113019b

The tradition of roasting elves for Christmas dinner was widely thought to have been started by the turkeys. In reality, a renegade tribe of reindeer was responsible.

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turkeys are brown
before they are cooked
before they are plucked
before they are...

072717b

Turkey a la Campagne

Serves 10-12

ENTREE

T=tablespoon; C=cup; t=teaspoon

Cooked, 3 lbs of turkey breast, pulled into chunks.

Have ready:

2 C frozen or canned corn, drained

14 oz canned artichoke hearts

1 C each cooked carrots and white turnips (or rutabaga), Cut carrots into disks no thicker than 1 inch and turnips or rutabagas into pieces of similar size.

Arrange these ingredients in a 3-quart casserole, alternating layers of turkey and vegetables until all are used, with turkey on the top layer.

Make the sauce by melting in a saucepan:

3 T butter

Add and stir until smooth over low heat:

3 T flour

Continue to stir over low heat and add:

1.5 C strong chicken stock

3 T sherry

1 C cream or half and half

½ C parsley

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Continue to cook sauce over low heat 10 minutes. Pour sauce over the food in the casserole. Shake the dish well, so the sauce penetrates all layers. Cover the top with bread crumbs and heat about 30 minutes in a 350F oven.

061617b

Curried Turkey Chutney Salad in Cantaloupe Halves

Serves 6

ENTREE

T=tablespoon; C=cup; t=teaspoon

Ingredients:

A 3.5-4 lb turkey breast, thawed if frozen

1 onion, halved and stuck with a clove

1 carrot, sliced

1 stalk of celery, sliced

1 C Mayonnaise

2 t curry powder

¾ C drained and chopped mango chutney

1.5 C thinly sliced celery

salt and pepper

3 cantaloupes, halved and seeded

Tie together in a cheesecloth bag or put in large tea strainer:

6 sprigs of parsley

1 bay leaf

1.5 t minced fresh thyme or ½ t dried

For the condiments

½ pound toasted cashews

½ pound lean bacon, cooked and crumbled

¼ pound raisins

½ C minced red and green sweet bell pepper

½ C minced scallion

Directions

In a kettle bring to a boil enough water to cover the turkey breast with the onion, carrot, celery stalk, and the herbs in a cheesecloth bag. Add the turkey breast and boil it for 1 minute. Reduce heat and poach turkey, partially covered, at a bare simmer, skimming off the froth that rises to the surface, for 40 minutes, or until tender. Let turkey cool completely in the liquid, discard the skin and bones, and cut turkey into ½-inch cubes.

In a small bowl combine well the mayonnaise, curry powder, and chutney.

In a large bowl combine turkey, the 1.5 C celery, curry mayonnaise, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve curried turkey salad in the cantaloupe halves with the condiments in separate bowls.

Goliath Takes a Fall

Goliath Takes a Fall

Tom channels his scimitar-beaked ancestor,

stalking chickens, other turkeys,

goats and dog, axe-bearing farmer;

he IS the savanna’s top predator,

biting through felid cervical vertebrae,

can’t fly, but doesn’t need to,

till Dr. Shotgun

truncates his anomalous reign,

pitting 20^th century technology

against Pleistocene evolution.