Serving up the same old traditional Thanksgiving recipes is simply for the birds. Ever wonder what holiday spread celebrity chefs cook up for their festive feast? As Emeril Lagasse would say, “Bam,” it’s time for holiday meal makeover! Please your family’s palates with these Thanksgiving favorites “kicked up a notch” from Chefs Emeril Lagasse and Wolfgang Puck. Plus, gobble up seasonal fare at their local restaurants: Emeril’s Orlando, Emeril’s Tchoup Chop, and Wolfgang Pucks Grand Café. Happy Thanksgiving!

Sweet Potato Gratin

By Wolfgang Puck

Ingredients to yield 6 servings:

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 lb Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼ inch slices
• 1 ¹/₂ lbs sweet potatoes or yams, peeled, and cut into thinly sliced rounds
• ¹/₂ tsp salt
• ¹/₂ tsp cinnamon
• ¹/₄ tsp freshly ground white pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 ¹/₄ cups heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk
• ¹/₂ cup fresh bread crumbs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a 10-inch skillet, melt 2 tbsp of butter. Over medium-high heat, sauté apples until slightly caramelized (6-8 minutes).
3. Place potatoes in a medium bowl and season with salt, cinnamon, pepper, and nutmeg. Pour over cream; mix well.
4. Butter a 10-inch gratin dish and layer with half the potatoes, one overlapping the other. Cover with apples and arrange remaining potatoes on top. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour, or until potatoes are tender. Remove from oven.
5. Increase oven temperature to 500°F. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the potatoes and dot with remaining 2 tbsp of butter. Return to oven to brown, watching carefully to prevent burning.
6. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Roasted Turkey Two Ways 

By Wolfgang Puck

Ingredients to yield 12 servings:

1 20-lb fresh, free range, organic turkey

For stuffed legs:

• 2 turkey legs
• 8 oz wild mushroom stuffing
• 4 oz olive oil
• 8 oz Wolfgang Puck® free range roasted chicken stock
• 2 organic carrots, peeled and sliced in 1-inch sections
• 3 stalks of organic celery, sliced in 1-inch sections
• 2 yellow onions, diced
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• Butcher string
• Wood skewers

For roasted breast:

• 1 whole double-breast
• 6 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
• 4 oz olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. For turkey: With a sharp knife, separate legs from the rest of the turkey and cut off backbone. Reserve breast for roasting. Note: Start your breast preparation once you have placed the legs in the oven.
2. For stuffed legs: Preheat oven to 350°F. Debone turkey legs without cutting into the skin (view at mahalo.com/how-to-debone-a-turkey). Remove silver skin and tendons. With skin side down, cover with plastic wrap and pound out evenly. Season inside with salt and pepper.
3. Add 8 oz of mushroom stuffing evenly across middle section. Roll into a tight cylinder. Tie with butcher’s string and close ends with skewers. Season outside with salt and pepper. Heat a roasting pan and add olive oil. Sear meat until golden brown.
4. Remove legs from roasting pan. Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook until brown. Deglaze with chicken stock. Bring to a boil and add turkey legs. Slowly braise legs for about 2 hours until internal temperature is 130°F.
5. Remove foil and finish roasting to get color on the meat, until internal temperature is 140°F.
6. Remove legs and set aside. Cover with foil until ready to slice.
7. Add 2 cups of pomegranate juice to the braising liquid. Simmer 10 minutes then puree sauce through a food mill. Carrots, onions, and celery will thicken the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Let sit 30 minutes and, with a ladle, remove excess fat. Remove string and skewers. Slice into half-inch portions.
8. For roasted breast: Mix butter, rosemary, black pepper, and salt to taste until smooth. With your hands, separate turkey skin and breast meat. Spread rosemary butter evenly between skin and meat. Season breast with salt and pepper and rub with olive oil.
9. Place in roasting pan with a rack. Roast until internal temperature is 165°F. Baste every 15 minutes with pan drippings.
10. When breast is done, cover with foil and let rest in a warm place until you are ready to carve.

Bacon Braised Green Beans

Recipe by Emeril Lagasse from EMERIL 20-40-60: Fresh Food Fast, courtesy Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.

Ingredients to yield 4-6 servings:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 slices bacon, diced
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 2 tbsp sliced garlic
• 2 lbs green beans, rinsed, ends trimmed
• 1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth (or water)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Set a Dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil. Once oil is hot, add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned (5 minutes). Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add green beans and toss to combine with bacon and onion.
2. Increase heat to medium-high and add chicken stock. As soon as stock begins to boil, place lid on the pan and cook beans for 6 minutes. Remove lid, season beans with salt and pepper; toss well. Replace lid and cook until beans are tender (1-2 minutes longer).
3. Remove from heat and transfer beans into a small platter to serve.

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Recipe by Emeril Lagasse from FARM TO FORK, courtesy Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag (12 oz) cranberries
• Grated zest and juice of 2 oranges
• 1/4 cup ruby port
• 3/4 cup sugar or more, to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts

Instructions:

1. Combine cranberries, orange zest and juice, port, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a small saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries are tender and sauce has thickened (10 minutes).
2. Taste, add more sugar if desired. Stir in nuts and set aside to cool. Serve at room temperature. This sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.