Thanksgiving 101: Morris chefs share their secrets for festive feasting
Tired of making your Thanksgiving turkey the same old way? Or maybe the side dishes at your holiday feasts need a little pizazz. Morris area chefs are now offering dozens of classes to help home cooks step up their game.
Executive chefs and food preparers at supermarkets say they spend lots of time this time of year fielding questions about Thanksgiving meals.
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"Just about everyone always wants to know how to make a turkey," said Deanna Demmer, culinary demo specialist at Whole Foods Market in Madison.
It's no wonder. Some 46 million turkeys were consumed at Thanksgiving tables nationwide in 2012, according to the National Turkey Federation.
"There are 150,000 ways to cook a turkey. I've heard of people brining it for 24 hours with salt water, washing the turkey with salt, not washing it, stuffing it," said Executive Chef Danny Arturo at The ShopRite of Greater Morristown in Cedar Knolls. "I don't do any of that."
He'll present "Carving Up the Turkey," a class on how to make a whole Thanksgiving dinner, Nov. 24 at the store's Village Food Garden Culinary Center.
Arturo said he developed his way of cooking turkey over the seven years he prepared free Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter Sunday meals for 450 homeless people at MUST Ministries in Smyrna, Georgia.
"On the outside, I put salt, pepper, garlic. In the cavity, I put cumin and fresh oranges and keep them in the whole time," he explained, adding that the cumin and oranges create wonderful aromatics.
For the first 30 minutes, he sets the oven at 400 degrees, to sear the outside of the turkey. Then he drops the temperature to 325 degrees and keeps it in 15 minutes per pound.
SEE ALSO: >> Morris classes take the baker beyond pie http://dailyre.co/1qDuFOT
Arturo never cooks a stuffed turkey.
"By the time the stuffing reaches 181 degrees," he said, "the outside of the turkey is 235 degrees. So you've got a dry turkey but moist stuffing. But what do you want? You want a moist turkey."
So he makes his traditional stuffing in a frying pan, using whatever kind of bread the spirit moves him to use, including cornbread or Italian bread.
"For stuffing, first I do celery and chopped onion. I sweat them out for about five minutes," Arturo said. "Then I add my chicken stock. I add my butter, fresh sage, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme. Then I add my bread. If I do fresh Italian bread, I cube it into one-inch cubes.
"If I want to bring the whole thing a little higher, I add a little chicken stock or turkey gravy. I heat all that for about five minutes."
Then he bakes the stuffing in the oven at 350 degrees for eight to 10 minutes, or until the top is crusted.
When Arturo takes a finished turkey out of the oven, he lets it sit for 20 minutes. During that time, he said, it shouldn't be cut and its skin shouldn't be pulled.
"There's a pocket of water in the turkey," Arturo explained, "and at that point it's still circulating inside. Keep the skin intact. Do not break it.
"The purpose of starting at 400 degrees for 30 minutes is to seal the whole inside of the turkey," he added. "Ever heard of cooking turkey in a bag? I just created my own bag with the skin."
For other parts of the meal this year, Arturo is preparing savory appetizers combining Italian, Spanish, and Latin American flavors, such as Short Ribs with Tomato Fennel Marinade and Chorizo-Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Italian Prosciutto with Olive Peppadew Tapenade.
"Why am I doing more of a Spanish/Latin American theme this year?" he asked. "Because I'm tired of the American theme."
He also concocted a "to-die-for" side dish — Apples Stuffed with Bread Pudding (see recipe on DailyRecord.com). It includes egg, which makes the bread pudding pop up like a soufflé in the apples. Each is garnished with a cinnamon stick.
Butterflying the bird
Culinary Instructor Daniel Rosati, an expert in regional Italian cooking, will present "A Thanksgiving Feast" Nov. 19 at Kings Cooking Studio in Short Hills. Rosati, who founded La Villa Cucina, which offers culinary travel programs and cooking school vacations, will teach this menu: Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Truffle Scented Croutons, Butternut Squash and Apple Gratin, Warm Green Bean Salad with Roasted Pepper Confetti Dressing, Neapolitan Mashed Potato Cake, and Chocolate Raspberry Dream Pie.
Of course, he'll also present turkey breast his way — maple glazed, herbed, and butterflied. He said the latter technique solves the most common problem home cooks face when preparing turkey: dryness.
"Butterflying means opening up the turkey so its two sides are of an even thickness and, during cooking, get even exposure to heat," Rosati said. "That way, legs, thighs, and breast all cook evenly, pretty much at the same rate."
Cutting off legs, thighs
But he also has another suggestion to avoid the dryness that comes from overcooking — paying careful attention to temperature and cutting up the turkey in the midst of cooking. He places a probe-style thermometer in the center of the breast meat, pulling it back a bit if he hits any bone, and sets it to sound off at 165 degrees.
"At that 165-degree point, I'll remove the turkey," Rosati said. "I'll cut the legs and the thighs off of the turkey and set aside the breast, covered in foil. Then I'll return the legs and thighs to the oven, with the probe thermometer in the legs and thighs, and I'll let those continue to cook until they go to 170 degrees."
The result: a perfectly cooked breast, legs, and thighs, which should be carved and presented on a platter.
At his own Thanksgiving table this year, Rosati will entertain a small group of eight people, freeing him to serve more plated dishes and offer more creative, non-traditional courses simply because he loves them.
"One of my served courses will be a butternut squash ravioli with a brown butter sage sauce," Rosati said.
With a midrange-sized group of about 14, he said, he serves family style: all the dishes are on the table and people pass them around to each other. With a large group of 24 or more, he serves buffet style.
"At that size, you have to have a buffet," Rosati said, "unless you have servers, which is fine, but Thanksgiving is usually a casual entertaining style of dining."
Deep-fried turkeys
Though deep-fried turkeys are usually associated with Southern cooking, they have their advantages even in the North. Kris Ohrenick, a team leader at Whole Foods Market in Madison, said his family had deep-fried its turkeys the last couple of years.
"They're a personal favorite," Ohrenick said, adding his wife's uncle can cook up four in less time than it would usually take to roast a huge bird.
"In our household, Thanksgiving is a big family event," said Ohrenick. "Typically, we have from 30 to 40 people — family members, extended family, friends, neighbors. It's like a meeting of the United Nations so we have dishes from all over the world. We get to sample a lot of different types of food, from Asian to the traditional."
At Whole Foods in Madison, culinary carts that feature demonstrations on how to make creative, different holiday dishes and drinks circulate in the store from noon to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m.
The theme of all the dishes is in keeping with the Whole Foods mission — using quality organic and natural ingredients. Signs on tables in the store's eating area articulate the goal: "Eat Like An Idealist."
SEE ALSO: >> Recipes for a festive Thanksgiving and holiday season - http://dailyre.co/1ulqA6H
Fresh sides and drinks
"We present dishes that may be outside the box," Ohrenick said, "and also items you're very much used to but presented in a way that uses the freshest ingredients out there."
One example is a side, Roasted Butternut Squash with Dried Cranberries (see recipe on DailyRecord.com).
"You roast the butternut squash with some onions and a little bit of oil, salt, and pepper," said Demmer, the culinary demo specialist for the store. "When you're done roasting, you toss it all with the cranberries."
The dish even excels as a leftover.
"The flavors will mingle and be released in the reheating process," Demmer added.
Customers who gather around her cart also get new drink ideas.
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"People appreciate good beverage pairings with their meals," said Demmer.
One recent day, she sliced a Pink Lady apple and dropped a few slices into the bottom of a drinking glass. Then she poured Martinelli's Sparking Apple-Peach over the fruit.
Similarly, Demmer poured Blanc, a citrus ginger drink created by 12 Sparkling Beverages, over grapes in the bottom of a glass.
What to do with leftovers? Kings Executive Chef Bill Hedge shared a recipe for Sweet Potato-Turkey Hash. See this recipe and more, plus videos and a photo gallery on DailyRecord.com/Table. For desserts, see story on Morris bakers: http://dailyre.co/1qDuFOT
Lorraine Ash: 973-428-6660; lash@njpressmedia.com
Learn more
Want to jazz up your holiday cooking skills? Here are some local classes to try:
THE ADULT SCHOOL OF THE CHATHAMS, MADISON, AND FLORHAM PARK
• CAKE POPS FOR THANKSGIVING WITH KATIE STRAUB
WHEN: 7 p.m. Nov. 17
COST: $50 per person
• CAKE POPS FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON WITH KATIE STRAUB
WHEN: 7 p.m. Dec. 15
COST: $50 per person
WHERE: Ridge High School, 268 S. Finley Ave., Basking Ridge
INFORMATION/REGISTRATION: 973-443-9222; www.ssreg.com/chatham/classes/classes.asp?catID=4762
CARLO'S BAKE SHOP
• FALL FONDANT LEAF CAKE CLASS
WHEN: 5 p.m. Nov 13
COST: $125
• THANKSGIVING CAKE CLASS
WHEN: 5 p.m. Nov. 26
COST: $125
• WINTER SNOWFLAKE CAKE CLASS
WHEN: 5 p.m. Dec. 3
COST: $125
• WINTER SNOWFLAKE CAKE CLASS
WHEN: 5 p.m. Dec. 16
COST: $125
• SNOWMAN HEAD CAKE CLASS
WHEN: 5 p.m. Dec. 17
COST: $125
WHERE: 40 Market St., Morristown
INFORMATION/REGISTRATION: 973-998-7771; http://classes.carlosbakery.com/morristown-classes.html
COUNTY COLLEGE OF MORRIS COOKING SCHOOL
• HOLIDAY COOKIE WORKSHOP WITH SUZANNE LOWERY
WHEN: 3:30 p.m. Dec. 6
COST: $79 per person
WHERE: Student Community Center Teaching Kitchen, 214 Center Grove Road, Randolph
INFORMATION/REGISTRATION: 973-328-5187; http://webadvisor.ccm.edu
THE FRELINGHUYSEN ARBORETUM
• COOKING DEMONSTRATION: BUCHE DE NOEL (YULE LOG CAKE) WITH CYNTHIA TRIOLO
WHEN: 1 p.m. Nov. 16
COST: $20 members, $25 non-members
• ROOT VEGETABLES: PARSNIPS, TURNIPS, RUTABAGAS, AND MORE WITH CYNTHIA TRIOLO
WHEN: 7 p.m. Nov. 19
COST: $15 members, $20 non-members
• THANKSGIVING CENTERPIECE WITH MARGE HULSTRUNK (See video)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Nov. 24
COST: $65 members, $75 non-members
WHERE: Haggerty Education Center, 353 E. Hanover Ave., Morris Township
INFORMATION/REGISTRATION: 973-326-7603 or www.arboretumfriends.org
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KINGS COOKING STUDIO
• ALL ABOUT THANKSGIVING TURKEY WITH RICK RODGERS
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 13
COST: $65 per person
• PERFECT COOKIES AND CAKES FOR HOLIDAY GIVING WITH CAROLE WALTER
WHEN: 2 p.m. Nov. 16
COST: $85 per person
• THE BIG BOOK OF SIDES: NEW THANKSGIVING FAVORITES WITH RICK RODGERS
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 17
COST: $65 per person
• THANKSGIVING VEGAN SIDES WITH EILEEN MALLOR
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 18
COST: $60 per person
• A THANKSGIVING FEAST WITH DANIEL ROSATI
WHEN: 11 a.m. Nov. 19
COST: $65 per person
WHERE: 778 Morris Turnpike, Short Hills
INFORMATION/RESERVATION: Online at www.kingsfoodmarkets.com/cooking-studio or call 973-258-4009, or 973-463-6500, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday
MORRIS TAP & GRILL
• HOLIDAY COCKTAIL AND COOKING DINNER CLASS
WHEN: 7 p.m. Nov. 19
COST: $65 per person
WHERE: 500 Route 10 West, Randolph
INFORMATION/REGISTRATION: 973-891-1776
PARSIPPANY ADULT & COMMUNITY EDUCATION (PACE)
• CLASSIC SOUPS FOR THE FALL WITH DANA ILIC
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 18
COST: $25 (additional $20 food fee payable to instructor)
WHERE: Central Middle School, 1620 Route 46, Parsippany
INFORMATION/REGISTRATION: 973-263-7180, ext. 4342; www.ssreg.com/pace/classes/classes.asp?catID=4495
THE SHOPRITE OF GREATER MORRISTOWN
• • CARVING UP THE TURKEY
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 24
COST: $30 per person
• HOLIDAY COOKING
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 4
COST: $30 per person
• FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 11
COST: $55 per person
• THE TRUE ITALIAN DESSERT FOR CHRISTMAS
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Dec. 18
COST: $30 per person
WHERE: 178 E. Hanover Ave., Cedar Knolls
INFORMATION/REGISTRATION: www.villagefoodgarden.com
WHAT'S COOKING
• CHRISTMAS DESSERT CLASS
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Nov. 17
COST: $45
WHERE: 34 Ridgedale Ave., East Hanover
INFORMATION/RESERVATION: 973-240-7161 or marianne253@aol.com