T

hanksgiving is going 
to be different. So 
many people I talk to 
are hosting either just a few 
people, and some are going 
bigger with seating all over 
the house. Some are doing the 
Zoom. Some are cooking for 
a bunch and offering meals 
to go, bagged and ready for 
pick up. One thing is certain, 
everybody wants to be safe. 
In the past, I would host up 
to 30 guests in my home. This 
year it’
s going to be six. Only 
six.
All seated apart. 
Still I want all the usual 
foods — roast turkey, 
cranberry relish or sauce, 
mashed potatoes and 
vegetables, at least. I may add 
some of my other favorites, 
but the core options will be 

there for sure.

5 INGREDIENT ROAST 
TURKEY (LESS THAN 15 
POUNDS)
I cook turkey many different 
ways — sometimes I start with 
high heat and then cook slow 
and sometimes I use this easy 
method. No matter which 
way I cook a turkey, I watch 
carefully to not overcook. And 
I wait at least one hour after 
cooking before I cut it up. 
You may also stuff the turkey, 
but you’
ll have to add some 
cooking time. 

Ingredients
1 whole turkey (I always 
allot at least one pound of 
turkey per person and often 
1½ pounds)
½ cup olive oil

Kosher salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper 
to taste
6 cups chicken broth
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. 
Remove all the racks from the 
oven except the bottom one.
Remove the turkey neck 
and giblets (in the cavity and 
“rear” of turkey) and place 
the turkey, breast side up, on 
a rack in the roasting pan (if 
you have one) You may also 
make a “ring” of foil and cook 
the turkey in large disposable 
roasting pan. Place the neck 
bone into the pan as well. Save 
the giblets for another use or 
throw them in the pan as well 
(take them out of the bag!). 
Rub the skin with oil and 
season well with salt and 
pepper (as you baste, the 
seasoning will drip in the pan 
juices). 
Place turkey in the oven 
and pour 2 cups chicken broth 
into the bottom of the roasting 
pan. Cook for 30-minutes and 
baste with pan juices. As the 
juices evaporate, add more 
broth. 
Cook for 1½ hours. Cover 
the turkey loosely with oil. 
Continue cooking until done. 
NOTE: Total cooking time is 
15-minutes per pound (don’
t 
worry if the pop-up time does 
not pop up), 
Roast until a meat 
thermometer inserted in the 
meaty part of the thigh reads 
165°F. If you don’
t have a 
thermometer, as long as you 
cook the turkey 15-minutes 
per pound, you should be 
good. 
Let the turkey cool in the 
roasting pan for at least an 
hour before transferring to a 
serving platter or carving on 
a cutting board. (NOTE: The 
turkey will continue to cook 
(residual heat) as it cools. 
To make a quick gravy, 
pour all the pan juices into a 
saucepan (ladle or spoon off 

or separate some of the oil 
that floats to the top — not 
all). 
Make a “
slurry” of flour and 
water or white wine (¼ cup 
flour, ½ cup water or wine). 
Heat the drippings (you 
should have plenty) over 
medium heat until it begins 
to boil. Whisk in the flour 
mixture and cook, whisking 
often, until the gravy has 
a silky (not thick) texture. 
Adjust salt and pepper to 
taste.

ROASTED VEGETABLES
It’
s a little tricky to give a 
definite recipe for this recipe 
because cooking time really 
depends on the vegetables you 
ultimately choose to roast. 
Some vegetables take a little 
longer because they are denser 
(carrots, brussels sprouts) and 
some cook quickly (zucchini, 
asparagus, bell peppers). 
So what I do is separate the 
vegetables by type and cook 
them together. 
NOTE: Slice or cut veggies 
evenly to ensure even cooking. 
If you don’
t mind some 
crunchier and crispier pieces, 
this is less important.

Ingredients
4 pounds vegetables, 
divided (brussels sprouts, 
carrots, bell peppers, green 
beans, asparagus, zucchini, 
broccoli, cauliflower, etc.)
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste

32 | NOVEMBER 12 • 2020 

ANNABEL COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ARTS&LIFE
RECIPES

Intimate 
Thanksgiving

Recipes for what’s likely
to be a diff
 erent holiday
than we’re used to.

