Turkey Leftovers - The Day After

Nov 29, 2009

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

Two days since Thanksgiving and we're still scarfing down the remains of that 15, 20, or 30 pounder. So what do we today? It's a challenge, trying to come up with something delicious and different with all that leftover meat. Turkey sandwiches on mayo will just get you so far. So, below, are various ways to utilize leftover turkey. One would be surprise how versatile turkey can be. These recipes go on the basis of 2 cups or more of turkey meant for 4 people. Of course, they can be modified for more helpings.

Turkey Curry: saute leftover meat (either strips or cut up) in olive oil or butter. Add 1 cup chicken or beef broth plus 1 tablespoon curry powder (or to taste). Cook until heated. If you desire a thicker sauce, you can mix the curry powder with flour for thickness, add cold water and blend. Stir into the meat mixture and cook until thicken.

Creamed Turkey: Saute one medium onion in oil, add turkey meat, 1 can cream of chicken soup (can also use cream of broccoli or asparagus). Gradually stir in 1 cup milk. Cook for a few minutes, add juice of 1 lemon and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, mozzarella or cheddar cheese. If you don't want it to be too cheesy, then add 1 10-ounce pack frozen green beans or peas. Heat until tender. Serve over biscuits, rice or pasta.

Scalloped Turkey: Alternate layers of turkey, cut up, 2 1/2 cups rich gravy, and 1 cup bread or cracker crumbs, in a greased 1 1/2-quart casserole; dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Turkey Croquettes: Combine 1 cup thick white sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, turkey meat, and any other spices to taste. Spread on a plate and chill. Shape 1 rounded tablespoon of mixture for each croquette. Roll in bread crumbs, then 1 beaten egg, and again in crumbs. Fry in hot oil. Or you can brush with olive oil or butter and bake at 400 degrees until done.

Turkey Creole: In a skillet or pan, saute 1 large chopped onion, 1 small chopped green pepper (pimento) in butter or olive oil. Add 1 cup or 1 can tomatoes (drained), 1 can tomato soup, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and a dash of pepper. Bring to a boil. Then simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Serve over rice or couscous.

Florentine Turkey: Cook 1 pound fresh or 1 10-ounce package frozen spinach. Drain well, and chop fine. Transfer to a 1 1/2-quart casserole. Preheat broiler. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. Add 3 tablespoon flour, salt and pepper to taste, dried oregano to taste, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups milk, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Add 1/2 cup light cream and diced turkey meat. Stir together and pour cream mixture over spinach. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and dot with butter. Broil until lightly browned.

Turkey Tetrazzini: Saute 1 small chopped onion, 1 small green pepper, and 1 clove garlic, finely minced, in butter or olive oil. Add diced turkey and 1 can cream of mushroom soup. Season to taste, stir and cook until heated. If sauce is too thick, can add 1/4 cup water, if desired. Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Sukiyaki: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth, 1/4 cup beer, 1 teaspoon sugar, and pepper to taste. Heat 3 tablespoons peanut in a medium skillet and brown turkey meat, cut into fine strips. Keep meat to one side of pan. Pour half of soy sauce mixture over meat. Add 2 cups sliced onions, 1 cup sliced bamboo shoots and 1 cup sliced mushrooms. Saute for 3 minutes. Pour remaining soy sauce mixture into skillet; add 1 cup sliced scallions. Cook for 3 minutes. Serve over cooked, hot rice.

Turkey Stroganoff: Mix together 2 tablespoons flour, salt and pepper to taste. Fry one large chopped onion and 1 clove garlic, finely minced, in 2 1/2 tablespoons butter. Add turkey meat cut into strips. Sprinkle flour mixture over meat and browned onions. Add 1/4 cup beef stock, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and 1 cup sour cream. Mix well and cook until heated. Fry 1 cup mushrooms in butter and add to mixture. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve over fettuccine noodles.

Turkey Stir Fry: Combine 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 3/4 cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. In a wok or skillet, heat 3 tablespoons peanut oil, and stir fry 1 medium chopped onion and 1 clove garlic, finely minced. Add turkey meat, cut into strips, and stir-fry 2-3 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture and 1/4 cup chopped scallions. Cook until thicken, and serve over rice.

There you have it, leftover heaven. If this doesn't make work for you, then next year serve ham or pork loin for Thanksgiving.

The Puerto Rican Thanksgiving Turkey

Nov 21, 2009

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

Yes, it's that time of year again. My favorite holiday: Thanksgiving. Leave it to the American consciousness to create a holiday devoted to feasting and gluttony. I love it. We Puerto Ricans have our own version of the cooked bird. It's more highly seasoned than its North American counterpart and, in my humble opinion, more flavorful. You see, back in the days of yore, in Puerto Rico, the main staple for the holidays was pernil, or roasted pork shoulder. For health and other reasons, turkey has supplanted the pernil. But, guess what---we spice up the turkey to taste like pork, or a la criolla (creole style). So, here it is, the Puerto Rican Thanksgiving turkey which we normally serve with yellow rice and pigeon peas (gandules). The recipe is from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine in America (The Perseus Books Group).

PAVO RELLENO A LA CRIOLLA

(Stuffed Roast Turkey)

1 81/2 pound pound dressed-weight turkey

5 cloves garlic, peeled

6 whole black peppercorns

1 tablespoon dried oregano

4 teaspoon salt

1 cup olive oil

4 tablespoons paprika

1/4 cup vinegar

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 pound lean ground beef

1 packet sazon accent (Goya makes a good one with coriander and annato)

1/2 cup stuffed pimento stuffed Spanish olives

4 tablespoons capers, drained

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1. Rinse and wash turkey, inside and out, and wipe dry. Do the same with the heart, liver and gizzard, and then chop innards coarsely. This will be combined with the ground beef when preparing the stuffing.

2. Pound together the garlic, peppercorns, oregano and 3 teaspoons of salt in a mortar. Add 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons paprika, vinegar, and combine. Rub the turkey with the seasoning inside and out---what my mother calls "abodar el pavo" (seasoning the beast). This is done a day ahead (the turkey should be left overnight, in a covered pot, in the refrigerator). This will allow it to absorb the flavors.

3. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan or kettle. Add the ground beef and cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the meat loses its color. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in the sazon, olives, capers, tomato sauce and remaining teaspoon salt. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to complete the stuffing.

4. Remove from heat and let cool. Stuff the turkey loosely about three quarters full. Truss the turkey (sew or skewer together the neck and bind the legs).

5. Place turkey in a roasting pan breast side down. To insure a golden brown exterior combine the remaining 2 tablespoons paprika with the remaining olive oil in a small bowl. Brush the entire turkey with this mixture and roast in a slow to moderate over (325 degrees F.) for 3 1/2 hours. To brown bird, raise temperature to 350 degrees during the last 25 minutes of cooking. This is an excellent way of cooking if in doubt as to tenderness of turkey. Some people prefer covering the turkey with aluminum foil while roasting, and removing this during last 20-30 minutes of cooking time to brown the skin. I find that frequent basting during cooking gets the same result.

Baking theories abound. There is the old traditionalist view that allows 1 1/2 hours for the first pound and then 25 minutes per pound up to 7 pounds and 20 minutes per pound after that. Thus, a 5 pound bird would take 3 hours and 20 minutes, a 7 pounder would take 4 hours and 10 minutes, and a 10 pounder 5 hours and 10 minutes. But in my view, there's no set rule. Some birds take more time to roast, some less. In the Rivera family we go by general common sense: figure a 7 to 8 pounder takes 3 1/2 to 4 hours to cook; a 10 pounder maybe 4 1/2 hrs., and a 12 pound turkey maybe 5-5 1/2 hours. Rule of thumb: turkey is done when drumstick and thigh move easily.

6. For gravy: remove turkey from roasting pan and keep warm. Drain drippings from roasting pan into a sauce pan. Skim off the fat but retain 1/4 cup of the drippings. Add 2 cups water or 1/2 cup dry white wine and 1 1/2 cups water to pan drippings. Bring to a boil over high heat while stirring in the 1/4 cup fat. Lower heat and thicken slightly with a little cornstarch and water combined. If you want to reduce the grease content, mix 3 teaspoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Add this to the strained pan drippings and heat, thereby omitting the reaming fat content.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Mulsum - The Great Aperitif of Olden Times

Nov 16, 2009

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

As noted in an earlier blog, I have always been fascinated by ancient Roman cooking. My second cookbook, The Pharaoh's Feast (Thunder's Mouth Press) has a whole chapter on this. Roman meals, especially at the time of the Empire, were sumptuous productions for the upper classes. They were ostentatious and sometimes downright weird. Imagine eating dormice, sow's womb, and peacock's brain in a sauce. Admittedly, not something for everyone

Yet, in a Roman banquet (and some of the dishes were quite sophisticated), each meal began with a sweet aperitif, mulsum, a mix of wine and honey. Then the successive courses were served and here, early in the dinner, the guests ate without drinking. Then they drank without eating. Wisely, the Romans, like the ancient Greeks before them, normally drank their wine mixed with water.

An ancient gourmand, Apicius, who lived in the time of Emperor Nero, wrote a tome, On Cookery, or De Re Coquinaria. In it he has a recipe for spiced honey wine that calls for peppercorns, mastic (a sort of resin), bay leaf, saffron, and dates. Trying to emulate this recipe would be a daunting undertaking. I prefer to make the mulsum by simply combining the honey and the wine. The recipe follows below; and note that it is best to use pure, unprocessed raw honey, the type sold in health food stores.

MULSUM

1/2 cup honey

1 bottle medium-dry red wine

1. Heat the honey in a small saucepan. Do not boil. Remove from the honey and let it cool.

2. Mix the wine and honey in a ceramic jar or pitcher and serve at cool room temperature. the wine and honey can also be mixed in a bowl and served in a decanter.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

The Alimighty Egg Cream

Nov 12, 2009

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera


I recall the first time I was down south, and it was when I was in the military, fresh out of boot camp. I stopped by a local soda fountain store in some God-forsaken burg somewhere and asked for an egg cream. The old cracker behind the counter gave me a weird look and said, "Pard'on?" I repeated my request. He stared at me myopically through thick lens glasses and said, "Yuh wan' an a-i-ggh in yore cream?" I knew then I was in foreign territory, at least where egg creams are concerned.



Egg creams, in the north, and by that I mean the New York metropolitan area, are a rite of passage, a legendary elixir that defies imagination. I've had a love affair when egg creams since my early youth. Even in the Spanish Harlem of old, we revered egg creams. It transcended race, creed, nationality. It was, and still is to some of us, the ultimate good time drink---especially in you like chocolate.



Egg cream's genesis is said to have begun in Brooklyn, N.Y. Yes, the same borough that gave the world Barbra Streisand, Neil Simon, Neil Young and William Bendix, gave us the egg cream, that immutable mix of cold milk (whole, not skim or partially skimmed), chocolate syrup and seltzer. Historians claims that is began in the Jewish community in the 18880s and 1900s. Yet, it does not have an egg. Some authorities state that initially, before World War II, it did contain an egg that was mixed in with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. I cannot say if this is true or not. The consensus behind this theory is that the egg was dropped from the drink because of wartime rationing.



What I do know is that in my part of the world there has been an ongoing discussion, some would say an argument, about what type of chocolate syrup to use. When I was a kid, it was divided into two camps: those who favored the traditional Fox's U-bet Chocolate Syrup, and those who preferred Hershey's Chocolate Syrup. In my neighborhood there were some partisans who used Bosco as the syrup base. I have never tried it with that.



Sadly, egg creams are becoming a nostalgic entity. Back in my youth, there were neighborhood soda fountains all over, and each served egg creams. Today, they are harder to find. My favorite New York egg cream these days comes from Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop, a diner that has been on 5th Avenue and 22nd street since 1929.



At home, I still make my own egg creams. And I still use the traditional small Coca-Cola glass for it. There are many variations to making a genuine New York egg cream, as you will see below. But in all cases it is imperative that you use a long spoon to mix the chocolate and the milk in order to get a foamy white head.



Here's a traditional recipe. Oh, yes, very important, the classic egg cream should be drunk straight from the glass. I find that I lose something if I drink it through a straw; I just don't get the taste of the foamy cream.





TRADITIONAL EGG CREAM



1/2 cup cold milk
1 cup bottled seltzer or club soda
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup (or more to taste)
Pour the milk in the bottom of a soda glass. Then drop the chocolate down the side of the glass and gently mix it with the milk, using a long-handled spoon. Now pour the seltzer down the center of the glass and stir with the spoon to generate a thick white foamy head. Some variations argue that you should stir the mixture only after everything has been added, being careful not to disturb the foam. And some say, first add some milk, then the syrup, then more milk and the seltzer. And still others claim that it tastes better using whipped cream instead of milk. You are free to experiment to see which one suits your palate.

The Best Show on Earth - since 1967

Nov 5, 2009

from Oswald at Large by Oswald Rivera

It's that time of year again, kiddies. The Chinese Kung-Fu Wu-Su Association will host its 42nd annual demonstration/exhibition. Yes, we have been around quite a while (since 1967). In that time a lot of martial arts schools and dojos have come and gone. The reason for our longevity, I believe, is that we follow a proven and valued training program steeped in over 5,000 years of history. We are probably one of the few traditional Shaolin Kung Fu schools in the world. And our objective has not changed. It is, simply, to spread the knowledge of Chinese martial arts, culture and philosophy to the public.

Chinese Kung-Fu Wu-Su is the oldest martial arts system in the world. We follow its venerable precepts in that, apart from the usual methods of fighting, throwing, grappling, body conditioning, weapons, etc., we also incorporate ancient art exercises, and meditative and breathing techniques. It is a complete holistic system. Our aim is not to create a fighting machine, but a centered and disciplined individual. To a true practitioner it is a way of life rather than a sport or pastime. Yet, within these categories, there is something for everyone. Admittedly, most people take up the art to learn self-defense. But there are others who are drawn to its internal application, including diet and herb use, which promote optimum health and longevity.

So, for all you out there, young and old, check us out on November 15th. I use the term "show" but really its more of a program, and it starts at 1 pm. You can buy tickets beforehand, at the door, or you can give us a call at (212) 725-0535. You'll see what we are all about. The program will include the customary punching, kicking, ground fighting, Chin Na-Fa, weapons and breaking. But along with it, you'll witness what some consider death-defying techniques such as the nail bed and other iron body disciplines that leave most people astounded, and some scratching their heads and saying, "How do they do that?" Simple, with proper training, guidance and practice.

I have been with the Temple (we refer to it as such as a sign of respect) for over 35+ years. And I stick around because---you know what?---it's fun, and rewarding. You learn something new every time you're on the floor. It's a continual learning process, aesthetic in its nature. As our founder, Grandmaster Alan Lee has often stated, The ethics of Kung-Fu Wu-Su should be reflected in every aspect of daily life. The essence is to become a better person. And that says it all.