So, tomorrow is Turkey Day! Anyone have any favorite recipes they’ll be cooking up. I just picked up my bird from the local farmer and he’s a beauty at 20.75 pounds. I’m going to brine him al-la Alton Brown and deep fry him.
It’s not an old favorite, tomorrow I’m going to try something new. I butchered the turkey into pieces, and will be smoking most of it. One of the breasts I’ve butterflied, tomorrow I’ll be stuffing it with sage sausage dressing, rolling it up, wrapping it in a bacon weave, and smoking until it’s done. If it tastes as good as it sounds I’ll be a happy camper. ;D
My wife and I often cook from Chef Emeril Lagasse’s cook books. The Oyster Stuffing and Sage Reduction Sauce recipe is one we found in his New New Orleans Cooking cook book that we fell in love with. Without a doubt, it is our favorite Thanksgiving dish. Drizzle or drown the stuffing in the sage reduction!!!
Thank you Chef M!
Chef Emeril’s Oyster Stuffing with Sage Reduction Sauce
Oyster Stuffing
1 tbs Creole seasoning
3 tbs chopped fresh sage - in all
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup chopped andouille sausage (casings removed)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 tbs minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce
1/2 tsp salt
3 turns fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 cups diced day old bread
1- 1/2 cups freshly shucked oysters with their liquor
1/4 cup chopped green onion
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add andouille, onions, celery, and bell peppers and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon Creole seasoning and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the stock and fold in the bread cubes and oysters and cook for 1 minute, Fold in green onions, cook for 2 minutes, and remove from heat.
Makes about 3-1/2 cups of stuffing.
Cook stuffing in the bird or in an oven pan as you would with your traditional turkey stuffing.
Sage Reduction Sauce (Da Creole Heavenly Magic!)
3 tbs chopped fresh sage
3 tbs minced shallots
2 tbs minced garlic
1 tsp salt
4 turns freshly ground pepper
1 cup port wine
3 cups chicken stock
1tbs cornstarch
2 tbs water
Combine sage, shallots, garlic, salt, pepper and port in a nonreactive saucepan over high heat. Bring to boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add stock, bring to boil, and cook for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine cornstarch with the water. Stir the mixture into the sauce, simmer for 2 minutes, and remove from the heat. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat.
Tried a new recipe for cranberry sauce with port & tangerines that came out
spectacular. The canned, jellied crap is my pet peeve with this holiday.
Cranberry Sauce with Port & Tangerines
1 (12-ounce) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup ruby Port
3 (3- by 1/2-inch) strips tangerine zest
1/3 cup tangerine juice (from about 2 tangerines)
Bring cranberries, sugar, Port, and zest to a simmer in a small heavy
saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Simmer,
uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cranberries burst, about 12 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in juice. Cool completely.
Planned on doing a double batch with 2 bags of berries, but ended up
deciding to shake it up since I wasn’t sure how the port would work
(great!!!). So I did a 2nd batch the same way but substituting honey for the
sugar, cognac/orange liquor for the port, and adding about a shot of Espolon
tequila.
That sauce sounds good. Just for yucks, if you have any left, take a bit and stir in some fresh cracked black pepper and see if it’s an improvement. I often like the hot spicy counterpoint to something sweet. Chutney-like thinking, I guess.