LOS ANGELES — Thanksgiving this year will look different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC and local health officials recommending staying home and having smaller gatherings.

Chef at Institute of Culinary Education, Seamus Mullen, shared tips on how to have a safer feast, while keeping the holiday spirit alive.

“You can portion individually. You can have a bowl of soup without having to make individual things,” said Mullen.

Soup is a great way to serve personalized dishes, when the family-style dinner is discouraged. The CDC says to limit the sharing of dishes, along with the number of guests you have over. LA County Public Health recommends limiting your gatherings to one or two households and keeping the meal outside.

Another tip is to have one person cook and prep the entire meal, of course while wearing a mask. While tasting the dishes, Chef Mullen says it is also important to not double dip.

“Use plastic spoons while cooking, so if you need to try the soup, you take a bite, and then discard the spoon,” said Mullen.

For the main course, instead of a big turkey that you have to cut and serve, Mullen says you can opt for a Cornish hen, which is a personal replacement.

“There’s no sharing family-style big plates and there’s not a huge amount of left overs for just four people,” said Mullen.

This option could easily be prepped days in advance and then cooked the morning of Thanksgiving, which the chef says is important to relieve stress on the holiday.

But if you must have a traditional turkey, Mullen recommends looking for a smaller size since you may have fewer guests

When it comes to serving, the CDC says to avoid extra people going in and out of the kitchen around the food. Chef Mullen also suggests having the cook plate and serve each dish to keep interaction low.

“I like the idea of serving the setting before anyone is at the table,” said Mullen.

Lastly, let’s discuss dessert. Again, in keeping with the individual portions, the chef recommends making a pumpkin pot de crème instead of pie. This elevated dish allows each person to enjoy their own sweet treat without sharing.

“Pumpkin pie is the favorite, but of course it’s a very communal dish so you want something that’s individually portioned,” said Mullen.
If you still want that traditional pie, you can make smaller, individual ones or buy them from a local bakery to ensure guests aren’t cutting into the same dish.

The CDC also says to keep the gathering outdoors with everyone wearing masks unless eating. Also, do not forget to social distance, sanitize surfaces, and continuously wash your hands.

If you would like to make any of the dishes from Chef Mullen, here are the recipes:

Scaled Down Thanksgiving Menu
By Seamus Mullen, Chef at the Institute of Culinary Education

Celery Root Soup with Hazelnuts and Apple

Ingredients

½ cup plus 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound celery root, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
2 McIntosh apples, one peeled and cut into 1” pieces, the other thinly sliced
1 cup whole milk
1 cup chicken stock
Zest of 1 lemon
1 stalk celery, finely sliced
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
4 tablespoons toasted hazelnuts

Directions

In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat up 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat and gently sweat onions and garlic until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the celery root and peeled apple and sauté for another two minutes. Add the milk and chicken stock and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and gently cook until celery root is tender and cooked through, about 30 minutes.

Strain and reserve the cooking liquid. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a powerful blender or food processor and add a little of the cooking liquid and process on high, adding more liquid as you go until you have a nice, creamy soup. With the motor running drizzle in ½ cup of olive oil until fully incorporated. Return the puree to the large pot over low heat and season with salt, pepper and lemon zest. Serve with a sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts, sliced raw apples and celery and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Roasted Cornish Hen with Braised Mushrooms, Pomegranate and Walnuts

Ingredients

4 Cornish hens
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 Tablespoons Pomegranate molasses
Bunch of fresh thyme
Sea salt
Pepper
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 cups mixed mushrooms (King Oyster, Oyster, Shitake, etc.), roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon butter
1 cup white wine
1 Tablespoon fresh sage
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
2 whole pomegranate
1 cup walnuts


Directions
 
Preheat oven to 350F.
 
Using butcher’s twine, tie the legs of the Cornish hens together. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil with the 3 tablespoons of the pomegranate molasses, then with a pastry brush, thoroughly brush the hens. Stuff the cavity of the hens with herbs.
 
Season the hens with salt and pepper and roast in a roasting pan for 45-60 minutes, until the meat at the joint reads 165 F on a meat thermometer.
 
Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat the remaining extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms to brown for 3-5 minutes. Reduce the heat, season with salt and pepper and add the butter and garlic and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
 
Add the wine and remaining pomegranate molasses and reduce the heat, cooking the mushrooms for 10 minutes at a low simmer. Remove from the heat, add the pomegranate seeds, walnuts and remaining herbs. Set aside in a warm place.
 
Remove the hens from the oven and rest for 5-10 minutes before serving over the braised mushrooms.



Pumpkin Spiced Pot de Crème

Ingredients

For the custards:
2 cups half and half
½ cup coconut sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
6 egg yolks
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of all spice
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of sea salt

For the whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2 TBSP maple syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the half-and-half, 1/4 cup coconut sugar, and pumpkin. Bring to a very gentle simmer over medium heat, just until bubbles appear, remove from the heat and keep warm.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, the remaining 1/4 cup coconut sugar, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg, and salt. Slowly pour into the half-and-half mixture, whisking constantly. Divide the mixture among 6 mini cocottes or 4-ounce ramekins. Place the cocottes in a large roasting pan and carefully fill with water to come halfway up the sides of the cocottes.

Bake until the custard is just barely set in the middle, 40 to 50 minutes, depending on the size of your cocottes or ramekins. Remove the pan from the oven and then remove the cocottes or ramekins from the roasting pan. Let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and preferably at least 24 hours to allow the custard to chill completely and the flavors to meld.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream and maple syrup and whip until soft peaks form. Just before serving, top each pumpkin pot de creme with a dollop of whipped cream.