Plymouth
Notwithstanding the tradition of the presentation of a regal turkey on the Thanksgiving table, I think of the myriad opportunities to celebrate the harvest differently.
We are a nation built on long-standing traditions of hunting and gathering. I somehow doubt that the early Thanksgiving celebration saw the table graced with a store-bought, farm-raised bird.
Given this background, let’s take a different tack on the theme. We will keep with the tradition of a bird and pumpkin, but give the meal a little twist (think roasted beet and goat cheese salad, seared pheasant breast with three-grain mushroom risotto and pumpkin marscapone cream napoleon for dessert).
While this menu might look daunting, pass out the preparation of the various courses to other family members and guests in advance. With a bit of careful forethought and preparation, the process becomes a joy in and of itself.
Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Honeyed Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serves eight
12 medium beets, with greens and root intact
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup water
½ cup toasted walnuts
¼ lb. goat cheese
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. honey
8 cups organic baby greens
Sea salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cut the stems of the beets 1 inch from the top of the beet; leave the root intact. Wash the beets, and rub with olive oil. Place the beets in a baking dish, and add the water. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil, and roast the beets for one hour or until they are tender throughout; use a toothpick to test them. If the beets are not tender after one hour, bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove them from the dish, and allow them to cool. Once the beets are cool, rub the skins off; they should rub off very easily. Slice the beets thinly.
Mix the remaining olive oil with the balsamic vinegar and honey. Toss the beets in the vinaigrette, and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Arrange 1 cup of the organic baby greens in the middle of each plate. Arrange the beets on and around the greens. Crumble the goat cheese. Sprinkle each plate with 1/8 of the goat cheese and the toasted walnuts.
Seared Pheasant Breast with Three Grain Mushroom Risotto, Glazed Carrots and Pheasant Stock Reduction Sauce
Serves eight
4 pheasants
½ cup grape seed oil
8 qt. water
Salt and pepper
1 medium potato
1 large carrot
3 sticks celery
1 large onion
4 bay leaves
½ cup brown rice
½ cup barley
½ cup wild rice
4 cups vegetable stock
½ cup cream
1 tsp. white truffle oil
½ cup dried mushrooms
24 baby Portobello mushrooms
24 young carrots with stems intact
1 Tbsp. butter
1 dessertspoon sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. olive oil
