How We Update the First Authentic 1565 (Spanish) Thanksgiving Feast

(Gerry Furth-Sides) New dishes with a Spanish twist are on our Thanksgiving table again this year. This is because we learned last year that the first Thanksgiving was actually celebrated in St. Augustine, Florida in in 1565, over 50 years earlier than the 1621 date for the more Anglicized Thanksgiving in New England. Archaeologists at Florida’s Museum of Natural History only recently documented fascinating news.

Our triumvirate of tomatoes, potatoes, corn that the Spaniards brought back to the “old world” are delicious key feast ingredients this year. And we will toast to all of it with wines from Spain. García de la cruz Infused extra virgin olive oil not only gives a festive Spanish kick to a dish it eliminates the need for chili pepper and garlic.

Jonathan’s Bardzik’s Corn and Tomato Bisque from his book, SIMPLY SUMMER, uses sweet corn and rich cream for a “bright burst” in contrast to tomatoes and a finishing splash of sherry vinegar. We used heirloom cherry tomatoes to ensure full flavor

Corn and Tomato Bisque

Ingredients

4 ears of the freshest corn

2 tablespoons García de la cruz garlic Infused extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 lbs heirloom baby tomatoes

4 cups chicken bone broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

white pepper

Freshly grated nutmeg

Sherry or white wine vinegar

Directions

Spread the corn on a baking sheet and roast in a 400-degree F oven until the edges are golden brown, 10-15 minutes.

Warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a 4-quart soup pot. Add onions and sauté until softened and translucent, about five minutes. Add garlic oil and cook 30 seconds longer until fragrant. Add tomatoes to the soup pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add toasted corn kernels to tomato mixture along with chicken or vegetable stock. Brink soup to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes longer, allowing flavors to blend.

Remove 1/2 cup of solids. Purée remaining soup with an immersion blender of food processor.

Add the heavy cream along with reserved solids, and stir through. Season to taste with pepper, freshly grated nutmeg, and a splash of the sherry or wine vinegar and salt.

Almost all the ingredients for the New World Old World Wild Mushroom and Chestnut Tart from García de la Cruz and Melissa’s Produce can be stored on the pantry shelf ahead of cooking time. It gives a historic, and more relaxed, seasonal feeling to the festivities.

New World–Old World Wild Mushroom, Chestnut Tart

3.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled 

a pinch of salt

10 small pearl onions

1 Garcia de la Cruz Garlic-infusedExtra Virgin Olive oil

4 cups mixed wild mushrooms

2 ½ Melissa’s steamed and peeled chestnuts

3 tablespoons orange preserves with peel, sweetened with grape juice

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon Garcia de la Cruz Chili-infused Extra Virgin Olive oil

Finely slice the onions, garlic and mushrooms.  Smash the chestnuts into a soft mixture close to a puree. 

Heat 2 tablespoons Garcia de la Cruz garlic-infused olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and turn down to low.  Add the onions, stirring constantly until caramelized.  Add the mushrooms, thyme and chestnuts, cooking until mushrooms are golden brown. Season to taste and cool

Blind back at 250 degrees and cool for five minutes.

Add the mushroom mix to the pastry case and bake 20 minutes 350F 

To serve, drizzle with García de la cruz Extra Virgin Chili Olive Oil and sprinkle with thyme.