Perfect Roast Turkey

November 25, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Thanksgiving”

The Set-up: Ina ‘s friends have bullied her into cooking turkey for Thanksgiving along with all the trimmings.

The Menu: Perfect Roast Turkey, Herb and Apple Stuffing, Cranberry Fruit Conserve, Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

0:34 – Ina begins the episode by taking her aggressions out on a package of graham crackers.

1:21 – She claims the graham crackers are for her family’s traditional Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart, but you and I know there would have been a more non-violent way of crunching them up.

2:03 – I’ve never made anything with a graham cracker crust before – I love it’s deep golden color. Pro Tip #1: Use the bottom of a metal measuring cup to tamp down the crust.

3:42 – I wish I was even vaguely interested in eating this tart because it looks really fun to make, but neither banana nor pumpkin desserts are really my thing. Sigh.

4:37 – Just realized that I’ve also never made a custard, unless lemon curd counts?

5:16 – Huh, the mousse has eggs and gelatin to help it set. A year ago this ingredient along would have made me abandon all hope of making something like this.

6:30 – Ina says this is a make-ahead dessert, always good news when there’s a big dinner to prepare for.

9:55 – Now that the tart is chilling we’re on to the Cranberry Fruit Conserve, which Ina says she can’t have Thanksgiving without. Seriously, the cranberry is so necessary next to all those rich dishes.

10:14 – Pro Tip #2: The tarter an apple is, the more pectin (a setting agent) it has. Hence, Ina is using Granny Smith.

11:29 – Oooh, the Cranberry Fruit Conserve has orange and lemon juice along with the zest. I really want to make this now, especially since the grocery store has cranberries in stock.

12:51 – While the conserve bubbles away Ina is moving on start the onions and herbs for the Herb and Apple Stuffing. She’s really cracking along with this menu.

13:32 – Back for finishing touches on the conserve. Half she’s leaving plain for the “traditionalists” and adding walnuts and raisins to the other. Put me and Stephen down for the traditional version, please.

14:44 – Over to the Herb and Apple Stuffing to toss the toasted cubes of sourdough bread in the onion, apple and herb mixture. Yum!

18:58 – Now for the main event: Perfect Roast Turkey, which Ina’s friends demanded instead of Ina’s suggestion of turkey.

19:15 - Hmmm, Ina’s actually putting the stuffing in the turkey, which is counter to most conventional wisdom I’ve heard about cooking times. Extending trust!

20:59 – The Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart is set and Ina is making me jealous of her whipped cream piping skillz.

21:22 – Pro Tip #3: Practice controlling the pressure on the pastry bag by piping patterns on to a board or marble until your skills are up to snuff. Can you picture Mike coming home to a counter covered with my piping mistakes?

22:40 – More decoration tips – Ina likes to use something that’s in the recipe, so she’s placing fine strips of orange zest on top of the tart.

27:14 – Ina’s friends have arrived and already this Thanksgiving dinner is getting crazy – poppin’ bottles, eh?

28:05 – Ina says she doesn’t like to carve when people are around because she can make such a mess. Girl, I feel you. No one needs an audience when wrestling a giant bird.

28:47 – We didn’t see this, but Ina also made Roasted Brussels Sprouts (for Frank) and Parmesan Smashed Potatoes to round out her menu.

29:53 – Jeffrey is missing dinner and I feel sorrier for him than normal because this dinner looks so, so good. Consider me ready for Thursday!

Final Thoughts:
I really should practice piping. The one and only time I ever tried was over the summer and the results weren’t so hot…

Kind of obsessed with the cranberry conserve and herb stuffing recipes – filing them away for a time when I’m hosting Thanksgiving.

Ina is such a sweetheart she made so many guest-requested dishes, I bet they all felt really special.

Lessons Learned:
I started off my Perfect Roast Turkey adventure this weekend feeling fairly confident. I had several “practice” chickens under my belt and a turkey is pretty much just a big chicken, so the process should be about the same, right? But I was still a little nervous, after all this wasn’t a 3 lb. chicken it was a 20 lb. turkey and oh, did I mention, I was cooking it for 12 people? No pressure!

Luckily this is a super low-maintenance recipe. Really, the trickiest part is locating all the giblets and “The Bag” – don’t forget to check both ends of the turkey! Melt butter, measure seasonings, prep a few onions, then get up close and personal with the turkey. Ina’s recipe assumes a 10-12 lb. turkey, so since mine was twice as big I added a few more onions and lemons to the cavity (no internal stuffing for this bird.) One stick of butter + the herbs and lemon was plenty to give the entire turkey skin a good solid coating.

One additional note – the recipe doesn’t specifically call for using a roasting rack, but from my practice with the chickens I knew it would help all of the skin to crisp up, so I’d recommend using one if you can get it to fit in your pan.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, the roasting pan and rack ride again. I also used a small pot to melt the butter, a medium cutting board, chef’s knife, microplane grater, pastry brush, and measuring spoons. Lastly, paper towels, cotton kitchen twine, and an instant read meat thermometer are essential!

The Verdict:
About an hour in to the roasting time the apartment started to smell like Thanksgiving – all delicious butter and herbs. Next, the skin turned bronzed and golden like a magazine worthy dinner centerpiece. But, the true test? A 20 lb. turkey basically disappeared in 3 hours. I’d call that success. If you’re looking to mix-up your turkey this Thursday, or any day, I’d definitely try this recipe. The flavors of the thyme and lemon come through clearly without over powering – it really is a Perfect Roast Turkey.

Pesto Greek Yogurt Hummus

November 24, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Have you heard? As soon as Thanksgiving rolls around we are officially in The Holidays (capital H). For me The Holidays means house parties, celebratory dinners, and rounds of drinks where I have to do my best to remember that an all cookie and cheese in puff pastry diet in December means new pants in January.

I know I can’t be the only one who wants to make something special that won’t leave me or my guests feeling guilty. I’m also in favor of keeping things as simple and low stress as possible. In my world a frazzled hostess is a grumpy hostess.

Thank goodness for Pesto Greek Yogurt Hummus. The chickpeas and greek yogurt (Chobani, naturally) blended with the deep pure flavor of the garlic, basil and parmesan in the pesto are an awesome combination.

And here’s your get out of anxiety free card - if you don’t have pesto stashed in your freezer from the summer like I did (remember this recipe?), and are running low on the time or energy to make the pesto from scratch then pick up a small container when you’re buying the other ingredients. Taste a little before you add it to the mix to see how strong the flavors are and adjust as needed. A little more pesto here, a little less salt there.

This is also easy to make ahead and stash in the fridge for a day or two, which has the special bonus of allowing the flavors to mingle and grow in power. Delicious, healthy, simple, low stress – sounds perfect for The Holidays, or really anytime of year.

Pesto Greek Yogurt Hummus (yield: 2 cups)

Hummus Ingredients:

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas
1/2 cup Chobani whole milk 4% plain greek yogurt
6 tablespoons prepared pesto (recipe below)
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Hummus Instructions:

Drain the chickpeas through a sieve and place in the bowl of a medium food processor. Measure the Chobani whole milk 4% plain greek yogurt, pesto, and kosher salt into the food processor.

Process for 1-2 minutes, or until the hummus reaches your desired consistency and the ingredients are well mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve with your favorite accompaniment. Enjoy!

Pesto Ingredients:

¼ cup walnuts
¼ cup pine nuts (aka pignoli)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Pesto Instructions: (yield: 4 cups)
Place the walnuts, pine nuts, and chopped garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the fresh basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute.

Important storage note: This will make more pesto than needed for the recipe and exposure to air will turn it an unappetizing brown. So plan to use the extra right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container with a thin film of olive oil or plastic wrap pressed directly on top to remove air pockets.

Small Kitchen Friendly:
Yes, assuming you have access to a medium-sized food processor. Ours is a 7 cup and it was just right for this recipe, too much smaller and I would have had trouble getting everything to fit. A sieve to drain the chickpeas, dry and liquid measuring cups, measuring spoons, a rubber spatula, a microplane grater, and one medium cutting board finished the job.

The Verdict:
Mike and I both really liked the results of my experiment with Pesto Greek Yogurt Hummus. The freshness of basil and garlic in the pesto balances nicely with the creamy yogurt and nutty chickpeas. The texture is smooth and cool a perfect pairing with crudité, pita chips, or to jazz up a leftover turkey sandwich.

Scouting: Portland, Oregon

November 21, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Scouting

The second half of our trip to the Pacific Northwest took us to Portland, Eugene and along the Oregon Coast for some rose gardening, football watching, wine tasting, and sea lion spotting (in that order).

I spent the first 21 years of my life in Upstate New York and there were glimmers of the rolling hills and misty woods that reminded me of home, but then I’d realize that the trees were fuzzy with moss and the rocks along the water were jagged and be recalled to how different the landscape is in the Northwest. The forests and mountains are spectacular and I seriously could not get enough of Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach and the wild, windy coastline.

International Test Garden, Portland | Image: Laura Messersmith — **International Test Garden, Portland** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Willamette Valley Wine Country, Oregon | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Willamette Valley Wine Country, Oregon** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, Oregon | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, Oregon** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Most of our city time was in Portland and we were there for such a short time that this is in no way a comprehensive list, just the places I visited and would love to go back to the next time we’re in town:

Blue Star Donuts I usually avoid donuts, not because I don’t like them - I like them too much, but willpower wasn’t up to the temptation of Blue Star and I totally caved. Luckily there were six of us, so it wasn’t a big stretch to get a dozen in assorted flavors. My personal favorites: Lemon Poppy Seed (teeth aching lemon is a good thing in my book), Old Fashioned Buttermilk, and surprise flavor Blueberry, Bourbon & Basil.

Alder & Co I knew Alder and I were on the same page as soon as I spotted the table of cookbooks near the window – Mimi Thorisson, Buvette, Yotam Ottolenghi – and then there were the beautiful wool blankets, linen napkins, polished wood measuring spoons… then there are the flowers by Hilary Horvath. If it were possible to live in a store I’d move in.

Oregon Coast | Image: Laura Messersmith — Oregon Coast | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Powell’s Books is a Portland institution and if the selection of cookbooks (two whole aisles!) is any indication of the variety available…. I could easily lose a whole afternoon browsing in that place. A book lover’s dream.

Ox Since we only had one night in Portland we wanted to be sure we chose our restaurant carefully. Ox came highly recommended (thanks, Alex & George!) and it seemed like an ideal place for our costumed Halloween dinner – we were pretty sure they’d be cool with having the cast of Clue as guests. We were right on both counts. Again, having six people helped us cover a lot of ground on the menu and stand outs for me were the ribeye, caramelized cauliflower, and the “everything” bagel seasoned brussel sprouts.

Heart Roasters & Stumptown Coffee Roasters kept us caffeinated over our two days in Portland which is no small feat given our hectic schedule and jet lag. Both of these spots are a quick walk from downtown and are solid choices when you want a little jolt or a place to rest up for the next adventure.

Roasted Pork Loin with Fennel

November 19, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Fireside Dinner”

The Set-up: Ina is making a girls night dinner for her friend and garden designer Edwina von Gal (how amazing is that name?)

The Menu: Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel, Sautéed Cabbage, Rum Raisin Rice Pudding

0:32 – Ina says she likes to make a cozy dinner on nights when there’s a “snap in the air.” We’re having a snap alright – I’m freeeeezing!

1:21 – First up on the menu: Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel which she calls a one pot meal.

2:13 – Lots of good veggies in this dish – onions, carrots, potatoes – and fennel Ina’s “favorite vegetable.”

3:30 – She’s not kidding about this one-pot meal stuff – the vegetables go right from the cutting board to the roasting pan for seasoning. No spoon either, just clean hands!

4:05 – With a garden designer coming to dinner it only makes sense to take a trip outside to cut some fresh English thyme to use in the next phase of the recipe. Is it weird that I think that’s the height of decadence – fresh herbs for the picking at all times?

5:39 – Now for the pork loin marinade – garlic, salt, pepper, and a pun on thyme taking time. Oh, Ina you loveable goof.

6:44 – Now the mustard goes in and this looks like a delicious marinade/paste/rub hybrid. Yum.

10:00 – While the vegetables roast Ina starts on dessert: Rum Raisin Rice Pudding. Uh-oh. This isn’t the first time Ina has tried to convince me that rice pudding is a good idea. There was also this episode.

11:17 – Okay, well there’s rum involved, but I still just can’t even. No, I’m so sorry Ina, but I just can follow you down that dark path. Shudder.

12:33 – Another trip to the garden, this time for the flower arrangement. White dahlias, natch.

13:25 – Now for a little Entertaining 101. Ina says that the purpose of flowers and especially candles on the table is to focus attention inward on your dining companions. Which makes sense, I suppose.

14:06 – I thought (hoped) we were done with the rice pudding, but it was not to be. It’s back and it looks like a bowl of my culinary nightmares. Too dramatic?

19:39 – Whew, she put it in the fridge out of sight. Now Ina is adding the pork loin on top of the vegetables.

20:14 – A quick check in with Edwina and Charlie (her lab-mix?) shopping for plants. She doesn’t strike me as a rule follower, but Ina has a strict color scheme for her garden, so she caves and buys a giant branchy shrub with purple flowers.

21:42 – The pork loin is done and resting under it’s little foil tent just in time for Edwina to arrive toting a giant bush.

22:10 – Edwina insists that the spindly purple thing be planted immediately and Ina goes right along with her. dinner plans be damned.

23:58 – Present number 2 is a pair of bright pink, opera length gardening gloves. Okay, this I can get behind and Edwina is back in my good graces. I know she was nervous there for a minute.

26:27 – Ina is making Sautéed Cabbage as a side dish and I can’t decide whether I’m brave enough to try this.

27:31 – Also, do cabbage and fennel count as green vegetables? I could maybe be on board with it if I were confident there were some worthy vitamins in there.

28:44 – Edwina has the purple creeper (not it’s real name) in the ground and now it’s time to plate up dinner.

29:53 – Dinner is served and it’s like the cozy fireside meal of my dreams, except for dessert which in my world is chocolate cake. Cheers to cake!

Final Thoughts:
This seems like a very low-stress dinner, which I am 100% on board with.
I need to further consider this cabbage situation. It’s a complex issue.
Is it still presumptuous to bring someone something for their garden if you’re their garden designer? Is it like being a personal shopper for shrubs?

Lessons Learned:
You might be wondering why on earth I’d want to make Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel after last month’s debacle with the Herb Marinated Pork Loin, but the reason is simple: I refuse to be defeated by a cut of meat. Also, this recipe did not involve pan sautéing and I bought a new instant read meat thermometer, so my confidence was restored.

The recipe steps are just slightly fussy – allowing the pork loin to stand with the mustard/garlic paste marinade, roasting the vegetables first, then adding the meat – but none of them are at all difficult. I noticed that Ina just tossed the cut vegetables right in the roasting pan with the spices, which even saves on an extra bowl.

The only small changes I made to the process were rotating the pork loin halfway through the cooking time (about the 25 minute mark) to ensure even cooking. I did not want a repeat of my last pork loin which was too pink in some spots and dry in others – not good.

I also felt that the vegetables were plenty done after 30 minutes of roasting alone, plus another 40-45 minutes with the pork, so while the pork rested I turned the oven off and just kept them warm.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, but (are you noticing a trend?) the roasting pan is a key element – I used it to toss the vegetables with the butter and seasoning and then put it right in the oven. I also used a small prep-sized food processor, medium cutting board, and chef’s knife. Measuring spoons, tongs, a wooden spatula, cotton kitchen twine, and a meat thermometer (essential!!) round out the kit.

The Verdict:
I made Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel for Mike and I earlier this week and we were both really, really pleased with the results. The pork has great flavor from the garlic and mustard paste, but the unexpected star was the fennel. Neither of us could recall having roasted fresh fennel before and we both loved the caramelized richness. Next time I’ll throw in a few more bulbs so that there are extras. Mike’s one addition would be to make additional mustard sauce to serve over the slices of pork loin. . I would definitely make this again for a cozy dinner just for us or when we have guests.