Thursday, November 28, 2013

Roasted Turkey in Parchment with Sausage Pear Stuffing

Ingredients:
1 14lb turkey - neck and giblets removed
1 stick unsalted butter - softened
salt and pepper

STUFFING:
1 loaf day-old rustic bread, dark hard crusts removed - cut into 1/2 inch cubes and baked at 350 on a cookie sheet until crisped but not golden
1 stick butter - cut into pieces
1 1/2 medium-large onions - chopped
2 leeks - thinly sliced into half moons
3 celery stalks - chopped
1 large fennel bulb - chopped
2 - 3 firm ripe pears - chopped
salt and pepper
2 TBSP finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 TBSP finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 pound sweet Italian sausage - removed from casings
2 cups turkey or chicken stock
2 large eggs - lightly beaten
3/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Prepare stuffing:
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, leeks, celery, fennel and pears; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and pears are softened and starting to turn golden. Stir in rosemary and sage.

Meanwhile, cook sausage over medium heat, stir occasionally and breaking into large pieces, until browned and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Stir into vegetable mixture, then transfer to a large bowl. Add bread crumbs and toss well. Drizzle stock over mixture, add eggs and parsley, and toss to combine well. Season with 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.

Let turkey stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 325 with rack set on lower third. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Fill body and neck cavities with sausage pear stuffing and secure skin flaps with toothpicks. Spread softened butter over turkey, then season generously with salt and pepper. Put remainder of stuffing in a buttered casserole and bake after removing turkey from oven for about 40 minutes.

Place a 40 inch sheet of parchment paper on work surface and place turkey on top with short side of bird facing you. Gather ends, wrapping turkey. Fold overlapping ends of parchment over turkey and secure with staples. Place another 48 inches of parchment on work surface and turn turkey 90 degrees, wrapping it from other direction. Secure all openings with staples.

Place parchment wrapped turkey on a rack inside of a roasting pan. Roast turkey 2 hours 45 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully remove all parchment. Increase oven temp to 425. Return turkey to oven and roast until turkey is golden brown and a thermometer inserted in breast reads 165 degrees (about 45 minutes). Transfer to a carving board and let rest at least  45 minutes before carving.

While resting, remove stuffing and transfer to a casserole dish. Bake until thermometer reads at least 165 degrees, 15-20 minutes.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Gluten Free Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:
2 cups almond flour
1 cup cornstarch or arrowroot flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
2 TBSP sugar
1 1/4 tsp salt
5 TBSP butter or preferred butter substitute
2 eggs (or 2 TBSP ground flax or chia mixed with 7 TBSP water)
1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1/2 cup preferred milk substitute mixed with 1/2 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice)

Preheat oven to 400 and lightly grease a pan for baking.
*Mix the milk alternative with lemon juice/vinegar.
Stir together almond flour, cornstarch, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and sugar.
Add butter and cut in with a pastry knife until well blended.
Stir in the eggs and buttermilk. *Add more milk if needed to achieve sticky but not wet dough.
Roll dough into golf ball sized balls and place on greased pan, close together but not touching. Lightly press each ball flatten slightly.
Bake 15-20 minutes, or until nicely browned. Serve hot or reheated.

Pork Chops with Beer & Bacon Gravy

Ingredients:
2-4 bone in pork chops
salt and pepper
olive oil
2-3 thick sliced smokey bacon - diced into 1/4"
1 medium onion - diced
1 rounded TBSP flour (or all purpose gluten free flour)
1 bottle dark or amber beer
1/2 cup chicken stock
chopped parsley

Season chops liberally with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil smokes, and the chops and cook, turning once, until the meat is just turning firm - about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to platter and cover with foil.

Add a little more oil to the pan, add bacon and brown for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in onions and saute over medium heat with the bacon until soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle in flour, stir for 1 minute, then add beer. Cook until reduced by half plus a little more, then whisk in the stock.

Remove from heat and season with pepper. Pour over chops and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

Friday, November 15, 2013

Deep Dish Pumpkin Cookie

Ingredients:
2 cans Garbanzo beans - drained and rinsed
1 cup quick oats
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 TBSP coconut oil
3/4 cup mixed brown sugar and pure maple syrup
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 10 inch pan or glass dish - I used a springform pan.

Blend everything, except the chocolate chips, in a food processor until super smooth (do not use a blender). Stir in chocolate chips and spread into prepared pan. Cook for 40 - 60 minutes (check at 40 minutes with a toothpick in the center).

Let cool at least 10 minutes.