Rouxbe

• 2 qt Cold Water
• 1 large onion
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 cups Kosher salt - can substitute with 3/4 cup table salt
• 1 turkey (15 pounds)
• 5 qt Cold Water
• 2 qt ice

To brine the turkey, place 2 quarts of cold water into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Slice the onion and add to the pot, along with the thyme and Kosher salt. Once all of the salt has dissolved, turn off the heat and set aside to steep and cool.

Next, clean the turkey by removing and reserving the neck. Discard the giblets unless you choose to add them to your stuffing. Using your fingers, gently loosen the skin from the top of the bird. Then rinse the turkey with cold water.

In a large container, add the steeped brine mixture and 5 quarts of very cold water. Top up with 2 quarts of ice. Add the turkey and make sure it’s completely covered with the brine. Place into the refrigerator or a large cooler full of ice for up to 24 hours.

Now you can go ahead and make the compound butter.

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• 1/2 lb Unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt - can substitute with 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tsp freshly cracked pepper
• 2 tsp fresh thyme

To make the compound butter, finely chop the thyme. Mash the thyme, salt and pepper into the butter, then place into the refrigerator until tomorrow.

That was easy; now let’s move onto the stuffing.

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• 2 loaves French bread (28 cups, once cut)

To begin the stuffing, cut the bread into ½ - inch cubes.
Dry the bread by leaving uncovered on the counter for up to 24 hours.

Let’s move on to the yams.

• 6 lb yams
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt - can substitute with 3/4 tsp table salt

To prepare the yams, peel, slice in half, then cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch cubes. Mix together the maple syrup, olive oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and salt. You could also add a few pinches of cayenne pepper, if you like. Pour over the yams and toss to coat.

Cover the yams and refrigerate until tomorrow.

Now let’s get started with the Brussels sprouts.

• 2 lb Brussels sprouts
• 2 tsp table salt

To prepare the Brussels sprouts, trim off the very end, then score the stem with an “X”. Bring a pot of cold, salted water to a boil and add the sprouts. Simmer, uncovered, for about 7-10 minutes. Don’t let the water boil too hard, otherwise the sprouts will tumble into each other and the leaves will start to come apart.

While the sprouts cook, prepare an ice bath. After about 7 minutes, test one of the larger sprouts to check for doneness. As soon as they are done to your liking, place into the ice bath and let them cool for about 3-4 minutes to stop the cooking process, set the color, and remove most of the sulfurous smell. Remove the sprouts from the water and drain well.

While the sprouts drain go ahead and start the sauce.

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• 3 strips proscuitto - can substitute with bacon or ham
• 2 cloves Fresh garlic
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 2 tbsp Unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 tbsp All-purpose flour
• 2 cups Whole milk
• 1/8 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 tsp Kosher salt - can substitute with 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Begin the sauce by cutting the prosciutto into small strips. Chop the garlic and pull the leaves from the stem of the thyme. Grate the cheese and set everything aside. Over low heat, melt the butter, along with the prosciutto and garlic.
Let cook for about a minute, then add the flour and stir.

To avoid lumps, add the milk in a few stages, letting the milk boil each time before stirring. Let the mixture come back up to boil before adding more milk. You may need to turn up the heat slightly. Once you’ve added all of the milk, bring the sauce to a gentle boil.

Let cook for about a minute then turn off the heat. Add half the cheese, stir to melt then add the rest. Add the pepper, salt, thyme and fresh nutmeg. Whisk everything together and taste for seasoning.

Pour the Brussels sprouts into the sauce. Just make sure they are very well drained. Also, when you pour them into the sauce be careful of any water at the bottom of the bowl. Fold together, then pour into a casserole dish and top with the grated cheese.

Let cool, then cover and store in the refrigerator until tomorrow. Now, you just have the pumpkin pie to make.

• 5 tbsp Unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp shortening
• 3/4 cup All-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tsp distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup Cold Water
• 3 ice cubes

To start the dough, cut the butter and shortening into small cubes and transfer to the freezer for about 20 minutes to harden.

Place the flours, sugar, salt and baking powder into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Whisk the egg yolk, vinegar, and water together. Add the ice cubes just before you’re ready to make the dough and let it sit for a few minutes to get really cold.

Once the butter and shortening are firm, add half to the flour mixture and pulse on and off for about 45 seconds. The smaller pieces of butter and shortening will help bind the dough together. Add the second half and pulse only 6 or 7 times. Don’t over mix at this stage. The bigger pieces will give the crust its flakiness.

Place this into a bowl and add about 3 tablespoons of the egg mixture. Stir gently with a fork. Add a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the proper consistency. You will have liquid leftover, as you will likely only have to add about 4 to 6 tablespoons to get the perfect consistency. Gather the dough, shape into a round, wrap with plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

To roll out the dough, flour the counter and dough. Gently roll and turn the dough as you go. Roll the dough out until it’s about an inch or so larger than the pie plate. Place into the pie plate and trim the edges if needed, leaving about an inch overhang. Fold the dough underneath, then crimp the sides. Once done, poke holes in the bottom and sides; then chill in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

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To bake the crust, preheat your oven to 325° degrees Fahrenheit. Cut a round of parchment and place over the dough, and fill with beans or pie weights. Bake for about 35 minutes or until the crust starts to set around the edges. When the crust has set, remove the beans and return to the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. Once the crust is cooked through and slightly golden, remove from the oven and set aside while you make the filling.

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• 1 can solid pumpkin purée (15 ounces)
• 1 can condensed milk (300 ml)
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 large whole eggs
• 1 large egg yolk

To make the filling, use a medium pot over low heat and add the pumpkin puree, condensed milk, cream, ground spices, salt, and fresh nutmeg. Whisk and bring to a gentle simmer. Then whisk the eggs and secure the bowl with a wet cloth. Slowly pour in the pumpkin mixture to temper the eggs. Once everything is combined, pour the filing into the crust and bake for about 40 to 45 minutes. Check the pie at about the 35 minute mark. When done, the edge of the pie should look set, but the center should still have a bit more move to it. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

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