All around today, kitchen's are beginning to fill up with the comforting smells of Thanksgiving. I am in charge of birds out of state. Yes, out of state, my dear friend Heather is in Virgina taking on the big day with her natural free range bird and Jill and Kevin in Oklahoma are preparing for the holiday in their new home. My cell phone will be close all day. I myself am honored to be attending a large feast, home in Vermont. I will bring a Chocolate Maple Pecan Pie and a Rosemary & Pear upside down cake. Yum!
I am thrilled to have received a sweet last minute call for a recipe. The call came early morning for me and when I listened to the message, eyes barley open, it was a need for a brine recipe. Instantly I thought a brine recipe on Thanksgiving but not to worry it will be for turkey breasts.
I have offered my Maple Brine recipe and a wonderful Port Cranberry Sauce that works great as a a Thanksgiving side or to serve with all sorts of desserts.
Be well, have good thoughts and keep in touch!
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Maple Turkey Brine
1 12-18 pound turkey
2 quarts chicken stock
1 large bag of Ice
1 gallon water
1 pound kosher salt
2 tablespoons whole cloves
1 pound maple syrup
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 tablespoons allspice berries
1.Line very large (about 16-quart) bowl with two 30-gallon plastic bags, one inside the other. Rinse turkey inside and out. Place turkey in plastic-lined bowl or bucket.
2.Combine salt and hot water until it dissolves.
3.Add maple syrup, broth, herbs and spices to mixture. Once thoroughly mixed, add ice.
4.Pour cold brine over turkey in plastic bags. Brine must be cold. Gather tops of bags together, eliminating air space above brine; seal bags. Refrigerate turkey in brine 18 to 20 hours. You may also place your brining turkey in a the bag in a large cooler covered with ice and place it outside or in your garage.
5. When ready to roast remove turkey from brine and pat dry, then place in your roasting pan on a rack. You are now ready to roast your bird!!! Have fun.
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Port Cranberry Sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 - 18 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour
Makes: 8 – 10 servings
1 12 ounce package of fresh cranberries
½ to ¾ cup sugar
1 orange zested
1 cup port
¼ teaspoon cardamom or cloves
½ teaspoon sea salt
1. Assemble and cook:
-Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and place over a medium flame.
-Bring to a low boil.
-Cook until the cranberries pop and the mixture becomes syrupy, about 15 minutes.
2. Chill and serve:
-Place mixture in a serving dish and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
-Serve either chilled or at room temperature.
I am thrilled to have received a sweet last minute call for a recipe. The call came early morning for me and when I listened to the message, eyes barley open, it was a need for a brine recipe. Instantly I thought a brine recipe on Thanksgiving but not to worry it will be for turkey breasts.
I have offered my Maple Brine recipe and a wonderful Port Cranberry Sauce that works great as a a Thanksgiving side or to serve with all sorts of desserts.
Be well, have good thoughts and keep in touch!
_____________________________________________
Maple Turkey Brine
1 12-18 pound turkey
2 quarts chicken stock
1 large bag of Ice
1 gallon water
1 pound kosher salt
2 tablespoons whole cloves
1 pound maple syrup
1 bunch fresh thyme
2 tablespoons allspice berries
1.Line very large (about 16-quart) bowl with two 30-gallon plastic bags, one inside the other. Rinse turkey inside and out. Place turkey in plastic-lined bowl or bucket.
2.Combine salt and hot water until it dissolves.
3.Add maple syrup, broth, herbs and spices to mixture. Once thoroughly mixed, add ice.
4.Pour cold brine over turkey in plastic bags. Brine must be cold. Gather tops of bags together, eliminating air space above brine; seal bags. Refrigerate turkey in brine 18 to 20 hours. You may also place your brining turkey in a the bag in a large cooler covered with ice and place it outside or in your garage.
5. When ready to roast remove turkey from brine and pat dry, then place in your roasting pan on a rack. You are now ready to roast your bird!!! Have fun.
____________________________________________
Port Cranberry Sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 - 18 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour
Makes: 8 – 10 servings
1 12 ounce package of fresh cranberries
½ to ¾ cup sugar
1 orange zested
1 cup port
¼ teaspoon cardamom or cloves
½ teaspoon sea salt
1. Assemble and cook:
-Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and place over a medium flame.
-Bring to a low boil.
-Cook until the cranberries pop and the mixture becomes syrupy, about 15 minutes.
2. Chill and serve:
-Place mixture in a serving dish and refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour.
-Serve either chilled or at room temperature.
raspberry flag cake. Then, off to pick up Kenny, who flew in from Ireland and the lucky lobsters!
Guests started to arrive and enjoyed Kenny's famous (strong!) white summer peach sangria along with chipotle guacamole from my kitchen. Cooking the lobsters in a pit requires a raging bond fire for three plus hours to properly heat up the rocks. While we fed the fire some guests floated in rafts, played Frisbee, and hung out on the beach. The time came to clear out the wood, add Maine choke weed, lobsters, potatoes and corn all in layers. We covered the pit with a wet tarp and hoped for the best. In the end the lobster Bake was super tasty and you just had to be there! :)
