Tribute to the turkey

29/Diciembre/2011 | 16:00

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With Thanksgiving and Christmas past and New Year upon us there is one food dish whose popularity will quickly wane until the Fall of the coming year. 

Though you could eat turkey anytime, it seems dearest to the celebrations that close out the year.  So before we ring in 2012 we want to honor the bird that adorns our dinner tables and recognize those who best prepare it.  Below are three recipes from three chefs in Ecuador.

Did  you know…

  • Americans consume 7.7 kg of turkey (almost 17lbs, or one whole turkey) per capita.

  • Ecuadorians consume 0.6kg of turkey (1.32lbs, or about one turkey leg) per capita.


 



Hugo Jimenez, Chef Casa Ceibo, Bahia de Caraquez

Classic turkey with mustard and lemon

INGREDIENTS

1 Turkey defrosted

1 table spoon mustard

5 tablespoons butter

Lemon juice

Salt

Pepper

Paprika

1 big onion, peeled and cut into four parts

¼ cup Oporto

3 cups turkey broth

2 apples, washed and cut into four parts

PREPARATION

Prepare a turkey broth using the incidental turkey parts.

The night before cooking the turkey, rub with salt, pepper, lemon juice and paprika.  Refrigerate during the night.  The following day fill the turkey with apples, onions and sew up the cavity.  Mix with butter with mustard and grease the entire turkey.

Put turkey en a roaster with two cups of water and place in oven pre-heated to 450°F (200°C) for 30 minutes.  Then drop temperature to 325°F (160°C) and roast the turkey, bathing it repeatedly with two cups of broth.  Cooking time is 30 minutes for each kilogram (2lbs, 4oz) of turkey.  Rotate the turkey half-way through cooking to obtain even glaze.

Remove turkey from oven and let cool.  Remove filling and strain cooking juices. After further cooling remove the grease from the surface.  Poor juices into a pan and add the remaining broth.  Boil and add Oporto.  Reduce for 5 minutes.   Thicken with flour or corn flour.

Dejar enfriar y retirar la grasa de la superficie. Verter en una olla y agregar la restante taza de caldo. Llevar a hervir y agregar el oporto. Reducir por 5 minutos. Mix flour diluted in cold wáter if necessary.

Cut turkey, which is now cool, and accommodate in a serving dish or serve hot for cutting at the table.  Accompany with the sauce previously heated.



Leondardo Granda , Chef Zibrar Restaurant, Quito

Zibrar´s Classic Turkey

INGREDIENTS

1Turkey, 4 kg

1 white onion cut into small cubes

1 leek cut into small cubes

Crushed garlic, as desired

2 Leaves of laurel

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

White wine

Lemons cut in half

Apple vinegar

Salt and pepper as desired

PREPARATION

Wash and dry turkey.  Rub with lemons.  Blend onion, leek, garlic, White wine, vinegar, and leaves of laurel into a marinade.

Put turkey in a pan and cover with marinade and let sit overnight, refrigerated.  The following day preheat the oven and cover turkey in aluminum foil and put in oven at 450°F (200°C) for 30 minutes.   Then lower temperature and let bake for 3 hours or if your turkey came with an indicator, bake until it reaches the red zone.

Once cooked, strain the juice and let reduce until it converts into a sauce.  Serve in cranberry sauce or mortiño (Andean blueberry) sauce.

STUFFING

150 gr. White bread without crust

4 apples

150 gr. Raisins

150 gr. Turkey liver

150 gr. Ground beef

50 gr. Raisins

50 gr. almonds

Mix all ingredients with two eggs, salt, pepper as desired and refill the cavity before cooking.  Serve in slices and accompany with mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes and partial filling.  For dessert, apple tart is recommended.



Pablo Ortiz, Chef Swissotel, Quito

Swissotel Traditional Turkey

INGREDIENTS

1 turkey, 10-11kg

4 bottles beer

1 cup salt

 PREPARATION

Mix salt with beer and bathe turkey, allowing it to marinade for 12-24 hours.  Place turkey in a pan with melted margarine and a little salt.  Bake 40 minutes for each kg of turkey.

STUFFING

.5 kg ground pork

.5 kg ground veal

.5 kg chicken liver

.5 kg pealed nuts

Salt and pepper as desired

.25 kg raisins

2 cups bread soaked in milk

1 egg

Basil

White onion, grated

Mix the ground meats with egg and milk-soaked bread.  Add salt and pepper as desired, white onion, basil.  Mix well and add nuts and raisins.  With this dough refill the turkey. Cook for 30 minutes for each kg of stuffing.

Suggestion:

Stuffing is better prepared separately in a mold for square bread.  The stuffing lengthens the cooking time of the turkey.  Until the ground beef of the stuffing is cooked the turkey will appear to dry, particularly the breast.

Accompany with the turkey juice left during cooking, removing excess grease.  Blend with raisins and cooked, green apple puree.  Add salt and pepper.

This dish can be accompanied by mashed potatoes and salted and steamed vegetables in butter.