Funky Bird (AKA Southwestern Turkey Breast)
by Emeril Lagasse 2001
Brine:
1 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 c orange juice
1 c kosher salt
1 c packed light brown sugar
1 c chopped yellow onions
2 oranges, halved
2 jalepenos, minced (with the
seeds)(this recipe is NOT spicy in spite of this!!!)
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
2 TBSP chopped garlic (considerably less than he normally uses!! hehehe)
1 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican (yes, there is a noticable difference in taste--believe it or not)
1 (6 1/2 lb) whole turkey breast (I used a whole turkey might have diluted the strength a little??)
1 TBSP vegetable Oil
1TBSP Essence, recipe follows
Poblano Chocolate Mole, recipe follows--I did not make thi.
IN a large non reactive container, combine all the brine ingredients (lemon juice - oregano) with 1 gallon water and stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. Put the turkey in a large colander and rinse under cold, running water, then add turkey to the brine. Cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Remove the rutkey from the bringe and put it breast side up in a large, heavy roasting pan and pat dry with paper towels. Rub turkey with vegetable oil and sprinkle both sides with Essence. Roast until deep golden brown and an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees F (about 1 hr and 45 minutes--could be a good bit longer for WHOLE turkey). Transfer to platter and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.
Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 TBSP salt
2 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP black
pepper1 TBSP onion powder
1 TBSP cayenne
pepper1 TBSP dried leaf oregano
1 TBSP dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield : about 2/3 cup
Poblano Chocolate Mole:
1lb poblano chiles
1 lg yellow onion, peeled and halved (root end left on)
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1/2 c shelled pistachio nuts
1/2 c pumpkin
seeds1/2 c pine nuts
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black
pepper4 c chicken stock or canned low sodium chicken broth
1/2 c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 c heavy cream
To roast the
peppers, place them directly on the burners of a gas stove over medium heat and turn frequently with tongs until all sides are charred black (7-10 minutes). Alternatively, the
peppers can be roasted under a broiler. Transfer the
peppers to a paper bag, close and let cool for about 15 minutes. Peel the
peppers, remove the
seeds and stems and coarsely chop the flesh.
Roast the onion halves over medium heat (using same procedure as for the
peppers) until the cut surfaces are lightly charred and the onion is slightly softened (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and cool. Remove and discard the root ends and coarsely chop the onions.
Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the pistachios, pumpkin
seeds and the pine nuts and cook, stirring occasionally until the nuts are browned. Add the
peppers, onion, chili powder, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and
pepper and stir 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and cilantro and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 45 minutes. Add the chocolate and stir til melted. Add the cream, stir well, and simmer an additional 15 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender. Serve over the slice turkey.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook TimeL 2 hrs and 30 minutes
I bought all the ingredients then did not make this that year. Maybe I will try it this year--sounds good!!
Enjoy!! Bonnie
Episodes #: EM1E30