The popularity of Korean food and other Asian flavors continues to grow, influencing everything from the restaurant industry to the snack aisle. Now it’s time to mingle these flavors into your Thanksgiving feast for bold dishes that also make the most delicious leftovers.
Korean-Style Roast Turkey
12-14 pound turkey
1 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup sesame oil
5 cloves garlic, minced fine
3 tablespoons grated ginger
2 tablespoons gochujang
1 tablespoon fine Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 325 F.
In a bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and gochujang until ingredients are completely incorporated.
Place turkey in a roasting pan, with rack. Pour sauce over turkey, coating evenly. Salt and pepper turkey.
Place turkey in preheated oven for approximately 3 hours, basting with dripping every 30 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 165 F. If wings begin to brown too quickly, cover with foil.
Remove the turkey from the oven and allow to rest at least 20 minutes before carving. Strain drippings and serve as a dipping sauce with the turkey.
Shiitake and Water Chestnut Jasmine Rice
1 1/2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup diced water chestnuts
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons grated ginger
2 cups jasmine rice, cooked
In a large pan, over medium heat, saute shiitake mushrooms until tender. Add balance of ingredients, and stir until heated.
If you wish to use rice as stuffing, allow to cool slightly before filling turkey cavity. Adjust cooking time for stuffed turkey. Internal temperature of the stuffing should also be 165 F to ensure turkey and stuffing are cooked through.
Thai Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup
1 butternut squash, peeled, cubed and roasted fork tender, divided use
2 13.5-ounce cans coconut cream
2 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro to garnish
In a large pot over medium heat, combine roasted squash (reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish), coconut cream, vegetable broth, curry paste, sugar and fish sauce. Stir until mixture comes to a boil. Allow mixture to cool slightly. Using an immersion blender, process until smooth. Add lime zest and juice and adjust seasoning.
Garnish with reserved butternut squash and cilantro and serve.
Green Beans with Garlic Sauce and Rainbow Peppers
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and blanched
1 red pepper, julienned
1 yellow pepper, julienned
1 orange pepper, julienned
3 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced fine
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
Sesame seeds to garnish
In a large pan, over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant. Add green beans, peppers, soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil to pan and stir until evenly coated. Continue stirring for an additional 2 minutes, until heated through.
Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.
Mango Coconut Tart
1 pre-made (11-inch) tart shell (store bought or homemade)
2 ripe mangos, peeled and sliced
1 13.5-ounce can coconut cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
4 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted, to garnish
Preheat oven according to baking instructions. Press dough in tart shell and blind bake until golden brown. Allow shell to cool completely.
Arrange sliced mangos in cooled shell.
In a small pan over medium heat, whisk coconut cream, sweetened condensed milk, and cornstarch until completely smooth. Continue whisking until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla.
Pour coconut mixture into the baked shell, over sliced mangos.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, until filling is set.
Garnish with toasted coconut and serve.