A Festive Feast

Six Thanksgiving courses by the chefs of Spruce Farm & Fish at Hotel Boulderado

Compiled by Mara Welty  »  Photos by Tim Romano

As the holiday season draws near, we are excited to introduce a culinary masterpiece that will take your Thanksgiving feast to an entirely new level of gastronomic delight. We had the privilege of speaking with one of the brilliant minds behind this extraordinary six-course Thanksgiving dinner for six—Executive Chef Mike Thom, who crafted the meal alongside his culinary team, Chef de Cuisine Austin Rowen, Sous Chef Oakley Wilson and Sous Chef Drew Allen.

Inspired by the elegance of the historic Hotel Boulderado and the timeless traditions of Thanksgiving, this menu combines classical sophistication with modern culinary techniques. Each course pays homage to the flavors of autumn, featuring pumpkin, butternut squash, pomegranate seeds, hazelnuts, pecans and more, all while maintaining the coziness of holiday comfort food—and a few will most certainly be gracing the Spruce Farm & Fish specialty holiday menu, too. Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Soup with Truffle Crema

Recipe provided by Chef de Cuisine Austin Rowen

Pumpkin Soup

60 ounces pumpkin, canned

2½ quarts vegetable stock

¼ cup canola oil

10 ounces yellow onion

½ ounces garlic

2½ tablespoons salt

¼ teaspoons white pepper

2½ teaspoons ginger powder

4 teaspoons cinnamon powder

¾ teaspoons nutmeg

2 cups orange juice

1. Cut yellow onion into 1/4-inch pieces and slice garlic cloves ⅛ inch thick.

2. Heat four-gallon pot on high heat, then add canola oil.

3. Sweat down the vegetables.

4. Once vegetables are transparent, add everything to the pot except the salt and spices.

5. Blend everything in the pot together, until very smooth (no chunks of any kind).

6. Stir in all spices and orange juice, leaving out the salt.

7. Add salt in ¼ batch, continually taste soup until it tastes correct. 

Truffle Crema

Zest of 2 oranges

Juice of 1 orange

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon chive

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon truffle oil

1 pinch white pepper

1. Chop chives into 1/16-inch slices, then add to bowl.

2. Add orange zest, orange juice, sour cream, truffle oil, white pepper and salt.

3. Add salt and white pepper.

4. Whisk bowl until ingredients come together.

5. Put crema into a squeeze bottle.

Spiced Pepitas

1 cup pepitas

½ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon coriander

½ teaspoon chipotle powder

¼ teaspoon mild chili powder

1 pinch salt

1 tablespoon canola oil

1. Toss pepitas in oil and salt.

2. Roast in sauté pan over a high flame.

3. Stir constantly until the pepitas are brown and crispy.

4. Remove from heat and transfer to a cool bowl.

5. Toss seasoning and pepitas until pepitas are covered.

6. Put into a storage pan.

Baby Kale & Arugula Salad, Pomegranate Seeds, Candied Pecans, Crumbled Chevre and Champagne Vinaigrette

Recipe provided by Executive Chef Mike Thom

Baby Kale Salad

7 cups baby kale

2 cups baby arugula

½ cup champagne vinaigrette

2 cups pomegranate seeds, fresh

6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

1½ cups candied walnuts

½ teaspoons sea salt, coarse (Maldon flakes)

Candied Pecans

4 cups water, boiling

1 teaspoon salt, kosher

2 cups pecan, halves

1 cup powdered sugar

4 cups canola oil (to fry nuts)

1. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil.

2. Add nuts and blanch for 5 minutes.

3. Using a strainer, drain well.

4. While still warm, place nuts into a mixing bowl and toss well with powdered sugar. 

5. Allow nuts to rest while heating oil to fry.

6. Heat a deep pan of oil to 350 degrees.

7. Fry for a minute to caramelize the sugar onto the nuts.

8. Drain and spread onto a tray to cool. Be very careful, these nuts will remain very hot for a long time.

9. When cool to touch, store at room temperature in a sealed container until ready to use.

Champagne Vinaigrette

1 large shallot, peeled and minced

1 cup champagne vinegar 

1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard, smooth

3 cups canola oil (or avocado oil)

1 teaspoon salt, kosher or sea

½ teaspoon black Pepper, freshly ground

1. On a cutting board, peel and mince the shallot.

2. In a blender on medium speed, place shallots, vinegar and Dijon mustard. Blend 2 minutes, scraping down sides.

3. Turn blender back on, while running, drizzle in oil slowly. Dressing should begin to emulsify.

4. Season with salt and pepper. Adjust to personal tastes.

5. Serve at room temperature, but store in refrigerator.

Pan Seared Scallops on Butternut Squash Puree with Hazelnut Compote 

Recipe provided by Sous Chef Oakley Wilson

Pan Seared Sea Scallops

6 each jumbo sea scallops

¼ teaspoon salt, kosher

3 tablespoons canola oil

6 each sage leaves

2 tablespoons butter

1. Take a towel and dry scallops well, salt one side.

2. Heat sauté pan on high, then add canola oil.

3. Place sage in pan for 15–20 seconds and remove.

4. Place scallops in remaining hot oil salt side down.

5. Sear on one side for 4 minutes or until the bottom edges turn golden.

6. Immediately, remove from heat and quickly add butter.

7. Flip scallops let rest in butter for 2 minutes then remove to a side plate to drain while you build the serving plate.

Butternut Squash Puree

1 large butternut squash

2 tablespoons butter, melted

4 tablespoons canola oil

6 tablespoons vegetable stock

1 teaspoons salt, sea or kosher

⅛ teaspoons pepper

1 teaspoon thyme, fresh, minced

½ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground

1. On a cutting board with a chef knife, remove ends and split squash lengthwise.

2. Using a spoon, scrape out seeds and any soft flesh.

3. Place squash halves on a baking tray, cut side up. Brush with melted butter and bake in a pre-heated 375-degree oven, low fan, for 1 hour or until fork-tender.

4. Remove from oven.

5. Using a spoon and a towel, scoop out squash flesh while still hot.

6. Place squash in food blender with canola oil and vegetable stock.

7. Blend until smooth, add additional water and oil if needed.

8. Season with salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg. Adjust for personal tastes.

9. Hold warm or re-heat as needed.

Hazelnut Compote

2 ounces hazelnuts, roasted, chopped

1 tablespoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon hot water

1. Place hazelnuts on baking sheet

2. Roast hazelnuts at 325 degrees for 10–12 minutes and let cool. (Until fragrant, darker and oils released.)

3. Place in a towel and fold up the sides, massage and shake until 80% of skins are removed.

4. Place nuts on a cutting board and chop until fine.

5. Take brown sugar, salt, oil and water, and mix in small container.

6. Mix nuts with wet mixture.

Parsley Oil

4 ounces Italian flat leaf parsley

3 cups water, boiling

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 cups canola or avocado oil

1. Bring water to boil, add salt.

2. Add parsley and blanch for 90 seconds.

3. Drain and shock parsley in ice water to cool.

4. Place blanched parsley in a kitchen towel and wring out all water.

5. Place blanched and pressed parsley on cutting board and chop.

6. Place chopped parsley in a blender with oil and blitz for 3 minutes.

7. Strain mixture with double cheesecloth into a fine tip squeeze bottle.

8. Store covered and refrigerated. 

Champagne Sorbet Palate Cleanser with Fresh Mint 

Recipe provided by Executive Chef Mike Thom

4 cups filtered water

1 cup sugar, granulated

2 tablespoons agave syrup

1 bottle Brut Champagne, room temperature

⅓ cup orange juice, no pulp

1 tablespoon orange rind, finely grated

6 sprigs fresh mint

1. Place water, sugar and agave into a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil.

2. Boil for 8–10 minutes to ensure the sugar has completely dissolved.

3. Add the champagne and simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat.

4. Add orange juice and grated rind, stir and then let cool.

5. Refrigerate overnight.

6. Add mixture to ice cream machine and process until frozen soft (not hard).

7. Scoop into wide wine glasses or margarita glasses.

8. Serve immediately with a fresh mint sprig. 

Herb & Dijon Rubbed Prime Rib with Cabernet Au Jus and Creamy Truffle Whipped Potatoes

Recipe provided by Executive Chef Mike Thom

Prime Rib Rub

2 tablespoons garlic, fresh, minced

2 teaspoons salt, kosher

2 tablespoon black pepper, coarse grind or cracked

2 tablespoon fresh thyme, stems removed, minced

1 cup Dijon mustard, smooth

1 cup Dijon mustard, whole grain

1. On a cutting board, mince fresh garlic.

2. Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl. Blend well.

3. Store covered in refrigerator until needed. 

4. Can be made a few days ahead if you desire.

Cabernet Au Jus

1 quart cabernet wine

5¼ cups Veal Glacé (look for frozen in specialty stores)

7 cups water

2 teaspoon salt, kosher or sea

3½ tablespoons Dijon mustard, smooth

7 each fresh thyme sprigs

1. Place cabernet wine into a saucepan and reduce to ½ cup. (Can be done 1–2 days ahead.)

2. In a large sauce pot, place cabernet reduction, Veal Glacé (thawed or frozen), water, salt, Dijon mustard and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil.

3. Immediately reduce to a soft simmer for 30 minutes.

4. Strain through a strainer or China cap.

5. Allow to cool before storing for future use. Otherwise, hold warm and use immediately.

Prime Rib, Mustard Rubbed and Roasted

7-8 pounds boneless ribeye

1 cup prime rib rub

1. Take the trimmed ribeye and towel dry completely.

2. Coat the entire ribeye with the mustard rub.

3. Place the coated ribeye into a baking pan on a wire rack, fat cap up.

4. Roast in oven on low fan at 275 degrees for 45 minutes.

5. Check the internal temperature with a digital thermometer.

6. If you are looking for medium rare, you want 112–115 degrees internal temperature, together with a 30–45-minute rest time out of the oven, at room temperature.

7. If your thermometer is below 112 degrees, continue to roast until the temperature is correct. Approximately 10 minutes per 5 degrees.

8. Carve and serve after the rest period. 

Creamy Truffle Whipped Potatoes 

5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces.

To cover, water, cold tap

1½ teaspoons salt, kosher or sea

1 cup half and half

¾ pound butter, unsalted

4 tablespoons truffle oil, white (black will also work)

4 tablespoons parmesan, grated fine (use fresh and grate your own)

¼ teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon salt, kosher or sea

2 tablespoons Italian flat leaf parsley, chop finely

1. Peel and cut potatoes.

2. Place cut potatoes into a large sauce pot, cover potatoes with cold tap water, 2 inches over the top of the potatoes. Add 1½ teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil.

3. Cook until potatoes easily break apart and will mash.

4. In a separate saucepan, add half and half and butter. Bring to a simmer to warm and melt butter.

5. Drain potatoes and allow to sit 5 minutes to drain and dry slightly.

6. Place potatoes into a potato ricer and process all potatoes.

7. Mix in hot butter and half and half mixture.

8. Add truffle oil, grated parmesan, white pepper and salt. Blend well.

9. Place into an oven able vessel, covered and hold at 170 degrees, until ready to serve. Do NOT make too far ahead.

10. When ready to serve, stir in chopped parsley.

Layered Deep-Dish Pumpkin & Pecan Pie

Recipe provided by Sous Chef Drew Allen

Deep-Dish Crust

4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup butter, melted, unsalted

¾ teaspoon salt, table

2 tablespoons sugar, granulated

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse.

2. Press the crumbs into a 9- or 10-inch spring-form pan. Press into the bottom and up the sides. Press FIRMLY, ¼-inch thick everywhere. Reserve extra crumbs. 

Pecan Layer

3 whole eggs

2½ cups pecan pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup sugar, granulated

½ cup sugar, light brown

1 cup light corn syrup

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons bourbon

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Toast pecan pieces for 10 minutes, divide pieces into ½ cup and 2 cups.

3.In a food processor, grind ½ cup pecans until they begin to turn to a powder. 

4. In a mixing bowl, whip eggs until frothy, then add crushed pecans, sugars, corn syrup, vanilla, butter and bourbon and mix until fully blended. 

5. Add whole pieces and stir until completely covered in the sugar mixture.

6. Pour pecan filling into crust, filling halfway.

7. Place into 350-degree oven and bake 15 minutes.

8. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining graham cracker crumbs and carefully spread to all edges of the outer crust with a spatula. Allow to cool for 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Layer

2 15 ounce-cans of pumpkin puree 

2 cups half and half

¾ cup sugar, granulated

¼ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ground

1½ teaspoon ginger, ground

1 teaspoon salt, table

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

2 egg yolks

1. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees.

2. In a mixing bowl, or in a KitchenAid Mixer, using the paddle, mix pumpkin puree, sugars, maple syrup, salt and spices.

3. In a second bowl, mix half and half, eggs, yolks and vanilla.

4. Add the pumpkin mixture to a medium saucepan and heat at medium-high heat until pumpkin is sputtering, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until pumpkin mixture is dark and dry.

5. While stirring, add warm pumpkin mixture little by little to the bowl with the cream mixture until completely incorporated.

6. Carefully pour mix over the graham cracker layer.

7. Bake an additional 40 minutes at 300 degrees. Should be slightly jiggly in the center.

8. Cool to room temperature, uncovered. Transfer to refrigerator to cool completely.

Italian Meringue Topping

1½ cup sugar, granulated

¾ cup water

6 egg whites

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Add water and sugar to a sauce pot, heat at high heat while stirring until boiling.

2. When water and sugar come to a boil, cease stirring and heat until sugar reaches 240 degrees. 

3. While sugar is heating, add egg whites and  cream of tartar to a stand mixer with a whip attachment. Whip at medium speed until  egg whites form soft peaks for about 2 minutes. 

4. When sugar has reached 240 degrees, slowly  drizzle the hot syrup into egg whites while  stand mixer is running.

5. Once all sugar is added, increase mixer speed  to high and whip until stiff peaks form.