Regardless of the size of the family gathering, many Thanksgiving traditions will still be followed: roast duck or goose, turkey or ham, a variety of salads, and best of all, pies and other desserts.
This week’s recipes come from two favourite sources.
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Roast Duck
2 tsps. salt
2 tsps. paprika
1 tsp. pepper
1-5 lb. duck
1/2 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Rub salt, pepper and paprika into the skin of duck. Place duck in a roasting pan. If desired place an onion and apple in the cavity.
Roast duck for one hour. Spoon 1/4 cup melted butter over the duck then roast for another 45 minutes. Spoon remaining melted butter over the bird and roast for another 15 minutes until skin is golden brown.
Remove from oven, cover with roaster lid or tent of foil. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Discard the onion and apple if used. Duck is sufficiently cooked when leg can be easily separated from the body.
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Sour Cream Pumpkin Pie
9 inch baked pie shell
Filling:
1 cup commercial sour cream
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
4 large eggs, separated
Topping:
1 cup commercial sour cream
2 tbsps. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the filling, combine the sour cream, pumpkin, salt, spices and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Stir to blend ingredients. Add the egg yolks and beat with a fork until blended.
Cook over hot but not boiling water, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the pumpkin mixture. Pour into the baked and cooled pie shell.
For the topping, combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Beat lightly and then spread the mixture over the filling.
Bake at 325 degrees F for about 15 minutes. Cool on rack then store in refrigerator to chill.
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Note: The previously published and corrected recipe for Autumn Apple Cakes has not brought me joy nor has it been a happy experience for readers who found it an interesting way to use apples. The recipe was on a clipping in my Mother’s cookbook and it had a check mark on the top indicating it was a favourite recipe.
I followed the directions to the letter and turned out 18 inedible cupcakes — hard on the outside, doughy with a flour taste on the inside. Housemate gagged through one and didn’t hurry to take a second. I took a bite and threw the rest of the cupcake in the trash.
The baking disaster came up shortly after in conversation with our neighbour. I offered the cakes to be served to his dog. That previously friendly dog growled at me in response. As a reader suggested, “Ouch!...when any dog refuses, you know something must be amiss….” The dog’s owner said he thought it was my cane that was annoying his canine but I know better. That dog is a smart, discerning pet.
Another reader said he would experiment with the ingredients to hopefully come up with something edible. I wish him luck.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
