We love to celebrate Thanksgiving in Italy, as well. An exceptionally glamorous example was the recent virtual dinner organized by Alessandro Enriquez, the Sicilian designer well-known for his culinary passions and table arrangements. This year, though, Alessandro had to readjust the annual tradition to the current reality (from COVID restrictions), essentially reinventing a “digital” Thanksgiving with safe social distancing. “During this challenging time, I didn’t want to forego this celebration of gratitude. Of course, it wasn’t easy to conceive and realize the event, compared to the other years, but this time I felt, even more, my friends' support – even if we couldn't be together. We can only wait for a different (and hopefully incredible) 2021," Enriquez explained.
Alessandro Enriquez
For this year’s Thanksgiving, Alessandro Enriquez decided to send his special holiday menu, full of Italian flair, to a range of friends and celebrities in beautiful boxes. Among the virtual guests from the Italian entertainment and cooking scene were Chiara Ferragni, famed digital fashion entrepreneur, influencer Candela Pelizza, and foodie Francesco Maccapani Missoni, author of the “Missoni Family Cookbook.” To catalog the event, they all shared the yummy experience on social media, to celebrate a full day of “togetherness” online (despite the long distances between them).
For his Italian Thanksgiving menu, Alessandro Enriquez featured a tasty mix of American tradition and Italian food excellence. Each dish takes you back and forth from the United States to Italy. As a starter, there’s the Pumpkin Soup enriched with Sicilian Citrus and Apulian Almonds by Donna Francesca (a traditional recipe from Palermo), followed by Anelletti alla Siciliana, the traditional ring-shaped pasta from Sicily – just like Alessandro’s Nonna used to make them. The main dish is classic Stuffed Turkey, but it’s cooked following a special recipe developed in collaboration with the Sicilian restaurant Muddica. Chestnuts are replaced by almonds, citrus fruit, and spices – which recall the designer's Sicilian childhood – followed by a touch of the American Jack Daniel's Honey liquor. As for dessert, the iconic Neapolitan Babà was served in a particular version. Alessandro Enriquez and Chef Crescenzo Morlando decided to give the classic recipe a twist by adding a little Pop Caffè, a delicious Sicilian coffee with a hint of almond – plus a little alcoholic note of honey from the Jack Daniel’s. There were also traditional chocolate chip cookies made by Baghi's, with American inspiration for an Italian product, and finally, a “Chenin Blanch" vino by Mandrarossa for the Thanksgiving toast!
Thanksgiving Citrus Turkey by Alessandro Enriquez
Alessandro Enriquez is pleased to share his special stuffed turkey recipe with us. But not just that! As an expert connoisseur of Italian cooking, he also suggests: "The side dishes that I usually suggest are certainly not traditional. Tangerines and lemons confit baked with potatoes along with a spicy, fruity sauce. You can heat half a jar of orange jam with the turkey and chili sauce to have a special flavor!" suggests the gourmet. The last essential tip for the success of this recipe? "Serve with love after 30 minutes from the end of cooking!". Delicious!
Ingredients:
For the turkey
1 turkey (about 7 kg)
200 g butter
Salt and pepper
Sage, rosemary, mint
Grated citrus peels
For the stuffing
500 g sausage
300 g Donna Francesca almonds
400 g whole-wheat breadcrumbs
500 g whole milk (approx.)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sage
Rosemary
Jack Daniels Honey
Method:
The evening before
Clean and dry the turkey. Soak the whole-wheat bread in warm milk. Prepare the stuffing by mixing the peeled and coarsely chopped sausage, chopped almonds, the whole-wheat bread (soaked and then squeezed), a little salt, a sprinkling of pepper and red pepper flakes, a small glass of Jack Daniels Honey, some sage and mint leaves, a few finely minced rosemary needles, and the peels from the apple and citrus fruit. Cover and let rest in the fridge until the next day.
The next day
Stuff both the front and back of the turkey with the stuffing made the evening before. Carefully sew the skin flaps closed using a needle and white thread.
Roasting the turkey
Use a large roasting tray with high edges, so the turkey can roast comfortably with its chest facing up. Massage the skin with butter, salt, pepper, and a generous amount of minced sage, rosemary, and citrus peels. (You can also massage these ingredients under the skin, as well.)
Bake in a ventilated oven at (160°C). The stuffed turkey needs about 1 hour to cook for each kilo of weight. Never turn it over – simply baste it every 20 minutes with the sauce that melts to the bottom of the pan.
The turkey is done roasting once the skin is golden-brown and crunchy, while the thigh is still soft. Check that the meat has reached an internal temperature 160°F (70°C) using a kitchen thermometer.
Add a hint of flavor with a small glass of Jack Daniels Honey.
