Project: Gobblefest November 2012

Date: Thursday, November 15, 2012 Time: 7:30 p.m Number of guests: 13 pax Location: Bandar Utama

Hosted a Thanksgiving dinner of sorts over Awal Muharram holiday.  I figured Thanksgiving would be a perfect theme to try out different dishes using ingredients associated with the Fall, and I also wanted to challenge myself and see if I could pull this off.  Truth be told, without the help of my two awesome sous chefs – my mom and Kak’mbang – I probably would have dropped dead and my guests would have to settle for a few dishes short.  But in the end, all is well, and I managed to stick the last dish (dessert) into the oven as guests started appearing at the door.

All of my dishes based on recipes from Emeril’s Potluck.

~Menu~

5 kg turkey from Turkey Point | Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup | Caramelized Carrots and Corn (courtesy of Tiff) | Emerilized Green Bean Casserole | Twice-baked Potato Casserole | Just Right Stuffing | Deep Dish Apple Pie | Vanilla Ice-cream (courtesy of Merv & Viv) | Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins (courtesy of Yaz) | Camembert Cheese with Grapes (courtesy of Henry & Yen)

Just Right Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon (7 gm) unsalted butter, softened, plus 3 tablespoons (40 gm), melted
• 2 cups Chicken Stock (dilute 1 chicken stock cube in 2 cups hot water)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (almost the entire pack)
• 1/4 cup finely sliced green onions (about 1 stalk)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves (didn’t have sage on hand, so I used 2 tsp dried rosemary)
• 12 to 14 cups 1/2-inch cubes day-old French bread (about 2 medium-sized loaves)
• 1/2 pound bacon (about 8 slices), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cups chopped yellow onions (about 3 medium onions)
• 2 cups chopped celery (about 4 stalks)
• 1 tablespoonChicken Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (1 teaspoon if using unsalted chicken stock)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic

Directions

Preheat the oven to 205 degrees C (fan 185 degrees C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with 1/2 tablespoon butter.

Combine the Chicken Stock, eggs, parsley, green onions, heavy cream, and sage (I used rosemary) in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the bread and stir to combine; reserve.

Heat a large skillet or medium pot over high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, celery, Chicken Seasoning, salt, and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and add to the bread mixture. Stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter over the top of the bread mixture. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool if using as stuffing or serve warm as a side dish.

 

Deep-Dish Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 45 grams butter, 3 tablespoons
• 1 kilogram Granny Smith apples, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 kilogram Pink Lady apples, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• 1 recipe Pie Dough, recipe follows
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup red sharp cheddar
• 8 scoops vanilla ice cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

In a large saute pan, melt the butter.

Add the apples and saute for 2 minutes.

Add the sugars, lemon juice, and flour. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Season the apples with nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Mix thoroughly and remove from the heat.

Mix in the pecans. Cool the mixture.

Lightly dust a surface with flour.

Cut the dough in half.

Roll out each half to 12 inches in diameter and about 1/8-inch thick.

Fold 1 circle of dough in fourths. Carefully lift the dough and place in a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan. I only had a 9-inch pan, so I used that. Unfold the pie dough and spoon the apples into the pie shell. This recipe makes a lot of filling, and I had leftovers.  Place the second round of dough over the apples. Using a sharp knife cut away the excess dough. Using your fingers, crimp the edges of the pie firmly to seal the dough completely. With the same sharp knife, make 3 slits, about 4 inches long and 2 inches apart, across the pie dough. Brush with the beaten egg, place the pie in the oven, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Return the pie to the oven and continue to cook for 8 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Let cool to room temperature before slicing, about 1 hour. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Pie Dough:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 160 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 40 grams solid vegetable shortening
• 5 tablespoons ice water

Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl.

Using your fingers or pastry cutter, work in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add 4 tablespoons of ice water and mix with your fingers until the water is incorporated and the dough comes together.

Add more water as needed just until the dough comes together, being careful not to over mix.

Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Yield: enough for 1 double crust pie