Poultry recipes
CHICKEN PIE
1 hen cooked
2 slices salt pork
1 c. peas
2 Irish potatoes
3 hard boiled eggs
Make rich pie crust and line baking dish, add cut meat from hen, which has
been cooked tender. Peas and salt pork cut in small pieces and potatoes
cut in cubes and eggs sliced. Season chicken stock well with onion, salt
and pepper and pour over other ingredients. Cover with pastry and cook
in a medium oven.
CHICKEN SCOTTI
Make rich sauce of chicken stock and cream and season well with butter,
red pepper and onion or garlic. Add diced white meat of cooked chicken.
Boil spaghetti and make thick tomato sauce. Strain. Add one cup fresh
mushrooms, six pieces breakfast bacon fried crisp and cut up. Put chicken
mixed with white sauce, in center of shallow baking dish, cover with
spaghetti mixed with tomato sauce. Save enough white sauce to pour over
all and sprinkle parmesan cheese over top. Leave in hot oven till cheese
melts. Serve in same dish.
CHICKEN MEXICANA
3 lb. chicken
3 tb fat
1 tb flour
1 med onion
1 No. 2 can tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
Brown chicken (cut in pieces) in fat. Remove chicken. Blend flour with fat
in pan, slice onion; add with tomatoes, salt, pepper and chili powder; heat.
Add chicken. Cover; simmer one hour 15 minutes. Serve on rice.
LONE STAR CHICKEN
1 3 lb. chicken
1 each carrot, stalk celery, onion
1 sprig parsley
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 c. minced onions
2 c. chopped green pepper
1 clove garlic, mashed
2 tb. olive oil
1 1 lb. can tomatoes
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. salt; ¼ tsp. pepper; ½ tsp. oregano
1/;2 c. shredded mozzarella
6 slices American cheese, cut up
Simmer the chicken in 2 or 3 cups of water with the carrot, celery, onion,
parsley, salt and pepper for about 1 hour or until tender. Meanwhile, in a
skillet brown the onions, green pepper, and garlic in oil; add tomatoes and
seasonings and cook about 30 minutes adding water if necessary (about
½ c. ). Sauce should be thick. Remove the skin and bones from the
chicken. In a 2 quart casserole layer half of the chickens sauce and cheese;
repeat. Bake in 350F oven about 40 minutes or till bubbling hot., Makes
4 servings.
CHICKEN LIVERS WITH RICE
3 tb. minced onion
¼ c. butter or oleo
5 oz. instant rice
Flour
salt & pepper
paprika
celery salt & seasoned salt
½ lb. thawed frozen or fresh chicken livers
1 can cream of chicken soup
½ c. milk
1 tb. chopped parsley
pinch of dried basil
Cook finely chopped onion until tender in 1 tb. melted butter; add rice.
Cook as package directs. Prepare seasoned flour by mixing flour with
seasonings (except parsley & basil). Mix well; roll chicken livers in
seasoned flour. Use a fork to separate pieces of liver. Brown livers in
remaining butter over low heat; turn to brown well on all sides. Combine
rice, livers and remaining ingredients. Turn into 1 ½ qt. casserole. Cover,
bake in 375F oven about 30 minutes, or until bubbly hot. 5-6 servings.
BUFFALO WINGS
1 tb. white wine vinegar
½ c. milk
2 tb. fine chopped yellow onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ c. parsley, minced
1 c. mayonnaise
¼ c. bleu cheese, crumbled
2 tb. lemon juice
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
pinch of cayenne
¼ lb. butter or margarine
2 tb. bottled hot sauce or more to taste
50 pcs. chicken wings, either center or upper portion
peanut oil for deep frying
Mix the wine vinegar with the milk, and allow the milk to curdle. Add the
yellow onion, garlic, parsley,mayonnaise, bleu cheese, lemon juice, salt,
pepper and cayenne. Mix well. refrigerate before serving. In a large
skillet melt the butter over low heat, and stir in the hot sauce. Deep fry the
wings in small batches in peanut oil at 385F for about 10 minutes, or until
browned and crisp. Drain on paper towels. (or bake in the oven at 400F
for 25 minutes). When all the wings have been cooked, reheat the skillet
containing the hot sauce, and toss the wings about in the sauce. Serve
with the dressing for a dip.
CHICKEN PIECES WITH LIME
1 chicken, cut up
2 tb. olive oil
½ tsp. whole thyme
2 tbs. lemon juice
fresh cracked pepper to taste
2 limes, cut into wedges
Place the chicken pieces in an oiled baking dish, and mix with the olive oil,
thyme, lemon juice, and pepper. Bake at 375F for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or
until the chicken is golden and tender. Garnish with the wedges of lime so
that each guest may soak his chicken in lime juice and enjoy. Serves 4.
CHINESE DRUMSTICKS
30 upper wing portions
2 tbs. light soy sauce
2 tb. dry sherry
¼ tsp. sugar
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
2 tsp. Chinese 5 spice powder
4 tb. cornstarch
Mix ingredients together (except wings) and marinate the wings for 15
minutes. Deep fry in 375F peanut oil until the wings are golden brown and
tender. Serves 4 or 5.
CHICKEN AND NOODLES CASSEROLE
4 tbs. butter
4 tbs. flour
2 c. chicken consommé or milk
½ c. light cream
¼ c. sherry
1 8 oz. pkg fine noodles
2 8 oz cans chicken
1 can B in B mushrooms
¼ c. grated parmesan or gruyere or half and half
¼ c. blanched almonds
1 tsp. butter
Make a sauce by melting the butter; add the flour and cook 1 minute.. Add
consommé or milk, and cream. Cook until thick and smooth, add the sherry.
Cook noodles. Drain, wash and pour into a buttered casserole. Add the
chicken,, mushrooms and cream sauce. Sprinkle with the almonds, cheese
and butter and bake at 350 until the almonds are brown and the casserole
bubbling. For 6 or 8.
CRUSTY BAKED CHICKEN
2 egg whites
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
1 c. fresh ww bread crumbs (2.5 slices)
4 boneless, skinned chicken breasts
1. Coat baking dish with cooking spray. Beat whites, chili powder,
salt, pepper in bowl. Place crumbs on plate. Dip chicken in egg; coat
with crumbs. Place in baking dish.
2. Bake in 375F oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
CREOLE CHICKEN WITH GARLIC
3 green peppers
2 onions
10 cloves garlic
2 tbs. oil
2 3.5 lb. chickens, cut up
salt, pepper
1/3 c. white wine
1 c. drained canned tomatoes
2 tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. cayenne.
Cut the peppers into 1" pieces. Chop the onions. Slice the garlic. In a
dutch oven, heat the oil over med-hi heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and
pepper. Cook in the hot oil until browned on all sides. Remove chicken
and set aside. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, onion, peppers, and
1 tsp. salt to the pan, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Increase
heat to high. Add wine and cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Add
tomatoes, oregano, cayenne and the chicken. Reduce heat, cover and
simmer until chicken is tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Taste for seasoning and
add more salt and pepper if needed. If sauce is too thin, remove chicken
and cook sauce over high heat until thickened.
TEX-MEX TURKEY AND STUFFING CASSEROLE
8 oz. corn-bread stuffing mix
1 can (11 oz) Mexicorn
½ c. sliced scallions
1 lb. sliced turkey breast cutlets (about ¼ " thick)
1 can (14.5oz) chili-style chunky tomatoes
Heat oven to 375. Grease a shallow 2 quart baking dish. Mix stuffing mix,
corn and scallions in prepared baking dish. Add 1 ½ cups hot water and
stir to mix well. Arrange cutlets on top. Spread with tomatoes. Cover and
bake 40 minutes or until hot and turkey is no longer pink in center.
APPLE STUFFING for poultry
Pare, quarter and core 8 large tart apples. Place them in a saucepan, add
½ c. cold water, cover and cook until the apples are tender but not broken.
Cool. Add 2 cups dry bread crumbs, 1 ½ tb. sugar, 2 tb. melted butter
and 1 egg. Toss the stuffing thoroughly but gently.
APPLE PRUNE STUFFING for goose or duck
Sauté 1 small onion, finely chopped, in 2 tb. butter until lightly browned.
Combine with 1 ½ c. bread crumbs, 1 c. each chopped celery, diced cooked
prunes, and chopped tart apples, and ¼ 5sp. salt. Blend thoroughly. This
quantity is sufficient to stuff a duck; double it for a goose.
APPLE AND RAISIN STUFFING for turkey, goose, or
crown roast of pork
In a mixing bowl, combine 1 c. chopped onions and their juice, 3 c. peeled
and cored apples, cubed small, 7 cups soft bread crumbs, ¾ c. melted
butter, 1 c. parboiled seedless raisins, drained and dried, 1 ½ tsp. salt, a
scant ¼ tsp. black pepper, ½ c. finely chopped parsley leaves, 1 finely
chopped clove garlic, and ½ tsp. each powdered mace, sage, nutmeg and
clove. Mix thoroughly.
CHICKEN SMOTHERED WITH OKRA AND TOMATOES Makes 6 to 8
main-dish servings
1 (2 ½ pound) fryer, cut up
Seasoning mix:
1 tb plus ¾ tsp. Salt
1 tb plus ½ tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 tsp black pepper
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. vegetable oil, in all
3 pounds okra, sliced ¼ " thick (15 c. sliced), in all
4 tbs unsalted butter
1 ½ c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped green bell peppers
2 c., in all, Basic Chicken Stock
4 c. peeled and coarsely chopped vine-ripened tomatoes
1 ½ tsp minced garlic
½ c. chopped green onions (tops only)
3 ½ tbs light brown sugar, optional
About 6 cups hot Basic Cooked Rice
Trim any visible fat from the chicken pieces and place chicken in a large
bowl. Combine the seasoning mix ingredients thoroughly and sprinkle 1
tablespoon of the mix evenly over the meat, working it in by hand. Cover
well and refrigerate overnight. Reserve remaining seasoning mix to finish
the dish. Place the flour in a pan. In a large heavy skillet, heat ½ cup of
the oil over high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Just before frying, dredge
the chicken pieces very lightly in the flour. Fry the chicken pieces in the
hot oil (skin side down and large pieces first)until cooked through and
dark golden brown on both sides, about 7 minutes per side. Drain on
paper towels. When cool enough to handle, bone the chicken and cut it
into bite-size pieces. In a heavy 6-quart saucepan or dutch oven
(preferably cast iron), heat 7 tablespoons of the oil over high heat until
a piece of the okra placed in it sizzles around the edges, about 3 minutes.
Stir in 10 cups of the okra and fry until about half the okra slices are
browned, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom
well. You will need to stir more often toward the end of the cooking time
as the mixture becomes dry; if necessary, remove pan from heat
momentarily and scrape well so the mixture doesn't scorch. Now add the
butter, onions, bell peppers, and the remaining seasoning mix and 1 tb oil,
stirring well. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly and
scraping browned sediment from pan bottom. Add ½ cup of the stock and
the remaining 5 cups okra, scraping until pan bottom is free of sediment.
Continue cooking about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping constantly. Add
½ cup more stock; cook until okra is not longer stringy and mixture is a
little mushy, about 7 minutes, stirring and scraping constantly. Next, stir
in the tomatoes and the remaining 1 cup stock and scrape pan bottom
clean. Stir in the garlic. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat
and simmer about 10 minutes. Add the cut-up chicken and continue
cooking until okra is cooked and flavors marry, about 20 minutes, stirring
frequently so mixture doesn't scorch. Stir in the green onions. Stir in the
sugar, if desired. Remove from heat and cover pan; let sit covered for
about 20 minutes before serving. Then serve immediately, allowing about
1 cup of the smothered chicken, okra, and tomato mixture spooned over
about ¾ c. rice for each serving.
BLACKENED CHICKEN Makes 8 main-dish servings
16 (3 oz.) skinless boned chicken breasts, about ½ to ¾ inch thick, or 8
(10 oz.) bone-in leg-thigh pieces, or a combination of these
Seasoning mix:
2 tablespoons salt
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
1 ½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
½ tsp sweet paprika
¾ lb (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and kept warm in a skillet
Note: Skin the leg-thigh pieces, then bone each piece along the length of
the two bones, leaving meat in one piece. Trim off excess fat. Pound each
leg-thigh or breast to ½ inch thick. Let the chicken come to room
temperature before blackening. Thoroughly combine the seasoning mix in
a small bowl. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over very high heat until it is
extremely hot and just short of the point at which you see white ash or a
white spot forming in the skillet bottom, about 8 minutes. Heat the serving
plates in a 250F oven. Just before cooking each piece of chicken, dip it in
the melted butter so that both sides are well coated, then sprinkle each
fillet evenly with the seasoning mix, using about a rounded ½ teaspoon
on each, and patting it in with your hands. (If you lay the fillet on a plate
or other surface to season it, be sure the surface is warm so the butter
won't congeal and stick to the surface instead of to the meat. Wipe the
surface clean after seasoning each fillet. Use any remaining seasoning
mix in another recipe. Immediately place the fillet skinned side down in the
hot skillet, making sure all meat folds are opened up and the meat is lying
flat. Pour about 1 teaspoon butter on top of the fillet (be careful, as the
butter may flame up). If you cook more than 1 fillet at a time, place each
fillet in the skillet before buttering and seasoning another one. Cook
uncovered over the same high heat until the underside forms a crust,
about 2 minutes. Turn the fillets over and pour about 1 teaspoon more
melted butter on top of each. Cook just until meat is cooked through,
about 2 minutes more. Serve the chicken fillets crustier side up while
piping hot. Clean the skillet after cooking each batch and repeat the
blackening procedure with the remaining chicken fillets. To serve, place
2 breast fillets or 1 leg-thigh fillet on each heated serving plate. If you use
a large serving platter, do not stack the fillets.
TURDUCKEN Makes 15 to 25 main-dish servings
1 (20 to 25 pound) turkey
1 (4 to 5 pound) domestic duckling
1 (3 to 3 ½ pound) chicken
Seasoning mix:
3 tbs salt
1 tb plus 1 ½ tsp sweet paprika
1 tb onion powder
1 tb garlic powder
1 tb ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 ½ tsp white pepper
1 ½ tsp thyme
¾ tsp black pepper
Sweet Potato Eggplant Gravy
Andouille Smoked Sausage Dressing
Cornbread Dressing
Oyster Dressing
A small hammer
A 3-inch needle (a "carpet" needle with a curved tip works well)
Strong thread to sew up the fowl
1 (15x11-inch) baking pan at least 2 ½ inches deep
1 pan, larger than the above, into which the smaller pan will fit with room to
spare
Make the 3 dressings. Cool, cover well and refrigerate. Then bone the
fowl. It's helpful to keep the following in mind:
1. Your goal is to end up with one large piece of essentially boneless
turkey meat; the boned turkey will contain only the tip end of each leg
bone and the bones of the first two joints of each wing. You will end
up with one piece of completely boneless duck meat and one piece of
completely boneless chicken meat.
2. Be careful not to pierce the skin of the birds except for making the
initial slits. Cuts in the skin tend to enlarge during cooking, making
the turducken less attractive as well as dryer.
3. Allow yourself plenty of time, especially if you're a beginner.
And even if you are experienced, approach the boning procedure,
approach the boning procedure with a gently, careful touch; the
meat is not tough and you want to end up with as much of it off the
bone and in one piece as possible.
4. Bone one side of each bird - either the left or right - before doing
the other side.
5. Use a very sharp knife and use mainly the tip; stay close the
bone at all times with the knife.
6. It's worth the time and effort!
To bone the turkey: Place the turkey, breast side down, on a flat surface.
Make an incision the entire length of the spine through the skin and flesh.
Starting from the neck end and using the tip of the knife, follow as close to
the bone as you can cut, carefully teasing the skin and meat away from the
frame. Toward the neck end, cut through the meat to expose the shoulder
blade; feel for it first and cut through small amounts of meat at a time if you
have trouble locating it. Cut the meat away from around the bone and
sever the bone at the joint so you can remove the shoulder blade. Disjoint
the wing between the second and third joint. Free the heavy drumstick of
the wing and remove it; be careful to leave the skin intact. Continue
teasing the meat away from the backbone, heading toward the thighbone
and being careful to keep the "oyster" (the pocket of meat on the back)
attached to the skin instead of leaving it with the bone. Cut through the
ball-and-socket joint to release the thighbone from the carcass. You
should now be able to open up the bird more to see better what bones are
left to deal with. Continue teasing the meat away from the carcass until
you reach the center front of the breastbone. Then very carefully separate
the skin from the breastbone at the mid-line without piercing the skin; go
slowly because the skin is very thin at this point. Repeat the same boning
procedure on the other side of the turkey still breast side down. When
both sides are finished, carefully remove the carcass. Then remove the
thighbone and leg bone on each side as follows: Being careful not to
break through the skin, use a small hammer to break the leg bone
completely across, about 2 inches from the tip end. Then manipulate both
ends of the bone with your hands to be sure the break is complete. Leave
the tip of the bone in, but remove the leg bone and thigh bone as one unit.
To do this, cut the meat away from around the thighbone first, using the
knife tip. Then, holding the thighbone up with one hand, use the other
hand to carefully cut the meat away from around the leg-thigh joint. (Don't
cut through this joint, and don't worry if it seems as if you're leaving a lot
of meat around the joint - it can't be helped and, besides, it will add flavor
when you make the stock with the bones!) Then use the blade of the knife
to scrape the meat away from the leg bone; remove the leg-thighbone.
With your hands or the knife, one by one remove as may pin bones from
the leg meat as possible. Then, if necessary, pull the tip of the leg bone to
turn the meat to the inside, so the skin is on the outside and the bird looks
like a turkey again. Refrigerate.
To bone the duck: Place the duck, breast side down, on a flat surface and
follow the same procedure you used to bone the turkey, except this time
you will remove all the bones instead of leaving in part of the wing and leg
bones. To bone each wing, cut off the first two joints of the wing (and
save for stock), leaving the wing's drumstick; cut the meat from around the
drumstick and remove this bone, being careful not to cut through the skin.
When you reach the thigh, follow the thigh-leg bone with the knife blade to
release the bone as one unit, again being careful not to cut through the skin
Trim some of the excess skin and fat from the neck area. Cut the skin into
small pieces and reserve it for making the gravy; discard the fat.
Refrigerate the duck and skin pieces.
To bone the chicken: Use precisely the same procedure to bone the
chicken that you used for the duck.
To assemble the turducken: Spread the turkey, skin side down, on a flat
surface, exposing as much meat as possible. Sprinkle the meat generously
and evenly with a total of about 3 tbs of the seasoning mix, patting the
seasoning in with your hands. (Be sure to turn the leg, thigh and wing
meat to the outside so you can season it, too.) Then stuff some of the
cold Andouille Dressing into the leg, thigh, and wing cavities until full but
not tightly packed. (If too tightly packed, the leg and wing may burst
open during cooking.) Spread an even layer of dressing over the remaining
exposed meat, about ½ to ¾ inch thick. You should use a total of about 7
cups dressing. Place the duck, skin side down, on top of the Andouille
dressing, arranging the duck evenly over the dressing. Season the
exposed duck meat generously and evenly with about 1 tablespoon more
seasoning mix, pressing it in with your hands. Then spread the cold
cornbread dressing evenly over the exposed duck meat, making the layer
slightly less thick than the andouille dressing, about ½ inch thick. Use a
total of about 4 cups dressing. Arrange the chicken, skin side down,
evenly on top of the cornbread dressing. Season the exposed chicken
meat generously and evenly with about 1 tablespoon more seasoning mix,
pressing it in with your hands. Spread the cold oyster dressing evenly
over the exposed chicken meat, making the layer about ½ inch thick. Use a
total of about 3 cups dressing. Enlist another person's help to carefully lift
the open turducken into an ungreased 15x11-inch baking pan at least 2 ½
inches deep. As you lift the turducken into the pan, fold the sides of the
turkey together to close the bird. Have your helper hold the turkey closed
while you sew up all openings on one side, making the stitches about 1
inch apart. When you finish sewing on the first side, turn the turducken
over in the pan and sew closed any openings on the other side. Then tie
the legs together just above the tip bones. Leave the turducken breast
side up in the pan, tucking in the turkey wings. Place the turducken pan
in a slightly larger pan with sides at least 2 ½ inches high, so that the
larger pan will catch the overflow of drippings during cooking. Season the
exposed side of the turducken generously and evenly with about 2 tbs.
More seasoning mix, patting it in with your hands. Bake at 190F until done,
12 to 13 hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted through to the center
reads 165F. (Note: There is no need to baste the turducken, but you will
need to remove accumulated drippings from the turducken pan every few
hours so that the lower portion of the turkey won't "deep fry" in the hot
fat.) When done, remove the turducken from the oven and let it cool in its
pan at least 1 hour. Meanwhile, make the gravy with some of the pan
drippings and the reserved duck skin. With strong spatulas inserted
underneath (remember there are no bones to support the bird's structure),
carefully transfer the turducken to a serving platter and present it to your
guests before carving. Then place the turducken on a flat surface to carve.
(Or leave it on the platter if it is large enough.) Be sure to make your slices
crosswise so that each slice contains all three dressings and all three meats.
It's easy to do this and still have servings of manageable size. If you slice
the turducken in half lengthwise, then cut servings crosswise to the desired
thickness from one side of the turducken at a time. Serve additional bowls
of the dressing on the side.
BASIC TURDUCKEN STOCK
(If you don't have a large enough stockpot, cut the recipe in half and make
the stock in batches. You can use the vegetable trimmings (onions and
celery, but not bell peppers) from the dressings and gravy you are
preparing.)]
About 2 ½ gallons cold water
Bones and necks from the turkey, duck, and chicken, or use 5 pounds
backs, necks, and/or bones and/or giblets (excluding livers) from turkeys
and chickens
3 medium onions, unpeeled and quartered
6 stalks celery
½ large head garlic, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
Place all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat,
then gently simmer at least 4 hours, preferably 8, replenishing the water as
needed to keep about 2 gallons of liquid in the pot. Strain, cool, and
refrigerate until ready to use. Makes about 2 gallons.
OYSTER DRESSING Makes about 9 cups
2 pounds small to medium shucked oysters, in their liquor
4 cups cold water
Seasoning mix:
2 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
¾ pound (3 sticks) plus 2 tbs margarine, in all
6 cups chopped onions, in all
4 cups chopped celery, in all
4 cups chopped green bell peppers, in all
1 tb plus 1 tsp minced garlic
2 cups chopped green onions, in all (tops only)
2 cups very finely chopped fresh parsley, in all
8 small bay leaves
about 4 ½ cups very fine dry bread crumbs, in all
4 tbs unsalted butter
Combine the oysters, oyster liquor, and water; stir and refrigerate at least
1 hour. Strain and reserve the oysters and 4 cups of the oyster water
separately; refrigerate again until ready to use. In a medium-size bowl,
combine the seasoning mix ingredients; mix well. Set aside. Place 1 stick
plus 2 tbs of the margarine in a heavy 6 quart saucepan over high heat.
When margarine is half melted, add 3 cups of the onions, 2 cups of the
celery, and 2 cups of the bell peppers; sauté until onions are well browned,
about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 3 tbs of the seasoning mix
and the garlic. Reduce heat to low and cook about 4 minutes, stirring and
scraping pan bottom occasionally. Add the remaining 2 sticks margarine,
3 cups onions, 2 cups celery, and 2 cups bell peppers, 1 cup of the green
onions, 1 cup of the parsley and the bay leaves. Turn heat to high, stirring
until margarine is melted; cook until vegetables are tender but still a little
crunch, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now stir in the reserved 4
cups oyster water and cook about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in
the remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon seasoning mix and enough
bread crumbs (start with 4 cups, but you may need a little more) to make a
fairly moist but not runny dressing. Remove from heat. Drain oysters well
and stir them into the dressing. Spoon dressing into an ungreased 15x11
inch baking pan (preferably not a nonstick type) and bake uncovered in a
350F oven until well browned, about 1 hour, stirring only after a dark crust
builds up (30 to minutes). Then remove from oven and stir thoroughly but
gently so oysters won't break apart, scraping browned parts from pan
bottom and sides into the mixture. Discard bay leaves. Add the butter and
the remaining 1 cup green onions and 1 cup parsley, stirring well. Serve as
desired. Note: Be certain to let the dressing cool, then refrigerate it and
chill it well, before using it to stuff fowl.
ANDOUILLE SMOKED SAUSAGE DRESSING Makes about 10 cups
If you are making this dressing to use in Turducken, you need to make two
batches.
¼ pound (1 stick) plus 2 tbs margarine
8 cups chopped onions, in all
4 cups chopped celery, in all
4 cups chopped green bell peppers, in all
2 ½ pounds andouille smoked sausage (preferred) or any other good
smoked pure pork sausage, such as kielbasa, ground
¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
¼ cup minced garlic
¼ cup sweet paprika
2 tbs Tabasco sauce
¾ tsp salt
4 cups Basic Chicken Stock (see note)
About 5 cups, in all, very fine dry unseasoned bread crumbs (preferably
French bread)
Note: If you are making this dressing for Turducken, you will need to make
it quite stiff (stiffer than for a normal stuffing or side dish) by adding a few
more bread crumbs, since the dressing tends to absorb juices from the fowl.
If you are also preparing other components for the Turducken at the same
time as you're making the dressing, you may want to use the larger (2
gallon) stock that accompanies the Turducken recipe. If the sausage is
very fatty, you may need more bread crumbs to take up the fat.
In a heavy 8 quart saucepan with as broad a bottom as possible, melt the
margarine over high heat until almost melted. Add 4 cups of the onions,
2 cups of the celery, and 2 cups of the bell peppers. Sauté until mixture is
well browned, about 35 minutes, stirring and scraping pan bottom
occasionally (more often toward the end of cooking time). Remove pan
from heat momentarily and add the andouille, stirring well. Return pan to
high heat and cook until meat is well browned, about 20 minutes, stirring
and scraping pan bottom frequently as browned sediment develops (stir
and scrape almost constantly toward the end of the browning period). Stir
in the butter, then add the remaining 4 cups onions, 2 cups celery, and 2
cups bell peppers, and the garlic, paprika, Tabasco, and salt, stirring well.
Reduce heat to low and cook until the last vegetables added are tender but
still a little crisp, about 15 minutes, stirring and scraping pan bottom
frequently. Stir in the stock and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring and
scraping occasionally. Continue boiling until the fat rises to the top and
coats most of the surface (until the water evaporates), about 5 minutes,
stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and stir in the bread crumbs,
starting with 4 cups and adding more, if necessary, so the final mixture is
still very moist but not runny; soak up large puddles of fat with additional
bread crumbs. Note: If you are making the dressing for Turducken, start
with 4 ½ cups bread crumbs; you still may need to add more to make the
dressing fairly stiff, so it won't be runny by the time the Turducken has
finished roasting. Remove from heat. Transfer mixture to an ungreased
15x11 inch baking pan (preferably not a nonstick type). Bake uncovered
in a 425F oven until mixture is well browned throughout, about 1 ½ hours.
Stir and scrape pan bottom well every 15 to 20 minutes, but only after
you've allowed the mixture to brown well on top. During the last half of
baking time, the mixture should be allowed to stick to the sides and bottom
of the pan before stirring. Serve as desired. Be certain to let the dressing
cool, then refrigerate it and chill it well, before using it to stuff fowl.
CORNBREAD DRESSING Makes about 16 cups
1 ½ pounds turkey, duck, or chicken giblets
Seasoning mix:
1 tb plus 1 tsp salt
1 tb white pepper
2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
¼ pound (1 stick) plus 2 tbs unsalted butter
4 tbs margarine
1 ½ cups finely chopped onions, in all
1 ½ cups finely chopped green bell peppers, in all
1 cup finely chopped celery, in all
2 tbs minced garlic
3 large bay leaves
2 cups Basic Chicken Stock
2 tbs Tabasco sauce
10 cups finely crumbled cornbread
2 (12 ounce) cans evaporated milk (3 cups)
6 eggs, beaten
Note: If you are making this dressing for Turducken and you're also
preparing other components for that recipe at the same time, you may want
to use the larger (2 gallon) stock above.
Boil the giblets in water until tender, about 1 hour. Drain the giblets and
grind (preferably) or mince them. Thoroughly combine the seasoning mix
ingredients in a medium sized bowl and set aside. In a 5 ½ quart saucepan,
heat the butter and margarine over high heat until half melted. Add 1 cup
of the onions, 1 cup of the bell peppers, ½ cup of the celery and the garlic
and bay leaves. Sauté about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the
seasoning mix and continue cooking about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping
pan bottom frequently. Stir in the remaining ½ cup onions, ½ cup bell
peppers, and ½ cup celery, the stock, giblets, and Tabasco; cook about 5
minutes more, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Add the cornbread,
milk, and eggs, stirring well. Spoon the dressing into two greased 13x9
inch baking pans, (preferably not nonstick types), spreading the mixture
evenly in the pans. Bake at 350F until browned on top, 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and discard bay leaves. Serve as desired. Be certain
to let the dressing cool, then refrigerate it and chill it well, before using it
to stuff fowl.
CORNBREAD
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/3 cups yellow cornmeal
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup corn flour
3 tbs plus 1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 2/3 cups milk
¼ pound (1 stick) plus 2 tbs unsalted butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
In a very large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, corn flour, baking
powder, and salt; mix until thoroughly blended, breading up any lumps.
In a large bowl, combine the milk, butter and eggs and add the mixture to
the dry ingredients; blend just until mixed and large lumps are dissolved.
Do not overbeat. Pour mixture into a greased 13x9 baking pan (preferably
not a nonstick type) and bake at 350F until golden brown, 50 to 55 minutes.
Remove from pan and serve immediately. Makes 8 or more portions, or
about 16 cups finely crumbled cornbread.
SWEET POTATO EGGPLANT GRAVY Makes about 6 cups
Seasoning mix:
1 tb salt
1 tb white pepper
1 tb cayenne
2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp thyme
1 cup chicken fat or vegetable oil (SEE NOTE)
8 cups, in all, peeled and chopped eggplant, about 1 ¾ pounds
3 cups chopped onions
2 cups peeled and finely chopped sweet potatoes
2 tsp minced garlic
2 bay leaves
4 quarts, in all, Basic Chicken Stock
1 cup packed dark brown sugar, in all
2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes
2 tbs Grand Marnier
1 cup finely chopped green onions (tops only)
NOTE: If you are making the gravy to serve on Turducken, substitute 1
cup drippings from the Turducken, plus excess duck skin from boning the
duck for the 1 cup chicken fat or vegetable oil. Use large-yield stock.
Combine the seasoning mix ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl,
breading up any lumps. Place the fat or oil (or drippings and duck skin) in
a 5 ½ quart saucepan over high heat. Add 6 cups of the eggplant and
sauté until eggplant starts to get soft, translucent, and brown, about 5
minutes, stirring and scraping pan bottom occasionally. Add the onions
and remaining 2 cups eggplant, stirring until pan bottom is clear of
sediment. Cook until the mixture starts to turn brown from all the sediment
scraped into it, 10 to 12 minutes, still stirring and scraping pan bottom
frequently. Add the 2 cups finely chopped sweet potatoes; continue
cooking about 4 minutes, stirring and scraping pan bottom almost
constantly. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, and 3 tablespoons of the
seasoning mix; stir well, scraping pan bottom if needed. Stir in 2 cups of
the stock and cook about 2 minutes, scraping pan bottom clean. Add 2
cups more stock; cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping
pan bottom well each time. Stir in ½ cup of the brown sugar and cook
about 2 minutes, stirring and scraping occasionally. Add another 2 cups
stock and cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Note: The
continuous addition of small amounts of stock yields a richer gravy than if
you added all the stock at once. This is because the smaller amounts
evaporate more quickly and you get a better reduction.) Add the remaining
½ cup brown sugar and 2 cups more stock; cook about 10 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add another 2 cups stock and cook about 15 minutes more,
stirring occasionally. Now reduce heat to low and simmer about 15 minutes.
Stir in another 2 cups stock and simmer about 5 minutes more. Remove
from heat and strain well, forcing as much liquid as possible through the
strainer. Place the strained gravy in a 4-quart saucepan. Add the 2 cups
chopped sweet potatoes and 2 cups of the stock; bring to a boil over high
heat, then reduce heat and simmer about 1 hour, skimming off any froth
and fat as it develops. Next, stir in the Grand Marnier and continue
simmering about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the green onions,
1 teaspoon more seasoning mix and the remaining 2 cups stock. (Use
remaining seasoning mix in another recipe.) Bring gravy to a boil over high
heat, then reduce heat and simmer until the gravy reduces to about 6 cups,
about 25 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
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