Thanksgiving Feast With Texas Twist...

...And On A Shoestring, From Fort Worth Chef Jon Bonnell, A Leader In Lone Star State Cuisine

(CBS) 

Creole Roasted Turkey with Sage Cream Gravy

For the Brine:
1 pound honey
1 pound salt
2 cups orange juice
1 1/2 gallons water

Method:

Warm the water slightly and add in all ingredients. Stir until the honey and salt have completely dissolved, then cool the water down (ice works well) and submerge the turkey in the brine overnight.

For the turkey:
1 12 pounds fresh turkey
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Creole seasoning blend (see recipe)

For the Creole Seasoning:
10 parts salt
4 parts granulated garlic
4 parts fine black pepper
1 part cayenne
1.5 part dried thyme
1.5 part dried oregano
6 part paprika
2 part onion powder
1 part dried basil

Method:

Clean and rinse the turkey thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Combine the sugar and seasonings, then liberally season the entire turkey, even inside the cavity.

Roast the turkey in a 400° convection oven until the internal temperature reaches 170°. This should take approximately 2 to 2-1/2 hours, but ovens will vary. Always check the temperature with a thermometer to ensure the bird is cooked through.

It helps to use a roasting pan and roasting rack so that the turkey can be cooked evenly on all sides and the pan juices can be captured for making the gravy.

For the gravy:
1 ounce butter (2 tablespoons)
1 ounce flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
8 ounces pan drippings (supplement with chicken stock if needed)
2 ounces heavy cream
salt and white pepper to taste

Method:

In a heavy bottomed skillet, melt the butter, then stir in the flour over low to medium heat. Do not stop stirring once the mixture is combined. Cook until the roux becomes bubbly and starts to smell like sourdough toast, but do not allow it to become dark brown.

Add in the chicken stock (cold) and whisk until the mixture comes to a simmer. You will not see any thickening until the liquid simmers.

Once the gravy thickens, add in the cream, sage and seasonings and simmer lightly for 1-2 minutes. Taste for the right amount of salt and pepper, then serve hot.

For the chili-spiced pecans and pumpkin seeds:

Ingredients:
1/3 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/3 cup roughly chopped pecans
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 pinch smoked paprika
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

Method:

Sauté all ingredients in a large nonstick pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes while stirring or tossing constantly, then serve hot.


Andouille Sausage & Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients:
2 pint chicken stock
1 cup mild green chilies (poblano peppers roasted, peeled and seeded)
1 cup chopped onion
8 ounces smoked Andouille sausage, diced
1 cup chopped celery
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons Creole blend of seasonings
4 cups lightly toasted cornbread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (approximately 4 to 5 slices)
1 cup toasted panko bread crumbs
2 teaspoons dried sage
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Sauté the onions, peppers, celery, sausage, chilies and garlic in olive oil until the onions become soft.

Add in all dry seasonings and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer for 4 minutes.

Mix the cornbread and panko together and add to the pot and turn off the heat. Allow to soak in for 5 minutes, then transfer to an oven dish and bake at 300° for 8 minutes. Check for seasonings at the end and serve hot.

For more recipes, go to Page 3.

[dr_cricket2]

Why in the world does everything have to contain a political slam or comment? This is cooking folks!

Anyone who cooks knows that people use various ethnic cuisines to create recipes. Of course Creole is Cajun/French ... it''s the newscasters that misinform! Julia Child would never make such a mistake.

And besides, haven''t we had enough politics to let this creep into cooking for the holidays? ENOUGH!

[spinproof]

Hmmm, a normal picture of a Turkey without Sarah Palin''s friends decapitating it while she''s talking. LOL

[Viviandjw]

Ok I don''t do a lot of homemade cooking. Can I use a cheesecake mix and the pumpkin pie mix instead of having to get all of the ingredents? Thanks

[erasmus81]

"I''''ll try to make it a point to check in (if I remember)."

It would be nice if you did.

Bye.

[erasmus81]

You mean like "Texas" bread?:)

Posted by erasmus81 at 04:43 PM : Nov 22, 2008

Texas TOAST!!!

Damned Canadians. . .

Posted by tuckerndfw at 05:12 PM : Nov 22, 2008

Oops......hahahahahaha

[erasmus81]

Posted by tuckerndfw at 04:59 PM : Nov 22, 2008

"On my mother''''s side, somebody did a family tree that linked us to William McKinley but it was through cousins rather than parents, grandparents"

The name was familiar, but I had to look it up.:) A President! That''s nice.

"On my daddy''''s side, the family legend is that some horse thief from Tennessee fled to avoid the hangman and ended up in Texas. That''''s probably true."

And this is who you and your brothers take after?:)

"The other legend is one of my daddy''''s grandmas was a Cherokee. Which I believe due to our physical appearance."

Yes, I remember you telling me.

"Many "original" (European) Texans came to Texas to avoid the law or to avoid the Civil War and they really didn''''t want to leave a trail."

And so what was so "special" about Texas? I don''t mean to say that there isn''t anything special about Texas. I was just wondering why everybody headed there. I know one thing that is special about Texas.:)

"Supposedly, we are mostly Dutch-Irish, but who knows?"

You are Irish too? Isn''t that nice.

"We have our own thieves & liars to account for without importing them from CT & WY."

Hahaha.


I have to go out for awhile, but I hope to talk to you again, soon.

If for any reason I don''t, I hope to talk to you on your birthday.:)

[erasmus81]

"It seems we appeared here by magic. ."

Maybe it was magic.:)

[erasmus81]

Posted by tuckerndfw at 04:24 PM : Nov 22, 2008

"I can''''t trace my family beyond about four generations. It seems we appeared here by magic. ."

Really? That''s kind of weird. Mind you, what do I know?

I can trace my family back to good old IRELAND.:) And OK, I will admit it, Scotland too. The Irish ones came over here and landed in North Dakota. From there they came to Canada. And the Scottish ones I think came to Canada and then some went to California.


" We fry EVERYTHING including tomatoes, squash, okra, potatoes, whatever."

Yeah, like I had never heard of fried green tomatoes, before that movie came out. We do fry potatoes and zucchini. (sp?)

"I just love the way people attach "Texas" or "Texan" to stuff as if that makes it better even though it has no relation whatsoever..."

You mean like "Texas" bread?:)

[erasmus81]

As a native, fifth (at least) generation Texan, I find stories such as this one to be really stupid.

Creole means Cajun or French-Canadian (aka "Louisiana").

Calling Creole food Texan is about as stupid as it gets.

Texans fry everything and slop ketchup or barbecue sauce (or hot sauce) all over it. That''''s a genuine Texas recipe. Fry until brown, slop ketchup all over it and you have a "heart of Texas" meal.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 03:43 PM : Nov 22, 2008

Fifth generation Texan? That''s nice.:)

You have lived other places too, though, right?

Fry and slop ketchup? Now you''re talkin''! It sounds like what we do here.

I of course have cut back on the fried. Or at least I don''t use fat for frying. I use a good old T-Fal fry pan.:)

[erasmus81]

Y''''all want cheap turkey?

Go to Kentucky Fried Chicken and order their family combo.

Posted by tuckerndfw at 02:35 PM : Nov 22, 2008

And just how is it you know about Kentucky Fried Chicken? I thought you didn''t eat anything that ate rocks?

See, I remember stuff.:)

[middleman8]

Try S O S good nugh for texans

(vets know what this is.)

[skeezix06]

I know this is going to come as something of a shock to y''all but after the last 8 years I''ve had just about enough of Texas.

[davidleith1]

HHH

[davidleith1]

PRYA DAVID LOOKS LIKE OBAMAS WIFE IS IT? I DONT KNOW WHO JUST TOLD ME THAT

[rar630]

what size springform pan for the pumpkin cheesecake?