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Chimichurri Brine & Cristina Ferrare's Mashed Potatoes and Gravy Recipes

Chimichurri Brine & Cristina Ferrare's Mashed Potatoes and Gravy Recipes
Ingredients

Ingredients for Cristina Ferrare's Gravy and Potatoes8 to 10 servings

  • 10 (4-inch long) yukon gold potatoes, rinsed under cool water
  • 1 cup whole milk, warm
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • cracked pepper
  • lemon zest for garish

Maple-Bourbon Brine IngredientsYields 30 cups of brine.

  • 20 cups water
  • 1 ½ cups bourbon
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1 cup pure maple syrup
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 5 bay leaves
  • ¾ cup fresh Thyme sprigs
  • 3 tbs. whole black peppercorn
  • 1 12-14 lb. Turkey

Rosemary Citrus BrinePrep: 15 Marinade: 8 hours

  • 2 lemons
  • 2 oranges
  • 12 cups water
  • 8 cups apple cider
  • ½ cups packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup kosher salt or ¾ cup table salt
  • 1 cup fresh rosemary sprigs
  • 3 tbs whole black peppercorns
  • 5 bay leaves
  • 5 garlic cloves; peeled

How to Make Maple-Bourbon Brine:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a 16 quart stock pot.
  2. Cover; heat over high-heat until mixture is steaming.
  3. Stir occasionally to dissolve sugar & salt.
  4. Remove stock pot from heat.
  5. Add 12 cups of ice.
  6. Let stand until ice melts & mixture is cool.
  7. Remove neck & giblets from turkey; remove for another use or discard.
  8. Rinse turkey cavity & place in stockpot w/ brine.
  9. Weigh tukey down w/ plates for full submersion & cover w/ lid.
  10. Chill for 8-12 hours.


How to Make Rosemary Citrus Brine:

  1. Finely shred peels from lemons & oranges.
  2. Juice lemons and oranges.
  3. Combine all ingredients including citrus juice & peels in a 16 quart stock pot.
  4. Cover; heat over high heat until mixture is steaming.
  5. Stir occasionally to dissolve sugar & salt.
  6. Remove stock pot from heat.
  7. Add 12 cups of ice.
  8. Let stand until ice melts & mixture is cool.
  9. Remove neck & giblets from turkey; remove for another use or discard.
  10. Rinse turkey cavity & place in stockpot w/ brine.
  11. Weigh tukey down w/ plates for full submersion & cover w/ lid.
  12. Chill for 8-12 hours.


How to Make Chimichurri Brine:
Recipe courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine

  1. Finely shred the peel from 6 limes; set aside. Juice limes.
  2. In a 16-quart stock pot combine lime juice and shredded peel.
  3. Add 20 cups water; 1 ½ cups sugar; 1 cup kosher salt or ¾ cup table salt; ¼ cup fresh oregano sprigs; 3 fresh jalapeno chile peppers,* cut in half lengthwise; 2 medium onions, cut into wedges; 3 tablespoons whole black peppercorns; 5 bay leaves; and 5 cloves garlic, peeled.
  4. Cover; heat over high heat until mixture is steaming, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar and salt.
  5. Remove stock pot from heat. Add 12 cups ice and 1 ½ cups parsley sprigs.
  6. Let stand until ice melts and mixture is cool.


Cristina Ferrare's Recipe for Mashed Potatoes:

  • Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with water to cover the potatoes by 2-inches. Bring to a boil; then lower the heat to a gentle boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender about 30 minutes. Test for doneness by gently inserting a paring knife through the middle. If it goes in smoothly, your potatoes are done. Drain under cool running water and transfer to a bowl. Gently peel off the skins and discard.
  • Run the hot potatoes through a potato ricer over a large pot (the same pot you boiled the potatoes in is fine). (If you don’t have a ricer, use a potato masher, the potatoes come out creamier if you use a ricer.) Place the pot on the stove over medium heat and add ½ cup of the warm milk and half of the butter. Mix well until the butter has melted.
  • Add the other ½ cup of milk, the rest of the butter, the scallions (if you are making the potatoes in advance, don’t put the scallions in at this point; wait until you are ready to serve), and the salt. Mix well, turning constantly. taste and add more salt if needed.
  • Serve in a warmed bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of softened butter on top, if you wish, crack some fresh pepper on top and sprinkle on lemon zest.
  • Since the potatoes take some time to boil, mash, and whip, and then the pots and bowls have to be cleaned, I make my mashed potatoes 2 to 4 to hours before I need to serve them. I keep them fluffy and warm by using the double boiler method. I place my mashed potatoes in a ceramic, pyrex, or stainless-steel bowl on top of a pot filled with water ⅓ of the way up that has been brought to a boil, then turned down to a low simmer.
  • Make sure the pot with the mashed potatoes doesn’t sit in the water. It should fit snugly on top of the pot. Keep the potatoes covered with a lid. Check the water level every hour or so to make sure there is enough to keep the simmer going. Before you serve the potatoes, use a large spoon to turn the potatoes on the bottom and bring them to the top. If you use this method, add the chopped scallions at the last minute before you serve.

Cristina Ferrare's Gravy Recipe:

  • Pour what ever chicken broth you have left into the roasting pan, scrape the sides with a wooden spoon to release any of the bits that are on the bottom or corners. Strain into a sauce pan and use a large spoon to remove oil that has risen to the top, bring it to a gentle boil.
  • In a small cup combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of cold water and mix well. Pour into the sauce pan and stir to thicken. If you wish to have thicker gravy continue the same process until you get the thickness you like. Add the sherry and simmer for one minute then add the fresh chives. Carve the turkey and arrange on a large platter dividing the white meat from the dark. Ladle some of the gravy over the top of the turkey to help keep it moist and garnish with fresh parsley and pomegranates! Give 2 to 3 turns of black pepper over the top of the turkey.


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