Thanksgiving Turkey, with a Cuban Touch!

Well, all I have to say is that it was great! My turkey was once again a complete success! We all know that turkey is one of the most FLAVORLESS meats ever, you practically have to do MAGIC to give it some flavor. Most turkey recipes rely on a jar of GRAVY to make turkey edible and to some extent enjoyable.  Being latin gives me an edge, because we are accustomed to using a variety of spices and herbs that add a lot of flavor to food. Salt and pepper doesn't cut it with turkey.

I started treating turkey as if it were pork, ha, and using the same seasonings I use with pork except that pork is a very flavorful meat and it trully needs very little seasoning.

So i'm going to give you my recipe for seasoning the turkey, and I promise you that if you follow these steps, your turkey will no longer require the dreaded jar of gravy!

Unfortunately many of the seasonings I use are not available in all areas of the country, some are only available locally since they are very specifically used in Cuban cuisine, but you can always order them online!
 YOU CAN USE THIS RECIPE FOR YOUR XMAS TURKEY AS WELL!

Ingredients:

Dried oregano
Complete seasoning (a mix of ground herbs and spices, cuban Style-I use Badia Brand Sazon Completa)
2-1L bottles Mojo Criollo (Spanish Marinade- A liquid seasoning. I use different brands, Kirby, La Lechonera, Badia, Iberia, etc)
White cooking dry wine ( Specifically dry cooking  wine because it is seasoned, this wine is not for drinking, again several brands available, Edmundo, Iberia, La criolla etc)
2 medium size bitter oranges (not the kind you eat or make juice with. If you do not have bitter oranges use LEMONS.
1/2 L of Bitter orange juice
2 1lbs packages of thin sliced bacon (my friend Tania introduced me to the bacon wrap)
1/2 cup of chopped garlic

Directions
1-Defrost your turkey, make sure it is nice and dry.
2-First, with a a sharp knife separate the skin from the meat but DO NOT REMOVE the kin.
3-Make cuts on the meat of about an inch wide and as deep as you can.
4-get the chopped garlic and begin to rub it all over the turkey, underneath the skin. Stuff it in the cuts you made.
5- Then generously sprinkle sazon completa (Badia Brand, Complete Seasoning) all over the bird, try to get some of in the the small cuts you made on the skin.
6- Sprinkle the dried oregano generously as well all over the bird.
7- Cut the bitter oranges in slices, with skin and all, and place between the slices skin and the meat throughout the turkey.
8- Then place the bird inside a bag ( I use a new trash bag)
9- Pour the two bottles of mojo Criollo (spanish liquid marinade)and the bitter orange juice in the bag with the bird. Tighten the bag, ensuring the knot is as low as possible very close to the bird and cut the excess bag.
10- Place in the the refrigirator for 2 days prior to cooking -DO NOT FREEZE ONCE IT IS SEASONED.

At cooking time:
1-Remove the turkey from the bag, place on the baking pan or tray, sprinkle some more Sazon Completa (complete seasoning)
2- Use the two packages of thin-sliced bacon to wrap around and completely cover the turkey
3- Stuff the turkey with your favorite stuffing
4- Place in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees, cook for about 2 1/2 hours, then lower the temperature to about 325 degrees and cook for another hour or until the meat is cooked. Check internal temperature of the turkey with a meat thermometer. I usually like my pork and turkey or chicken to be a t around 160 degrees.

About the bacon:
You can wrap the turkey in bacon before cooking it or you can put the bacon on after the first two hours of cooking, it is up to you. When the turkey is fully cooked, the bacon will most likely be burnt so remove and discard, and you should have a delicious and flavorful turkey.

If you still want gravy, use the fluids and juices released by the bacon and the turkey  meat. Mix about two teaspoons of corn starch with water, empty the turkey juices on a 1 qt saucepan , bring to a boil and slowly ad the mix of water and and corn starch. Lower the heat to medium, stir until thick and VOILA!!! you have delicious home made gravy!

Enjoy!!

My Favorite Red Wine

I love red wine, Casillero del Diablo is my favorite. Inexpensive and great tasting. Very easy to drink. Usually between 9 and 10 bucks at the local supermarket.

Give it a try, I am sure you will agree with me.

Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Vegetables, with Olive Oil, Herbs and Spices

Here is another simple recipe for a great dish. I first ate roasted veggies when my friend Tania brought some to work one day. I loved them so I asked her for instructions and I decided to give it a try.

So here we go:

Ingredients: ( it is up to you what veggies you choose and how much you cook them)

This will serve about 4 to 5 people

2 medium
size Zuccini
3 medium size squash Squash
2 eggplants
about 4 to 5 plum tomatos (these hold better when roasted)
2 heads of garlic
Mushrooms of your choice, you can mix different species
2 medium size onions ( I like vidalia, or red onions)
Dried oregano
Thyme
Rosemary
Black pepper
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

Directions:

Cut the veggies however you like, cubed or slices.
Spread the veggies on a baking tray or ceramic baking pan in layers, adding a bit of olive oil to each layer, as well as sprinkling some dried oregano as you build the layers.
You can separate the cloves of garlic but DO NOT PEEL them. If you do they will burn very easily. Leaving the skin on, cooks them well without burning them and when they are well cooked the skin just comes off.

Once the veggies have been neatly spread on the baking tray or pot, pour the olive oil evenly over the veggies, you may use more oil if you feel you need to.
Sprinkle the rest of the oregano and the rest of the spices and some salt if you want.
When cooked to your taste, chop the cilantro very finely and sprinkle over the veggies. Serve with, Chicken or beef, and a nice cup of red wine.

Enjoy

Stewed pigs Feet with Beef Tripe and Chick Peas( Patas de Puerco con Panza y Garbanzos)

This dish is very traditional in Cuban cuisine although not of everyone's liking. It is more of an acquired taste, but I happen to love it. It is a labor-intensive dish and honestly quite far from being healthy, but most traditional dishes are really not very much on the healthy side. Fortunately this is not something you eat all the time. so here we go:


Ingredients:

4 to 5 pounds of chopped pigs feet
2 pounds of Honey Combed Beef tripe
4 cans of Chick Peas
3 Cups of Dry White cooking wine
1 onion (red or white)
Chopped Garlic
1 small can of tomato sauce or paste
1/2 cup of Spanish Marinade ( mojo criollo)
1 tbsp Complete seasoning , (Sazon Completo) add more if you feel you need it.
1/2 a green bell pepper
2 bay leaves (laurel leaves)

In a pressure cooker, cook the pig's feet and tripe for about 45 minutes on high. If after that time it is still not tender, cook it for another 30 minutes and check again.

The pigs feet are cooked when the skin and meat are easily detached from the bone using a fork.

On a separate pan heat some olive oil, chop the onion and the bell pepper and sautee in the oil. Add the tomato sauce, spanish marinade and complete seasoning. Let it simmer for a about 2 to 3 minutes until the onions are soft. Remove from the stove.

Once the pigs feet and tripe are fully cooked remove the stock and place on a separate container.

Empty the cooked onions with the tomato sauce and the seasonings in the pot with the pigs feet, add 2 cups of the stock, add the chick peas,stir well and let simmer on medium high. Add the 3 cups of cooking wine and stir, add salt to your taste and let simmer on medium for 25 minutes adding stock as needed., and serve with rice or by itself.

Simple and Delicious Meatloaf

I really enjoy meatloaf but I had never made it so I began to experiment with different recipes I found online and the result was pretty good, I actually enjoyed it, so I would like to share it.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of lean ground beef, turkey or pork. I used beef in this recipe. I usually buy my beef whole, and I clean it and grind it in my food processor

1 medium onion
1 green or red bell pepper
1 egg-white
1/3 cup of chopped garlic
1/2 cup tomato sauce or paste
1/2 cup of mojo criollo (Spanish Marinade)
1 1/2 tablespoons of Badia complete seasoning
1 beef boulion cube (maggie or Knorr)
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup of dry white cooking wine
1/2 cup of bread crums (or cracker or matzo meal)
Approx. 1/2 cup of ketchup
Salt to your taste


Preparation:

Place the meat in a large bowl. Add the egg-white Mojo criollo (spanish marinade) complete seasoning, chopped garlic and onion, chopped red or green pepper, bread crums or equivalent, crushed beef boulion, dry cooking wine, bay leaves and salt. Mix thoroughly in the bowl kneading the mix with your hands for a better integration of the ingredients.

Let sit in the bowl covered with foil or plastic wrap for about an hour in the fridge. After that, place in a loaf mold, spread the ketchup on top of the loaf, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

When checking with a thermometer, make sure the meat inthe center has a temperature of 160 degrees.

Serve with steam veggies and enjoy!!!

Beef & Turkey Chilli

Chilli is no mistery to make. Actually it's a pretty simply hearty meal, good anytime of the day. Here is my Crock Pot recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef ( isually buy the meat whole, I clean it myself and grind it with my food processor)
1 lb ground turkey
1 large can of red kidney beans (1 lb 13 oz [822g])
1 regular size can of red kidney beans (15.25 oz [432g])
1 large can of diced or crushed tomatoes or 1 1/2 pounds of fresh tomatoes
1 regular size can of diced or crushed tomatoes
1 medium size onion
1/3 cup of chopped garlic
1 green bell pepper
1 tbsp of Badia complete seasoning
1 cup of mojo criollo (spanish marinade)
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
Chilli powder ( I usually buy the chilli kit)
Salt to your taste.

Directions:

Mixe the beef and turkey in a large bowl, add the Mojo (spanish marinade), the badia complete seasoning, the chopped garlic and the chopped onion. With your hands mix well and knead untill thoroughly mixed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and let it sit in the fridge for 30 to 45 minutes to integrate the flavors.

Preparation:

Brown the meat, and then place in the crock pot, add the tomatoes, beans, bell peppers, cilantro, bay leaves, chilli powder (Kit) and salt. Mix thoroughly set on high for 1 hour. After an hour, turn the temperature to low and cook for 4 hours.

Serve with shredded cheese (cheddar, I prefer the 4-cheese mix) and a spoon of sour cream.

The chilli kit usually comes wit hot pepper powder, I never use it because it is very HOT and not everyone appreciates that so I serve it mild and put out a bottle of hot sauce so my guests add as much or as little as they want.

Enjoy!!!

Grandma Rosie's Fabulous Challah

For those of you that don't know, Challah (pronounced Hallah) is the traditional Jewish bread eaten Fridays during the celebration of the Holy Shabbat ( Sabbath). It is also knonN as Egg Bread beacause its recipe contains EGGS!!!!

So here it is , enjoy it.

Make sure you follow the recipe EXACTLY as you see it!!

You will need:

• 7 cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar (or honey)
• 2 pkg yeast + 1/3 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup cold water

This recipe makes the equivalent of 3 braided loaves.

---

Beat eggs in a small bowl.
In a large bowl mix oil, sugar and salt.
Add boiling water to large bowl and stir until all is dissolved.
Sprinkle yeast into a measuring cup with 1/3 cup warm water. Wait a few minutes, then stir.
Add cold water to mixture in large bowl. (The stuff in the bowl should now be the right temperature to add yeast. If too hot, wait a few minutes; if too cold, put the bowl in the microwave to heat it.)
Add yeast to large bowl.
Add eggs to large bowl, reserving about 1 tablespoon.
Add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
Turn out dough onto floured board and knead for 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed (but not too much). Dough is ready if it springs back after being poked with a finger.
Put back into bowl, cover with dishtowel, and put in warm oven (heated to 170-200, and then turned off beforehand) until doubled - about 1 hour.
Turn out onto floured board and knead for 1-2 minutes.
Divide dough into thirds.

(the following portion of the recipe, in bold, is optional, u can give it whatever shape you wish.)

Take one of the thirds, and knead for another minute. Form into 8-12 small "snakes" for bulkies, or 3 large snakes for braid. Make bulkies by knotting each small snake and pinching the ends together. Place bulkies close together pinched-end down in greased pan (I use Pam). For braids, pinch ends of 3 large snakes together and begin braiding. Pinch ends together when done. Place in greased round pan or loaf pan.

Repeat for 2 other thirds. Put formed loaves/bulkies into oven (pre-heated and then turned off, as before) for about 45 minutes.
Remove from oven. Turn oven to 350.
Brush tops gently with reserved egg. Sprinkle with poppy seeds, if desired.
Bake for about 30 minutes (loaves) or 20 minutes (bulkies). Times will vary. Watch for moderate browning on top, but be careful not to allow scorching on bottom.
Remove from pans, and put on dish towels to cool.
YUM!!



This recipe was foung at: http://www.williams.edu/astronomy/people/kkwitter/challah.html