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What’s Cooking?: Thanksgiving Turkey
The flick presents four multicultural Los Angeles families who create and consume the quintessential American Thanksgiving meal. As in this brined turkey recipe from Lynne Rossetto Kapser, the movie had depth of flavor and surprisingly pleasant tartness.
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Credit: Landon Nordeman
1 10–12-lb. turkey
2 lbs. mixed chicken legs and thighs
1 cup kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
5 yellow onions
39 garlic cloves
4 carrots
4 celery ribs with leaves
1/2 cup calvados (apple brandy), plus 4 teaspoons
6 1/2 cups dry white wine
1⁄3 packed cup dark brown sugar
1⁄3 cup ground ancho chile powder
8 1/3 cups fresh apple cider
6 granny smith apples
2 lightly packed cups fresh basil leaves, plus 8 leaves for garnish
4 tbsp. softened butter
1⁄4 cup flour
1. The broth for the gravy may be made up to 3 days in advance.
Lightly coat the bottom of a 12" skillet with extra-virgin olive oil and
heat over medium-high. Add the neck and giblets from the turkey and
mixed chicken legs and thighs; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Brown on both sides; transfer to a 6-quart pot. Pour half of the fat out
of the skillet; heat over medium-high. Stir in 2 chopped yellow onions,
2 cloves crushed garlic, 2 whole cloves, 1 chopped carrot, and 1
chopped celery rib with leaves and cook until just browned, 12–14
minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add 1⁄4 cup of the calvados and 2
cups of the wine. Return to heat, bring to a boil, and scrape up the
brown bits on the bottom of the skillet. Transfer the vegetable mixture
to the 6-quart pot of meat. Add enough water to cover the mixture to a
depth of 1"; bring to a slow simmer. Partially cover and cook, without
stirring, for 4–5 hours. (Add more water as necessary to keep solids
covered.) Remove from heat, let cool, strain (as shown), and refrigerate
broth. You should have about 12 cups.
2. A day before serving, brine the turkey, calculating 1 hour of brining for each pound. In a large plastic brining bag or stockpot, combine 1 cup of the salt, brown sugar, and chile powder. Put 2 cups of the cider, 35 cloves garlic, and 4 unpeeled, cored, and coarsely chopped granny smith apples into a food processor and purée. Add purée to the brining bag along with 6 cups of the cider and 4 quarts cold water. Whisk to dissolve the salt and sugar.
SERVES 10-12
