"We see Sissy Hicks as the Alice Waters of Vermont," says Michael Stern" - relying on local farmers and green grocers, cooking meals that reflect the seasons, and creating a menu that is at once respectful of tradition and yet always surprising... This cookbook is one that cooks will turn to for ideas for Sunday dinners, company's-coming meals, candlelight suppers, and leisurely family breakfasts on a weekend morning.
Sissy says that Thanksgiving is her favorite meal, mostly because of all the accompanying vegetables and potatoes. She especially likes turkey croquettes because they are "like the turkey meal all in one." They are so popular that they are always on the menu.
Servings: 6-8
2 cups cooked turkey, even all those tiny scraps, diced
1 cup stuffing
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced
1 celery rib, chopped
1/2 leek, sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon tarragon
1 cup turkey gravy, or if there isn’t any left over use chicken stock with 2 tablespoons roux
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs, beaten with a little water
2 cups breadcrumbs
Canola oil for frying
FOR THE CRANBERRY SAUCE:
1 pound sugar
2 cups water
1 pound cranberries
1 orange, chopped
Put the turkey meat and the stuffing in a large mixing bowl.
Heat the vegetable oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat and saute the onion, celery, leek, sage, thyme, and tarragon until just soft, approximately 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, and then add to the turkey and stuffing mixture. Toss with your hands.
Put the entire mixture in a food processor and pulse to chop coarsely; do not puree. The croquettes are best with some texture.
Put the mixture back into the mixing bowl and add the gravy. This will bind the mixture, so you will now be able to form little golf-ball-size croquettes.
In a cast-iron skillet or heavy saucepan, pour enough canola oil to measure two inches and heat over medium-high heat (350 degrees F).
Put the flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls. Roll each croquette in the flour, shaking off the excess. Then dip each croquette in the egg mixture, and then roll in the breadcrumbs until evenly coated.
Drop the croquettes, one at a time, into the oil. (Be careful because the oil will bubble and splatter.) Cook the croquettes until brown, about 5 minutes.
Prepare the Cranberry Sauce: Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cranberries and orange. Simmer until the cranberries just begin to split open. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
Serve the croquettes with the Cranberry Sauce on the side.
Note: To store: put the croquettes in an airtight container in a single layer and freeze. When you cook them, make sure that they are completely thawed.
