Wednesday, November 10

Feast faux pas: How to recover from cooking blunders

Karen Fernau

The Arizona Republic

This year, you vow Thanksgiving will be Norman Rockwell-perfect. The turkey will be brown and Yeah, sure.

Culinary disasters - from dry turkey to lumpy gravy - are as much a part of Thanksgiving as the Macy's parade.

Here is how to recover from the most common mistakes on the big day.

Dry turkey. Slice breast meat into serving pieces. Place in a roasting pan and cover with chicken stock. Slice a stick of butter into pieces and distribute evenly in the pan. Cover with foil and warm in the oven until butter is melted, about 10 minutes.

Turkey skin is too pale. Rub with paprika or brush with butter or oil and heat in the oven for a few minutes at 450 degrees. Brown the skin at 450 degrees during the first 30 minutes of roasting, then turning down the oven to 325 for the remainder. Browning the skin first also seals in moisture.

Turkey should be done, but the timer hasn't popped. Put a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast. If it reads 180 degrees, the bird is done.

Turkey is done too early. Take the bird out of the oven and tent with foil. It will stay warm for about 45 minutes. Slice and serve.

Not enough drippings to make gravy. Dissolve a chicken bouillon cube and 1 cup water in the roasting pan and scrape up dried drippings. Or use packaged turkey gravy mix in 1 cup of water.

Thin gravy. Mix equal parts cornstarch and water. Slowly add the mixture to the gravy, stirring constantly, until it reaches desired thickness.

Lumpy gravy. Pour through a strainer or cheesecloth to trap the lumps.

Salty gravy. Add a pinch or two of sugar, in small increments, and mix in; you can always add more.

Watery mashed potatoes. Add a pinch of (pick one): baking soda, instant potato buds, a tablespoon of flour or a sprinkle of powdered milk. Then whip.

Burned pie crust. Carefully chip away burned pieces and drizzle warm chocolate along the edges, giving the pie a rustic finish. Or leave the burned crust intact and drizzle melted strawberry or apricot jam over crust. A dollop of whipped cream will break down the burnt flavor and lighten the crust color.

Unexpected guests. Try to squeeze them around the main table; you don't want to exile them to an auxiliary table. If you are short of china settings, alternate place settings for the entire table - one china, one everyday dish. "You don't want the last-minute guests to feel uncomfortable by only serving them on the everyday dishes," says designer Anne Marie Leonard.

You forgot a centerpiece. Fill a large see-through vase with water and fresh cranberries or lemons and greenery from your yard.

Pumpkin pie bubbles over in the oven. Sprinkle this smelly, smoky spill with salt and go on cooking. The next day, lift the mess with a spatula.