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All the trimmings

By on November 4, 2008

For the best holiday feast ever, follow our three-pronged plan for a dinner that everyone can be thankful for.

Pop this lot on the table and just add friends and family for an unforgettable celebration.

The traditional way of prepping your turkey

1. Defrost your turkey in refrigerator for about 2 days.

2. Remove wrapping and wash turkey thoroughly, removing neck and giblets.

3. Preheat oven to 360°F / 180°C.

4. Season turkey with salt and pepper and place in large baking pan on top of a miropoix (1 large onion rough chop, 2 carrots rough chop, and 2 sticks of celery rough chop).

5. Add 1 cup white wine and 1 cup water and cover everything with foil. This enables turkey to remain moist. After about 1 hour, check to make sure turkey is not dry, continue to bake for another hour, then remove foil, allowing bird to brown. Total process takes from 2 to 3 hours depending on size of bird.

6. Let stand for 20 minutes before carving.

 

Tip: One way to tell if your bird is cooked is to push a stick through the breast and you should get pure clear juices running from the puncture. 

 

 

The perfect gravy

1. Add 1 cup water to turkey drippings in pan, stir and strain
juices into saucepan.

2. Bring to a boil and lightly thicken with roux (cornstarch and water or flour and water), stirring constantly.

3. Bring to a boil again and strain through a sieve removing lumps. Adjust the seasoning and serve with turkey.

 

Tip: To make your gravy a little darker, add a teaspoon or two of caramelized sugar or buy a ready-made gravy browning (available at Nissin or National Azabu).

 

Plain stuffing

Ingredients

• 1 large stale stick of bread, cut into small squares.

• 1 or more tbs. Sage.

• 1/2 cup turkey drippings.

• 1 half small onion (finely dice).

• Salt and pepper to taste.

 

Mix together and press into a pan, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes alongside turkey.

 

Tip: Do not stuff your turkey as sometimes juices and blood from the turkey gets into stuffing, and if not cooked through, it is easy to make someone ill.

 

 

 

Don Foley is the owner and chef of Good Honest Grub, one of Tokyo’s venerable eateries, serving stylishly tasty dishes for food lovers in its new Shibuya location. Tel : 03-3797-9877

 

www.goodhonestgrub.com

 

 

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