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Roasted Stuffed Cheese Pumpkin
Roasted Stuffed Cheese Pumpkin
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
Cube a baguette and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Toast in a single layer on a sheet pan at 350 F for 6-8 minutes. Rinse pumpkin with water and pat dry. Remove bread crumbs from the oven and allow to cool. Turn the oven up to 425 F.
Carve the top of the pumpkin and scrape out the seeds and stringy insides. (Feel free to rinse the seeds and save to roast in the oven. Sprinkle just baked seeds with salt and some dried herbs for a crunchy snack.) Place shallot in a pan with 1 Tbsp olive oil and begin to sauté. After about 1 minute, add the garlic and stir for another minute. Remove from the heat and cool. Add the cooked shallots and garlic to the crème fraiche. Layer the bottom of the cheese pumpkin with some cubes of the bread. Spoon in ½ cup crème fraiche to coat the bread cubes and scatter ½ cup grated Gruyere cheese. Season with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Continue to do this to make about 4 layers depending on the size of the pumpkin. Place the pumpkin top back in place.
Rub the outside of the pumpkin with the remaining olive oil and wrap the pumpkin with aluminum foil. Place pumpkin on a sturdy baking sheet and transfer to oven for about 1 ½ hours. To check for doneness, peel back the foil and test if a knife is easily inserted through the wall of the pumpkin. Remove aluminum foil and top of pumpkin.
Gently scrape the pumpkin flesh from the inside walls and mix with the melted cheese and softened bread cubes that have absorbed the crème fraiche while baking. Add sage leaves, chives, and the zest of a lemon. For a fun twist, you can place the pumpkin on the table and serve with a large spoon.
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Mushroom Gravy
Mushroom Gravy
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add sage, salt, and mushrooms; sauté 11 minutes or until mushrooms are browned. Add wine; cook 30 seconds or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in Roasted Chicken Stock. Boil; cook until reduced to 2 cups (about 14 minutes).
Combine flour and water in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Add flour mixture to pan; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring until butter melts. Stir in pepper.
Note:
Add 1 tablespoon flour to the slurry for a thicker gravy. You can substitute fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth for the Roasted Chicken Stock—but if you do, decrease the salt to 1/8 teaspoon or add none at all.
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Thanksgiving Stuffing(s)
Thanksgiving Stuffing(s)
Courtesy of Food Network, Epicurious, Cook.com, Martha Stewart, Saveur Magazine, Food and Wine Magazine.
CLASSIC VARIATIONS
Classic: Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each diced onions and celery and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups turkey or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a large bowl; add 16 cups cubed stale white bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees F; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes. (Or stuff in your turkey and bake.)
Apple-Herb: Make Classic Stuffing, cooking 2 chopped apples with the onions.
Cranberry-Apple: Make Classic Stuffing, cooking 2 chopped apples and 1 cup dried cranberries with the onions.
Caramelized Onion: Make Classic Stuffing, tossing in 2 cups caramelized onions and 3/4 cup grated parmesan with the bread. Top with more parmesan before baking.
Potato Bread: Make Classic Stuffing with cubed potato bread instead of white bread.
Giblet: Simmer the turkey neck and giblets (except the liver) in 3 cups turkey or chicken broth until tender, 1 hour. Add the liver and cook 5 minutes. Strain and reserve the broth, then chop the giblets (including the liver) and the neck meat. Make Classic Stuffing, adding the giblets and neck with the onions and using the reserved broth.
Mushroom-Leek Make Classic Stuffing with 3 cups chopped leeks instead of onions. Cook 1 pound sliced cremini mushrooms with the leeks and celery.
Porcini Make Classic Stuffing with shallots instead of onions and rosemary instead of sage. Cook 4 ounces chopped prosciutto and 1 pound sliced porcini mushrooms with the shallots and celery.
Wild Mushroom Make Classic Stuffing with 3 cups chopped leeks instead of onions and rosemary instead of sage; cook with 1 pound sliced mixed wild mushrooms.
Spinach-Gruyere Make Classic Stuffing with 3 cups chopped leeks instead of onions; cook with 1 pound sliced cremini mushrooms. Let the broth mixture cool slightly. Add 6 cups chopped spinach and 1 cup diced gruyère with the bread.
Roasted Vegetable Roast 8 cups diced winter squash, carrots, parsnips and red onion at 400 degrees F until golden, about 25 minutes. Make Classic Stuffing, substituting the roasted vegetables for half of the bread
Stuffing Muffins Line 12 jumbo muffin cups with paper liners and fill with your favorite bread stuffing (we used Mushroom-Leek, No. 13). Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F until golden, about 45 minutes.
SAUSAGE VARIATIONS
Sausage Brown 1 pound crumbled sausage in 6 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each diced onions and celery and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a bowl; add 16 cups cubed stale white bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F, 30 minutes; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes.
Sausage-Apple Make Sausage Stuffing with Italian fennel sausage. Cook 2 diced apples with the onions.
Polish-Style Make Sausage Stuffing with diced kielbasa. Cook 1 pound drained, rinsed sauerkraut and 2 teaspoons paprika with the onions.
Kale-Garlic Make Sausage Stuffing, adding 4 cups chopped kale and 1 head peeled roasted garlic cloves with the broth. Use semolina bread.
Chorizo-Manchego Make Sausage Stuffing with fresh chorizo and sourdough bread. Use oregano instead of sage. Toss in 1 cup chopped dates and 1/2 cup cubed manchego cheese with the bread.
CORNBREAD VARIATIONS
Cornbread Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each diced onion and celery and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups chicken or turkey broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a large bowl; add 6 cups cubed stale cornbread and 8 cups white bread, then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake at 375 degrees F, 30 minutes; uncover and bake until golden, about 30 more minutes.
Southwestern Make Cornbread Stuffing, cooking 1 cup corn, 2 cups cubed winter squash and 3 cups chopped roasted poblanos with the onions. Toss in 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds with the bread.
Pear-Bacon Make Cornbread Stuffing but cook 1/2 pound diced bacon in 6 tablespoons butter before adding the vegetables, including 2 chopped pears and 3/4 cup dates.
Spinach-Sausage Make Cornbread Stuffing but cook 1 pound crumbled sausage in 6 tablespoons butter before adding the vegetables. Add 4 cups chopped spinach with the broth. Toss in 1/3 cup each pine nuts and grated parmesan with the bread.
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