Boston Globe food writers offer Thanksgiving recipes

On November 17, three local journalists demonstrated to participants The Way to Cook a Perfect Thanksgiving Meal, one of Metropolitan College’s Seminars in the Culinary Arts. Sheryl Julian and Julie Riven, authors of The Way We Cook and the popular Boston Globe magazine column “Cooking,” made their Thanksgiving favorites, including turkey, roast vegetables, make-ahead mashed potatoes, sweet potato fries, challah stuffing, and an apple pie. They were joined by Stephen Meuse, Boston Globe wine writer, who chose special wines for the holiday meal. Julian and Riven shared some of the recipes with BU Today. Attendees received a copy of The Way We Cook.

Spicy Cranberries and Apples

Recipe by Sheryl Julian and Julie Riven

1 cup fresh whole cranberries

½ cup golden raisins

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange rind

½ cup orange juice

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Pinch of ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur (optional)

4 large baking apples (see note), peeled, quartered, and diced

Set the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

In an 11-by-7-inch baking dish or another dish with a 2½-quart capacity, combine the cranberries, raisins, sugars, orange rind and juice, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and orange liqueur, if using. Stir thoroughly and cover with foil, shiny side down.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or until the cranberries are cooked through. Add the apples to the cranberries; stir thoroughly and continue baking, uncovered, for 30 minutes, or until the apples are tender.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature. Serve or transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for up to one week.

Note: When choosing apples for the savory table, the ideal choice is a cooking apple —that is, one that has a lot of flavor and will keep its shape during baking. We like Ida Reds, Jonathans, Cortlands, Golden Delicious, Rome Beauties, or Baldwins for sautéing or adding to dishes that will cook on the stovetop or in the oven. You can also use Granny Smiths, which are firm and tart and more widely available.

Brussels Sprouts with Honey, Mustard, and Dried Cranberries

Recipe by Sheryl Julian and Julie Riven

2 pounds brussels sprouts

2 tablespoons butter

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

½ cup dried cranberries, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and drained

½ teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Using a sharp paring knife, trim the stem ends of the brussels sprouts, removing any wilted or brown leaves. Cut a shallow X in the stem end of each sprout to keep the leaves from separating. Soak the sprouts for 10 minutes in a bowl of cold, lightly salted water.

In a saucepan filled with a steamer insert, steam the brussels sprouts over several inches of boiling water, covered, over high heat for eight minutes, or until almost tender. Drain and rinse with cold water until the brussels sprouts turn bright green again. When they are cool enough to handle, cut some into halves and some into quarters (you want different sizes).

In a skillet, melt the butter and cook the sprouts for one minute. Mix the honey and mustard together in a small bowl and add them to the pan with the cranberries, salt, and pepper.

Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, for five minutes, or until the brussels sprouts are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Serve.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries with Pink Yogurt Sauce

Pink Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain yogurt

½ cup sour cream

3 tablespoons grated onion

½ teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons spicy bottled cocktail sauce, or to taste

Generous dash hot sauce

½ teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Combine the yogurt and sour cream in a small bowl. Add the onion, cumin, cocktail sauce, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Stir again just before serving. Serve with Sweet Potato Oven Fries.

Sweet Potato Oven Fries

4 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled

Olive oil, for sprinkling

1 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Set the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with some oil.

Use a sharp knife to quarter the potatoes lengthwise. Cut each quarter into thirds or fourths to make thick spears.

Place the spears flesh side up on two large baking sheets. Drizzle with the oil (about 3 tablespoons), and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast the potatoes for 35 to 40 minutes, or until they are cooked through.

Serve immediately, giving the yogurt sauce a stir just before serving.

Herb Roasted Turkey with Maple Glaze

While unusual, the maple glaze gives the turkey a golden skin and delicious flavor.

Recipe by Ellen London

Herb Butter

1 stick (half a cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 tablespoon sage, minced

1 tablespoon thyme, removed from stem

1 tablespoon rosemary, minced

1 tablespoon parsley, minced

12-to-14-pound turkey

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon pepper

Maple Glaze

1 stick (half a cup) unsalted butter

4 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse turkey, pat dry, season inside and out with salt and pepper. Truss turkey. Combine softened butter, sage, thyme, rosemary, and parsley in small bowl. Spread herb butter onto turkey. Place turkey on a rack in large roasting pan in oven for 30 minutes. Remove turkey from oven. Baste turkey with liquid at bottom of roasting pan (add water to roasting pan if dry). Return turkey to oven. Baste turkey every half hour for a total of two and a half hours.

While the turkey is roasting, combine melted butter and maple syrup in a small sauce pan. Warm over a very low heat. After the final basting and before returning to the oven, spread the maple glaze over the turkey, using a pastry brush. Return turkey to oven for final 30 to 60 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 180 degrees and juices run clear. Remove turkey from oven. Let turkey stand tented in foil for a minimum of 20 minutes. Carve and serve.

Creamed Onions

Recipe by Jeanne LaPlante

2 dozen small pearl onions (fresh, jarred, or frozen)

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

1½ cups light cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cayenne pepper, to taste

½ cup fresh bread crumbs or grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 small can sliced mushrooms or 1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms (optional)

Set oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Boil onions until tender. Drain, reserving ½ cup cooking liquid. In a sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat and blend in flour with a whisk or spatula. Gradually add reserved water and cream, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook, stirring until smooth and thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste and a dash of cayenne. Fold in onions and mushrooms (if using). Pour into shallow baking dish — top with breadcrumbs or cheese. Bake covered for 45 minutes and uncovered for 20 minutes. Serves 6.

Boston University Lifelong Learning offers the Certificate Program in the Culinary Arts, which exposes dedicated culinary students to the best professional chefs and teachers in the world of cooking at one of the finest training facilities in the country. Such well-known and respected chefs as Jacques Pepin and the late Julia Child (Hon.’76) have taught in the Culinary Arts Program. The program trains students in the basic classical and modern techniques of theories of food production, teaches future chefs how to become creative chefs, and introduces students to other professions in the world of gastronomy. For further information, visit the Web site. Recipes compiled by Brittany Jasnoff (COM’08).