Local chefs serve up tips for a smaller Thanksgiving feast

A smaller Thanksgiving gathering is in the cards this year.

Public health officials have said we need to scale down celebrations to help curb the spread of COVID-19, so that means a 10-kg turkey and 15 people feasting at the dinner table isn't the norm.

You can still have turkey and the trimmings — just scale back, says Janet Duncan of Jake & Humphreys' Bistro in New Hamburg.  

"You can just buy a breast or leg, so you don't have to get a whole bird," she says. 

A boneless turkey breast can be stuffed with a variety of ingredients, rolled and cooked in the oven along with seasonings in about an hour to 80 minutes.  

Turkey's from here

A bird native to North and Central America, turkeys were domesticated by Aztec peoples long before Spanish conquistadores arrived.

Arturo Freire at Village Biergarten in St. Jacobs says Mexicans don't celebrate Thanksgiving, of course, but turkey meat goes nicely in a soup. 

"We don't make traditional Thanksgiving meals with turkey, 'quajolote,' but it makes a perfect dish for fall weather, pozole," says Freire. "There are many variations on this soup or stew. It's a main course. You don't need an appetizer because it's so hearty." 

Try something different

While "turkey day" is a time for tradition, this might be the year to break away and try cooking something different.  

Kevin Stemmler of Stemmler Meats in Heidelberg suggests looking for a large chicken to roast as an alternative: the flavour is different, but it can still be seasoned like your traditional turkey. 

"Turkeys are generally difficult to find below 10 lbs, but large fresh roasting chickens at eight pounds are good for a small group," Stemmler says. "They are locally raised and look impressive." 

If you don't want to roast it in the oven, you could Google "spatchcock" — basically flatten out the bird by removing the backbone, season it generously and barbecue it. 

Staying with poultry, other birds could be perfect for small groups.  

"In the past, we've done a Cornish hen for two [people]," Duncan says. "And you can still lean toward the traditional trimmings with smaller birds."

They take only 10 minutes or so to prepare, and Cornish hens cook in about an hour. It could even be the centrepiece of a celebratory dinner for one, if that's the size of your group this year. 

It's easier to consider other proteins for the meal, such as salmon fillets or special cuts of beef, for a smaller group. If tenderloin usually isn't on your Thanksgiving shopping list, filet mignon from the smaller end of the cut, can be a treat. 

"If your budget allows, beef tenderloin is quick and easy to cook and a little special," Duncan says. 

Depending on thickness, pan-sear the steak for five to six minutes per side and let it rest covered for 15 minutes. In the meantime, put together a pan gravy using some red wine, beef stock, rosemary, butter and salt and pepper. It's a special meal, and might start you thinking about creating new traditions for the holiday.

From chicken wings to 'Thanks-toberfest'

At Willibald Farm Distillery and Brewery in Ayr, chef Byron Hallett says alternatives to the traditional meal can save time, so you can spend it with family.  

"Think about things like a hearty pot pie, lasagna, a slab of meat loaf or, a personal favourite of mine, chicken wings with a side of beer while watching football," he says. 

He adds that hams come in a range of sizes that can match the smaller size of your Thanksgiving dinner.

"That takes it a more traditional route, but ham is hands-down easy and moves away from turkey," he said.   

In addition, check out food purveyors like Vincenzo's in Waterloo for popular "spiral ham" preparations as another porcine possibility. 

As for chicken wings, they can be baked crispy quite successfully. Toss them with a bit of oil and salt and pepper and bake in a 400-degree oven for 45 minutes, or until crispy. Use a wire rack on your baking sheet to allow hot air to circulate and prevent sogginess. 

You could make it Waterloo County Fare for "Thanks-toberfest:" Thanksgiving coincides with Oktoberfest in Waterloo Region — so combine them this year, says Stemmler. "Why not an Oktoberfest meal for Thanksgiving instead of something traditional?" 

That could mean schnitzel, sauerkraut and cabbage rolls or sausage. Stemmler also carries a Waterloo Beer Brat made in conjunction with Waterloo Brewery, available until the end of October. 

Bring on the veggies

On the plant-based side of things, the fall is a great time to gobble up the local harvest. Create a root-veg pot pie using ready-made pastry shells, if you don't want to bake, that you can easily adapt to the smaller-sized dinner crowd.

"Shop for a variety of local vegetables since they're plentiful and reasonably priced now," notes Duncan. 

A multi-layered vegetable lasagna or Greek moussaka, rich with a Bechamel sauce and a couple of good cheeses, can be made ahead of time, brought to room temperature and heated for one or two or three people at dinner time. Freeze the leftovers for later. 

Matt Burn at Fergus's Underground Kitchen says Thanksgiving at his house is usually a big deal but guest numbers will be a lot smaller this year. While he's thinking of Moroccan-style spiced lamb with candied yams, he also planning a unique seasonal soup. 

"This year we're just three, but the menu I'm tossing around includes an interesting pumpkin and split pea soup," Burn says.

With fewer guests, ambitious cooks could get in touch with their inner Martha Stewarts and serve the soup in small hollowed-out pumpkins.

Finally, glance through the menus of our local restaurants with their range of international flavours — Caribbean, Thai, Mexican and more — for inspiration.

Smaller numbers and perhaps more time to see to cooking details and learn other techniques can nudge you to create something different and start a whole new Thanksgiving tradition.