Cranberry sauce a fixture on chef Swanson’s table
TALLGRASS KITCHEN
Dave Swanson, chef and owner of Braise Restaurant (1101 S. 2nd St.), celebrates Thanksgiving twice. First, he and a volunteer crew cook Thanksgiving dinner for the residents of Hope House, a local organization that provides services to help end homelessness. Then he heads home and prepares a meal for his family.
Braise opened in 2011. Swanson said the neighborhood was very good to him and the restaurant and he wanted to give back.
“People living at Hope House would typically get a takeout meal on Thanksgiving, so we decided to make some fresh turkeys, stuffing and all the classic sides, Braise-style, and invited everyone down.”
It’s been a tradition ever since. At home, Swanson keeps it classic, too. Here’s what is always on his table: “Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry relish and vegetables like creamed leeks or maybe a squash and apple gratin. Good food made well is never out of style. Good people around the table is what is important.”
Braise typically offers a cooking class at its in-house culinary school the week before Thanksgiving on classic side dishes with a twist. This year’s class on Nov. 17 is already sold out, but look for it next year and sign up ahead of time, or attend one of the school’s other offerings. With classes on subjects ranging from knife skills to bread-making, there is something to add finesse to your home cooking.
For those who cannot attend the Thanksgiving class, Swanson offers a few tips on getting everything to the table delicious and on schedule:
“Everyone gets concerned that everything needs to be served very hot, but some sides can be room temperature, like a pomegranate salad with wild rice,” he said. Starchy dishes, like potatoes, hold heat very well and can sit awhile before serving.
Also, a turkey is best carved after a resting period of at least 15 minutes — that gives a cook time to do a final reheat of stuffing, rolls, etc. just before the table is set.
Swanson also cautions if cooking a heritage breed turkey for the first time, the cooking method is different.
“The bird is much leaner, the breast is smaller and the dark meat needs more time,” he said. At Braise and at Swanson’s home, he recommends brining the bird ahead of time and adding a little fat, like laying bacon over the breast.
Swanson’s mom is a great cook and used to work at Ocean Spray. The cranberry compote recipe included here began as a recipe off the back of a bag of Ocean Spray cranberries, but he modified it to add flavor and make it his own — like using red wine instead of water and adding candied pecans to complement the tart berries.