|
How do the experts handle Thanksgiving dinner?
November 25, 1996
Web posted at: 7:45 p.m. EST(CNN) -- Anybody can offer you tips on preparing your Thanksgiving dinner, and nearly everybody who's done it will. But from whom should you take advice? The experts, of course.
CNN interviewed chef Nathalie Dupree and Butterball Turkey Hotline director Jean Schnelle to get a head start on preparing the big meal.
Over her 16 years on the hot line, Schnelle has become an expert on beginning cooking questions, from "how do you turn on the oven?" on up. She recommends that you buy your turkey by weight, allowing a pound and a half per person who will be eating. It's only an estimate, she says, because you have to adapt to the appetites of your crowd. "If you've got teen-aged boys you might need to up that," she said.
Budgeting time is also an important element of getting dinner ready. Nathalie Dupree, author of numerous cookbooks including "Quick Meals for Busy Days," is preparing a huge, ultra-traditional meal with many dishes.
"One time I didn't go traditional, and it was a terrible mistake. Everybody groused about not having their favorite things there, and so I backed off," she laughed.
So, she's preparing two kinds of sweet potatoes, two kinds of gravy, two kinds of dressing, and she'll prepare two turkeys. Planning ahead is her mantra. On Monday she'd already finished preparing both the sweet potato dishes and the gravies.
"That's really the trick," she said. "If you haven't started already, start today, making at least one thing at a time."
Although two turkeys might sound like overkill, Dupree says it really is better to do it her way. Instead of buying one huge turkey, she buys two medium-sized birds, about 13 pounds each. Schnelle says you can purchase either a fresh or frozen turkey, as long as you keep it cold even when thawing it. "Coldness is key."
Dupree, still planning ahead, prepares one of her birds the night before, and carves it, arranging it on dishes that can be reheated. She also makes stock with turkey wings several days ahead, and bastes the turkey with it before she reheats it (at 350 degrees F). The stock keeps the meat moist.
To make the stock: take about six pounds of turkey wings. Brown them until they're "nice and brown," then cover with water and simmer for a couple of hours. Remove the turkey pieces, then simmer the remaining liquid to reduce it, until it "tastes wonderful."
"Even if you're doing just turkey breasts, do one the night before and carve it," she said. "Then you don't have to carve in front of everybody, which takes so much time."
Many Thanksgiving hosts view carving the turkey as a monumental challenge. It's not that hard, Dupree says. "Just remember a turkey is built exactly like you are." Cut its arms (wings) and legs (drumsticks) off first at the joints. Then slice the turkey off the breastbone.
Mashed potato magic
Whether you prefer your potatoes lumpy or smooth, Dupree says the trick is to keep your pan hot. "Reach in, carefully, not to burn your hand, pull out a little piece of your mashed potato, cool it slightly, and then rub it between your fingers to see if it's the way that you like it," Dupree said.
"Then, you strain it -- you can save that liquid if you want to, and pour the hot liquid back on it a little at a time, as you need it -- but you whip it, over the heat, and you add butter." She puts butter in the bottom of the pan, then puts her potatoes back in the pan, then uses a whipper on them, and adds hot cream.
For the calorie-conscious, golden potatoes are available now that give the illusion of butter.
Tell us what you think!
You said it...
© 1996 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.