MAKE MY THANKSGIVING

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Hello my little chestnuts! 

Happy Thursday to you all, today a special post, yes a "combo" post with a surprise guest! You're all familiar with my love of party planning, and it seems I've even written a book on the subject, so today I'm bringing you a tropical Thanksgiving feast. For the record, Thanksgiving used to be an American and Canadian Christian holiday, and then it became a secular holiday, a sort of thank-you party, full of gratitude. Everything I love about it: "Giving" and saying "Thank you"...

Today, for this post, I'm teaming up with my American friend Alison Beckner, a consultant for fashion, luxury and lifestyle brands and, above all, a great fan of cooking and well-being. You've already met Alison, who came to make a recipe for Kale Salad last winter. She's bubbly, funny and says her mantra in life is "if you're good to yourself on the inside, you'll be beautiful on the outside", so Alison created the recipes in this article. The aim of the game for her was to revisit classic American dishes, adding French touches, à la "Frenchgiving", and above all to apply her own style and culinary requirements, i.e. to make a meal that is both healthy and tasty, "allergy friendly" and composed, as far as possible, of market-fresh and seasonal ingredients. And because Alison does things right, when it comes to anti-allergens, this particular meal is gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free and, with the exception of the chicken, vegan. 

 

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So I'll leave you to browse through this article full of colorful decorating ideas and recipes, each more delicious than the last, which I hope will inspire you for next Thursday, the real Thanksgiving Day, or for your Christmas meal. In this article, you'll find two do-it-yourself stationery items: how to make the little cardboard box for guest gifts, and how to make the "famous" paper peony. By the way, for this party's stationery I've re-used the flower pattern you'll find below, and made them very small. Of course, if you have a printer "silhouette" printer that cuts paper, it's easier, otherwise you'll need patience and a small cutter. The typeface used for these invitations is "Origo", available for sale at Myfonts.
 
 
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Let's start with the poularde recipe, of course:
 
  • - 1 poularde des Landes for 4 people to order without hesitation from Hugo Desnoyersone of the best butchers in Paris, according to Alison.
  • - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika,
  • - 1/2 cup olive oil,
  • - a few sprigs of fresh thyme, a few bay leaves,
  • - 2-3 garlic cloves,
  • - 2 shallots,
  • - 1 lemon,
  • - aluminum foil.  
Preheat oven to 180°C. Dry rub the poularde with a mixture of smoked paprika and olive oil. Stuff the cavity with thyme, bay leaves, garlic, shallots and half a lemon cut into quarters (keep the other half of the lemon for the end of cooking). Place the poularde in the oven on a suitable dish for its size for approximately 1h30-1h45 (or the time indicated by the butcher). Baste with oil throughout cooking, every 15 minutes or so. Don't hesitate to cover the poularde with aluminum foil if the color becomes too brown. Remove the dish from the oven and drizzle with the juice from the reserved half-lemon.
 
 
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For the table, I laid it out on an antique linen sheet that belonged to my great-grandmother, and I like the way it's a little crumpled, as if it were last-minute. Controlled negligence, if you know what I mean... And then I laid out some braided placemats on the table, which you can find everywhere. And at the end of the table, I've arranged a bunch of little jars that I found in the Americas, but you can use classic jam jars to arrange little bouquets of colorful flowers. These floral creations are the fruit of Pauline's labor, Pauline's flowers whom I met at Andy's Alternative Wedding Show.
 
 
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For this DIY you'll need: 

  • - colored paper,
  • - the flower pattern to download here,
  • - a pencil,
  • - scissors,
  • - glue.

Once you've downloaded the pattern, cut out the flowers and trace them on the paper. To make this flower, you'll need 3 small flowers and 3 large ones. Take the first small flower and bend its petals, wrapping them around your wooden pencil. Then glue the petals together in the center. Next, bend the petals of all the flowers and start stacking the small ones inside each other (stagger the petals for a fuller effect). Do the same with the larger flowers, and glue the smaller ones inside them. Squeeze the finished flower in the palm of your hand to even out the volume. and Ta-Da!

 

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I wonder if you'd be interested in an article about this famous "silhouette" machine, this printer that doesn't print but cuts... It's quite a tool, and one we use every day... And one that could be of great use to you too.

 

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Sweet potato gratin: 

  • - 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into thin slices,
  • - 100g coconut oil,
  • - A few sprigs of fresh thyme,
  • - 1 large handful of hazelnuts,
  • - 3 caramelized shallots (tip: let finely sliced shallots marinate in olive oil and a little salt for at least a few hours),
  • - 150g coconut cream,
  • - 1/2 organic vegetable stock cube.
 
Preheat oven to 180°. Place the sweet potatoes in a dish, sprinkle with the hazelnuts, coconut oil and marinated shallots. Prepare the stock with boiling water. Add and stir in the coconut milk. Pour over the sweet potato dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 10-15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes on top are "bronzed" on top and tender inside. Add salt and pepper as required after cooking.
 
 
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"Stuffing" Mediterranean-style salad: 
 
  • - 300g quinoa (white or mix of red and white),
  • - 200g rehydrated dried cranberries*,
  • *soak cranberries in hot water and allow to swell,
  • - 3 preserved lemons, cut into small strips,
  • - 1 red onion,
  • - 2 garlic cloves,
  • - 1 tablespoon za'atar,
  • - A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley and a few sprigs of fresh thyme,
  • - 150g of toasted pine nuts,
  • - Vinaigrette: 1/3 balsamic vinegar to 2/3 olive oil, lemon zest, salt and pepper. 
 
Cook the quinoa as indicated on the packet. Cover with a cloth for about ten minutes after cooking, to allow the seeds to swell as much as possible. Add the other ingredients, herbs and pine nuts last. Mix the vinaigrette and drizzle over the salad at the last minute.
 
 
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For this DIY you'll need :

  • - download the box pattern here,
  • - thick, cardboard-like craft paper for sewing patterns,
  • - scissors,
  • - glue,
  • - ruler,
  • - scalpel,
  • - pencil.

Download the pattern and cut it out. Trace on your paper and cut. Take your scalpel and ruler and lightly trace the edges to be folded as shown on the pattern (solid lines are to be cut, dotted lines indicate folds). "Pre-fold your box, pressing firmly on the edges. Fold the tabs in the center, then fold the side tabs over to hold them in place, passing them through the notches. You can now open the box to a greater or lesser extent as it slides open. Close with the top tab. Take your glue and fix the flower on top, don't forget to garnish your box before closing it and TA-DA !

 

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Raw Salad with Brussels Sprouts and Kale:
 
  • - 250g Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced (with a mandolin if possible),
  • - 1 bunch (approx. 250g) Kale, preferably "dinosaur" if not "curly", with stems removed and leaves cut into small pieces,
  • - 2 Rubinette apples, julienned,
  • - 3 shallots, minced,
  • - 1-2 tablespoon(s) malted yeast (aka "vegan cheese"),
  • - 1 handful of roasted hazelnuts (prepared with a touch of olive oil and a little salt beforehand),
  • - Vinaigrette: 2/3 olive oil, 1/3 organic apple cider vinegar, a little sunflower oil, half a teaspoon turmeric, a few drops Tamari and half a teaspoon (or more) red chili flakes, salt and pepper.  
Mix all the ingredients together (except the hazelnuts and malted yeast) and add the dressing as soon as possible. This will allow the kale and Brussels sprouts to marinate in the dressing, making them tastier...and more digestible! Add the hazelnuts and malted yeast just before serving. 
 *To find out more about kale, including where to buy it in France, go to website of her friend Kristen, THE reference! 
 
 
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Pumpkin Chia Parfait Praliné : 
 
  • - 1 can coconut milk
  • - 1 can pumpkin puree*
  • - 1/2 teaspoon each: cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom 
  • - 2 teaspoons maple or agave syrup
  • - 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • - Coconut shavings (optional)
  • - A handful of pecans,
  • - 1 tablespoon oil (preferably olive),
  • - A pinch of pepper, 
Caramelize the pecans in the oil and agave syrup, then set aside. Mix all ingredients (except chia seeds and coconut shavings). in a blender. Once blended, stir in the chia seeds by hand or save them for sprinkling at the end. Place the pudding in individual containers, sprinkle with chia seeds, coconut and a few caramelized pecans. *To try the recipe for homemade pumpkin puree, and for a host of other gluten-free American specialties, Alison recommends the first Babycakes book by Erin McKenna. 
 
 
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And as a bonus, Alison gives you some of her best addresses, her Favorite bakery Chambelland for a sublime gluten-free bread, theAligre market in the 11th arrondissement. The store Thanksgiving-priceyan American grocery store, Pimlico (one of the only stores in Paris where you can find Rice Cream), or even Bien L'épicerie.  

Many thanks to Lise KvanThe talented chef who contributed with Alison to the elaboration of these recipes, thank you for your time and skills, find Lise on her account instagram too yummy. Thank you to Alison, for her enthusiasm and generosity, visit her at website to discover her talent as a consultant, and soon she'll be opening her own cooking blog. I'll tell you more about it, but in the meantime, you can find her on instagram. here and here ! Thanks to Lâm and the boys for their kitchen and reception room! 
November 20, 2014
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