"Small and Sophisticated" Thanksgiving Menu

Got the 'Small and Sophisticated' menu from epicurious.

COURSE I
Cranberry Kir Royale substituted this w/ apple cider.
Foie Gras-Stuffed Dates substituted this w/ light cream cheese stuffed dates w/ chives for topping.
Celery Bisque with Stilton Toasts


Table setting for our thanksgiving dinner - celery bisque w/ toast served, dish of stuffed dates on the side.


COURSE II
Recommended white wine - 2003 Far Niente Chardonnay, Napa Valley
Turkey Breast Roulade with Crimini, Porcini, and Pancetta Our turkey w/ the ties intact.

Recommended red wine - 2003 Joseph Drouhin Vosne-Romanée
Orange-Glazed Carrot Ribbons
Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Goat Cheese and Fresh Sage


Haricots Verts, Roasted Fennel, and Shallots - We dropped this.
Cranberry-Ginger Chutney - Was good!

COURSE III
Frozen Pumpkin Mousse with Walnut-Toffee Crunch - my best creation!

Ayurvedic(organic) Kadha for stopping coughing

All ingredients to be added according to the cook's judgement. The function of this kadha is to soothe a throat that has coughed for an extended time period. It gives instant relief and stops the coughing for about an hour or two. However, this concoction is not to be consumed in gallons. It has high heat content, high sugar content.

Magic potion ingredients - 1 inch Ginger grated/sliced, 4-5 black peppers, 1 inch cinnamon stick, Jaggery to taste, 2-3 cloves. Boil all ingredients in 1.5 cup of water until the liquid turns a putrid brown. Make the victim drink while hot. Not scalding hot, but when soothing hot.

Credit for this recipe goes to my aunt who awed me one day when I was made to drink a cup of this ghastly looking hot beverage. My coughing ceased. I was sold.

Vinegar cha loncha!

Raw mangoes, made into 2 inch cubes.
Garlic - whole 'kalya'.
Dried California raisins
Dried dates - small bits of.
Dried red chillies
Ginger - sliced
Black pepper - whole
Sugar - as much as the mangoes.

Cook the mangoes. Drain. Make 1.5 tari syrup of sugar and water, add salt to taste. Add the rest of the ingredients except the dried chillies. Add them after the mixture has cooled.

Credit for this recipe goes to my maternal aunt, who had so far kept this recipe under wraps quite successfully.

Teelachi chatni - Nagpuri style

  

Bhakri barobar khaychi chatNi.

Ingredients -
1. Sesame seeds
2. Gul(jaggery)
3. Tamarind paste
4. Ground peanuts
5. Salt to taste
6. Chilli powder
7. Cummin powder

Procedure -
Add mustard seeds, Asafoetida to hot oil(2-3 spoonfull) and add it hot the pre-made mixture of the above ingredients. The mixture would make about 1.5 cups.

Notes - This chutney is high in its heat content(not taste wise) and is therefore consumed in winters. Eat in moderation to avoid upset stomachs. This is one more of my mother's amazing dishes that bowled my husband over. My husband is not a bhakri eater, but after this chutney, I can see myself making more bhakris than I did in the last 5 years of our married lives. Incidentally, this was also my father's favorite chutney.