Turkey

Classic Red Mole Poblano

Jon — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:49:49 +0000

Having just returned from Mexico, we were craving Mexican food. We decided to take on the ultimate: mole. We headed up to our local latin-american superstore market to pick up the necessary ingredients. Because we couldn't exactly get everything we needed, here's the record of what we actually did (and how it turned out). Our recipe is basically the ingredients list from Fonda San Miguel, a delicious Mexican restaurant in Austin, with the process taken from Nuevo Mexican guru Rick Bayless.

Fried Potstickers

Audrey — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:25:52 +0000

When I was a little kid, my mom and I once made dumplings/potstickers with this neat white foldy press (that helps crimp them together). There's a really cute picture of me at about 5 years old, standing on a step-stool, wearing an apron, and proudly holding up a potsticker (if I can get my mom to scan it in, I will post it).

Anyway, on a recent visit to Los Angeles, I saw the potsticker crimper sitting in a drawer (probably unused by my mother since that day in the photo), and asked if I could take it home. (I subsequently saw the exact same crimper for sale at Hill's Kitchen about a week later, but oh well.) With the proper implement in hand, and having just acquired a "Cook's Illustrated" recipe for perfect potstickers (compliments of Jon's mom), we went to making potstickers.

The recipe that follows is a combination of the Cook's recipe and the handwritten one my mom had from an Asian cooking class she took long ago. No doubt that is the recipe I followed at age 5.

Turkey and Dressing

Jon — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:31:18 +0000

Turkey (prep)

1 turkey (see note)
If frozen, it will need to thaw, in the refrigerator, for several days. Follow the directions that come with the turkey.
Note: 12 to 15 lbs is a good size. It will feed 12+ people and you will have leftovers) If you will be having more folks, I find it is best to buy two (or multiples) of this size. You can cook one the day before and refrigerate it and reheat it while the first one is being eaten.

Dressing, for 1 turkey (prep)

Venezuelan Chicken caldo

Jon — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:06:04 +0000

Turkey Carcass Soup V.2 - Venezuelan "Chicken" caldo

I was making turkey carcass soup (http://audreyandjon.com/recipes/turkey-carcass-soup) and it ran away from me into a soup styled after the fantastic caldos de pollo I had in Merida, Venezuela. Here's a discussion of Spanish Caldos. Venezuela is not big on spicy foods, so I concentrated on savory spicing and the broth itself.

First, recover the turkey broth as in the turkey carcass soup recipe, above. I didn't skim off all the fat. Mainly this was impatience, but it flavored the soup just right in the end.

Turkey Carcass Soup

Jon — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:01:45 +0000

Trim all edible meat off the bones and refrigerate. Put the bones, gristles, some of the fat and skin into a big pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Add one onion, some celery stalks (tops included) Salt, peppercorns and thyme (powdered....if using fresh add at the end of the soup making process)

After this comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour or so. Let cool, then strain into another pot using a fine sieve or cheesecloth over a colander. Cool the strained broth overnight in the fridge. Skim off fat.