Holiday Tips from Boot Camp Class

The holidays are rapidly approaching and Chef David Kamen from The Culinary Institute of America would like to give you some tips from CIA Culinary Boot Camp classes. Each year more than 6,000 food enthusiasts take part in the program, and to help make the holidays a little easier, Chef Kamen has compiled five of his favorite suggestions for a foolproof meal below.

1. Turkeys should be moist on the inside, not the outside. When you are working with poultry like turkeys, hens, or ducks, it is important that they are thoroughly dry on the outside before you begin to add seasonings. It's best to pat the roast dry with a paper towel, as this will help to ensure a crisp, golden brown crust. Once dry, rub vegetable oil over the outside of the bird, and then following with dry herbs or seasonings. Place some seasoning inside the cavity as well, and feel free to add herbs and aromatic vegetables such as parsley stems for additional flavor.
2. Proper knife handling ensures a safe holiday for all. One of the best ways to make your holiday meal preparation less stressful is to have a sharp knife and good knife skills. Every time you want to pick up your knife, you will want to pick up a steel and pass your knife three or four times on each side of the steel to make sure your edge is sharp. Not only will this make preparation easier, but a sharp knife will also help to keep you from "crying" when slicing onions. When using the knife, hold the handle with your thumb on one side, you index finger on the other, and three fingers on the handle. Be sure to tuck your fingertips in on the opposite hand that is holding the item you are chopping.
3. Simple planning and preparations allow you to enjoy the meal. Blanching and shocking vegetables will allow you to save time when you plan to serve your guests. Many of us see the same old green bean casserole on our holiday table every year, and the CIA's version with bacon and shallots is a delicious fresh alternative. By blanching and shocking the green beans ahead of time, you are guaranteed vegetables with texture that only take minutes to prepare before you sit down for the meal.
4. Why buy pre-made, when fresh can be so simple? Fresh or frozen cranberries are available widely around the holidays, and fresh cranberry sauce is so simple to make at home. With fewer than five ingredients, it's easy to prepare your own in just about 15 minutes.
5. Don't sweat making homemade desserts. Pies are often the highlight of any holiday meal, but home cooks can save time and stress by making a galette instead this year. An impressive but easy-to-make dessert, the CIA's elegant, rustic Fresh Fruit Galette recipe uses pre-made puff pastry or pie crust that you buy at the store. Not only are galettes beautiful, but they also bake in much less time than a traditional pie.

To learn more about how you can sharpen your skills at the CIA's Culinary Boot Camp, please visit www.ciachef.edu/bootcamps.

Watch the video on YouTube >

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Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy

Makes 10 servings

• One 13-pound whole turkey
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Maryland seafood seasoning
• 1/2 cup, or as needed, clarified butter or vegetable oil
• 2 onions, peeled and cut into quarters
• 12 to 15 parsley stems
• 2/3 cup diced onion
• 1/3 cup diced celery
• 1/3 cup diced carrot
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 cups chicken stock
• Salt and pepper as needed

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a rack in a roasting pan large enough for the turkey.
2. Rinse the turkey thoroughly inside and out and pat dry with paper toweling.
3. Make a rub by combining salt, poultry seasoning, and seafood seasoning in a small bowl. Rub the skin with butter or oil and season the turkey inside and out with the rub. Place the quartered onions and parsley stems inside the cavity and truss with twine. Place the turkey, breast side up, on the rack in the roasting pan.
4. Place the turkey in the hot oven for 2 hours, basting from time to time. Scatter the onions, celery, and carrots to the pan.
5. Roast until the thigh meat registers an internal temperature of 165°F, approximately 40 to 60 minutes. Remove from the roasting pan and allow to rest while you make the gravy.
6. Place the roasting pan on the stovetop and cook the vegetables until they are browned and the fat is clear. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add the flour and cook over medium-low heat to form a blond roux (paste). When the roux smells fragrant, whisk in the stock until completely smooth.
7. Simmer the gravy for 20 to 30 minutes, or until it is thick and fragrant. Skim off the fat on the surface. Strain the gravy through a fine strainer and season as needed with salt and pepper. Transfer to a gravy boat, carve the turkey, and serve.

Nutrition analysis (not including salt added as needed) for a 4-ounce serving of breast meat: 170 calories, 26 grams protein, 0 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams fat, 65 milligrams cholesterol, 1655 milligrams sodium.

Nutrition analysis (not including salt added as needed) for a 4-ounce serving of dark meat: 250 calories, 31 grams protein, 0 grams carbohydrate, 13 grams fat, 100 milligrams cholesterol, 1685 milligrams sodium.

Nutrition analysis for 4-ounces of pan gravy: 77 calories, 3 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fat, 8 milligrams cholesterol, 172 milligrams sodium.

Adapted from The Culinary Institute of America's The Professional Chef, 8th Edition cookbook (Wiley, 2006).

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Green Beans with Bacon and Shallots

Serves 6

• 2 pounds green beans, trimmed
• 2 strips bacon, cut crosswise in julienne
• 2 shallots, quartered
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and add the green beans. Meanwhile, fill a bowl with ice and water. Cook the beans until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the ice water, leave for a few minutes, then drain.
2. Heat a large, heavy sauté pan over medium heat and add the bacon. Sauté until crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on racks.
3. Add the shallots to the bacon fat and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring often or shaking the pan, until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Season as needed with salt and pepper. Add the green beans and cook, stirring, until heated through. Adjust seasonings, sprinkle with the bacon, and serve immediately.

Nutrition analysis for 6 1/2-ounce serving: 70 calories, 5 grams protein, 13 grams carbohydrate, 1 grams fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 250 milligrams sodium.

From The Culinary Institute of America's and Martha Rose Shulman's Culinary Boot Camp cookbook (Wiley, 2006).

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Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Makes 6 servings

• 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
• One 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
• 2 to 3 tablespoons orange marmalade

1. If using fresh cranberries, wash, pick through, and dry thoroughly.
2. In a medium saucepan, mix 1/3 cup of sugar with remaining ingredients. Taste to adjust sweetness and add more sugar if desired.
3. Place over medium-high heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until the berries pop.
4. You may serve hot or cold.

Nutrition analysis 3 1/2-ounce serving: 130 calories, 0 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 5 milligrams sodium.

Recipe from Joe Muré '74 (1950–2005), assistant professor in culinary arts at The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY.

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Fresh Fruit Galette

Makes 8 servings

• 1 quart fruit, firm-fleshed (pears, apples, peaches, apricots, cherries, etc.)
• 1 package puff pastry dough, thawed
• 6 tablespoons apricot jam, strained, warm
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 cup coarse sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Wash, peel, trim, core, and slice the fruit as needed.
3. Let the dough relax just a few minutes, but work quickly enough that it does not get too soft and pliable.
4. Roll the dough slightly until it is 12 inches square and of a uniform thickness.
5. Cut four 6-inch-round circles out of each sheet of dough.
6. Lay the circles onto half sheet pans that have been lined with parchment.
7. Refrigerate the dough for 5–10 minutes if it is too soft.
8. Spread 1/2 teaspoon of the apricot jam in the center of the circle, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edge of the dough.
9. Place 1/2 cup of prepared fruit on top of the jam, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border around the edge of the dough.
10. Fold a 1/2-inch section of dough up onto the fruit, pressing gently so that it adheres slightly. Crimp another 1/2-inch section of dough over the fruit and lightly press the dough that overlaps together. Crimp the remaining dough around the fruit. The fruit should be barely encased inside the dough.
11. Repeat with the remaining galettes.
12. Mix the egg with the water to make an egg wash.
13. Lightly brush the dough and the crimped seams with the egg wash. Sprinkle coarse sugar on the egg wash. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and baked.

Nutrition analysis for a serving: 400 calories, 5 grams protein, 62 grams carbohydrate, 16 grams fat, 25 milligrams cholesterol, 120 milligrams sodium.

From The Culinary Institute of America's Gourmet Meals in Minutes cookbook (Lebhar-Friedman, 2004).