My birthday/Thanksgiving dinner

This year, my birthday/Thanksgiving dinner seemed like it was going to be an absolute disaster.  On Thursday, when I was buying all the vegetables I suddenly started feeling....not so well.  So I took some vitamin C, and did some salt water gargles and prayed for the best.  Friday morning.....oh the horror.  I felt like a bobcat had climbed into my bed while I was sleeping and gashed at my throat over and over again.  But, knowing that I had 20 guests coming over for dinner and about 30kg of vegetables strewn all over my kitchen made me get up, and go pick up my turkeys.  Disaster number two struck.....my turkey lady confused my 2 fourteen pound turkeys for 2 twenty pound turkeys and said she didn't have anymore and she was sorry.  So I went back home, only to spend half of my birthday morning plucking the remaining feathers from the monstrous beasts only to then realize that 1) I had to make more brine for them then 2) they didn't fit in my oven.  So, I did what any normal person in this type of situation would do.  I slumped down on the kitchen floor and cried.  Just a little bit.  Then I had a beer.  My boyfriend came home and found this burbling idiot and did what a smart person would do in this situation.  He called the turkey lady and gave her a piece of his mind.  Then, ta da! Just like magic, she DID have two 14 lb turkeys that just happened to appear after he spoke to her.  Anyhow, so all seemed to be going well, except that then the 3rd disaster struck.  They didn't fit in the fridge.  So, got a large plastic organizer container (with wheels, thank God) and placed the brine and the turkeys in there, sealed it with its lid and had to put the suckers on the balcony.  Its about 10 degrees outside so I thought they would be ok.  Except for that night, we had a cold spell and I was hoping and praying that I didn't wake up to two frozen turkeys.  Alas, they were fine, and I was able to pull off my whole meal in relative calm (read : in my pj's, overdosing on paracetamol, and taking naps any minute I could).

So this is my turkey day extravaganza menu, and I will share what I think is one of the knockout recipes with you!

THANKSGIVING 2010 MENU

APPETIZERS

Sausage and Potato Puffs
Truffled Brie with a Warm Wild Mushroom Fricassee

MAINS + SIDES

2 Riesling and spice brined Organic Turkeys
Asturian Cider Gravy
Apple, Leek, and Bacon Stuffing
Mini Corn Bread Puddings
Green bean Casserole, updated with porcini instead of button mushrooms
Sweet Potato and Potato Gratin

DESSERTS

Chocolate and Bourbon Tart
Apple Pie

Sausage and Potato Puffs Recipe: Sorry...no picture cause they flew before I got out the camera!!!!

4 dozen puffs

30 mins active, total time 1hr

3/4 lb potatoes
1 lb sausage ( I used a mix of chorizo, morcilla (black pudding) spicy italian and regular) casings removed
3/4 cups water
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tsp of salt
3/4 cup flour
4 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tsp chopped thyme
1/2 tsp chopped rosemary
freshly ground pepper
1 lg egg yolk mixed with a tbsp of water

1. Preheat oven to 425 deg.  Coat mini muffin pan with oil spray.  In saucepan, simmer potatoes for 20 mins, or until tender.  Let cool and peel and mash coarsely.

2. In a medium skillet, cook sausages until browned, 8 mins, coarsely crumble

3. In a medium saucepan, bring water, butter and salt to a boil.  Remove from heat and add flour, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until combined.  Set over medium heat and cook dough, stirring until it comes away from the sides of the pan, 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat.

4. Using and electric mixer, beat dough for 1 minute on low speed.  Beat in eggs, one at a time on medium speed.  Beat in Gruyere, Parmesan, herbs and pepper.  Stir in potatoes and sausage.

5. Fill muffin cups with dough, and brush the tops with the egg mixture.  Bake for 20 minutes until puffed up and golden.

Anatolian flat breads with spinach: Gozleme

I'm back!  Yes, I have been off for a long time, was going through  a bit of food block...and also an injury to my ankle in Sept prevented me from standing for long periods of time.  But, the most important thing, is that I have my creative juices flowing thanks to an amazing weekend full of food and fun in Istanbul.

I love Istanbul, I love the people, the city, the breathtaking views from the Bosphorus, but I never really got into its food as much as this last trip, thanks to my friend Hulya who is a native and knows exactly where to take me.  This past weekend I had mezze (tapas like dishes) almost everyday.  I now have a new found admiration for Turkish food.  Growing up eating Syrian dishes most of my life, I never really paid attention to the details of Turkish gastronomy, always thinking it was similar.  Similar it is, but it is also uniquely their own.  I have fallen in love with the simplicity of their dishes, the complexity of the flavours, and the incredible variety and freshness of all the vegetables and fish. 

So, I returned last night, still craving mezze.  And today, I woke up, craving more.  Last night I made this amazing smoked eggplant, but today I thought I would tackle what looked like a harder recipe from my new cookbook.  I am amazed at how easy it was to make.  And quick!  And healthy!  And of course, delicious!  Need I say more?  Well, here it is, the recipe for Gozleme with spinach.  Oh, it also helped that I came back with a huge selection of spices! 

Serves 2-4

115g/1 cup strong unbleached bread flour, plus extra for dusting
2.5 ml/  1/2 tsp salt
15ml/ 1 tbsp olive oil, melted butter or ghee
50ml/ 1/4 cup water, plus more if needed

For the filling
250g/ 9 oz. fresh spinach
15g/ 1 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
5ml/ 1 tsp kirmizi biber, or chili flakes or paprika
7.5ml/ 1 1/2 tsp all purpose flour
120ml/ 1/2 cup milk
45ml/ 3 tbsp kasar paynir or parmesan cheese, grated
salt and ground black pepper

1. Sift the flour with the salt into a bowl.  Make a well in the center and pour in the oil, or melted butter or ghee, and the water.  Using your hand, draw in the mixture into a dough.  Knead for about 5-7 minutes.

2. Divide the dough into 4 pieces, knead them for another 2 minutes each and then roll into balls.  Place the balls on a floured surface, cover with a damp cloth, and leave them to rest for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.  Place the spinach in a steamer, or in a colander set in a large pan with a lid, and steam the spinach until it wilts.

4. Refresh the spinach under running cold water and drain well.  Place the cooked spinach on a chopping board and chop roughly.

5. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, and soften the onion, about 7 minutes.  Stir in the spinach, and add the nutmeg and kirmizi biber (or other options).

6. Stir in the flour and pour in the milk, stirring constantly until thickened. Beat in the cheese and season with salt and pepper.  Turn off heat, but keep the pan covered to keep the filling warm.

7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each of the balls of dough into thin, flat rounds, about 15-20 cm/6-8 inches in diameter.

8. Heat a griddle over high heat, wipe it with a little olive oil, and place one of the rounds of dough on to it.  Cook the dough for about a minute on one side, then flip it over and spread a thin layer of the filling over the cooked side.

9.  Cook the second side for 1-2 minutes, allowing it to buckle and brown, then lift it off the griddle and place it on a plate or baking parchment., and roll it up!  Voila, you're done!  Enjoy!