Thanksgiving

I'm not sure of the protocol concerning an English person barging in on Thanksgiving; after all, the initial cause of gratitude was not just at setting foot in the land of plenty, but being shot of Blighty. Still, whatever the holiday, if food's included, I'm in. And the particularly fantastic thing about Thanksgiving is that, really, food is all it's about. Not that it isn't a good idea to remember those other matters one wants to give thanks for, too.

Thanksgiving is a tradition that encompasses everyone in America, regardless of culture or religion, and doesn't involve presents and wrapping and shopping: it is a feast that celebrates the act of feasting. You can't get purer than that! But to business: start the celebrations with Parmesan Shortbreads, which are easy to make (in advance if it helps) and quite the most delicious mouthful for any holiday gathering – and just the thing to nibble on when drinking. Cosmo Cocktail Sausages (think sausages imbued with the flavours of a Cosmopolitan Cocktail) can be party food, or sit alongside the Thanksgiving Turkey. Sweet Potatoes With Marshmallows may be kitsch, but as a traditional Thanksgiving side, they are pretty hard to beat. And for dessert? Can I suggest my Pecan-Plus Pie (other nuts abundantly included) or Pumpkin Cheesecake? I know it is poor form to say this out loud, but I so much prefer this to the more traditional pumpkin pie. And of course my Holiday Hotcake With Eggnog Cream – worthy of Thanksgiving, indeed.

But please feel free to trawl through the rest of the recipes on the website for further inspiration. I leave you with a few suggestions, starting with the obvious Spiced and Superjuicy Roast Turkey with Allspice Gravy (though you could also try my Italian-inspired Turkey Breast Stuffed With Sausage And Marsala-Steeped Cranberries and, for vegetarian celebrants, Roast Stuffed Pumpkin With Gingery Tomato Sauce. Also, there's Redder than Red Cranberry Sauce, plus a dessert-style Cranberry Syrup to be poured over ice cream, Spiced Peaches (out of a can, I'm not ashamed to say) which beg to be served with the big bird, as do the Green Bean And Lemon Casserole and my creamy Potato, Parsnip And Porcini Gratin. Happy Holidays!

Cosmo Cocktail Sausages

I couldn’t help myself. I can’t have a party without some cocktail sausages and wanted to make them just a little bit differently from usual. The inspiration comes from a Cosmopolitan cocktail: in pla…

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Panettone Stuffing Squares

I have written a recipe for panettone stuffing before: the sweet seasonal fruit bread was cubed, toasted and mixed with Italian sausage; this is very different, not least because I see it not as an ac…

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Gingerbread Stuffing

Sometimes, it makes sense to use one’s obsessions to advantage. I know that most people don’t have trivial light-bulb moments when the notion pops into an already food-filled head to make a stuffing i…

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Maple-Roast Parsnips

I’ve always roasted honeyed parsnips alongside a turkey but as a marker of the culinary special relationship celebrated at Christmas, I’ve remodelled slightly, adding intensity of sweetness to the alr…

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Devil's Food Cake

Forget the name, this cake is heavenly. The crumb is tender, the filling and frosting luscious. When I made it one Friday, I expected my children, resident food critics much in the mould of the Grim e…

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Turkey and Glass Noodle Salad

I love recipes using up leftovers, and this is a particular favourite because it suddenly goes off on another tangent, so to speak. The zingy South-East Asian flavours certainly give new life to the o…

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Turkey Breast Stuffed With Italian Sausage and Marsala-Steeped Cranberries

I know it might sound a bit of a faff, but take it from me that stuffing a whole double breast joint is very much easier than stuffing and rolling a single breast joint, as is more commonly found in s…

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Creamy Potato Gratin

My not entirely orthodox way of turning out this otherwise classic dish of cream-softened potatoes has a lot going for it.

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Aaah! I simply loved it. I tried it and it came out to be a huge success..Kudos!

Pumpkin Cheesecake

The pumpkin component here may come out of a can, but I don’t see that’s anything to be apologetic about. By all means, make your own purée if you prefer (making absolutely sure it is as drained as dr…

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I made this for a dinner party recently, and it was an absolute hit! When I first read the recipe, I wondered if I should add spices to make it more like a traditional pumpkin pie. I decided to follow Nigella's recipe to the letter, and I am so glad I did! The balance of flavors is perfect. The pumpkin is subtle and shines just enough. It is so much better than a standard pie filling! Definitely adding this to the Thanksgiving table!!

Pecan-Plus Pie

This is somewhat of an Anglo-American enterprise. I have taken a pecan pie, and added other nuts, simply because for me, the English festive season means bowls of mixed nuts and the memory of my grand…

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Chocolate Salame

I’ve encountered quite a few versions of chocolate salame in Italy — coming to the conclusion that it’s really an Italian version of our chocolate refrigerator cake — and although I am not normally a…

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Girdlebuster Pie

I confess: it was the title that lured me. Tell me you don’t feel the same. I came across this in a recipe by Elinor Klivans, whom I often turn to for chocolatey solace, in her The Essential Chocolate…

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I made this and I busted my girdle.

Redder Than Red Cranberry Sauce — Photo by Lis Parsons

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