Thanksgiving Feast With Greek Twist

Every year, The Early Show asks a chef to show how to do Thanksgiving right.

This year, it was Jim Botsacos who added an ethnic flavor to the holiday.

The executive chef and co-owner of Molyvos, one of New York's best Greek restaurants, offered recipes for soup, turkey and dessert.

He is also the author of a new cookbook, "The New Greek Cuisine."

Botsacos likes to start his Thanksgiving meal with a warm soup. He thinks it's a perfect starter, compared to a salad. It is warming and gets everyone in the right mood for a comfy, delicious meal, he feels.

Botsacos doesn't prepare his turkey whole. He likes to cut it into pieces, because it cooks more quickly, and you're guaranteed to cook the turkey to the right point — not too dry or undercooked.

For dessert, Botsacos suggests an assortment of delicious treats.

RECIPES

Butternut Squash Soup With Thyme Honey and Whipped Yogurt

Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
1 Medium Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and medium diced
(approximately 2 pounds)
2 Tbs Olive Oil
pinch of Cinnamon
pinch of Nutmeg, freshly grated
to taste Salt and Pepper
5 Tbs Butter
1 cup Leeks, washed and diced
2 cups Onions, peeled and finely diced
1 quart + 2 cup Chicken Stock - Hot
2 cups Heavy Cream
3 Tbs Thyme Honey
1/4 cup Greek Yogurt, lightly whipped - for garnish

1. Warm 2 tablespoons of the butter plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepot over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions, leeks and a pinch of salt to the pot, and cover, cooking for 8-10 minutes or until the onions are soft, stirring occasionally. Add the squash and stock to the pot, and stir to incorporate ingredients; simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, and simmer for another 5 minutes; skim the foam from the top of the soup. Cook until the squash is tender an additional 5 minutes.

2. Puree the soup using a hand held mixer (alternatively, you can transfer the soup to a blender to puree). Strain the soup though a coarse sieve (strain into another pot). With a hand held blender, add the reserved 3 tablespoons of butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.

You can hold the soup warm covered until ready to serve.

To serve, ladle approximately 6 to 8 ounces of soup into six to eight soup bowls. Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt, serve immediately.

For Botsacos's turkey and dessert recipes, go to Page 2.Slow Roasted Turkey a la Grecque, with Rice, Sausage & Chestnut Stuffing

Yield: 6 - 8 servings

To Make The Turkey Confit:

Ingredients:
5 cloves garlic, peel on, smashed
5 sprigs fresh thyme
5 sprigs fresh oregano
3 sprigs fresh sage
12 allspice berries
6 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
1 lemon, well washed and cut crosswise, into thin slices
1/2 cup coarse salt (approximately)
2 whole turkey legs with skin, on the bone
2 lbs lard or goose fat

1. Combine the garlic, thyme, oregano and sage with the allspice, cloves and cinnamon sticks in a small bowl. Stir in the lemon

2. Place about 1 tablespoon of the salt in the bottom of an 11-inch rectangular glass baking dish. Sprinkle half of the herb/spice mixture over the salt. Lay the turkey legs skin side down, in a single layer on top of the seasoning. Sprinkle the remaining herb/spice mixture over the top followed by the remaining salt. Cover with plastic film and place another heavy pan on top of the dish to weight down the turkey. Transfer to the refrigerator and let marinate for 2 days.

3. Unwrap the turkey, rinse under cool running water and pat dry.

4. Place a wire rack on baking pan. Place the turkey on the wire rack and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. This allows the turkey legs to dry out somewhat.

5. Preheat the over to 375°F. Place the lard in a heavy-bottom sauce pan over low heat, heating just until melted.

6. Transfer the turkey to a baking pan. Pour the warm lard over the turkey legs and cover. Place the pan on a cookie sheet. Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 2 1/2 hours or until the turkey is falling off the bone. The fat should be at a bare simmer throughout the baking. If it bubbles rapidly, lower the heat as you don't want the legs to cook too fast.

7. Remove the legs from the oven and set aside to cool in the fat. When cool, refrigerate, covered with plastic film, until ready to use. The confit will keep covered in the rich fat for up to 2 weeks.

8. When ready to use, pull the meat from the skin and bones. Shred the meat and discard both the skin and bones.

To Assemble:

For the Turkey:

1 14-16 lb. Turkey — legs and thighs removed, breasts de-boned, carcass reserved
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbs Greek oregano
1 zest of lemon
1 juice of lemon
2 cups turkey stock, recipe follows (or canned chicken broth)
3 Tbs butter
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a stainless steel mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil, garlic, Greek oregano, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper to taste. Using a piece of butchers twine, tie around the turkey breast to help hold its shape. Repeat with the other breast. Place in a non-reactive pan, cover with the marinade and place in refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

2. When ready to cook, combine chicken stock, butter, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. In a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil. Cook for 5-6 minutes, then reserve, this will be your basting liquid.

3. Place a medium sauté pan on medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil, remove breast from marinate and season with salt and pepper. Place in pan skin side down. Brown on all sides equally — approximately 6-8 minutes to brown on all sides.

4. Place seared turkey breasts in the roasting pan, skin up. Top with basting liquid, basting every 15 minutes until the turkey is cooked and the internal temperature reads 155°F with thermometer, approximately 40-50 minutes. Let rest 5-6 minutes before serving.

Rice Sausage and Chestnut Stuffing

Note: All grinding equipment must be well chilled before grinding to keep the meat mixture cold

To make sausage:

1 1/2 lb pork butt, cut into large dice
1 lb lamb chuck, cut into large dice
1 bay leaf
6 Tbs freshly grated orange zest
2 Tbs coarse salt
1 1/2 Tbs coarsely ground, toasted fennel seeds
1 Tbs coarsely ground, toasted black peppercorns
1 Tbs roughly chopped garlic
1 Tbs roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
Pinch Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
3 oz. crushed ice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (approximately)

1. Combine the pork butt, and lamb chuck in a mixing bowl. Add the bay leaf, parsley, orange zest, salt fennel, coriander, peppercorns, garlic mint, olive oil, sugar, and Aleppo pepper and stir to combine. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate for 8 hours.

2. Set up either a meat grinder or a heavy duty electric mixer fitted with the medium meat grinding attachment.

3. Make an ice water bath in a large bowl. Place a smaller bowl in the center of the ice water bath. Place the bath under the meat grinder so that the ground meat mixture will fall into the bowl sitting in the center.

4. Remove the meat from the refrigerator. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the 3 ounces of crushed ice. This will help keep the meat ice cold, which will help bind the mixture. Immediately pass the meat mixture through the grinder into the bowl. When all the meat has been ground, stir it with a wooden spoon to ensure that it is evenly mixed. Reserve, refrigerate one hour before proceeding.

5. Place a medium sauté pan on medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, heat until hot but not smoking. Season 1/4 of the sausage meat at a time. Place 1/4of the meat into the pan, allow to brown before turning and breaking sausage into smaller pieces 3-4 minutes. Remove, place in a colander with a bowl underneath to reserve drippings. Repeat this process until all the meat is cooked. Then lay out on a cookie sheet to cool.

6. Reserve for stuffing.

To make the stuffing:

Ingredients:

6 cups store-bought focaccia, sourdough or white bread diced medium size
cubed & lightly toasted
1/4 cup butter
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs reserved drippings from sausage
3 cups white onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled finely chopped
1 Tbs sage, chopped
2 Tbs parsley, chopped
2 1/2 cups cooked sausage meat
2 cups cooked shelled chestnuts
1 1/2 cup cooked rice
2 cup chicken broth
1 T Greek oregano

1. Preheat oven at 400°F.

2. Warm the butter and olive oil in a medium size pot. Once the butter is melted, add the onions and a pinch of salt. Stir and cover, cook 10-12 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1 -2 minutes, add the sausage, cook 1-2 minutes, then add the reserve sausage drippings. Continue cooking 1-2 minutes stirring occasionally, taste and season accordingly, add the oregano. On a very low flame, add the chestnuts to onion mixture.

3. Fold in the bread and rice, adjust consistency with the chicken broth; the mixture should be moist. Shut flame, fold in herbs.

4. Place in a medium-size well greased oven proof dish or pan. Bake uncovered 10-15 minutes at 400°F, cover and cook for 8-10 more minutes. Stuffing should be lightly golden and heated through.

Turkey Stock

The stock can be made up to 3 days ahead. To remove all excess fat, place stock in fridge until chilled, then remove the fat from the top of the stock with a ladle.

Yield: 2 Quarts

Ingredients:

1 turkey carcass
4 quarts cold water
2 onions, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 ribs celery
2 bay leaves
1 sprig thyme
2 garlic cloves, smashed
4-5 black peppercorns, whole
pinch of salt

1. Using a heavy chef's knife or cleaver, take the turkey carcass and cut the body up into 5-6 medium size pieces. Place the carcass pieces in a roasting pan and roast in the oven at 450°F for 20-25 minutes until the pieces are lightly browned, remove and let rest.

2. Place the carcass pieces in a stainless steel stock pot with the 4 quarts of cold water, or enough to cover 2 inches over the bones. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and skim away any impurities. Add the onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, garlic cloves, black peppercorns and pinch of salt to the pot, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, until the flavor is fully developed. Skim occasionally.

3. Turn off the heat and let the stock stand 5-10 minutes, strain the stock into another pot, discarding bones and vegetables. Reserve the stock until ready to use.

Turkey Gravy

Yield: 2 Quarts

Ingredients:

2 Quarts Brown Turkey Stock
8 ozs. Flour
8 ozs. Butter plus 2 Tablespoons
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Granulated Garlic
1 sprig Thyme
1 sprig Sage
1 cup Heavy Cream

1. Place a heavy gauged stainless steel sauce pot over medium flame. Add the 8 ounces of butter and cook until melted. Using a wooden spoon slowly stir in the flour to create a roux. The butter will absorb the flour and become thick. Cook over a very low flame stirring occasional for 6-8 minutes.

2. Using a wire whisk, slowly whisk in the two quarts of turkey stock. Raise the heat, allow coming to a boil, lower to a simmer and skimming off any impurities. Let simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Using a wire whisk slowly whisk in the heavy cream until it is all incorporated. Add the aromatics and the granulated garlic, season lightly with salt and pepper and allow to simmer 10-12 minutes, until the gravy is the proper consistency and the starch is cooked out from the roux.

4. When ready to serve whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, adjust the seasonings, strain and serve.

Note: You may add any reserved pan dripping from the turkey but they must be reduced and strained.

FOR RECIPES FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF DESSERTS, click here.