In Stylish One-Dish Dinners, the mother-and-daughter team who wrote Entertaining 101 gives us more creative ways to please company. This time, they focus on homecooked dishes you can turn into complete meals by adding storebought side dishes and dessert. (In their usual thoroughly organized way, they suggest what these could be, along with the ideal wine to serve.) Ever practical, Eckhardt and DeFoyd include abundant tips, such as using a large skillet for stir-frys in place of a wok.
Think of this as turkey inside out. It's a main-dish dressing you make in the pan in 5 minutes, then add turkey for a meal-in-one. Whether you are using yesterday's leftover turkey or smoked turkey from the deli, you'll get the flavors of Thanksgiving all in one pan in only 15 minutes. It's colorful, it's flavorful, it's home.
Preparation Time 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Makes 6 servings
Make this the day before, cover, and refrigerate it until serving time. Reheat it on the stovetop to warm it.
2 cups chicken broth
1 (10-ounce) package couscous
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 stalks celery with leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1 cup cooked turkey meat, cut into bite-size chunks
2 green onions with tops, minced
1 large Braeburn apple (or other crisp, sweet variety) cored and chopped
DRESSING:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
In a 10-inch skillet, heat the broth to boiling, then sprinkle in the couscous and add the cranberries. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes off the heat.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the celery, pecans, turkey, onions, and apple.
In a jar, combine the dressing ingredients, cover, and shake to mix.
Fluff the couscous with a fork and add the turkey mixture. Toss to mix, then sprinkle with the dressing.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
How to prepare Ad Lib Pumpkin Soup: You can make ad lib soups as easy as pie. For example, pumpkin soup can be made by turning the can opener on a couple of cans, one of chicken broth and the other of pumpkin puree. Cut up a few pieces of bacon and saute the bacon in olive oil with onion and garlic. Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Add the pumpkin puree and more broth or water as needed to achieve the texture you prefer. Heat to a simmer, whisk in sour cream to taste, season with chives, salt, and peppers-red, black, and white-and plate it. Add a swirl of sour cream the way restaurants do, people will swear you killed yourself. Let'em think it.
All the Trimmings So you want to invite friends over during the long holiday weekend, but you don't want to go full bore for a Thanksgiving dinner. Spread the table with autumn leaves, mini pumpkins, and nuts. Light the candies. Serve the couscous on a large platter. Plate the soup in the kitchen and preset it. Heat the rolls. Haul out the condiments. Now, you can say Happy Thanksgiving to yourself, "Preset" is one of those restaurant terms that means you put the food on the table before the diners sit down. A preset course has a calming effect on people. Seeing the food laid out lets them know you thought about them and are prepared.
If you are making this dish between the months of October and December, try a Beaujolais Nouveau. After January, Beaujolais Nouveau is not supposed to be sold, as it is a green wine, meant to be drunk soon after bottling. The fruity flavor of this wine will complement the fruity flavor of the cranberry. If you are making the dish between January and September, try an Oregon Pinot Noir or a good French Burgundy. these light red wines will also complement the red fruit of the cranberry and the subtle flavors of the turkey.
Menu Ad Lib Pumpkin Soup
Turkey and Cranberry Couscous
Black Olives, Celery Sticks, Cranberry Sauce/Dressing
Hot Rolls and Sweet Butter
Mincemeat Pie and Whipped Cream
