Tag: turkey

Fall for Braising! It’s One of Our Favorite Cooking Techniques

Braising is a great cooking method for fall and winter. With a little bit of preparation time and a few hours of letting a big pot of food slowly simmer, you can create a wonderful meal plus leftovers that can give you days of enjoyment.

We enjoyed three meals from one pot of braised chicken thighs. First we had them with brown rice and vegetables, then in a big batch of fried rice, and finally in a frittata.

What Is Braising?

The New Food Lover's Companion defines braise as, “A cooking method by which food (usually meat or vegetables) is first browned in fat, then cooked (tightly covered) in a small amount of liquid at low heat for a lengthy period of time. The long, slow cooking develops flavor and tenderizes foods by gently breaking down their fibers.”

Favorite Braises

Braised dishes can be as simple and homey as pot roast with potatoes and carrots. Or you can create zesty dishes like our favorite lamb shanks in a coffee chipotle sauce with carrots and onions or marinated chicken thighs flavored with ginger, garlic, soy, and scallions in the photo above.

That lamb is a dish we often make for company. Lamb shanks are a tough, bone-in cut of meat and are perfect for braising. The connective tissue and bone marrow melt into the braising liquid giving it an unctuous mouth-feel.

Penny always cooks the dish the day before and lets it sit in the refrigerator overnight. That lets her remove the fat that comes to the top before tucking it back in the oven to reheat. While the lamb bubbles away, she makes a big batch of cheesy polenta to serve alongside. The next day leftovers become one of the best lamb chilies you’ve ever tasted.

We enjoy braised chicken thighs more often as a way to stockpile good food for a busy week.

After the chicken has marinated, it’s cooked in the marinade plus some wine and Asian chicken stock. When the meat is meltingly tender, we enjoy a wonderful supper. In addition we have two great products to make other meals – the chicken thighs and a rich, Asian flavored chicken sauce. (Penny often freezes a bit of that sauce to enrich the next chicken braise.)

Second Acts!

A recent batch of chicken thighs was served the first night with brown rice and fresh vegetables. The following day, leftover rice and shredded chicken became a wok full of fried rice (shown above). As a last act, the remaining chicken appeared in a frittata for Sunday brunch (shown below).

Bonus Points for Braising

It can make entertaining a breeze because a braised dish is often better a day or two after you make it. The cook can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying guests.

One year we made braised turkey for the holidays and cut back the work on the day of the meal.

The best cuts of meat for braising are the inexpensive ones. If they're on the bone, it adds to the flavor and, by the end of cooking, the meat will be falling-off-the-bone tender.

Removing excess fat can make a braise a healthier option allowing you to include a lot of vegetables to balance your plate.

A braise fills your home with lovely, warm, comforting aromas – just what you need on a stormy day.

Finally, as Michael Ruhlman writes in his book Ruhlman's Twenty, “Another great facet of braising is that it’s easy. Anyone can do it and do it well. It’s not like decorating a cake or boning a chicken in one piece. Everyone can get a pan hot, get a good sear on a piece of meat, add some liquid to the pan, slip it in the oven, and then find something else to do for hours.”

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2008-2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

(Adapted for BostonZest from one of our Fresh & Local newspaper columns.)

November 29, 2017
Comfort Food, Ground Turkey Stew
Once one of us is on the mend from a cold and ready to move on from chicken soup, I like to make a big pot of my Ground Turkey Stew. It's hot, filling, comforting, and gets better after a day in the refrigerator.

As with most stews, the exact quantities are not set in stone, you can double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd. You can add other vegetables if you like. You can leave out anything you don't like.

It starts with one package of ground turkey – whatever type you like. For my version, you'll also need Bell's Poultry Seasoning, salt, pepper, olive oil, 1 medium onion, 3 stalks of celery, 4 medium potatoes, 4 medium carrots, 14 ozs. of low sodium chicken stock, frozen peas, parsley, and 2 scallions.
- Saute the chopped celery and onion in olive oil in a big pan.
- Remove the onion and celery and brown the turkey in the same pan adding more olive oil if your turkey is very lean. Season the meat with 1.5 teaspoons of poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Break up the turkey into bite size pieces. (I often use a potato masher to break up ground meat like this.)
- Peel and slice the carrots and potatoes into bite-size pieces. If I use red potatoes, I scrub them and leave the peels in place.
- Return the celery and onion mix to the pan, add the chicken stock, carrots, and potatoes.
- Cook until the potatoes are done. Adjust the seasoning with another 1.5 teaspoons of poultry seasoning (or more if you like) plus salt and pepper.
- Add frozen peas and stir in until thawed and warm.
- At this point, I usually pick out and mash a few pieces of potato and stir them into the pan to thicken the broth.
- Add sliced scallion and chopped parsley as a final fresh layer of flavor.
Let us know if you try this dish, and tell us how you adapted it to make it your own.

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Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny Cherubino

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February 11, 2013
Comfort Food, Ground Turkey Stew
Once one of us is on the mend from a cold and ready to move on from chicken soup, I like to make a big pot of my Ground Turkey Stew. It's hot, filling, comforting, and gets better after a day in the refrigerator.

As with most stews, the exact quantities are not set in stone, you can double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd. You can add other vegetables if you like. You can leave out anything you don't like.

It starts with one package of ground turkey – whatever type you like. For my version, you'll also need Bell's Poultry Seasoning, salt, pepper, olive oil, 1 medium onion, 3 stalks of celery, 4 medium potatoes, 4 medium carrots, 14 ozs. of low sodium chicken stock, frozen peas, parsley, and 2 scallions.
- Saute the chopped celery and onion in olive oil in a big pan.
- Remove the onion and celery and brown the turkey in the same pan adding more olive oil if your turkey is very lean. Season the meat with 1.5 teaspoons of poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Break up the turkey into bite size pieces. (I often use a potato masher to break up ground meat like this.)
- Peel and slice the carrots and potatoes into bite-size pieces. If I use red potatoes, I scrub them and leave the peels in place.
- Return the celery and onion mix to the pan, add the chicken stock, carrots, and potatoes.
- Cook until the potatoes are done. Adjust the seasoning with another 1.5 teaspoons of poultry seasoning (or more if you like) plus salt and pepper.
- Add frozen peas and stir in until thawed and warm.
- At this point, I usually pick out and mash a few pieces of potato and stir them into the pan to thicken the broth.
- Add sliced scallion and chopped parsley as a final fresh layer of flavor.
Let us know if you try this dish, and tell us how you adapted it to make it your own.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny Cherubino

Related articles

Lamb and Winter Vegetable Stew

Chunky Vegetable Stew

Chicken-Chickpea-Potato Soup

Chicken Soup for a Sick Friend

Lamb Burgers from Our New Meat Grinder
February 11, 2013
Comfort Food, Ground Turkey Stew
Once one of us is on the mend from a cold and ready to move on from chicken soup, I like to make a big pot of my Ground Turkey Stew. It's hot, filling, comforting, and gets better after a day in the refrigerator.

As with most stews, the exact quantities are not set in stone, you can double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd. You can add other vegetables if you like. You can leave out anything you don't like.

It starts with one package of ground turkey – whatever type you like. For my version, you'll also need Bell's Poultry Seasoning, salt, pepper, olive oil, 1 medium onion, 3 stalks of celery, 4 medium potatoes, 4 medium carrots, 14 ozs. of low sodium chicken stock, frozen peas, parsley, and 2 scallions.
- Saute the chopped celery and onion in olive oil in a big pan.
- Remove the onion and celery and brown the turkey in the same pan adding more olive oil if your turkey is very lean. Season the meat with 1.5 teaspoons of poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Break up the turkey into bite size pieces. (I often use a potato masher to break up ground meat like this.)
- Peel and slice the carrots and potatoes into bite-size pieces. If I use red potatoes, I scrub them and leave the peels in place.
- Return the celery and onion mix to the pan, add the chicken stock, carrots, and potatoes.
- Cook until the potatoes are done. Adjust the seasoning with another 1.5 teaspoons of poultry seasoning (or more if you like) plus salt and pepper.
- Add frozen peas and stir in until thawed and warm.
- At this point, I usually pick out and mash a few pieces of potato and stir them into the pan to thicken the broth.
- Add sliced scallion and chopped parsley as a final fresh layer of flavor.
Let us know if you try this dish, and tell us how you adapted it to make it your own.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping list? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny Cherubino

Related articles

Lamb and Winter Vegetable Stew

Chunky Vegetable Stew

Chicken-Chickpea-Potato Soup

Chicken Soup for a Sick Friend

Lamb Burgers from Our New Meat Grinder
February 11, 2013
A Sprinkle of Urfa Pepper…

Urfa Biber or Urfa pepper is one of those spices I kept seeing in Turkish recipes. Then I noticed it on Formaggio Kitchen's website. That made sense because owner Ihsan Gurdhal is from Istanbul and an expert in Turkish cuisine. In her book, Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, Chef Ana Sortum of Oleana says he's the one who introduced her to it.

When I saw a bag of it at Arax Market in Watertown, I knew I had to give it a try. I gave part of my supply to a cooking friend so we could both play with it and compare notes. "They are simultaneously bitter like coffee or chocolate and sweet like molasses, and they lend a wonderful, deep, smoky aroma to sauces," Chef Sortum writes.

It looks a bit like rich, oily coffee grounds with a rusty red tint. It is an afterburner chili giving you a mild introduction with a kick on the finish. It is wonderful with eggplant. A spinkle will add a lift to a tray of roasted root vegetables. And, I added a dash to some leftover pork for a second night supper.

In Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, Chef Sortum features Urfa as one of her favorite chili peppers, along with Aleppo pepper and paprika.

Urfa Tip:

Notice that my work board is protected with a piece of parchment and my Urfa is in a glass jar. This is a spice, like tumeric, that could be used as a dye. It will stain your counter, clothing, or hands. It even left stains on a small aluminum scoop I was using with it. And the natural scallop shell in the first photo now has an orangy interior. Use it with this caution in mind.

If you try Urfa pepper, be sure to let us know how you like it and what recipes you explored.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

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Eastern Turkey's ancient wonders

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Cook's Treasure: Sautéed Onions and Garlic

January 30, 2013
A Sprinkle of Urfa Pepper…

Urfa Biber or Urfa pepper is one of those spices I kept seeing in Turkish recipes. Then I noticed it on Formaggio Kitchen's website. That made sense because owner Ihsan Gurdhal is from Istanbul and an expert in Turkish cuisine. In her book, Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, Chef Ana Sortum of Oleana says he's the one who introduced her to it.

When I saw a bag of it at Arax Market in Watertown, I knew I had to give it a try. I gave part of my supply to a cooking friend so we could both play with it and compare notes. "They are simultaneously bitter like coffee or chocolate and sweet like molasses, and they lend a wonderful, deep, smoky aroma to sauces," Chef Sortum writes.

It looks a bit like rich, oily coffee grounds with a rusty red tint. It is an afterburner chili giving you a mild introduction with a kick on the finish. It is wonderful with eggplant. A spinkle will add a lift to a tray of roasted root vegetables. And, I added a dash to some leftover pork for a second night supper.

In Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, Chef Sortum features Urfa as one of her favorite chili peppers, along with Aleppo pepper and paprika.

Urfa Tip:

Notice that my work board is protected with a piece of parchment and my Urfa is in a glass jar. This is a spice, like tumeric, that could be used as a dye. It will stain your counter, clothing, or hands. It even left stains on a small aluminum scoop I was using with it. And the natural scallop shell in the first photo now has an orangy interior. Use it with this caution in mind.

If you try Urfa pepper, be sure to let us know how you like it and what recipes you explored.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Your Questions: The 10 Essential Spices for Stocking Your Pantry

Introducing Julia: Cheesemonger, Teacher and Buyer of Chocolate, Tea, Jam, Honey and Spices!

Eastern Turkey's ancient wonders

We Recommend Drinking Boston (The Book!)

Cook's Treasure: Sautéed Onions and Garlic

January 30, 2013
A Sprinkle of Urfa Pepper…

Urfa Biber or Urfa pepper is one of those spices I kept seeing in Turkish recipes. Then I noticed it on Formaggio Kitchen's website. That made sense because owner Ihsan Gurdhal is from Istanbul and an expert in Turkish cuisine. In her book, Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, Chef Ana Sortum of Oleana says he's the one who introduced her to it.

When I saw a bag of it at Arax Market in Watertown, I knew I had to give it a try. I gave part of my supply to a cooking friend so we could both play with it and compare notes. "They are simultaneously bitter like coffee or chocolate and sweet like molasses, and they lend a wonderful, deep, smoky aroma to sauces," Chef Sortum writes.

It looks a bit like rich, oily coffee grounds with a rusty red tint. It is an afterburner chili giving you a mild introduction with a kick on the finish. It is wonderful with eggplant. A spinkle will add a lift to a tray of roasted root vegetables. And, I added a dash to some leftover pork for a second night supper.

In Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean, Chef Sortum features Urfa as one of her favorite chili peppers, along with Aleppo pepper and paprika.

Urfa Tip:

Notice that my work board is protected with a piece of parchment and my Urfa is in a glass jar. This is a spice, like tumeric, that could be used as a dye. It will stain your counter, clothing, or hands. It even left stains on a small aluminum scoop I was using with it. And the natural scallop shell in the first photo now has an orangy interior. Use it with this caution in mind.

If you try Urfa pepper, be sure to let us know how you like it and what recipes you explored.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List? Shop Amazon for all your kitchen & dining needs and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2013 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Your Questions: The 10 Essential Spices for Stocking Your Pantry

Introducing Julia: Cheesemonger, Teacher and Buyer of Chocolate, Tea, Jam, Honey and Spices!

Eastern Turkey's ancient wonders

We Recommend Drinking Boston (The Book!)

Cook's Treasure: Sautéed Onions and Garlic

January 30, 2013