Hi everybody, welcome. Ok well, here is the first in hopefully a long running series of insights, ideas, connections about cooking, thinking, reading, learning, failures, success - oh yeah, some coastal art and wildlife photography along with a link or two from time to time if I have done due diligence and find it worthy of attention.
Turkey. I know some of you love turkey sandwiches as a matter of course. I have been buying oven roasted turkey breast from the deli for about six months. It's good. It's tasty. It's lean. It's got lots of stuff in it I don't want in my body anymore.
Most of my adult life I have had turkey as a Thanksgiving main course, whether at my home or others. Woooh, not my favorite dish. Yan,yan,yan - cheeee - uwee!! Dry mouthfuls of very chewy protein hopefully aided by some cranberry sauce, gravy, mashed potatoes - lol!
Not this Thanksgiving though, I was hosting the feast and I decided to brine my turkey in organic chicken broth, apple juice, brown sugar and sea salt. Twenty four hours did the trick. Next day I hoisted it outa the pot, rinsed it and toweled off and set it on a rack of carrots in the roasting pan - you know 'cause I over estimated the size of the metal rack I would need.
After an olive oil rubdown and seasoned with some Tuscan and Montreal mixed herbs and spices I stuffed it with fresh apples. It was a 14 pounder so I'm trying to recall - how long it was in for, many hours. I used a thermometer as well as keeping an eye on it - mos def used the tin foil tent to keep it from burning on top - removed for the last hour to make the skin crisp.
My friends, it was divine! So tender, so juicy, so aromatic with the herbs and the apple infused into every crevice. Woohoo sang my tongue!!
Needless to say I was hooked. Subsequently I have purchased hormone free, no additive Butterball whole turkey breast boneless and one with ribs in. I gave them the same treatment as the 14 pounder and they came out 'melt in your mouth', delishush!! That's the most recent one in the top photo baked on a bed of halved apples - can't begin to tell you how THEY tasted!
Grape tomatoes got a little olive oil in the skillet treatment. I toasted the Asiago sourdough loaf slices, added a splash of olive oil to it. Next I added a few finely sliced basil leaves, some arugula, spinach and romaine mix and the turkey of course. Just a smattering of cracked black pepper and you're set.
Yes, you will need a nap after. Lol - reserve time!
Thanks for checking in today. Bon appetit!!
Photos, words and recipe © 2021 Alan Phillips
My website for art https://www.alanphillipstudio.com/
