Thanksgiving foods and beer

Who says that Thanksgiving food and beverage pairings need to be all about wine or cider? If you’re a beer lover, then this Thanksgiving learn how to choose the perfect brew to complement the holiday food, then get a creative, unconventional Thanksgiving recipe from MasterChef competitor Alejandra Schrader.

Get more tips on Thanksgiving beer and wine pairings>>

Thanksgiving pairings

Your best bet for a beer that will pair with the majority of Thanksgiving foods is a light, crisp beer like Fireman's Brew Blonde, Kiran or Blue Moon. Nowaczyk also recommends Fireman's Brew Brunette or similar beer. "With its profusion of sweet, sour and savory elements," he says, "Fireman's Brew Brunette's maltiness and mild hopping make it a delicious pairing for some of the best Thanksgiving foods like dark turkey meat, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and desserts like pumpkin pie."

Get inspiration for your Thanksgiving pairings with these amazing autumn beers >>

Food and beer — an unconventional Thanksgiving recipe

Usually when we think about food and beer pairings, we pair the beer to the food. But chef Alejandra Schrader has come up with a creative, very unconventional Thanksgiving recipe by thinking first about the beer. Her open-face stuffed turkey sliders with cranberry-onion compote, thyme cornbread 'buns' and sweet potato chips take all the elements of a Thanksgiving meal and combine them into one amazing dish.

"As a trained architect," says Schrader, "I still think about food in layers, textures and dimensions. Once involved with food, it was only natural to deconstruct and reinterpret food staples… Doing this for a Thanksgiving dish has been really fun, especially when trying to keep the comforting aspect of the food while making it casual and suitable to pair with beer."

Chef Schrader recommends serving this dish with Fireman's Brew Blonde or another light, crisp beer with mild flavors that will complement the turkey as well as the goat cheese.

Up next: Open-face stuffed turkey sliders with cranberry-onion compote, thyme cornbread 'buns' and sweet potato chips recipe >>

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Open-face stuffed turkey sliders with cranberry-onion compote, thyme cornbread 'buns' and sweet potato chips recipe

Courtesy of Alejandra Schrader

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• Coarse sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Thyme cornbread

• 2 cups stone-ground yellow cornmeal
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 6 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups reduced fat milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

Cranberry-onion compote

• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin, ground
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup water

Garlic aioli

• 2 egg yolks
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced to paste

Sweet potato chips

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled
• Canola oil to fry
• Sel gris

Stuffed turkey sliders

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• Small pack goat cheese
• 1 cup wild baby arugula
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Thyme cornbread

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add milk, eggs, and canola oil and mix with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth. Do not mix for more than one minute.
3. Pour on a greased large baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean from the center. Allow to cool.
4. Using a 1-1/2-inch or 1-3/4-inch circular spring form or cookie cutter, cut 12 rounds from the cornbread and set aside on a platter. If desired, warm up on skillet or flat top prior to serving.

Cranberry-onion compote

1. Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, four to six minutes.
2. Add dried cranberries, cumin and cinnamon; stir to combine, continue to saute for four more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add molasses, stir; add orange juice and water, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with lid, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced. Remove from heat and set aside.

Garlic aioli

1. Beat egg yolks in a medium bowl for one minute; add mustard and lemon juice and whisk. Add olive oil slowly to the mixture, pouring it on a stream and whisking simultaneously. Add grapeseed oil in the same fashion until aioli has thickened.
2. Add garlic and whisk; season with salt and pepper. If aioli is too thick, add drops of fresh lemon juice and whisk until desired consistency is reached. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Sweet potato chips

1. Fill up a large bowl halfway with water. Using a mandolin, slice sweet potato very thin crosswise; transfer slices to bowl and soak in water.
2. Heat canola oil in cast iron pot , using thermometer to approximately 350 degrees F.
3. Drain sweet potato slices and pat dry with a paper towel.
4. Working in batches, fry the sweet potato slices for a couple of minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oil using slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Season with sel gris.

Stuffed turkey sliders

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. With a teaspoon, scoop out 12 pieces of goat cheese and, using your hands, shape them into small coins . Set on a platter.
3. In a bowl, combine ground turkey with garlic and season with salt and pepper. Divide mixture in 12 equal portions and round them like meatballs, pressing slightly with your palms to create patties. Using a knife, open each of them in half and stuff with goat cheese; use fingers to close sides and press with palms. Repeat with remaining patties. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 10 minutes before cooking.
4. Heat oil on cast iron flat skillet and sear patties on both sides ; transfer to baking tray. Once all patties have been seared, transfer to oven and bake for 8-10 minutes, until meat has cooked through. Keep warm.
5. Whisk together fresh lemon juice and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Dress arugula and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

To serve:

1. Spread aioli on each round of cornbread.
2. Place three on a plate and layer some dressed arugula followed by a stuffed turkey patty and some of the cranberry-onion compote. Serve three sliders on a plate along with sweet potato chips. Enjoy!

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