What are beautiful ways to present the turkey on Thanksgiving?
This is my first year doing Thanksgiving for the family and I saw a photo of a turkey on a platter on top of lettuce with a bunch of fruits around it. What type of lettuce is appropriate for this? I couldn’t tell from the picture what kind it was. Also what kinds of fruits or other items should I put around it? Any help is great!! Photos would be helpful too.
November 18th, 2010 at 4:26 am
Congrats on your first Thanksgiving! I still remember mine and how exciting it was to serve my guests. Here are some ideas:
Have a decorative platter to showcase your turkey on. It can either be plain white with embossed edges or something with a design.
Make sure that your turkey is nicely browned and not falling apart. If you tie your turkey legs together before cooking, be sure to uncut them and remove the string before serving.
If your turkey is stuffed, then pull some of the stuffing out of the cavity to showcase it.
Don’t use lettuce! Instead, consider slicing up some lemons by cutting them in half and then zig zagging the edges of each lemon. You can also use bunches of whole cranberries, rosemary branches and carmelized quartered onions.
Consider roasting carrots, parsnips, and onions while your turkey cooks, then surrounding your turkey with the finished product.
Bon Appetit and Good luck!
November 18th, 2010 at 5:03 am
Just go to the grocery store and find beautiful greens, lettuces, herbs, etc. that would look beautiful. curled parsley would be so pretty laid out on a platter.
http://z.about.com/d/physics/1/0/n/0/-/-/dv1772112.jpg
you can put potatoes, or carrots, or another side dish around the edges…or fruits like pears, apples, etc, dried figs, candied ginger, nuts, small squashes or pumpkins….
http://z.about.com/d/eatingdisorders/1/0/A/-/-/-/ThanksgivingMeal.jpg
heres one with parsley
November 18th, 2010 at 5:45 am
use ROMAINE LETTUCE,washed really well and the water dried off of it,cover the whole platter , place the cooked turkey on top after it has cooled a while,and place around it some oranges, crab apples, or other small fruit,,,,It will look nice for the presentation, but will have to be removed for the slicing.part……try to use fruit that you can use later on for something else,
November 18th, 2010 at 5:45 am
I would try to use some arugula for the majority, but then add in some fresh herbs that you also used with the turkey. Maybe some sprigs of rosemary and lots of sage. For a little extra color, add either some cranberries or cherry tomatoes around it also.
Good luck!! 🙂
November 18th, 2010 at 6:13 am
oooh i hav so much fun decorating the food to maek it look pretty the funny when i read the question i was gona give u the answer to put it on a platter and put things under adn around it. the best type of lettuce would be romaine. and for an entire turkey ud need two maybe three bunches. you put around it circles of potatoes tt have been roasted. also definately thick sideways but thin slices of carrots it looks very cute. also put a drizzling over the things aroudn the turket, best idea would be gravy if u make it mostly vegetables which i would do if i where u. peices of meat itself would be nice also. anythin tht would taste good with the turkey u put in teh platter not anythin tht doesnt go with it.
November 18th, 2010 at 6:44 am
I would suggest using kale for the turkey platter. Kale is that very dark green and very curly leaved stuff that you see in some deli cases surrounding the cut meats. It is also relatively inexpensive. http://bilingualbaby.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/inside_products_kale.jpg
Use oranges cut in halves to garnish the platter. Cut the oranges in half using a “jigsaw” pattern. I couldn’t find a picture of one, but here is a photo of a watermelon bowl with that sort of “zig-zag” cut I am talking about: http://sarajanes.com/01337.htm
Also pretty would be grape clusters, both red and white grapes. You can even make them frosted for a real eye-pleaser. Just dip the bunched grapes into gently beaten egg whites (not stiff whites, just beat them until they are a little frothy with a fork), and then dip the grapes into table sugar and place on a paper towel to dry. Tis photo shows only single grapes, but I would use clusters of 12 or so : http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/995/668903.JPG
Figs are an especially beautiful and trendy garnish. They tend to be a little expensive….but in greater supply during the holiday season. Just cut them in half from top to bottom, leaving the stem on. Place them around the platter among the oranges and grapes. They are so pretty and earthy-looking.
I know you’ll do great! Have a lot of fun an enjoy.