Pumpkin Sage Gravy Food

NOCAL SMOKED ROASTED TURKEY WITH PUMPKIN SAGE GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To set up the smoker: Take your turkey roaster and line it with aluminum foil.
• Drain the applewood chips and add to the bottom of the pan. Put the pan over high heat on the stove-top. The chips will begin to smolder and smoke.
• For spice mix: In a small bowl add the first 5 ingredients and mix well. Combine the remaining ingredients in a mortar and pestle and mash until you have the texture of coarse sand. Add this mixture to the spice bowl.
• Prepare the turkey. Wash the bird inside and out under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and season inside the cavity well with the spice mix. Stuff the bird with sliced fennel, lemon, garlic, bay, sage, rosemary and thyme. Pin the wings back behind the base of the breast. Truss the bird using kitchen twine. Coat the turkey in olive oil and season all over the outside with the remaining spice mix.
• Once the chips start smoking arrange the turkey on a rack and put it over the smoking chips. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the whole pan with foil so the smoke encapsulates the entire bird. Turn the temperature down slightly and smoke for 10 to 15 minutes. Once done, remove the foil and lift the whole rack with the turkey out of the pan. Discard the foil with the chips. (Make sure you put the chips out by submerging in water before discarding.) Put the rack back into the roaster pan and roast in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the meaty part of the thigh should register 170 degrees F. If the legs or breast brown too quickly during roasting, cover them with foil.
• When done, remove the turkey from the oven and set aside to rest. Transfer to a platter and garnish with sage.
• 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.

ROAST TURKEY AND GRAVY WITH ONIONS AND SAGE

Steps:

• Two or three days before you plan to roast the turkey, combine 3 tablespoons salt, the minced thyme and lemon zest. Wash the turkey inside and out, drain it well and pat it all over with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the salt mixture in the cavity of the turkey and rub the rest on the skin, including under the wings and legs. Place the turkey in a shallow dish just large enough to hold it and wrap the whole dish tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 or 2 days. The day before you plan to roast the turkey, remove the plastic wrap and leave the turkey in the fridge. The skin will dry out and turn a little translucent.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Put the turkey in a large roasting pan, discarding any juices in the dish. Place the onion, lemon and thyme sprigs in the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tie the wings close to the body. Brush the turkey with the butter and sprinkle it generously with salt and pepper.
• Roast the turkey for 2 to 2 1/4 hours, until the breast meat registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer (put the thermometer in sideways). Remove from the oven and place the turkey on a carving board. Cut off the legs and thighs and put them back into the roasting pan, covering the breast and carcass tightly with aluminum foil. Place the roasting pan back in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the dark meat registers 180 degrees F. Remove the dark meat to the carving board with the turkey, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Pour a 1/4-inch layer of the gravy into a large (12-by-16-inch) ovenproof serving platter (make sure it's ovenproof!). Carve the turkey and arrange it artfully on top of the gravy. Place the platter uncovered into the oven for 15 to 30 minutes, until the turkey is very hot. Serve hot with extra gravy on the side.
• For the gravy:
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring often, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onion becomes browned and starts to caramelize. Sprinkle on the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, cognac, sage leaves, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock) and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour and strain, pressing the solids lightly and then discarding them. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• After the turkey is cooked, remove it to a carving board to rest while you finish the gravy. Place the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium heat and add the wine. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring and scraping up all the bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Slowly whisk the gravy base into the pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the gravy is smooth and slightly thickened. Taste for seasonings and serve hot.

PUMPKIN RAVIOLI WITH SAGE BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Add fresh ravioli and cook for about 4 minutes or until the float to the top.
• Remove ravioli from water with large slotted spoon or spider, and place in a large platter.
• Cover with foil to keep warm while you prepare the sauce.
• In a small saute pan, melt the stick of butter over low heat.
• When butter just begins to sizzle and brown, tear the fresh sage leaves into the pan and fry for 20-30 seconds.
• Remove butter sauce from the heat and grate in the nutmeg.
• Pour butter sauce over the ravioli.
• Sprinkle with grated cheese and toasted hazel nuts (if using).
• Grate the amaretti cookies over the dish and serve immediately.

CLASSIC TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• When your turkey goes into the oven, start the broth: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and turkey neck and giblets; cook, stirring, until the giblets are browned, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken broth, herb sprigs and bay leaf; cover and simmer while the turkey roasts, about 2 hours. Strain the broth and keep warm; reserve the neck and giblets, if desired.
• When your turkey is done, transfer it to a cutting board and pour all the pan drippings into a degreasing cup. Add 1/2 cup of the prepared broth to the roasting pan and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. (If the bits are stuck, put the pan over a low burner to loosen them.) Add the bits and liquid to the degreasing cup.
• Let the fat rise to the top of the degreasing cup, then spoon off 1/2 cup fat and transfer to a large saucepan over medium heat. Make a roux: Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the flour browns slightly, about 4 minutes.
• Gradually add the hot broth to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Pour the dark roasting juices from the degreasing cup into the gravy, discarding any remaining fat. If desired, chop the giblets and shred the neck meat; add to the gravy. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flavored butter, if desired.
• Start with cold heavy cream and mix on high speed.
• After about 3 minutes, you'll have whipped cream; continue mixing.
• After about 6 more minutes, the butter will clump and separate from the liquid. Strain and wrap the butter in cheesecloth, then squeeze out the liquid.
• Tip: To make perfect rounds, shape flavored butter into a log using parchment paper; wrap and chill, then slice.
• Pumpkin
• Mash 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin, 1 stick softened butter, 1/4 teaspoon orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon each sugar and pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt.
• Spiced Cranberry
• Simmer 1/2 cup cranberries with 1 tablespoon water, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 strip lemon zest, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 clove, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard the zest, cinnamon and clove; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter and a pinch of salt.
• Bourbon-Raisin
• Microwave 1/2 cup raisins with 1 tablespoon bourbon, covered, 45 seconds; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter, 1 tablespoon chopped chives and a pinch of salt.
• Sage Brown Butter
• Melt 1 stick butter over medium heat and cook until browned. Add 1/4 cup sage and fry 30 seconds; drain on paper towels, then chop. Let the brown butter cool; mash with 1 stick softened butter, the sage and a pinch of salt.

CREAMY PUMPKIN SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir shallots until soft, about 10 minutes. Add butter and allow to melt. Whisk flour into butter mixture until incorporated. Stir cream, salt, and cinnamon into butter mixture and continue whisking until incorporated, about 2 minutes.
• Mix pumpkin and 1/2 cup chicken broth into cream mixture, adding more broth, 1/4 cup at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Simmer sauce until desired consistency is reached, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir sage and thyme into sauce.

PUMPKIN & SAGE SPAGHETTI

Steps:

• Tip the pumpkin into a medium-sized saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Sprinkle over the sugar and a generous pinch of salt, then drizzle over 6 tablespoons of water. Cover the pan, place on a medium heat and steam the pumpkin, stirring every so often for 10-15 minutes, or until it is soft but still holds its shape. You may need add a spoonful or two of water during the cooking the pan seems dry. Set aside.
• While the pumpkin is steaming, tip the butter and sage into a small saucepan and heat gently until the butter is foaming, then turn off the heat. Boil the spaghetti in a big pan of salted water for about 10 minutes until just cooked. When the spaghetti is cooked, scoop out a little of the cooking water, then drain and return the spaghetti to the pan.
• Put the sage butter over a high heat until sizzling, then pour in the lemon juice and let it splutter for a second. Tip the pumpkin, melted butter, 3-4 tbsp pasta water and half the parmesan in with the spaghetti and give it a really good stir. Season generously with salt and pepper and serve with the remaining parmesan to sprinkle over.