Hudson apartments are infamous for their limited space and sunlight. The two combined may have most residents believe that
throwing a dinner party like a full homemade Thanksgiving meal is pretty impossible. But the Current sought out a few experts to prove that cooking in confined quarters can be a lot easier than most expect.
The Current put these experts to the test. We called on the notable Chef Dennis Alvarez of the Liberty Bar and Grill (61-63 14th St.), to design and prepare a menu that included dinner and dessert, in a humble 78 sq. ft. kitchen on 12th and Washington Streets in Hoboken.
“Cooking in small spaces can be a challenge, but with simple recipes and a little imagination, anything’s possible,” said Alvarez. “As long as you keep cleaning up after yourself and wash pots as soon as you finish using them, you should be fine. In the end, it’s very rewarding to make your food at home and from scratch.”
The kind people from King’s Fresh Ideas supermarket (1212 Shipyard Lane) supplied the freshest ingredients, from the turkey to the pumpkin pie crust. And although Chef Alvarez created a fairly elaborate menu, appetizers weren’t part of the deal. But a really quick and mindless appetizer is a cheese platter. Kings’ Fresh Ideas cheese experts said a standard platter includes Brie, Swiss, Havarti, Gouda and cheddar cheeses; grapes; and sliced salami with assorted crackers lining the tray. Fresh clementines are also a very decorative fall fruit that can help compliment the tray. Now that there’s something for the guests to munch on, on to the dinner.
The following is a menu of the basics for a Thanksgiving dinner, prepared by Chef Alvarez.
The Turkey
King’s offers fresh, unfrozen turkeys for Thanksgiving that are ready for baking; they can be picked up a few days before the big day. If you insist on a frozen turkey, expect to leave it out to the thaw for approximately two days before baking.
Wash your hands before and after handling the turkey, because there’s a lot of bacteria on the bird. And remember, this is the part of the meal you can’t afford to screw up, because there usually isn’t enough time to bake a second turkey.
Ingredients
8-12 lb. Turkey with pop-up timer
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Instructions
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2.Open the turkey packaging over the sink, and remove all the contents from the cavity, like the neck and giblets. Throw them away and rinse off the turkey.
3.Put clean turkey in a roasting pan, and lightly season the entire bird with salt, pepper and garlic powder. 4.Bake turkey 20 minutes per pound. (A 10 lb. turkey will take two hours.) Baste turkey at least twice while baking.
5.Pay attention to the time and pop-up timer. Serve when timer pops.
Cranberry sauce
This was a favorite at Chef Dennis Alvarez’s test dinner. Although it is easier open up a jar of canned cranberry sauce, the chef insists your guests will taste and appreciate the difference.
Ingredients
Two 12oz. bags of cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 oz. Water
Instructions
1.Put the water, cranberries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium-sized pot over low heat. When the cranberries are soft, mash them with a fork or wooden spoon.
2.Simmer for a half-hour, stirring periodically. Cool when done.
Candied yams
A Thanksgiving favorite that’s quick and easy.
Ingredients
2 lbs. yams or sweet potatoes
2 tbsp. Butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. Honey
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
Instructions
1.Peel, then boil sweet potatoes in water.
2.Drain and replace boiling pot with a saut