The Cubists nearly 90 years ago took the classic representational objects of old, broke them apart and reassembled them on canvas in new and radical ways. The resulting artworks managed to be both abstract and familiar to viewers.
Most exciting of all, it was fresh.
If only the Thanksgiving dinner could receive the same revitalizing lift that Pablo Picasso and his pals gave the art world then.
Cooks bored with the highly ritualized dishes of the holiday can find inspiration from the Cubists and reinvent the menu with inspired frenzy. What you’ll end up with is a dinner that is recognizable as T-day fare but still feels wonderfully different.
Leave the turkey where it is at the center of the table. The bird is too iconic to be touched. But consider shifting courses around, lifting familiar ingredients out of their places to shine anew elsewhere in the meal.
Who says pumpkin has to be pie, or sweet potatoes mashed, or cranberries sauced? Why not pumpkin soup, sweet potato tempura and a cranberry tart for dessert?
To paraphrase Picasso, “?Porque no?” Why not?
And don’t worry. Just as the Cubists looked to Paul Cezanne for inspiration, you can rely on advice and recipes from adventurous cooks already freed of holiday traditions.
Believe me, they’re out there. I went to the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters (egullet.org), the popular on-line site for all things food and wine, and posted a question on the “Adventures in Eating” forum. I asked for help “re-imagining” Thanksgiving. The question garnered 89 posts and nearly 4,000 page views.
Many of the correspondents thought family and friends enjoyed a re-imagined Thanksgiving so much more than the traditional.
“We have friends who eat lightly at their family’s afternoon Thanksgiving dinner so they can sneak over to our apartment for round two in the evening,” said Samuel Lloyd Kinsey, an opera singer from New York City.
“To me, Thanksgiving is simply a convenient excuse to have a bunch of friends over for a really big fancy dinner party,” he added. “My sole concession to Thanksgiving is a turkey course, although there I will be braising/shredding the leg meat in port wine and cooking the breasts sous vide with truffles.” (Sous vide means cooking food in vacuum-packed containers.)
Melissa Goldman of Hingham, Mass., said presentation is an important factor because the “new” dish has to look more appealing than the old standby. Among her updates: individual mushroom bread puddings and Brussels sprouts candied like yams. Her guests’ reactions?
“It is generally very predictable,” she said. “First they take one or two bites to ‘be polite,’ then after they taste it they give [themselves] a much bigger serving. I find it very gratifying.”
Not everyone, of course, reported such happy reactions from family. Fairly typical was the story shared by Lisa Martin of Nutley, N.J., who was shot down when she tried pumpkin soup one year, baked sweet potatoes without marshmallows another year and garlic-roasted string beans a third year.
“I’ve given up,” she confessed. “My family wants the traditional foods; maybe it connects them, maybe it brings comfort to having the same thing every year.”
Yet one has to wonder, as did Edsel Little, why so many Americans who insist on “traditional” dishes use modern convenience foods.
“Did the Pilgrims bring canned onion rings and mush-room soup concentrate over on the Mayflower?” asked Little, an engineering technologist from Oberlin, Ohio. “Maybe they used jellied cranberry sauce as ballast.”
GREEN BEANS
Green beans, blanched and then plunged into ice water to set the color, can serve as a do-ahead cold first course. Accent the beans with thin red onion rings or chopped shallots and some chopped hazelnuts or walnuts. Dress with your favorite vinaigrette.
Christopher Ann Cowan of Springfield, Mo., does her own spin on the classic green bean casserole. She makes a three-bean salad and pairs it with fresh, deep-fried onion rings.
Dry-fried string beans, a classic Sichuan dish, are enjoyed by Dave Barton of Edgewater, Md. The beans, deep-fried or stir-fried until slightly wrinkled, are lightly glazed with soy sauce and can be accented with a number of items, from tiny dried shrimp reconstituted in hot water, to ground pork or Chinese pickles.
The dish works with the “mix of flavors” on the table, said Barton, a former submarine engineer now in real estate. It also pairs well with his T-day wines of choice, Alsatian wines like riesling and pinot gris.
Dry-fried string beans
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
This recipe for one of Sichuan’s most famous dishes comes from “Land of Plenty,” by Fuchsia Dunlop. While noting that many restaurants deep-fry the beans to save time (some traditional recipes call for up to 2 hours of cooking over low heat), Dunlop suggests steaming or boiling the beans to minimize the oiliness. While ground pork is traditional in this dish, it can be omitted. Tianjin preserved vegetable and Shaoxing wine are available at Asian markets.
1/4 cup peanut oil
3/4 pound fresh green beans, trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths
2 3 cup ground pork, optional
2 teaspoons each: soy sauce, Shaoxing wine or medium-dry sherry
2 tablespoons Tianjin preserved vegetable, finely chopped, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat; add beans. Stir-fry until beans are tender and skins begin to pucker, about 6 minutes. Remove beans from wok; set aside.
2. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil to the wok; increase heat to high. Add the pork; cook, stirring, until meat browns, about 1 minute. Stir in the soy sauce and wine.
3. Stir in preserved vegetables; return beans to wok. Toss to combine; add salt. Remove from heat; stir in the sesame oil.
Nutrition information per serving:
152 calories, 83% of calories from fat, 15 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 5 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 168 mg sodium, 3 g fiber
PUMPKIN
Pumpkin mousses, pumpkin cakes, even a pumpkin ice cream pie are all possibilities. Don’t forget pumpkin creme brulee or pumpkin pudding.
Jason Perlow of Tenafly, N.J., eGullet’s co-founder and a freelance food writer, suggested making pumpkin and ricotta ravioli. Roll your own dough, or “cheat” with wonton wrappers or preformed fresh pasta sheets, he said.
So many people end the meal with pumpkin pie; consider beginning the dinner with pumpkin soup. Karen Resta of Blacksburg, Va., a professional chef turned homemaker, likes to serve the soup in hollowed-out little pumpkins. Her kids get to roast the seeds for a treat.
And the soup need not be a smooth puree; try using pumpkin chunks as in the recipe here for Sri Lankan pumpkin stew.
Sri Lankan pumpkin stew (Wattakka)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Sudha Shreeniwas of Chapel Hill, N.C., said that this recipe is adapted from Indra Jayasekera’s “A Taste of Sri Lanka.” Use the flesh of a small sugar pumpkin–not a jack-o’-lantern pumpkin–for better taste. Substitute 2 butternut squash or equivalent acorn squash, if you like. This dish can be made ahead and reheated. Shreeniwas likes to serve the stew in hollowed out small pumpkins. Rice flour, black mustard seed and garam masala are sold at Indian and Asian stores as well as Whole Foods Market, Home Economist and some larger supermarkets. Fresh curry leaves are available at Indian markets; the recipe can be made without them.
1 small sugar pumpkin, halved, seeded
2 tablespoons oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
4 fresh curry leaves, optional
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 hot green chilies, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons each, ground: cumin, coriander
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 can (13 1/2 ounces) coconut milk
2 tablespoons rice flour
1 teaspoon freshly ground black or regular mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 teaspoon fresh lime or lemon juice
1. Heat the pumpkin in a microwave on high (100-percent power), checking every 4 minutes, until softened and almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Cool. Peel; cut into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the onion and curry leaves. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, green chilies, cumin, coriander, black pepper and turmeric; cook 2 minutes.
3. Place cubed pumpkin in the skillet; cover. Cook until pumpkin is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, rice flour, ground mustard and salt, mixing well. Cook, stirring, until the stew thickens, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garam masala; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in fresh lime juice.
Nutrition information per serving:
173 calories, 68% of calories from fat, 14 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 12 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 155 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
CRANBERRIES
A simple yet different take on cranberries comes from Andrea Vasishth, Australian-born and now living in Berlin. Poach fresh cranberries, drain and cool. Season with Angostura bitters and puree in a blender until smooth with whipping cream and gelatin. Chill until set.
Or try baking cranberry tarts, sweetened with plenty of brown sugar, flecks of orange rind and glazed with your favorite jam.
Or how about this adult twist on tradition? Try cranberries in sparkling wine, a recipe from Samuel Lloyd Kinsey of New York City.
Cranberry-Champagne cocktail
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Look for orange bitters in larger liquor stores. Angostura bitters can be used instead.
6 sugar cubes
Orange bitters
1 bottle (750 milliliters) brut Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled
3/4 cup unsweetened liquid cranberry concentrate, see note
6 to 12 brandied cranberries, see note
Place one sugar cube into the bottom of a Champagne glass; pour a drop or two of orange bitters over the cube. Slowly fill the glass with Champagne. Carefully spoon 2 tablespoons of the cranberry syrup on the top of the Champagne. Garnish with a brandied cranberry or two.
Note: To make brandied cranberries, soak fresh berries in brandy up to 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator. Unsweetened liquid cranberry concentrate can be found in health food stores and some markets. Substitute cranberry juice cocktail or even a splash of the brandy used to soak the cranberries.
Nutrition information per serving:
228 calories, 0% of calories from fat, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 31 g carbohydrates, 0.3 g protein, 9 mg sodium, 0.2 g fiber
STUFFING
Bread puddings, either sweet or savory, are an easy alternative to traditional in-the-bird stuffing. Or turn your traditional bread stuffing into croutons for salad. Make your favorite stuffing, shape into small squares, and fry or bake until golden and crispy.
Individual mushroom-bread puddings
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Resting time: 10 minutes
Yield: 20 servings
This savory recipe, developed by Melissa Goldman of Hingham, Mass., is baked in muffin tins to create individual servings. If possible, use a variety of fresh mushrooms such as shiitake, crimini and chanterelle.
1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter plus 1 tablespoon
12 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
1 loaf (12 ounces) French bread, torn into 1/2 -inch pieces
6 eggs
1 quart milk
1 tablespoon each: poultry seasoning, salt
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add mushrooms and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Place bread in a large bowl. Add the mushroom mixture and 1/2 cup melted butter. Mix well; set aside.
3. Beat eggs in a large bowl; add milk, poultry seasoning and salt, mixing well. Pour over bread mixture, mixing well. Set aside 10 minutes for the bread to absorb the egg mixture.
4. Fill greased muffin tins to the rim with the mushroom-bread mixture. Bake until an inserted knife comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
145 calories, 50% of calories from fat, 8 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 81 mg cholesterol, 13 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 535 mg sodium, 1 g fiber
SWEET POTATOES
Throw away the marshmallows. There are plenty of things you can do with sweet potatoes. Slice, dip in tempura batter and deep-fry until golden and crisp. Or take it a step further and make sweet potato fries or sweet potato chips; season with sea salt or chipotle chili powder.
Cynthia Woodward of Chilliwack, British Columbia, likes to use sweet potatoes in her pommes dauphine, which are croquettes made by mixing potatoes with a cream puff dough, forming into balls, and deep-frying until golden. Season with chili powder for a savory, cinnamon sugar for a sweet, said Woodward, a former chef.
Two more dessert ideas come from a fellow Canadian, Lorna Yee of Vancouver. Yee, an English tutor, suggested a sweet-potato cheesecake with gingerbread crust or a sweet potato mousse.
Spiced sweet potato mousse
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Chilling time: 5 hours
Yield: 8 servings
This recipe was adapted by Lorna Yee of Vancouver from a pumpkin mousse recipe she found online. You may chill the mousse in individual dessert cups, if you like.
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
5 egg yolks
2 large sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled, pureed
2 tablespoons dark rum, optional
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 8 teaspoon each: ground allspice, salt
1. Combine 3/4 cup of the whipping cream, sugar and egg yolks in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook, whisking until thickened, about 8 minutes. Stir in sweet potatoes, rum, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and salt. Remove from heat; transfer to large bowl. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour.
2. Beat the remaining 3/4 cup of the whipping cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes; fold whipped cream into the sweet potato mixture with a spatula. Cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Nutrition information per serving:
285 calories, 60% of calories from fat, 19 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 189 mg cholesterol, 25 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 80 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Brussels sprouts have long been the “other” green of the Thanksgiving table, relegated to supporting status after the green beans and the salad. But the plant, a cousin of the cabbage, is superbly cold-hardy and may well be the only local, fresh produce on your holiday table.
Fresh and local usually equals flavor.
Most cooks tend to simply boil Brussels sprouts whole. Some have begun to serve Brussels sprouts deconstructed–that is, peeled into individual leaves and sauteed in butter.
Samuel Lloyd Kinsey, an opera singer from New York, serves Brussels sprouts four ways as a single holiday course. He turns them into creme brulee, a gratin, a slaw and a simple saute.
Melissa Goldman of Hingham, Mass., candies sprouts to suggest the classic dish of sweet potatoes. Here’s her recipe.
Candied Brussels sprouts
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
Melissa Goldman of Hingham, Mass., developed this recipe. She said to use small Brussels sprouts, if possible.
2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 slices thick-cut bacon or four slices standard-size
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8 teaspoon ground red pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons water
1. Score bottoms of Brussels sprouts. (If using large Brussels sprouts, halve and don’t score the bottom.) Heat a little water to a boil in the bottom of a large saucepan over medium-high heat with a steamer insert set over, but not touching, the water. Place the Brussels sprouts in the steamer; cover. Cook until vegetables yield slightly when pierced with a knife, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
2. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes; transfer to paper towel to drain.
3. Add brown sugar to the skillet. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Stir in pecans, salt, red pepper and black pepper to taste. Stir in Brussels sprouts. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until sauce is the consistency of a glaze. Transfer to serving dish; crumble bacon on top.
Nutrition information per serving:
241 calories, 45% of calories from fat, 13 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 2 mg cholesterol, 31 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 189 mg sodium, 4 g fiber
———-
THE AMERICAN FEAST SERIES: For the first article of the series, The Traditionalists, visit Good Eating online at chicagotribune.com/features/food.
