Foodgal talks Turkey- no not really but she does rap Thanksgiving

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Foodgal talks Turkey- no not really but she does rap Thanksgiving

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11.26.13

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A Pie That's Not What You think It Is

An unusual alternative to the usual pumpkin pie. (Photo by Carolyn Jung)

Nope, it's not pumpkin pie.

Not sweet potato, either.

Use your 20-20 vision and you'll realize it's actually carrot tart.

Those of you who have followed me long enough know that I am not a pumpkin pie fan. I love almost everything else that's pumpkin, though, if that makes any sense. So, every Thanksgiving, I try to offer up something that is decidedly not pumpkin pie.

"Vanilla Carrot Cream Tart" fills the bill perfectly. It's from the new "The Chefs Collaborative Cookbook: Local, Sustainable, Delicious Recipes from America's Great Chefs" (Taunton Press), of which I received a review copy. It's written by Portland, Ore.-pastry chef turned food writer, Ellen Jackson, and members of the Chefs Collaborative.

The non-profit organization was founded in 1993 by a few visionary chefs, including John Ash, Rick Bayless, Susan Feniger, Nora Pouillon, Michael Romano and Alice Waters. Their goal was to encourage employees, diners and other chefs to join the food revolution promoting sustainable, organic, local and smart eating choices.

The carrot tart recipe is from Phoebe Lawless of Scratch Baking in Durham, NC.

And what a winner it is. Carrots get simmered with heavy cream and vanilla bean, before being pureed and stirred into a filling of eggs, sugar, and buttermilk that ends up with a delicate, creamy consistency.

The tart bakes up with a far more vivid orange hue than pumpkin pie, which will make your guests crane their necks in curiosity as you bring it to the table.

Its taste is reminiscent of carrot cake, but far less sweet, especially with the tang from the buttermilk that almost mimics that of cream cheese. It's also a far lighter dessert than either carrot cake or pumpkin pie. Much more elegant, too. Serve with a fluff of lightly sweetened whipped cream, if you like.

For this delightful recipe, click here.

An Alternative to Regular Stuffing: Ad Hoc's Leek Bread Pudding

Made with buttery brioche. (Photo by Carolyn Jung)

This rich bread pudding can do a star turn on Thanksgiving, replacing the usual stuffing.

It's rich, all right.

How rich?

Not only are there three cups of whole milk in this dish, but there is also an equal number of cups of heavy cream.

And the bread used in this particular bread pudding? Oh, that would be very, very, very buttery brioche, which you can make yourself if you feel like channeling your inner Martha Stewart or purchase at a bakery like I did. (Note: Draeger's stores on the Peninsula make brioche rolls that work perfectly for this dish. I opted to leave the crust on the rolls for this recipe, which originally called for cutting them off. But the crust is so soft on the rolls, it's fine to do so.)

Yes, this may as far as it gets from a low-cal dish, but I'm here to tell you this decadent dish is far worth each and every calorie.

You might be surprised that the rectangular baking dish used for this recipe need not to be buttered beforehand. But with such a copious amount of fat in the ingredients already, you don't need to do so.

You might also be alarmed at first by the large amount of liquid poured over the brioche cubes. But it all does get soaked up beautifully, so have no fear.

With three eggs also in the mix, the bread pudding puffs up a bit in the heat of the oven. It emerges all crispy brown on top, and fluffy and custardy inside. Indeed, it's nearly souffle-like in texture, with creamy, soft, gentle leeks luxuriously flavoring it all.

This memorable bread pudding is from "At Hoc At Home" cookbook (Artisan) by legendary chef, Thomas Keller.

Find out how irresistible it is by baking up a pan this holiday. You'll find the recipe here.