Chefs’ Thanksgiving in Wine County: Recipes

Put down the canned mushroom soup and
jellied cranberry sauce, this is a Chef Intervention. Because while
your family recipes may be adequate, there are trained professionals
from throughout Wine Country ready and willing to turn over their
tried-and-true recipes to you.

From paper bag roasted turkey to drop-dead delicious mashed
potatoes, these are home-friendly dishes from a dozen (there are many
more online) top toques have culled from their restaurants and personal
recipe files (chefs have to cook Thanksgiving too). But more than that,
they’re recipes that these chefs think they’ve got down cold.

So get inspired, steal them freely and take all the credit. We won’t tell.

DOWNLOAD ALL RECIPES (PDF)

Roast Turkey in a Bag: Jeff Mall, Zin Restaurant, Healdsburg

The king of cozy comfort food, this Healdsburg farmer/chef is a natural
for Thanksgiving’s showpiece, turkey. But rather than trying to glam up
the pedestrian bird with brining and complicated cooking methods, Mall
roasts the turkey in a paper bag, a tried and true method he learned in
high school. “I think that most brined turkey really just tastes like
the brine and not much else,” Mall said. To close the deal, Jeff glazes
the turkey with a finger-lickin’ mix of butter, ginger, chives and
maple syrup. But Mall’s masterpiece isn’t complete without this
Southern boy’s other signature holiday dish, Drunken Cranberry sauce,
made extra-festive with a heavy dose of Marsala wine, Triple Sec and
bitters.

Oyster Dressing: Josh Silvers, Syrah Bistro, Santa Rosa
The
urban counterpart to Mall’s country cooking (the two collaborated on
the Wine Country cookbook Down home: Downtown), Silvers always puts his
own unique spin (and a few extra pats of butter) on tradition. His
favorite dish for Thanksgiving, besides prime rib? A surf-and-turf
dressing that brings together Hog Island Sweetwater oysters with the
earthy flavors of bacon, onion, fennel, mushrooms, tarragon and onion.
A shot of Pernod, cream and Tabasco give an extra boost of flavor to
this soul-satisfying side.

Mashed Potatoes with Parsnips, Bacon and Onions, John Ash, cookbook author and educator
You
don’t make Thanksgiving dinner without consulting the godfather of Wine
Country Cooking. But even Ash got a little help on this one, from his
grandmother, who combined the sweet, earthy flavors of parsnips with
hearty potatoes, bacon and plenty of butter. The recipe gilds the lilly
with fried onions and a couple dollops of sour cream. The secret to
making the flavors pop? A few drops of vinegar. Ever the master of
everyday food education, Ash’s recipe (you can find all the recipes
online at BiteClubEats.com) comes with simple ideas for perfecting your
own mashed potatoes.

Marshmallow Yams, Marcy Smothers, epicurean adventurer
This
opinionated Wine Country radio personality wants to know why we can’t
just learn to embrace our childhood favorite: yams with marshmallows?
“It isn’t Thanksgiving unless there are marshmallows on the yams!  I
have been conducting research on this subject since I came to Sonoma
County twenty years ago. Invariably some fancy pants foodie arrives at
Thanksgiving with their “updated” yams. Usually it’s savory, has
rosemary, olive oil and something hip like pancetta. Yum on any other
day but not Thanksgiving,” says Smothers. “My candied yams always
outsell these interlopers,” she adds, noting too that what most of us
call yams are actually sweet potatoes. Find more of her food thoughts
at foodwineandmarcy.com in addition to details about an upcoming cruise with Jacques Pepin.

Braised Greens with Tomatoes and Thyme, Jill Nussinow, The Veggie Queen
It’s
not always easy to be the voice of healthy eating (especially at the
holidays), but Sonoma County’s favorite cruciferous crusader knows her
vegetables. Which is why Nussinow is ever my pick for bringing
flavorful, seasonal greens to the table. Her pick for the Thanksgiving
table: Braised winter greens. So why no green beans? They’re actually
way out of season right now, she said. Instead, Nussinow suggests a
side dish made with kale, turnip or collard greens, tomatoes, red wine,
garlic, thyme and cinnamon.

Apple-Cranberry-Maple Relish, Sheana Davis, The Epicurean Connection, Sonoma
A
long-time caterer on the winery scene, Davis has a treasure-trove of
tried-and-true recipes that she’s honed over the years. For this
recipe, she combines end-of-season apples with the fall flavors of
maple, cranberry and pecans. “I prepare gallons of this recipe each
year between Thanksgiving and Christmas,” she said. “I love how this
recipe fills up the house with a sweet and savory essence. “As an
appetizer, it pairs really well with cheeses,” she said (like her own
soft goat and cow mix, Delice de la Vallee). “It makes a turkey taste
even better, and I love it for breakfast with  pumpkin waffles the day
after Thanksgiving and I really enjoy it as a dessert over a scoop of
vanilla bean ice cream.  Davis plans to have some of the sauce
ready-made at her Sonoma shop, 18812 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma,
707-935-7960.

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Andouille Sausage, Mark Stark, Stark’s Steakhouse, Santa Rosa
Stop
wrinkling your nose. Mark was no fan of these sometimes-sulpherous
little nuggets either. Until he added a few secret ingredients. Said
the chef: “This recipe came out of the desire to make brussels
sprouts(which I used to hate as a kid!!) taste palatable. The answer;
add pork and cheese! Now I luuuuuuvvvvv brussels sprouts.” And so do
hundreds of other converts who order this sweet and savory side
religiously at his restaurant. The secret to the deliciousness are
using small, fresh sprouts, then dressing them up with sage, tart
Granny Smith apples, dried black currants and crumbled Point Reyes Blue
Cheese.

Pumpkin Cornbread, Justin Wangler, Executive Chef Kendall Jackson
As
a new dad, Wangler’s all for keeping Thanksgiving simple. The KJ chef
recently got tapped for an 8-page holiday recipe extravaganza in Better
Homes & Gardens, but one of his favorite dishes is this sweet
cornbread using a little masa harina (a fine corn flour), canned
pumpkin and pumpkin pie spices. It’s an unexpected twist that brings
lots of flavor to the table.

Trace of Cinnamon Cocktail, Jack & Tony’s Whiskey Bar, Santa Rosa
What
are holidays without a little cheer? Okay, a lot of cheer. The downtown
whiskey (and bourbon) connoisseurs at Jack & Tony’s mixed up a
spicy, toasty cocktail with bourbon, Frangelico and a cockle-warming
cinnamon syrup (save some for the next time you have a cold) to take
the edge off, well, everything.

RECIPES
Want a more printer-friendly version? Click here for a PDF of the recipes.

Roast Turkey with Maple Ginger Glaze
Jeff Mall, Zin Restaurant
1 16-18 pound turkey
1 Tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
salt & fresh ground black pepper
1 large, unglazed brown paper bag
kitchen twine.
1 stick (1/4#) unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 cup warm water
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

Glaze
1. Melt butter in medium sauce pan over low heat.  Add ginger and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Let cool and stir in chives.  Set aside.

Turkey
1.  Position one oven rack in the center and one rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325 F.  Rub Turkey inside and  out with salt, pepper and rosemary.
2.  Truss turkey with kitchen twine, and brush with the maple ginger glaze.  Slide Turkey into the paper bag, and tie closed with remaining twine. 
3.  Place bagged turkey in heavy roasting pan on the center oven rack.
4.  Place another roasting pan filled half way with water on the lower  rack.
5.  Cook turkey for 5 hours at 325 F, then cut away the paper bag to expose the entire turkey.  Baste the turkey with the remaining glaze
and cook until a thermometer placed in thigh registers 170 F. ( about 30 minutes)
6.  Remove from oven and allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Oyster Dressing
Josh Silvers, Syrah Bistro
 
Ingredients:
3 Tbl. Butter (unsalted)
3 strips apple wood smoked bacon cut into thin strips also called lardoons
½ cup Carrots diced
½ cup fennel diced
½ cup onion diced
 ½ cup celery diced
 ½ cup mushrooms diced
 ½ tea. Garlic minced
 1 cup chopped shucked Hog Island Sweetwater oysters
 1 oz Pernod
 ½ cup white wine
1 cups turkey or chicken stock
  ½ cup cream
½ gl day old good French bread cut or torn into 1″ pieces
1tsp.taragonne chopped
1 tsp. Italian parsley chopped
S & P to taste Tabasco
 
 
Method:
Melt butter & add bacon cook on med heat until it starts to smell sweet , then sauté # 3 through 8 ingredients and sweat them, add Pernod
& flambé, add wine, oysters + the juice, cook 2 min. add cream & stock, bring to a simmer, add tarragon cook 5 min, season with S&P, and Tabasco to taste,
Pour over bread, mix well, add parsley and put in buttered dish, cover with plastic wrap & then foil bake @ 375° for 35 – 45 min remove from oven & let rest 5 – 10 min

PERFECT MASHED POTATOES
Chef John Ash, author and education

It would seem that nothing could be simpler than mashed potatoes.  They are simple but there are a few basics that will help make sure yours are the best:

1.      Pick the right potato!  Russets from Idaho and Washington are the standard.  My favorite are Yukon Golds which have a thin skin but starchy meat which is what you need for good mashed potatoes.  Don’t use new potatoes (red or white) or fingerlings.  Because of their texture and water content these are great for steaming, boiling and frying but not for mashing.  I know I’ll get some push back from that!

2.      I like to cook potatoes whole with the skin on so they don’t absorb so much water.  As soon as they are tender, immediately drain and then peel as soon after as you can handle without burning yourself.

3.      My favorite tool for mashing is the food mill, which yields a nice texture.  Second choice would be a potato ricer that looks like a giant garlic press and after that the good old hand masher.  If using a mill or ricer, press the potatoes right back into the pan over low heat and stir to evaporate any excess moisture.  If using a hand masher then drain potatoes well and mash them in the pan over low heat.  Never, never use a food processor!  It’s too powerful and will quickly turn the potatoes to glue.

4.      Stir in seasonings and serve mashed potatoes as soon as possible.  If you’re adding milk or cream, heat it in order to keep the potatoes warm.  Some great restaurants actually make mashed potatoes to order because they feel they lose subtle flavors even sitting just a short time.

5.      If you need to hold mashers for a while, do it via the double boiler method, that is with a stainless or glass bowl over barely simmering water. Don’t cover with plastic or foil.  This creates condensation that drips back into the potatoes making them soggy and creating off flavors.

STORING POTATOES
How potatoes are stored also makes a big difference in the final product.  Make sure you store potatoes in a dark, well-ventilated space. Stored in the light they will sprout and turn green which for some can cause a toxic reaction. You can cut out and discard the green but the flavor will still be affected.  Cool room temperature (around 60 degrees) is best.  Don’t refrigerate mashing potatoes, especially russets.  Refrigeration causes the potatoes to convert their starch to sugar, softens them and they lose their potato flavor.  Finally potatoes are sensitive to ethylene gas.  Many fruits (like apples, melons and tomatoes) naturally give off ethylene, which is an odorless, colorless gas that promotes ripening resulting in sprouting and deterioration of the potato.  Keep them separate!

Here’s a mashed potato recipe my Grandmother used to do for special occasions.

MASHED POTATOES AND PARSNIPS WITH CRISP BACON AND ONIONS

Serves 4 – 6

1 pound peeled Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, cut into 2 inch cubes
1 pound peeled parsnips, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons or more crème fraiche or sour cream
Cider vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 pound bacon, crisply fried, drained and chopped
1 medium onion, thinly sliced and floured and then deep-fried till crisp and golden
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Add potatoes and parsnips to a saucepan with lightly salted water to cover.  Bring to a boil then cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain and return to pan over low heat to dry them out.  Mash adding butter, crème fraiche, drops of vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately topped with bacon, onions and chopped chives.

MY GRANDMOTHER’S PUMPKIN PIE
Chef John Ash
Makes one 9 inch pie serving 6 – 8

My Grandmother always roasted fresh pumpkin for her pies which is better (in my opinion) than canned.  You could also substitute freshly roasted butternut squash for the pumpkin.

For the Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ground pecans
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) sweet butter, chilled
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
Drops of ice water as needed

Mix flour, pecans, sugar and salt together.  Cut butter into 1/4 inch bits and with a mixer quickly mix into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.  Mix in egg yolk and enough water so that dough just begins to come together.

Form into a smooth cake, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Roll out dough on lightly floured surface and fit into a 9 inch pie pan.  Pinch and flute the edges decoratively.  Chill while preparing the filling.

For the Filling:

2-1/2 cups pumpkin puree
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger
(1 teaspoon dried)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dark rum
2 tablespoons melted sweet butter
3 large eggs, separated

Garnish:  Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Mix the pumpkin, sugar, spices, cream, rum and butter together in a bowl.  Beat in egg yolks.

Separately beat egg whites until stiff peaks are formed.  Carefully fold into pumpkin mixture and pour into prepared shell.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 40 – 45 minutes or until center is set and puffed.  As pie cools it will deflate somewhat.  Serve at room temperature garnished with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Greens Braised with Tomatoes and Thyme
Jill Nussinow, The Veggie Queen
Serves 4
I am always looking for new ways to cook greens to make them tasty and interesting. It seems almost impossible to eat too many of them.
 
6        cups chopped greens, such as kale, turnip or collards
1 ½    cups peeled, seeded, chopped fresh  or canned, diced tomatoes
½       cup red wine
1        teaspoon sugar
1        tablespoon vegetable bouillon powder
3        cloves garlic, minced
1-2     sprigs fresh thyme
1        cinnamon stick
2        tablespoons fruity olive oil
 
Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive saucepan and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook another 15 minutes, or longer to reduce slightly if you prefer a thicker sauce.  Remove the cinnamon stick and thyme stems. Serve as a side dish or over noodles, quinoa or other grain.
++++++++
Apple-Cranberry-Maple Relish
Created by Sheana Davis, The Epicurean Connection

1/4
cup sweet cream butter
4 cups large Sonoma County Apples, peeled, cored and chopped coarsely
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest, chopped coarsely
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup maple syrup Over medium flame in a heavy bottom pan, over a low
flame, melt butter and add in apples, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, orange
juice, orange zest, maple syrup, cranberries and sea salt. Simmer over
low flame for 8-10 minutes, until cranberries are plump and apples are
tender. Taste, adjust seasoning and allow to cool for 1 hour prior to
serving. Place maple syrup in a heavy bottom pan over a medium flame
and bring to a simmer. Add in pecans and saute for 3-4 minutes,
continuously stirring until maple syrup is thickened and evenly coating
pecans. Remove from heat and pour onto a parchment paper lined baking
sheet and allow to cool. When cooled, gently break apart and set aside
to sprinkle over Apple Cranberry Relish.

Drunken Cranberry Sauce
Jeff Mall, Zin Restaurant
Prepare 2 days ahead of time
 
2 pounds fresh cranberries
4 cups sugar
3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
1/2 cup Triple Sec
1/4 cup Angostura Bitters
 
1. Cook cranberries and sugar in medium sauce pan, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until berries are soft. (30 min)
2.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Puree cranberries in blender with Marsala, Triple Sec,  and bitters.
4. Push mixture through strainer, and chill until ready to serve.

++++++++++

Mediterranean Greens
Jill Nussinow, The Veggie Queen
I just love greens, especially in the winter when they taste the best. Here they are paired with tangy, sweet and salty: a splash of balsamic vinegar, raisins or currants and olives. In Italian it’s called agrodolce.
Serves 6-8 as an appetizer or 4-6 as a side dish.
 
1              tablespoon olive oil
½             cup finely minced onion
2              pounds greens, washed but not dried and center ribs removed, cut finely
¼             cup golden raisins or currants
water or broth, as needed
¼             cup finely chopped kalamata olives
1-2          tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1              tablepsoon extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
 
Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until it turns translucent. Add the greens and sauté for 1 minute. Add the raisins or currants and cook until the greens turn bright green. Stir in the olives. If the greens get dry while cooking, add broth or water 1 tablespoon at a time being careful not to let the mixture get too liquid. Remove from the heat and let cool a bit. Add the balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more vinegar, oil or pepper if necessary. Serve on crostini (Italian toasts) or as a side dish.
 
From The Veggie Queen™: Vegetables Get the Royal Treatment cookbook by Jill Nussinow, MS, RD
 
Best Ever Mashed Potatoes
Patrick Tafoya, p/30
3#           Small Red Potatoes
1#           Bacon
8oz         Sour Cream
1/2 stick  Salted Butter
1bunch    Chives
               Salt to taste
               Milk

Quarter the potatoes.  Cover the potatoes with cold water in a large pot.  Bring the water to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer.   Cook until tender.
Meanwhile, chop the chives as fine as possible and reserve.  
Dice the bacon.  Cook the bacon over medium heat, stirring regularly, until crispy, then strain.  Reserve the rendered bacon fat for the gravy roux.  
Drain the potatoes when fully cooked.  Add them back to the hot pot.  Smash the potatoes with a large fork or masher.  Add the butter, sour cream, chives, bacon and mix well.  Add salt if necessary.   If the smashers are too thick, add a little milk to desired consistency.  Serve immediately.  When I can I use John’s Balck Pig Bacon or Hobbs apple-wood bacon, and although it may sound like a lot of bacon, most of it is lost in the rendering process.  
++++++++
Pumpkin Corn Bread

Serve with Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay
Recipe by Chef Justin Wangler

Servings: 12
“I add a little masa harina–a fine corn flour–to give the bread light texture with nice corn flavor.” Find masa harina in the ethnic section of supermarkets or in Mexican markets.
Ingredients:
    •    6 Tbsp. butter, melted
    •    2 cups cornmeal
    •    1⁄3 cup sugar
    •    2 Tbsp. masa harina or corn flour
    •    2 tsp. baking powder
    •    1 tsp. baking soda
    •    1 tsp. salt
    •    1⁄4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
    • &n
bsp;  1 cup buttermilk
    •    1 8-oz. carton sour cream
    •    1 egg, lightly beaten
    •    3⁄4 cup canned pumpkin
    •    Whipped butter (optional)
Preparation:
    1.    Heat oven to 350°F.
    2.    Generously brush a 12-inch cast iron skillet with 2 tablespoons of the butter; set aside remaining butter.
    3.    In large mixing bowl combine cornmeal, sugar, masa harina, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.  In another bowl combine remaining butter, buttermilk, sour cream, egg, and pumpkin; whisk into cornmeal mixture. Pour into prepared pan.
    4.    Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted off-center comes out clean.
    5.    Cool on wire rack; serve warm with whipped butter.
Pumpkin Corn Muffins
Prepare as above except brush 22 1 3⁄4-inch muffin-tin cups with the 2 tablespoons butter. Spoon in batter. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted off-center comes out clean.
Make Ahead
Prepare and bake as directed above. Wrap cooled corn bread in foil. Store in refrigerator up to 2 days. Reheat, wrapped in foil, in a 350°F oven, for 15 minutes or until warm.
++++

MARCY’S CANDIED YAMS
Marcy Smothers, foodwineandmarcy.com

One large garnet yam for every three people.
Wash yams and poke a few holes in each one. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with foil and bake at 350 degrees until done. Cool.
Melt butter and brown sugar over low heat. You pick the proportion depending on how sweet you like it.
Skin yams and put in lightly buttered baking dish. Moosh with fork to loosen them but do not flatten them.
Pour butter and sugar mixture over yams. Use fork to gently get some of the liquid throughout the yams.
Place mini marshmallows on top.
Just before serving, place in 425 degree oven until marshmallows are and melted and slightly browned.

++++

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Andouille Sausage, Apples, Sage & Point Reyes Blue Cheese
Mark Stark, Stark’s Steakhouse
 
Serves 6
 
 
1 pound Brussels Sprouts, ends trimmed and split in half
6 ea sage leaves
3 tbsp butter
1 ea granny smith apple, unpeeled, cut in ½ inch dice
1 ea Andouille Sausage about 4 oz. cut into ½ inch dice
½ cup pearl onions blanched and peeled (may substitute frozen pearl onions)
1 tbsp dried black currants
2 ounce crumbled Point Reyes Blue Cheese
   salt and fresh ground black pepper
 
To Prepare:
Place a pot of water large enough to accommodate the Brussels sprouts to a boil.
Season the water with salt.
Place the split sprouts in the boiling water and cook until just knife tender, yet still bright green then place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. As soon as the sprouts are cool drain well and  blot any excess water off with paper towels.
 
To Cook:
Heat a large sauté pan( large enough to hold the Brussels sprouts in a single layer)
Add the butter and sage leaves to the pan and cook for a minute until the butter just starts to brown.
Add the Brussels sprouts in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper. Place the apples, onions and sausage to the pan, but do not stir. The Brussels sprouts sould cook for a few mintes until well browned. Turn a few sprouts over to check the color. When browned, still the sprouts with the onions, apples and sausage and cook for a few more minutes until well browned. To finish, remove the pan from the heat and add the currants and the crumbled blue cheese and give a quick stir.
Serve immediately.
 
Tabasco Aioli for Black Friday
John Stewart and Duskie Estes, Bovolo, zazu & Black Pig Meat
Jazz up a day-after Bacon, Lettuce and turkey sandwich with this spicy mayo. John’s Black Pig bacon can be purchased at either of the restaurants and select grocers around town.

1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1 teaspoon tabasco, or more or less to taste
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

In a food processor, combine the eggs, lemon juice, and garlic. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and emulsify. Season to taste with tabasco, salt, and pepper

Cocktail:
Jack and Tony’s Whiskey Bar
‘The Trace of Cinnamon’
 
1 3/4oz  Bourbon – We use Buffalo Trace
3/4oz  Cinnamon Syrup – See recipe below
1/2oz  Frangelico – Hazelnut Liquor
 
Shake, strain, served up in a cocktail glass
Garnished with Cinnamon  Stick
 
* Cinnamon Syrup:
1 cup of Honey
1 cup of Hot Water
1 Tea Spoon of Ground Cinnamon
Mix well, store in glass container.

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