Beyond the Griddle: Fashionable French Toast
tips, techniques, and recipes.

COOKING GLOSSARY

GAIL GRECO

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Introduction | Tips and Techniques | Preparation | Cooking | Carving and Serving

Recipes:
Fruit and Couscous Stuffing | Chestnut and Sausage Stuffing | Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast with Rosemary Apple Salsa

When thawing a frozen turkey, allow it to sit in the refrigerator wrapped for two or three days (24 hours per 5 pounds).

Do not defrost the poultry at room temperature as food-borne disease-causing bacteria thrive at this temperature.

Remove the wrapping and either discard the neck and giblets or use them to make a gravy or soup stock.

Using cold water, wash the entire turkey inside and out, making sure there are no frozen areas that would cause uneven cooking. Drain the bird and dry well with paper towels. Drying the bird well makes it easier to handle, and allows seasoning rubs to stick better to the flesh.

Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, remove fat deposits at the mouth of the cavity.

When you are ready to cook the bird, if applying an herb rub or butter, (see Entertaining Ideas for our suggestions), loosen the skin with your hands, working your fingers between the breast and skin. Spread the rub evenly under the breast and down the thighs and legs, avoiding any large deposits in one spot. The skin is very pliable, so don't be afraid to get your fingers in there for even coverage. If you have any rub leftover, you can use it on the outside of the bird for added flavor, or keep it for basting.

Never stuff or dress (means the same thing) a bird until just before you roast. This will prevent the chance of contamination by any bacteria still lurking in the cavity.

Figure on 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of bird.

Stuffings can be made on the stovetop instead of inside the bird. If you do this, flavor the cavity by filling it with quartered onions and ribs of celery.

If your stuffing recipe is for cooking inside the turkey, but you wish to do it separately in the oven, the general rule of thumb is to add 1/4 to 1 cup chicken broth to keep it moist while it bakes.

Be daring. Add interesting flavors to your favorite stuffing recipe using anything from marsala to port or sage to lemon thyme. Stuffing combinations are endless. See the recipes at the end of this section for inspiration.

Stuff the cavity and neck area loosely; overpacking leaves no room for expansion as the turkey cooks, raising the probability that the stuffing in the center will not cook evenly.

After spooning the stuffing into the cavity, prepare to truss the bird. You will need kitchen string and a sharp knife.

Make 1/2-inch wide incisions in the flaps on either side of the stuffing-filled cavity.

Tie a piece of twine securely around one leg and thread it through both flaps. Pull the string taught and pass it around the first leg again. Loop the string around the other leg, tighten, and then tie the two legs together securely. Here, we show you how this is done using a trussing needle, available at kitchen-supply stores.

Instead of stuffing and trussing as we show here, you can also simply stuff the cavity and cover it with a piece of toasted bread. Bring the legs together beneath the cavity and secure by wrapping the legs with the extra flap of skin.

To assure food safety, stuffing inside the bird should reach 165° in the center.