HARTFORD - Chef Billy Grant of Grants Restaurant, Restaurant Bricco and Bricco Trattoria, will team up with Sonny Chen of Black Bamboo to host their annual Thanksgiving Turkey Drive.
They will provide 1,100 turkeys to families in need throughout central Connecticut. Guests are encouraged to donate a turkey for $20 to help feed families in need. Three-hundred turkeys will be donated to the Hartford Police Athletic League to help families in Hartford and 800 turkeys will be donated to FoodShare. Donations can be made at any of their restaurants throughout the month of November. Grant has been donated over 5,000 turkeys over 5 years! Grant stopped by FOX 61's Good Day Connecticut to share his recipe for his Shaved Raw Brussels Sprout Salad:
Shaved Raw Brussels Sprout Salad
- 1 lb Brussels Sprouts – Sliced very thin
- 1 Granny Smith Apple- thinly sliced
- 1 cup toasted and salted almonds
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup shaved Grana Padano
- Vinaigrette
- ½ Cup of EVO
- ½ tbs Dijon
- 1 diced shallot
- 1 TBS Apple cider
- 3 TBS lemon juice
- S + P to taste
Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing – liquids
Toss Brussels sprouts, sliced apples, toasted almonds and dried cranberries
Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper
Add dressing to salad to taste
Add shaved grana Padano to the top of the salad
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Yield: One 9in. Pie
- Crust Ingredients:
- 1 cup gingersnap crumbs
- ½ cup pecans
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Place all ingredients into a food processor except the butter and pulse until finely ground.
Slowly stream the butter in while the food processor is running. Blend until all incorporated.
Press mixture into pie dish. Using your hands press up the sides of the dish. Using a flat measuring cup press crumb mixture on the bottom to smooth and flatten. Chill the crust until ready for use.
- ¼ cup water
- 2 ½ teaspoons powdered gelatin
- 1 ¼ cup canned pumpkin
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 eggs, separated (separate yolks from whites and set aside)
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
(Optional: Whipped Cream and chopped pecans)
Place the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Stir making sure all the gelatin is incorporated. Set aside.
In a small saucepan stir together the pumpkin, ½ cup of the sugar, spices and salt. Over medium heat bring mixture to a sputtering simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook stirring constantly until it is thick and shiny. About 3 to 5 minutes.
Scrape the pumpkin mixture into a food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the food processor bowl. With the food processor running slowly add in the milk and vanilla. Process until incorporated. Add in the yolks 1 at a time. Process only until just incorporated about 5 seconds after each yolk. Add the gelatin mixture and pulse in.
Return mixture to sauce pan and heat stirring constantly for 3 minutes or until mixture reaches 160°F. Pour into a medium bowl and chill over an ice bath.
For the meringue: whip the egg whites on low speed until foamy then add the cream of tartar. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly beat in ¼ cup of the sugar and whip until it reaches stiff peaks.
Remove the pumpkin mixture from the ice bath. Using a whisk gently fold the meringue into the pumpkin mixture. Immediately pour into prepared pie crust.
Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
When ready to serve top with whipped cream and pecans.
