Talking turkey...and sides and leftovers too!

By Tanya Noffsinger

After thirty plus years of cooking turkeys, I’ve got this thing figured out!  The most succulent turkey, according to me and a lot of my guests who’ve tasted my juicy birds, is a result of brining.  Don’t run out to the local gourmet food shop and pay $16.50 for a brining mixture that you can put together yourself.  Here’s how to do it.  Get yourself to the deli section of your market and ask for a foodsafe bucket (the kind in which cole slaw and potato salad are delivered). They throw these away. Of course, you will wash it thoroughly and dry it.

Honey Brined Turkey

8 qts. water

18-20 lb. turkey

2 cups coarse Kosher salt

1 cup honey

2 bunches fresh thyme

8 lg. garlic cloves, bruised

2 Tbsp.  black peppercorns, bruised

2 Tbsps. ea. yellow mustard seeds, caraway seeds, juniper beries, all slightly bruised

7 bay leaves, run under warm water and rub first (opens stomates on the leaf to release flavor)

Put the above into your food safe bucket and mix thoroughly.  Submerge your turkey and refrigerate for 12-18 hours, no longer.  When ready to roast remove the turkey, rinse, dry and allow to come to room temperature for NO LONGER than 1 hour before roasting.  Roast your turkey at 325 degrees.  (DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO ROAST A TURKEY IN AN OVEN AT A LOWER TEMPERATURE OVERNIGHT AS THIS PROMOTES BACTERIAL GROWTH).  You will roast your turkey for approximately 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 hours.  Remember however, this is a guideline.  You MUST CHECK YOUR TURKEY WITH A MEAT THERMOMETER TO BE SURE THAT IT IS DONE.  YOU SHOULD HAVE A READING OF 180 degrees IN THE THIGH MEAT AND 180 degrees IN THE THICKEST PART OF THE BREAST MEAT TO CONSUME SAFELY.  Allow about 20-30 minutes outside of the oven for juices to absorb.  Plate and serve so that you can, hopefully, carve at the table.

(Tanya’s Tip)  The reason brining works is the spiral shaped protein molecules are relaxed (denatured) in the presence of NaCl (that’s salt) thus allowing the H2O (water) receptors to be exposed.  The turkey will take on about 30% more liquid thus allowing for roasting without losing the inherent moisture present when you purchased your turkey.  Kitchen science—pretty cool stuff, huh?

Sweet Potato Andouille Soup

Be still my heart!

4 cups sweet potatoes, unpeeled

1 lb. Andouille sausage

2 each red, green and yellow peppers

5 cups chicken stock

1 cup concentrated apple juice

1 tsp. grated orange rind

3 Tbsps. tomato paste

1 bay leaf, (remember, always rub bay leaves under warm water to release flavor)  

Boil the sweet potatoes in water to cover until tender.  Drain, cool, peel & coarsely mash.  In a skillet, partially cook the sausage.  Drain fat. Wash, core and thinly slice all of the peppers.  In a stock pot combine chicken stock, apple juice, sweet potatoes, orange rind and tomato paste.  Reserve 8 strips each of red, yellow & green pepper for garnish.  Add the remaining peppers to soup pot.  Stir well until blended on medium heat.  Cook until vegetables are tender about 30 mins.  Puree.  Return to the pot and add the bay leaf and sausage and simmer for 30 more minutes.  Discard the bay leaf and serve with a strip of each color of pepper.  

Hawaiian Sweet Potato Casserole

1 tbsp. butter

4 lg. sweet potatoes, peeled, parboiled, sliced

4 bananas, peeled and sliced

4 apples, peeled, cored, sliced in rings

1 1/2 cups coconut milk

1/2 cup brandy or rum

2 Tbsps. freshly chopped mint.

1/2 cup chopped macademia nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease casserole with butter.  Layer sweet potatoes, bananas & apples.  In a bowl blend coconut milk, brandy, and mint.  Pour over the casserole.  Sprinkle the top with macademia nuts.  Cover.  Bake for 30 mins.  Uncover and bake 10-15 mins. longer.  Remove from oven and serve.

Lima Bean and Broccoli Casserole

This is just so-o-o good.

1 pkg. Fordhook Lima Beans

1 pkg. chopped broccoli

1 can sliced water chestnuts

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 cup sour cream

1/4 pkg. Lipton onion soup

3/4 cup Rice Krispies, browned lightly in butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slightly undercook the vegetables in the microwave according to directions and drain.  Mix the remaining ingredients, except the Rice Krispies, and add the slightly undercooked vegetables.  Place in a buttered casserole and top with the Rice Krispies.  Bake at 35-40 mins. at 350 degrees. Serve.

Turkey Tetrazzini

Named for the great opera diva, Luisa Tetrazzini, this is a wonderful diversion from turkey sandwiches.

4-6 cups cooked turkey, chopped in coarse pieces

4 Tbsp. butter

1/3 cup flour

2 cups turkey or chicken broth

1 cup light cream

1/2 # sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

1 minced onion

1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced

6 ozs. cappellini or spaghettini

1 can sliced water chestnuts

Parmeggiano-Reggiano cheese  & slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt butter and blend in flour and broth.  Cook until thick and stir in cream & grated cheese.  Divide sauce in half.  Mix half with onion, mushrooms and cappellini.  Arrange in large buttered casserole.  Stir turkey, and water chestnuts into the other half of the sauce.  Spoon over cappellini mixture.  Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmiggiano-Reggiano cheese and slivered almonds.  Bake 1 hour at 325 degrees.

Gotta run.  Soup’s on!

To contact this columnist with comments, questions ideas, etc. go to Musicalfeast@aol.com.