When I decided we were going all-in with Pawas Kitchen, I was excited to start with a big project, so I chose Thanksgiving dinner. Every time I shared my ideas with my husband—how many dishes, ingredients, and how I wanted to film it—he was always supportive. He encouraged me with every crazy idea that came to mind, and I love him for that.
Once the theme was set, the recipes were next. I’ve celebrated three Thanksgivings before this one. My first Thanksgiving in the U.S. was just us grilling meat and sharing laughs. The second year, my Puerto Rican friends joined, bringing Puerto Rican dishes while I cooked Mexican food, and we enjoyed a delicious feast together. My third Thanksgiving, last year, was more elaborate, with fancy charcuterie boards, complex sides, and a very juicy turkey. I only helped with part of the process, so I didn’t fully understand the tradition.
Every family has its own Thanksgiving traditions and dishes, so I decided the library would be my best resource. Yes, I Googled and read a lot online, but I always turn to physical books when I can. Plus, I finally got my library card and was excited to use it (procrastination at its finest).
I stumbled upon Sam Sifton’s book and a few others. Most were just recipe books, missing the magic of tradition. But Sam Sifton’s became my prized possession the moment I opened it. He took me on a journey where I could almost see the plates and understand the ‘whys’ and ‘nos.’ Each chapter connected me more deeply to the American Thanksgiving tradition. I highly recommend this book. I decided to follow his recipes to honor the magnificence of his writing.
Sifton explains everything so clearly that it feels hard to go wrong. He dives into both the science and the sentiment behind every dish and tradition.
I was especially surprised by his cranberry sauce. I’ve cooked a lot, and I’m used to reading recipes and imagining the flavors. But when I read some of Sifton’s recipes in Thanksgiving: How to Cook It Well, I couldn’t quite picture the taste of this one. Keep in mind, I’d only ever had cranberries in two forms—dried with nuts and as juice (usually with vodka). Adding sugar and orange to that sounded questionable to me… or so I thought.
The gravy was a different story. I had never cooked with dry sherry before. For someone who says she cooks a lot, dry sherry had just never found its way into my ingredient list. But in this recipe, it was essential. The richness of the turkey fat and the depth of the sherry—without those, there simply wouldn’t be that soulful flavor.
When I finally tasted it, I was transported back to my childhood. That first lick hit me with a wave of nostalgia—it tasted exactly like my mom’s gravy. The warmth, the depth, the comfort… memories of her flooded back, and I felt tears come to my eyes. I didn’t expect something so simple to bring her back to me in that way. I’m beyond grateful that I found this book and this recipe; it gave me a moment with her again and gave me a version of a lost family recipe.
So, for our first Pawas Kitchen blog recipes, here are Cranberry Sauce and Pan Gravy by Sam Sifton.
Zesty Cranberry Sauce and delicious Pan Gravy for our first Thanksgiving.
Course: SidesDifficulty: Easy8
servings5
minutes15
minutesIngredients
12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
3/4 cup of sugar
3/4 cup orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed
Zest of 1 orange
- Pan Gravy
3/4 cup flour, best results instant.
Fat and stock left in pan to your liking.
Turkey Stock to your liking
1/2 cup dry sherry
Directions
- In a medium high heat saucepan pour the sugar, cranberries, and orange juice and stir until the sugar dissolves. Cover it and let it cook between 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the cranberries start bubbling and they start to break, add the orange zest and stir. Let it cook for 4 more minutes, cover it, remove it from the heat, and let it cool down.
- Once it is at room temperature, move it to the refrigerator. When you’re ready to eat, plate it and serve it cold.
- Pan Gravy
- In a saucepan pour the turkey fat and the flour and combine.
- Add the Turkey stock and stir until it thickens.
- Pour the dry sherry, mix for 5 more minutes, and plate.
Notes
- This is an adaptation of the cranberry sauce recipe in Sam Sifton’s book, “Thanksgiving, How To Cook It Well”