[Sca-cooks] Salting Your Turkey & Stuffing recipes

[Liz Courts]

Some people on another list requested this info, but I thought I'd share 
with everybody. :-)

 From "The Food of Portugal" by Jean Anderson

Maria Eugenia Cerqueira da Mota's Roast Stuffed Turkey
-----
A small fresh turkey weighing about 10 lbs.
2 lbs. salt
    For the stuffing:
      2 lg. garlic cloves, peeled and minced
      1/4 lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter
      3 tbsp. olive oil
      1 lb. rough Portuguese, French or Italian bread, broken into small 
chunks (about 2 15" loaves)
      1/2 tsp. salt
      1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
      3 1/2 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade)
      2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

1.) Remove giblets from turkey. (Save for Baked Rice, below!)
2.) Fill neck & body cavities with salt, then rub down well with salt.
3.) Place turkey & remaining salt in a very large deep kettle (we've 
used a canning pot)
4.) Add enough cold water to cover the bird only.
5.) Set in a cool spot 3-4 hours.

Make the stuffing while the bird is soaking!
a.) In a large heavy kettle over moderate heat, saute garlic in the 
butter & olive oil about 5 minutes until limp.
b.) Add bread, salt, and pepper and toss well.
c.) Add the chicken broth add beat hard with a wooden spoon until the 
mixture is pastelike.
d.) Turn heat to its lowest point, cover the kettle, and let steam 15 to 
20 minutes, until the bread has absorbed all the liquid.
e.) Add egg yolks and beat hard until smooth.
f.) Remove from heat and reserve.

6.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees
7.) Drain turkey, rinse VERY WELL, removing every bit of salt from the 
neck & cavity.
8.) Place bird on counter with neck cavity facing you, separate skin 
from the breast (slowly and gently, not tearing the skin!!)
9.) With whatever pasty-style stuffing that you have made, proceed to 
place stuffing in between the skin & the meat.
10.) Fill neck cavity with the stuffing and truss bird and place in 
shallow roasting pan (no rack needed) breast-up.
11.) Roast uncovered for about 2 1/2 hours or until bird is richly 
browned and leg moves easily. DO NOT BASTE.
12.) Remove from oven & let stand 20 minutes, then serve & drool.

Baked Rice (Arroz de Forno)
-----
The giblets of 1 turkey or roasting chicken, minced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
3 cups boiling water

Preheat oven to hot (400 degrees F). In a lg heavy saucepan set over 
moderate heat, saute the giblets and onion in the butter and olive oil 
about 5 minutes until onion is golden; add salt and pepper, turn heat 
down to low, cover, and let steam 20 minutes. Stir in the rice, then the 
boiling water. Transfer to a buttered 2-qt casserole and bake uncovered 
about 45 minutes until all water is absorbed and the top is lightly 
browned. Fork up the rice and serve.

Makes 6-8 servings
NOTE: This is about the only way you'll get me to eat giblets.

Sausage Apple Stuffing
-----
1 lb. pork sausage (maple is best)
3 lg. apples, peeled, cored and chopped (Fujis or Galas are best)
1 lg. onion, chopped (any will do - red makes the dish a bit more colorful)
1 cup chopped celery
4 cups fresh bread crumbs
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. poultry seasoning

1. In a 4 qt. saucepan over medium heat, cook sausage meat until 
browned, breaking apart with a fork. Remove meat to a medium-sized bowl.
2. Pour off all but 1/4 cup of the drippings. In drippings over medium 
heat, cook apples, onion and celery until celery is tender, about 10 
minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Add sausage meat and remaining ingredients. Stir 
until well mixed.

Yield: approximately 6 1/4 cups
Prep/Cook Time: 45 minutes

NOTE: I have eliminated the eggs and breadcrumbs and it still tasted 
fine. I tend to substitute the poultry seasoning for my own blend of 
spices & herbs.

Enjoy!

In Service to the Stomachs of the Knowne World,
Ignia il Nomade