On Thanksgiving Day, some labor in the kitchen. Others wash dishes. Lucky ones just show up and eat – then turn on the television to watch football.
Whether cook, bottle washer or consumer, we all play a role in the gatherings – and the day set aside to count blessings, to enjoy family and to savor some great recipes.
Restaurant owners and chefs, who labor day after day in their kitchens, typically have a special relationship with food. Their memories often stretch back to time spent, as children, standing on a chair and helping their mothers or grandmothers stir, sift and slice. Many cling to favorite dishes that have become required Thanksgiving Day offerings in their families.
The Over the Mountain Journal asked a few area chefs about their favorite Thanksgiving food. In addition to sharing their memories, each has shared a recipe which is posted on www.otmj.com. Be sure to go there to find the formulas for what may become favorites in your family.
Barbecue Brothers Stir Up Family Memories
Throughout the year, Joe and David Maluff serve up the barbecue and sides that have led their Full Moon Bar-B-Que restaurants to be named one of the top 10 barbecue restaurants in the country.
But when it comes to Thanksgiving, the brothers’ favorite dish is one that has been on their family’s holiday menu for generations.
The Maluff brothers, who grew up on Birmingham’s Southside, said Thanksgiving is just not Thanksgiving without a homemade soup made from the recipe their late grandmother, Fadwa Adery.
“The signature dish for Thanksgiving in our family has always been my grandmother’s turkey soup,” said Joe, who lives in Mountain Brook. “Everyone else has turkey and dressing at Thanksgiving, but in our house, we always looked forward to that soup.”
The turkey soup, David said, was ultra-creamy and included lots of mushrooms.
But it’s most important ingredient, he said, was the love with which it was made year after year.
“I think we love the soup so much because it has always been a part of a holiday where we get together and remember how thankful we are to have each other,” David said.
Congealed salad, the brothers said, is another dish they always associate with family holidays.
“It’s old school, but it’s something that has always been on the holiday table,” Joe said.
The brothers said they always remember their grandmother’s house on Clairmont Avenue being decorated for Thanksgiving.
“She always dressed up the table and made sure there was plenty of everything for everyone,” David said. “That was no small feat, because we have at least 50 people in our immediate family.”
Today, the tradition of making the turkey soup for Thanksgiving is carried on by David and Joe’s sister, Joann.
“It’s great that the tradition can continue so that our kids can have those memories and look forward to turkey soup every year like we always have,” Joe said.
David has two children, a 12-year-old son and an 11-year-old daughter. Joe has sons who are 7 and 10.
Another holiday tradition in the Maluff family is to find a way to help others, said David, a Vestavia Hills resident.
“The night before Thanksgiving, our kids will pick the charities they want to help this year,” he said. “It’s a good way to remind everyone of the importance of giving back to the community and helping other people.”
No matter what is served at Thanksgiving, the Maluff brothers said the centerpiece of every family gathering is faith.
“We’re devout Catholics, so Thanksgiving – and every holiday – give a chance to pause and think about our faith and all of our blessings,” David said.
Note: Instead of sharing a family Thanksgiving recipe, the Maluffs instead shared their “famous chili” recipe, which should make good company during the upcoming Iron Bowl – or any other nippy day.
FULL MOON BAR-B-QUE’S FAMOUS CHILI
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onions
Dash of salt
Dash of garlic powder
1/4 cup Kitchen Bouquet
1/4 cup chili powder
1 can chili beans
1 can stewed tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato juice
1/4 cup red pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
Directions:
Brown ground beef in pot and add diced onion, salt and garlic powder. Add Kitchen Bouquet, chili powder, chili beans, stewed tomatoes, tomato juice, red pepper and sugar. Let cook until boiling.
DETAILS: Full Moon Bar-B-Que. Several locations throughout Birmingham. www.fullmoonbbq.com
–Keysha Drexel, Journal editor
Ambrosia Awakens Thanksgiving Memories for Becky Satterfield
When Becky Satterfield, owner of her namesake restaurant in Cahaba Heights, reminisces about happy Thanksgivings, she is quick to recall her grandmother’s fresh ambrosia.
“I truly love this recipe that my grandmother made every Thanksgiving and Christmas,” she said.
She opened Satterfield’s Restaurant in January 2005. The restaurant is known for serving New American cuisine in an unpretentious, fine dining atmosphere
“I always loved the colors and textures (of the ambrosia) and especially fishing out as many cherries that would be allowed, because I loved cherries,” said Satterfield, who used to spend her elementary and junior high after-school hours watching Julia Child on Alabama Public Television.
Ambrosia, she said, “is a healthy dessert or palate cleanser when eating a little more than normal when in holiday mode.”
“I prepare it for my family, too, every Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Satterfield said.
Making the ambrosia, she said, “is a real labor of love because it is a tedious task segmenting the citrus and keeping the seeds at bay.”
The effort, however, is “worth it,” she said, describing her grandmother’s ambrosia as “a very traditional Southern holiday, home-styled dish.”
Satterfield, who said her love for cooking was inspired by her mother, Carole Hennessey of Tuscaloosa, will close her restaurant on Thanksgiving Day – but be right back in business the day after.
BECKY SATTERFIELD’S SOUTHERN HOLIDAY AMBROSIA
Ingredients:
5 Ruby Red grapefruits, segmented and seeded
10 to 12 Valencia (or comparable) oranges, segmented and seeded
1 6-ounce package frozen coconut
1 16-ounce jar maraschino cherries and half of its juice (or more to suit your taste)
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and fold gently. Serve in 4- to 6-ounce clear bowls to visually enjoy the beauty of the colorful fruit segments, coconut and cherries as you joyfully consume them.
How to segment the citrus:
Note: It’s best to have a sharp paring knife or whatever sharp knife you are comfortable using for precise tasks.
With an orange or grapefruit, lay it on its side and slice off the top. Rotate and slice bottom of fruit so it can sit flat. Turn fruit and lay flat on one of the cut sides. Slice from top to bottom along the contour of the fruit. After you have removed the peeling and pith, you will see the flesh of the fruit and the dividing membranes. With your sharp paring knife, slide knife between membrane and pulp into center. Repeat this process all the way around the fruit until all segments are cut out. Place in mixing bowl. Make sure no seeds fall into the existing segments. After segmenting the whole fruit, you should be left with nothing but the membrane, which holds a lot of valuable juice. Squeeze juice from membrane while holding one hand below to make sure no seeds escape into citrus mixture.
DETAILS: Satterfield’s Restaurant, 3161 Cahaba Heights Road, Suite 113, 969-9690, www.satterfieldsrestaurant.com
— Lynn Grisard Fullman, Journal contributor
Hometown’s Access to Fresh Seafood Inspired Family Dishes
Growing up in Bayou La Batre, Jeremy Downey, one of the owners of Bistro V adjacent to Vestavia Hills City Hall, consumed plenty of dishes with fresh seafood.
It is little wonder since his south Alabama hometown, which lies along the Mississippi Sound on the Gulf of Mexico, is known as “The Seafood Capital of Alabama.”
For as long as Downey can remember, Thanksgiving celebrations included a squash and crabmeat casserole prepared by his grandmother, Naomi Downey. And even though she passed away three years ago, the Downey family continues to serve her casserole at Thanksgiving.
To be assured of getting a serving of the casserole when the family gathered, “you had to get in their fast,” Downey said, laughing. “Everybody loved it.”
Good crabmeat is essential to making the casserole turn out best, Downey said. He suggested buying the crabmeat at Snapper Grabbers Seafood Market, which is just down the sidewalk from his restaurant.
Later this month, the Downey family, which has expanded to include some 40 people, will gather in Bayou La Batre for Thanksgiving.
Downey, who is vowing “this year I’m going to try to stay out of the kitchen,” said he expects such choices as sweet potatoes, greens and his family’s usual two different gumbos to be served.
Available routinely at Bistro V, the squash casserole (without crabmeat) “sells like wildfire,” Downey said. “I love this squash casserole.”
JEREMY DOWNEY’S SQUASH AND CRABMEAT CASSEROLE
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
5 to 6 yellow squash, cut in half and then rough chopped
1 Vidalia onion, small dice
½ cup olive oil
½ stick butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat
1/2 cup fresh oregano
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 cup bread crumbs
Directions:
Cut squash in half and then rough chop. Dice onion. Sauté squash and onion in olive oil and half stick of butter. Add salt and pepper. Cook (preferably in a cast-iron skillet) until squash and onion become soft. Add heavy cream and cheese.
Mix lump crab with oregano and parsley. Pour entire mixture into a 13×9 baking dish. Top with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve piping hot.
DETAILS: Bistro V, 521 Montgomery Highway, Suite 113, Vestavia Hills, 823-1505, www.bistro-v.com
–Lynn Grisard Fullman, Journal contributor
Imagination is Key to Morosini’s Recipe
Growing up in Italy, Marco Morosini didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving the way Americans do, stopping each fall on a designated day to feast and to count blessings.
Once in the U.S., however, he adopted the annual custom, highlighting favorite foods and giving thanks.
Morosini, owner of The Silvertron Café that is housed in a building where workmen once repaired televisions, “came to enjoy it here in the U.S.,” he said.
One of Morosini’s favorite Thanksgiving dishes is butternut squash soup, which he serves in his restaurant as a soup of the day. He also prepares it at home for his family, he said.
“This is a basic recipe,” he said, explaining that cooks should use their “imagination and don’t be afraid to add a spicier twist, like the ginger ranch (1 cup of ranch dressing and one tablespoon of fresh ginger, pureed together) or chipotle pesto, just to make a quick example.”
The additions are welcome by those who find the squash flavor too sweet, said Morosini, who several years ago purchased the restaurant that opened originally in 1986.
Morosini advised cooks to enjoy their efforts.
“Mistakes are going to happen, but we all learn from those,” he said.
MARCO MOROSINI’S BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
Ingredients:
2 to 3 butternut squash, roasted
1 gallon broth (chicken, beef or vegetable)
1 medium carrot, chopped small
1 celery stalk, chopped small
1 medium-size white onion, chopped small
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Cut squash in two and place upside down in oven on a slightly oily pan. Roast squash at 350 degrees until it becomes nice and golden. Let cool. Remove pulp from squash.
In a blender, add pulp and a little bit of broth. Mix until smooth. In a large pot, warm remaining broth. In a separate pot, cook celery-carrots-onion mixture until golden color. Add pulp mix and remaining broth. Cook for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serving suggestion: Top with croutons or ginger ranch (1 cup of ranch dressing and one tablespoon of fresh ginger, pureed together) or chipotle pesto.
DETAILS: The Silvertron Café, 3813 Clairmont Ave., 591-3707, www.silvertroncafe.us
–Lynn Grisard Fullman, Journal contributor
Dolan Hunts then Feasts on Thanksgiving
Years ago on Thanksgiving mornings, Jim Dolan and his trio of brothers, as young teens, began a family tradition of bird hunting. They also hunted the following day, no doubt a few pounds heavier after a feast that included Dolan’s favorite: scalloped oysters.
Annually on Thanksgiving Day, Dolan’s mother prepared scalloped oysters for her half-dozen children. It is a dish served occasionally at Irondale Café, said Dolan, who said he has a “passion for Southern oysters because they are so big.”
A plus for oysters, he said, is that they can be harvested from a variety of regions, so when one supply slacks, another kicks in.
The Dolan children these days rotate hosting Thanksgiving in their homes – and they continue the hunt tradition, hunting either quail, duck or pheasant, depending upon what state they happen to be celebrating in, said Dolan, who grew up in Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky.
This year, Dolan, owner of Irondale Café, will host the family’s Thanksgiving get-together at his fish camp in Venice, La.
“Hopefully we will get to duck hunt, fish for redfish and tuna fish, if the weather permits,” Dolan said. “We are smoking whole hogs this year but will be serving scalloped oysters fresh from the Empire oyster beds as well.”
The recipe, he said, “is easy, fast, uncomplicated – anybody can do it.”
Better yet, it can be made a day ahead and cooked on the day it is to be served, he said.
For those who’d prefer to eat out this year for Thanksgiving, Irondale Café will be open Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The restaurant also offers help with cooking for Thanksgiving Day. With such choices as whole turkeys, smoked hams, sides and pies, takeout will be available for pickup Nov. 24-26. You can request full details by emailing the restaurant at [email protected].
Soon Over the Mountain residents will find Dolan’s cooking closer to home with the mid-November opening of Fried Green Tomato’s: Southern Meal and Three in Hoover Commons, 1615 Montgomery Highway, Suite 132, just down the sidewalk from Burlington Coat Factory.
IRONDALE CAFE’S SCALLOPED OYSTERS
Ingredients:
¼ stick unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
Cracker mixture:
1 cup crushed, unsalted crackers
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Dash Tabasco
½ lemon, for juice
Black pepper, to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
2 cups oysters
1 cup oyster liquor*
1/3 cup heavy cream
Directions:
Sauté diced onion in unsalted butter until onion becomes translucent.
Crush crackers. Mix together Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, lemon juice and peppers. Add mixture to crushed crackers and stir gently.
Stir together oyster liquor and heavy cream.
Layer cracker mixture into bottom of casserole dish followed by oysters and cream mixture. Add crushed crackers to top.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly.
*Oyster liquor is the juice inside the oyster.
DETAILS: Irondale Cafe, 1906 First Ave. N., Irondale, 956-5258, www.irondalecafe.com
–Lynn Grisard Fullman, Journal contributor
