Thanksgiving Recipes from Newton Chefs

Thanksgiving is next Thursday, Nove. 22, and though many local retail stores are already spotlighting their Christmas merchandise you still have to get through Turkey Day. But fear not- Patch has you covered! Here are some recipes from Newton chefs that will help make you look like a pro when you serve holiday dinner to your family.

Michael Leviton’s Fall Fruit Compote

Jennifer DeLeonardis, General Manager of Lumiere, says, “In lieu of the traditional cranberry sauce (yes, even the one that mom used to make), Michael likes this Fall Fruit Compote.” Leviton is the chef/owner at Lumiere in West Newton.

 Ingedients:

• 1 cup small diced red onions
• zest of ½ orange
• thyme
• 2-3 apples (choose a firm variety, preferably local), diced (¼ inch), about 2 cups
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• juice of ½ orange
• 2T + 2t sherry vinegar
• 5 ounces maple syrup

Directions:

1. In a non-reactive pan, sweat the onions, orange zest and thyme over low heat. 
2. Add the apples, dried cranberries, orange juice, sherry vinegar, and maple syrup. 
3. Cook until the apples are tender and the cranberries have plumped up.  (Note: If there is a lot of liquid left at this point, drain the compote and return the liquid to the pan and cook until the liquid tightens up a bit. Fold the reduction back into the compote and chill)
4. Otherwise, remove the compote from the pot and let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
5. The compote will hold well in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Candy Gold’s Thanksgiving Turkey

Candy says “This is such an old fashioned recipe...but I stuff the turkey with sliced oranges and then glaze it with frozen O.J. concentrate.   Some nutmeg and cinnamon and voila. It.should take about 3 1/2 to 4 hours, depending on your oven. A meat thermometer should say 165 for a finished bird.” Gold is the host of “Neighborhood Cooking” on NewTV and is a Patch contributor.

Ingredients:

• 1 12-14 pound turkey
• salt, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
• Butter, softened
• Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and garlic salt
• 2 – 3 oranges
• ½ cup water
• 1 large can frozen orange juice concentrate

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°
2. Clean the turkey and make sure nothing is in the cavity. Pat dry.
3. Salt the inside of the cavity. Also sprinkle a couple of dashes of cinnamon and nutmeg inside the bird.
4. Rub the bird with butter, all over the outside.
5. Sprinkle with Lawry's seasoning and garlic powder.
6. Take a few oranges, cut them in half and squeeze the juice in the bottom of a roasting pan.
7. Take the orange rinds and place them inside the cavity of the turkey.
8. Also, add ½ cup of water to the bottom of the roasting pan.
9. Place the turkey in the roasting pan and cover it with a tent of foil.
10. Cook for about 2 1/2 hours.
11. Take a large can frozen orange juice concentrate and bring it to room temperature. Do not mix it with water.
12. Pour the whole can over the turkey and baste for the next hour.  
13. Remove the foil for the last 20 minutes of cooking to brown the outside of the bird.
14. Let turkey stand for at least 10 minutes to cool before carving.

Collin Davis’ Rosemary Roasted Root Vegetables

Chef Davis says, “I love roasting an assortment of root vegetable because it accentuates each vegetable's unique spice qualities- the ginger and almond of the carrot, the vanilla of potatoes, the ginger and black pepper and allspice of the parsnip. Roasting also gives the vegetables a texture almost verging on taffy, I think a great foil to the creaminess of mashed potatoes. And finally the rosemary just corrals all those different spice flavors into harmony. I grew up in Maine surrounded by pine trees, and rosemary to me is a great fall/winter spice because it reminds me of the only leaves around that time of year in Maine -pine needles.” Davis is the chef at B Street in Newton Centre.

Ingredients:

• ½ lb. purple Peruvian potatoes
• ½ lb fingerling potatoes
• ½ lb red bliss potatoes
• 3 parsnips
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Wash and peel carrots and parsnips. Wash all potatoes.
3. Cut vegetables into 1-inch pieces.
4. Pick leaves off two sprigs of fresh rosemary and chop fine.
5. In a medium bowl, toss root vegetables with olive oil and salt and pepper and chopped rosemary. 
6. Transfer to a glass or metal baking dish and cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
7. After 45 minutes, remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and have some roasted color.
8. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with rosemary sprig.

Geoff Janowski’s New England Cornbread Pudding

Geoff says, “This happens to be a family favorite. We've been serving bread pudding, Indian pudding, Grape Nut puddings, and rice puddings at home and at our restaurants for years. These are meant to be served slightly warmed with fresh whipped cream. Sometimes topped with "hard sauce" made with rum and butter.” Janowski is the owner of Blue Ribbon Bar-B-Q in West Newton.

Ingredients:

• 3 one-day-old corn muffins or leftover cornbread
• 9 eggs
• 4 cups milk
• 1½ cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Butter oven-safe pan and add crumbled corn muffins or cornbread. 
3. Mix remaining ingredients to make custard and pour over the bread. 
4. Bake in water bath, uncovered, for an hour or until firm. 
5. Top with maple syrup and vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.  Enjoy!

Have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!