Thanksgiving is upon us, and the first word that comes to my mind is “turkey.”
Many of us are usually intimidated by just the thought of cooking a 10- to 20-pound bird, which is quite different from our traditional dinners of a three-pound chicken! But once you have a few foolproof techniques of roasting and stuffing a turkey, the size won’t matter and you’ll always end up with a moist, perfectly cooked bird.
I prefer to purchase a fresh turkey for the flavour, but frozen is fine if necessary. Just be sure to thaw in refrigerator, which will take about 48 hours for a 10-pound turkey. Naturally there will be lots of leftovers, so toss them into your soups, stews, sandwiches and salads. If a turkey is too large for your family, try the boneless breast, which is actually lower in calories and fat than chicken. Here are some recipes to try.
Rose’s Tip:
For a perfect bird this Thanksgiving, you should first decide the number of guests you will be having, and if preparing a whole turkey, plan on about 1-1/2 pounds for each person. There are a number of especially great spots to pick up a fresh turkey for your holiday table.
Cumbrae’s is my favourite and it offers the “bronze turkey,” which has a richer flavour than a typical white turkey. Another great place to try is Beretta Organic Farms (they offer online ordering). And of course, the St. Lawrence Market has a long history of offering quality birds from White House Meats.
Post City Magazines’ culinary columnist, Rose Reisman, is author of 17 cookbooks, a TV and radio personality and a health and wellness expert. Visit Rose at www.rosereisman.com.
