Tag: carrots
Garam Masala and Cilantro Roast Turkey Breast
This was voted the best turkey we have ever made. I cooked this delicious turkey breast the same way I have been for the last few years. I like to make a compound butter for under the skin; I like to add bacon on top and I like to stuff the cavity with some citrus. I made the compound butter with garlic, lemon zest, garam masala and cilantro to keep with the Indian theme. It made the turkey super flavorful and delicious!
- 1 8-9 pound turkey breast
- ½ stick butter, room temperature
- 2 large garlic cloves, grated
- Zest of two lemons, save the lemons for the cavity
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1-2 teaspoons garam masala
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- Salt
- Pepper
- 3 to 4 bacon strips
- 1 cup baby carrots
- 1 large onion, cut into quarters
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves, skins on
- 1 to 2 cups homemade turkey stock
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (preferably convection)
Mix the butter with the garlic, lemon zest, salt, garam masala and cilantro. Loosen the skin of the turkey breast and carefully spread the butter under the skin. Salt and pepper inside and outside of the turkey breast. Stuff the cavity with the lemon pieces. Place the bacon strips on top of the turkey breast and place on the stand.
Add the carrots, onion and garlic to the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the stock. Place the stand into the roasting pan. Let turkey sit for 2 to 3 hours before roasting in oven.
Roast in the oven till the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. Half way through the roasting process, take the bacon (when bacon is well done) off and continue cooking. Take out of oven onto a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil for 20 minutes. In the meantime strain the juices out of the roasting pan. Separate the fat and add the juices to the gravy pan.
Slice the turkey and serve with hot gravy.
Tamarind Glazed Turkey
If you are looking for a super flavorful turkey this Thanksgiving- this is the recipe for you. It has a bit of Latin flair to it and it is delicious!!
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups orange juice
- 1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Add the broth, orange juice, tamarind concentrate, orange zest, brown sugar, salt and smoked paprika to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes till it is reduced to 1 cup and thick and syrupy.
Compound Butter
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- Zest of 2 navel oranges
- Pepper
Mix the butter, salt, garlic, zest and pepper in a small bowl until everything is incorporated well.
- 2 to 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 5 to 6 pounds turkey breasts
- 12 carrots
- Salt
- Pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the carrots at the bottom of a roasting pan. Add the chicken stock and place the rack into the pan. Place the turkey on to the rack. Salt and pepper the cavity and stuff with leftover oranges. Spread the compound butter under the skin, spreading it well all over. Salt and pepper the outside generously and spread the glaze all over the bird. Roast till the temperature inside the bird reaches 165 degrees F. Take out and place onto the cutting board and cover with foil. Take the carrots out and pour the juices into a measuring cup. Skim the fat off the top and pour the liquid to the prepared gravy. Taste for seasonings. Slice the turkey and serve with hot gravy.
Make Ahead Gravy
- 4 cups homemade or store bought turkey stock
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Salt
- Pepper
In a large frying pan, heat the butter and add the shallot and garlic. Saute for a minute over medium heat. Add the flour and turn the heat to medium high heat, stirring constantly. Cook the flour for at least 10 minutes or till it turns chocolate brown. Slowly add the stock, whisking vigorously at the same time. Bring to a boil and check for seasonings. Add salt and pepper accordingly. Once the turkey is done, add the drippings to the gravy and reheat.
Make Ahead Turkey Stock for Thanksgiving Gravy
Time to make your own turkey stock!!! It makes a big difference if you use homemade, with your own flavor profile..
By this time of year, most grocery stores have turkey necks and backs for just a few bucks. I buy a pack and roast them simply with olive oil, salt and pepper. I let them hang out in the oven till the pieces are golden brown and delicious looking. I then add them to a big pot full of chicken broth, and lots of vegetables and aromatics. For me garlic and fresh herbs are a must- like thyme, rosemary, etc. I like my gravy dark brown and so use a box of beef broth to richen the color. The stock cooks for at least an hour or two until the liquid is reduced quite a bit- in this case I reduced it to 3 cups. From here you have an option to continue the process and make the gravy and freeze for later. I find the gravy consistency compromised after it is frozen- so I stop at this point and freeze the stock.
You can take it out two days before thanksgiving and let it thaw in the fridge and make the gravy the morning of.
- About a pound or a pound and a half turkey neck and back
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degree F.
On a lined baking pan, place the turkey parts. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the salt and pepper. Roast for an hour or till the parts are golden brown. Take out of the oven and keep aside.
- Two boxes of 32 oz chicken stock
- One box of 32 oz beef stock
- 1 large onion, cut in half
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half
- 1 cup carrots, roughly cut up
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
In a large stockpot add the chicken stock, beef stock, onion, garlic, carrots, thyme and rosemary. Add the roasted turkey parts and bring to a boil. Once the liquid comes to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 2-3 hours or till the liquid is reduced to about 3 cups. Strain the liquid out by pressing all the goodness out of the cooked vegetables. Take out in a container and refrigerate over night. Skim the excess fat off and freeze till needed.
Moroccan Style Carrot and Orange Salad with Harissa Dressing
This is a great carrot salad to complement yesterdays’ stew or any other entree.. in fact, it will delicious with any grilled meats/seafood! I have buying the most gorgeous looking multi colored organic carrots from Trader Joes but any kind of carrots will do, in face you can buy the pack of already shredded carrots to keep things simple. Either way, this is a yummy salad!
- 4 to 5 carrots, peeled and grated
- 3 to 4 navel oranges, cut into segments and squeeze the juice and keep aside for dressing
- 4 green onions, chopped
Transfer all the ingredients to a serving bowl. Keep aside.
Dressing
- ½ cup orange juice
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds, crushed
- 1 to 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
Transfer all the ingredients to an airtight container. Mix well with the lid on. Taste for seasonings. Pour half of the dressing onto the salad, mix well and add some salt to adjust seasonings. Pour more dressing if needed. Let the salad sit for at least an hour in the fridge before serving.
Moroccan Style Vegetable Stew with Olive Gremolata
This is a great vegetarian stew to make for company or through the week- and a great recipe to post for meatless Monday!! It does have a whole lot of ingredients but most of them are very common and are usually in a pantry. Harissa is a Moroccan style condiment that is made with red peppers and can have some heat as well… it is commonly found in super markets…
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 1 large yellow pepper, chopped
- 1 14 ounces can of tomatoes (I used fire roasted with green chilies)
- 1 cauliflower head, cut into small florets
- 1 14 ounces can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 3 to 4 cups water or vegetable broth
- Salt
Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cinnamon, coriander, cumin and cayenne pepper. Saute for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add the garlic and dates and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the harissa paste, tomato paste and flour. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add the carrots and pepper. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cauliflower and chickpeas. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes and add the water or broth. Bring to a boil and add 2 teaspoons salt. Lower the heat and cover with lid and cook for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and continue cooking till the consistency is of a thick stew. Check for seasonings and keep aside.
Gremolata
- ½ cup green olives, chopped (I used olives stuffed with garlic)
- ½ cup parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup golden raisins, chopped
- Zest of one large lemon
Mix the olives, parsley, raisins and lemon zest in a small bowl. Top the stew and serve.
Chicken Mushroom and Chorizo Stew
- One whole chicken, cut into 8 to 10 pieces, skin off
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Mix the flour with the salt and paprika in a medium shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken pieces in flour and keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, add more if needed during browning of the chicken
- 2 chorizo links, casings off and crumbled
- 2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 10 ounces, Cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 10 ounces, Shitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- 3 to 4 cups mushroom or chicken stock
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
Heat a large saucepan with the olive oil. Add the chorizo and cook on medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or till golden brown. Take the crumbled chorizo out with a slotted spoon. Brown the chicken pieces in batches on all sides on a medium heat. Add more olive oil if necessary. Take the chicken pieces out. Add the parsnips, carrots and garlic. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook on high heat for 3 to 4 minutes till golden brown. Add the salt and smoked paprika. Deglaze with the orange juice and add the stock. Add the chorizo and chicken and bring to a boil. Simmer with lid on for 20 to 25 minutes, till the chicken is cooked through. Take the chicken pieces out and reduce the sauce in the pan so about 2 cups are left. Check for seasonings and add the chicken pieces back, garnish with cilantro and serve hot.
Moroccan Vegetable Tagine
Great healthy way to start off the new year!
Spice Mix
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Roast the cumin and coriander seeds in a cast iron skillet on a medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or till the seeds become aromatic. Take off the heat and grind smooth in a coffee grinder. Take out in a small bowl and add the turmeric and cayenne pepper. Keep aside.
- 2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon harissa
- 3 to 4 medium yellow potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 medium turnips, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 to 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- Salt
- 1 cup green olives, sliced
- ½ cup dried apricots, sliced
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons dried mint, crushed
Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, harissa and the spice mix. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, turnips, carrots, chickpeas, chicken stock and salt. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cover with lid and cook for 30 minutes. Take the lid off and check to see if the root vegetables are tender. Mash some potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to slightly thicken the liquid. Add the olives and apricots. Turn the heat up to cook off some of the excess liquid to get the desired consistency- it should be like a thick soup. Add the almonds, cilantro, parsley and dried mint. Check for seasonings and serve with couscous.