Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes
Thanksgiving Dinner
Ischian-Style Rabbit with Pasta
Serves 3 to 4 people
1 rabbit, broken down into 8 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 3/4 cups of olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stock, diced
Half a yellow onion, diced
1 head of garlic, cut in half
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
3/4 cup white wine
10 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
3/4 pound of pasta, preferably spaghetti or linguine
1 cup grated Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Season the rabbit with salt and pepper and set aside.
Preheat a cast iron or Dutch oven over medium-high until hot. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil to the pan, and brown the rabbit in batches, being sure to not overcrowd the pan, about 5 minutes on each side. Add more oil as needed. Remove the rabbit from the pot and turn the heat to low. Add another ¼ cup of olive oil to the pan, along with the carrot, celery, onion and garlic, cut side down. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and sauté until tender. Add the tomato paste and chili flakes, if using, and cook for a few minutes. Add the white wine and scrape along the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Simmer the wine for about 3 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the thyme, bay leaves and cherry tomatoes and return the rabbit to the pot or transfer everything to a shallow baking dish that can hold the rabbit in a single layer. Drizzle the dish with more olive oil and a pinch of salt and place the pot into the oven.
Roast the rabbit in the oven, uncovered for about 35 minutes. Meanwhile, put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. After 25-30 minutes, remove the middle sections of the rabbit from the pot, as they will cook quicker, leaving the shoulders and legs to continue cooking. Let these pieces roast for another 5-8 minutes. At this point, drop your pasta into the pot so your rabbit will be done roasting a few minutes before you’re ready to toss the pasta with the sauce.
Use a paring knife to check the legs for doneness. Once all the rabbit is cooked, spoon just over half of the roasting liquid into a big sauté pan. Add the cooked pasta, along with 3/4 cup of pasta water to the pan and simmer for a few minutes, tossing the pasta in the sauce. Add the grated Parmesan and mix. Taste the pasta for seasoning and adjust as needed. Top the pasta with a drizzle of fresh olive oil and more grated Parmesan. Serve the rabbit alongside in the remainder of the juices.
Smashed Potatoes with Fried Sage
2 pounds new, small potatoes
Salt
2/3 cups of olive oil, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch sage, picked, about 1/2 cup
Flaky salt for serving
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash the potatoes and place them in a pot with cold water with a few big handfuls of salt. Bring the pot to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet tray to cool. Once cool enough to handle, smash the potatoes with your palm or the bottom of a cup. Drizzle the potatoes with 1/3 cup of olive oil, a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Roast the potatoes until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Flip the potatoes and roast for another 10 minutes.
While the potatoes are roasting, pour the rest of the oil into a shallow saucepan to fry the sage. Turn the pot to low and let the oil heat for a few minutes. Add one sage leaf to the pot to check the temperature. It should sizzle and fry up in about 10-15 seconds. If it turns brown, allow the oil to cool down a bit before frying. If the sage is still not crispy after 15 seconds, allow the oil to heat further. Fry the sage. Remove the sage from the oil, and place it onto a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Season the sage with salt.
Spoon the hot potatoes onto a serving dish. Scatter the fried sage on top, along with a few spoonfuls of the sage oil. Season with flaky salt and serve.
Autumnal Chicory Salad with Pomegranates and Persimmons
1 shallot, diced
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt
1/2 cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
2-3 heads mixed chicories
1 head of fennel, thinly sliced
2 stocks of celery, thinly sliced
2 persimmons, peeled and sliced
1 pomegranate, seeds removed
1/2 cup of walnuts, toasted
To make the vinaigrette, place the diced shallot into a small bowl, along with the vinegar and a pinch of salt. Leave the shallot to macerate for about 10 minutes before stirring in the olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt as needed
Combine all the remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Season the lettuce with salt and pepper and spoon over a portion of the dressing. Toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.