Chestnut Soup, Tender Thanksgiving Turkey

Chestnut Soup, Tender Thanksgiving Turkey

Making a change to the traditional format this week Steal This Recipe is down on the farm; historic Ayrshire Farm, that is, which covers approximately 800 acres of land in Upperville VA. We couldn’t resist sharing these delicious Thanksgiving recipes with you, stolen with permission from Ayrshire’s Executive Chef Rob Townsend. 
A national working model for sustainable farming, Ayrshire Farm combines 21stcentury technology with 19th century farming practices. The first in Virginia to meet Certified Humane and Certified Organic standards, the farm’s mission is to preserve genetically viable herds of various rare breeds of livestock and crop production to both self-sufficiency and profitability. Producing approximately 16,000 animals per year, Ayrshire Farm’s products are nationally-known to be of superior quality and taste due to their selection of breeds and unique farming practices.
This recipe for the Tenderest Thanksgiving Turkey cooks the turkey legs separately to ensure that each choice of meat is cooked to perfection. Don’t forget to ask your butcher to remove the drumsticks and thighs.

About the chef: Executive Chef Rob Townsend oversees all facets of the culinary program at Ayrshire Farm, including Hunter’s Head Tavern, the Home Farm Store in Middleburg, the catering division called Home Farm Catering, as well as the numerous events hosted on the farm itself. Rob has a degree from the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute, a Cordon Bleu program located in Pittsburgh, PA. His favorite thing about working at Ayrshire is the availability of fresh, seasonal products. “I love everything seasonal, everything local,” Townsend says. “This time of year it’s all about chestnuts, root vegetables, and squash. It’s not only an exciting way to cook, but it’s sustainable too and that’s important to us at Ayrshire.”

Chestnut and Apple Soup Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 small shallots, minced
3 local apples, skinned, seeded and chunked
2 cups shelled chestnuts
4 cups chicken stock (available at Home Farm Store)
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
Salt and white pepper to taste
Croutons (for garnish)

Chestnut and Apple Soup Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions:
In a small pot, melt butter over low heat. 
Add shallots, apples and chestnuts. Cook about 5 minutes. 
Add chicken stock and simmer until soft. Puree mixture and return to pot. 
Add half and half, nutmeg and brown sugar. Bring to simmer, adjust salt and pepper.
Garnish with croutons when serving.

Tenderest Thanksgiving Turkey Ingredients:
Note: You should ask your butcher to remove the turkey's leg-thigh quarters.
(Serves 10-12)
One 18-24 pound all-natural turkey
1 pound butter, softened
4 onions, peeled and chopped
1 head celery, chopped
6 carrots, peeled and chopped
20 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 bunch fresh rosemary
1 bunch fresh thyme
1 bunch fresh sage
2 quarts chicken stock
2 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste

Tenderest Thanksgiving Turkey Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
To braise leg quarters: Season with salt and pepper. In a large pan brown with one-quarter pound butter. 
Once skin is evenly browned, remove leg quarters from pan and add 1 cup chopped onion, celery and carrots.
Add 5 cloves of garlic, and one-half the quantity of each herb. Cook 10 minutes on medium heat till softened and lightly browned. 
Pour chicken stock into pan and bring to boil. Place leg quarters in stock, cover and place in 275-degree oven for 2 to 2.5 hours. 
This step can be done one to two days in advance. Otherwise, while leg quarters are cooking, prepare the turkey breast.
For turkey breast: Pick leaves from herbs and chop roughly. 
Mix chopped leaves and 5 garlic cloves with remaining butter by hand or in a food processor. Using hands, massage herb butter under skin of turkey to evenly distribute. Excess butter can be rubbed on the outside of the breast. 
Season with salt and pepper. 
Place remaining vegetables in a large roasting pan. 
Place turkey on top of vegetables. 
Pour 2 cups water into bottom of pan. 
Roast in a 425-degree, preheated oven 25 minutes. 
Reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for 2.5 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted at the thickest portion of the breast reads 185 degrees. Baste turkey periodically.
To serve: Present the breast and leg quarters side by side. Remove the meat from the breastbone before slicing to ensure even slices.