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Thanksgiving and the art of raiding the pantry: Part I.

Miso Gochujang Duck Fat Glazed Onions 

Let’s talk about Sundays.

It has been raining non stop in Paris since I returned from the sunny south two weeks ago and I am… over it. OVER. IT.

It’s chilly. It’s wet. And sometimes the soggy falling leaves smack you in the face as you’re walking to a meeting. It’s fine; that’s why we wear waterproof mascara in autumn and winter.

Well and in summer, if you’re from a warm climate.

But back to the plot. There is a charm to be found in the fall fishbowl we find ourselves in. Sundays allow rest, a reset. An escape from the reality of the outside world.

For you, maybe that means a cleaning day- change the linens, mop the floors, scrub the windows. Or perhaps it’s a day for sports on the telly! I don’t know much about that so the sentiment rests there. Church followed by lunch, a trip to the beach, a rousing 18 holes of golf, or if you’re a person who recharges by unplugging and my personal favorite: a duvet day. But namely, it gives one the opportunity to stay inside and plan out the greatest of all meals: American Thanksgiving.

IT’S HERE IT’S HERE IT’S FINALLY HERE! WELL, ALMOST HERE!

As a child I loathed the idea of the Thanksgiving table. Not the family surrounding it (I’m quite lucky, the holiday was always spent with my Father’s side- a race to see who can say the wittiest comment or throw the person next to them under the bus for biggest laughs is still our modus operandi), but the food itself.

Under-seasoned turkey? Yuck. Honey baked ham? You mean honey no you didn’t. Dressing (if you’re from a southern state- otherwise I believe it’s only referred to as Stuffing, even if not inside of a cavernous fowl)- hard pass. I’d still rather eat anything than a sweet potato, even if smothered in marshmallows and butter.

Alas. I would sit and stare at the mostly beige and brown cornucopia, reaching for the butter and Sister Schubert rolls to hold me steady until I could rummage through the pantry for something else.

But with age comes wisdom, and with wisdom comes the sudden realization that Thanksgiving is in fact THE elite offering.

Dry brined rosemary and jalapeño roasted turkey, so the skin is allowed to crisp and actually impart flavor? Sign me up. Sage and Sausage Dressing, an ocean of possibilities you can repurpose 20 different ways over the next week as leftovers? Pass me a fried egg! Balsamic Brussel Sprouts with Cranberries and Roquefort and BACON? Heck. Freaking. Yes.

So that’s what I’ve been doing all week. Menu planning, recipe testing, cleaning my house for my favorite guest and planning yet another massive life changing event, baking, and calling around the city to procure two turkeys for two parties.

Err, wait, life event?

More to come, but I’m excited and looking forward with hope and curiosity to the sunshine. As a person who changes their location a lot… (like a lot a lot. My last three year stint in America was the longest I parked my car in a single spot since I left home at 18) it’s important to not be wasteful with one’s things.

Namely: the contents of the refrigerator. Looking for a new side dish to wow a table of Old World patrons, I popped into my Condiment Drawer for inspiration.

What did one find? A sweet and mild White Miso Paste, a half empty jar of Gochujang- a fermented chili paste from Korea, two Yellow Onions about 24 hours away from meeting their maker, and my collection of 37 herbs and spices that need to be used up before I pack my things into another moving van. Oh, and some duck fat I’d rendered from lunch the day prior.

So what happened? A melody of flavor combinations one can dream of seeing at their holiday table. This ain’t Grandma’s casserole, y’all! The depth of umami harnessed by the miso paste, to allium sweetness from the roasted onion, the hearty spice offered by the gochujang to the slick textured butter supplied from the duck fat… a butter you can then save and slather on toast, roasted potatoes, or really anything you put your mind to.

Thanksgiving can be traditional, but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring.

Dig into your pantry. Uplift the old with the new. Desperately confuse that one family member who overcooks and destroys everything they put on the Big Green Egg but you have to keep the peace so you bring up politics to ease the tension, to lighten the mood. Throw some fermented shrimp into your pumpkin soup. Add bone marrow to the butter. In fact, stop being boring and swap the butter for duck fat. Leave room for new Thanksgiving traditions. Be open to surprises.

But also keep the butter near, you’ll need it.

So with that I’m going to dig into my Sunday brunch, leftovers from this Side recipe testing extravaganza with a perfect poached egg on top, because I’m an adult and I CAN.

Bisous bisous,

ASF xx

What I’ve been cooking & watching

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Miso Gochujang Duck Fat Glazed Onions 

Sunday brunch pre poached egg: toasted baguette, goat cheese, the miso gochujang “butter.”

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