Season’s eatings: home for the holidays with virginia willis

By Ramsey Nix

 

Every family honors certain holiday traditions– whether your uncle fries a turkey in the backyard every Thanksgiving or your mother knits stockings for each new member of the family at Christmas. For renowned cook, author, and culinary television producer Virginia Willis, her family’s traditions can be found on the dinner table.

During her recent visit to Madison, she shared stories and recipes from her new cookbook, “Bon Appetit, Y’all,” with an audience at Dog Ear Books. Willis explained that every dish she serves at holiday feasts derives from a family recipe, most likely handed down by her grandmother “Meme” or her mother “Mama.”

“All of these are family recipes,” Willis said. “There would be a major revolt if certain dishes weren’t served at my family’s Thanksgiving or Christmas gatherings. Without this turkey, this gravy, and this pecan pie, it wouldn’t even be the holidays!”

If your family doesn’t honor cherished culinary traditions, or if overhauling them wouldn’t cause more stress than the holidays already dole out, follow Willis’ simple recipes for refined Southern holiday classics. Once you smell this brined turkey roasting or taste these bourbon-sweet potatoes, you will understand why her family recipes have stuck.

 

Meme’s Roast Turkey and Giblet Gravy

Serves 10 to 12

"The first time Mama and I brined a turkey, it was a revelation. The bird emerged from the oven glistening a rich, golden brown, like the glorious totemic beast from the Rockwell painting. Meme didn’t brine her bird, so I have taken a little liberty with this recipe. Let’s just say it’s the spirit of Meme with a dash of revised technique.
"We have never stuffed the bird in our family, but if the turkey is stuffed, make sure the temperature reaches 160°F in the center of the stuffing. When the stuffed turkey is done, remove it from the oven and let the turkey with stuffing stand for 15 minutes. This standing time allows the stuffing temperature to climb to 165°F, for an added measure of safety.

Roast Turkey
2 gallons water
1 cup Diamond Brand kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 (12- to 14-pound) turkey, neck and giblets reserved for stock
Freshly ground black pepper
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
2 sprigs thyme
4 fresh sage leaves
2 sprigs rosemary
1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
1 onion, preferably Vidalia, peeled
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Turkey Giblet Stock
Neck and giblets from the turkey
5 cups water
1 onion, preferably Vidalia, halved
1 bay leaf, preferably fresh

Giblet Gravy
4 cups Turkey Giblet Stock
2 large onions, preferably Vidalia, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, hard-cooked and finely chopped

To brine the turkey, combine the 2 gallons water, salt, and sugar in a large, non-reactive bucket or stockpot, if storing in the refrigerator, or in an insulated cooler, if not. Two gallons of water will be sufficient for most birds; larger birds may require three. Submerge the turkey in the brine and refrigerate for up to 14 hours. If using a cooler, add ice or freezer packs to keep the bird very cold. Remove the bird from the liquid and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Position an oven rack in the lowest part of the oven.

To roast the turkey, season the bird inside and out with pepper (no salt is necessary because of the brining). Place the celery, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, bay leaf, and onion in the cavity. Working from the cavity end, loosen the skin without tearing by running your fingers between the skin and flesh of the breast. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter under the skin and spread evenly. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine and fold the wings under the body. Transfer the turkey to a rack in a large roasting pan. Rub the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over the skin.

Roast for 30 minutes. Decrease the oven temperature to 350°F. Baste the turkey with pan drippings and continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh registers 165°F, about 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the giblet stock. While the turkey is roasting, place the neck, heart, and gizzard in a medium saucepan. (Do not add the liver now because it will make the stock bitter.) Add the water, onion, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to low and simmer until tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a small saucepan and discard the onion and bay leaf. Finely chop the heart and gizzard and set aside. Using a small paring knife, remove as much of the meat as possible from the neck bone. Set aside with the chopped heart and gizzard. Keep the stock warm.

Transfer the turkey to a rimmed cutting board or warm serving platter. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let rest 30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.

Meanwhile, prepare the gravy. Remove the rack from the roasting pan and set aside. Pour the juices from the roasting pan into a fat separator and set aside. The fat will rise to the top and the juices and dark drippings will stay at the bottom. If you do not have a fat separator, pour the juices into a glass measuring cup and remove the fat with a metal spoon; reserve the fat and the drippings.

Pour the separated drippings into a large liquid measuring cup. Add enough of the reserved giblet stock to make 4 cups. Set aside.

Place the roasting pan across two burners on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved fat and the onions. Cook until clear and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and cook for 1 minute. Add the turkey stock mixture and any turkey juices accumulated on the platter and bring to a boil.

In a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, blend together the flour and butter to make a paste (beurre manié, French technique for thickening sauces). Whisk the flour mixture into the gravy, and decrease the heat to low. Finely chop the reserved liver and hard-cooked eggs and add to the gravy. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and the liver is cooked, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve, carve the turkey and arrange on a serving platter. Transfer the gravy to a serving boat and pass around with the turkey. Serve with plenty of cornbread dressing and biscuits.

2 large eggs, hard-cooked and finely chopped

To brine the turkey, combine the two gallons of water, salt, and sugar in a large, non-reactive bucket or stockpot, if storing in the refrigerator, or in an insulated cooler, if not. Two gallons of water will be sufficient for most birds; larger birds may require three. Submerge the turkey in the brine and refrigerate for up to 14 hours. If using a cooler, add ice or freezer packs to keep the bird very cold. Remove the bird from the liquid and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Position an oven rack in the lowest part of the oven.

To roast the turkey, season the bird inside and out with pepper (no salt is necessary because of the brining). Place the celery, parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, bay leaf, and onion in the cavity. Working from the cavity end, loosen the skin without tearing by running your fingers between the skin and flesh of the breast. Put two tablespoons of the butter under the skin and spread evenly. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine and fold the wings under the body. Transfer the turkey to a rack in a large roasting pan. Rub the remaining two tablespoons butter over the skin.

Roast for 30 minutes. Decrease the oven temperature to 350°F. Baste the turkey with pan drippings and continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh registers 165°F, about 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the giblet stock. While the turkey is roasting, place the neck, heart, and gizzard in a medium saucepan. (Do not add the liver now because it will make the stock bitter.) Add the water, onion, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to low and simmer until tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a small saucepan and discard the onion and bay leaf. Finely chop the heart and gizzard and set aside. Using a small paring knife, remove as much of the meat as possible from the neck bone. Set aside with the chopped heart and gizzard. Keep the stock warm.

Transfer the turkey to a rimmed cutting board or warm serving platter. Tent it loosely with aluminum foil and let rest 30 minutes before carving to allow the juices to redistribute.

Meanwhile, prepare the gravy. Remove the rack from the roasting pan and set aside. Pour the juices from the roasting pan into a fat separator and set aside. The fat will rise to the top and the juices and dark drippings will stay at the bottom. If you do not have a fat separator, pour the juices into a glass measuring cup and remove the fat with a metal spoon; reserve the fat and the drippings.

Pour the separated drippings into a large liquid measuring cup. Add enough of the reserved giblet stock to make 4 cups. Set aside.

Place the roasting pan across two burners on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved fat and the onions. Cook until clear and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and cook for 1 minute. Add the turkey stock mixture and any turkey juices accumulated on the platter and bring to a boil.

In a small bowl, using a rubber spatula, blend together the flour and butter to make a paste (beurre manié, French technique for thickening sauces). Whisk the flour mixture into the gravy, and decrease the heat to low. Finely chop the reserved liver and hard-cooked eggs and add to the gravy. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and the liver is cooked, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

To serve, carve the turkey and arrange on a serving platter. Transfer the gravy to a serving boat and pass around with the turkey. Serve with plenty of cornbread dressing and biscuits.

Smoky Collard Greens
Serves 4 to 6

"You simply won’t believe your mouth when you taste these greens. They smell like bacon, and taste a lot like bacon, but there is no bacon. The flavor comes from smoked salt. In its pure state, salt is a simple chemical compound, sodium chloride. There are many types of salt from all over the world that contain different elements and minerals. But things get really “fired up” when salt is smoked. The best ones are slowly smoked over a natural fire, often made of used oak barrels recycled from making wine. The smoke permeates the salt crystals, infusing them with a rich, distinct smoked taste, and transforms their color from a light toasty brown to deep amber. This ingredient adds a unique flavor to a wide range of dishes, including beef, pork, duck, chicken, and fish. I use it most often in Southern-style vegetables, to replicate that smoky taste evocative of hog jowl or bacon without the fat, and it is great for vegetarians.

"Other favorites that I prepare with smoked salt are black-eyed peas and butter beans. If you can’t find smoked salt (available online and at specialty markets), you have permission to use bacon.

2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 onion, preferably Vidalia, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 medium bunch collard greens (about 11/2 pounds), cleaned, tough stems removed and discarded, and leaves very thinly sliced in chiffonade*
4 cups water
1 Tbsp. smoked salt
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Hot Pepper Vinegar for accompaniment

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the greens, water, smoked salt, and apple cider vinegar. Season the mixture with pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the greens are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with smoked salt and pepper. Serve immediately with the hot pepper vinegar on the side.

*Chiffonade is a classic French technique that means thinly slicing an herb, such as basil, or a leafy vegetable, into strands or ribbons. To make chiffonade, stack the leaves one on top of the other, and roll them tightly into a cylinder. Using a chef’s knife, slice the cylinder crosswise into thin strips.

Meme’s Biscuits
Makes about 9 biscuits

"Meme most often made rolled biscuits. For large biscuits, she had a special aluminum cutter with a small wooden handle that fit in the palm of her hand. She cut out small biscuits with an empty apple juice can open at both ends. Some purists use lard instead of butter. Although I like biscuits made with lard and understand the tradition and history, Meme and Mama had started using butter by the time I was born.

"The perfect biscuit should be golden brown and slightly crisp on the outside, with a light, airy interior. For a flaky, tender biscuit, don’t overwork the dough: gently combine the ingredients until just blended. A very hot oven is essential. The steam interacts with the baking powder to create the biscuit’s ideal textures inside and out.

2 cups White Lily or other Southern all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. fine sea salt
4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits and chilled
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 500°F. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Pour in the buttermilk, and gently mix until just combined.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly, using the heel of your hand to compress and push the dough away from you, then fold it back over itself. Give the dough a small turn and repeat 8 or so times. (It’s not yeast bread; you want to just barely activate the gluten, not overwork it.) Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out 1/2 inch thick. Cut out rounds of dough with a 2 and 1/4-inch round cutter dipped in flour; press the cutter straight down without twisting so the biscuits will rise evenly when baked.
Place the biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet or in an 8- by 2-inch round cake pan. If the biscuits are baked close together the sides will be moist. If the biscuits are baked further apart, the sides will be crisp.

Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool just slightly. Serve warm.

Bourbon Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4 to 6

"Only a Southerner, inheritor of the infamous Southern sweet tooth, would add massive quantities of butter and sugar to a dish and still regard it as a vegetable. Add a shot of bourbon? No problem.

4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
4 to 6 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced about 1/2 inch thick
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup bourbon
2 Tbsp. sorghum, cane, or maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an ovenproof gratin or casserole dish. Arrange the sweet potato slices in the prepared dish and season with salt and pepper.

In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, 4 tablespoons butter, bourbon, and syrup and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as the sauce is boiling, pour it over the sweet potatoes. Bake the casserole, basting and turning the potatoes occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are soft and tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.

Recipes reprinted with permission from "Bon Appetit, Y'all: Recipes and Stories from Three Generations of Southern Cooking," by Virginia Willis. Copyright (c) 2008. Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, CA. www.tenspeed.com.

 

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