The day itself would be a hubbub of activity with people coming in and out of the house bringing in the flowers, etc. The Mr. picking out the wines. If there were overnight guests I would be cooking them breakfast and lunch whilst also trying to pull together the dinner.
My very first Thanksgiving dinner that I prepared at the manor, I burnt the turkey. It was a huge turkey and almost didn't fit into the oven. I had gone home for a quick break (I lived in a cottage on the Estate) and when I came back I could smell it burning. The turkey was so large that ,in order to fit it into the oven, I had had to put the rack at the very bottom of the oven.
It was quite an old range and the heat was often a bit too fierce. Of course, since I was new to the job, I was in the dark about that small detail. I was beside myself. It did not bode well for me, I thought. What kind of cook burns the Thanksgiving turkey!!! I had to summon up the courage to tell her and then my husband drove into town to pick up two smaller birds to cook in its place.
The original turkey did look beautiful, nonetheless, and although burnt on the bottom, was used for display. A boatload of parsley can hide all sorts of evils. I was able to get the other two cooked in time, so all was well. As the Mrs. said to me, "It wouldn't be Thanksgiving if there wasn't an issue with the turkey!"
It was always such a pleasure to me to cook these meals and I have to say they were always enjoyed by everyone in attendance. Great hospitality and food in a beautiful environment and atmosphere.
The menu rarely varied from one year to the next and basically went like this:
~oOo~
BRENCHLEY MANOR
APPETIZERS
(with seasoning salt for dipping)
Smoked Salmon & Brown Bread
(with lemon and dill garnish)
Cheese Puffs
FIRST COURSE
Dinner Rolls
Butter Curls on ice
MAIN COURSE
Cornbread Stuffing
Sweet Potato Casserole
Fresh Green Beans
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Cranberry Sauce
DESSERTS
Pumpkin Pie
Warm Apple Pie
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Cheese and Crackers
Coffees and Teas
Chocolates
I thought today you might like it if I shared some of the recipes which were cooked for Thanksgiving Dinner at the big house. I can tell you up front, everything was always delicious, and I am not just saying that because I cooked it! Okay, maybe I am, lol, but its true! I never had any complaints!
APPETIZERS
I don't have any photos of the appetizers. They were meant to be just small bites to tide the guests over while they imbibed in pre-dinner cocktails, being tantalized by the smells wafting through the house from the kitchen.
The Quail's Eggs would have been boiled and chilled and then were served on a large round platter, peeled and nestled in shredded lettuce. A small silver bird's nest placed into the center to hold the Seasoning Salt. I always planned on at least 4 eggs per guest. They are very tiny.
The smoked salmon would be placed on buttered brown bread triangles, crusts removed, with each small triangle holding a thin sliced of smoked salmon topped with a small bit of lemon and some dill frond.
The cheese puffs which would have been served were very much like these ones. Airy little Gougeres, crisp on the outside and melt in the mouth delicious.
The same rolls were served every year, and in fact the same rolls were served at every dinner party and luncheon. Homemade of course. The recipe was called Party Rolls and needed to be started the day before. It came from a cookbook from the Palo Alto Junior League called "A Private Collecton."
I wish I had a dollar for every one of these tasty rolls I baked through the years. I could retire in comfort! They were light, fluffy and delicious!
Party Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter softened
- 1/2 cup (110g) white vegetable shortening
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (240ml) boiling water
- 2 packaged dry yeast
- 2 large free range eggs, beaten
- 1 cup (240ml) cold water
- 6 cups (750g) all purpose flour, unsifted
Instructions
- Dissolve the butter, shortening, sugar and salt in the boiling water. Set aside to cool.
- Dissolve the yeast in the cooled mixture. Whisk in the eggs and cold water to combine and then stir in all of the flour, stirring it in just to mix. Cover and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Three hours prior to use, divide the dough into three even pieces and roll each piece out into a large circle, about 10 inches in diameter. Cut each circle into 12 segments as for a pie,
- Roll up each segment starting at the wide edge and working towards the narrow edge. Place tip side down on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving plenty of space to allow for rising and baking. Leave to rise in a moderately warm place for 3 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Bake the trays for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
Every year there would be a pumpkin soup of some kind to serve as the first course. It would vary from one year to another. This Curried Pumpkin Soup from the Junior League Cookbook entitled, "Beyond Parsley" was a favorite.
As the Mrs. was a member of the Junior League, recipes from the Junior League books were always her favorite ones for me to cook from when entertaining.
Curried Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, peeled and sliced
- two bunches of sliced scallions (spring onions), white part only
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter
- 1 (16 oz/453.5g) tinned pumpkin puree
- 4 cups (1 scant liter) chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- several parsley sprigs
- 2 cups (480ml) half and half (single cream)
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Toasted salted pepitas to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté the onions and scallions in butter until nicely softened and just beginning to caramelize. Stir in the pumpkin, broth, bay leaf, sugar, curry powder, nutmeg and parsley,
- Bring up to the simmer. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a food processor and process in small batched until all of the soup has been pureed. Return to a clean saucepan.
- Whisk in the half and half and heat just to a simmer. Do not allow to boil. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into heated bowls and serve. Garnish as you wish with some toasted salted pepitas.
Herb Roasted Turkey
Ingredients
- 14 pound turkey (I like to use a free range bird, myself)
- 1 TBS salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 18 sprigs of fresh thyme, divided
- 4 medium onions, sliced
- 4 celery ribs, sliced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 TBS peppercorns
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 tsp minced fresh sage
- 1 tsp minced fresh thyme
- 1 tsp finely chopped chives
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 160*C/325*F. Get out a large roaster. Remove any giblets etc. from your turkey and rinse it well. Pat it dry with some paper toweling.
- Rub the surface of your turkey with salt and pepper and sprinkle inside the cavity with some salt and pepper as well. Place 12 sprigs of thyme in the cavity.
- Place the onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, peppercorns and the remaining thyme sprigs in the bottom of the roasting pan. Place the turkey, breast side up, on top of the vegetables.
- Drizzle the butter all over the turkey and then, sprinkle with the minced herbs. Cover loosely with foil. Bake for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the foil and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer, basting every 20 minutes.
- The turkey is done when the juices run clear when you prick the turkey with a fork, and when the drumsticks are loose when lightly twisted. Remove from the oven to a heated platter and lightly cover with foil. Allow to stand for 20 minutes before carving.
- For gravy, skim off any fat from the pan drippings. Add a couple of cups of stock to the pan and vegetables and bring to the boil to deglaze and loosen up any tasty bits from the bottom. Strain this into a saucepan.
- Put some cold water into a jar along with a few TBS of flour. Shake it really well and then strain it into the saucepan, whisking it in very carefully. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, whisking the whole time and cook until bubbling and thick. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
- Place in a gravy boat for serving at the table.
Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup (230g) butter, divided
- 3 cups (51g) white cornmeal
- 1 cup (140g) all purpose plain flour
- 2 TBS white sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 7 large eggs
- 3 cups (709ml) buttermilk
- 3 cups (177g) soft bread crumbs
- 3 cups (303g) chopped celery
- 2 cups (104g) chopped onion
- 1 TBS dried rubbed sage
- 5 (10 1/2 oz/297g) cans of condensed chicken broth, undiluted
- 1 TBS freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425*F/225(C/ gas mark 7. Place 1/2 cup (115g) butter in a 13 by 9 inch pan. Heat in the oven for 4 minutes.
- Combine the cornmeal and the next 5 ingredients. Whisk in 3 eggs and the buttermilk. Pour the hot butter from the pan into the mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the batter back into the pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, and then crumble into a large bowl. Stir in the bread crumbs.
- Melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion. Sauté until tender without browning. Stir in the sage and cook for one minute longer.
- Stir the vegetables, remaining 4 eggs, chicken broth and pepper into the cornbread, combining all together. Spoon into a lightly buttered 13 X 9 inch pan and a lightly buttered 8-inch square pan. At this point you can cover and chill for up to 8 hours if desired.
- Preheat the oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 5. Bake the dressing, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.
Fresh Green Beans
Ingredients
- 3 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed washed, and cut
- 7 QTS boiling water in a large kettle
- 3 1/2 TBS salt
- 6 to 8 TBS softened butter, cut into 4 pieces
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 TBS lemon juice
- 3 TBS finely minced parsley (can also add some minced fresh thyme leaves)
Instructions
- To blanche the green beans, drop a handful at a time into the boiling salted water. Bring water back to the boil as quickly as possible, reduce heat and boil beans slowly, uncovered. After 7 minutes, test the beans frequently by biting into one each time.
- When they are tender but still slightly crunchy, drain immediately and run cold water over the beans for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain again. The beans can be prepared ahead up to this point. Refrigerate in plastic bags until ready to finish cooking.
- Toss the beans into a large, heavy skillet over moderately high heat to evaporate the moisture and reheat them. Toss briefly with a TBS of butter and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the rest of the butter gradually, alternating with drops of lemon juice while still tossing.
- Taste for seasoning. Toss together with the parsley and thyme if using. Pour into a hot vegetable dish and serve immediately.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 to 3- ¼ pounds sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (60ml) milk or half and half
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- salt, to taste
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup (35g) all purpose flour ( for a sturdier streusel add and additional heaping tablespoon of flour)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 3 cups mini marshmallows (can add more, if you’d like)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375*F/190*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 2 or 2 ½ quart (2 - 2 1/2 liter) shallow casserole dish and set aside.
- Place the peeled sweet potatoes in a large saucepan. Cover with water, and bring to the boil. Boil until tender (about 7 minutes, depending on the size). Drain really well and return to the pot, shaking the pot over the residual heat of the burner.
- Add butter, milk, cinnamon, brown sugar and salt to the potatoes and mash until smooth. Use a hand mixer, if desired, to make them extra smooth. Taste the potatoes and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Transfer the mashed potatoes to the prepared casserole dish. Place in the oven until heated through. While the sweet potatoes are heating, prepare the topping.
- Combine butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl until well combined and then mix in pecans.
- Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. Top with half the marshmallows, then sprinkle half the streusel over the marshmallows. Pinch pieces of it together as you go with your fingers to make clumps. Top with the other half of the marshmallows and then sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top.
- Place back into the oven for 8-15 minutes, just until the topping is bubbly and golden brown. Keep an eye on it so the marshmallows don't burn.
Classic Pecan Pie
Ingredients
- 3 large free range eggs
- 1 cup (200g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 TBS flour
- 1 cup (350g) light corn syrup
- 3 TBS butter (melted)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (242g) pecan halves
- one single unbaked pie crust (9 1/2 inches) (I use my butter/lard pastry)
Instructions
- Roll out the pie crust to about 12-inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thickness.
- Place the rolled out pie crust into a 9 ½-inch glass pie plate. Roll under the edges of the pie around the plate and pinch between your fingers to create a crimped edge.
- Refrigerate the pie shell while you prepare the pecan pie mixture.
- Whisk the eggs, brown sugar, light corn syrup, flour, melted butter, and vanilla together with a wire whisk or an electric hand mixer, combining well.
- Place the pecans into the chilled pie crust.
- Pour the pecan pie mixture over top of the pecans, scraping out the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Bake in a preheated 425*F/225*C/ gas mark 7 oven for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4 and continue to bake for 40 minutes longer or until set. A sliver knife inserted 1 inch from the center should come out clean.
- Remove the pie plate from the oven and place onto a wire rack. Leave to cool completely before cutting into wedges to serve.
very beautifully done, Marie! thank you for sharing this part of your life with us! you remind me so endearingly of Babette in Babette's Feast, my favorite film. may your Thanksgiving be especially blessed!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Victoria! You made my day! May your Thanksgiving also be blessed! xo
DeleteI can't tell you how much I loved this post. The recipes sound wonderful (and I saved many of them). I have long believed that you cannot beat any Junior League cookbook. Having worked on one, I know how much the recipes are tested and they seem to rarely, if ever, fail. Your turkey anecdote made me smile -- as the Mrs. said, isn't there always a turkey incident at one holiday or another? And it all worked out, but given that it was your first year, I can see where it would be a bit disarming! The home and table look lovely and so do the flower arrangements, but it seems to me that those on the table are a little too tall for good conversation. Of course, you could put two people who don't much like each other on either side of the flowers and they wouldn't have to see each other or talk!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! The conversation always flowed Jeanie. Everyone at their soirees always had a lovely time. They were impeccable hosts, the food was always really well done and the environment very friendly, warm and welcoming! Those evenings were enjoyed by all. Even me! I wish I could cope with something like that now! Sadly my days of doing such things are in the past! I am quite content to live as I do now and only have to cook for a much smaller number of people! Happy Thanksgiving! xo
DeleteWonderful memories, and what delicious looking food. I made a sweet potato casserole yesterday, instead of marshmallows it had a crumble topping. The whole thing was a bit too sweet for me, but still tasty to eat. I froze the leftovers so will see how they taste laster one.
ReplyDeleteIt is really sweet for sure, but somehow it goes. I actually prefer my sweet potatoes just roasted and mashed, but this marshmallow crumb topped version is actually very popular with many people. For me it tastes more like dessert. Delicious for sure. xo
DeleteLovely to read about Thanksgiving at the Manor. What a beautiful job you did preparing it all. No wonder the Mr. wants you to cook for him. He probably hasn't eaten as well since. Will you be celebrating American Thanksgiving, Marie? Love and hugs, Elaine (in Toronto)
ReplyDeleteNo, I wish! I loved celebrating Thanksgiving in November. It just seemed to usher in the Holiday season perfectly. One Thanksgiving is enough however and I will be content with the October one we just had! I am looking forward to my Christmas Dinner of turkey however! Love and hugs, xoxo
DeleteNo Kidding they want you to cook for them!!! I’m afraid anything else pales in comparison. How did the British guests take to sweet potato casserole. A step too far for me.
ReplyDeleteEveryone always seemed to enjoy everything, which was great! I admit that the sweet potato casserole is not for everyone. It is quite delicious however dessert-like it seems! xo
DeleteIt all sound wonderful. What a menu! How did you make the cranberry sauce? From scratch?
ReplyDeleteThank you! I did make it from scratch. 2 cups cranberries, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup orange juice and a bit of orange zest. Its lovely.
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