A Southwest Thanksgiving: Denver chef Sean Yontz cooks a feast that draws on his family roots

Sunset, Nov, 2004 by Kate Washington

When Sean Yontz was growing up, holidays were all about food in his large Hispanic family. "Everybody got together at my grandmother's house for an enormous meal: posole, menudo, tamales," he says. "My mother brought her special green beans; my aunt brought her special salad."

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This family focus drew Sean into the professional kitchen. He started in high school as a dishwasher at a hotel and never looked back. Until recently, he headed the kitchen at his acclaimed Denver restaurant, Vega; now he's launching a casual mini chain: Kitchen.

Sean and his wife, Alexa, and son, Luke, still celebrate Thanksgiving with relatives. His cooking has evolved but has maintained a family connection. "The food I'm doing is really what I grew up on, but a little fresher, a little new," he says.

Sean's Thanksgiving feast has the same balance--tradition with a fresh approach. As he puts it, "It's just a traditional Thanksgiving--with a small Latin twist."

Guajillo-Tamarind Turkey

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 4 hours, plus at least 30 minutes to rest

MAKES: 8 to 10 servings

NOTES: Long, pointed, deep-red dried guajillo chiles are available in Mexican markets. If you can't find them, substitute dried ancho chiles. Tamarind is a sweet-sour pulp that comes in many forms; the Indian tamarind concentrate used here is a thick, sticky, dark brown, smooth syrup. Look for it in specialty food stores, Indian markets, or Latino markets. If you can't find it, substitute equal parts molasses and lime juice. You can make the glaze up to a week ahead; chill airtight.

1 turkey (12 to 18 lb.)
  Guajillo-tamarind glaze (recipe follows)
1 onion (8 oz.)
2 carrots (6 oz. total), rinsed
4 stalks celery (8 oz. total), rinsed
1 orange (8 oz.)
2 lemons (6 oz. each)
1 lime (3 oz.)
4 dried guajillo chiles (1 oz. total; see notes)
8 cloves garlic, peeled
6 sprigs fresh thyme, rinsed

1. Remove and discard leg truss from turkey. Pull off and discard any lumps of fat. Remove giblets and neck; discard or reserve for other uses. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat dry. Rub about a third of the guajillo-tamarind glaze inside the cavity. Place turkey, breast up, on a V-shaped rack in a 12- by 17-inch roasting pan; pour remaining glaze into bottom of pan, then pour in 1 cup of water.

2. Peel onion and carrots; rinse celery, orange, lemons, and lime. Cut carrots and celery into chunks; cut onion, orange, lemons, and lime into quarters. Arrange vegetables, fruit, chiles, garlic, and thyme in roasting pan around and under rack.

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3. Roast according to chart (page 122), checking turkey every 30 minutes; if juices in bottom of roasting pan threaten to scorch, add 1/2 cup water at a time to pan. When a thermometer inserted through thickest part of breast to the bone registers 155[degrees], about 15 minutes before chart indicates turkey will be done, remove turkey from oven. Brush all over with juices in pan (if liquid is too thick to coat turkey in a thin, even layer, dilute with 1/2 cup more water). Continue roasting until turkey is well browned and thermometer registers 160[degrees], about 15 minutes longer.

4. Transfer turkey to a platter. Let rest in a warm place for 30 minutes before carving. Pour juices in bottom of pan through a fine strainer into a 2-cup glass measure; discard solids and reserve juices for poblano gravy (recipe on page 132).

Per serving: 697 cal., 37% (261 cal.) from fat; 88 g protein; 29 g fat (8.3 g sat.); 18 g carbo (1 g fiber); 292 mg sodium; 255 mg chol.

Guajillo-tamarind glaze.

Cut top 1/2 inch off 1 head garlic (about 2 oz.); wrap loosely in foil. Bake in a 350[degrees] oven until soft when pressed, about 45 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze garlic from skins into a 3- to 4-quart pan (discard skins). Add 8 stemmed dried guajillo chiles (2 oz. total; see notes), 1/2 cup tamarind concentrate (see notes), 1 cup lightly packed rinsed fresh cilantro, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often; remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Pour into a blender or food processor and whirl until smooth. Makes about 2 cups.

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Spicy Pecans

PREP AND COOK TIME: 15 minutes, plus 15 minutes to cool

MAKES: 8 to 10 servings

NOTES: These pecans can be made up to a week ahead; store airtight at room temperature.

  1 pound pecan halves
3/4 cup sugar
  2 tablespoons lime juice
  3 tablespoons ground New Mexico chile
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Spread pecans in a single layer in a baking pan. Bake in a 350[degrees] oven until golden under skins, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over high heat, combine sugar, lime juice, ground chile, cayenne, and salt. Stir until sugar is melted, 2 to 3 minutes, then stir occasionally until mixture is very bubbly and slightly darker, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

3. Add pecans and stir until well coated with sugar mixture. Spread in baking pan and let stand until cool to touch, 15 minutes.