Thanksgiving 101 (3 page)

Shrimp Cocktail Dip

For years, my family’s Thanksgiving dinner began with a little glass of shrimp cocktail. Even though it was the supermarket variety, my brothers and I understood that shrimp cocktail was reserved for very classy occasions, and that serious eating was ahead. Now the shrimp cocktail is back, reestablishing itself on the menus of tony restaurants from coast to coast. This is shrimp cocktail for a crowd.

1.
In a medium bowl, mix the chili sauce, celery, scallion, parsley, lemon juice, horseradish, and hot pepper sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend. (The cocktail sauce can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated.)

2.
Reserve about ½ cup of the chopped shrimp. Stir the remaining shrimp into the cocktail sauce. Place the cream cheese on a serving platter, and pour the shrimp mixture over the top. Top with the reserved shrimp, and serve immediately with the crackers.

Hot Crab Salsa Dip

Here’s another update of an old favorite that my guests can’t get enough of. This recipe makes a large amount, but it always disappears. If your appetizer menu is long, the recipe is easily halved. It’s a natural for tortilla chips, but try it with fresh crudités like broccoli, cauliflower, sweet red pepper strips, and cherry tomatoes. There are a number of options to keep the dip warm. I use a mini–slow cooker, but fondue pots or electric warming plates also work. For the best flavor, use fresh crabmeat, not canned.

1.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

1.
Drain the salsa in a wire sieve to remove excess liquid. Place the drained salsa in a bowl and add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and Worcestershire sauce. Using a rubber spatula, work the ingredients until combined. Stir in the crabmeat. Season with the hot pepper sauce. Transfer to a round 1-quart baking dish. (The dip can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead, covered tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerated.)

1.
Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the dip. Bake until the dip is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve hot, with the tortilla chips and vegetables.

Savory Cheddar and Jalapeño Jelly Cookies

My friend Ruth Henderson owns The Silo, a kitchen shop, art gallery, and cooking school nestled in the gorgeous Litchfield Hills in Connecticut. (In fact, many of these recipes debuted at my annual Thanksgiving classes there.) Ruth often serves these delectable appetizer cookies at their gallery opening parties. The dough should be made in a food processor, but the butter and cheese mixture could be creamed by hand, if necessary, if you shred the cheese as finely as possible (use the smallest holes on a box grater, not the usual large holes). If you don’t have jalapeño jelly, use apple butter or your favorite chutney instead.

1.
Place the cheese and butter in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the flour and process until the mixture forms a soft dough. Gather up the dough and divide into two flat disks. Wrap in wax paper and freeze until chilled, about 45 minutes.

2.
Position two racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking pads. Place the jelly in a small plastic bag and force it into one corner. Snip off the corner of the bag to make a small hole. Set the bag of jelly aside.

3.
Using 1 teaspoon of dough for each, roll the dough into small balls. Place the balls 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Using the end of a wooden spoon or a ½-inch-wide dowel, poke an indentation in each cookie. Pipe the jelly from the bag into the indentations.

4.
Return to the oven and bake, switching the positions of the sheets from top to bottom halfway through baking, until the tops are very lightly browned, about 10 minutes (the cookies will continue to crisp as they cool). Transfer to wire cake racks and cool completely. (The cookies can be baked up to 2 days ahead. Place the cookies in an airtight container, separating the layers with wax paper, and store at room temperature.)

Potato Tortilla with Smoked Salmon

In America, tortilla means one thing, and it is made from corn and used in Mexican cooking. In Spain, however, a tortilla is a thick egg omelet that resembles the Italian frittata. Cut into golden squares, a tortilla can be the beginning of a perfect Thanksgiving bite, topped with sour cream and smoked salmon. When guests are arriving in the late morning, these give a brunchlike feel to the appetizer menu. The tortillas could also be garnished with black or red caviar, whatever type fits into the budget.

1.
In a 9-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. In a small bowl, combine ¼ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. In four batches, add the potatoes to the skillet, seasoning each layer with some of the salt and pepper mixture. Stir each addition well to coat with the oil and prevent sticking. Cook, stirring often, until the potatoes begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Cover and cook, stirring often, to keep the potatoes from sticking to each other, until the potatoes are just tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

2.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and the hot pepper sauce. Using a slotted spoon, stir the potato slices into the eggs, leaving any oil in the pan.

3.
Position the broiler rack 6 inches from the source of heat, and preheat the broiler. Reheat the skillet over medium-low heat. Pour in the egg mixture and spread out the potatoes to make an evenly thick cake. Using a rubber spatula, lift up the cooked part of the tortilla, and tilt the skillet so the uncooked eggs run underneath. Continue cooking, occasionally lifting the tortilla and tilting the skillet as described, until the top is almost set, 4 to 5 minutes.

4.
Broil the frittata until the top is puffed and lightly browned, about 1 minute. Place a round plate over the top of the skillet and invert the frittata onto the plate. Cool completely. (The frittata can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Return to room temperature before serving.)

5.
Cut the frittata into 1-inch squares (you will have a few odd-shaped trimmings that you may serve if you wish, or eat as the cook’s treat). Top each square with a small dab of sour cream, then a strip of salmon, curled into a decorative shape. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

Pork and Veal Pâté with Dried Cranberries

Pâté is the kind of indulgence that only seems to appear at special occasions. This is a favorite, scented with brandy and studded with sweet-sour cranberries. A pâté is a boon to the busy cook—it’s as easy to make as a meat loaf, homey and sophisticated at the same time. And, because it must be made a day or two ahead for the flavors to mellow, it allows one more thing to be checked off the prep list well ahead of time. Serve it with thin baguette slices or crackers, a crock of grainy mustard, and maybe some tiny pickles (cornichons) or pickled onions.

1.
Start the pâté at least 1 day before serving. In a small bowl, plump the cranberries in the Cognac for about 1 hour. (Or place in a small microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on High for 30 seconds. Stir and let stand for 10 minutes.)

2.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil an 8½ × 4½ × 2½-inch loaf pan.

3.
In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

4.
In a large bowl, mix the bread crumbs, heavy cream, eggs, parsley, salt, thyme, rosemary, allspice, and pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add the ground veal and ground pork, and mix well (your hands work best). Stir in the ham, shallot mixture, and the cranberries with the Cognac. Pack into the prepared loaf pan and cover tightly with a double thickness of aluminum foil.

5.
Place the loaf pan into a roasting pan. Transfer to the oven. Pull out the oven rack slightly and pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come ½ inch up the sides. Slide the rack back into the oven. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the pâté (right through the foil) reads 160°F, about ¼ hours.

6.
Remove the loaf pan from the water and place on a wire cake rack. Cool to room temperature.

7.
Run a knife around the inside of the pan. Invert to unmold the pâté, wiping away any congealed juices with paper towels. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight before serving. (The pâté can be prepared up to 5 days ahead.) Serve the pâté chilled or at room temperature.

Mini-Meatballs in Wild Mushroom Sauce

I have a fondness for retro dishes—they’re comforting, familiar, and make guests feel at home. But that doesn’t mean that they have to be one of your mom’s recipes. Take these updated Swedish meatballs, which definitely do not include canned soup. I often make a double batch to be sure to have leftovers to serve the day after the party over noodles. Polish up the chafing dish to serve these creamy morsels.

MEATBALLS

SAUCE