Local chefs share their favorite Thanksgiving recipes

The Niwot and Gunbarrel areas have their share of exceptionally talented chefs, some of whom have just opened or expanded restaurants in the past year. Each has expressed appreciation for working out of this community and serving those who live here. As a thank you, they've provided some of their favorite recipes as a gift for readers who might want to try something new for their Thanksgiving meal.

Potato Jurasien Pie from Christine Carr of TipTop Pies

This recipe is not only decadent and satisfying, it includes a step by step guide on how to make the delicious crusts featured at Tip Top pies Gunbarrel and Lafayette storefront.

Carr said she was inspired to make this pie by her time spent in the Alsace Mountain area in France. "I like to infuse a little bit of French flair into all my holiday meals, even as American a holiday as Thanksgiving," she said. "With this recipe, sometimes I add cheese and sometimes I skip it. Cooks can personalize by adding their own variations such as caramelized onion, bacon, smoked sausage or other type of cheeses."

Ingredients for the filling:

• Approximately 5 gold potatoes, peeled
• 1 tablespoon of room temperature butter to coat the casserole dish- unsalted or salted doesn't matter
• 1 cup emmentaler, gruyere or Comté cheese (can also be a combination)
• 1 pint of heavy cream
• 2 minced cloves of garlic
• 1Teaspoon nutmeg- freshly grated or to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

• Slice the potatoes to about 1/8 inch either by hand with a knife or a mandoline.
• Place in a bowl and cover with water until ready to use to prevent browning. Drain well.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Using 1 Tbl of the butter coat the bottom and sides of a 9 or 10 inch, 2" deep casserole dish and set aside.
• Heat cream, garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper in a heavy bottom saucepan- low heat and gently warm through without boiling.
• Add potatoes.
• Heat until the mixture thickens.
• Pour into the casserole dish in an even layer, the cream should just about cover the top of the potatoes, add cheese.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes and then let it cool.
• While cooling, roll out pastry dough (you can purchase dough from TipTop Savory Pies or make your own) to a size slightly larger than a casserole dish to make a lid.
• Place the pastry LID over the top of the potatoes and press down edges to seal, trim off excess and crimp the edges to decorate either with a fork or your fingers.
• Brush the top with a beaten egg or cream.
• Poke a hole in the center for steam to escape or if you have one you may use a pie bird.
• Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until pastry is nice and golden. If it is getting too golden you may cover with foil.
• Take out of oven and enjoy.

NOTE: This recipe makes about 400g or 13 oz of pastry dough- this will be more than you will need to top your filling. However it is always nicer to have a little extra to make decorations.
• 200 g/7oz plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt- kosher or sea salt
• 75g/3oz butter- cold
• 75g/3oz lard or vegetable fat
• 100ml/3 1/2 oz cold water
• 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar (this helps to create a more tender crust)
• 1 egg or heavy cream for glazing finished product
• Optional: You can have fun with your dough by adding herbs for an extra infusion of flavor. I suggest chopped up fresh rosemary and thyme.

• Mix together flour and salt
• Grate butter into the flour
• Add the other fat either lard or vegetable fat
• Blend until pea size crumble form- a stand mixer with paddle attachment, food processor or by hand using a to pastry blender may be used.
• Mix liquids together and slowly add to flour mixture
• As soon as it comes together to make a dough wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes prior to using.

Decadent orange rolls and a festive persimmon salad from Skyla Olds of LaMusette

LaMusette chef Skyla Olds said she likes the orange rolls, because it's not something guests typically have at Thanksgiving. Complex and sweet, it's closer to a cinnamon roll than the heavily-buttered egg rolls that are often served.

Her salad recipe was adapted from Lauren Lyle's Bay Wolf cookbook. "She was one of my chef mentors and Bay Wolf was an Oakland restaurant institution when I grew up in the food and wine scene there," said Olds. "This salad uses seasonal persimmons, but would also work well with pomegranate seeds if that's easier , which might be more available. The persimmons need to be the Fuyu variety, which are hard like an apple, rather than soft and gooey like the Hiyachi variety.

Ingredients for orange rolls

Dough:
• 1 cup scalded milk
• 2 Tbl butter, melted
• 1 Tbs yeast
• 1/2 tbs salt
• 3 eggs, beat well
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 cup flour, mix well

Filling:
• 1/2 softened butter
• Grated rind of 2 oranges
• 1/2 cup sugar

• Scald milk, add butter, cool, then sprinkle yeast on the mixture. Add in salt, eggs, sugar and a cup of flour. Mix well and let the dough rise for two hours, covered with a clean towel. Then add 3 more cups of flour. Do not knead, let rise for two more hours.
• Mix orange roll filling ingredients together until smooth and spreadable. Roll dough out into rectangle about the side of a cookie sheet, spread butter filling on top of dough and roll into a log along the longer side of the rectangle
• Cut into slices, about 1-2 inches thick and place in a baking pan, ideally with 2 inch high sides a few inches apart ( basically arranging like 12 on a cookie sheet). Cover with plastic or clean towel.
• Let rise for two hours, then bake 375 for 20 minutes.

Ingredients for persimmon salad

Greens and vegetables:
• Arugula, baby spinach, or a combination
• Persimmons or pomegranates
• Lemon zest
• Shaved parmesan
• 1-2 shallots,
• Pinch of salt
• ½ tsp sugar
• 4Tbsp sherry, champagne, red wine or rice vinegar
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• 5 Tbsp olive oil

• Assemble the salad greens. Mince the shallots in a small jar and add salt and sugar. Cover with vinegar and add mustard. After at least 10 minutes, add olive oil and shake to emulsify. Add to the greens just prior to serving.

Winter Squash Casserole by Patrick Balcom of Farow

Earlier this year, Patrick Balcolm and his wife Lisa opened their restaurant, where guests have been enjoying small plates, chef tasting menus, and jazz on the patio. He shared his recipe saying, "I enjoy this recipe because it's not overly sweet and insanely delicious. The white pepper with orange, vanilla and cinnamon is a great flavor combination and rounds out any Thanksgiving table. Oh and not to take it lightly, it's also extremely simple."

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of roasted squash (about 3 pounds raw) or 2 pounds canned squash or pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 orange zest
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 whole eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp AP flour
• 1 stick butter to brown butter

• Preheat the oven to 350 F
• Split, scoop seeds, and roast until tender your favorite winter squash (I prefer kabocha but any will do)
• Scoop squash from shell and allow squash to drain overnight in a strainer over a bowl to remove excess water (you can skip steps 1-3 if you want to purchase canned puree from the store, although your local farm squash will definitely be better)
• Preheat the oven to 425 F
• Place 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) in a small saucepan and cook it on medium high heat until brown (once the butter starts foaming you're close!)
• Put all ingredients in your food processor and pulse until fully combined (if you don't have a food processor place ingredients in a large bowl and whisk them together)
• Place mixture in a greased 6 cup casserole dish; bake 45 minutes or until set
• Serve custard warm and garnish with toasted pecans or your favorite candied pecan recipe to add some texture!