Mini Thanksgiving Dinner

A warm and comforting thanksgiving meal for people away from family and friends. This recipe delivers a juicy, succulent turkey with mouth-watering sides. Cloud-like mash potatoes, meaty gravy and a sweet, tangy cranberry sauce. All combined to produce a beautiful homecooked meal.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Turkey

500g Turkey breast*

1 Carrot chopped

1 Shallot sliced

30g Unsalted Butter*

1 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth

2 tsp Rosemary

2 tsp Thyme

Salt to Taste

1 tsp Black powder

Mashed Potatoes

3 Medium Potatoes

½ cup Milk

30g unsalted Butter*

Salt to taste

2 tsp Black pepper

Chopped Parsley

Cranberry sauce

1 cup Cranberry

½ cup Orange juice

2 Tbsp Raw sugar

Gravy

40g unsalted Butter

1 Onion diced

2 Garlic diced

3 tbsp Plain flour

½ cup Fat dripping

½ cup Chicken Broth

Method

Step 1 - Turkey

Preheat the oven to 190°c. In a small roasting dish, create a base with carrots and shallots.

Add butter, rosemary, thyme, salt, and black pepper to a bowl. Mix well. Apply the spiced butter on your turkey breast to cover all sides except the base. Place your turkey on the carrots and shallots. Pour chicken broth and cover your roasting pan with aluminium foil.

Step 2

Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then take it out, uncover the roasting pan and place it back in the oven. Bake for another 20 minutes. If the turkey isn't done, put it back in the oven and cool for another 10 minutes. When the turkey is done, let it cool down to room temperature.

Step 3- Mashed Potatoes

In a pressure cooker, add 3 cut potatoes with a pinch of salt and enough water to cover the potatoes. Place the cooker on medium-high heat and cook till 3 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally. Once the pressure is released, take the potatoes out; in a bowl, mash the potatoes. In a pan, add milk and butter.

Step 4

Place on medium heat and bring to a light boil. And reduce the heat and cook till they mix. Then add salt and pepper, and mix well. Then pour into the mashed potatoes and blend, sprinkle some parsley and keep aside.

Step 5 - Cranberry Sauce

Add orange juice, raw sugar, and ½ cup of cranberries to a pan. Place on medium flame. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and let the sauce cook for 15-20 minutes or till it thickens, and most of the cranberries pop. Stir occasionally. Then add the rest of the cranberries and cook till they become soft. Keep aside.

Step 6 - Gravy

In a pan, add butter, onions and garlic. Place on medium heat and brown the onions on medium heat. Stir occasionally. Once completely brown add flour mix immediately and cook for 30 seconds. Then add fat dripping and chicken broth, slowly stirring constantly. Let the gravy come to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it thicken. Stirring occasionally.

Step 7 - Assembly

Serve your turkey while it's hot with mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce.

Tips

1. After 20 minutes, take the turkey out. With a thermometer, check the internal temperature to be 165°c. Alternatively, with a tip of a knife, press against the turkey; the juices should come out clear.

2. Don't add too much milk to your mash potatoes; otherwise, they'll be soggy instead of light and fluffy.

3. You can adjust the level of sugar accordingly.

4. If you're not satisfied with the colour of your gravy, you can add soya sauce or Worcestershire sauce for a perfect colour.