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¼ cup rice bran oil or canola oil

3 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped

3 celery stalks, roughly chopped

2 large carrots, roughly chopped

8 garlic cloves

1 small serrano chile

2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

Kosher salt

1 ½ quarts chicken stock, plus extra if needed

Freshly ground black pepper

5 tablespoons crème fraîche

Serves 10

Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler. Cut them in half with a sharp knife, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and cut the flesh into 2-inch pieces. Reserve.

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat, and drizzle the oil into it. Add the onions and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, garlic, and chile, and sauté until the vegetables begin to caramelize, 10 to 12 minutes.

Add the squash and cook for 10 minutes. Then add the potatoes, season with 2 tablespoons salt, and cover with the stock. Let the soup simmer over medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Then purée the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Return the puréed soup to the pot and check the consistency: the soup should be smooth and thick, but not as thick as baby food. If it is too thick, thin it out with additional chicken stock. If it’s too thin, let the soup reduce over medium-low heat until it thickens to the desired consistency. Check the seasoning, and add pepper and more salt if necessary. Keep warm over very low heat until ready to serve.

Pour the soup into a tureen or into individual soup bowls. Garnish each portion with a dollop of crème fraîche, and serve.

Photographs by Sara Remington

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Roasted Turkey Breast

Photographs by Sara Remington

Have you ever noticed how at Thanksgiving people often gravitate toward the moist turkey legs and leave the poor, dried-out breast sitting forlornly on the platter? Not so at the Bakery. We roast our turkey in two different stages to ensure that both the legs and the breast remain moist. The secret to the breast is brining it: leaving it to soak overnight keeps it moist and allows the flavors of the salt and pepper to penetrate the flesh thoroughly so that all the meat has flavor instead of just the skin. As for the legs, they’ve got their own recipe: deboned, butterflied, and stuffed with long-cooked greens (see opposite).

Come November, supermarkets are stocked to the ears with frozen turkeys. We believe in doing some research and finding a reputable and skilled butcher so you’re able to purchase your organic, free-range turkey broken up in parts. To serve ten guests we recommend ordering 1 combined breast, 2 wings, 6 legs (deboned and butterflied), and 2 thighs on the bone. Those who are cooking for smaller groups of people can focus on just preparing the roasted turkey breast and skip the stuffed turkey legs…or vice versa. And you’ll have plenty of parts for turkey stock.

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INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BRINE:

2 cups kosher salt

½ cup (not packed) light brown sugar

2 bay leaves

5 black peppercorns

FOR THE TURKEY BREAST:

1 free-range turkey breast

2 yellow onions

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Serves 10

The day before Thanksgiving, fill a large pot with 5 quarts water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Turn off the heat. Add the salt, brown sugar, bay leaves, and peppercorns and stir until the salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Set the brine aside to cool completely.

Once the brine has cooled, put the turkey breast in it, placing a heavy plate on top to keep it submerged. Cover the pot with plastic wrap and let it sit for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

The next day, pull the breast out of the brine, rinse it under cold running water, and pat it dry with paper towels. Discard the brine. Leave the breast uncovered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to roast it.

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Slice both onions into four 1-inch-thick rings and lay them in a roasting pan (to use them as props under the turkey