Micah's Read of the Week, Vol. 69: Thanksgiving Recipe Extravaganza
It's the second annual Thanksgiving Recipe Extravaganza-- Turkey! Sides! Libations! Desserts! Tips to get everyone the hell out of your house (politely)!
Hello, and welcome to Micah’s Read of the Week.
This is a newsletter filled with things Micah Wiener finds interesting.
You can read last year’s Extravanganza below.
Check out the introduction post here and the entire archive of previous newsletters here.
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Spatchcock your turkey
Let’s get this out of the way upfront, turkey isn’t the best. And the worst way to cook a bird is the way that most do it: roast it whole. Don’t do that. Fry it. Smoke it. Or, this year, spatchcock your bird.
Spatchcocking is easier than you might think. It refers to removing the backbone of a bird, and then pressing the rest of the body flat. I’ve found that the best tool to remove the backbone is a pair of kitchen shears. There are lots of advantages.
It allows for more even cooking. Without the body cavity to contend with, the breast and thigh meat will be done around the same time.
It allows for faster cooking. Since a butterflied bird lays flat, it cooks considerably faster than an unbutterflied one.
It increases the surface area of the meat and makes it more level. This allows the entirety of the skin—not just that on the top of the bird—to crisp and brown.
A spatchcocked turkey is easier to maneuver and carve. No balancing a half-carved whole turkey as you slice—a butterflied turkey lays flat.
Step 1: Remove Backbone
Place the turkey breast-side down on a cutting board. Using kitchen scissors or a meat cleaver and using your other hand to steady the bird, cut alongside both sides of the backbone to remove it; flip the turkey over.Step 2: Flatten
Use the heels of your palms to flatten the turkey; alternately, a rolling pin can be used for additional leverage.
Thanksgiving planning countdown: 8 tasks to do now for a stress-free holiday dinner
It’s Turkey Day week. Here’s a handy guide for timing out your tasks this week.
Cranberry sauce. Up to a week.
Gravy. A few days.
Bread. A day or two; wrap in foil and warm in the oven before serving. Or freeze for longer storage and defrost the day before.
Pies and other desserts. Two or more days.
Turkey. If you’re brining, start brining the day before.
Stuffing. Make wholly a day in advance or up to the point of adding the liquid. Reheat or finish baking Thursday.
Sides. Prep raw veggies or roast, blanch or steam a day ahead.
Ok, so now we have a plan. It’s time to pour a drink.
Crimson Crane
First, a stong cocktail for the chef.
Ice
1 dash Angostura bitters
1 dash orange bitters
1 3/4 ounces bourbon
3/4 ounce unsweetened cranberry juice
1/2 ounce creme de cacao
Chill a Nick and Nora glass or coupe.
Fill a mixing glass with ice, then add both bitters, bourbon, cranberry juice, and liqueur. Stir for 20 seconds, then strain into the glass.
Sparkling Cranberry-Ginger Punch with Toasted Spices
And here’s an easy, low-abv, big-batch cocktail for the rest of the party. In addition to being delicious, toasting the spices ahead of time will make the entire house smell good.
6 whole star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise
4 cups cranberry juice blend (such as Ocean Spray)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) vanilla-citrus brandy liqueur (such as Tuaca) (optional)
4 cups ginger ale or ginger beer
1 (750-milliliter) bottle dry sparkling wine
1 (1-pound) package frozen cranberries
3 (4-ounce) clementines or satsumas, thinly sliced
Heat star anise, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla bean in a small skillet over medium-low, tossing occasionally, until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a punch bowl. Add cranberry juice and liqueur, if using, to punch bowl. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Just before serving, add ginger ale, wine, cranberries, and sliced citrus to punch bowl. Serve over ice, if desired.
How to Kick People Out After Thanksgiving Dinner (Politely)
Before we get to the recipes, let’s just get ahead of the hard part, getting everyone out of your home. Some tips:
Set a timeline beforehand
When communicating with family, send an email that outlines the timeline for the day. Something like: “We’ll be gathering at 1 p.m and eating around three. After clean-up, we’ll do movies, board games, football, and cards. We’ll plan to wrap up by 7, so the little ones can get a good night’s sleep.”
Always a good idea to use your children and/or dogs as an excuse to end a party.
Hand guests a plate of leftovers
One of the best hints you can give people that they’ll need to be moseying along is a three-pronged process involving leftovers. Is it slightly passive aggressive? Yes. But effective? Also yes.
First, ask who wants a plate of leftovers. The act of asking functions like a subconscious warning bell: This shit is shutting down in 30 minutes, people.
Second, make noise while preparing those containers of leftovers to signal that your den is no longer a serene space of indefinite lounging.
Third, hand them said plate of leftovers and hope they understand your meaning: The time is now.
Stand up (and refer to the day in the past tense)
After the first dead giveaway—standing up and not sitting back down, even if you’re still chatting—try talking about the day in the past tense. “I know, it was such a great night! I’m so glad you were able to come. It was so much fun seeing everyone.” It’s a subtle and ingenious way to indicate that the Thanksgiving festivities are, in fact, a thing of the past.
Put the alcohol away
Nothing says “party’s over” like hiding the booze. After it’s been properly put away out of sight, walk around collecting empty (or nearly empty) wine and cocktail glasses, saying, “Can I take this for you?”
Talk about your plans the next day
Another way to help guests realize you’re ready for some downtime is to mention whatever you have going on the next day. Start a sentence with, “Well, we have an early day tomorrow because we’re going to...” and fill in the blank with a real or imagined activity that starts rather early indeed.
Enlist a wingperson
They can do it by suggesting everyone head to another location, like a local bar (if it’s a party vibe) or simply standing up and saying, “Well, I know you’ve got an early day tomorrow, so I’m going to head out.”
Once the first guest leaves, the rest will follow suit—and you’ll be one step closer to that second helping of apple pie on the couch, in blissful, deafening silence.
A note from Micah
Thank you for supporting the newsletter. It means a lot to me.
I have a lot to be thankful for this year. I got married a month ago, my family is thriving, and I am working in a rewarding career with a great team as a mortgage loan originator.
Whether you're looking to buy a home, save money on your current home, pay for renovations, or get out of debt faster -- I can help you! Get started in just a few clicks at micahwiener.com. Within five minutes, we’ll be ready to schedule a FREE mortgage consultation with me.
Now is a great time to get started before the holidays. Visit micahwiener.com now.
Thank you for your support! I look forward to hearing from you. Happy Holidays!
On to the side dishes, also known as the good stuff…
Twice-Roasted Squash With Vanilla, Maple, and Chile
This sounds different. And also shockingly easy to make.
2 2½–3½-lb. kabocha squash
2–3 Fresno chiles, thinly sliced
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Kosher salt
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 425°. Poke each squash a few times with a sharp knife, then place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast until a fork easily pierces through skin, about 1 hour. Let sit until cool enough to handle, then cut each squash in half. Scoop out and discard seeds. Tear squash into large pieces and arrange, flesh side up, on same baking sheet.
Increase oven temperature to 450°. Bring chiles, maple syrup, vanilla, and a big pinch of salt to a boil in a small saucepan; reduce heat and simmer until thickened, 8–10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in oil.
Generously season squash with salt, then spoon maple syrup mixture over each piece. Roast squash until darkened slightly and jammy in spots, 20–25 minutes.
Transfer squash to a platter and sprinkle sesame seeds over.
Do ahead: Squash can be roasted 1 day ahead. Let cool. Wrap in foil (leave whole) and chill.
Green Beans and Mushrooms With Crispy Shallots
Gotta have green beans on the table for Turkey Day. Let’s keep the taste and omit the cream of mushroom soup this year, ok?
1½ lb. green beans, trimmed
1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
⅓ cup vegetable oil
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 lb. mushrooms (such as oyster, shiitake, or maitake), tough stems removed, torn into large pieces
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated
Cook green beans in a medium pot of boiling salted water until bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse green beans under cold water to stop them from cooking more. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook shallots, stirring occasionally, until browned, frizzled, and crisp, 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain, and immediately season with salt. Set aside for serving.
Add mushrooms to same skillet and toss to coat with oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add butter, reserved green beans, and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt. Cook, tossing often and spooning foaming butter over vegetables, until butter darkens slightly and smells nutty, about 5 minutes. Add vinegar and season generously with pepper. Cook, stirring often, 1 minute.
Transfer green beans and mushrooms to a platter and spoon any sauce in pan over. Top with Parmesan and reserved crispy shallots.
Do ahead: Green beans can be blanched 1 day ahead. Pat dry; transfer to an airtight container or resealable bag and chill.
No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake
Here’s a secret: Pumpkin Pie stinks. But here’s an easy way to bring something pumpkiny to the table.
One (15-ounce/425-gram) can pumpkin puree
1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
12 ounces (340 grams) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (85 grams) unsifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
One 9-inch (6 ounces/170 grams) or 10-inch (9 ounces/255 grams) prepared graham cracker crust
Candy pumpkins, for decorating (optional)
Spread the pumpkin puree in a wide, shallow, microwave-safe dish, such as a pie plate, and microwave on HIGH for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring two or three times, until it has dried out, darkened in color and taken on a nutty, toasty aroma. (You can cover with wax paper or a towel if you're concerned about splattering.) Let cool completely, placing in the refrigerator to speed up the process, if desired.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with balloon-whisk attachment or using a large bowl and a handheld mixer, beat the heavy cream on high speed, just until stiff peaks form. (Pull off the whisk attachment or the beaters out and see how the cream looks in the bowl and on the beaters. If it flops over, it needs more time; if it holds a peak, you’re set.) Transfer the whipped cream to a smaller bowl or container; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Place the cream cheese in the same mixer bowl (no need to wipe it out); use the mixer's paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar, and starting on low speed and then gradually increasing to medium, beat until thoroughly combined. Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger; beat on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and add the cooled pumpkin, beating on medium until evenly distributed. Scrape the bowl one more time and give it a few stirs with a flexible spatula to ensure there is no cream cheese stuck to the sides or bottom.
Using a flexible spatula, gently fold in half of the whipped cream. Lift the cream cheese mixture from the bottom of the bowl over the top of the whipped cream, rotating the bowl as you work and trying not to deflate the whipped cream too much. This folding step will help lighten the cheese mixture. Then, fold in the remaining whipped cream. This is your filling.
Using an offset spatula or spoon, spread the filling evenly over the prepared graham cracker crust. Refrigerate, ideally overnight, to cool and firm up. The pie can be cut and served directly from the refrigerator. Decorate with the candy pumpkins, if using, before slicing.
VARIATION: To make your own graham cracker (or other cookie) no-bake crust, follow these guidelines from cookbook author Jessie Sheehan. A general rule is that a 9-inch pie calls for about 7 ounces (200 grams or 1 1/2 cups) of crumbs ground in a food processor or finely crushed in a zip-top plastic bag with a rolling pin; 4 to 8 tablespoons (55 to 115 grams) of melted butter, and sugar to taste, 2 to 4 tablespoons. You’ll know you have the right ratio when you can squeeze a bit of the mixture between your fingers and it holds its shape. You can place the formed crust in the freezer to set or bake it at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes until fragrant and set. Cool the crust completely before adding the filling.
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