They’d love to be invited
AN “ad hoc” cassoulet, a pepper relish to go with turkey, winter squashes beautiful to look at but even better to eat, the leaves of Brussels sprouts flavored with mirepoix and pancetta, a wonderfully refreshing shredded turkey salad with mint and romaine.
These are some of the dishes that Food section staffers love to make the day after Thanksgiving, and some of them are great for Thanksgiving too (or whenever you or your guests might want a warm cornmeal muffin like Test Kitchen director Donna Deane’s, with rosemary and dried apricots, straight from the oven).
Staff writer Corie Brown says she always buys lots of winter squashes for Thanksgiving, such as carnival, delicata, kabocha, buttercup and turban, because they’re so beautiful.
“Then it’s time to make dinner and I have too much food,” she says. “I abandon the squash, using it instead as a table decoration.”
So the next day, she pops them in the oven. They’re terrific sliced, their gorgeous skins left on and roasted with butter until the edges are brown and crisp, spiced with a little ancho chile pepper and ground cumin.
The pepper relish is an Auguste Escoffier recipe meant to go with meats. “I don’t like cranberry relish,” says staff writer Charles Perry. “This irresistible cranberry-less pepper relish, from his cookbook ‘Ma Cuisine,’ goes well with turkey -- but hey, it goes with just about anything.”
Having turkey on hand turns cassoulet into an easy dish. No duck confit necessary. That’s what staff writer Amy Scattergood learned one year.
“It was easy, used up the leftovers, and all it required was a simple salad with a cider vinegar dressing to accompany it,” she says. “I ended up liking it much better than my original turkey dinner.
“One of these days I’m just going to confit my whole turkey and serve cassoulet on Thanksgiving Day instead.”
One of Food editor Leslie Brenner’s fall favorites is Brussels sprout leaves taken to another level by mirepoix and pancetta. “I fell in love with this recipe from ‘Chez Panisse Cooking’ when I came across it years ago, and I start thinking about it again every year around Thanksgiving,” she says. “It’s great hot, but wonderful too at room temp -- and great to bring to a party.”
*
**
Piments pour viandes froides (Peppers for cold meats)
Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Servings: Makes 4 cups
Note: From Auguste Escoffier’s “Ma Cuisine”
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium ( 1/2 pound) onion
1 pound ripe red sweet peppers, washed, cored, seeds removed, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon mixed spices (mace, allspice, nutmeg)
1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 pound raisins
1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
1. Put the oil in a saucepan. Chop the onion very fine, add to the pan and fry over low heat until softened. Add the peppers, salt, ginger and mixed spices, and simmer 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, raisins and sugar. Add the vinegar; cook over very low heat, covered, at least 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Each tablespoon: 21 calories; 0 protein; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 1 gram fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 19 mg. sodium.
**
Cornmeal muffins with apricots and rosemary
Total time: 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Note: From Donna Deane
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Dried cranberries for garnish
Rosemary sprigs for garnish
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in apricots and rosemary.
2. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg, then stir in the buttermilk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the buttermilk mixture and stir just until combined.
3. Spoon the mixture into a lightly buttered 12-cup muffin pan. Top each muffin with a dried cranberry and a small sprig of rosemary. Bake the muffins until lightly browned, 20 to 23 minutes. Remove them from the oven. Run a small spatula around the muffins to loosen and cool them on a wire rack.
Each serving: 155 calories; 4 grams protein; 27 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 4 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 26 mg. cholesterol; 294 mg. sodium.
**
Quick cassoulet
Total time: 3 hours, 20 minutes, largely unattended
Servings: 8
Note: From Amy Scattergood
1 pound dried white beans (such as cannellini, Great Northern or Tarbais)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound uncooked sausage, in individual links (use garlic, Toulouse sausage or mild Italian)
1 large onion, diced (2 1/2 cups)
1 carrot, diced ( 1/2 cup)
7 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 stem parsley, 2 whole sprigs fresh sage)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced
tomatoes, including juice
3 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups stale white bread, cut into cubes
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
2 cups roast turkey, preferably dark meat or whole legs, skin removed
1. Place the beans in a large pot with enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring the beans to a boil, take them off the heat and let sit for an hour. Drain and set aside. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large braising pot with a lid, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and then add the sausage, browning it on all sides over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside. Into the same pot with the fat remaining from the sausages, add the onions and carrots. Cook them until soft, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add 6 cloves minced garlic, the bouquet garni, tomatoes with juice, drained beans, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Lay the sausages on the top, cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
4. In a food processor, pulse the stale bread until you have fine crumbs; add the remaining minced garlic, the parsley and 1 tablespoon olive oil and pulse until combined. Set aside.
5. Remove the cassoulet from the oven and arrange the turkey alongside the sausages, pressing in slightly with a spoon. Add a little stock to cover the beans, if needed. Spread the bread crumb mixture on top. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes; the crust should be golden and bubbly.
Each serving: 461 calories; 32 grams protein; 46 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams fiber; 17 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 45 mg. cholesterol; 687 mg. sodium.
**
Squash baked with sage and chile butter
Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Note: From Corie Brown and Donna Deane
5 pounds assorted squash such as buttercup, delicata, kabocha and carnival
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons minced sage
1/2 teaspoon ancho chile pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the squash in half and remove seeds. Cut into one-half-inch thick slices. It is not necessary to peel the squash. Toss the squash with olive oil, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper.
2. Arrange the squash in a single layer on two large baking pans with sides. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the squash is lightly browned and tender.
3. Heat the butter until melted. Stir in the sage, chile pepper and cumin. Brush the squash with the butter mixture during the last 5 minutes of baking.
Each serving: 248 calories; 2 grams protein; 23 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 18 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 30 mg. cholesterol; 373 mg. sodium.
**
Salad with shredded turkey, romaine, cilantro and sesame dressing
Total time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8 to 12
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cut into thin strips
1 head romaine lettuce, large ribs removed, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped mint
3 cups shredded cooked turkey breast
2 green onions, cut into 3-inch pieces, then julienned
1/2 seedless cucumber, cut into 3-inch-long pieces, then julienned
3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine
1/4 cup sesame oil
4 teaspoons toasted white
sesame seeds, crushed in a mortar
Salt and freshly ground
pepper
1. Place the almonds in a small pan over medium heat and toast until golden brown, shaking the pan, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, toss together the iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, cilantro and mint. Transfer to a platter. Arrange the shredded turkey on top of the greens. Garnish with green onions, cucumber and almonds.
3. To make the dressing, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and rice wine in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the sesame oil. Adjust seasoning to taste. Add the sesame seeds, then pour the dressing over the salad. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Each serving: 149 calories; 13 grams protein; 5 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 24 mg. cholesterol; 364 mg. sodium.
**
Brussels sprout leaves cooked with pancetta and mirepoix
Total time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Note: Adapted from “Chez Panisse Cooking” by Paul Bertolli with
Alice Waters
2 pounds Brussels sprouts
1/4 cup olive oil or rendered duck fat
2 large carrots, diced (1 cup)
3 large stalks celery, diced (1 cup)
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 pound pancetta, cut into 1/4 -inch dice
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
Dash of white wine vinegar
1. Working with one sprout at a time, remove as many of the outer leaves as you can until you reach those firmly attached to the core. Trim the stem end, freeing more leaves, and repeat until you reach the dense center. Slice the center thin.
2. Warm the olive oil or duck fat in a very large nonreactive saucepan. Add the carrot, celery and onion (together they make the mirepoix) and the pancetta and cook over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, without browning the vegetables, until they have softened.
3. Add one-half cup water and the Brussels sprouts, sprinkle with the salt and stir well to combine. Cover the pan and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every so often until the leaves are tender. Season with a little freshly ground pepper, correct for salt and add a dash of vinegar. Serve while the color is still vivid.
Each serving: 150 calories; 6 grams protein; 14 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 9 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 5 mg. cholesterol; 369 mg. sodium.
**
On the Web:
More Thanksgiving recipes. Go to latimes.com/theholidays.
