British chef David Ellis and North Carolina-born Samantha Taylor combine their heritages each year to pull off a delicious holiday meal. Here are two of their prized recipes.
by Catherine Currin | photography by Forest Mason
Figulina chef David Ellis and artist Samantha Taylor cooked their first meal together on Thanksgiving in 2015, soon after they met. A Beaufort native, Taylor grew up with a traditional American Thanksgiving, but it was Ellis’ first, since he grew up in Great Britain. The two combined heritages and made sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, turkey roulade, crispy duck-fat potatoes and a medley of roasted carrots and multicolored beets. It was enough food that they had to share. “What started out as a Thanksgiving for two turned into a Thanksgiving for two plus a few of my new neighbors, plus some newly acquired British friends,” laughs Taylor. Here are two of the recipes that have become part of their Thanksgiving tradition together.
Turkey Roulade
Brine
1 cup salt
1 cup brown sugar
1 gallon water
2 oranges, sliced
10 sprigs thyme
10 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Stuffing
4 ounces unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1 bulb fennel, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon sage, chopped
8 ounces ground pork
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup dried cranberries
4 ounces panko breadcrumbs
Turkey Roulade
1 boneless turkey breast
16 to 18 slices prosciutto
1 batch Stuffing
Instructions: To make the brine, place all brine ingredients in a pot and bring to a simmer. Take the pot off the heat and transfer the brine to a container, then refrigerate. Once the brine has completely cooled, submerge the turkey breast in the brine for 12 hours. To make the stuffing, add the butter to a pot over medium-low heat, sauté the prepared onion, celery, fennel and garlic until soft. Add the thyme and sage. Once the herbs are fragrant, add the ground pork, then salt and cook until browned all over. Add the dried cranberries and panko breadcrumbs. Chill stuffing until ready to use. Once the turkey has brined for 12 hours, remove from the brine and pat as dry as possible. Remove any skin from the turkey breast. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the turkey on a cutting board between two pieces of plastic wrap. Use the flat side of a meat mallet to pound the turkey until it is an even half-inch thickness. Spread the stuffing on the prepared turkey, leaving a half-inch border all around. Starting with a short side, roll breast into a log. Place seam side down on a baking sheet. Drape prosciutto slices over the turkey breast, overlapping slightly to cover completely. Use kitchen twine to tie in 2-inch intervals. Roast Turkey Roulade uncovered until a meat thermometer placed in the middle reaches 165°F; this should take around 45 minutes to 1 hour. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Roasted Beets
Whipped Ricotta
12 ounces ricotta, well drained
1 teaspoon sea salt
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup water
Smashed Beets
3 pounds beets
2 pinches sea salt
2 pinches black pepper
6 sprigs rosemary
10 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Instructions: To make the whipped ricotta, add the drained ricotta, salt, extra virgin olive oil and water to a food processor and process for five minutes. The end product should be extremely smooth and creamy. This can be made several days in advance. Preheat oven to 450°F. Add the beets to a roasting pan and add water to come halfway up the beets. Cover the pan with foil and roast for an hour to 90 minutes. The beets should be very tender. Use a fork to test for doneness; you shouldn’t feel any resistance as you get to the center of the beetroot. Drain the beets; once cool enough to handle, peel them using a kitchen towel to hold them. Slice the beets horizontally into roughly 1-inch thick wedges. Lightly press on the beets with a sturdy plate or pan to crush them, but keep intact. Add beets to a roasting pan with the crushed garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary, extra virgin olive oil and sherry vinegar. Toss well to coat all over. Roast for 15 minutes, then flip the beets and roast for an additional 10 minutes. To serve, smear a large dollop of whipped ricotta around the edge of a large bowl and pile the beets in the center. Top with lightly toasted sunflower seeds and rosemary, if desired.
This article originally appeared in the November 2024 issue of WALTER magazine.
