The Prague Post
September 7th, 2008
Endowment Fund     Business Listings ONLINE      Reservations      Classifieds    Subscriptions
Hotel Prague Centre

Home » Archives » Night & Day

Turkey day feast

Celebrating the harvest, American-style
From the chef | Search restaurants | Archives

November 15th, 2006 issue

A big-old bird, stuffing and cranberries will have your guests asking for seconds.

By Martin Lev

Thanksgiving Day ranks among the oldest of American holidays. In every culture, however, people pause to thank nature for its gifts with an autumn celebration.

In the United States, families and close friends gather around a table full of good food. Traditionally, this dinner includes roast turkey with stuffing, giblet gravy, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes.

It is best followed with pumpkin pie or a sweet-potato dessert — and a few hours of American football. Happy Thanksgiving!

Martin Lev is chef at Jáma, located at V Jámě 7, Prague 1-New Town. Tel. 224 222 383


Thanksgiving Dinner
Ingredients Stuffing Giblet gravy
Turkey, at least 5 kilograms (11 pounds), depending on number of guests
Salt
Rubbing spices to taste (I like chili
powder, cumin or BBQ sauce for a little heat)
100 grams (3.5 ounces) butter
50 milliliters olive oil 		5 loaves French bread or baguettes
200 grams almonds, slivered (or sliced almond)
250 grams butter
Salt
500 grams bacon
300 grams shallots
8 eggs
300 milliliters cream
One bunch chives 		500 grams turkey giblets (chicken giblets will do, as well)
500 milliliters cream
500 grams onion
200 milliliters white wine
2 grams nutmeg
80 milliliters olive oil
200 grams white flour
Salt and pepper

Cranberry sauce
400 grams cranberry compote
200 grams plum jam
200 milliliters red wine
5 grams juniper
100 grams gingerbread, grated
Salt
3 pieces aniseed
150 grams solamyl


Preparation
Turkey Giblet gravy Cranberry sauce
Rub the turkey liberally with butter, salt and spices. Rub the cavity well with salt.
Sprinkle with olive oil and store in
refrigerator for at least two hours.
While the turkey is resting, slice French bread into small cubes.
Chop shallot, bacon and chives and mix with bread cubes.
Separate egg yolks. Reserve whites.
Add softened butter, almonds, cream, egg yolks and salt to bread cubes and mix until well coated.
Whip egg whites until stiff and
gradually fold into stuffing (bread cubes).
Feel free to add pepper or nutmeg for aroma and additional flavor.
Fill the turkey's cavity tightly with
stuffing. You can also carefully push stuffing under the skin, if you wish, making absolutely sure not to tear the skin.
Roast in a preheated oven, at least 190 C (375 F), for at least two and a half hours, depending on the size of the turkey. Baste frequently with juices. 		Cook giblets thoroughly, slice and set aside.
Sauté finely chopped onion in oil until soft, then add sliced giblets.
Add white wine, cream, salt, nutmeg and pepper and allow to simmer,
thickening with flour and stirring frequently.
A spoonful of butter is ideal for getting a lighter gravy. 		Mull red wine with cranberries, plum jam, crushed juniper and aniseed, then add grated gingerbread and solamyl.


Other articles in Night & Day (15/11/2006):

Browse the Current Issue

If you enjoyed this article, why don't you subscribe to the print version!
We accept secure online transactions provided by PayPal and Moneybookers

Be the first to add a comment!


Full Name: *
City: *
E-mail: **
This comment can be published in the print version of The Prague Post
Enter the text on the right:
 visual captcha
Comment: *
* Required field. In order to be approved for display, comments must have a first and last name and a city.
** E-mails are required and will only be used for internal purposes.

Most visited in Business Listings

Provokator
Hotel booking
The Prague Post Online contains a selection of articles that have been printed in
The Prague Post, a weekly newspaper published in the Czech Republic.
To subscribe to the print paper, click here.
Unauthorized reproduction is strictly prohibited.