THIS THANKSGIVING MENU

 Cocktail            (Whisky) Sidecar, with spiced cranberries

Traditional Sidecar uses brandy or cognac, with equal portions triple sec and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. I am adding the homemade candied cranberries in the flute glass to “fill” the spirit. Whisky (Scottish): Royal Salute, 21 years; Triple Sec (Orange): Italian Luxardo.

Appetizer        Smoked tuna canapé

The layers are the following: fig crackers, the tuna (from Nordic Preserves at Essex Market), and crème fraîche on top, seeded with pomegranate and chives.   

Salad                                                       

                 French beans, cranberry beans and tarragon “English” salad

“English” denotes rawness and simplicity – meaning: “undressed”; no vinaigrette necessary. Simply cook the legumes and serve room temperature with tarragon leaves, shallots, salt and pepper, squeezing over some lemon juice, a little oil – and grating in the mix the best mild, semi-hard farm cheese you can find. I’m using Zamorano, a Spanish sheep’s milk cheese from Castilla-Leon. 

                                                        

                 Roasted butternut squash, red onions and chestnuts salad

I’m going traditional, and this is served warm. The squash and onions are grilled separately, and before serving, I will be chopping chestnuts and sage leaves together – then mixing them in sweet wine vinaigrette to dress over the salad.

Main Dish

                    Brussels sprouts and dried porcini risotto

This is a vegan dish. All the reserved liquid from the legumes will be used to cook the rice, plus water and olive oil only. I will garnish the dish with fresh thyme.

                                                                              

                         Whole leg of lamb tagine

Tagine is a Moroccan-style of braising using dried fruits and whole spices, traditionally in a clay pot. My version will be cooked in a Dutch oven, and inescapable with the slow cooking of the lamb are the fruits of the following trees: pear, apple, kumquat; roots from parsnip and carrot; dried apricot and dried pitted prunes; raw cashew nuts; and a herbarium of whole spices! I’m not cooking “the bird” this season because I want my dish to dance, to be sexy – and why I’m going for the “belly” (lamb). Meat source: Dellapietra’s in Brooklyn Heights.

Dessert                                                                          

                       Soaked walnut cookie pumpkin tiramisu

I am purchasing the cookies from Veniero’s Pasticceria in the E. Village (and soaking them in almond milk), yet I’m making the pumpkin cream from scratch.  It is Thanksgiving, after all.