Turkey and Gravy

#1—HERB-RUBBED SPATCHCOCK 

(BUTTERFLIED FLAT) TURKEY

1 (12 to 14 lb.) turkey, neck and giblets removed and reserved for stock.  Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients:
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup minced green onions 
1/3 cup minced Italian parsley 
3 T. minced fresh oregano

3 T. minced fresh rosemary 
3 T. Dijon mustard
3 T. fresh lemon juice
3 T. olive oil
3 T. melted butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry with paper towels. Place the bird, breast side down, on a cutting board. Using poultry shears and/or a large knife or cleaver, cut along one side of the backbone until the bird is split open. Cut down the other side of the backbone to free it—reserve backbone for stock.

2. Turn turkey over, breast side up, opening it as flat as possible and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin or your hands, press it firmly to break the breastbone and flatten the bird. You may want to wash and pat dry the turkey again.

3. For the herb rub, mix together the garlic, green onions, parsley, oregano, rosemary, mustard, lemon juice and olive oil. Use your fingers to push some of the herb mixture under the skin of the breast and legs. Rub the remaining herb mixture over the surface of the turkey. Place on a baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours. Remove turkey 1 1/2 to 2 hours before cooking allowing it to come closer to room temperature.

4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place turkey, skin side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan and tuck the legs in tightly close to the body. Brush with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Roast Turkey for 30 minutes and then lower oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue roasting until skin is crisp and deep brown and an instant thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone registers 165 to 170 degrees, 1 1/4 to 2 1/4 hours. Transfer turkey to a warmed serving platter and tent with foil; let rest for 30 to 45 minutes. Pour any juices out of the roasting pan and into a fat separator. Let stand a few minutes and pour off juices to use as part of the liquid in the gravy. Carve and serve with gravy.

Phillis Carey’s Recipes of the Week—The Turkey Collection 11/16/16 -- page 1

TURKEY STOCK
2 T. vegetable oil
Neck, heart and gizzard reserved from turkey Backbone cut out of the turkey, cut in half
2 large onions, quartered with skins
4 carrots, peeled and cut in 1 inch pieces
4 stalks celery, cut in 1 inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, peeled
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 small bay leaves
6 black peppercorns
7 cups turkey or chicken broth

Directions:
Heat oil in large pot over medium high heat. Add turkey parts and sauté until brown, about 10 minutes. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves and broth; bring to a boil. Skim the fat and foam from the top; reduce heat and partially cover pot and simmer until liquid is reduced to 6 cups, about 2 hours. Cool 1 hour, strain and remove all fat. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

CARAMELIZED ONION HERB GRAVY

3/4 cup unsalted butter
3 cups chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Turkey Drippings and stock to make 4 cups, 
heated 
2 T. brandy
2 T. white wine, optional
2 T. heavy cream, optional

Makes about 5 cups.

Directions:
1. In a large sauté pan, cook the butter and onions over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Don't rush this step; it makes all the difference when the onions are well-cooked.

2. Sprinkle the flour into the pan, stirring to coat the onions; add the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hot stock mixture and Brandy; cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes until thickened. Add the wine and cream, if desired. Season to taste with more salt and some pepper. (It’s ok to make the gravy ahead if you have your stock ready, adding turkey drippings to thin gravy as you reheat it.)
Makes 6 cups.

Phillis Carey’s Recipes of the Week—The Turkey Collection 11/16/16 -- 

#2—BACON AND FRESH HERB ROASTED 

TURKEY WITH SWEET ONION GRAVY

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. bacon (not too lean), 
chopped 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 1/2 T. fresh thyme leaves,
plus 1 thyme sprig
Salt and freshly ground pepper 
One 16- to 18-pound turkey
6 celery ribs, coarsely chopped

Serves 8 to 10.
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, smashed 
Unsalted butter, if needed
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 cups Turkey Stock or Chicken broth

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, combine the bacon, parsley, thyme leaves, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper; process to a paste.

2. Using your fingers, gently separate the turkey skin from the breast and legs. Season the turkey cavities with salt and pepper. Carefully spread the bacon paste under the loosened skin and press gently on the outside of the skin to evenly distribute. Season the outside of the turkey with salt and pepper and tie the legs together tightly with kitchen string. (Can be refrigerated at this point overnight. Bring to room temperature before roasting.)

3. Scatter the celery, carrots and white onions in a large roasting pan and set the turkey on top. Tightly cover the bird with 2 sheets of oiled foil and roast on the lowest rack of the oven for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the foil and continue to roast for 1 hour, or until the turkey is browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the inner thigh registers 170°. Transfer the turkey to a carving board, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 45 to 60 minutes before carving.

4. Meanwhile, strain the pan juices into a bowl; skim off the fat, reserving 1/3 cup (if not enough add butter to make up the difference). Place the roasting pan directly on the stove and add 2 cups of the Turkey stock or chicken broth and bring to a boil scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add broth to the Turkey Stock—you should have a total of 4 cups liquid plus the pan juices from the turkey.

5. Pour reserved fat into a large, deep skillet. Add the sweet onion and thyme sprig and cook over moderately high heat until the onion is browned, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, then stir in the flour. Gradually add the Turkey stock, whisking constantly, until smooth. Whisk in the reserved pan juices and simmer the gravy over low heat, whisking often, until no floury taste remains, about 15 minutes.

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes With Easy Mushroom Gravy

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes With

Easy Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients:

2 pounds of Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes, peeled or

   unpeeled and cut into chunks

1 small head of cauliflower (1 1/2 pounds) chopped

   into bite sized chunks

2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter

1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic minced

Milk or non-dairy milk if desired

***

Directions:

Place  the potatoes in a very large saucepan and add water to cover.  Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes for 10 minutes uncovered.

After 10 minutes add the cauliflower to the saucepan with the potatoes.  Boil both vegetables for 10 minutes more, uncovered until they are fork tender. 

Drain the potatoes and cauliflower and return them to the saucepan.  Mash with a potato masher until smooth. adding the butter, salt, pepper, and garlic as you mash.  Resist the urge to add milk right off the bar.  As you mash the cauliflower, it will release some water and thin out the mixture.  If you need to add some milk at the end do so to make the mixture your desired consistency, feel free to do so.

***

Easy Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 sweet or yellow onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic
Fine grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups finely sliced cremini mushrooms
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons all purpose flour
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari, or to taste.

*

Directions:

In a skillet or saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add the sliced mushrooms and rosemary and raise the heat to medium-high.  Sauté for 8 to 9 minutes more, or until most of the water is released by the mushrooms has cooked off.

Stir in the flour until all of the vegetables are coated.

Add the broth and tamari gradually  and stir quickly to smooth out any lumps of flour.  Bring the mixture to a simmer.  Cook stirring often to ensure that it doesn't burn, for 5 minutes more.

When the gravy has thickened to your liking, remove the pan from the heat and serve.

Roast Turkey With Apple Sage Stuffing

Roast Turkey Stuffed With

Apple Sage Stuffing

Stuffing 1/4 cup butter 2 cups chopped onions 2 cups chopped celery 8 oz. sage flavored    sausage 2 cups peeled diced apple 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage 5 cups cubed egg bread cut in 1/2 inch cubes 1/4 cup chopped parsley 1 egg 1/2 cup apple juice or more Salt and freshly ground pepper * Turkey one 14 lb. turkey 1/4 cup room temperature butter *** Directions: For stuffing, heat 1/4 cup butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and sauté for 1 minute.  Add apples and saute until apples develop some color, about 5 minutes longer.  Stir in sage and cook 1 minute longer. * Remove from heat and scrape into a bowl.  Add bread and parsley and stir together.  When stuffing is cool, stir in egg and apple juice, season with salt and pepper.  Stuffing should be slightly moist.  Stuff into cavity prior to roasting the turkey. Preheat oven to 400^F. Loosen skin gently from turkey breast with finger tips and stuff a little butter under the skin.  It will baste the white meat.  Spread remaining butter over the bird and season with salt and pepper. Truss the turkey and place on a rack.  Roast for 1 hour basting once.  Turn heat down to 375^F and roast another hour and 45 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 155^F at the thickest part of the thigh.  Baste a few times if you remember. Let the bird rest on a carving board for 20 minutes while you make the the gravy. Easy Pan Gravy Fat and pan drippings from Roast Turkey 3 tablespoons flour 3 cups turkey or chicken stock 1/4 cup port 1 tablespoon red currant jelly Salt and freshly ground pepper Directions: Drain fat and pan drippings into a measuring cup.  Add 1/4 cup fat back into a measuring cup.  Add 1/4 cup fat back into roasting pan.  Skim fat from remaining drippings. Sprinkle flour over fat in roasting pan.  Stir together over medium heat until flour is browned. Stir in stock, any drippings and port.  Bring to boil, stirring, scraping up any bits on the base and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened and smooth.  Stir in red currant jelly and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.  Makes about 4 cups.