Saturday, November 17, 2007
Rolled Turkey Breasts with Apple-Herb Stuffing
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I am here to remind you that a rolled-stuffed-sliced turkey breast is simple to make and takes so much less space in your refrigerator than a whole fowl. Brilliant. And when you see how easy (and by "easy" I mean, not particularly helpful unless you already know how to use butchers twine. I thought about trying to explain how...I just, am too hung over to try to string too many words together right now, and in a bit of a pinch for time. Oh and by the way? If you are going to see Beowulf in IMAX 3D? Don't have a few margaritas first, and for sure, don't get seats too close to the screen. Trust me.) the recipe below is, you will wonder what you have been thinking all these years with that ginourmous bird. And all that delicious dark meat.
Or, you can think of this as a revelation. You can make it in advance and offer it in addition to the whole roast. More meat for the pickin'. Clever, right? (And to my international readers...sorry this post is so US-centric. And to my vegan readers...well, just sorry.)
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/chickswknives
Don't like Brussels sprouts? There is a snippet of DNA that gives some people the ability to taste a compound that makes many vegetables taste bitter. And they are different than those who are blind to bitter taste — who actually like brussels sprouts — by a single spelling change in our four-letter genetic alphabet: somewhere on human chromosome 7, the former have a G where the later have have a C. - NY Times.com
Here is a recipe that actually explains how to do all this.
UPDATE May, 2013: Hi to everyone who came here from the horror show that is Amy's Bakery Page. We have asked them to remove the picture from Facebook, but so far, nothing has happened. At first we thought it was funny, but it's kinda gotten out of control. We don't know them and are not fans. ANYWAY...please enjoy this old post and take care!
Happy Thanksgiving.
Or, you can think of this as a revelation. You can make it in advance and offer it in addition to the whole roast. More meat for the pickin'. Clever, right? (And to my international readers...sorry this post is so US-centric. And to my vegan readers...well, just sorry.)
See my dears? Simple, elegant. Easy. Try it and taste the joy.
4 large turkey breasts, boned, skin retained. I think your butcher can do this. If you have that type of butcher. Or you can just slice the meat along the ribs, remove the thick, white tendon and the "tenders" which is the bit that just isn't attached to anything else. Freeze those and cook later. They are fab.
Apple-Herb Dressing (This is made by sauteeing one small dice onion and 2 ribs of celery, a teaspoon each of minced fresh sage, thyme and rosemary in 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Mix that with 3 cups of dried bread cubes, a cup of coarsly chopped dried apple, and enough turkey stock to moisten, then taste and add a gang of salt. Make sure this is cooled completely before you add it to the turkey.)
Stuff with the dressing, roll it up lengthwise, truss with some butchers twine, season liberally, and roast until cooked through, in a pan on top of four celery ribs, 1 cup small mushrooms, onions rings from three onions and additional sliced apples (fresh) plus a bit of turkey stock. Don't forget to baste. (Should take about 45 minutes to one hour.)
Remove from the oven and let rest while you (if you choose too) make gravy from the pan drippings. It's easier to slice when its cooler.
Cut off the butcher-twine, then go on and slice and serve.
Or, hire someone to do this, (a caterer perhaps.) and spend your day drinking yourself silly, enjoy your family's company and raise a glass to our Pilgrim/Pioneer forefathers.
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Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/chickswknives
Don't like Brussels sprouts? There is a snippet of DNA that gives some people the ability to taste a compound that makes many vegetables taste bitter. And they are different than those who are blind to bitter taste — who actually like brussels sprouts — by a single spelling change in our four-letter genetic alphabet: somewhere on human chromosome 7, the former have a G where the later have have a C. - NY Times.com
Here is a recipe that actually explains how to do all this.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Homestyle Meatloaf with Sundried Tomatoes & Shallots
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This weekend, as the Ombudsman graciously attempted - gin and tonic in hand - to tackle yet another one of my hare brained home-improvement projects (hare brained because I think them up and then pout until he agrees to try and help. And since he is only a smidgen more handy than I, it never really turns out well. Bless his heart.) he gazed back to find me perched on the bed wearing the latest in a long line of gold colored high-heels I have a habit of purchasing, and a short, loud, nearly sheer, multicolored dress.
Laughing (and pointing, if I recall. Then again, my G&T had already been drained.) he proclaimed he finally had a motto for my as-yet-un-realized family crest.
"Overdressed for the occasion, underdressed for the weather."
Brilliant.
If only I had paid attention in Latin. I would have it translated immediately and engraved onto the nearest engraveable object.
An hour later, project (sort of) complete, (I think I have to have someone come in and touch it up...) we dined on this outrageously delicious loaf-o-meat.
Rich, dense flavors. The peak of perfection. A flawless dish for an autumn evening.
Fancy dress optional.
2 T vegetable oil
3 shallots, rough chopped
2 carrots, peeled and minced
1 pound ground turkey
½ pound ground beef or pork
3/4 cups fresh cracker meal or breadcrumbs
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, minced
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons each, dried oregano and rosemary
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup (more or less) ketchup mixed with 1 T chipotle chile with adobo sauce
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Using bakers spray or vegetable oil, lightly oil a standard loaf pan.
Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer to large bowl.
Add all remaining ingredients except ketchup to vegetables in bowl. Mix thoroughly. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 1 hour. Brush with ketchup and bake 15 minutes longer.
______________________________
I am a junkie for this site, and it's all for a good cause!
Want to make good seafood choices? Check out the Marine Stewardship Council
Are you reading Nook and Pantry yet?
Hardee's restaurants has introduced the new Country Breakfast Burrito. It is a two-egg omelet filled with bacon, sausage, diced ham, cheddar cheese, hash browns and sausage gravy, in a flour tortilla. The burrito contains 920 calories and 60 grams of fat. - AP
This weekend, as the Ombudsman graciously attempted - gin and tonic in hand - to tackle yet another one of my hare brained home-improvement projects (hare brained because I think them up and then pout until he agrees to try and help. And since he is only a smidgen more handy than I, it never really turns out well. Bless his heart.) he gazed back to find me perched on the bed wearing the latest in a long line of gold colored high-heels I have a habit of purchasing, and a short, loud, nearly sheer, multicolored dress.Laughing (and pointing, if I recall. Then again, my G&T had already been drained.) he proclaimed he finally had a motto for my as-yet-un-realized family crest.
"Overdressed for the occasion, underdressed for the weather."
Brilliant.
If only I had paid attention in Latin. I would have it translated immediately and engraved onto the nearest engraveable object.
An hour later, project (sort of) complete, (I think I have to have someone come in and touch it up...) we dined on this outrageously delicious loaf-o-meat.
Rich, dense flavors. The peak of perfection. A flawless dish for an autumn evening.
Fancy dress optional.
2 T vegetable oil
3 shallots, rough chopped
2 carrots, peeled and minced
1 pound ground turkey
½ pound ground beef or pork
3/4 cups fresh cracker meal or breadcrumbs
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, minced
1/2 cup whole milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons each, dried oregano and rosemary
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup (more or less) ketchup mixed with 1 T chipotle chile with adobo sauce
Preheat your oven to 350 F.
Using bakers spray or vegetable oil, lightly oil a standard loaf pan.
Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer to large bowl.
Add all remaining ingredients except ketchup to vegetables in bowl. Mix thoroughly. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 1 hour. Brush with ketchup and bake 15 minutes longer.
______________________________
I am a junkie for this site, and it's all for a good cause!
Want to make good seafood choices? Check out the Marine Stewardship Council
Are you reading Nook and Pantry yet?
Hardee's restaurants has introduced the new Country Breakfast Burrito. It is a two-egg omelet filled with bacon, sausage, diced ham, cheddar cheese, hash browns and sausage gravy, in a flour tortilla. The burrito contains 920 calories and 60 grams of fat. - AP
Monday, October 23, 2006
Turkey Mole - Gringa Style
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True-life confession time.
I'm not exactly an autumn enthusiast.
Sure, sure, people (my sister, for one) wax on and on about the glory of the falling leaves, the bright crisp air, the rosy apples and the glowing pumpkins...and to all that I say...eh.
To me, fall is when it gets chilly. When it starts to rain (and for full disclosure, I am the worst of the worst stereotypical L.A. driver in the rain. I turn into a 90 year old, slow to a near halt and act as if I am going to wash away at any second. Sorry if you are the New Yorker behind me, but I just have to do my thing. Safety first!), when sandals don't work and when clothes are suddenly dark and much, much, much to demure for my sun-kissed shoulders taste.
What can I say...I am more of an endless summer girl.
But the one arena in which I do sorta dig fall is the change in foods. (And when it is freakishly hot, as it has been for the last week.) While I miss my fruits and berries, the corn and the tomatoes, bountiful herbs and melons galore (wait, thinking of all those things I think I'm talking myself out of my next statement...darn) I also love the heartier persimmons, large artichokes, sweet potatoes, parsnips and pumpkins that suddenly grace our tables.
And of course, the inevitable turkey.
I sorta wonder why turkey has to be such a seasonal food. But it really is. I mean, most people eat turkey sandwiches all year long, don't they? So why save the whole bird for just one meal a year (that is, if you are North American and celebrate Thanksgiving.) instead of indulging all the time?
Hmmm.
Well, with this recipe, (which is really, most likely pathetic to anyone who has ever made a true mole, since, that is like, really, complex, ) you have an excellent and delicious excuse to eat turkey on another day.
In my defense, I did make mole once. It took three days and 36 ingredients. SO worth it, (because the real thing always is) but at the same time...SO not worth it, when you can order it in many fine restaurants...
But for those of us in a hurry, I came up with this and I think it is grand. Complex and delicious. Really a head turner. It is the most sensational brick color and the smell is like you walked into someones (your?) Abuela's kichen. Heady. Spicy. Rich. Perfect.
So if you don't have time to individually fry each ingredient, and to mash and grind and simmer and stew, try this. It's better than what comes in a jar and you may just be inspired to bust out the real thing someday.
Enjoy.
10 assorted, whole, dried chiles (I used New Mexico, Pasilla and Mulato)
3 cloves garlic
1 large onion, diced
4 corn tortillas
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup golden and black raisins, rough chop
1 cup dried apricots and apples, diced
2 chipotle chiles with adobo sauce
2 cups diced tomatoes, in juice
1/4 cup tomato paste
5 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried epazote
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 tablespoon ground corriander
1 bay leaf
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 large, bone in, turkey breast
Salt to taste
In a large, dry pan, over high heat, briefly heat the chiles to brown. Add the garlic and do the same. Remove and place in a bowl. Add just enough warm water to cover. After they have soaked for 10 miutes, remove from the water, (keep the water for later) destem and deseed and set aside.
Add the oil to the pan and saute the onion until transclucent. Carefully add the pumpkin seeds and tortillas. The pumpkin seeds will pop.
When they are browned add the raisins and other dried fruit.
Let cook, stiring, for a minute.
Add the rest of the ingredients (except the turkey and chocolate), including the water the chiles were soaking in and stir to combine.
Let simmer for 30 minutes.
In small batches (remember, blenders explode when full of hot liquids) puree the sauce until smooth.
Return to the pot and add the chocolate. Stir to melt.
Next, add the turkey breast. It should be submerged. If the sauce is too thick (it should be thick, not soupy) add more chicken stock.
Cover and simmer the turkey breast for 1 hour.
Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Pull out the turkey breast, slice and serve with additional sauce.
Good right out of the pot, but better the next day.
Serves 6 - 8
__________________________
Heritage Turkeys are the ancestors of the common Broad-breasted White breed of turkey that comprises 99.99% of the supermarket turkeys sold today. Most breeds of heritage turkey were developed in the United States and Europe over hundreds of years, and were identified in the American Poultry Association's turkey Standard of Perfection of 1874.
Mole is the generic name for several sauces used in Mexican cuisine, as well as for dishes based on these sauces. In English, it often refers to a specific sauce which is known by the more specific name mole poblano. Mole poblano comes from the Mexican state of Puebla. It is prepared with dried chile peppers, nuts, spices, chocolate, salt and other ingredients.
True-life confession time.I'm not exactly an autumn enthusiast.
Sure, sure, people (my sister, for one) wax on and on about the glory of the falling leaves, the bright crisp air, the rosy apples and the glowing pumpkins...and to all that I say...eh.
To me, fall is when it gets chilly. When it starts to rain (and for full disclosure, I am the worst of the worst stereotypical L.A. driver in the rain. I turn into a 90 year old, slow to a near halt and act as if I am going to wash away at any second. Sorry if you are the New Yorker behind me, but I just have to do my thing. Safety first!), when sandals don't work and when clothes are suddenly dark and much, much, much to demure for my sun-kissed shoulders taste.
What can I say...I am more of an endless summer girl.
But the one arena in which I do sorta dig fall is the change in foods. (And when it is freakishly hot, as it has been for the last week.) While I miss my fruits and berries, the corn and the tomatoes, bountiful herbs and melons galore (wait, thinking of all those things I think I'm talking myself out of my next statement...darn) I also love the heartier persimmons, large artichokes, sweet potatoes, parsnips and pumpkins that suddenly grace our tables.
And of course, the inevitable turkey.
I sorta wonder why turkey has to be such a seasonal food. But it really is. I mean, most people eat turkey sandwiches all year long, don't they? So why save the whole bird for just one meal a year (that is, if you are North American and celebrate Thanksgiving.) instead of indulging all the time?
Hmmm.
Well, with this recipe, (which is really, most likely pathetic to anyone who has ever made a true mole, since, that is like, really, complex, ) you have an excellent and delicious excuse to eat turkey on another day.
In my defense, I did make mole once. It took three days and 36 ingredients. SO worth it, (because the real thing always is) but at the same time...SO not worth it, when you can order it in many fine restaurants...
But for those of us in a hurry, I came up with this and I think it is grand. Complex and delicious. Really a head turner. It is the most sensational brick color and the smell is like you walked into someones (your?) Abuela's kichen. Heady. Spicy. Rich. Perfect.
So if you don't have time to individually fry each ingredient, and to mash and grind and simmer and stew, try this. It's better than what comes in a jar and you may just be inspired to bust out the real thing someday.
Enjoy.
10 assorted, whole, dried chiles (I used New Mexico, Pasilla and Mulato)
3 cloves garlic
1 large onion, diced
4 corn tortillas
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup golden and black raisins, rough chop
1 cup dried apricots and apples, diced
2 chipotle chiles with adobo sauce
2 cups diced tomatoes, in juice
1/4 cup tomato paste
5 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried epazote
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 tablespoon ground corriander
1 bay leaf
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 large, bone in, turkey breast
Salt to taste
In a large, dry pan, over high heat, briefly heat the chiles to brown. Add the garlic and do the same. Remove and place in a bowl. Add just enough warm water to cover. After they have soaked for 10 miutes, remove from the water, (keep the water for later) destem and deseed and set aside.
Add the oil to the pan and saute the onion until transclucent. Carefully add the pumpkin seeds and tortillas. The pumpkin seeds will pop.
When they are browned add the raisins and other dried fruit.
Let cook, stiring, for a minute.
Add the rest of the ingredients (except the turkey and chocolate), including the water the chiles were soaking in and stir to combine.
Let simmer for 30 minutes.
In small batches (remember, blenders explode when full of hot liquids) puree the sauce until smooth.
Return to the pot and add the chocolate. Stir to melt.
Next, add the turkey breast. It should be submerged. If the sauce is too thick (it should be thick, not soupy) add more chicken stock.
Cover and simmer the turkey breast for 1 hour.
Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Pull out the turkey breast, slice and serve with additional sauce.
Good right out of the pot, but better the next day.
Serves 6 - 8
__________________________
Heritage Turkeys are the ancestors of the common Broad-breasted White breed of turkey that comprises 99.99% of the supermarket turkeys sold today. Most breeds of heritage turkey were developed in the United States and Europe over hundreds of years, and were identified in the American Poultry Association's turkey Standard of Perfection of 1874.
Mole is the generic name for several sauces used in Mexican cuisine, as well as for dishes based on these sauces. In English, it often refers to a specific sauce which is known by the more specific name mole poblano. Mole poblano comes from the Mexican state of Puebla. It is prepared with dried chile peppers, nuts, spices, chocolate, salt and other ingredients.
Labels: Entree, Gluten Free, Low-Carb, Turkey
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Turkey Fantastic
It's tricky to keep up with the comings and goings of a girl like me, don't you think? Seems like I'm aways on the move, jetting around hither thither, back and forth. One minute I'm lapping up the chocolate love at Cadbury World in England, and now two days later, I'm in fantastic, lovely, warm as can be (sigh with happiness) Chicago, where I will be loitering and checking out the culinary fab for a few days before my jet setting resumes. Seriously though, four days ago I had no plans at all to be here, but then I suddenly decided I needed a break from my British break, the invitation was extended, and I was off in a poof of jetfuel.
The perfect welcome back (though, since I'm not from Chicago, it's more like a welcome here) to the US was a glorious six pound turkey breast (From Whole Foods. Cost? $38. Yikers.) I was directed to last night with the humble request to make something tasty for dinner. I thought it would be the perfect time to whip up a meal that was somewhat out of charecter from a cookbook on the shelf. Turns out, I didn't use any specific recipe, but did concoct this, based on a a title of a recipe from Jewish Festival Cooking. Or was is Jewish Holiday Cooking? Anywho, I totally forget the name and it's too far away from where I am sitting to go find out. (Ah, the Midwestern attitude is already seeping into my bones. Next up, portions for one that could feed six and a deep dish pizza.) The concept they espoused was Red Wine, Pomegranate, Olive and Prune, so its not really even remotely the same anyway, though I do think it has a Middle Eastern flair I dont normally incorporate.
Even though I hope everything I am going to make is fab (ha HA) I was convinced this was going to come out funky as sin (aren't I optimistic!), since the fresh fruit with olives and capers seems like an odd match, but I was super thrilled at what an incredible combination of flavors it turned out to be. Sweet and fragrant, salty and piquant, juicy and tender, it was a dream to make and filled the house with outstanding smells that had me floating. It took about 15 minutes to concoct, and 1 hour to roast, but if you were using a chicken (which I suggest, since in retrospect, I should have divided the turkey and frozen part of it or at least made a second dish with half) it would be a touch quicker. Try, and ENJOY!
(I am hoping to get pictures up today, but my camera and this computer - an annoying Mac - seem to be in a power struggle. Stay tuned...)
1 six pound turkey breast (no ribs)
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup raspberry red wine vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons honey
4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
4 plums, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, cut into large pieces
1 leek, sliced thin
1/4 cup pitted black, brine cured olives
1 large tablespoon capers, rinsed
1/4 cup raisins (or prunes. If you use them, leave out the fresh plums)
1/4 cup fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 pats butter
1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed into 2 teaspoons cold water just prior to use
Olive oil to coat
Preheat your oven to 375F
In a medium saucepan, combine the juice, vinegar, stock, honey and garlic and simmer to reduce, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let chill for a few minutes.
Line a roasting pan with foil and add in a single layer the plums, celery, leek, olives, capers, raisins, raspberries, thyme and pepper. Toss with some olive oil and place the turkey on top. Pour the marinade over the turkey, then rub with one pat of the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast for 40 minutes, basting twice. After 40 minutes, remove the foil and baste again. Continue to cook until the skin is crisp and the turkey is cooked through, about another 15 minutes.
When the turkey is cooked, remove and set aside. Strain the remaining liquid into a pan and set on high heat to reduce (if you want to remove the fat, do so at this time), add the remaining butter and cornstarch mixture. Whisk vigorously and serve over the sliced meat and remaining vegetables.
Serves eight
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There are over 200 different known species of raspberries but only 2 species are grown on a large scale.
In 45 A.D. the raspberry fruit were called “ida,” probably after the mountain they were found growing on.
Honey is one of the oldest foods in existence. It was found in the tomb of King Tut and was still edible since honey never spoils.
Labels: Turkey
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Thanksgiving Turkey
If you need help with your turkey, check out the Butterball website. Have a great Thanksgiving! (And if you don't live in the US, have a great Thursday!)
Happy Holidays Everyone!
-Rachael
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Today is also Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom day!
Get out and party!
Labels: Turkey
