Turkey Trot Time

            Looking out from our window on a recent morning, I was amazed by the sight of several wild turkeys that were doing what looked like a dance at the edge of our meadow. Actually it was probably the high wind that was impeding their foraging, so that they would flap their wings to get a more secure foothold, but in the process they seemed to be engaged in a frolic.

            There actually is a human dance version of the Turkey Trot that was popular in the early 1900’s, which involved a lot of intricate movement to fast ragtime music.  In our modern world the name “Turkey Trot” has become synonymous in many towns and cities with distance races around Thanksgiving time, often livened up by the imaginative costumes of the runners.

            I’m afraid I was not thinking of either the dance craze, nor the closest holiday “Turkey Trot” race.  My thoughts were jolted with a much more practical matter. What to serve for Thanksgiving this year?  Regrettably in reference to those turkeys in our meadow, it was going to be one of their domestic relatives.  Turkey and Thanksgiving just naturally go together at our house.

            Since my kitchen does not have a double oven, the 12-14 pound turkey will have to be roasted by the high temperature method to allow oven time for other preparations. For the high temperature method, rinse and pat dry the thawed turkey, seasoning the inside with salt and a few chopped celery tops.  Pour a cup of water in the bottom of the roasting pan and place the un-stuffed turkey on a rack in the lower one third of the oven, pre-heated to 425 degrees. Roast for one hour, turn the pan and roast for an additional 40 minutes. Baste with a glaze or just lemon juice and the drippings and roast for an additional 20 minutes. Total roasting time 1 and ¾ to 2 hours. Remove the bird to a plate and loosely cover with foil to rest for 30 minutes. This gives you time to make the gravy and other side dishes.

            Side dishes are where some variation each year is allowed at our house, as long as there are mashed potatoes to go under the rich turkey gravy. This year we’ll have sweet potatoes emphasizing their natural flavor, without the cloying sweetness often accompanying this dish.

                                    Savory Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

            Cut 2 large peeled sweet potatoes (or yams) in wedges ½ to ¾ inches at the thickest portion. Make similar wedges from a peeled red onion, with the wedges being held together at the root end.  In a large bowl mix together 2Tblsp. olive oil, 1 Tblsp. balsamic vinegar, ¼ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. brown sugar, ¼ tsp. ground ginger and ½ tsp. ground cumin.  Toss the sweet potato wedges in the mix until well coated and spread out on an aluminum foil lined large cookie tin with sides. Toss the onion wedges in the oil mixture and distribute between the potatoes. Sprinkle all with coarse salt and roast in a 400 degree oven for about 40 minutes, turning the vegetables once after 20 minutes with a spatula. The sweet potatoes can be prepared before the turkey, kept covered on the pan until serving time and just heated under the broiler for a couple of minutes.

            Although a roasted turkey, banked with fresh sage sprigs is a picture in itself, having some colorful sides on the table adds visual pleasure. There will naturally be fresh cranberry sauce, a dish of this summer’s dilly beans, but the green fall vegetable can be a challenge. This year’s warm fall has provided the option of kale, still plentiful in the garden and local stores, which unlike collards requires a minimum of preparation.

                                    Sautéed Kale with Pine Nuts.

            Wash kale leaves and chop coarsely, discarding the stems and any wide ribs to give 4-5 cups of leaves. These can be prepared ahead and stored in a plastic bag until use just before dinner. In a wok or deep pan, sauté ½ sweet onion chopped in 2 Tblsp. olive oil for 5 minutes, until golden. Add 1 minced clove of garlic and sauté for another minute. Add ½ of the kale leaves, 1 Tblsp. chopped capers, and 2 Tblsp. pine nuts.  Sauté for about 3 minutes stirring, add the rest of the kale and continue to sauté for an additional 3 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan for 1-2 minutes with heat remaining on medium. Serve sprinkled with additional toasted pine nuts.

            With all this good food ready to go on the Thanksgiving table, family and friends in attendance, one can only agree with the lyrics of the song by Little Eva “Come on, let’s Turkey Trot, Let’s get it while it’s hot”…

 (I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)