Herbed Pumpkin Gravy Food

PRESSED HERBS AND SPICES TURKEY BREAST, PUMPKIN-ZUCCHINI MUFFIN STUFFIN' WITH CHIPOTLE GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Preheat a 14-inch skillet or medium roasting pan over medium heat on your largest burner. Mix grill seasoning, cumin, paprika and coriander together. Place the thyme, cilantro or basil, parsley and pistachios in the food processor and process into a paste. Remove bowl from processor and remove blade from bowl. Have a rubber spatula on hand. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil generously over the breasts to coat the skin. Loosen skin of the breasts with a small sharp knife. Divide the herb and nut paste between the flesh and skin on each breast. Use your hands to move the paste around under the skin to evenly distribute the mixture. Coat the extra-virgin olive oil coated skin with the spice mixture. Set the coated breasts into the large skillet or roasting pan. Wash hands. Set a second slightly smaller skillet or pan on top of the breasts and weight down with a couple of bricks covered in foil. Crisp the skin 8 to 10 minutes then transfer meat to oven and roast 35 to 40 minutes, until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 165 to 170 degrees F.
• While turkey roasts, heat a second large, deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat with 5 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces. To melted butter, add bay, celery, apple, 1/2 of the onion and zucchini. Season the vegetables liberally with salt and pepper. Cook 10 minutes or until softened. Add crumbled muffins and sunflower seeds to the pan and combine with the vegetables. Season the stuffing with poultry seasoning then adjust salt and pepper. Dampen the stuffing with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of stock. Pile the stuffing into a serving dish. Place in oven to just crisp up the top along with turkey or, if the pan does not fit, when the turkey comes out, switch on the broiler and crisp the top of stuffing - it should only take a couple of minutes, tops.
• In a sauce pot, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat and add the finely chopped remaining 1/2 of the onion. Sweat the onion out 5 to 6 minutes to make it nice and sweet. Add the flour to the skillet and whisk 1 minute. Add in the chipotles and their sauce then whisk in 4 to 4 1/2 cups chicken stock. Thicken the gravy 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to taste.
• Let turkey rest to distribute juices then thinly slice and serve with mounds of stuffing and gravy.

HERBED GRAVY

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour until incorporated. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Add the oregano and thyme. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until thickened. Stir in the strained pan juices or apple juice and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Whisk in the butter, salt and pepper until smooth. Pour into a pitcher and serve.

PUMPKIN SAGE GRAVY

Steps:

• In a large pan over medium heat add the bacon. Cook for 5 minutes until the bacon is beginning to crisp. Add the onions, garlic, 3 torn sage leaves, and the pumpkin. Saute until the onions caramelize, about 5 minutes. Pour the chicken stock into pan to deglaze and simmer until the pumpkin is completely soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Once the pumpkin is tender, pour the gravy through fine mesh strainer, into a bowl. Press the solids with a spoon to extract all the liquid and pulp possible. Return the gravy to the pot and continue to simmer and reduce by half, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add the remaining 3 whole fresh sage leaves. Stir in the butter and once combined pour the gravy into a serving bowl or pitcher.

MAPLE-GLAZED ROAST TURKEY WITH MIXED-HERB GRAVY

Steps:

• For gravy:
• Toast flour in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until pale golden (about the color of peanuts), stirring constantly, about 7 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Add butter and whisk until butter melts and mixture is smooth (mixture will become very dark). Gradually whisk in broth. Bring to boil over medium heat, whisking frequently. Reduce heat; simmer until gravy is reduced to 21/2 cups, about 30 minutes. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)
• For turkey:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Rinse turkey inside and out; discard any pieces of fat in neck and main cavity. Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Fill neck cavity loosely with bread dressing. Fold skin over and secure with skewer. Fill main cavity loosely with bread dressing. Place turkey on rack in large roasting pan. Tie turkey legs together to hold shape. Tuck wings under turkey. Brush turkey with 11/2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle turkey with salt and pepper. Pour 1/2 cup broth into roasting pan.
• Roast turkey 3 hours, basting with pan juices and adding 1/2 cup broth to pan every 30 minutes. Mix maple syrup, ginger and 1 tablespoon melted butter in small bowl; brush mixture over turkey. Continue to roast turkey until thermometer inserted into innermost part of thigh registers 180°F, about 15 minutes longer.
• Transfer turkey to platter. Tent with foil and let turkey stand 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, scrape pan juices and any browned bits from roasting pan into 2-cup measuring cup. Spoon off and discard fat from surface of juices. Add juices to gravy. Add herbs and bring to simmer. Season gravy with salt and pepper.
• Serve turkey with dressing and gravy.

HERBED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Chop your pumpkin into cubes, (any size up to 1", but they have to be even, or some won't cook!) Enough to cover the bottom of the frypan in a single layer.
• Melt about 100gr butter, add pumpkin, and coat in butter.
• Sprinkle with mixed herbs, (about a good teaspoon, or to taste) and a little salt and pepper.
• If the pumpkin isnt very sweet, you can sprinkle with the sugar.
• Shake the pan to stop the pumpkin from sticking, and when the cubes start to colour, add 1 cup chicken stock.
• Enough to come about half way up the pumpkin.
• Cover and turn heat right down.
• Shake the pan occasionally, and check every few minutes, add a little more stock or water if necessary.
• When the pumpkin is cooked, turn off heat.
• When you are ready to serve, put the pan over very high heat, take the lid off and let all the liquid evaporate, and the bottom of the pumpkin brown a little, (or burn if you like it that way!).

MEXICAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Mix flour, chili powder, onion powder, oregano, and salt together in a small bowl.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Whisk flour mixture into hot oil until smooth. Pour water into mixture in small amounts and whisk to incorporate smoothly between additions. Bring the gravy to a simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 10 minutes.