MoscowFoodies

Simple hors d’oeuvres with Italian turkey sausages. Chomp.

Sweet Italian Sausages in Balsamic Reduction
(serves 10)

8 sweet Italian sausages (about 2 lbs)
1 1/2 c Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil

1) Half-fill a large saucepan/pot with water, bring to a simmer, add the sausages. Poach the sausages - about 6-8 minutes ( they’ll feel firm).

2) Remove the sausages, and set a sauté pan on medium high heat, add two tablespoons olive oil.

3) While the pan heats, slice the sausages on an angle into bite-sized pieces.

4) Brown the slices, both sides, in batches, then pour the excess oil off the pan.

5) Add the balsamic vinegar to the pan, scraping up any brown bits, then return all sausage to the pan. Continue simmering until the balsamic reduces and is syrupy. Serve!

The ultimate Thanksgiving staple is the turkey, and while I like mine best as Turducken, or even fried, the roast turkey is the choice of most Americans, and the most maligned. The roast turkey’s great tragedy is that everyone thinks he’s too big to brine, which just isn’t fair to the bird (or your guests). For this recipe you will be required to have two primary pieces of equipment: a large, clean container and a probe thermometer. You will also be required to give up the notion of four+ hours cooking time; it’s just not necessary.

I’m not going to cook up a whole turkey this close to Thanksgiving just to snap a photo for you, but I trust we’ve all seen a lot of turkeys. I’ll be sure to include one post-feast!

Roast Turkey
(serves 12)
cook time: approx. 2 1/2 hours

1 (somewhere around 16 lbs) young turkey, defrosted if frozen

Brine

1 c kosher salt
2/3 c light brown sugar
a gallon veggie stock
1 rounded tbs black peppercorns
just under 1 tbs tbs allspice berries
just under 1 tbs candied ginger
approx 1 gallon ice water

Throw all but the ice water together in a pot and boil, stirring until everything dissolves. Remove, let cool, then chill. Six hours prior to cooking (so really early in the day or just the night before) combine the brine and ice water in a sterile, large bucket. Put the thawed turkey breast side down in the brine, then cover the bucket and either put in a cool place (basement, porch) or refrigerate. Turn the bird once 3 hours into brining, then leave for another 3.

Remove from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water.

Aromatics
1 apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 c water
4 sprigs rosemary
6 leaves sage
Canola oil

Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon and cup of water and microwave for five minutes. Add the rosemary and sage.

Roasting

Put the turkey on a roasting rack inside a low pan and pat it dry with paper towels. Add the aromatics to the cavity. Coat the bird generously with veggie oil.

Place the pan with turkey on the lowest rack and roast at 500 degrees F for half an hour. Then remove and cover the breast with two layers of aluminum foil and reduce the oven temp to 350 degrees.

At this point insert your probe thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey breast.

Be sure to let the turkey rest, still covered with foil, for 15 minutes prior to carving!