Caramelized Tomato Bruschetta

• Ingredients

• 
  
• 1 slender baguette (8 oz.) 
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 
• 1 pt. large cherry tomatoes, halved
• About 1/4 tsp. each kosher salt and pepper
• 3/4 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1 cup small fresh basil leaves

Preparation

1. 1. Heat grill to medium (350° to 450°). Cut 18 thin slices from baguette, each 3 to 4 in. long. Save remaining bread for another use. Set baguette slices on a tray to carry to grill and brush all over with about 1 tbsp. oil.
2. 2. Grill bread with lid down, turning once with tongs, until browned, 1 to 3 minutes total. Transfer to a platter.
3. 3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof frying pan on cooking grate with grill lid down until water dances when sprinkled on skillet, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1 1/2 tbsp. oil and spread with a heatproof brush. Pour tomato halves into pan, then quickly turn with tongs so all are cut side down. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Cook with grill lid down, without stirring, until juices evaporate and tomatoes are blackened on cut side, 10 to 15 minutes. Gently loosen tomatoes from pan with a wide metal spatula as they're done and transfer to a bowl.
4. 4. Spoon ricotta into a bowl and drizzle remaining 1/2 tbsp. oil on top. Put basil in another bowl. Set out toasts with tomatoes, ricotta, and basil so people can build their own bruschetta. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Turkey Soup

Ingredients

• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1 turkey carcass, all meat removed
• 1 onion, halved, plus 1 onion, minced
• 1 carrot, halved lengthwise, plus 1 carrot, minced
• 1 whole stalk celery, plus 1 more stalk, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups dark turkey meat
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 carrot, minced
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 3 cups leftover cooked Thanksgiving side vegetables (Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, green beans)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

Directions

Put chicken broth, turkey, onion halves, carrot halves, 1 celery stalk, and 1 bay leaf in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 1 1/2 hours. Finely dice the remaining onion, carrot and celery and reserve.

Dice the turkey meat. Make sure meat pieces are no larger than the size of a soup spoon. (If preparing soup the next day, be sure to store leftover turkey meat in an airtight container before placing it in the refrigerator, top with 1 or 2 ladles full of broth to keep meat moist.)

Before straining broth, remove large bones and carcass with tongs. Strain the broth through a sieve, covered with wet cheese cloth. Discard the solids. Transfer broth to a bowl set in a bath of ice water, which will cool the broth quickly and help keep it fresher longer. This can be done the night before and stored in the refrigerator until the next day.

In a large soup pot, heat garlic cloves in the olive oil. Allow to brown slightly and add minced carrots, celery, and onion. Sweat over medium-low heat until softened, about 7 or 8 minutes.

Dice the leftover vegetables (here Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, and green beans). Add the chopped sage to the soup pot along with the turkey broth and the remaining bay leaf. Bring to a simmer. When simmering, add Brussels sprouts, green beans and diced turkey meat to the soup. Bring it back up to a simmer. Finally, add the sweet potatoes to the center, and gently push them down. Turn the heat off and cover. Allow to sit and steam for 5 to 7 minutes.

Let simmer for 5 more minutes and serve.

Moussaka

Although "moussaka" is an Arabic word and a popular dish in many Middle Eastern countries, the immortal eggplant and lamb casserole is generally credited to the Greeks, who claim it as a national treasure.

1 lg. eggplant (about 2 lb.)
2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 lb. ground lamb or beef
1 med. onion, chopped
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
3/4 c. red wine or beef broth
1 tbsp. snipped parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
White sauce (below)
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 c. dry bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
Tomato Sauce (below)

Cut unpared eggplant crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Cook slices in small amount boiling water until tender, 5 to 8 minutes; drain. Heat butter in 12-inch skillet until melted. Cook and stir lamb and onion until lamb is light brown; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, wine, parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook uncovered over medium heat until half the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Prepare White Sauce.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Stir 2/3 cup of the cheese, 1/3 cup of the bread crumbs and the egg into meat mixture; remove from heat. Sprinkle remaining bread crumbs evenly in greased rectangular baking dish, 13 x 9 x 2-inches. Arrange half the eggplant slices in baking dish; cover with meat mixture. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the remaining cheese over meat mixture; top with remaining eggplant slices. Pour White Sauce over mixture; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered 45 minutes. Prepare Tomato Sauce. Let moussaka stand 20 minutes before serving. Cut into squares; serve with Tomato Sauce. Makes 8 servings.

WHITE SAUCE:

1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 c. milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Heat butter over low heat until melted. Blend in flour, salt and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Gradually stir at least 1/4 of the hot mixture into eggs. Blend into hot mixture in pan.

TOMATO SAUCE:

1 med. onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
2 c. chopped ripe tomatoes
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

Cook and stir onion and garlic in oil in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat until onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients except tomato paste. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. (Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water if necessary for desired consistency.) Remove bay leaf.