In English the word “turkey” was originally applied to the guinea fowl, but why turkey anyway?
One tradition is that the first turkey to find its way into a British stomach was eaten in Cadiz (Spain) by merchants on their way home from a business trip to Turkey. They encountered it at the house of a friend who knew explorers of the West Indies. Perhaps he was a Jesuit, since Jesuit was the disrespectful French nickname for the bird for quite a long time. The merchants’ host gave them some live birds which they brought back to England. This may or not be true, but then why the name turkey rather than Spain?
The advent of the turkey is something of a mystery. It is usually said that what Brillat-Savarin described as “the best gift of the new world to the old” was brought home from his travels by Cortez, who had feasted on turkey in the ‘West Indies’ during the sixteenth century. But citing the accounts book of one Annot Arnaud, finds that roast turkey was served on November 12 1385 at a banquet given by the luxury-loving Philippe of Burgundy. We do know, however that the bird appeared on the last Thursday in November 1620 to feed the starving colonists from the Mayflower.
With that said, this wonderful American tradition is upon us. Where turkey will be consumed as probably one of the most important meals in America.
A couple of easy dishes that will be on my dinner table on Thanksgiving:
“Braised red cabbage with prunes and a splash of Brandy”
Serves 10
1 head of red cabbage (sliced as thinly as your knife skills allow)
2 cups of dry prunes (no pits)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
2 clove
1 cup chestnuts (chopped roughly)
Salt and pepper to taste
A generous splash of your best Brandy (added in the end)
Simply add all ingredients to the pot and simmer for about 1 hour, stir occasionally.
Season with salt and fresh peppermill, and finish with a generous splash of brandy.
Cook for another 10 minutes, serve family style.
“Roasted Granny Smith apples with thyme and apple cider”
Serves 10
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut in 1Ž2
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1/4 cup apple cider
5 sprigs of thyme
Place the apples in a small roasting pan, pour over the melted butter, add the thyme sprigs.
Roast at 350 degrees for approx. 20 minutes or until the apples are tender and caramelized.
Remove from oven, place apples in serving dish, add apple cider to deglaze roasting pan, pour sauce over apples and serve.
Happy Holidays from
Jan Jorgensen & staff
Two Chefs restaurant
Jan Jorgensen
Chef/Owner Two Chefs Restaurant, Pinecrest
For information visit www.twochefsrestaurant.com.
