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Business & Tech

Patch Picks: Newton Chefs' Thanksgiving Recipes

Here are our picks for deliciously original holiday recipes from some of Newton's professional chefs.

Last week we shared . This week, we’re letting you ambitious home cooks have a chance to look like Newton’s own superstar chefs. Here are some Thanksgiving recipes from local culinary masters.

Cranberry Bread (Makes 12 slices)

– from , author of The Boston Chef’s Table and A White House Garden Cookbook

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 Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  • 1 cup chopped cranberries
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

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  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, place the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the orange juice, egg, and oil.
  4. Add the orange juice mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Stir in the orange zest, cranberries, and walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before serving.

Cranberry Relish (makes about 3 cups or 12 servings)

from , owner of

 Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries, washed
  • 6 fluid ounces  apple cider
  • ¼ cup  packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 orange, zest and supreme slices, chopped
  • ¼ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. Place first seven ingredients into a medium saucepan. 
  2. Bring the mixture to simmer over medium heat until the cranberries have just burst, stirring occasionally. 
  3. Remove pan from heat and add orange zest, chopped orange slice, dried cranberries and fresh ground black pepper. 
  4. Cool, cover and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Traditional Thanksgiving Turkey (serves 8 – 10 people)

- from Executive Chef at

Ingredients:

  • 1 (18 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
  • 2 cups kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
  • 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 4 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup dry white wine

Directions:

  1. Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt.
  2. Place the bird in a large stockpot, and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.
  4. Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side down on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan.
  5. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf.
  6. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.
  7. Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Carefully turn the turkey breast side up about 2/3 through the roasting time, and brush with the remaining butter.
  8. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

Pumpkin and Cranberry Soup (serves 12)

-from , owner of and author of The New England Soup Factory Cookbook

Do ahead:

1 cup of dried cranberries

1/2 cup of cream sherry

Soak the cranberries in the sherry 2 hours or overnight in a covered glass bowl.

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tablespoons of butter
  • 1 large Spanish onion diced
  • 2 ribs of celery diced
  • 5 carrots peeled and sliced
  • 2 pounds of peeled pumpkin or butternut squash Cut into chunks
  • 1 can of pumpkin puree
  • 8 cups of chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup of pure maple syrup
  • 3 Tablespoons of dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup of heavy cream
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. In a heavy stockpot melt the butter.
  2. Add the onions, celery and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the fresh pumpkin chunks and continue to sauté for five additional minutes.
  4. Add the pumpkin puree, chicken stock, brown sugar, maple syrup and nutmeg. Bring to a boil and then turn down slightly to simmer for about 35-40 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft and tender.
  5. Remove from the stove and puree with a blender or hand blender until the soup is smooth and creamy.
  6. Add the soup back into the pot and add the cream and the reserved cranberries soaking in the sherry.
  7. Season with salt and pepper and stir well.

New England Soup Factory’s Orchard Turkey Salad (serves 10 -12)

-from Marjorie Druker, owner of The New England Soup Factory and author of The New England Soup Factory Cookbook

 Ingredients:

  • 6 cups of freshly roasted turkey cut into pieces
  • 1/2 cup of diced celery
  • 1/2 cup of diced red onions
  • 1 1/2 cups of red seedless grapes
  • 1 1/2 cups of green seedless grapes
  • 1 cup of dried cranberries
  • 1 cup of yellow raisins
  • 2 cups of toasted walnuts
  • 1/2 cup of toasted pumpkin seeds
  • 1 cup of French dressing
  • 1 1/2 cups of heavy mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons celery salt
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

  1. Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing and toss together so that the ingredients are blended well.
  2. Chill and serve.
  3. Garnish with extra cranberries and nuts.
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