Posts from the ‘Recipes’ Category

PORK-A GOOD CHOICE

Pork has traditionally been considered the featured meat of winter because it’s a part of the fall harvest. The mild flavor, which goes so well with fruits and vegetables, plus the fact that it stands up to long cooking, makes it the perfect meat for the stews and roasts that are the basis of the hearty meals we love in cold weather, as well as a foil for pan sauces.

In the 1980s, pork’s ability to combine with other flavors prompted its promotion, as “The other white meat”. At the time, it was targeted as a replacement for veal, which had always been expensive and was becoming considered inhumane. Pork was presented in all the cuts traditional to veal, cutlets, scaloppini, and tenderloins. Concurrently, boneless skinless chicken parts and tenders, as well as turkey tenderloins and breast cutlets were introduced. Of course the extra labor raised their prices and suddenly pork was also in competition as a substitute for poultry.

Today pork is valued for on its own merits, especially in its starring roles in ethnic dishes from many cuisines, and has also become an automatic selection for many classic dishes particularly those using veal chops or scoloppine, since veal has all but disappeared from our markets. Though poultry can often substitute in recipes for these smaller cuts of veal, it can’t handle the larger ones for legs, stuffed loins or crown roasts. They require pork, making it, in those cases, truly “the other white meat”.

As meat prices, especially beef, have steeply risen over the past decades, so has pork’s popularity. It is considered the most reasonably priced meat and is frequently recommended as an acceptable replacement for beef in combined recipes such as stews, casseroles and soups. I’ll be talking about this feature in a few weeks because pork also ‘corns’ well.

Labels can be confusing in buying pork. As with other meats, loins are the choice cuts, but the roasts we normally see are from the front of the animal not the rear. That region is reserved for processing into ham. A ‘Shoulder Roast’ or ‘Boston Butt’ roast is from the shoulder, not the haunch and is a wonderful roast.  Unsmoked meat from the haunch is labeled ‘fresh ham’ not ‘pork’. An exception is the ‘Picnic Ham’ which is a cut just below the shoulder and sold fresh, not smoked. This is tougher, sold whole, bone in and is good for long, slow cooking.

Country Style Ribs are from the bottom of the picnic, from what would be the brisket on beef. Baby Back Ribs are the bones removed when deboning a loin, and the leanest and tenderest of the rib options.  Spare Ribs come from the belly, and the fattiest of the ribs. St Louis Style Ribs are spare ribs with the cartilage removed for even cooking.

Pork Chops, bone in or boneless, are cut from the loin. Other cuts of chops usually have a location in the name.  Round Bone or Shoulder Chops are from the butt and always have the bone in. Sirloin Chops are from the rear section of the loin, meatier but less tender they are excellent braised.

Pork Belly is enjoying rising popularity as a good braising cut. Bacon is simply cured sliced pork belly. Italian Pancetta is bacon rolled and presented cut on a different angle. To learn more about pork and cuts of different mats see my book The Meat Stop.

Although it’s restricted in some diets, pork dishes can be enjoyed by simply substituting poultry.  In my book Dinners With Joy, I include replacement suggestions with every pork recipe, and I’ve done the same here. For the lighter dishes, white meat of chicken, even tenders, will do, but for the recipes which require deeper flavor dark meat is better. By the same token, the heartier dishes are better served by using turkey, again white and dark meat depending on the depth of flavor needed. Turkey tenderloins are logical replacements for pork ones. There’s turkey bacon and turkey ham to stand in for the real things. Turkey ham can even be baked whole like a real one.

So give pork or at least pork recipes a try. It’s available, affordable, versatile and every bit as nutritious as the red meats, although lower in calories. The Picnic or Butt roasts are more economical than the loins and chops and can be easily divided into different cuts, cutlets, slices to be used as loin chops, cubes, and even small lobes for roasting. For once, I advise paying a bit more for the boneless roast if you plan to divide it. Unlike other meats, pork bones don’t boil into a flavorful broth.

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For additional recipes see my blog of April 12, 2014 One Roast-5 Dinners-Pork, in the site archives. It includes recipes for Pork and Sauerkraut, Roast Pork Au Jus, Pork with Cranberry-Wine Sauce, Pork Tagine, and Pork Paprika Over Pasta.

EAST-WEST PORK BIRDS: Serves 4
4 lean slices center cut pork chops or pork cutlets (use turkey scaloppini)
2 tsp. ground fennel seed
1/3 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 ½ cups apple juice or more
1 envelope chicken or beef bouillon
2 cloves
1/3 cup thin celery slices
2 kale leaves-thick stalks removed
½ small onion thinly sliced
18 dried apricots- 12 julienned
Pound the pork to an even thinness. Cover the kale leaves in water and microwave 10—20 sec. to slightly wilt. Spread seasonings over meat slices. Pile, in order, celery, onions, julienned apricots and kale equally in center of meat slices. Roll meat and secure with skewers. Place meat rolls in a pan with bouillon, cloves, remaining 6 apricots and enough apple juice to come 1/3 up the sides. Bake at 350 deg. 1 ½ hrs. basting occasionally and maintaining liquid level. Remove cloves. Serve hot with juice.

PORK CHOPS BASIL: Serves 4
This is an old family favorite, and it also works well for roasts, consult charts for times per pound. It can be refrigerated for three days, or even frozen for two weeks, after the baking, so it can be made ahead and quickly ready on a rushed night. Veal chops or turkey cutlets may be substituted for the pork.
(8) ½ inch thick center pork chops well-trimmed (or boneless chicken thighs pounded to an even thinness)
½ cup flour
1 Tbs. garlic powder
2 Tbs. dried basil
½ a small can frozen orange juice concentrate or 1 cup apricot nectar
Water to dilute orange juice to equal 1 cup
¼ cup cream sherry (for a bolder taste use 1 jigger whiskey, rye or scotch)
Sprinkle half the garlic powder and half the basil in the bottom of an oven proof dish or pan that will hold the chops closely but not overlapping. Dredge the chops in the flour, by shaking in a plastic bag, one at a time, making sure they’re well coated. Place in pan, and sprinkle the rest of the garlic and basil over them. Cover and seal the pan with foil. Bake, preferably at 250 degrees for 2 hours, but acceptable at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven, turn on broiler, and carefully lift foil. Mix orange juice with the sherry and just enough water to come almost to the top level of the chops in the pan, and pour over the chops. Broil until chops brown and the sauce thickens.

PORK IN PEPPER SAUCE: Serves 4
This dish can be done two ways – on a grill – Method A – OR in a skillet – Method B. Either way the sauce is made first. Turkey can be substituted or veal.
@ 11/2 to 2 lbs. pork loin or loin chops cut –

A) in 4 thick slices, or chops, for the grill (bone-in chicken thighs with skin)

B) in 8 thinner slices or chops for the skillet (skinless, boneless chicken thighs)

2 tsp. minced bottled garlic
1 tsp. dried basil
1 medium onion –chopped
(1) 7 oz. jar roasted red peppers*
1 tsp. oil
1/8 tsp. lemon pepper
¼ cup White wine
2 Tbs. butter – for Method B
To make sauce: Microwave onion in oil with lemon pepper 1 ½ min. Drain peppers, blend with onion, basil, and garlic to a puree. Add the wine.

Method A: Put the sauce in a small pan. Grill meat. Warm the sauce as pork is finishing, pour over the meat and serve.

Method B: Melt the 2 Tbs. butter in a skillet over medium heat and brown meat on both sides. Pour sauce over the meat, reduce heat and cover. Simmer gently for 8-10 min., until pork is done.
*Other varieties of roasted peppers or chilies can be added to taste as can hot sauce, but be aware if using Method B that the longer hot spices are cooked the hotter they become.

Mushroom Stuffed Pork Loin with Wine Sauce: Serves 6
3 lb. boneless pork loin roast (the best alternate is beef tenderloin or round roast-adjust cooking times)
(1) 10 oz. box chopped spinach – thawed and well drained
8 oz. canned mushrooms sliced or stems and pieces – drained
Ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1 large onion in small dice
1 cup + beef broth
2 Tbs. oil
3 cups red wine
Butterfly the roast by slicing it lengthwise down the center almost through. Open it like a book and make similar slices down the length of each side in the center. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and pound to an even thinness. Spread the spinach evenly over the surface, leaving a 1 inch margin on 3 sides, but not on one edge of the first cut. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg, and top with the mushrooms. Roll up the meat, starting with the side with no margin and tie with string every inch or so, securing the roll. Rub the outside lightly with salt and pepper, place in a roasting pan and cook in a preheated oven (350 deg. for pork) according to directions for cut.* When the roast reaches desired doneness, plate and let rest a few minutes. Serve in thin slices.
Meanwhile, sauté the onion in oil in a saucepan until soft. Add 3 cups wine and allow wine to cook down, adding in beef broth to maintain original level of liquid-about 1 cup total. When it reaches desired strength, add salt and pepper to taste. Can be made ahead and reheated. Serve warm with roast.
*Pork takes about 2 hours to reach 150 deg. at 350 deg.
*Beef tenderloin should be cooked at 500 deg. for 30 min. or until temperature reaches 145 deg. for medium rare.
*Beef round should be cooked as tenderloin if wanted rare, but as pork if desired well done. Remember, the longer beef cooks the tougher it gets, unless being stewed or steamed to tenderness.

Spicy Pork: Serves 6
3-4 lb. pork cut in 2>3 inch cubes (use chicken thighs and reduce cooking time to 2 hrs.)*
2 Tbs. EACH oil, chili powder, chili flakes, chopped cilantro, chopped parsley
½ Tbs. EACH seasoned salt and ground cumin
1Tbs. EACH minced garlic, dried oregano and black pepper
1 cup EACH diced onion and chicken broth
In a large bowl mix all ingredients but broth. Toss to coat pork well and marinate, chilled, at least 4 hrs. Put the mixture in a Dutch oven or covered oven-proof pot; add broth and cook in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 3 ½ to 4 hrs. until meat is fork tender. Serve hot in bowls or over grain or pasta.
*This might be interesting with whole drumsticksAmish Pork and Kraut: Serves 4-5-A family favorite of ours for 6 generations
4 double thick loin pork chops or 1 picnic –about 3-4 lb.—well trimmed
(1) 27 oz. can sauerkraut
(1) 15 oz. can sauerkraut
Water to cover
Mashed potatoes-Instant is fine here but add only minimum milk and butter making them. They should simply be bedding for the kraut and pick up its flavor.
Put 1/2 – 2/3 the kraut in the bottom of a large pot, place the pork on top and cover with the rest of the kraut. Add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cook until meat falls off the bone, about 2 ½ -3 hr. Make the potatoes when pork is almost ready, and plate hot together. Pass extra kraut cooking liquid on the side.

TURKEY- LUSCIOUS LEFTOVERS

I’ve written lots of postings on turkey over the years; how to buy, prep, stuff, cook, carve, strip the carcass, preserve  the meat and use left-overs-enough recipes for left-overs to fill a book. So this year, I decided rather repeat the information or add more recipes, I would give you ‘Cliff Notes’ on The Turkey Experience. I’m summarizing the steps of the process, from market to table and giving you links to their specific posts. 

This way you can easily locate answers to any questions you have, get help or find suggestions you need and go directly to the specific posting(s). After all, anyone responsible for holiday meals has no time to waste searching for things. 

First of all, I want to state my approach to roasts is bigger is better because they s-t-r-e-a-c-h. I love leftovers, they make wonderful impromptu meals and it’s relaxing to know you have the basis of dinner on hand. A larger roast can give you that with only a bit more cooking time and no extra effort. Turkey is the perfect example; the cooked meat freezes well and given the seasonal prices now, getting a larger one is an economy. So before you cut back on size of the entrees for holiday dinners this difficult year, consider these facts

To start at the beginning, picking a bird is important, but more so are the storing, thawing (if frozen), prep, for me this includes brining, and cooking. Briefly, always choose the plumpest bird, follow the handling directions and cook as instructed for times and temperatures, especially noting the differences between stuffed and unstuffed birds. I explain each of these steps in detail in my post for Nov. 15, 2012.

To simplify things, here is a roasting chart from famous food writer and teacher David Joachim’s book, 5,000 Food Tips and Tricks. The cooking times are a bit longer than other charts and I truly believe safer. The oven temperature is 325 deg. and the temperatures required for doneness are 180 deg. for the breast and 165 deg. for the stuffing.

—————————————————————————————————————————————–                                

Weight           Fridge defrosting               Cold water defrost        Roasting unstuffed             Roasting stuffed
_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________

5-7lb.                 16-22 hr.                              3-5 hr.                        1 ½ -2 hr.                               2-2 ½ hr.
7-9 lb.                18-24 hr.                              4-6 hr.                        2-2 ½ hr.                                2 ½ -3 hr.
9-11 lb.              24-36 hr.                              8-10 hr.                     3-3 ½ hr.                                 4-4 ½ hr.
12-15 lb.            36-48 hr.                              10-14 hr.                   3 ½ -4 hr.                                4 ½ -5 hr.
16-20 lb.             48-64 hr.                             16-20 hr.                   4-6 hr.                                     5 ½ -7 hr.  
____________________________________________________________________________

Stuffings, both for cooking in bird and separately, are discussed in my posts for Nov.19, 2012  Nov. 3, 2016 and more recently updated last week, Nov. 19, 2020. The first post gives the fundamentals of stuffing making and the basic recipe for bread stuffing which can be modified in so many ways. The more recent post explores 10 different stuffing recipes, among them Wild Rice, Squash, Mushroom and Cranberry, with an eye to trying something new this year to brighten the holidays. The most important things to remember in dealing with stuffing is that always stuff the bird just before placing in the oven and all stuffing, regardless of ingredients, must register 165 deg. to be considered cooked through and ready to be served. Finally, be sure to remove stuffing as soon as the dinner is over and store separately. For freezing tips, see the storing section below.

Gravy is another important accompaniment to a roast, especially turkey. It’s important to remember that gravy is an accessory not a star, but it’s a make or breaker. Unless it complements the entrée, is compatible with the other dishes and has a pleasing texture, it can ruin the meal. The first two requirements aren’t much concern, especially if the gravy base is the juice rendered by the meat. The last can be more difficult. For example a little fat from the roast can give it a silky texture, just as a pat of butter smooths a sauce, but too much can cause it to break, or separate, making it appear, and taste, greasy. Also, improper introduction or cooking of the thickening agent can make gravy lumpy and unappetizing.

Both problems can be easily solved. A large amount of excess fat can be removed by slightly chilling the rendered juice and spooning it off, a light film by gently drifting strips of paper towel across the top of the reserved juice, 4-5 strips usually suffice. To avoid lumpy gravy, dissolve the thickener in cold liquid before adding it to the saucepan and whish constantly until desired density is reached.

I discuss these problems, specifically different ways of thickening and how to avoid errors, in my post of Nov. 20,2014 and in depth generally for both sauces and gravies, with many recipes and variations in my book Savvy Sauces and Gravies available at dinnerwithjoy.com/booksproducts/ and Amazon. It’s also part of my book Food Facts for Millennials available at the above sites and summarized in my post of June 7, 2018.

Carving a turkey is not difficult. There are 2 main methods, one traditional and the other more recent, either way the first move is to remove the wing and leg, with thigh, by slicing through the joints, on one side to give clear access to the breast. Then either slice the meat off the breast parallel the breast bone, in clean strokes or make one slice through the lobe along the breastbone and another along the bottom perpendicular to the backbone, removing the entire lobe, which can then be sliced crosswise. The thigh meat can be sliced separately. Repeat on the other side. 

I do this in the roasting pan, but you may need to move the bird to a board for the second method of carving. For this it’s easier to mound at least the first serving of stuffing on the serving platter before you start to carve.

Stripping the carcass sounds more labor intensive than it is. (See post for Nov. 28, 2019) Set out a plate, size dependent on the amount of meat left on the carcass, and cut, or pull the meat off the bones, putting it on the plate. Toss the bones pieces of cartledge, joints, and any pieces of skin in a large pot as you go. When finished stripping, cover the pot contents with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 2 hours. This will make soup or stew base. When it is finished, strain and store in plastic containers with lids and freeze. Do not skim it. The fat will form a hard layer on top which keeps the broth fresh and can easily be scraped off before thawing for use.

Tip for freezing stuffing. Store stuffing in plastic containers with lids and cover with a few tablespoons of the broth. This prevents the stuffing from drying out and locks in flavor and texture.

To freeze the meat, I divide it into piles, small, for soups and chilies, medium, for stews and casseroles, and large, for pan sautés or sauced dishes.  I use plastic wrap to seal it into size-labeled 2-portion packages, and freeze the packages in bags. Depending on the turkey and the number of guests I served, I usually count on having the basis for 10-15, 2-serving meals on tap. It’s a real stress saver in the weeks ahead and a great reward for having cooked a big bird.

I do love leftovers and I’ve written many posts focused on turkey recipes over the years, each discussing a different aspect of transforming leftovers into delicious, fresh appearing meals. There’s no excuse for re-runs or boredom, or reason not to enjoy the leftovers for months. As I said turkey freezes very well. 

Below, I list a few of my recipes using the different sizes of meat, from small to large, to show the wide variation of uses, with links to their posts which you can click to access the entire article, the information and recipes. There are many more of them, Lasagna, Stuffed Portabellas, Pizzas, Turkey with Mushrooms in Creamy Wine Sauce, Cranberry Salad with Nuts and Feta, Ravioli with Lime-Balsamic Vinaigrette.

I’m also including a listing of links to all my turkey leftover articles, so you can check out each discussion, because they are all different. If you want more holiday meal ideas simply go to the Archive-Select Month drop down menu selector in the right margin of any blog page on this site, and choose the appropriate month. We cover all holidays…

RECIPES

SMALL PIECES
STUFFING SOUP: 6 servings   Dec.21.2011
4 Tbs. Butter or canola oil—or a combination

1 large onion chopped

1 carrot sliced

1 stalk celery sliced

2 tomatoes diced or (1) 14oz can diced tomatoes with juice

1 Tbs. dried parsley-or equal amount fresh

3 to 4 cups turkey leftovers

48oz. stock=3 cans broth+ 6oz water (gravy may be mixed in to this amount)

2 cups leftover stuffing

1 ½ cups cooked shaped pasta-bows, shells, penne

1 to 1 ½ cups leftover vegetables—peas, beans, corn, sprouts, spinach (optional)

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Melt butter in a stock pot over low heat and sauté onion, carrot and celery until tender. Stir in tomatoes, meat and parsley. Add stock and stuffing. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, 1hr. Add any leftover vegetables and warm through. Place pasta in a deep bowl and ladle soup over.

Enchiladas: Serves 4   Nov.23,2017
(8) 8 inch flour or corn tortillas
8 oz. Ricotta cheese
(1) 4 oz. can green chilies
½ lb. or 1 cup turkey leftovers
6 scallions chopped
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
½ tsp . red pepper
Cooking spray
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
(1) 20 oz. jar of salsa
If using raw, ground meat, spray a skillet with the cooking spray and sauté the meat over medium heat until no longer pink. If using leftovers, cut them in thin strips about 2 inches x1 inch. In a bowl, stir to combine, Ricotta, scallions, ¾ of the green chilies (Add the rest to the salsa), the green pepper, the red pepper, ½ cup of the Monterey Jack cheese and the meat. Spread half the salsa in the bottom of a 12 x 8 inch ovenproof pan. If using corn tortillas, wrap them in plastic wrap and microwave for 1 min., or until pliable. This step is not necessary with flour ones. Dip the tortillas in the salsa in the pan to soften them to the point that they can be rolled. Spoon the filling down the center of the tortillas in equal amounts, about 3 Tbs. per tortilla and roll it up. Place the rolled tortillas, seam side down, on the salsa in the pan. Pour the rest of the salsa over them, and top with the rest of the Monterey Jack cheese and half the cilantro. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 20 min. Uncover and bake 10 min more. Serve from the pan, and pass the rest of the fresh cilantro to garnish.

Italian Chicken Bundles: Serves 5—Freezes*This recipe is adapted from The U.S. Personal Chef Ass. Collection   Nov. 23, 1017
1 ½ cups chopped leftover turkey
1 medium-large onion in fine dice
(1) 10 oz. box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 Tbs. oil
¼ tsp. garlic powder
2/3 cup grated Parmesan
8 oz. Ricotta
¼ tsp. EACH dried oregano and nutmeg
Salt and pepper
2 Tbs. butter-melted
10 egg roll wrappers
(1) 16 oz. jar pasta sauce—Red or White flavors acceptable
Microwave onion in oil on high for 2 min. stir in garlic powder. Combine all the ingredients, except wrappers, sauce and butter in a bowl add salt and pepper. Brush some butter into 10 of the 12 cups in a muffin pan or in 2 pans. Place a wrapper in each buttered cup and divide the filling among them. Fold over tops and brush with the remaining butter. Bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 20-25 min. until tops are golden. Serve at once, drizzled with the pasta sauce and garnished with the remaining Parmesan.
* To Freeze: Cool bundles and wrap separately in foil; store in a zip lock bag. To Reheat: Unwrap put on a plate and microwave on high 2-4 min. Drizzle with sauce and microwave 1 min. more, Garnish with Parmesan to serve

MEDIUM PIECES

SALADS

HOT CHICKEN (OR TURKEY) SALAD:  Serves 6   Nov. 21, 2019
3 cups cubed cooked meat

1 ½ cups thinly sliced celery

1 small to medium onion diced

(1) 4oz. can stems and pieces mushrooms

¼ cup toasted almond slivers

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise

Salt to taste

2 Tbs. sharp cheese

3 Tbs. butter- melted

½ cup toasted croutons – I like rye bread

Mix first 8 ingredients and put in a greased casserole. Toss croutons with butter and top. Sprinkle with cheese and bake in a preheated 450 degree oven until brown–@ 30 mins.

NOTE: Doubled or tripled, this is an excellent party dish, but it also freezes well, before the toppings are added. So, save time and make extra to have ahead. It’s a five star with my family!

Turkey, Pear and Pasta Salad: Serves 6-This recipe builds on the classic pears, blue cheese and walnuts salad combination.  Nov. 23, 2017
1 lb. fusilli or penne
1 ¼ cup cooked turkey
2 pears-cored and sliced in size to equal the meat pieces
4 scallions – sliced
3 Tbs. chopped toasted walnuts
3 ½ oz. blue cheese*
3 Tbs. sour cream*
3 Tbs. ice water*
Cook the pasta al dente drain and rinse in cold water, drain again and cool. Arrange pasta on plates, top with meat, scallions and pears. Whisk the cheese, cream and ice water until smooth and drizzle over salads, Garnish with nuts.
*This dressing can be replaced with a good bottled blue cheese one.

Medium size pieces of leftover turkey are great for pastas, pizzas and stir-frys. I like these dishes for quick weekday meals. Basically they all start with 1 large onion and 1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped for the pasta and sliced for the other two dishes, micro waved for 2 mins. With 1Tbs. oil, ¼ tsp lemon pepper and a dash of red pepper. I add 1 cup of frozen broccoli stems and pieces for the second minute when making the pasta and pizza.  Nov. 23, 2017
A) For pasta I like to use penne. I toss the cooked, drained noodles with about 1 cup of fresh or canned diced tomatoes, pesto or riciato sauce, or just olive oil, the cooked vegetables, dried oregano and basil, and the thawed turkey meat, and top with grated Parmesan.
B) For pizza, I spread the pesto or riciato on the crust then pile on the cooked vegetables, diced tomatoes and the meat and sprinkle with the fried herbs and top with the cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for about 10-12 mins.
C) For Stir-Frys _heat 2 Tbs.oi1, with 1tsp. garlic powder and 1 tsp. ground ginger in a skillet. Cook any fresh vegetables about 3 min, then add frozen ones, if using, with soy sauce and cook covered  5 min. Uncover and add mushrooms or chestnuts if using, and meat with 1/3 cup Teriyaki sauce and stir to combine (or 1/3 cup broth with 1 tsp. cornstarch and stir until thickened-then add meat an heat through)

TURKEY CURRY—Serves 4     Nov.29, 2012
4 portions larger pieces of frozen turkey thawed = 2 packs
2 envelopes of chicken bouillon granules
(1) 15 oz. can peach slices in light syrup
peach juice from can +enough milk to = 2 cups
½ cup milk
½ cup light cream
3 Tbs. cornstarch
2 tsp. curry powder or to taste
sugar – if needed
6 cups boiled rice-brown or white long grained
chutney
Dissolve the cornstarch in the ½ cup milk. Put it with the juice, milk, bouillon and curry in a pot large enough to hold the recipe bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Reduce heat; add meat, peach slices and cream. Stir gently until heated through and sauce is smooth and thick. Taste and 

TURKEY WITH WALNUTS (Tetrazzini): Serves 4  Nov. 22, 2018
3 cups cooked cubed turkey or 4 turkey cutlets cut in 1×2 inch strips @ 1 ½ lbs.
1 green bell pepper
2 medium onions in 8ths
4 celery ribs
2 tsp. Soy Sauce
(1) 10oz can chicken broth – divided ¼ cup reserved (This is the Condensed found with the soups, rather than the 14 oz. broths)
2 Tbs. butter
½ cup cream sherry
2 Tbs. cornstarch
½ cup walnut pieces – toasting optional
Salt and Pepper
½ lb. cooked pasta – suggestions orzo or broad egg noodles
Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. If using raw turkey sauté first then add vegetables and sauté until soft .If using leftover add it with the sherry after the vegetables are soft. Add ¾ cup chicken broth and Soy sauce cover and simmer 8 min. Add sherry and cook 1 min more, add cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup broth and cook 3 min., stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Serve over pasta and garnish with walnuts.
NOTE; To toast walnuts- place on foil in 350 degree oven for 5 min.
Add more curry, salt and sugar if needed to adjust flavor. Serve over hot rice with chutney on the side.

Turkey with Sundried Tomatoes and Sour Cream:– Serves 4– Nov. 18,2015
1 ½ cups leftover turkey
¼ cup sundried tomatoes in oil – or reconstituted – see below
1 medium onion in large dice
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 cup water
1 envelope chicken bouillon granules
½ cup white wine
2 Tbs. capers
½ cup sour cream
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. oil
¼ cup flour
Salt and pepper
10 oz. sturdy, shaped pasta, rigatoni, penne, or shells
If tomatoes are dry pack, microwave them in enough water to amply cover, for 1 min. then allow to sit in the microwave, for 5 min. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion. Drain tomatoes, and sliver them. When onions are soft, add garlic, oil and cook for 1 min., add tomatoes, water, bouillon, capers and wine. Simmer for 5 min or until sauce reduces slightly, add meat, heat for 1 min. correct seasoning, stir in sour cream and heat through, about 1 min. then serve over cooked pasta. Do not allow cream to boil or it will separate.

LARGE PIECES

Turkey Divan: Serves 4*   Nov. 18, 2015
(1) 10 oz. can condensed Cream of Chicken soup +
½ can = 4-5 oz. milk
(1) 1 lb. bag frozen broccoli florets
1 ½ Tbs. white wine-optional
6-8 large pieces or slices of turkey = 4 chicken breasts
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
(1) 8 oz. Can sliced mushrooms- optional
Thaw broccoli and pat dry. Make a sauce by mixing the soup and milk, with wine, if using, stirring until smooth. Lightly butter a 2 qt. ovenproof casserole and place half the broccoli in it. Cover with the meat and, if using, scatter the mushrooms over. Pour on half the sauce and scatter with half the cheese. Top with the rest of the broccoli, then the rest of the sauce and finally, the remainder of the cheese. Bake at 375 deg. for 40-50 min. until bubbling and slightly golden on top.
*If made with fresh broccoli, cook to crisp tender.

CHICKEN (or TURKEY) a la King Pierre—Serves 4   Nov.22, 2018
This recipe is based on the dish served in the Café Pierre in the Hotel Pierre in New York City and is as suitable for entertaining as for a simple dinner at home.
4 portions larger size pieces frozen turkey meat thawed = 2 packs
(2) 4oz. cans button mushrooms
(1/2 ) 8 oz. can pitted ripe olives sliced lengthwise in half
2 jarred roasted red peppers
1 envelope chicken bouillon granules
(1) 10 oz. can chicken or turkey broth—can use your home made here–+ water to equal  1 ½ cups
1 tsp. curry powder- or to taste
1 cup milk – divided
½ cup light cream
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1 pkg. frozen patty shells

Cook patty shells according to directions and have ready “caps” or tops on the side.
Combine broth, water, bouillon, curry, olives, mushrooms and ½ cup milk in a pot large enough to hold all the ingredients. Dissolve the cornstarch in the other ½ cup of milk, add to the pot and, stirring constantly, and cook over medium-high heat until sauce thickens-about 3 mins. Lower heat, add meat, peppers and cream and continue stirring gently until heated through and sauce is smooth and thick. Serve hot in patty shells garnished with the “caps”.

PAN SAUCES           

The majority of recipes with sauces that are intended for pork, veal and poultry can be adapted to use leftover turkey. The simplest and quickest are the pan sauces that develop from recipes that start with the meat being browned by sautéing and removed from the pan first. Just assume the meat is brown and pick up the directions from there, then put it in the pan at the end to absorb flavor and heat through.  Nov. 24, 2016      

TURKEY in ORANGE SAUCE – Serves 4
4 portions of large pieces of frozen turkey thawed
1 medium-small onion diced fine
1 Tbs. oil
1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate*
1 ½ cups white wine*
1 Tbs. soy sauce or to taste
orange marmalade or brown sugar to taste
3 Tbs. match stick pieces of orange rind ½ inch long
Sauté the onion in the oil until soft, about 3 mins. Add the juice, wine, soy sauce and orange rind. Stir to mix well and taste to adjust flavors adding marmalade or sugar if needed. This sauce should be tangy. Add the meat to the pan and simmer for about 10 mins. to infuse the flavors. Serve hot.
* equal amounts of fresh orange juice can be substituted, but it’s best to dissolve ½ tsp. of cornstarch in the liquid first, and stir until slightly thickened before adjusting seasoning or adding the meat.
Variations
This technique works well substituting ½ cup, or to taste, leftover whole cranberry sauce for the frozen orange juice concentrate, mixing it with the wine and omitting the soy sauce and marmalade. The orange rind is optional.
1) After sautéing the onion in the oil, substitute 2 cups Madera or Marsala with 1 tsp, cornstarch dissolved in it. Add with meat and gently stir until sauce thickens. Serve at once.
2) Substitute white wine for the others mentioned above.  Add 1tsp. dried Tarragon and 8-12 raw shrimp with the meat and stir until shrimp is pink and sauce thickens about 3 mins.
3) Add ½ cup roughly chopped reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes and ½ tsp dried oregano to the pan with the wine and stir to partially thicken sauce. Add meat and heat through as sauce finishes thickening. Remove from heat and add 1/3 cup sour cream. Gently stir over medium-low heat only until warmed through. Be careful, if it boils it will curdle. Serve at once.
4) Substitute 2 Tbs. red raspberry jam + ¼ cup white wine or apple juice, with a drop of lemon juice added, for the other ingredients. Add the meat and simmer about 6mins to infuse flavor. This dish perks up with a good dash of black pepper.

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