The Executive Cook

Weeknight Cook ~ Weekend Entertainer

tonmarmor

Slow Cooked Turkey & Gravy

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Ingredients
15-20 lb. Turkey
12 oz. Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. dried Thyme
2 Tbsp. dried Parsley
1 Tbsp. dried Sage
½ tsp. Garlic Powder
½ tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Poultry Seasoning
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Pepper
2 cups Turkey or Chicken Stock
20 lb. Oven Bag
Gravy:
½ cup Chopped Shallot
4 1/2 cups Turkey Drippings (non-fat portion)
½ cup Turkey Fat from Drippings
½ cup Flour
Salt
Pepper

❃❃Serves 8-12❃❃

Preparation
Defrost turkey, remove neck and any other parts from the cavity and thoroughly dry the cavity and outside of the turkey with paper towels.  Preheat oven to lowest setting on your oven.
Spray the rack of a roasting pan with non-stick spray.

Turkey
Mix mayonnaise, thyme, parsley, sage, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper together.  Rub the entire turkey with the mayonnaise mixture and then put turkey in oven bag with breast side down.  Place turkey on the roasting rack, cut small slit in the top of the bag, add 2 cups stock in the pan and place into oven to cook overnight or up to 12 hours.
Once the turkey has been removed from the oven prick a hole in the bottom of the bag and let juices run into pan.  Remove the turkey from the bag and cover with foil on a separate plate or platter.
Either slice or pull apart turkey when ready to serve.

Gravy
Take all the juices that were released from the bag and pour into gravy separator.  Let settle and separate the fat and juices into separate containers.  This will take a few batches as there will be a large amount much of liquid and turkey juices.
Once all the liquid is separated add ½ cup fat to the roasting pan or to a large, deep sided skillet over medium high heat.  Add the shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes to begin to soften.  Add ½ cup flour to pan and whisk so all flour and fat are incorporated.  Cook for two minutes until flour begins to turn slightly brown and is cooked.  Add 4 ½ cups of separated, non-fat liquid and whisk until smooth.  There should be more than enough liquid but if not add turkey or chicken stock.  Add salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a gravy boat or crock pot.

Cauliflower Dill Soup

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Ingredients
1 head Cauliflower
1 stalk Celery (about ½ cup chopped)
1 Leek
1 large or 2 small Garlic Cloves
1 tsp. Salt
¾ tsp. Pepper
2 ½ cups Chicken Stock
2 – 2 ½ tsp. minced Dill
3 Tbsp. Butter

❃❃Serves 4❃❃

Preparation
Cut cauliflower into bite size pieces, cut leak into half-moons, mince garlic, mince dill and chop celery.

Cooking Soup
Add 3 Tbsp. butter to a heavy bottomed pan such as a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add leeks, celery and cauliflower with salt and pepper.  Let cook until vegetables begin to soften.  Add garlic and cook for 5 minutes.  Add stock and simmer on medium heat until vegetables are very soft.  This will take about 15-20 minutes.
Once vegetables are very soft add so a blender and blend until smooth.  Add back to the Dutch oven, over low heat, and stir in dill.  Start with 2 tsp., taste, and if the dill taste is not coming through add the other ½ tsp.

Serve

Creamy French Onion & Goat Cheese Soup

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Ingredients
6 Tbsp. Butter
2 large yellow Onions
4 Sprigs Thyme
½ Tbsp. Salt
2 tsp. Pepper
½ cup White Wine
2 cups Beef Stock
4 oz. Goat Cheese

❃❃Serves 4-6❃❃

Preparation
Cut onions in half, place flat side down and thinly slice into half-moons.

Cooking Onions
Add 6 Tbsp. butter to a heavy bottomed pan, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat.  Add onions, salt and pepper and cook for around 20-30 minutes on medium to medium high heat until they are caramelized.  Add white wine to deglaze pan scraping the bottom.  Add beef stock and heat through.

Assemble4
Add soup to blender with  4 oz. goat cheese.  Blend until smooth and return to pot to heat through.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Curry Butternut Squash Soup

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Ingredients
7 cups cubed Butternut Squash (1 medium)
1 cup chopped Leek (1 leek)
3 cloves Garlic or 1 Tbsp. chopped
1 cup Chicken Stock
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Curry
1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
Salt
Pepper
Sour Cream – Optional

❃❃Serves 4❃❃

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425, line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Peel and chop butternut squash into large cubes.
Wash and chop leek into half-moons and chop garlic.

Roast Squash
Place on sheet pan, top with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Mix thoroughly with your hands until all squash is coated then spread across sheet pan in an even layer.  Roast squash until very tender where it can be pierced through with a toothpick.  This will take about 20 – 25 minutes.

Cooking Soup
About 5 minutes before squash is done add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to a heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat.  Add leeks and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Start to soften leeks.
Add garlic, curry, red pepper flakes and butternut squash.  Cook for a couple minutes until squash gets some color and the spices infuse.
Add chicken stock and then add entire mixture to the blender.  Blend until smooth and return to pot to heat through.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.  Add a doll-up of sour cream on top if desired.

Roasted & Fried Butternut Squash Dusted in Pecans with Maple Drizzle

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Ingredients
4 cups cubed Butternut Squash
1 1/2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1 cup toasted Pecans
1/3 cup Flour
1 1/3 cups Panko
1/2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Eggs
1 Tbsp. Water
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
4 cups Canola or Vegetable Oil

❃❃ Serves 4❃❃

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450, line baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Peel squash, cube squash and set up dredging station with the flour, eggs mixed with water and panko mixed with pumpkin pie spice.
Add maple syrup to a pan or microwave safe dish.
Toast pecans by putting them in a dry pan over medium high heat just until you can smell them.  Move them around in the pan and be very careful not to burn.  Once toasted remove to a plate and let cool.  Once cooled add to the food processor.  Chop until part of the pecans are almost dust and part are still in small pieces.  Move to a bowl or plate as you will be covering the fried squash in these pecans.

Roasting Squash
Place cubed squash on the sheet pan, cover with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss to ensure all squash is covered, spread in an even layer and roast for 15 – 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool.

Frying Squash
In a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan heat oil to 350.  While oil is heating begin dredging the squash.  Cover each piece lightly with flour, then cover in egg mixture and finally coat well in the panko mixture.  Set aside until ready to fry.  The squash should be coated within 1 hour of frying, so it does not get mushy.
In batches, fry the squash until brown and crispy.  Remove to the pecan mixture and gently toss to coat the squash.  Once coated move to a sheet pan.
Once all squash is done move to a serving dish.

Assembly
Once all squash is fried and coated heat syrup either in a pan on the stove or in a microwave safe dish.  Once heated drizzle over the fried squash and serve.

Fall Grain Bowl

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Ingredients
1 Cup Stock
¾ cup Farro
2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
½ lb. ground Spicy Sausage
½ Acorn Squash cubed
1 cup Cranberries
¼ cup Water
2 tsp Sugar
4 cups Swiss Chard
3 Sage leaves
½ tsp Thyme
1/2 cup chopped Red onion
2 cloves Garlic
1/8 cup Pumpkin Seeds
2 oz. Goat Cheese
1 tsp. Red Wine Vinegar
2 tsp. Honey

❃❃ Serves 2❃❃

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425.
Cube squash, cut swiss chard, small chop red onion, small chop garlic, mince sage and chop thyme leaves.

Making Farro
In a saucepan, over medium high heat, add stock and faro.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid and simmer until faro is tender and stock is absorbed which should be around 20 minutes.  Once cooked stir in 1 Tbsp. Olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Set aside and keep warm.

Acorn Squash
Add cubed squash to a baking sheet and toss with 2 tsp. olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Bake at 425 until soft and slightly caramelized or 15 – 20 minutes.

Cranberries
Add cranberries, water and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat and cook until cranberries just begin to pop and soften.  Don’t cook until the cranberries turn into a sauce but just until softened so they maintain their shape.

Sausage
In a skillet over medium high heat add the sausage and break apart into large chunks with wooden spoon.  Cook until cooked through.  Set aside on a separate plate and keep warm.

Swiss Chard
In a skillet, or the same skillet the sausage was cooked in, over medium to medium high heat add 1 Tbsp. olive oil, red onion, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook just until the onions begin to soften.  Add chopped swiss chard, sage and thyme.  Cook until just wilted and warm.  Add vinegar and honey and keep warm until ready to assemble on low heat.

Pumpkin Seeds
Add pumpkin seeds to a dry skillet over medium heat or onto a baking sheet to toast in oven at 375.  Watch carefully so they do not burn.

Assembly
Lay down a nice bed of faro on the bottom of the plate and top with ½ sausage, ½ swiss chard, ½ squash, ½ cranberries, ½ pumpkin seeds and ½ goat cheese.