed baking sheet. Heat in oven until butter melts and begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add fruit to baking sheet and toss with butter. Roast until fruit is soft and golden, turning with metal spatula every 15 minutes, about 1 hour. Cool fruit on sheet.

For assembly:
Place ladyfingers, flat side up, on baking sheet. Brush with Sherry. Line bottom of 2- or 3-quart glass trifle dish with single layer of ladyfingers, Sherry side up. Line bottom edge with 1 row of ladyfingers, Sherry side in, pressing gently against dish. Spoon half of pastry cream into lined dish; smooth top. Cover with half of fruit. Drizzle 1/2 cup caramel sauce over. Line edge of dish with second row of ladyfingers, Sherry side in. Cover fruit with single layer of ladyfingers. Spoon remaining pastry cream over. Cover with remaining fruit. Drizzle fruit with 1/2 cup caramel sauce. Line edge of dish with third row of ladyfingers, Sherry side in. Chill at least 6 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

Whip cream, sugar, and vanilla in bowl until mixture holds peaks. Fill pastry bag fitted with large rosette tip with whipped cream and pipe over trifle (or spoon whipped cream over). (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead; chill.) Drizzle whipped cream with 2 tablespoons caramel sauce. Brush pear slices with lemon juice; arrange decoratively atop whipped cream. Serve, passing remaining caramel sauce separately.
Makes 12 servings.

Bon Appétit
November 2003

 
I've had friends talking about this since last year's Christmas Brunch!

Will be making it again this year.

 
This would be nice for the morning after...when I imagine we all sit around in robes, drinking lots

of coffee. Or other beverages.

 
It's very good, and I love how the veggies on the bottom of the roasting pan

keep the turkey from sticking and make a wonderful broth to make gravy with.

 
One more, and one of my favorites. REC: Dorothy's Creamed Onions

I love these. My MIL always leaves me the leftovers. smileys/smile.gif

* Exported from MasterCook *

Dorothy's Creamed Onions

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Side Dishes Thanksgiving
Vegetables

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

20 small onions -- (not pearl onions)
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup milk
2 ounces medium cheddar cheese
1 can fried onion rings

Put the onions in a pot of water and bring it to a boil. Boil for a couple minutes, then drain in colander. When the onions are cool enough to handle, slip the skins off. Place in a oven-proof casserole. In a frying pan make a roux with the butter and flour. Cook for a few minutes to remove the raw flavor from the flour. Gradually add milk, whisking as you go, until you have a nice white sauce. You don't want it too thick, like a thinnish pancake batter (because my mother-in-law doesn't like thick pancake batter smileys/smile.gif. Cook for a couple minutes. Grate the cheese directly into the sauce, whisking as you go. You don't want a cheese sauce, just a white sauce with a touch of cheese. If it too thick add a little milk (remember the pancake batter issue) until it is the right consistency. I like to add the onions to the sauce then pour the whole thing into the casserole. Top with crumbled onion rings and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
The onions should be very tender.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 
this would be lovely as small gift cakes, single layers baked in foil pans, iced and decorated. nice

 
Richard, I believer your Gluhwein Red Cabbage will be on our table with the turkey. we always have

red cabbage with turkey, and I want to try your recipe. I usually have no recipe---just a bit of this and that---but the last 2 times it was kind of blah.

 
I always use an immersion blender and blend a few of the caramelized veggies into the gravy. adds

great flavor and thickening too.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top