Happy Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is celebrated every fourth Thursday of November, the first to honor this tradition were the Pilgrim Fathers in 1621, who in Plymouth (Massachusetts), gathered to thank the Lord for the good harvest. The festival began to have an annual frequency from 1863, with its official proclamation by Abraham Lincoln, during the Civil War. Today it is one of the most important and heartfelt holidays and it has become an opportunity to give thanks for what you have, reflecting on the beautiful and important things in our lives.
This celebration creates a very intimate atmosphere that reunites us with family and closest friends for lunch or dinner at home, gathered in front of the famous turkey to express our thanks to God, family, friends, and life. However, the pandemic forces us to downsize our usual ways of celebrating holidays: Friends and relatives are often far away and unable to join us due to current travel restrictions. Consequently, we find ourselves with fewer seats at the table which is the reason that we give our thanks more profoundly and genuinely this year. We will therefore be forced to resize the same menu, which is why this year Thanksgiving Day will be celebrated with a few loved ones.
Covid-19 and the impossibility of celebrating in many as usual forces us to resize the portions of the menu, and often to completely upset it, for example by cooking only some parts of the turkey, such as the breast or thighs, instead of serving it whole. Therefore you will need to incorporate experimentation and creativity in the kitchen for a celebration where only innovation at the table will be able to save tradition.
The yachting world itself has been overwhelmed by the effects of the pandemic. Certainly, renting a yacht on a charter might seem the optimal solution for spending an intimate vacation away from the crowds. Onboard a yacht Thanksgiving takes on an even more magical and profound meaning. The professionalism and inventiveness of the crew on board, capable of creating exclusive and refined scenarios are combined with the vision of the chefs, key figures in every party in which the meal represents a crucial moment, given its strong symbolic value. Although this year we will be forced to celebrate in a different way, certain traditions remain sacred.
The turkey is a real institution and its preparation becomes a ritual. Each chef has his own personal recipe, capable of combining tradition with his own inspiration, without ever forgetting the tastes and expectations of the guests.
When outlining menus and in particular their shopping lists, yacht chefs must pay particular attention to details, ingredients, and doses. Often forced to delegate their grocery shopping to external agencies, the chefs know well how important it is to hand their lists to experts in the sector. Who are able to fulfill their every request and if necessary propose valid alternatives, combining high-quality raw materials and low costs. As agents, we like to interact with the chefs while drawing up their shopping list, directing them to local and quality products, and, why not, trying to steal some little secrets from them in the kitchen during this process!
For example, this is the roast turkey breast with gravy sauce recipe, for 4 people suggested by a dear chef, a friend of ours.
We’re leaving it below if you wish to replicate it, let us know how it goes!
Turkey breast with pan-sauce gravy:
SERVINGS: 2–4
ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL PREPARATION TIME: 1 hour 45 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 split skin-on, bone-in turkey breast (about 2 lb.)
2 tsp. rock salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig sage
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
PREPARATION
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Firstly we will need to season the turkey with salt and pepper. After this let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes up to 1 hour, this will benefit an even and quicker cooking time.
Proceed in heating oil in a 10" ovenproof frying pan over high until it just starts smoking. Sear turkey skin side down for about five minutes it’s a golden brown color, then transfer to a plate. Scrape up the brown bits left in the skillet with a spatula and add wine, cook until liquid is reduced by half for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add 2/3 cup water, thyme, rosemary, sage, garlic, cornstarch and whisk all together.
Before we transfer the skillet to the oven we will need to place the breast skin side up in the liquid. Roast, keeping an eye on the breast every 20 minutes or so and adding 1/4 cup more water if liquid under the turkey is evaporating lower than 1". The turkey is done when the thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 150°F, after about 50 minutes (temperature will continue to rise as turkey rests).
Let the turkey rest on a cutting board for10 minutes before slicing.
Meanwhile, remove herb sprigs from skillet and discard. Whisk remaining liquid in the pan until the garlic almost dissolves, add a small amount of water and heat over high if it needs to loosen (gravy should be thick but easy to pour). Whisk butter into gravy until melted, afterwards strain gravy into a small bowl.
Finally, serve turkey with gravy alongside.