Turkey Thighs With Pickled Cranberries and Onions for Two, Total time: 1 hour, plus at least 2 hours' marinating, 2 garlic cloves, finely grated, pressed or minced, 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves, preferably lemon thyme, 1 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on turkey thighs (2 medium thighs), 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, basil or parsley leaves, for serving. Whisk in pumpkin purée, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and fine sea salt until well combined, then whisk in the flour. CASSEROLES (SWEET POTATO, GREEN BEAN, SPOONBREAD, MAC AND CHEESE). Grease 2 (8-ounce) ramekins or a small, shallow gratin dish with a 2- to 3-cup capacity (see tip below). Sprinkle tops with flaky sea salt, and serve at once, with more sauce and crème fraîche dolloped on top. Refrigerate, uncovered, so the skin can dry out, for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days. Grease a small, shallow gratin dish, casserole dish or loaf pan with a 3- to 4-cup capacity. 1 1/2 cups sour cream. Melissa Clark / New York Times News Service, Five Lee University graduates earn Dove Awards, Dear Abby: Family ties break down after mom moves away. 'Thanksgiving mornings were chaos when I was a kid, and my dad was always in the middle of it. Since you won't be roasting a whole bird, a make-ahead gravy, fortified with good turkey or chicken stock, is the way to go. A sweet, simple menu of Thanksgiving recipes for two. Finely grate 1/2 teaspoon zest from the lemon, and put it in a small bowl with the garlic and thyme. Melissa Clark's Easy Thanksgiving Cooking Tips Trust us, if you can make dinner for four, you can master Thanksgiving for 10. Melissa Clark tested nine varieties of squash to find the best way to make the classic Thanksgiving dessert from scratch. Because even if we are celebrating a little differently this year, some holiday traditions remain sacred. 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon . (No need to rest here.). Prepare the sauce: In a medium pot over medium heat, combine the sugar, pumpkin puree, heavy cream and salt. Melissa Clark's Thanksgiving (if you're interested!) Just before serving, heat the broiler. Most stuffing recipes call for 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of bread and are baked in a 9- by 13-inch pan to feed 6 to 12. Small skillets, loaf pans and small gratin dishes are all viable options. 3 large leeks (white and light green parts), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced. Using parts gives you more flexibility. Subscribe now for full access. In a small pot over medium-high heat, combine maple syrup and cayenne in a small pot. That's the way the holiday usually goes. Sautéed Greens With Smoked Paprika for Two, Total time: 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the greens, 1 small bunch greens, such as kale, chard, spinach or mustard greens, torn into bite-size pieces (about 6 cups), 1/4 cup turkey, chicken or vegetable broth, or use water, plus more as needed. Weeknight Kitchen with Melissa Clark takes on one of the biggest dilemmas of busy people: what are we going to eat? Melissa prefers to break out the brioche. Get recipes, tips and NYT special offers delivered straight to your inbox. Smear turkey with the paste, and place thighs on a plate. Stir in shallots and a large pinch of salt. Wrap leftovers tightly in plastic wrap or foil, and place in a resealable freezer bag before freezing for up to 3 months. But if that seems excessive, try these rich little date and pumpkin sticky toffee puddings, imbued with a brown sugar toffee sauce and topped with crème fraîche for some much needed tang. ), Heat oven to 375 degrees. You'll need 3/4 pound to 1 1/2 pounds of bone-in meat per person (depending on your fondness for leftovers) and 6 to 12 ounces of boneless meat. This recipe makes two very substantial servings, with leftovers. By Julia Moskin & Melissa Clark. Broil until the puddings bubble, 1 to 2 minutes. There’d be butter splattering from the turkey basting, pans of mushrooms hissing. It will thin out to coat the pan. The New York Times | Nov 10, 2020 at 11:16 AM . 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, and more for the pan. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake until golden brown and firm, about 30 minutes. Even if it's just the two of you, you can still eat until your stomach aches and the only sensible course of action is a bracing walk or a cozy nap (or both). 1/2 cup light brown sugar I chose thighs, which are a lot easier and forgiving than the more finicky breast. Put turkey thighs on a baking pan, and dot with butter. 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste. Taste, and adjust seasoning, if needed. Make a roux. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter. Add the greens to the pan, using tongs to toss everything well. If you like, line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper or foil. As for pan sizes, it probably won't matter when sautéing, steaming or boiling. Food writer and cookbook author Melissa Clark is staff reporter for the New York Times Food section, where she writes the popular column “A Good Appetite” and appears in a weekly cooking video series. It's simply a matter of scaling the proportions way down. It's pretty easy to halve or quarter most mashed potato recipes, though they can get cold quickly. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. 2 tablespoons cornstarch . Roasted turkey thighs are quicker, easier and more adaptable than a whole bird, and just as satisfying with their crisp, bronzed skin and tender meat. And note: You'll want to shave 5 to 10 minutes off the baking time. Roast until the pieces begin to soften, 15 minutes. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Prepare the puddings: In a large, heatproof bowl, combine the dates, butter, lemon zest and baking soda. In each episode, you’ll join cookbook author and New York Times food columnist Melissa Clark in her kitchen, working through one of her favorite recipes and offering helpful advice for both beginners and seasoned cooks. 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste Stir in shallot slices and garlic, and cook until pale golden at the edges and softened, about 2 minutes. So many readers say this is the best turkey they’ve ever made. 1 teaspoon black pepper. Tiny is the new big for Thanksgiving 2020, and, for many people, that means dinner for two. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Turn off heat and mix in salt, pepper and coriander. For white-meat lovers, choose breast meat, either turkey breast halves for roasting or preparing sous vide, or some thin cutlets that are perfect for sautéing. Spread the squash out on the pan, and spoon maple mixture over the pieces, turning them to coat. Serve turkey with a little of the cranberries and pickles on top, with herbs scattered over everything. New York Times food reporter and cookbook author Melissa Clark shares her Thanksgiving dinner cheat sheet. Featured in: Pat turkey and turkey neck dry with paper towel; rub turkey all over with 1/ Melissa prefers to break out the brioche. MELISSA CLARK’S MASHED POTATO CASSEROLE. Give everything a stir. Scrape batter into the prepared ramekins, and bake until just firm when pressed in the center, 28 to 35 minutes. Add broth, and let greens simmer, until very soft, about 3 minutes for tender greens, and up to 15 minutes for tougher, mature greens. She was—somehow—able to make our Turkey Day dreams come true by trimming (get it?) 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus more for greasing, 1/2 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling), Crème fraîche, sour cream or plain yogurt, for serving, 3 tablespoons pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling), 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick), cubed, 1 tablespoon bourbon or brandy (optional). 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg . It should be very moist. If doubling, bake in an 8-inch pan; if tripling, use a 9-inch pan. Photo by Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times. If you like, line a rimmed baking pan with parchment paper or foil. For pumpkin and pecan pies, choose a recipe with a blind-baked crust, so you'll know the crust will be crisp, even if the small amount of filling takes a lot less time to firm up in the oven. 2. Stir in the boiling water. EVENT: Thanksgiving. Melissa Clark’s mother, Rita Clark, loves chestnut stuffing but likes to use frozen leftover bagels. NYT Cooking is a subscription service of The New York Times. A Sweet, Simple Menu Of Thanksgiving Recipes For Two. Best way to make turkey breast 2 Ways | Thanksgiving recipes for two, uncovered, so the can... Pale golden at the edges and softened, and find a dish it! And cheese ) turkey was deciding whether to go with white meat would. Copyright © 2021, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Inc, is something (. Fit in one quite nicely Moskin & Melissa Clark is a food writer, author, and until., halving or quartering the recipe, then remove from the turkey basting, of. 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