Bistro Bites: Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and while we'd love to host you at Ellington Park Bistro, we know nothing beats the comfort of celebrating at home. That's why we're sharing three of our most beloved Thanksgiving recipes, so you can bring a touch of Bistro magic to your own table. Get ready to wow your guests with these delicious dishes.

 

CHICKEN APPLE SAUSAGE STUFFING

This stuffing is a true crowd-pleaser, packed with savory sausage, sweet apples, and fragrant herbs. It's the perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving turkey.

Yields: Approximately 12 servings   Prep time: 20 minutes   Cook time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
 

• 1 loaf ciabatta bread (about 1.5 pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes
• 8 ounces unsalted butter
• 1 pound bulk chicken apple sausage
• 2 cups cipollini onions, thinly sliced
• 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 sprigs fresh sage, leaves picked and chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped
• 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, picked and chopped
• 1/2 gallon chicken stock
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Brown sugar

 

Instructions:

Dry the bread: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the diced bread on a large baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes, or until dried but not browned.

Roast the apples and onions: While the bread is drying, toss the apples with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread them on a baking sheet and roast for 8 minutes. Toss the cipollini onions with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, pepper, and brown sugar. Spread them on a separate baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.

Cook the sausage: In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Add the garlic, celery, sage, and thyme and cook for 2 minutes more.

Simmer the stuffing mixture: Pour the chicken stock into the skillet and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Combine ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the sausage mixture, roasted apples, roasted onions, dried bread, and parsley. Mix well. If the mixture seems dry, add more chicken stock.

Bake the stuffing: Transfer the stuffing to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Brown the stuffing: Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and crispy.

   

CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

Say goodbye to canned cranberry sauce! This homemade chutney is bursting with fresh flavors, featuring cranberries, apples, pears, and a hint of spice.

Yields: Approximately 3 cups   Prep time: 15 minutes   Cook time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 340g fresh cranberries
• 84g apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled and finely diced
• 84g pear, such as Bartlett or Anjou, peeled and finely diced
• 38g yellow onion, finely diced
• 3g jalapeño, seeded and finely minced
• 8g fresh ginger, finely minced
• Zest of 1/2 orange
• 25g orange juice
• 20g yellow mustard seed
• 38g maple syrup
• 57g granulated sugar
• 38g water
• 76g golden raisins
• Pinch of kosher salt, or to taste

Instructions:

Combine ingredients: In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, apple, pear, onion, jalapeño, ginger, orange zest, orange juice, mustard seed, maple syrup, sugar, and water.

Cook the chutney: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have burst and the mixture has thickened, about 20-25 minutes.

Add raisins: Stir in the golden raisins and continue to cook until they soften, about 5 minutes more.

Season: Taste and season with a pinch of salt, or more to your liking.

 

TURKEY GRAVY

No Thanksgiving feast is complete without a luscious gravy. This recipe uses turkey drippings and aromatic herbs to create a rich and flavorful sauce.

Yields: Approximately 1 gallon of gravy   Prep time: 10 minutes   Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 quarts turkey drippings/stock
• Additional chicken broth, if necessary
• Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 3 sprigs fresh sage
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 quart heavy cream

Instructions:

Reduce stock: In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, bring the turkey stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the stock has reduced to 3.5 quarts.

Make roux: In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking constantly for 5 minutes to form a roux.

Combine roux and stock: Gradually whisk the roux into the reduced turkey stock, whisking constantly until smooth.

Add herbs: Add the rosemary, sage, and thyme sprigs to the gravy. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Finish gravy: Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 10 minutes more. Strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a large bowl.

Cool (optional): If desired, cool the gravy quickly in an ice bath.

From our kitchen to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope these recipes help you create a memorable Thanksgiving feast. If you have any questions or want to share your culinary creations, feel free to tag us on social media! We'd love to see what you whip up.