On the menu (serves 10 with leftovers):
Relish Tray
Cream of Jerusalem Artichoke Soup
Sage-Infused Turkey, Basted With Pomegranate Juice, With Chestnut-Sausage Stuffing and Sage Gravy
Cranberry Citrus Relish
Rutabaga-Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
Brown-Sugared Yams With Vanilla
Carmelized Brussels Sprouts
Apple Crostada
Pumpkin-Pecan Pie
Buttermilk Ice Cream
Fresh Fruits, Nuts, Local Cheeses, and Quince Paste
Also in this article:
Grocery list for entire menu
Recipe mysteries solved by Melissa Kelly
Kelly's guide for beginners
Q&A with Melissa Kelly
More turkey tips
Battle plan and timeline for 2 p.m. meal
Wine picks for this meal

Thanksgiving with a twist

Melissa Kelly

Have holiday cooking questions? Ask chef Kelly in an online chat. To participate, visit usaweekend.com Nov. 21 at 2 p.m. ET.

Chef Melissa Kelly first cooked most of these recipes for her fiancé and family last Thanksgiving. The tradition-loving crew gave the meal rave reviews.

No wonder -- Kelly's food is familiar but forceful. The yams surprise with a vanilla flavor, rosemary lurks in the mashed potatoes, the turkey becomes succulently sweet because of an unexpected pomegranate juice basting.

"Bringing Thanksgiving into this century" is how Kelly, chef-owner of the new Primo restaurant in Rockland, Maine, characterizes her flavor-boosted menu. "People today have a more educated palate, so they're looking for new and creative things, and so you want to just enhance tradition," explains Kelly, 35, whose training included a stint cooking at California's Chez Panisse under the legendary Alice Waters.

Kelly knows that preparing a meal as complex as Thanksgiving dinner can intimidate even seasoned cooks. But with planning, she says, it's totally doable. "Stay organized. Don't find yourself in the grocery store just starting your shopping on the day before Thanksgiving. Make sure you have the right pots and pans. And follow the schedule I set up."

Most important, she says, is to have fun preparing for the big day. "The best part of the holidays is having everyone involved and doing things together."

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"Because of basting with pomegranate juice, the skin will get crispy and glazed and have a sweet taste. The sage under the skin will really perfume the meat. "

Sage-Infused Turkey, Basted With Pomegranate Juice, With Chestnut-Sausage Stuffing and Sage Gravy Stuffing

1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, taken out of its casings and crumbled
1 medium Spanish onion, diced
6 stalks celery, diced
1 lb. domestic mushrooms, quartered
5 cloves garlic, minced
8 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup chestnuts, roasted and peeled
2 tsps. dried sage
6 cups dried bread (can use an assortment or buy plain croutons)

Bird:

4-5 carrots, peeled, roughly chopped
6 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
3 onions, roughly chopped
14- to 16-lb. turkey, preferably organically raised
2 bunches of fresh sage
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 pomegranates seeded; push the seeds through a sieve, reserve juice (or 1 1/2 cups concentrated pomegranate juice mixed with 1/2 cup water)
Salt and pepper, to taste

Gravy:

Pan drippings from turkey
3/4 cup flour
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tb. fresh sage, chopped

To prepare stuffing: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add crumbled sausage and brown for about 4 minutes. Add onion and celery; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook another 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 2-3 minutes. Add butter and stock and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add chestnuts and dried sage. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, pour the sausage mixture over the bread crumbs. Mix until the bread begins to soften. Place stuffing in a buttered 9-by-13-inch casserole and cover with foil. Bake in oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, uncovering for the last 15 minutes so it will brown. Serve in the baking dish.

To prepare turkey: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a large roasting pan by covering the bottom with carrots, celery and onion. Remove any bagged or extra organs from inside the bird and discard. Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry. Stick your finger between the skin and the breast meat, and insert 4-5 sage leaves on each side. Season the cavity and the outside of the bird with salt and pepper, and place the bird in the roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 45 minutes. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees and continue cooking for 60 minutes. Then continue baking for 90 minutes, but begin basting. Baste every 15 minutes, alternating between butter and pomegranate juice. After the turkey has baked for 3 hours and 15 minutes total, take it out of the oven and check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. The bird is ready when the temperature reaches 145 degrees. (Place thermometer between drumstick and thigh.) If the internal temperature is not yet 145, remove the thermometer and put the turkey back in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the turkey from the oven and test the temperature again. When at 145, set the turkey aside, with the meat thermometer still in it, to rest for 15-20 minutes. While it rests out of the oven, the temperature should rise to 160. Be sure it hits 160 before carving.

To prepare gravy: Remove the bird from the pan and put on a large platter that will catch any juices that may run. Use slotted spoon to remove vegetables; keep them warm in a bowl. Remove as much fat as possible from the pan with a bulb baster or spoon, leaving behind the rich meat juices. Place the turkey roasting pan over medium-to-low heat. Add flour, mixing it with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer and adjust consistency with more stock if necessary. Add any juices that accumulate on the turkey platter. Strain out lumps. Season with salt, pepper, sage. Keep warm until serving.

To serve: Carve and arrange dark and light meat on platter. Garnish with a few reserved pomegranate seeds and fresh sage. Serve gravy in a nice pitcher or gravy boat. Pass stuffing in the pan.
Per 5-ounce serving of turkey, 1/2 cup of stuffing and 1/4 cup of gravy: 559 calories, 22g carbohydrates, 29g fat (21.5g saturated), 50g protein, 2g fiber, 494mg sodium.

Cranberry Citrus Relish

12 ounces fresh cranberries
1/2 lemon, seeded and chopped, rind and all
1 orange (same)
1/2 lime (same)
1 cup sugar

In a food processor, chop cranberries, lemon, orange and lime to a coarse consistency. Transfer fruit to a sauce pan and add sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until mixture begins to thicken, about 15 minutes. Pour into a flat dish and cool. Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

Per 1/4 cup serving: 102 calories, 28g carbohydrates, 0.1g fat, 0.4g protein, 2g fiber, 1mg sodium.

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Brown-Sugared Yams With Vanilla

6 medium sweet potatoes (5 lbs.), cut like "steak fries": Halve lengthwise, then widthwise; cut each quarter into thirds
3 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
8 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise and scraped to remove beans (discard pod)
Juice and grated rind from 1 lemon and 1 orange
2 cinnamon sticks
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a 6-quart saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, then simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon to a heavy serving bowl and keep warm. Boil remaining cooking liquid for 10-15 minutes to reduce by half. Pour reduced liquid over the potatoes and serve warm. Before serving, remove cinnamon sticks.

Per serving: 378 calories, 72g carbohydrates, 9.7g fat (5.8g saturated), 2.85g protein, 5g fiber, 122mg sodium.

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Rutabaga-Rosemary Mashed Potatoes

1 pound rutabaga, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
Salt and white pepper, to taste
2 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 Tb. dry)

Place rutabaga in a medium saucepan filled with cold salted water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer rapidly, uncovered, until tender, 45-60 minutes. Strain and reserve.

Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large pot filled with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a rapid simmer and cook uncovered until tender, 5-7 minutes. Strain and reserve. In a small saucepan, heat butter and cream until butter melts. With paddle attachment of an electric mixer, mash potatoes and rutabaga in a mixing bowl while adding butter, cream. Mix in stages until you achieve the desired consistency. Season with salt and white pepper. Fold in rosemary. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Per serving: 171 calories, 18g carbohydrates, 10.4g fat (6.4g saturated), 2.4g protein, 2g fiber, 17mg sodium.

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Fresh Fruits, Nuts, Local Cheeses and Quince Paste

1 bunch of grapes
3 pears, sliced
12 clementine oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 pound mixed nuts
A selection of locally made cheese: a goat cheese, a blue cheese, a brie and a Cheddar
Quince paste (a fruit gel that goes well with cheese)
Assemble ingredients together on a platter. Serve with quince paste on the side.

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Relish Tray

1 1/2 cups olives
20 radishes, cleaned
2 heads fennel, chopped into sticks
6 carrots, chopped into sticks
Arrange ingredients together on a nice platter and serve.

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Cream of Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

3 lb. Jerusalem artichoke (also known as sunchokes), thoroughly scrubbed and each cut into 4 pieces; reserve 1 whole tuber for garnish (can substitute celery root)
2 cups peanut or canola oil for frying chips
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 qts. low-sodium chicken broth
(can sub vegetable broth or water)
2 cups heavy cream
Salt and white pepper, to taste
2 ounces black trumpet mushrooms, fresh or
dried or 2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
1 Tb. canola oil
1 pound U-10 (under 10 per lb.) jumbo diver scallops (one giant scallop per serving)

With a vegetable peeler or mandolin, take reserved Jerusalem artichoke and slice it paper thin. In a sauce pan, heat the peanut or canola oil to about 350 degrees. (Use a candy thermometer to check.) Add the sliced artichokes a little at a time, frying for 3-4 minutes, until lightly browned and crispy. Drain on paper towels and salt them immediately. Set aside. In a large stock pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until onion becomes translucent, do not brown. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Add artichokes and cook another 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and turn the heat up to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until artichokes are tender when poked with a sharp knife.

Add cream, bring back to a boil and remove from heat. Puree this whole mixture in a blender. Season with salt and white pepper. Hold warm until ready to use. Prepare the mushrooms. If you are using fresh black trumpet mushrooms: In a small saute pan over medium-high heat, saute mushrooms in 1 1/2 tsps. of olive oil or butter until soft. If using dried porcini or dried black trumpet: In a small bowl, rehydrate mushrooms in hot water for 10 minutes. Reserve until ready to serve.

To serve: In a saute pan over high heat, heat canola oil until smoking. Season scallops with salt and white pepper. Place scallops in the pan carefully, do not crowd the pan. Cook about 1 1/2 minutes on each side, do not turn until the first side has caramelized. Scallops should be crisp and brown around the edges. The entire scallop will turn opaque. Divide scallops among each shallow bowl, ladle in 1 cup soup (scallops should show) and sprinkle with mushrooms and Jerusalem artichoke chips.

Nutrition per serving: 470 calories, 28g carbohydrates, 33g fat (18g saturated), 16g protein, 4g fiber, 316mg sodium.

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Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut each sprout across the stem end and remove any dark green or blemished outer leaves. Cut an X in the bottom to open up the core, as this is the thickest part. If the sprouts are large, cut in half. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium to high heat. Add oil and heat till almost smoking. Add sprouts, and saute until starting to brown, about 10 minutes.
Add butter, salt and pepper and place in oven. Roast for about 25 minutes or until they soften and carmelize. Hold in a warm place.

Per serving: 80 calories,
7g carbohydrates, 5.3g fat (1.8g saturated), 3g protein, 5g fiber, 44mg sodium.

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Pumpkin-Pecan Pie With Chantilly Cream
Makes 1 8-inch deep-dish pie

"This pie was taught to me by Paul Prudhomme. It's very rich, kind of decadent, with a layer of pumpkin and the pecans on top. The dough is pretty foolproof."

Dough:
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbs. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 beaten egg (reserve other half)
2 Tbs. cold milk
1 cup all-purpose flour

Filling:
1 small sugar pumpkin, roasted and puréed, cooked down to 1 cup (or 1 cup canned pumpkin purée)
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 Tbs. sugar
Reserved 1/2 beaten egg
1 Tb. heavy cream
1 Tb. unsalted butter, softened
1 Tb. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Pecan Pie Syrup:
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
2 tsps. vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Pinch cinnamon
3/4 cup pecan pieces

Chantilly Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tb. superfine sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla

To prepare dough: In a mixing bowl on high speed, mix the butter, sugar and salt until creamy. Add egg and beat for 30 seconds. Add milk and beat 30 seconds. Add flour and mix until blended. Do not over mix, or dough will become tough. Remove and shape into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. (Can be refrigerated for 24 hours or frozen up to 2 weeks; thaw in refrigerator 6 hours before use.) On a floured surface, roll out chilled dough to 1/4-1/8 inch thick. Place in a greased and floured 8-inch round springform pan. Press firmly in bottom and sides of pan and trim edges. Chill 15-20 minutes.

To prepare filling: In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Beat on medium speed until combined. Set aside.

To prepare pecan syrup: Combine all ingredients except pecans. Thoroughly mix until syrup is opaque; stir in pecans. Set aside.

To prepare Chantilly Cream: Combine all ingredients. Whisk until cream forms soft peaks. Refrigerate.

To assemble: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spoon pumpkin filling into the dough-lined springform pan. Pour pecan syrup on top. Bake 90-105 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool. Release sides from springform pan and serve with Chantilly Cream.

Per serving: 436 calories, 56g carbohydrates, 22.3g fat (10.5g saturated), 4g protein, 1g fiber, 162mg sodium.

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Pastry:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tb. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter,
cut into cubes
3-4 Tbs. ice water
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water, tossing with a fork, until pastry holds together.
Shape pastry into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour. (Can be made ahead and refrigerated for 24 hours or frozen up to 2 weeks.)

Filling:
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tb. brandy, cognac or water
3 to 31/2 lbs. (6-7 large)
Granny Smith apples, peeled,
cored and cut into eighths
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup toasted walnuts,
coarsely chopped
In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Increase heat to high; stir in sugar and brandy. Add apples; cover and cook 3 minutes, stirring just enough so apples don't stick or burn. Uncover; add raisins and stir while cooking, until tender and liquid has evaporated (5-6 minutes). Cool apple mixture completely, stir in nuts.

Glaze:
1/2 cup apricot preserves
Begin glaze after the crostada is baked. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt preserves for 2 minutes. Strain preserves through a sieve into a cup; immediately drizzle over filling.
To assemble: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into a 14-inch circle. Transfer pastry onto a large non-stick cookie sheet. Arrange apples on pastry, leaving a 2-21/2-inch border around the edge. Fold the edge of the pastry over the apples and punch down a little. (The crostada should be about 9 inches in diameter.) Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake 30 minutes more, or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and finish by drizzling glaze over crostada. Cool on the cookie sheet. Transfer to a serving platter when cool. Serve with Buttermilk Ice Cream.

Per serving: 410 calories, 63g carbohydrates, 18g fat (9g saturated), 3g protein, 3.6g fiber, 264mg sodium.

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Per 1/2 cup: 220 calories, 22g carbohydrates, 13.8g fat (8g saturated), 3g protein, 0g fiber, 49mg sodium.

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Battle plan and timeline for 2 p.m. meal

Weekend before Thanksgiving: Make cranberry relish, refrigerate. Make ice cream, freeze. Make doughs for crostada and pie, freeze (thaw six hours before you use).

Tuesday: If using frozen turkey, put in refrigerator to thaw. Put pie crust in refrigerator.

Wednesday: Make soup, yams, pie. Clean and score Brussels sprouts. Clean and cut rutabaga and potatoes; hold in separate pots of cold water. Dice vegetables for stuffing. Make crostada's apple filling. Juice pomegranate for turkey glaze. Put crostada crust in refrigerator.

Thursday:
8 a.m. Roll dough and assemble crostada.
9 a.m. Crostada goes in oven. Season turkey and put in pan.
10 a.m. Crostada comes out of oven. Turkey goes in.
10:05 a.m. Assemble relish tray and fruit-nut trays.
10:45 a.m. Turn oven temperature down to 325 degrees.
11:30 a.m. Make stuffing.
11:45 a.m. Baste turkey. Repeat every 15 minutes.
Noon Stuffing goes in oven. Start rutabaga and potatoes. Make artichoke chips for soup.
1 p.m. Warm soup and yams. Start Brussels sprouts.
1:15 p.m. Turkey and stuffing come out of oven. Brussels sprouts go in. Make gravy.
1:30 p.m. Brussels sprouts come out. Turn off oven and put sweet potatoes in to warm. Finish mashed potatoes.
1:50 p.m. Make scallops for soup.
2 p.m. Serve.

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Grocery list to make the complete menu

Dairy
2 lbs. plus 5 1/2 Tb.unsalted butter
5 1/2 cup plus 1 Tb. heavy cream
3 Tb. unsalted butter
7 large eggs
2 cups plus 2 Tb. cold milk
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
Medium-size chunk of goat cheese
Medium-size chunk of blue cheese
Medium-size chunk of brie
Medium-size chunk of cheddar

Liquor
1 Tb. brandy, cognac (optional)

Produce
3 to 3 1/2 lbs. (6-7 large) Granny Smith apples
1/3 cup raisins
1 1/2 lemons
2 oranges
1/2 lime
1 bunch of grapes
3 pears
12 clementines
2 lbs. Brussels sprouts
12 oz. fresh cranberries
6 medium (about 5 lbs.) sweet potatoes
3 lbs. Jerusalem Artichoke
1 small sugar pumpkin or 1 cup canned pumpkin
11 carrots
20 radishes
2 heads of fennel
12 stalks of celery
1 lb. domestic mushrooms
7 medium Spanish onions
8 cloves of garlic
2 oz. black trumpet mushrooms, fresh or dried (or substitute porcin, fresh or dried)
1 lb. rutabaga
2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes
2 Tb. fresh rosemary (or 1 Tb. dry)
2 bunches of fresh sage
2 pomegranates seeded (or 1 1/2 cups concentrated pomegranate juice)

Dry goods
1 1/2 cups olives
1 cup roasted and peeled chestnuts
1 lb. mixed nuts
6 cups dried bread, can use an assortment or buy the plain cubed croutons
2 tsp. dried sage
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
3/4 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 Tb. vegetable oil
4 qt. low-sodium chicken stock
2 cups peanut or canola oil for frying chips
1 Tb. canola oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
5 cups plus 1 Tb. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tb. plus 21/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. grated cinnamon
2 cinnamon sticks
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg
1 Tb. superfine sugar
1 1/2 vanilla beans
quince paste (a fruit gel that goes well with cheese)

Meat
1 pound of U-10 (under 10 per lb.) jumbo diver scallops
14-16 lb. turkey
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage

Bread suggestion:
Store-bought dinner rolls
onion brioche
cheddar scallion biscuits

Equipment list In addition to a nice variety of sauce pans, glass baking dishes and saute pans, you'll need:
mixer
hand blender
food processor
rolling pin
juicer
apple corer/slicer
peeler
candy thermometer
double boiler
ice-cream maker
sieve
meat thermometer
turkey baster
8" round springform pan
large cookie sheet
roasting pan (preferably with roasting rack)
heavy stock pot (for soup)

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Recipe mysteries solved by Melissa Kelly

What is the "Jerusalem artichoke" that is used in your soup recipe?
It's actually a tuber that grows on the bottom of a sunflower plant. It looks a lot like a piece of ginger. It's a little fatter. It's very thin-skinned and beige in color. They're pretty common now in supermarkets. It's used in Native American dishes. It's an old American thing, not anything new.

What is a black trumpet mushroom, also used in the soup?
It's a really soft, really woodsy-tasting mushroom. And it's very delicate. And it's dark black. It has a bit of a smoky flavor. Porcini would be a good substitute.

Why make Brussels sprouts? What makes them worth it?
It's very seasonal at that time, and I try to stick to seasonal vegetables. If Brussels sprouts are boiled, they're very sulfury. When you caramelize them, you turn all of that into sugar and they're totally different. They're very sweet. I serve these all the time at the restaurant and people say, "I never ate Brussels sprouts and these are great." It changes the vegetable completely. It totally brings out the best in it.

How do you seed a pomegranate, called for in your turkey recipe?
You have to pull them apart. Pull off the outer skin and then the seeds fall out. I put them into a large-holed sieve and push them through. Your hands get red, but it's not terribly messy. You can get pomegranate juice at a Middle Eastern grocery story.

What's the best way to mash potatoes?
I make them in a Kitchen Aid mixer with the paddle attachment.

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Turn turkey terror into triumph: Melissa Kelly's guide for beginners

It's not really a big deal.

You can make a good turkey by seasoning it and putting it in the oven and just checking the temperature.

You can make a really good turkey by basting it often, putting some extra love into it, a little extra flavor. It's actually pretty easy to cook if you just follow the instructions.

Carving it could be a little scary for some people. Around Thanksgiving, there's enough information out there, with tips, that if you just pay attention to it, it's not that scary. And there's always that Butterball hot line!

[Editor's note: Help is a phone call away at:
Butterball Turkey Talkline, 1-800-323-4848, live person
Reynolds Turkey Tips Line, 1-800-745-4000, recording
USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-800-535-4555, recording]

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More turkey tips from Melissa Kelly.

Don't be afraid of the turkey. It does a lot of itself. As the juices run through it, it does stay pretty moist. If you just keep an eye on it and stay in touch with it, you shouldn't have a problem.

If there's anything in the turkey, it will probably be a bag with the gizzards, liver and neck in it. Any extraneous parts, except for the liver, can go right into the roasting pan with the bird.

Check the internal temperature between the drumstick and the thigh.
If you cook it beyond 145 degrees, it'll still be OK. To get it perfect for both the dark meat and the light meat is almost impossible, because the dark meat takes more time. So you're trying to find a happy medium where the breast is still moist, and the leg meat is cooked enough. Don't cook it with the meat thermometer in it. Just keep testing it. As it gets hotter and hotter, once it hits 90 to 100 degrees it'll start to go faster, so that's the time to really watch it. Pull it out at 145 degrees, it'll rise to 160 degrees out of the oven and then will be safe to eat.

I like to stuff the bird because the drippings give the stuffing a lot more flavor. There's a flap of skin where the neck was cut off. There's a pocket there. In addition to stuffing the body, I take a cup of stuffing and put it also in the neck of the bird. As the skin starts to render the fat, the stuffing that's underneath that skin, will flavor your stuffing, so it's a good spot.

To get that same flavor for the stuffing without stuffing the bird, take your baster and remove some of the drippings out of the pan and baste your stuffing.
If you forget to start thawing a frozen turkey in the refrigerator two days before you're due to cook it, you can try to thaw it in a sink under cold running water.
Use a heavy-duty roasting pan. Don't cover it. It should be big enough so that the turkey fits comfortably with two inches at least left all the way around.

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Q&A with Melissa Kelly

How do you make tradition new? What were you thinking about when you were creating this menu?
I like to keep one foot in the past, always, because nostalgia is good. And on holidays, you want to evoke memories for people. Then also, cooking for today, I like to upgrade recipes. Basting the turkey with pomegranate juice is not a classic thing to do, but it puts a new spin on it. I like to think about the flavors a little bit more, take a traditional dish and boost it. Same thing with the Jerusalem artichoke, adding a scallop. People today have a more educated palate and so they're looking for new and creative things and so you want to enhance tradition.

Thanksgiving in America suggests a lot of food and this menu is pretty complex. How does this menu fit into traditional Thanksgiving?
It has all the components. It is more complex than just making mashed potatoes and yams and a can of cranberry sauce and a turkey. Each individual recipe has unique flavors and can stand on its own. This menu sharpens the traditional meal.

How are you using your new eyes/tastebuds into something new and exciting?
I don't think a regular Thanksgiving meal is a dull meal, but it's kind of like bringing Thanksgiving into this century. Taking little twists and more flavors and boosting up everything, the classics. Like adding the rutabaga and the rosemary to the mashed potatoes instead of doing regular mashed potatoes. And adding the citrus to the cranberry -- giving each side dish its own identity. Instead of just being the yams, it's the brown sugar and the yams with vanilla. It rounds it out a little more. I'm a chef so it's a little different for me. But as a home cook, if you wanted to cook this meal and you didn't want to do the whole thing, you could take bits and pieces out of it that might work with your own repertoire of ingredients and recipes.

What if somebody wants to cook your meal and it's the first time they've ever cooked Thanksgiving dinner. Pep talk?
Really try to stay organized. Look at the menu. Do your shopping ahead of time. Get all of your ducks in a row. Make sure you have the right pots and pans. Make sure you have all the ingredients. Don't find yourself in the grocery store just starting your shopping on the day before Thanksgiving. Start shopping a week before, a couple days before you start doing your prep work. And follow the schedule that I set up. That would be especially important for someone who's not kitchen savvy.

What about getting some help? Would you recommend having family members split up this menu and have everyone bring a dish?
Sure. The best part of the holidays is having everyone involved and doing things together. Do it together in your kitchen instead of saying all right, you bring that and I'll bring this. If you have the luxury of living close by your friends and family, then get together and do it together. It's more fun.

What if somebody has cooked 50 Thanksgiving menus. How would you persuade them to cook your menu instead of their usual one?
The menu is pretty classic as far as each dish. There's just a new twist on each dish. Pick and choose a couple of things. Or surprise your family with something completely different. Or, read my recipes and take inspiration from them. You don't even have to follow the whole recipe. But maybe baste the turkey a little different. Or try the yam dish. Or make the soup. Or just even make the relish. Take your traditional menu and add a few new things into it.

Any advice for leftovers?
I always make turkey soup from the turkey bone. And then from the turkey soup I usually make turkey pot pie. All of those sides can be rewarmed and served as leftovers. You can make a great turkey sandwich with the cranberry relish and stuffing. You can turn that into different dishes, which is nice.

What do you do with vegetarians on Thanksgiving?
My brother's a vegetarian. And generally he can eat most of the side dishes. The Jerusalem Artichoke soup can be vegetarian if you leave the scallop out and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth. I would prepare something special for a vegetarian. Not a tofu turkey -- I'm not a tofu person. I'd probably prepare a veggie quiche.

Can you recommend any other variations on the recipes?
The soup can be made with parsnips or celery root. With the relish, you could add kumquats, or you could add different citrus. Or all of one, if you wanted to do a cranberry lime or a cranberry orange. Just leave out the others. The stuffing, you can leave the sausage out if you want and add more mushrooms if you have vegetarians at your meal. You can use sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin for the pie.

Lots of people load down the table at Thanksgiving. Could this menu be too much?
For some people for sure. It's a lot of work to prepare, but it's a lot of work to prepare any Thanksgiving dinner.

Where do you come down on cranberries? Canned, jellied, fresh?
I like homemade. I grew up with jellied, canned cranberries. I don't mind them. I think the flavor plays a big role with turkey. The tart, fruity flavor is really important in the meal. But since I started making fresh cranberries, I don't think there's much of a comparison. I think the fresh are much better.

What if you don't have a real roasting pan? Is one of those aluminum ones from the grocery store OK?
Yeah, you can use it. You just have to be careful with it because as you move it around, it might get punctured. You might even buy two and double it up. Flip the turkey around in the oven -- baste one side and then turn the pan and baste the other side and then slide it back into the oven. Do this every time you baste and the turkey will cook more evenly.

Crowd control: What if you're afraid of cooking for a big group of people?
Being organized is one of the most important things in cooking. There's nothing worse than going to make your recipe and having an ingredient missing and you have to run out. Being as organized as you can is the most important thing. Get help. Get people involved. There's certain things you can do to make it easier. There are also ways to make that menu a lot harder -- like make your stocks from scratch. If you're afraid of cooking for that many people, you can simplify it a little bit, or you can tone it down. Buy something prepared from the grocery store or mix and match some of the recipes to make it less difficult.

Tips for a good dinner party?
Thanksgiving is be-all end-all dinner party of the year.
Do little things. Have mulled cider ready when your guests arrive. Decorate your table with gourds and pumpkins.

Any other tips for dealing with this experience? Timing tips? How keep things warm all at once?
By the time you take the turkey out, you should have enough time to warm everything else up while that's resting and you're carving. You can hold things warm, too. Keep the soup covered on top of the stove and the heat from the oven should be enough to keep it warm. Keep the potatoes in a deep bowl and keep them covered. At home, I make my mashed potatoes, put them in a deep stoneware bowl, cover them with foil, set them on top of my oven, and they'll stay warm. The top of the stove is pretty warm and you can hold things up there if it's covered and if it's in the right type of container.

How do you garnish these dishes?
With the turkey, sprinkle some pomegranate seeds on the plate. Otherwise, I garnish these dishes with sprinklings of parsley and other herbs and serve them all family style.

Keys to a good dinner party?
That the host is not totally stressed out and running around. Organization is so crucial, because when the guests get there, you don't want to be still doing things. If you have everything done and holding in a low oven and then you have to just go carve your turkey and pull everything out. Then you can relax and enjoy and that's important -- for people to feel that you're not stressed out just to make dinner for them. And in my family, traditions are really important. We have certain dishes that certain family members always make at Thanksgiving. My mom always makes cauliflower in a cheese sauce. It's very all-American. One of my aunts always makes the pies. It's kind of fun because everyone always looks forward to Aunt Marguarite's pies. We have a lot more traditions at Christmas.

What if my turkey burns or isn't cooked enough?
If it isn't cooked enough, that's not a problem, because you can always cook it more. If it burns, that is a problem. If just the outside is burned, you can probably salvage it. But if you pull it out and it's totally burned and dry on the inside, you'll probably need to buy a cooked turkey breast somewhere.

How do you usually celebrate Thanksgiving?
Usually I work, but last year we cooked Thanksgiving at our house and I had my aunt and her boyfriend and my cousin over for dinner and we made a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Actually, I made a lot of the recipes from this menu.

Reactions to the menu?
Very good. It's a lot of food, but everything Thanksgiving meal is a lot of food.

What are your plans for this year?
The restaurant's not open, so we'll cook at home or maybe at my mom's house.

Do you ever have time to cook for friends or for fun?
Occasionally, but it's rare right now because we opened a new restaurant and it's really busy. But as we settle into this area and more of a routine, we'll have more time to do that. Most of my friends are in the restaurant business, so when we do have dinner parties, everyone usually brings something to add to the party.

You use locally grown stuff and simple flavors. How are you set apart from other chef?
My restaurant, Primo, is in Rockland, Maine. It's midway up the state on the coast. We opened in April. We came to this area because we're really close to the ocean and we get phenomenal seafood. It is still countryside, so we get locally raised poultry, game birds, pork. We buy our fish right from the fishermen. We have someone who brings us just halibut. Someone else brings us just lobster. We have our own garden and we grow our own greens and some vegetables and herbs. My whole philosophy on food is "for the moment -- what's fresh today?" We change our menu every day because of that. I go to the farmer's market every week. It's kind of a community feeling -- being part of the community, supporting it. I could get things shipped in from all over the world. But we try to scout out what's here first. Of course if there's not good product here, we will fly things in, because we want to serve great stuff. But I have been buying all of my mushrooms locally while they're in season. The local Maine blueberries, and corn. Pretty much everything is right here. I don't have to look for outside sources at this time of year. But we are in Maine and things will change as the weather gets colder and the menu will change. We'll switch our focus to more root vegetables and stews and braises. Hearty things. Then when spring comes around, we'll have garlic coming out of the ground, and sweet peas, and things will change again. Really, the food drives the menu and the food drives our whole life. That's how the restaurant works and that's my philosophy. Kind of doing things the old fashioned way. But we always stay current on trends. We like to be in the know. Whether we do it or not is another story.

You really are an all-American chef. You've cooked all over the country...
I went to culinary school at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. From there I worked at the Greenbrier in West Virginia. From there I went to work for Larry Forgione in New York for six years and opened a few restaurants with him. I opened another restaurant for him in Miami. Then I went to California to work for Alice Waters at Chez Panisse. Then I came to New York to open a restaurant for some people who owned a sheep farm and wanted to open a restaurant. I opened that restaurant, Old Chatham Sheep Herding Company, for them and was the chef for four years. Price [Kushner, Kelly's fiance, pastry chef, baker and co-owner] and I were looking to move to Maine because we like the area and have family here. We came here last year, bought our restaurant, renovated it for 7-8 months and opened it in April. The restaurant has been really busy ever since.