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Holiday Dinner
Nothing says festive like a special soup, a golden gobbler and a luscious dessert.
And with a little make-ahead, you’ll be free to spend the afternoon getting high
on the matchless aroma of the roasting bird
Recipes created for Canadian Health by Steve Pitt
Nutritional analysis by Susie Langley, RD
| 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter 1 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped 2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped 2 medium parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped 1 leek white part only, coarsely chopped 3 ribs celery (ends trimmed), coarsely chopped 2 cups (500 mL) canned chestnut purée 5 sprigs fresh thyme 5 sprigs fresh parsley Freshly ground black pepper to taste 4 cups (1 L) low-sodium stock (beef, chicken or vegetable) 2 cups (500 mL) water 2 tbsp (30 mL) Amaretto (optional) Pinch powdered nutmeg Pinch salt Freshly ground white pepper to taste 2 tbsp (30 mL) low-fat sour cream 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped fresh chives |
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In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add onion, carrots, parsnips, leek and celery. Cook 5 minutes over medium heat. Tie thyme and parsley leaves into one bundle.
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Add chestnut purée, herbs, black pepper, stock and water. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes.
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Remove herbs and pulse soup in a food processor until smooth.
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Strain soup through a sieve into a clean pot. Add Amaretto, nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Return to stove, bringing burner to hot without letting soup boil.
- To serve, pour hot soup into warmed soup bowls. Garnish each with 1 tsp (5 mL) sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh chives.
Makes 6 servings
[Per serving 230 calories, 3.5 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 6 g fibre, 5 g protein, 45 g carbohydrates, 560 mg sodium. Excellent source of fibre, vitamin A and beta carotene]
Tree grain
The mealy chestnut is often described as the “un-nut” or the grain that grows on trees. Chestnuts are low in calories and rich in fibre and potassium, and they’re virtually fat-free. Four ounces contain 149 calories, 5.7 g of fibre, 811 mg of potassium and 1.6 g of fat. — S.L.
From Nuts to Soup
| Before the introduction of potatoes in Europe, chestnuts were an important source of starch during the winter, especially for those who could not afford wheat. While roasting these mahogany beauties sounds like fun in a Christmas song, it’s a lot of work, and peeling the hot fruit can result in burned fingers. I recommend making this soup with chestnut purée, available from good grocery stores and European gourmet shops. Make the soup a day or two ahead and keep it in the fridge. Chestnuts also form the basis of the classic dessert Nesselrode pudding. — S.P. |  |
Roast Turkey with Sage Sausage + Apple Dressing
| Roast Turkey 1 tbsp (15 mL) butter 4 sprigs fresh rosemary 6 sprigs fresh thyme 6 leaves fresh sage Freshly ground white pepper Sea salt 1 12-lb (5.5-kg) fresh turkey, organic if possible 1 lemon cut into eighths 2 medium onions, cut into eighths 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped 1 rib celery, roughly chopped 1 cup (250 mL) dry white wine |
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Warm butter to room temperature in a small bowl. Finely chop leaves from 1 sprig rosemary, 3 sprigs thyme and 2 sage leaves. Add pepper and salt and mix. Add half of herb mixture to butter for the breast and reserve remainder for the legs.
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Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Remove giblets from turkey and reserve. Trim off wing tips. Wash cavities with cold water and dry with paper towel. Season cavities with salt and pepper.
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Carefully insert fingers between the skin and breast and massage in the herb mixture, taking care not to tear skin. Repeat process on legs using remaining herb mixture.
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In a large bowl, lightly toss lemon, onions, carrot, celery, 3 sprigs rosemary, 3 sprigs thyme, 4 sage leaves, pepper and salt. Stuff half of mixture into chest cavity and close by tucking legs back into skin flap. Bend each wing back so it rests under bird.
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Place turkey neck, wing tips and remaining vegetables and herbs in a single layer on bottom of a large roasting pan. Place turkey on top. Season turkey on all sides with salt and pepper and salt. Add 1 cup (250 mL) dry white wine to pan. Insert needle end of a meat thermometer into thickest part of 1 turkey thigh, avoiding the bone.
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Tent aluminum foil, shiny side in, over turkey without touching meat. Seal thoroughly by crimping on all sides. Roast 20 minutes per lb (0.5 kg), or about 4 hours.
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When the internal temperature reaches 170°F (75°C), remove bird and foil. Save foil for step 8. Increase temperature to 425°F (220°C) and while oven is heating, drain off all excess fat from pan. Baste turkey skin thoroughly with pan drippings, reserving 2 tbsp (30 mL) for dressing. When oven reaches 425°F (220°C), return turkey to pan and allow it to brown until internal temperature reaches 180°F (85°C).
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Remove turkey and wrap with foil to keep warm while you make gravy. Serve with gravy and dressing (see recipes below) and your favourite green vegetables.
Makes 12-plus servings
Gravy
Pan drippings
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
4 tbsp (60 mL) general-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1⁄2 onion, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup (125 mL) dry red wine
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Remove wing tips and again pour off any excess fat from pan. Strain pan drippings through a sieve, pressing juice out of vegetables with a heavy spoon, and set aside.
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Place roasting pan on medium heat. Melt butter, add flour and stir into a grainy dough. Add dash pepper and salt. Cook 1 minute.
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Add wine and strained pan juice and whisk into a thick paste. Add more pan juice, stirring, until all juice is gone. Season with pepper and salt and whisk until smooth.
If gravy is too thick, add water and whisk; if too thin, let simmer until desired consistency is reached.
Makes 8 servings
Oven-Roasted Sage Sausage + Apple Dressing
1 tsp (5 mL) sunflower oil
1 lb (500 g) sage sausage, skin removed
1 tbsp (15 mL) unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cooking apples, peeled and cubed
2 ribs celery (ends trimmed), finely chopped
1 tsp (5 mL) finely chopped fresh sage leaves
Pinch sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp (10 mL) poultry seasoning
10 slices slightly stale multi-grain bread (crusts on), cut into 1⁄2-in (1-cm) cubes
1 cup (250 mL) low-sodium chicken or turkey stock
2 tbsp (30 mL) turkey drippings
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In a pan over medium heat, heat sunflower oil and add sausage, stirring until meat is browned. Drain off fat. Add butter, onion, apple, celery and sage. Add salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook until fruit and vegetables start to soften. Add stock and bring to a boil.
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Place bread in a large bowl and add sausage mixture, stirring until cubes are evenly coated.
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Pour mixture into a lightly oiled shallow baking dish. Drizzle with reserved turkey drippings and roast in oven with bird for last 30 minutes.
Makes 8 servings
[Per serving (6 oz turkey with dressing and gravy) 660 calories, 32 g fat, 10 g
saturated fat, 165 mg cholesterol, 5 g fibre, 51 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 825 mg sodium. Excellent source of protein; good source of fibre, niacin, vitamin B12, phosphorus, potassium, iron and zinc]
A Sage Addition to your Diet
Sage takes its name from the Latin salvere, “to heal.” The Chinese once traded four pounds of tea for one pound of this valuable herb. Rich in antioxidants and germ-fighting flavonoids, it was once used as a preservative for meat. Herbalists touted sage oil as a brain tonic, and in a recent U.K study it improved short-term memory. It seems to stop the breakdown of a brain chemical important for memory, and is under study as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. — S.L.
Let’s Talk Turkey!
Today, most gobblers are processed for market at four to six months of age and have not yet developed fat layers in the meat. While this makes for healthy eating, many people find turkey meat dry — especially the breast. Producers have attempted to remedy this by injecting brine and/or vegetable oil into the meat. In this recipe, we supply our own basting with a herb butter. Ovens and cooking times vary, so the only sure way to tell if your bird is cooked is to use a meat thermometer. — S.P.
Cherry Pudding with Cranberry Coulis
Pudding 1 lb (500 g) fresh cherries, pitted |
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Mix cherries, liqueur and icing sugar. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
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Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and coat the bottom of a shallow 11-in (28-cm) ovenproof dish with butter or baking spray.
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To a medium mixing bowl, add flour and sugar. Add milk slowly and stir with a whisk until mixture is smooth. Stir in eggs, lemon zest, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon,
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Strain excess fluid from cherries and spread fruit loosely in a single layer in a round oven dish. Pour on batter so that tops of cherries are left showing. Bake 45 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before cutting.
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Drizzle 1 tsp (5 mL) cranberry coulis over each of 4 dessert plates. Pour brandy evenly over pudding and ignite with a long match. When flames go out, cut pudding into slices and serve with more coulis.
Coulis
1 cup (250 mL) cranberries, fresh or frozen
1⁄2 cup (125 mL) water
2 tbsp (30 mL) maple syrup
Pinch allspice
- In a heavy saucepan, bring cranberries, water and maple syrup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until cranberries have broken open. Add allspice and cook 5 minutes. Reduce mixture in a blender to a smooth purée.
- Strain through a sieve and refrigerate until needed.
Makes 8 servings
[Per serving 130 calories, 2 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 55 mg cholesterol, 2 g fibre, 3 g protein, 25 g carbohydrates, 30 mg sodium. Source of vitamin A and potassium]
Berry healthy
A rich source of vitamin C, fibre and protective flavonoids such as quercetin, convivial cranberries have antioxidant and blood vessel–dilating properties with a range of health benefits. They protect against urinary-tract infections, cardiovascular disease and perhaps stomach ulcers and cancer. The proanthocyanins they contain are responsible for their cheery red colour and the bacteria-blocking properties that protect the urinary tract. — S.L.
Simple but satisfying
Yuletide and puddings go together like holly and mistletoe. The Victorians made elaborate ones that took hours to steam. This one takes only 45 minutes to bake. You can make it the day before and pop it into the still-warm oven after the turkey comes out. The cranberry coulis can also be made ahead of time, and you’ll have plenty left over to drizzle on ice cream. — S.P.
