Restaurant Alternative to Cooking yourself

A guide to where to a authentic Turkey and Trimmings at NYC Local Restaurants.

Do you want the tradition but don't want to cook the dinner? Don't you worry or fret, there is a way.  The city's top chefs will do it for you.  All you have to do is make a reservation.  You do have to make reservations early though.  One of the greatest thoughts to help those people have a family dinner when you don't have the time to do all the preparations.  So ladies you can go with the family to the parade without being up all night cooking.  A lot of people have the same idea so pleeeasssee, heard me please, make your reservation soon.   Some of the Restaurants that do the cooking for you is?

Barbuto:  Master Chef Jonathan Waxman expects a big neighborhood crowd at his hot spot in the west village.  The menu includes Turkey of course, with shaved Brussel sprout salad and pumpkin ravioli in sage brown butter.  For desert though is the Panna Cotta with pumpkin or apple-pear pie with vanilla ice cream.  ($45 per person) 775 Washington Street NYC (718)24-9700, so reserve early please.

Country:  Cafe at the Country-Geoffrey Zakarian's new sibling in town.  Has a 3 course Thanksgiving dinner, that starts with shellfish veloute, next dish is roast turkey with haricots verts and potato puree, and finishes with pumpkin pie with ice cream and pumpkin seeds. ($58 per person) 90 Madison Avenue NYC (212)889-7100, so reserve early please.

BLT Steak: Chef Laurent Tourondel's restaurant will be offering a 3-course meal, prix fixe menu that includes turkey with chestnut stuffing, mushroom cappuccino and truffles and hazelnut-pumpkin pie with pumpkin spice ice cream and honey whipped cream.  ($68 per person) 106 East 57th Street (212) 752-7470 so reserve early please.

BLT Prime: Chef Laurent Tourondel's other restaurant will be offering a 3-course meal, prix fixe menu that includes turkey with chestnut stuffing, mushroom cappuccino and truffles and hazelnut-pumpkin pie with pumpkin spice ice cream and honey whipped cream.  ($68 per person) 111 East 22nd Street (212) 995-8500, so reserve early please.

Bar Americain: Bobby Flay's newest place

If you decide to do something on your own, try some recipes I have found. These are from Cooking Light;

Roast Turkey with Classic Pan Gravy

There are two ways to thaw a frozen bird. The easiest: Place it on a tray in the refrigerator for three days. The quickest: Submerge the wrapped turkey, breast side down, in cold water for 5 to 6 hours; change the water every half hour to keep it cold.

1  (12-pound) fresh or frozen turkey, thawed
1/3  cup spicy brown mustard
1/4  cup packed chopped fresh sage leaves
1/2  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2  garlic cloves, minced
2  cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
Classic Pan Gravy

Preheat oven to 450°.

Remove giblets and neck from turkey and reserve for Classic Pan Gravy. Rinse turkey with cold water, and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between the skin and meat. Combine the mustard, sage, black pepper, and garlic. Rub the mustard mixture under loosened skin. Lift the wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey.

Place turkey, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Pour broth over turkey. Insert a meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch the bone. Place turkey in a 450° oven; immediately reduce the oven temperature to 325° (do not remove turkey from oven). Bake for 2 hours or until thermometer registers 180°, basting turkey frequently with pan juices. Reserve 3 tablespoons drippings for Classic Pan Gravy; let turkey stand for 25 minutes. Discard skin. Serve with Classic Pan Gravy.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 6 ounces turkey and about 3 tablespoons gravy)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 326(27% from fat); FAT 9.6g (sat 3.1g,mono 2.2g,poly 2.7g); PROTEIN 51.6g; CHOLESTEROL 130mg; CALCIUM 58mg; SODIUM 418mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 3.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.9g

Karen Levin
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2001

 

Savory Fruited Stuffing

The stuffing can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking to allow the broth to soak in.

3 1/2  cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1  cup dried mixed-fruit bits
2  tablespoons butter
2  cups finely chopped onion
1/2  cup thinly sliced celery
1  (14-ounce) package cubed country-style stuffing mix (such as Pepperidge Farm)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine broth and dried fruit in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 2 minutes or until hot. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add broth mixture, and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat; stir in stuffing mix, tossing well.

Spoon stuffing into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish; cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 224(16% from fat); FAT 4g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.8g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 7.2g; CHOLESTEROL 6mg; CALCIUM 58mg; SODIUM 597mg; FIBER 3.9g; IRON 2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 41g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2001

Spice-Rubbed Smoked Turkey with Roasted-Pear Stuffing and Cranberry Syrup

The tangy-sweet Cranberry Syrup contrasts nicely with the rich smokiness of the bird. Smoking a turkey takes some of the burden off your stove, but you need to keep a few important points in mind. First, the turkey has to marinate for eight hours, so start it a day before serving. Next, while the turkey is smoking, you must closely monitor the grill to make sure the coals burn steadily, with continuous smoke. Finally, you should never stuff a turkey before smoking it, because the temperature inside the grill is less stable than in an oven.

1  (12-pound) fresh or frozen turkey, thawed
3  tablespoons brown sugar
1  tablespoon kosher salt
2  teaspoons ground cumin
2  teaspoons dried oregano
2  teaspoons dried rubbed sage
2  teaspoons dry mustard
1  teaspoon dried thyme
1  teaspoon ground coriander
6  hickory wood chunks
Cooking spray
Roasted-Pear Stuffing
Cranberry Syrup

To prepare turkey, remove and discard giblets and neck. Rinse turkey with cold water, and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Lift wing tips up and over back, and tuck under turkey. Place turkey on a jelly-roll pan. Combine the brown sugar and the next 7 ingredients (brown sugar through coriander). Rub seasoning mixture over and under skin. Cover turkey with plastic wrap; refrigerate 8 hours.

Soak wood chunks in water 1 hour, and drain well. Place a large, disposable aluminum-foil pan in center of bottom grill rack. Place 25 charcoal briquettes on each side of the pan; ignite briquettes. Place wood chunks over hot coals. Coat top grill rack with cooking spray; place over foil pan and hot coals. Uncover the turkey; remove from jelly-roll pan. Place on top rack over aluminum-foil pan. Insert a meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Cover and smoke turkey 2 1/2 hours or until meat thermometer registers 180°, adding 8 additional briquettes to each side of drip pan every hour. (Cover the turkey loosely with foil if it becomes too brown. Turkey will be a deep mahogany brown when done.) Discard skin. Serve with Roasted-Pear Stuffing and Cranberry Syrup.

NOTE: Try to resist checking the turkey too often. Lifting the grill lid decreases the temperature significantly.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 6 ounces turkey, 2/3 cup stuffing, and 2 1/2 tablespoons syrup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 593(21% from fat); FAT 14.1g (sat 3.5g,mono 5.4g,poly 3.1g); PROTEIN 54.3g; CHOLESTEROL 166mg; CALCIUM 104mg; SODIUM 511mg; FIBER 2.6g; IRON 4.6mg; CARBOHYDRATE 61.3g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2000