It wasn't stuffing, because there was no bird to stuff.So we decided to call it bread pudding, and gussy it up with milk and an egg. Slices of Kabocha squash. Mushrooms and onions. And that milk? It was deeply perfumed with garlic and bay leaf.
The kind of thing you could eat all season long. Because there was no sage in it to whiplash you into a pilgrim state of mind.
That's my kind of religious freedom.
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25 comments:
THE TURKEY STOCK IS OUTRAGEOUS.
Yes it does look outrageous. Stuffing is so great.You are missing the most best important part. The Bird.
Chilebrown: We finally figured out we don't like turkey, but we love turkey gravy and turkey stock. We buy turkey backs, necks and wings. A good roasting for the gravy grease and dribbles, then we use the roasted parts for a killer stock.
I like the turkey sandwiches more than the turkey dinner. At Thanksgiving dinner, for me, it's all about the sides.
Zoomie, I'm with you...my plate was loaded with sides (mashed taters, collar greens and ham hock, candied yams, mac n cheese, sauteed okra and corn and tomatoes, homemade cranberry sauce,oyster stuffing and green beans with bacon. And my breakfast and lunch today...turkey and ham sandwiches. And I will be crock potting the leftover ham with some navy beans.
cookiecrumb, We are on the way. Mushrooom soup is not the same. A litle bit of sage is not an intervention. A Willie Bird with extra gravy may help. Cranky, 'AL Davis', may hear our prayers. We will come to Marin Sunday morning with a sandwich and a prayer.God (Al) bless!
I am from Southern folks and so call anything bready not placed in a bird stuffing. It's kind of like my difference in the pronunciation of the words ant and aunt.
Turkey is ok. Really all I want is something to pour my madeira cream giblet gravy over. And some mac and cheese.
One of my guests brought this incredible roasted butternut squash in a vinaigrette with other stuff. Need to eat more to figure out the other stuff. Or I could just ask her.
Oh and for years I cooked duck instead of turkey.
Being Italian I'm all about saucy things you can dip starches into, so the bird is an after thought. I make savory bread puddings in the winter months, though I usually swap the milk/egg for a bit of stock (and add a little cheese). Last week I made a kale/mushroom/gruyere one mmm... Now pass the pie please!
Well...not sure I'm going to throw out the turkey just yet. I have to watch my carb intake so braised turkey thighs with a mixture of broth, wine and vegetables. I combined that with a sautee of celery, onions and fennel. Now I've got a huge bowl of glorious stock for gumbo. Ain't no complaints over at Chez Nancy's.
Zoomie: That's a perfect approach to the meal! Thanks.
Simply: That's quite the groaning board you got there. (Did you catch Pat Robertson's remark about mac and cheese for Thanksgiving?)
Chilebrown: Yes, you probably wouldn't want to eat T-Day dinner at our house.
Cranky will be at the market; I'm suffering from the cold (haven't made the seasonal transition, I guess) and will be snuggling the puppy in bed.
Kailyn: All I want is the gravy, and that means mashed potatoes. I might switch to mac and cheese next year.
(I'm an ant.)
Little Pots: I do a cheesy bread pudding most of the time; just couldn't see it in a "stuffing" thing.
Pie!
Nancy: So you didn't roast a whole bird, phew. The braise sounds good; is the goozle what you use to make your stock? Cry, cry.
How I make my stock is a state of Nancy sekret...but just for you. I roast the bones in my old fashioned cast iron grill skillet, As for the vegetables that go into stock, you can use whole fresh ones, or save leftover scrapsabout forty minutes, before adding them to your stock pot.
So, here's the basic poultry stock recipe (you can use an approximate amount of scraps instead of the whole vegetables listed): chicken and turkey parts from the freezer that I'd saved from other meals, onions, carrots, celery including the leafy tops. I also add in any bits of left over wine and simmer for a couple of hours. Simple really. I skip the seasoning in the stock to keep it neutral for the soup to come. My next soup will be gumbo. I was around town today looking for okra. The people at BiRite said that it was only in season for a short while so I will be forced to buy it frozen. But gumbo isn't gumbo without okra.
Sage, whenever Mr Brown spots some on the kitchen bench he says in a strained voice "not TOO much Sage".
Oh, and I forgot to add that what you call goozle, I call pan drippings. They are an essential ingredient for the roux which gives gumbo it's flavor.
Nancy, if you're putting shrimp into your gumbo, do you also make a stock from the shells as well? Also what color roux do you prefer? I kind of prefer the peanut butter color but my stepmother used to go for closer to a chocolate color.
Call it what you will...it's making me hungry!
Katlyn - I am not fond of fish soups or much fish anyway so don't use that in gumbo. If I'm making a rich dish for a full crew of people, I use stock from the turkey, then add sausage, chicken, fresj turkey and chicken parts. I like my roux a dark peanut butter - not the light version but not a dark coco version either. Oh - and then, serve it with dirty rice. But really, I don't have a recipe. If the gumbo is for company, then I use more meat but if it's just me, plain old turkey parts is just fine. Whatever kind of gumbo you make (and there are many versions, all good) the most important thing is to use File. And you have to have okra.
Sorry - Cookie - looks like I hijacked your journal again.
Nancy: Not at all! I'm kinda flattered to host a little forum behind the front page.
And I just wanted to make sure you didn't throw your braising liquid away.
Kailyn: Peanut butter. Me too. :)
Nancy: I always use file and okra. Another thing my stepmother used to do to stretch it out was when you were down to mostly liquid and very little meat in the pot, she'd warm it up and then crack a few eggs into it to cook up. She said it was something her mom did to stretch it out.
I made a killer turkey this year, but like you... covered my plate in stuffing instead. Always the best part. Hands down. I love your bread pudding version. I think all milk should be perfumed!
EB: Yours and others' comments made me rethink eschewing the bird. Maybe next year I will roast a turkey for all the value it brings to the table, but just not eat the meat until leftovers. Sandwich, pot pie, hash!
Yours, in perfumed milk.
Here it is almost a week later and today I bought the makings for cornbread dressing. Because I didn't have any on T-Day and somehow can't get rid of the longing for it. This is insane, of course, a batch of dressing for a singleton -- but it goes to the heart of what you have been writing about. Sometimes a woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do.
Kudzu: The longing is a blessed thing. What would you accomplish by denying it? Enjoy your mini feast! And freeze the leftovers.
If it's not stuffing, you have to call it "siding."
Also, try this one: http://www.marthastewart.com/337259/leek-celery-root-stuffing
It's been my mother's go-to recipe since it was published. We use rice bread, and olive oil instead of butter.
Elizabeth: Hi. Siding! I love that. That'll be its new name :) .
I can't wait to check out the Martha recipe; thanks for the link.
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