Thanksgiving Recipes from Local Caterers

Looking to add some new dishes to your Thanksgiving Day table? Below, Chef Brian Roland of Crave Culinaire graciously shares his recipes for a traditional autumn feast.


M Waterfront Grille - Thanksgiving dinner recipes
Photo by Charlie Palmer.


Roasted Turkey

  • 1 large turkey (preferably all-natural), 14-lb. average
  • 1 cup turkey dry rub (recipe below)
  • ½ pound unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Evenly coat the outside of the turkey with the butter and season the entire turkey generously with the dry rub.

Place the turkey on a roasting rack fit into a roasting pan.

Place the turkey into the oven for 10-12 minutes, and begin browning.

Immediately drop the temperature down to 300 degrees and roast for approximately 3 hours, or until the internal temperature has reached 155 degrees (the bird will continue cooking once removed).

Allow the bird to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Turkey Dry Rub

  • ¾ cup paprika (Hungarian if you have it)
  • ¼ cup black pepper, freshly ground
  • ¼ cup celery salt
  • ¼ cup Lawry’s seasoned salt
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp. onion powder
  • 2 tbsp. dry mustard
  • 2 tsp. cayenne
  • 2 tbsp. lemon zest

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

Classic Turkey Gravy

  • 2 quarts turkey stock (or chicken stock)
  • 2 cups. mirepoix (50% onion, 25% celery, 25% carrots)
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

Caramelize mirepoix until browned. Add flour and cook until a “roux” is formed. Deglaze pan with white wine, and cook for one minute. Add turkey stock and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer for 30 minutes. Season to taste and strain.


 Classic Bread Stuffing

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  • 2 lbs. bread (baguette or ciabatta), large diced and toasted
  • 10 oz. Italian sausage, ground
  • 12 oz. celery, small diced
  • 12 oz. onion, small diced
  • ½ oz. parsley, chopped
  • ¼ oz. thyme, chopped
  • 1 oz. garlic
  • 1.5 quarts chicken stock (hot)
  • 1 tbsp. poultry seasoning
  • 2 oz. olive oil

Cook sausage in oil until fully cooked. Remove from pan and sweat (cook until softened but not browned) the celery, onion, garlic, and thyme. Place the toasted bread in a bowl and toss it together with the celery-onion mixture. Add the sausage, hot chicken stock, poultry seasoning, and parsley. Stir well and allow to rest for five minutes so the bread will absorb the stock. Place the mixture in a shallow baking pan and bake in a 375-degree oven covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Then uncover the pan and continue baking at 400 degrees for 10-15 more minutes. The top will be golden brown when it is finished.

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Maple-Glazed Sweet Potato “Mash”

  • 5 lbs. sweet potatoes
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp. cinnamon
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Roast half of sweet potatoes in oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Peel and cut other half into medium-sized chunks and place in a sauté pan with enough oil to coat the pan. Cook for 5-8 minutes, then add cinnamon and brown sugar. Melt sugar, then add maple syrup and cook for two minutes. Remove potatoes when soft. Meanwhile, remove baked sweet potatoes from oven, cool, and peel. Once peeled, run through a food mill or ricer with maple sautéed potatoes, adding butter in gradually. Season to taste and serve.

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Cranberry Relish

  • 10 oz. water
  • 10 oz. orange juice
  • 5 bags frozen cranberries (10 oz. each)
  • ½ lb. golden raisins
  • ½ lb. onion, small diced
  • ½ lb. celery, small diced
  • 1 each orange zest
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • ½ tbsp. cinnamon
  • ½ tbsp. allspice
  • 4 Granny Smith apples, small diced
  • ¼ tbsp. ground ginger

Simmer the water, orange juice, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, cranberries, and sugar, until the cranberries begin to pop. Add the diced apples, celery, onion, and raisins, and immediately remove from the heat and cool.

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