Thanksgiving is one of the most important American holidays after Christmas and Easter. It arose in the XVII century. The history of the holiday is as follows: when the first settlers appeared in 1620, the New World was not very affectionate towards them. Europeans were not adapted to local conditions and in the autumn they remained almost without harvest and food. The first winter in the new place was very difficult, many died of hunger. All the immigrants would have died, but local residents shared supplies with them, and in the spring the Indians helped white plant maize, corn, sweet potatoes. They taught us how to cultivate the local land, how to get a good harvest on it.
In autumn, the efforts of the settlers were awarded – they collected a rich harvest and arranged a holiday. At the feast, the Indians from the local tribe were invited, and they came to visit not empty-handed, they brought baked turkeys in coals. Since then, the turkey is the main dish of the holiday, which became known as Thanksgiving Day, because the settlers thanked God for the granted life and harvest.
Baked turkey
Image credit: RitaE
She is the most important dish for Thanksgiving. A dish for which any American will travel half the country, only to be in the parents’ house and try a turkey performed by his mother.
Recipes of baked turkey – a million. It is made as with a filling, and without. Bake with apples, giblets, dried fruits, oranges, spicy herbs …
Often a turkey is made without a filling or put it at all a lot: the thing is that a densely packed bird is badly baked. The filling is loved by everyone, so it is often cooked separately from the turkey itself – such a paradox.
- 1 turkey
- 1 sour apple
- 1 orange
- 0.5 L of white dry wine
- ½ a bunch of fresh rosemary
- ½ a bunch of fresh thyme
- Salt, white and black pepper, ground coriander
- 1 tbsp. flour
- Disposable syringe
- Baking bag
Step 1. Wash the turkey, gut it (leave the giblets for the filling).
Step 2. Grate the bird with spices and salt. Pour the wine and leave overnight.
Step 3. Collect the marinade in the syringe and chop the bird.
Step 4. Put inside the apple, peeled and sliced slices, and the orange, sliced into slices, as well as spicy herbs.
Step 5. Put the sleeve for baking inside the flour, put the bird in it, tie it and bake it in the oven for 4-6 hours at a temperature of 180 degrees.
Step 6. When the turkey is ready, open the sleeve, increase the temperature and brown the turkey for 15-20 minutes. Fill the stuffing and cut the bird into portions.
Cranberry Sauce
Image credit: alex80
Baked poultry is always served with cranberry sauce. By the way, on Thanksgiving Day Americans eat a fifth of the whole cranberry, which they use for a year.
- 2.2 LBS of cranberry
- Juice of 4 large oranges
- 1-2 cups of sugar (to taste)
- A little orange peel
- Pinch of pink pepper
- 100 ml of orange liqueur (optional)
Step 1. Cranberries washed and blended with a blender.
Step 2. Gradually add orange juice and sugar, as well as pepper.
Step 3. Bring to a low heat to a boil, add the zest and allow a little orange liqueur
Mashed potatoes with cheese
Image credit: WerbeFabrik
Mashed potatoes are a traditional side dish for turkey. We suggest making it quite sharp and adding cheese.
- 2.2 LBS of potatoes
- 1 glass of cream
- 200 g of grated hard cheese
- 100 g of butter
- Red pepper ground
- A bit of ground chili
- Salt
Step 1. Peel potatoes, cut into large pieces and boil until tender. Salt
Step 2. Drain the water, mash the potatoes with a blender. Cream warm.
Step 3. Introduce cream and cheese in puree. Blend again with a blender. If necessary, you can additionally dilute the mashed potatoes with a potato broth.
Step 4. Add pepper and salt.