Victor Albisu’s Country Thanksgiving

There will be no ordinary turkey on the table this year for chef Victor Albisu. And why should there be? The Latin food chef, who has mastered the art of grilling meats at his Washington D.C. restaurant Del Campo, will translate his take on the South American grill to the great American tradition of Thanksgiving.

Albisu, whose restaurant serves as a tribute to his Cuban father and Peruvian mother, has said that he cooks simple food but with refined flavors and unexpected touches. The menu at Del Campo, which means “from the country,” represents rustic South American traditions and most everything on the menu is charred. This year, on Thanksgiving, Albisu will honor this heritage and share his take with Washingtonians.

Although he finds Thanksgiving a wonderful family gathering, traditional holiday foods have never interested him.

“I’m not a sweet potato and marshmallow kind of guy,” he said. “I have to doctor it up to make it my own. I am partial to my ethnic background and my own style. In my house, we always make Thanksgiving a little Peruvian, Cuban, and Latin.”

And that means a turkey rubbed down with Latin spices and then smoked out on the grill, a leg of pork, and sides such as empanadas and papas a la huancaina, potatoes with cheese, hard boiled eggs, and olives.

On November 28, Del Campo will offer a one-day Thanksgiving carry out menu, with a twist of course. The menu is a nod to the Thanksgivings that Albisu celebrated as a child.

Next, how to enjoy a Del Campo Thanksgiving…

Borrowing from the Peruvian-style chicken that is a popular Del Campo mainstay, Albisu will prepare a 14 to 16 ($110) pound turkey with a blend of Latin spices. Butter and duck fat will be rubbed neatly under the skin before it will be slow roasted and smoked to a golden brown. In typical Del Campo fashion, side sauces, including a yellow pepper aioli and grilled green chile sauce, will be included.

But why stop with the meats? Albisu is offering sides (ranging from $15 to $20) to serve 4 to 6 portions that are interpretations of Thanksgiving staples.

“They are still in the framework of Thanksgiving but with a hint of what we are all about. Dishes that can’t be found anywhere else,” Albisu said.

Side dishes will be heavily infused with South American flavors and ingredients. The stuffing will be made with chapa bread, a traditional Argentine no-bake campfire bread and mixed with chorizo, olives and raisins; candied yams are spiced with canela, a toasted cinnamon with a deep flavor; and the cranberry sauce is mixed with South American red wine.

Two regular Del Campo menu items do appear on the holiday menu. Charred brussel sprouts are caramelized to a rich, sweet, smoky flavor, and pasqualina, a traditional savory pie filled with Swiss chard and spinach, will round out the meal.

If you’d like to have a country Thanksgiving, your order must be placed by Sunday, November 24. Check out the full menu and order form here. Or impress your guests will your own homemade pavo a la brasa. 

Pavo a la Brasa (above)

• 1 turkey (14 pounds), patted dry
• mixture of aromatics, such as thyme, onion wedges, and halved garlic heads, for the cavity
• 1 cup duck fat
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1/2 cup coarse salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tablespoons oregano
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest

Get the full recipe.