Thanksgiving

A mixture of prosciutto, rosemary and plenty of garlic rubbed under the skin of the turkey gives it a distinctively delicious taste. True garlic lovers can squeeze some of the pan-roasted garlic into the gravy for even more flavor. Begin the meal with an appetizer of chilled shrimp with lemon and dill, and offer a radicchio salad as a first course. Pour a Chianti Classico Riserva.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Mangoes are a delicious tropical addition to this tangy-sweet dish.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Everyone wants the juiciest turkey possible for Thanksgiving, and we find that brined or kosher turkeys are best for this. If you'd like to try brining, stir together 8 quarts water with 2 cups kosher salt in a 5-gallon bucket lined with a large heavy-duty plastic garbage bag, then soak raw turkey, covered and chilled, 10 hours. (Kosher turkeys, which are salted during the koshering process, are just as succulent and flavorful as brined ones.) If you are making this entire menu in a single oven, bake the stuffing and sweet potatoes and reheat the potato parsnip purée while the turkey stands after roasting.

This compote is delicious with roast pork as well as with the Thanksgiving bird. We left the shallots whole to enhance the texture.

A simple roast potato becomes a thing of beauty thanks to humble parsley.

The rule for figuring out the proper amount of stuffing is easy to remember — approximately 1 cup per pound of bird. This works very well unless you want stuffing for only one meal, in which case this quantity is excessive. So, starting from the maximum, reduce the among of stuffing to suit your needs.

Bruce Aidells, founder of Aidells Sausage Company, says, "Stuffing was the most important part of my family’s holiday menu. The turkey was always overcooked, but the stuffing was moist and delicious. We usually had two, sometimes three stuffings, but I leaned toward the kind with sausage. It was meaty and spicy, just like this one."

Bruce Aidells, founder of Aidell's Sausage Company, says, "When I was in college, a friend from Mississippi introduced me to the technique of marinating the turkey by rubbing the meat under the skin with flavorings. Over the years, I've continued to modify the recipe for what I refer to as 'trash bag turkey,' so named because a large plastic bag is the best thing for holding the bird while it marinates for a day or two." Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

Lady apples—a small, hard winter apple that's yellow with a reddish cheek—are often used decoratively but we love them for their flavor. They're widely available in markets this time of year. Said to be one of the oldest known apple varieties, they originated in the Forest of Api, France, during medieval times.

Apple wedges are an imaginative addition to the gravy. Serve this turkey with a buttery Chardonnay.