Thanksgiving........fruit?

[jkath]

I'm trying to do a couple of new things for Thanksgiving this year, so I need a suggestion for a fruit dish. Grandma always made Waldorf salad, but it's just too sweet. I've had a plate of orange & pear slices, but that's so boring! I'm hoping someone has made a great fruit side dish that will complement the Turkey & Stuffing.
Thanks all!

 

[buckytom]

hi jkath,

i mentioned on the brunch thread about wrapping melon slices with proscuitto, and now i can't get them out of my head. one of my favorite fruity side dishes. cut the melon into crescent slices, cut off the rind, cut in 1/2 and wrap in a little proscuittio, and skewer with a toothpick.

or have you ever had an ambrosia salad. i'll post a recipe if anyone's interested...

 

[kitchenelf]

There was a tradition at my ex mother-in-law's house and I have since given the recipe to other people and they make it every year - it is curried fruit - it's a hot dish and though it sounds strange it's really quite good.

I also make an apple/fennel/walnut salad that I normall serve with grilled salmon but I did make it one time on its own but added some bleu cheese.

Let me know if either one of these sounds interesting to you.

 

[marmalady]

jkath, look here - http://www.discusscooking.com/viewtopic.php?t=3261 in 'salads' for a recipe I posted for an apple/ginger salad - it's pretty yummy! I'd also cruise the salad forum in general - there are lots of nice looking fruit salads.

As for cooked fruit, what about some roasted pears or apples, maybe with maple syrup and nuts? The tiny little 'seckel pears' are out now, and they'd look adorable on the turkey platter.

 

[jkath]

hi jkath,

i mentioned on the brunch thread about wrapping melon slices with proscuitto, and now i can't get them out of my head. one of my favorite fruity side dishes. cut the melon into crescent slices, cut off the rind, cut in 1/2 and wrap in a little proscuittio, and skewer with a toothpick.

This sounds like something everyone would devour!
I like the idea of the other two as well, but I really think this is the winner, Buckytom!

 

[jkath]

one more thing -
How far in advance can these be made & refrigerated?

 

[Lifter]

Hi Jkath!

You could try my 5 cup salad ("ambrosia?") recipe, listed as old recipes from the 50's and 60's...I mentioned a few tweaks, if you wanted to twist it one way or another, but its light, is easy and quick, and best made a day ahead...

Here's an old one:

Cranberry Salad
With a chopper, chop up 1 cup of fresh cranberries, 3 apples, 2 oranges and 1/4 cup of nuts (optional), add to a pakage of lemon or raspberry Jello. Mix well, then add 3/4 cup of sugar and a cup of minimarshmallows. Put in fridge until Jello sets up...can be cut into squares, and served on a lettuce leaf...

Lifter

 

[jkath]

I sure bet that's pretty!

Actually, this reminds me of our Grandma's relish recipe (kinda along those lines) where you chop up cranberries & oranges and mix together with sugar.

Thanks, Lifter

 

[merstarr]

Here's another one to check out (haven't tried this yet):

Its Better than Cranberry-Orange Cran-Raspberry Relish

1 1/2 C chopped cranberries
2 sweet apples, peeled, cored, chopped
10 oz thawed frozen raspberries
1/2 C sugar (or to taste)

Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Chill overnight before serving.

 

[kitchenelf]

Just to complicate things here's another recipe for the melon/prosciutto idea:

Brochettes of Melon, Prosciutto, and Fresh Mozzarella

1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves (afe a few for garnish)
1 medium shallot, quartered
1 small (about 2-pound) cantaloupe, halved crosswise, seeded, cut into 6 wedges, peeled
6 small fresh water-packed mozzarella balls or one 8-ounce ball, * drained
6 thin slices prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise, gathered into ruffle
6 8-inch wooden skewers

Using the pulse feature on a food processor puree olive oil, 1/3 cup basil, and shallot until finely chopped.

Cut each melon wedge crosswise in half. If using large mozzarella ball, trim and cut into 6 cubes. Alternate 1 melon piece, 1 piece ruffled prosciutto, 1 mozzarella ball or cube, 1 more prosciutto piece, and 1 more melon piece on each skewer. Bring to room temperature before serving. This dish can be made up to 1 1/2 hours ahead of time. Be sure and tightly wrap with plastic wrap so the prosciutto doesn't dry out.

Arrange skewers on platter in a circular pattern. Drizzle with basil oil and sprinkle with cracked black pepper. Garnish with a few fresh basil sprigs.

 

[debthecook]

I have a plate of tangerines (the expensive ones that come out during Thanksgiving, I forgot what they are called, sometimes in a wooden box) and a bowl of cut up fresh pineapple on the table as the fruit. Always a bowl seedless grapes, if you can get a bunch of Concord, thats nice too.

 

[mudbug]

I have a plate of tangerines (the expensive ones that come out during Thanksgiving, I forgot what they are called, sometimes in a wooden box) and a bowl of cut up fresh pineapple on the table as the fruit. Always a bowl seedless grapes, if you can get a bunch of Concord, thats nice too.

they're called clementines, deb. I love 'em.

 

[jkath]

oooooooooooooh kitchenelf!
those sound wonderful! I'd rather just have them by themselves (and all to myself) than share them at thanksgiving!

As for the clementines, yep, those are yummy

 

[kansasgirl]

I love to see displays of fresh fruit on the T-table - it looks so pretty and everyone can help themselves. Use clementines, bunches of red and green grapes, seckel pears, red and green apples, etc. This is also a really good recipe - definitely not too sweet.

Rohkostsalat (Cabbage Fruit Salad)
2 c Cabbage, raw, shredded
1 Apple, diced
1 tb Lemon juice
1/2 c Raisins
1/4 c Pineapple juice
1 1/2 ts Lemon juice
1/4 ts Salt
1 tb Sugar
1/2 c Sour cream

1.Toss cabbage, raisins, and apple with lemon juice.
2.Mix fruit juices, salt, and sugar. Add sour cream, stir until smooth.
3.Toss dressing with cabbage mixture; chill several hours before serving.

 

[Lifter]

I've any number of such recipes, but your presentation seems very different from ours...

Could you guys advise on how you do the presentation.serving offering, that I could give a couple tweaks to your meals?

Lifter

 

[jkath]

I always welcome your advice, Lifter!
But, what do you mean exactly? (sorry - I left my brains at the gym for safe keeping)

 

[southerncook]

grilled pineapple w/cherries and mint leaves.

 

[Lifter]

jkath, it might be Hollywood legend, but it seems that you guys "present" the turkey at the table, and carve it there, whereas we Canucks carve it on the counter and serve up sliced meat...

Likewise we "dine" "en famille"...ie call all us "Kettles" to the table, and pass the menu around, as opposed what I'm understanding from these posts, is that you go with more like a "buffet" thing...

Glad you know you might find your brain back at the gym...somedays, I think if I had one, I'd be down on the floor, playing with it...

Lifter

 

[debthecook]

The kitchen is a step down to the dining room so I basically have 2 tables very close to eachother. The appetizer things, and fruit go on the kitchen table, the turkey and sides go on the dining room table. I carve the turkey on the dining room table and everyone passes the sides.

 

[jkath]

Our family has had 2 methods of the Thanksgiving serving:

Most common, was at Grandma & Grandpa's house. Grandpa would cook the turkey the day before, and then when it was cooled enough to cut, he'd slice it in thick slices, and put it into a large deep dish with some of the pan juices. Then the next morning, he & Grandma would heat it in the oven. This made for a clean kitchen, and oven space for the rest of the items to be served. The other foods would be put into special serving dishes on the table, so nobody would have to get up till it was time for the pumpkin pie & coffee.

The other method is the typical bird, in it's glory, on the table for carving.

Since I got the 18qt roaster last week, I'm thinking of cooking it in that. (none of us like the skin, so it won't matter that it doesn't brown)
I'll serve slices like Grandpa/ he'd be proud