Southwestern Turkey Food

SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY SALSA ROLL

Steps:

• Sliced turkey roll stuffed with Monterey Jack cheese can be topped with salsa and is a breakfast that can be made ahead and warmed in 1 minute in a microwave oven before eating.
• Place turkey slices on a counter or plate and sprinkle each slice with cheese. Roll up slices and divide between 2 plates. Microwave each plate on high for 1 minute or until the cheese melts. If not using a microwave oven, place turkey rolls in a toaster oven or on a foil-lined tray under a broiler for 1 minute. Remove plates from microwave and spoon salsa over the top.

SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY CHILI

Steps:

• 1. Heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Cook turkey and onion for 5 minutes or until onion is soft, stirring frequently.
• 2. Stir in tomatoes and its juices, corn, beans, tomato sauce and chili powder. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 12-15 minutes or until slightly thickened.
• 3. Serve with lime wedges and top with sour cream and cilantro, if desired. Salt and pepper to taste.

SOUTHWEST TURKEY BURGERS

Steps:

• Chop your garlic and veggies.
• Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until crisp. Wipe excess grease from pan and return skillet to heat.
• While bacon cooks, combine turkey meat, garlic, shallot or onion, thyme, cilantro or parsley, bell pepper, serrano or jalapeno pepper, cumin, hot pepper sauce, grill seasoning or salt and pepper. Divide mixture into 4 equal mounds then form meat into patties. Drizzle patties with vegetable oil to coat. Cook in skillet over medium high heat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Place sliced cheese over the patties in the last 2 minutes of cooking, use 1 or 2 slices for each patty, as you like.
• Pile cooked cheeseburgers into buns. Spread sweet relish or jelly on bun tops and set red leaf lettuce into place, using the relish or jelly as glue. Top cheeseburgers with 2 slices of cooked, crisp bacon or turkey bacon and lettluce. Then serve with tortilla chips, tossed salad and/or spicy o-nuts.

SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken soup, mushroom soup, chile peppers and sour cream.
• Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan with corn tortillas. Follow with a layer of turkey. Pour soup mixture over turkey, sprinkle with 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat layers and top with cheddar cheese. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly.

SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY WITH GARLIC-ANCHO CHILI PASTE AND GRAVY

Steps:

• For paste:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Separate heads of garlic into individual cloves (do not peel). Pierce each clove once with toothpick. Scatter garlic on baking sheet; roast until tender and beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Peel garlic, cutting hard tip off each clove. Pack enough garlic into 1/2-cup measuring cup to fill (about 40 cloves); reserve any remaining garlic. Blend 1/2 cup garlic in processor to form course puree.
• Meanwhile, place chilies in small saucepan. Add enough water just to cover. Simmer over medium-low heat until chilies are soft and most of water evaporates, about 15 minutes. Add chili mixture, oil, cumin, and honey to garlic in processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover paste and garlic; chill.)
• For turkey:
• Pat turkey dry. Season with salt and pepper. Slide hand under skin of turkey breast to loosen skin. Spread 1/2 cup garlic-paste over breast under skin. If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing into main cavity. Rub 2 tablespoons paste all over outside of turkey. Reserve remaining paste for gravy. Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey. Place on rack set in roasting pan. (Can be done 1 day ahead if turkey is not stuffed. Chill turkey and paste separately.)
• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 325°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add neck and giblets, turkey neck pieces and onion; sauté brown, about 15 minutes. Place contents of skillet around turkey in pan. Add celery, tomato, allspice and any reserved garlic to pan; pour in 2 cups broth. Roast turkey 1 hour 30 minutes. Tent turkey and entire pan loosely with heavy-duty foil. Continue to roast turkey until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F. or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with skewer, basting often with pan juices and 3 cups broth, about 1 hour 40 minutes longer for unstuffed turkey (about 2 hours 25 minutes longer for stuffed turkey). Place turkey on platter. Tent with foil; let stand at least 30 minutes. Reserve mixture in pan for gravy.
• For gravy:
• Using tongs, remove turkey parts from pan; discard. Pour mixture in pan into sieve set over large bowl. Press on solids in sieve to release liquid. Spoon fat from pan juices; add enough broth to juices to measure 6 cups.
• Stir 1/2 cup reserved garlic-chili paste in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until liquefied. Add flour and stir 1 minute (mixture will be very thick). Gradually add 6 cups broth mixture, whisking until smooth. Simmer until reduced to 4 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Season with cayenne, salt and pepper.
• Serve turkey with gravy.

SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY WITH CHIPOTLE GRAVY

Steps:

• The day before roasting, prepare the rub: Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey; refrigerate until you make the gravy. Pat the turkey very dry with paper towels. Whisk 2 tablespoons salt, the brown sugar, chile powder, 2 teaspoons paprika, the cumin, coriander and onion powder in a small bowl. Spread about one-quarter of the rub inside the cavity of the turkey and spread the rest all over the skin. Set the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
• The next day, let the turkey let sit at room temperature, 30 minutes. Position an oven rack in the lowest position (remove the other racks); preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Pour or wipe out any juices that have collected in the bottom of the roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with the onion, carrot, celery and thyme sprigs. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the body.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat; whisk in the chopped thyme and the remaining 1 teaspoon paprika. Let cool slightly, then brush all over the turkey. Transfer to the oven and roast 1 hour. Meanwhile, make the Classic Gravy, adding the heavy cream and chipotle and sauce with the stock in step 2.
• After the turkey has roasted 1 hour, baste it with the drippings. Continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes, until the skin is dark golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 2 more hours.
• Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving; reserve the drippings for the gravy. Stir the vinegar into the finished gravy.
• Prepare the stock: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the turkey neck and giblets; cook, turning, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme and bay leaves; stir to coat. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth, reduce the heat to low and simmer about 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup; reserve the saucepan. You should have 7 cups stock-if you're short, add more broth.
• Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in the reserved saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the 7 cups stock; bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Set aside until the turkey is done.
• Pour the turkey pan drippings into a fat separator and let stand until the fat rises to the top. Discard the fat (or drizzle on your stuffing). Whisk the defatted drippings into the gravy; season with salt and pepper. Reheat before serving.

SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY WRAPS

Steps:

• Jalapeno Cream Cheese: Mix the jalapenoes into the cream cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until needed.
• Lay tortilla out flat. Spread the cream cheese on the tortilla. Sprinkle lettuce, tomatoes, and onions in the center of the tortilla. Place the turkey all over. Top with guacamole and spread over the turkey. Roll burrito style, making sure the ends are tucked inside. Slice in half on the bias and serve.

SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY BURGERS

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium-high. In a medium bowl, place turkey, jalapeno, cheese, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix very gently with a fork to combine, being careful not to overwork meat (which would make burgers dense).
• Gently form meat into 4 equal-size patties, 4 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Press thumb in the center of each patty to make an indentation approximately 1/2-inch deep (this helps keep burgers flat during grilling).
• Moisten a folded paper towel with oil; grasp with tongs and rub over grates. Season burgers with salt and pepper; grill until cooked throughout, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Serve on buns (toasted on grill, if you like), with desired toppings.

SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium heat, combine turkey, broth, canned tomatoes, green chiles, fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime juice, cayenne, cumin, salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in avocado and cilantro and simmer 15 to 20 minutes more, until slightly thickened.

SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY WITH GARLIC-ANCHO CHILI PASTE AND GRAVY

Steps:

• For paste:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Separate heads of garlic into individual cloves (do not peel).
• Pierce each clove once with toothpick.
• Scatter garlic on baking sheet; roast until tender and beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.
• Cool 5 minutes.
• Peel garlic, cutting hard tip off each clove.
• Pack enough garlic into 1/2-cup measuring cup to fill (about 40 cloves); reserve any remaining garlic.
• Blend 1/2 cup garlic in processor to form course puree.
• Meanwhile, place chilies in small saucepan.
• Add enough water just to cover.
• Simmer over medium-low heat until chilies are soft and most of water evaporates, about 15 minutes.
• Add chili mixture, oil, cumin, and honey to garlic in processor.
• Puree until smooth.
• Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover paste and garlic; chill.).
• For turkey:.
• Pat turkey dry.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Slide hand under skin of turkey breast to loosen skin.
• Spread 1/2 cup garlic-paste over breast under skin.
• If stuffing turkey, spoon stuffing into main cavity.
• Rub 2 tablespoons paste all over outside of turkey.
• Reserve remaining paste for gravy.
• Tie legs together loosely to hold shape of turkey.
• Place on rack set in roasting pan. (Can be done 1 day ahead if turkey is not stuffed. Chill turkey and paste separately.).
• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 325°F
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over high heat.
• Add neck and giblets, turkey neck pieces and onion; sauté brown, about 15 minutes.
• Place contents of skillet around turkey in pan.
• Add celery, tomato, allspice and any reserved garlic to pan; pour in 2 cups broth.
• Roast turkey 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Tent turkey and entire pan loosely with heavy-duty foil.
• Continue to roast turkey until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F or until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with skewer, basting often with pan juices and 3 cups broth, about 1 hour 40 minutes longer for unstuffed turkey (about 2 hours 25 minutes longer for stuffed turkey).
• Place turkey on platter.
• Tent with foil; let stand at least 30 minutes.
• Reserve mixture in pan for gravy.
• For gravy:.
• Using tongs, remove turkey parts from pan; discard.
• Pour mixture in pan into sieve set over large bowl.
• Press on solids in sieve to release liquid.
• Spoon fat from pan juices; add enough broth to juices to measure 6 cups.
• Stir 1/2 cup reserved garlic-chili paste in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until liquefied.
• Add flour and stir 1 minute (mixture will be very thick).
• Gradually add 6 cups broth mixture, whisking until smooth.
• Simmer until reduced to 4 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes.
• Season with cayenne, salt and pepper.
• Serve turkey with gravy.

SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY IN BRINE ( FUNKY BIRD)

Steps:

• In a large non reactive container (we usually use a white trash bag--heavy duty or doubled sacked), combine lemon juice, orange juice, kosher salt, light brown sugar, yellow onions, oranges, jalapenos, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, ground cumin and oregano with 1 gallon water.
• Stir, squeeze, or shake up to dissolve brine the sugar & salt.
• Put the turkey under cold running water and rinse.
• Add the turkey to the brine, cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Essence:.
• Mix ingredients well and store in an airtight container or jar. Yields about 2/3 cup.
• Preheat oven to 375°FF.
• Remove the turkey from the brine and put it breast side up in a large heavy roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels.
• Rub the turkey with vegetable oil.
• Sprinkle all sides with 1- 3 tablespoons of Essence.
• Roast until deep golden brown and an instant thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F., about 1 hour and 45 minutes for breast, and a whole turkey takes about 20 minutes per pound.
• Transfer to a platter and let stand for about 15 minutes before carving.

SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY BREAST WW

Steps:

• Adjust the oven racks to divide the oven into thirds.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a large roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Mix the chili powder and cumin in a small bowl; stir in the oil and lime juice until the mixture forms a thick paste.
• Loosen the skin around the turkey breast by running your fingers between the skin and the meat, starting at the tips of the breast halves.
• Once the skin is loosened, divide the spice mixture between the 2 halves and spread it liberally onto the meat, patting the skin back into place.
• Place the turkey breast into the roasting pan.
• bake in the lower third of the oven, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes, until an instant read thermometer inserted in the breast registers 170 degrees F., about 2 hours.
• If the pan juicesdry out before the turkey is cooked through, add the broth to baste the bird occasionally.
• Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes before carving.
• Remove the skin before eating.