Low Carb Burger and Fries

Ok. Its not actual fries - but one can dream. It's asparagus spears  — and they were still pretty tasty.

Using lettuce to wrap the double-cheese turkey burger — that's the real low carb thing about this meal.

No bun!

I really like throwing away the bread. The burger is what it's all about for me, so this gets rid of the gluten-loaded pillow that keeps your hands from getting messy and replaces it with a paper thin crunchy leaf. Not a bad trade-off in my book.

Here's what I cooked:
— 4 turkey burgers with a slice of munster cheese for each
— 1/2 bundle of asparagus, split length-wise and tossed in a tablespoon or so of Worcestershire sauce

The burgers were cooked over medium high heat in a little olive oil with salt and pepper to taste, about 5 minutes per side. The asparagus followed in the same pan for 3 to 4 minutes, tossed a couple of times and seasoned with salt and pepper — burgers rested while asparagus cooked.

I ate 2 of the burgers wrapped in big lettuce leaves with chipotle mayo as garnish and all of the asparagus for the meal. I have to admit — it was tasty. A nicely seasoned turkey patty with creamy cheese and smoky chipotle mayo really hit the spot. Although I would love to have had real french fries, the al dente asparagus tossed with Worcestershire had a crunchy, salty and slightly sweet taste that I really liked — but I have always liked asparagus when it's fresh from the produce isle and perfectly cooked.

I'm doing this again for sure.

The experiments continue! I'm not on a strict no-carb diet, I'm just watching them as part of an effort to adjust my diet and life-style to live more healthy.

Eat well, cook often ...

Smoky Chipotle Turkey Chili

Printable version

For the past three Thanksgivings, I have cooked a turkey or turkey breast and traditional sides with my culinary twist applied to publish here. This year, I’m doing something different for the more progressive culinary crowd.

For a main course I have created a smoky chipotle turkey chili!

To enhance the smokiness of the dish I start with diced bacon so that the flavorful renderings can be used to saute the aromatics. I removed the bacon after its cooked and use it as a garnish for the final dish.

Turkey is the star but it really just acts as a canvas for the flavors to stand upon in this recipe. I use a whole can of chipotle chiles in adobe, that I deseed and mince, with cumin and Mexican oregano for the main spice, but to enhance the smoke even further and compliment the chipotle, I add smoked ham hocks to the pot. After a long simmer that reduces the liquid and melds the flavors  – a silky, smoky and meaty chili emerges that can stand tall in any Thanksgiving spread.

BEHIND THIS BITE

My new blog work station.

I’m Back!!!!!!!

After relocating my life 120 miles to the west, I’m finally settled enough to start bloggin' again. I still have a man cave to build and a couple of other projects that will take time away that would other wise be applied here, but I’m finally settled enough to document some of my culinary creations.

I had to convert half of my dinning room into a kitchen work space and food photography studio to do it. I’ve also had to get used to a new place of employment and just move into a new home in general. In the process, I confirmed what I had thought five years ago.

Moving sucks.

Whether it’s across the street or across the country. Having to physically move every thing you own form couches to paper clips is a massive pain in the ass. But, it’s also a new beginning once all of the boxes are in place, which for me has been pretty exciting.

I had to down size significantly when I left New York, so there has been lots of stuff that had to be built or purchased in general just to have a spot to come home to watch TV without a mess in front of me. Now, I can finally do that as well as create a post like this.

I’m happy to have the blogging stuff checked off the list, but what I’m looking forward to most as part of the move is unpacking and displaying my ridiculous Star Wars collection. I just have to build the shelving to house the collectibles as well as the 80 some boxes of books that fill half my bed room!

Yep. I’m a pack rat. Which makes moving even worse!

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Just a small part of the Star Wars collection!

Serves 4 to 6; 3 hours
4 strips Bacon, diced
3 lbs Turkey ground
2 C Red onion, diced
2 Jalapeños, diced, seeded
2 Tbs Cumin
1 Tbs Mexican oregano
2 Tbs Garlic, minced
1 can Chipoltes in adobe, minced (7.5 oz)
1 can Crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
4 C Water
1 lb Smoked ham hocks

Render bacon, brown turkey
In a 6-quart dutch oven over medium-high heat cook bacon until crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add turkey to pot, sear until just cooked through stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

Create flavor base
Add onions and jalapeño to pot, saute until soft, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chipotle, cumin, Mexican oregano and garlic, let cook 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant.

Make chili
Stir in crushed tomato, water and browned turkey. Add ham hocks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, reducing mixture by one-third. If necessary add more water. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat, discard ham hocks and serve. Garnish with reserved bacon bits.

New Orleans Turkey Stew

Printable version

This year for Thanksgiving I wasn’t hosting a party, and wasn’t responsible for any of the major traditional dishes at either of the gatherings I was going to. I had made a large Thanksgiving dinner two weeks before the holiday to post the recipes here, so I had my fix of traditional Turkey Day cooking.

I did want to make something to take to both the parties though. The day before the holiday I went to the grocery store with an open mind. I found ground turkey on sale, which seems logical. If there is any week of the year when ground turkey would have some serious competition from whole turkey I would bet that week would be Thanksgiving. Having a sale on it is probably the only way to move it off the shelves. I bought a three pound package. Just down the isle I found smoked sausage at a bargain price. Check. After finding the two I thought I would make a Thanksgiving jambalaya.

I first browned the turkey then created a vegetable base with the New Orleans holy trinity of green pepper, onion and celery to start the dish. I had purchased red beans to go into the pot and because of that, I decided at the last minute to leave out the rice, I figured the beans would be enough starch. Once I got everything into the pot it was a bit to soupy, so I thickened it with a cornstarch slurry and what I wound up with was a New Orleans inspired Turkey stew. I think I could have still used the rice and made it more like a jambalaya but I’m pleased with the results. I didn’t have hardly any left over so I’m pretty sure it went over well with both sides of the family.

BEHIND THIS BITE

New Orleans Turkey Stew

This dish marked the first time I had ever used a cornstarch slurry to thicken a dish with success. Years ago, I called my Mom in a frenzy while attempting to make a stew and she told me to add cornstarch to a little water then pour it in. Me being as stubborn as I am, decided to skip the dissolve in water part and just threw it into the pot. Obviously, it didn’t work. I just ended up with a lump of cornstarch in my beef soup. After that I had always used a flour based roux to thicken stews.

Acting fast to find a thickener with my Thanksgiving creation, I remembered my cornstarch disaster from yesteryear and decided to go for it. This time I dissolved it in an equal part of water and wala! it worked! Who knew!

I was so impressed with the results that I made traditional beef stew a couple days later and used the same technique to thicken it. What I like about using the cornstarch thickener over the flour thickener is that the cornstarch doesn’t change the color. Flour seems to give the liquid a blond color.

This is why I love cooking, there is always something new to be discovered.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

New Orleans Turkey Stew

Serves 10 to 12; 45 minutes
3 lbs Ground turkey
1 C Onion, diced
1 C Celery, diced
1 C Green pepper, diced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced
6 C Chicken broth
2 lbs Smoked sausage
1 can Diced tomatoes (28 oz)
2 cans Red beans (14 oz each)
2 Tbs Cajun seasoning
2 tsp Mexican oregano
1/4 C Cornstarch
1/4 C Water

Brown turkey
In a dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat brown turkey in a little olive oil, 6 to 8 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove to a bowl or plate. Disregard all put 2 tablespoons of drippings.

Create base
In reserved drippings, sauté onion, green pepper and celery until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more or until fragrant.

Make stew
Return turkey to pot and stir in broth, sausage, red beans, tomatoes, Cajun seasoning and oregano. Bring to a simmer and let cook 20 minutes. Whisk together water and cornstarch is a small bowl until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Stir into pot, simmer 10 minutes more or until liquid thickens. Remove from heat and serve.

Healthy Bites: Turkey on Whole Grain with Cranberry Walnut Salad

Turkey on Whole Grain with Cranberry Walnut Salad and Mustard Vinaigrette

Recently, an old colleague of mine sent me a note and mentioned how he loved the graphics and layout of my blog, but said he won't try any recipes because he "choses life." Which was his way of saying that he eats tree bark, sticks and unseasoned meat, instead of food that can be enjoyed. Not all my recipes are a death wish, but I admit that many contain a fair amount of weight watchers points and wouldn't be good to eat every day for every meal. That said, I don't eat like that all of the time. The production that goes into the recipe infographics I present here is pretty intense and takes time to complete, so when I do a recipe in that style I usually go for it with no constraints.

This got me thinking. Why not try and publish more of what I eat in a simpler format.

This is what I made for lunch today. A turkey on whole grain toasted bread with honey mustard and a salad with walnut and cranberry dressed with a mustard vinaigrette. Healthy and tasty and not as bad for you as Breakfast Meatlovers Pizza.

I don't know if this will become a regular thing here. But I'm going to attempt to make more posts like this, blog-worthy bites that are healthier and lighter, but presented in a simpler format, which basically means just a photo and a few words.

Eat well, cook often ...

THE RECIPE

Cranberry Walnut Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Serves 1, 15 minutes
1/4 lb Turkey, sliced
2 slices Whole grain bread
2 C lettuce (some for sandwich garnish)
1/4 C Walnuts
1/4 C Dried cranberries
1/4 C Extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs White vinegar
1 Tbs Honey mustard + a little for sandwich

Sandwich
Toast bread, spread a little mustard over both pieces. On one slice layer with sliced turkey, garnish with lettuce, add top piece.

Salad and vinaigrette
Toss together lettuce, walnut and cranberries. In a container mix together olive oil, vinegar and honey mustard. Shake until emulsified. Drizzle over salad. (makes enough dressing for 2 or 3 salads of similar size.

Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast

Printable version

Over the last few years I have tried several different ways to cook turkey with good results. Last Thanksgiving, I fried a turkey for the first time and it was delicious. Before that, I had used a brine a number of times with great success. I decided to try something completely new this time and hoped it wouldn’t turn out as a culinary disaster.

Instead of a whole bird, I went with just the breast portion. For seasoning, I slathered it with a compound butter after patting it completely dry. Next, I wrapped the entire front side of the breast with bacon, so that as it cooked the drippings would keep it moist as well as enhance the flavor. Finally, I roasted the breast on a bed of quartered lemons and oranges and tossed in a bundle of fresh thyme for flavor – the citrus base steamed the breast from below.

The end result was a tender, moist and flavorful bite that my youngest nephew declared “awesome” after stealing a chunk from the cutting board just after I had carved it from the bone.

BEHIND THIS BITE

As I mention in the introduction, I have made turkey several times. Two of which I documented. These recipes are really what is behind this bite. Check them out!

Brined Turkey
Fried Turkey


THE RECIPE

Bacon Wrapped Turkey

Serves 6 to 8; 3 hours
4 Tbs Unsalted butter,softened
1 Tbs Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
5 to 6 lb Turkey breast
1/2 lb bacon
2 Oranges,quartered
4 Lemons,quartered
1 bundle Thyme

Prepare turkey
Preheat oven to 350°
Mix together butter, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Pat turkey dry with a paper towel then slather butter all over breast and under skin. Wrap bacon around breast, one strip at a time, starting at the top and working down until covered.

Roast, rest and carve
Place oranges, lemons and thyme in the bottom of a large roasting vessel, rest turkey on top. Place in oven and cook until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of the breast reaches 165°, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and place turkey on cutting board, let rest 20 minutes. Carve and serve.

The Basics of Frying Turkey

Printable version

I recently fried my first turkey. The end result was the best poultry I have ever eaten. The breast meat was spectacular, it literally had a texture and moisture similar to watermelon. I was stunned. It was the definition of juicy and tender.

Here are some basics I learned:

• To fry a turkey safely, invest $50 to $100 in a turkey fryer. Choose a model with a pot that is marked with a maximum fill line to protect from over-filling with oil. When using the fryer, do it outside away from buildings - grease fires aren’t good for holiday parties.

 • Do not fry a whole turkey that weighs more than 12 pounds. For a larger turkey, cut it up and fry the parts separate, kind of like a chicken, for best results.

 • Bird must be completely thawed. Frozen turkey + hot oil = explosion.

• Use thermometers to monitor the temperature of the oil and the internal temperature of the turkey. Keeping track of the temperatures is the real secret to cooking the perfect bird.

BEHIND THIS BITE
As I wrote in the intro, I had never fried a turkey before. I wasn’t sure how to document it or what the bird would look like once it came out of the oil. All I could do was move all of my photography equipment out into the yard and take the pictures as I went. A turkey is an awkward thing to photograph, especially after it comes out of the oil. The legs and wings just flail around as it cooks and they end up setting in random positions.

I decided that I would take a “frying basics” approach once I looked at the photos from the shoot. I contemplated redoing it, because the shots weren't ideal, but I thought it would be valuable to share what I had learned while cooking this bird. That is what many will end up doing themselves this Thanksgiving.

Next time, I am going to fry only a whole breast. The wings and legs had spots that got way over-cooked, the thick parts were magnificent, with the breast being like nothing I have ever eaten. Which is why a breast alone or even legs by themselves would be the most efficient method to frying turkey.

This year I was just learning, next year, I'll refine my recipe. The fry method is perfect for the large chunks of meat, I would really like to try frying a pork loin, then slice it thin for sandwiches. Maybe that will be what I make for Christmas.

Eat well, cook often ... 

THE RECIPE
Serves 8 to 10; 2 hours
1 10 to 12 lb. Whole turkey, completely thawed
1/4 C Salt and pepper (2 Tbs each)
1 Turkey fryer with propane tank
3 Gal Oil for frying

Heat oil, prepare turkey
Heat oil to 375°. Pat dry thawed turkey with paper towel, removing as much of the moisture as possible. Season turkey inside and out. Place turkey on frying truss.

Cook turkey
When oil reaches temperature, slowly submerge turkey in oil (wear oven mitts). Let turkey cook until internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast reaches 165° (Estimate approximately 3 minutes per pound cooking time)

Rest turkey
Once turkey is cooked removed to a paper-towel lined cooking sheet with a rack on it, let turkey drain and rest for at least 20 minutes. Internal temperature will rise to 170°. Remove frying truss, carve and serve.

Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey Chili

Printable version

While I lived in New York, I always volunteered to work for Thanksgiving. That way I would be guaranteed to be home for Christmas. A few years ago, I began having my own Thanksgiving party the Saturday after for all of my friends who were also away from their families for the holiday.

The first year I cooked a whole turkey and had lots of side dishes. A lot got eaten, but it seemed like I had enough leftover to feed half the homeless people in the borough of Queens. Each year I cooked less, but I always had a refrigerator full of leftovers after the party. That’s when I realized they are just part of the holiday tradition –  along with storming through the doors of a department store at 3 a.m. on  black Friday.

For this recipe, I make chili from leftover turkey, chicken can be used just as well. Instead of traditional tomatoes and kidney beans, I use tomatillos and great northern beans for flavor and appearance. It’s a great dish to warm the belly and use up some of those Thanksgiving leftovers.

BEHIND THIS BITE
My sister has been making a version of "white chili" that is absolutely delicious for some time now. She makes it with chicken and white beans. This recipe was inspired by her recipe, turkey, like chicken, is a delicate meat that will take-on what ever flavors it's surrounded by. It's like a culinary canvass for a cook to paint flavors on. Rather than making turkey sandwich after turkey sandwich, this dish will rid the fridge of that pile of turkey in one fell swoop – And you'll hardly notice your eating turkey because it will take on the bold flavors of the chili.

Now that all that turkey is gone, it's time to start thinking about what to make for Christmas!

Eat well, cook often ...

Thanksgiving: Turkey, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans with Caramelized Onions

Printable version

It’s commonly believed that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in Plymouth colony by the pilgrims and Native Americans in 1621, but similar celebrations occurred before in Jamestown and the feasts were not held on an annual basis.

Thanksgiving wasn’t an official holiday until 1863, when Abraham Lincoln designated the last Thursday of November as a “national day of thanksgiving.” He made the declaration after key victories of the Union army in the Civil War at Vicksburg and Gettysburg. Since then every president has declared Thanksgiving a national holiday.

For this recipe, I have prepared turkey, the traditional centerpiece of the Thanksgiving meal. For flavor and moisture, I soak a turkey breast in a salt brine overnight. The brine will lock in moisture and infuse the meat with the flavorful spices included in the mix. The use of a meat thermometer is also essential, the turkey is cooked to perfection when the internal temperature of the thickest part reaches 165°.


Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Printable version

No Thanksgiving dinner can be complete without mashed potatoes. For this version, I went for creamy and smooth. What does that really mean? Lots of added fat! Heavy cream and butter make these potatoes rich and decadent. The chives add a hint of onion.

This is the way I expect mashed potatoes when I order them at a nice restaurant as a side to a cut of meat or some other star on the plate. Just a nice flavorful side of potatoes. Usually, I like to add cheese, bacon bits or a more fragrant herb like rosemary or thyme. But those flavors appear elsewhere in this Thanksgiving feast and that's what makes this version so good – it's just about the potato!



Green Beans with Caramelized Onions

I bought these beans fresh the night before cooking this feast and when I cleaned them the next day I decided to leave them long and intact, rather than cut them into thirds. This choice made the final product a different experience when it came to consuming. Instead of stabbing at a pile of beans with my fork and getting 4 or 5 bean chunks on it before taking a bite, I was just fishing for one at a time, much like the way I eat asparagus. It was a different and welcomed change. I also left the beans slightly crunchy. It made for a nicer texture and gave this side a savory salad feel.

The other two elements in this dish put this one out of the park. Smoky bacon and sweet caramelized onions. Need I say more? Well yes, I need to say just a little more – the sweet onions and smoky bacon act as a smoky and sweet dressing to the beans. The bacon provides the salt in the dish, a little pepper can be thrown in if desired. The crunchy, al denté-cooked beans are the star here and the other two ingredients come along for the show, providing small hints of extra flavor.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Eat well, cook often ...