(first published 18th November 2011)
Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to Thanksgiving and in remembrance of one of America’s most memorable Presidents John F Kennedy. This week’s recipes are all for Thanksgiving, they are Vermont corn, Chilli and Bacon Bread, Roast turkey with Streusled Sweet Potatoes and Old-fashioned Deluxe Pumpkin Pie with Dried Cranberry Sauce.
My first recipe is Vermont corn, chilli and bacon bread. Recipe by Anthony Worrell-Thompson, Courtesy of www.uktv.co.uk
Serves:4-6, Prep 15min, Cook 35min
350g x Rashers of Smoked Streaky Bacon, diced
1 tbsp x Corn Oil
2 x Spring Onions, finely chopped
115g x Fresh Kernels of Sweetcorn, or Frozen Corn Kernels, thawed
1/2 tsp x Dried Red Chilli Flakes
350g x Cornmeal, or Polenta
350g x Plain Flour
1 tbsp x Caster Sugar
1 tsp x Baking Powder
1/2 tsp x Bicarbonate of Soda
1/2 tsp x Salt
150ml x Milk
375ml x Buttermilk
2 x Eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp x Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp x Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6 and lightly butter a 23cm square cake tin. Add in the spring onion and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often. Mix in the corn kernels and chilli, stirring to combine. Remove from direct heat and allow to cool slightly. In a bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Add in the bacon mixture, the milk, buttermilk, eggs, maple syrup, black pepper and 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and brush the top with the remaining melted butter. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.
My next recipe is Roast turkey with Streusled Sweet Potatoes. Recipe by Ed Baines,courtesy of http://www.uktv.co.uk
Serves:2 Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 1 hr 30 min
1 x 400g Leg of Turkey
A Handful of Sage Leaves, chopped
50g x Butter, softened
2 x Garlic Cloves
4 tbsp x Olive Oil
Sprigs of Thyme
For the Strusled Sweet Potato
450g x Sweet Potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
225g x Caster Sugar
100ml x Milk
75g x Butter
2 x Eggs
1 tsp x Vanilla Extract
For the topping
115g x Desiccated Coconut
115g x Shelled Pecans, chopped
200g x Brown Sugar
40g x Plain Flour
75g x Melted Butter
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. To roast the leg of turkey, place the leg in a roasting tin and rub with the sage and butter. Add the thyme and garlic to the tin and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 1½ hours, or until tender when pierced with a knife.
Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling, salted water for 15-20 minutes. Drain and mash.
Add the sugar, milk, butter, eggs and vanilla to the mashed sweet potatoes. Mix well and tip into a shallow baking tin.
For the topping; mix together the coconut, pecans, brown sugar, flour and melted butter. Sprinkle this mixture over the sweet potato mixture, and bake, alongside the turkey for about 30 minutes before serving.
My final recipe is Old-fashioned Deluxe Pumpkin Pie with Dried Cranberry Sauce. Recipe by Ashbell McElveen, courtesy of www.uktv.co.uk
Serves:4-6, Prep 25min, Cook 40min
340g x Cooked Pumpkin Flesh, pureed using a blender, processor, or ricer
340ml x Evaporated Milk
5 tbsp x Dark Brown Sugar
2 tbsp x White Sugar
1/2 tsp x Ground Cloves
1/2 tsp x Salt
1/2 tsp x Ground Nutmeg
175g x Maple Syrup
3 x Eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp x Melted Butter
1 x 20cm Ready-Made Pastry Tart Case
For the Dried Cranberry Sauce
125g x Dried Cranberries
115g x Caster Sugar
1 x Vanilla Pod
50ml x Brandy
170ml x Cranberry Juice
Preheat the oven to 190ºC/Gas 5. In a mixing bowl mix together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, brown sugar, white sugar, cloves, salt, nutmeg, maple syrup, eggs and melted butter making a smooth mixture. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the blind-baked flan case. Bake the pumpkin pie for 40 minutes until the crust is golden-brown and the filling has set. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, make the dried cranberry sauce. Soak the dried cranberries in the brandy and cranberry juice for 30 minutes. Transfer the cranberries and the macerating liquid to a saucepan. Add the caster sugar and vanilla pod. Bring to the boil over a high heat, reduce the heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes until reduced and thickened. Set aside then reheat as required. Serve the pumpkin slices with warm dried cranberry sauce on the side.
Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind.– John F Kennedy
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