A Very Fisher Friendsgiving

Ah yes, the most wonderful culinary event of the year - Friendsgiving. This year, I am thankful for the fact that the oven is actually working because last year’s turkey meal was somehow miraculously created with a slow cooker and a toaster oven. My original plan for this year’s Thanksgiving meal was to test out a bunch of side dishes to feature them on the blog, but when Connor and I came across a moderately (?) small turkey at Whole Foods (around 10 pounds), we decided to take the plunge. Our cashier actually informed us that we had purchased the first turkey of the season from Whole Foods. This meal took about 4 hours to prep/cook and was shared amongst friends (shout out to Max for helping me make the prepare the turkey when my hands were covered in butter). I love how food brings people together.

The Turkey

Are turkeys truly aware that Thanksgiving is around the corner? Because I have seen more turkeys than I am comfortable with wandering around the streets of Boston without a care in the world. The turkey that we purchased from Whole Foods was a young organic turkey that came with the neck and lungs, but unfortunately no popping thermometer. However, apparently the cook time is about 13 minutes per pound and this worked out for us. First, I preheated the oven to 430 degrees Fahrenheit, washed the turkey and laid it on paper towels to make sure the skin was thoroughly dried. In a bowl, I combined 1 cup of butter, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 tablespoon of salt, 1/2 tablespoon of pepper, 2 tablespoons of lemon zest and 3 chopped up garlic cloves. Then, I very carefully rubbed all of this underneath the turkey’s skin. Using vegetable oil (you can use canola oil but avoid olive oil because it has a low smoking point), I coated the surface of the turkey and sprinkled it with coarse salt and pepper. As for the turkey cavity, I stuffed it with 3 garlic cloves and a quartered lemon. I popped this turkey into the oven for twenty minutes and then took it out to baste it with the excess butter and to cover the breasts and the wings with an aluminum tent (triangle) to prevent it from burning. I brought the oven heat back down to 350 degrees and cooked the turkey for 2 more hours.

Sweet Potato Casserole

The next dish that I worked on is my personal favorite. Using three yams, I skinned and chopped them into 1 inch cubes before boiling for 15 minutes. Then, I transferred them into my baking dish and mashed them with a potato masher (a fork works here too!), mixing in 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of butter, and 1 teaspoon of honey. I gave this casserole a generous coating of marshmallows and it was all ready to sit until it was ready to be baked. This dish could be easily elevated with some toasted pecans but as a little kid, I was all about the marshmallows so I had to stay true to this. In the last 15 minutes of the turkey’s bake time, I brought the temperature back up to 425 degrees and baked this baby until the marshmallows were golden.

Burnished Potato Nuggets

I combed Bon Appetit’s 131 Thanksgiving sides suggestions for something out of the box and I was seriously intrigued by this one. Reminiscent of smashed potatoes or homefries, this main attraction of this potato dish is its delicious crust and judging by my audience’s reaction - this was the best side dish of them all. This dish called for forty minutes in a temperature much hotter than the turkey so I decided to improvise by achieving the same crust over the stove. First, I medallioned two Russet potatoes into thick slices and cooked them in boiling water. When the turkey was almost done, I heated a skillet with a generous layer of olive oil and added the potatoes coated in salt, pepper, garlic powder, a sprinkle of cayenne, and thyme. I allowed the potatoes to sit until a golden crust was created before serving them with another fresh sprinkle of thyme sprigs.

Savory Balsamic Rosemary Acorn Squash

When I think acorn squash, my mind goes to a honey/maple glaze. This year, I wanted to do a savory dish because the sweet potato casserole would cover that sweet base. This was the easiest dish to prep- I quartered a small acorn squash and drizzled it with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Then, I gave it a dash of pepper and salt and topped it with rosemary in a ceramic baking dish. A way to make this dish more substantial would be to fill it with barley or another grain. In the last forty minutes of turkey time, I put the squash in the oven and left it in there until it looked like it had a little bit of a crust and color on it (40-50 minutes).

Summer Squash and Heirloom Tomato Salad

To lighten up the dishes, I was looking for the right salad to incorporate brightness. This recipe is an interpretation of this beautiful ribbon salad on Bon Appetit’s website. Unfortunately, we are far off from the summer and the produce is just not as vibrant in flavors so to amend for this, some sautéing had to be done. Best achieved with a mandolin, I cut a yellow squash and a zucchini into super thin slices. Ideally, I wanted lengthwise slices but this was really impractical with a knife so I went with medallions. With the last few minutes left with the turkey cooking, I minced two garlic cloves, heated them in a bit of oil, and blistered halved heirloom tomatoes. Then, I sautéed the squashes slightly and topped the dish with chives and thickly grated parmesan cheese that added just the right amount of nutty-saltiness.

This meal was just as much about the prep as it was enjoying a meal together. Making a Thanksgiving meal seems like a large undertaking but there is so much you can achieve while the turkey is cooking up in the oven- and of course, I have to thank Bon Appetit for the inspo and my uber driver for carrying the groceries to the door. Though I am about to food coma from the turkey I just ate, may your friendsgiving be full of lots and lots of love (: