Our Thanksgiving Gift:
The 13th Annual Virtual Feast

About the Virtual Feast

Just about every year, the staff of Barnes & Conti gets together for a holiday potluck. Over ten years ago we started sharing this tradition with our friends, colleagues, partners, and customers (some of you fit in several or all of those categories!) by way of a “Virtual Feast” in our holiday newsletter. We asked everyone to contribute a recipe or two, and those recipes made up the first virtual feast. The virtual feast was so popular, that we continue making the virtual feast the centerpiece of our holiday newsletter.

This year, we’re moving the feast up to Thanksgiving to go with our November newsletter which includes Kim Barnes’ unique way to celebrate a harvest with ideas.

Says Kim:

During your Thanksgiving celebration with family and friends, I suggest that you turn your dinner into a festival of learning. It might go something like this: You are invited to bring your best ideas to the Thanksgiving table—ideas that have moved and excited you in the past year—ideas you are grateful for and want to add to the cornucopia of plenty.

Please see the newsletter for the complete article.

By the way, Kim contributed an amazing recipe for a miso glazed sea bass. It is so good, we’re saving it up for our next newsletter. We didn’t want it to get lost amidst the Thanksgiving classics.

Appetizer: Elegant Figs with Goat Cheese and Almonds

Elaine Turcotte, Operations Manager

Elaine says that this is a favorite cheesy appetizer of hers. “Friends from Berlin introduced me to a version of this simple and delicious appetizer. They used a nice blue cheese in place of the goat cheese. It will take about 18 minutes to make.”

Ingredients:

• 12 fresh figs, halved
• 4 ounces herbed goat cheese (chevre) (Note: or if you want to make the original, use a nice soft blue cheese, such as roquefort, gorgonzola, or one from the Auvergne in France)
• 24 almonds (Spanish Marcona almonds if available)
• 1 tbsp honey (optional)
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven broiler for high heat.
2. Place the fig halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet.
3. Top each half with about 1/2 teaspoon cheese.
4. Place one almond on each, press to push the cheese slightly into each fig.
5. Broil the figs in the preheated broiler until the cheese is soft and the almonds are turning a rich shade of brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Remove from the broiler and let cool for 5 minutes.
7. Arrange the figs on a serving platter and drizzle with honey and balsamic vinegar. Serve warm.

Makes 24 appetizers. Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

LIbation: Prabu Punch (Drink in New York City)

David Heneghan, West Coast Sales Associate

David says that this drink was concocted by barman Joaquín Simó, of Where Pouring Ribbons in New York.

According to Simó: “Pumpkin drinks almost always focus on the same old baking spices, which lend a boozy, pumpkin-pie note to them. But my favorite pumpkin dishes are Indian curries, so I wanted to use those flavors in a fall cocktail. This drink has a beautiful mouth feel that won’t turn insipid if it sits for a bit, and the aromatic garnishes affect its overall balance, as so much of what you taste is about what you smell. It’s a refreshing cocktail that whiskey lovers really respond to, but it’s also very approachable for those who don’t usually find themselves drinking aged spirits. The name comes from a character in the book. Prabu—a joyful man, loyal and generous, with a famously toothy smile—was the protagonist’s first friend and guide in India.”

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw sugar
• 2 cups water
• 5 tbsp garam masala
• whole 15 oz pumpkin puree
• 2 oz W.L. Weller Special Reserve bourbon
• 1 dash Angostura bitters
• 1/2 oz orange cordial (1 part orange juice; 1 part sugar)  

Method:

1. Make pumpkin syrup: Stir together sugar and water over medium heat until dissolved. Add garam masala, and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in pumpkin puree, remove from heat, and let sit for 2 hours. Strain using a chinois.
2. Combine 3/4 ounce pumpkin syrup with ingredients above. Shake, then strain into a rocks glass with a spherical ice cube. Garnish with a fresh green curry leaf skewered with a star anise pod. 

Main Dish: Red Wine Braised Turkey Thighs

Joel Kleinbaum, Web Developer and Internet Strategist

Joel says: At my house, leftover turkey is not appreciated beyond the second day. Not only that, but our table is small, and we could never accommodate enough people to eat even the smallest turkey. So for many years, I’ve been cooking turkey parts. Generally speaking, turkey dark meat is vastly under appreciated. It has a rich, slightly gamey flavor lends itself really well to this treatment, which is more or less classic for braising game.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 turkey thighs, bone in
• 1 large or 2 small onions, diced
• 2 large or 3 small carrots, peeled and diced
• 3-4 ribs celery, diced
• 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 bottle or more decent red wine (Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Cote du Rhone, or Syrah preferred)
• 2-3 tbsp flour or gluten-free flour mix
• 1-2 sprigs thyme
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1-2 sprigs Italian parsley
• 3-4 Juniper berries
• 3-4 whole cloves
• 1 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil (or other oil)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chopped Italian parsley for garnish

Method:

1. Salt and pepper the turkey thighs on both sides and set aside.
2. In a large, heavy pot, sauté the diced onion, carrot, and celery in the butter and oil over medium heat until the vegetables are lightly caramelized Remove the vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon.
3. Turn the heat up and add the turkey thighs to the pot, skin side down, one at a time (you don’t want to lose too much heat in the pot). Let the skin brown for a few minutes, and turn over.
4. When both sides have browned, add the onion, carrot, and celery back to the pot, and stir for a minute or so.
5. Add the flour and stir to spread it around. Let the flour cook for 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the wine all at once, stir to incorporate the flour, and bring to a boil. You should have almost enough liquid to cover the thighs. If not, add more wine or some water.
7. Add the garlic cloves, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, juniper berries, and cloves. You can put them in a cheesecloth sack if you like (it will make it easier to fish them out). Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for at least an hour.
8. After an hour, check the turkey thighs for tenderness. When done, they should be very tender but not quite falling off the bone. When done, remove the turkey thighs from the pot. You can also remove the garlic, herbs, etc. if you like.
9. The braising liquid will be your sauce/gravy. If it’s too thin, bring to a boil and cook it down for 5-10 minutes. It should be thick enough to coat a spoon. If you want to be fancy, you could add 1/2 lb of sliced sauteed mushrooms and/or an ounce of (flaming) brandy to the sauce.
10. Carve the thighs into thick slices parallel to the bone. You can leave one large piece with the bone in, or try to remove the bone.
11. Serve with some of the sauce poured over, garnished with chopped parsley.

Joel likes to serve this with a pilaf of wild rice and brown rice cooked with sautéed onions, leeks, and toasted walnuts.

Side Dish or Vegetarian Main Dish: Rachel’s Vegetable Kugel

Lauren Powers, Senior Vice President, Business Development

Says Lauren: “My sister’s friend, Rachel, comes to the beach for her annual weekend visit each and every summer. She arrives from New York on Saturday morning with goodies from Zabar’s in hand and some fabulous homemade treats. A few summers ago, she introduced us to the most wonderful vegetable kugel. This kugel was indeed special; not only did it taste delicious and feed an army, it survived a collision on the Garden State Parkway. Somehow, my brother-in-law was able to retrieve it from the back seat floor…don’t ask! I have taken a few liberties and added a bit more salt and onions. It is a great addition to any holiday menu.

Ingredients:

• 3 large zucchini (about 1 pound), topped and tailed
• 3 large carrots (9 to 10 ounces), peeled
• 2 baking potatoes (1 pound) peeled
• 3 large Vidalia onions peeled
• 4 large eggs, whisked together
• 2 tsp salt
• 25 grinds black pepper
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup matzo meal
• 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

Method:

1. Use a large baking dish (10 x 8 x2).
2. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
3. Grate all the vegetables on the finest blade of a food processor and mix together .
4. In a very large bowl (think big soup pot), whisk eggs and seasoning until fluffy.
5. Stir in the oil, matzo meal, and bread crumbs followed by the vegetables.
6. Mix thoroughly, then pour into the baking dish and smooth out.
7. Bake for 1 to 1 ¼ hours until golden brown.

If you halve this recipe, bake the same length of time in a smaller dish. The full recipe will serve 6-8 as a side dish.

Vegetable: Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Onions

Eric Beckman, President and CFO

According to Eric: “This recipe is so simple, and yet totally surprises even brussels sprouts haters with how delicious and different the sprouts come out compared to more conventional cooking methods.”

Ingredients:

• 2½ pounds fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 large purple onion or 2 medium onions, cut in large oblong dice
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1½ tsp salt
• Optional: 1-2 tbsp of plain yogurt to top each serving.

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut up brussels sprouts and onions, and spread evenly in mostly single layer across large baking pan.
3. Drizzle the olive oil across the sprouts and onions as evenly as possible, and then sprinkle the salt evenly across.
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until sprouts are dark browned and crispy at the edges, stirring and turning ingredients every 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and serve as a side to your main course, with or without the yogurt on top.
6. Try not to eat too many as snacks while plating the food.

Serves 4-6

Side Dish or Appetizer: Oven Fried Eggplant Sticks

Rebecca Stern, Marketing Associate

Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 2 eggplants
• 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of cayenne (optional)
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 eggs

Method:

1. In a large bowl dissolve 2 tbsp salt in 1 cup warm water. Add 3 quarts cold water. Set aside.
2. Trim eggplant and cut into ½-inch thick, 3- to 4-inch long sticks. Put in salt water, submerge with an upside-down plate, and let sit 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, remaining ½ tsp salt, pepper, and cayenne, if you like. Add oil and use your fingers to work the oil into the breadcrumb mixture. Transfer to a large plate or shallow bowl. Set aside.
4. Whisk eggs to break them up completely. When you lift the whisk up it should be as lifting it out of water.
5. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Liberally oil a large baking sheet (or use nonstick).
6. Drain and thoroughly dry eggplant sticks.
7. Keeping one hand dry and one hand wet, dip an eggplant stick in the eggs, lift out and shake off any excess egg, put stick in bread crumbs mixture and coat completely, lift out and shake off any excess bread crumbs, transfer stick to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining sticks.
8. Bake, turning once, until browned, crispy, and tender to the bite, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Lombardo Famiglia Candied Yams Flambé

Lynne Lombardo, Senior Associate

The most notorious recipe I can offer from the Lombardo famiglia is my grandmother Camille’s candied yams. To fulfill the nuances of the recipe well, it is good to be reminded that brown sugar can combust. The recipe is as follows:

1. Put 2 pots of chunky sliced yams on the stove with plenty of butter and brown sugar and cover the yams with water.
2. Bring to boil and simmer until all the water is boiled away. Forget to add more water.
3. When one pot catches fire the other pot is ready.

Janne’s Amazing Sweet Potato Latkes

Janne Rochlin, Chief Learning Officer

As many of our readers know, Janne Rochlin has been bringing her potato latkes to our holiday potluck since the very first potluck. A few years back, Janne brought these latkes along with the potato latkes. Latkes are, of course, traditional for Hanukkah. Since this year Thanksgiving and Hanukkah coincide for the first time ever, what could be more appropriate than Janne’s sweet potato latkes? You might want to serve them with cranberry-applesauce. Or apple cranberry chutney.

Ingredients:

• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled; one puréed, one shredded
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying
• 1/4 cup raisins

Method:

1. Shred one sweet potato and set it aside. Puree the other sweet potato in a food processor and add eggs, sugar, flour, and spices and mix thoroughly.
2. In a large bowl combine the puréed mix with the shredded potatoes and raisins.
3. Heat oil in large, heavy skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
4. Using a large spoon, drop the mixture onto the skillet and form into small pancakes (about 3 inches in diameter) and fry in hot oil. Flip cakes after 2 to 3 minutes (when bottom is browned) and brown other side.
5. Drain on paper towels and serve piping hot with sour cream and apple sauce, or cranberry-applesauce!

Janne says that the sweet potato latkes will burn easily if not watched carefully. You can get them almost as crispy and crunchy as regular potato latkes, but they require your attention. You can serve this as an appetizer, a side dish, or even as a dessert!

Salad: Original 5th Avenue Waldorf Salad

Dineen Digiacomo, our Account Coordinator on the East Coast, contributed this sweet and festive variation on an East Coast classic.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 apples (peeled and chopped)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1 cup raisins  

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Dash of salt 1 cup of whipping cream, whipped  

Method:

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar and lemon juice. 
2. Add a dash of salt. 
3. Fold in the whipped cream.
4. Mix in the apples, walnuts, celery and raisins.  

Pumpkin Apple Cake

Kim Barnes, Barnes & Conti CEO

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 can solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 medium tart apples, peeled and diced

  Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a non-stick 10 cup bundt or tube pan with vegetable spray.
3. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugar and oil. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Add water, vanilla, pumpkin, orange zest, and beat.
4. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Beat into pumpkin mixture until combined. Don’t overbeat.
5. Fold in apples; pour into prepared plan.
6. Bake 50 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Place on a rack and remove from the pan when cool.