Chef's Turkey Dinner Tips
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time of joy, but it could be a nightmare for those who don't spend a lot of time in their kitchen throughout the year. A local chef has a recipe that takes the "stress" out of the day!
Surrounded by steaming pots atop four 500 degree stoves, Union League chef Martin Hamann says when it comes to the perfect turkey, timing is everything:
"I think if you go by the adage of 12 minutes per pound of your turkey, you'll be OK. 350 degrees, cover it for the first hour. Take that off and then let it naturally brown."
He suggests you take you take two pounds of butter, add finely chopped sage, parsley and a little fresh thyme and a little garlic -- blend it -- and you place it under the skin of the turkey to capture the flavors as it naturally browns. As for stuffing:
"Bread, some people use sausage. I always use a mixture of onion, celery, mushrooms and then we put stock, butter and eggs and we make a mixture of that to keep that moist. Just put it in a casserole dish and bake it."
For more cooking tips, listen to the podcast in the player below...
Recipe for Thanksgiving Butternut Squash Soup:
Ingredients
4 Butternut Squash (peeled, seeded, cut in ½ )
2 onions (peeled, halved, sliced thin)
1 head of garlic (peeled, sliced)
2 qt chicken stock
1 qt heavy cream
1 allspice
4 whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
6 tbsp olive oil (as needed)
salt and pepper (to taste)
Equipment
4"x 4" square cheese cloth
6" butchers twine
½ sheet pan with rack
1 large pot
1 wooden spoon
1 electric blender
Procedure
Coat butternut squash halves in 2 tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper, put on sheet pan and
roast in oven at 375' for 15 min, or until tender.
In a large pot heat 4 tbsp of olive oil. Add onions and garlic and sweat until translucent,
approx 4 minutes. Then add the roasted butternut squash, and stir. Add chicken stock, and
bring to simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Add heavy cream and stir. Season with salt and
pepper and simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Transfer butternut soup to blender and
blend on high until smooth consistency. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce:
12 people
Ingredients
3 bags fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup orange juice
3 oz ginger (rough chop)
2 tsp. star anise
3 cinnamon sticks
Equipment
4"x 4" cheese cloth
6" butchers twine
1 large pot
1 wooden spoon
Procedure
In large pot combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice and ginger. Put cinnamon sticks and
star anise in cheesecloth and wrap up and tie with butchers twine, creating a sachet. Place
sachet in pot with all ingredients. Bring to a simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally.
Allow to cook for approximately 45 min, or until cranberries are tender. Adjust sweetness
with sugar near the end of the cooking process.
Bon appétit!
Reported by Michelle Durham, KYW Newsradio
