This week’s column is dedicated to those of you newbies who have put on your bravest faces and volunteered to cook the holiday meal. (I know, there is a “Yikes! What have I gotten myself into...” comment in there.) 

I hope this column reaches you before you go into full panic mode, because you now have no worries – honest. I’ve written instructions that are precise enough to turn out a perfectly finished meal everyone will enjoy, but also given you some latitude for creativity to make the dish your own with some extra ingredients of your choosing.

Cranberry sauce out of a can is predictably boring so get off on the right foot with a fresh, homemade relish that will knock the socks off your guests. It takes just minutes to make and can be prepared up to a week ahead of serving.

Cranberry Grand Mariner relish

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 bag (12-oz.) fresh cranberries
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup Grand Marnier liqueur (or other orange flavored liqueur)
• Dash of salt

Combine sugar, water and orange juice in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add fresh cranberries and cook at a low simmer until berries begin to pop. Remove from heat; stir in dried cranberries, Grand Marnier and salt and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Cover and refrigerate. May be prepared up to 1 week in advance. Yield: eight servings.

Stuffing 101

The bread:

Stuffings have “gone gourmet” these days and you can give any recipe a bit of a boost just by changing the type of bread used. Plain white bread or corn bread is always a good base, but how about sourdough, multigrain, challah, rye or pumpernickel (these are best used with equal amounts of white bread), potato bread or even brioche. Cut them into 1/2- inch cubes and spread on rimmed baking sheets and dry in a 300°F oven for about 20 minutes, stirring once. You’ll need about 16 cups of cubes.

The base:

Melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add your choice of 2 cups of either onions, leeks or green onions, plus 2 cups diced celery and 1 Tbsp each minced fresh sage and thyme leaves. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Add 3 cups reduced sodium chicken or turkey broth and bring just to a low boil. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Veggies or fruit to add:

• Mushrooms: 1-1/4 lb., sliced and sautéed in butterKale: 1 bunch, stemmed and chopped; blanch 2 minutes and drain well
• Fennel: 1 large bulb, chopped, toss with a bit of olive oil, roast at 400°F for 20-25 minutes
• Apples: Cut 2 apples in small chunks (peeled or unpeeled) and sauté in butter

Meats to add:

• Ham, diced (about 3/4 lb.)
• Bacon, chopped and cooked (about 1/2 lb.)
• Sausage (breakfast, Italian, or chorizo) cooked and crumbled (about 1 lb.)
• Pancetta, chopped and cooked (about 1/2 lb.)

More add-ins:

• Cheese: Shredded Parmesan, gruyere, gouda or cheddar (about 1 cup)
• Dried fruit: Cranberries, raisins, apricots, dates, fig (about 1 cup)
• Nuts: Chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds or pine (about 1 cup)

Note: You can add in a little bit of each of these “mix-ins” if you’d like – just have the total amount be about 1 cup.

Bake: put stuffing into a buttered 4-quart casserole dish; dot with 2 Tbsp. butter and cover with foil. Bake at 375°F for 39 minutes. Uncover and continue baking for about 30 minutes more, basting with a bit of juices from the turkey if available.

Gravy 101

Make a Roux:

Melt 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter or turkey fat (or combination) in a large heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup all purpose flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. (At this point the roux will be smooth and pale golden brown.) Keep whisking for 2-3 more minutes and it will be the color of coffee with cream in it – this is what you are looking for. You’ll be assured there won’t be a raw, floury taste to your gravy. Gradually whisk in 4 cups of warm chicken or turkey stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low so the gravy is just at a simmer.

Add more flavor:

For a hint of herb flavor, add 2 bay leaves or a sprig of fresh thyme. For a deep, rich umami boost, stir in 4 dried porcini mushrooms with 2 Tbsp. Madeira. Let gravy simmer until thickened and then remove herbs or mushrooms with a slotted spoon. (If you didn’t add additional flavor ingredients, still cook as above.) Season to taste with salt. 

Extra points: After you carve the turkey you can boost the flavor of the gravy even a bit more by deglazing the roasting pan with a bit of stock, straining it, and adding it to the gravy. Yield: about 10 servings.

Perfectly fluffy mashed potatoes 101:

• 2 lbs. russet potatoes
• 1 tsp. salt
• 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
• 1/2 cup light cream, warmed

White pepper:

Place unpeeled potatoes in a large saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Add salt and bring to a boil over medium high heat; reduce heat to low and cook (uncovered) for 40-45 minutes until potatoes are fork tender. Drain. Holding each potato with a clean kitchen towel, peel off the skins. Transfer potatoes back to the pan. Add butter, warm milk and cream; mash by hand* until smooth. (Or pass through a food mill or ricer for a creamier texture.) Season to taste with additional salt and white pepper. Yield: 6 servings. 

*It seems like it would be a good idea to use an electric mixer for mashing the potatoes, but it is not. They tend to get very gummy and “gluey” when mashed this way. Use a good old fashioned hand potato masher and lots of elbow grease for the best results and don’t fret about a small lump or two.
This dessert is simple to prepare even for a novice cook. No rolling out of pie crust, crimping, or fussing whatsoever. And it can be prepared a couple of days before the holiday giving you a little extra wiggle room for last minute chores. It is delicious and different from the usual pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin parfait with gingersnap crumble:

For the parfait:

• 1 qt. vanilla ice cream 
• 1 can (15-oz.) pumpkin puree 
• 2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar 
• 1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (available in most supermarkets – but recipe included below)
• 1/4 tsp. salt 
• 1 recipe Gingersnap Crumble (recipe below) 

For the gingersnap crumble:

• 1-1/2 cups crushed gingersnaps (about 30 cookies)
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• FOR THE GARNISH: 
• 1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Additional pumpkin pie spice:

To prepare the parfait: Remove ice cream from freezer and soften by placing in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and stir until very soft. In another bowl, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Add softened ice cream to pumpkin mixture and stir to combine. 

Cover and freeze 20 minutes or until pumpkin mixture holds its shape when heaped with a spoon. Spoon ice cream into parfait or wine glasses and sprinkle with gingersnap crumble. Cover and freeze until firm. (May be prepared up to 48 hours ahead of time). 

To prepare gingersnap crumble: Combine crushed gingersnaps with melted butter, stirring until combined. 

To serve, top individual parfaits with gingersnap crumble and top with whipped cream. Sprinkle with a bit of pumpkin pie spice, if desired. Yield: 10 servings. 

Pumpkin pie spice:

• 2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground mace
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

Combine all ingredients and store in a jar with a tight fitting lid in a cool, dry place. Yield: about 2 Tbsp.

Paula Anderson is a freelance journalist specializing in food, entertaining and nutrition. She writes for several newspapers, as well as Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine. She divides her time between Scarborough and Big Pine Key, Fla., where she lives with her husband Peter. Correspondence can be addressed to her at the Boothbay Register, P.O. Box 357, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538 or the Wiscasset Newspaper, P.O. Box 429, Wiscasset, ME 04578. You can also write to her directly via email at pander@maine.rr.com.