Pilgrim Recipes

When the Pilgrims came to New World, they brought their way of cooking with them, but they also adjusted to new available foods. The Native Americans were a big help in this. Here are some of their recipes adjusted for today's cooks:

Skillet Cranberries
1 pound fresh cranberries
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups rum (will evaporate) or water with rum flavoring.

Mix ingredients into an iron skillet or oven-proof dish. Bake at 300 degrees until the liquid cooks out. Stir as little as possible to keep the cranberries from coming apart. Serves 4-6.

Chestnut Dressing for Turkey

2 pounds chestnuts

2 cups turkey or chicken stock or broth
6 green onions or scallions (optional)
1 celery stalk, chopped (optional)
3 cups small bread cubes, not too hard (lightly toasted is good)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup minced, cooked meat from turkey or chicken (use neck, back, wing or other dark pieces)
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
Place chestnuts in boiling water that covers them and cook for 15 - 20 minutes. Cool. Remove shells and inner husks and chop coarsely. Heat stock. Add butter and spices. Add celery and onions if using and cook for 5 minutes. Mix in meat. Remove from heat and stir in bread crumbs, mixing well. Stuff in turkey cavity and bake or in a baking dish at 375 degrees for about 20 -30 minutes or until brown enough.

New England Pumpkin Pie
2 cups strained or pureed pumpkin
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
3 eggs, slightly beaten 
1 cup milk 
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup flour
Combine ingredients and mix well. Pour into pie crust and bake in preheated  400 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until slightly browned and set.

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