Thanksgiving 2015

As usual, we hosted Thanksgiving this year, with 10 adults, our one-year old great nephew and our three-year old great niece. The two kids more than made up for the smaller adult group in terms of energy and excitement (and noise).

Dinner was largely a repeat of 2014's, with substitutions for things that did not work or had becoming boring after too many years (like Ottolenghi's excellent sweet potato gratin).

Here's what I cooked:

Thanksgiving Dinner
 November 26, 2015

Salmon rillettes (from a class at Atelier des Chefs in Paris)

Slow poached garlic shrimp (from Tyler Florence's Ultimate TV show)

Mustard and tapenade batons
(from Dorie Greenspan, Around My French Table)

Smoked ricotta and sun-dried tomato spread with lemon zest (Bobby Jay)

Bar nuts (from The Union Square Cafe Cookbook)

Turkey with sage and dried apricot and cranberry stuffing (from American's Test Kitchen)

Cranberry mostarda (from Food and Wine)

Roasted acorn squash with maple butter (from American's Test Kitchen)

Hashed Brussels sprouts (from Union Square Cafe Cookbook)

Bourbon caramel pumpkin tart (from Fine Cooking)

Fresh Ginger Cake (from Sylvie Thompson, via Food 52 Genius Recipes)

Marie-Hélène’s apple tart
(from Dorie Greenspan, Around My French Table)

Here are the hors d'oeuvres:

 Mustard and tapenade batons

Garlic shrimp tapas style while cooking and as served

Salmon and smoked salmon rillettes with pumpernickel rounds

And here are the turkey with stuffing and the roasted and broiled acorn squash (the cranberry mostarda and brussels sprouts were camera shy):

Turkey and stuffing à la Julia Child

Roasted and broiled acorn squash with maple sugar butter

Finally, two of the desserts:

Pumpkin tart with bourbon caramel glaze and candied pumpkin seeds

Marie-Hélène's apple cake

I had considered retiring Marie-Hélène's apple cake this year because I have made it so often, but we recently lost a great friend named Marie-Hélène so I could not bring myself to make the change just yet. I think of her every time I make this cake even though it is named for a different Marie-Hélène.

This meal obviously involved a lot of work, but I knocked off three items on each of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving only the shrimp, turkey, stuffing and sides (already much prepped) for Thanksgiving day, leaving me plenty of time to watch the spectacular Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with very dear friends and our niece.

Bobby Jay