Turkey Cantonese Recipes

HONEY GLAZED CANTONESE TURKEY

Steps:

• First, thaw your turkey. Make sure you provide plenty of time for this step. It's best to let your turkey thaw overnight in the kitchen sink a couple of days before Thanksgiving (if it's frozen solid) or the day before you're going to cook it (preferably the morning, as it will still need to marinate). When the turkey is completely thawed, remove it from the wrapper, and if the inside of the turkey is still frozen, run some warm water into the cavity and let it sit for a few more hours to thaw. If you're in a hurry, you can soak the turkey in lukewarm water to aid the thawing process.
• This is the single most important step to ensuring your turkey cooks evenly. Be sure to also remove the giblet package in the cavity and thoroughly rinse the cavity and outside of the turkey. Next, drain all of the water from the cavity, and pat the whole turkey dry with paper towels. You can also let it drip dry on a rack.
• Make the marinade by mixing together ¼ cup ground bean sauce, 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce, 4 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon finely minced shallot, 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger, 1½ tablespoons salt, 3 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, and 1 teaspoon five spice powder.
• Rub the turkey down inside and out with the marinade, ensuring all surfaces are thoroughly coated. Work the marinade under the skin where possible. If you think you have too much marinade, use the surplus amount in the cavity. Finish the turkey by placing the Chinese dried tangerine peels into the cavity.
• Place the turkey in a roasting pan, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, take the turkey out 3 hours prior to roasting to bring it up to room temperature.
• When you're ready to cook the turkey, line the roasting pan with the 3 pounds of chopped potatoes and the chopped leek. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables, breast side down. (We're going to flip it later).
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, and arrange an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. While that's happening, prepare the glaze. Mix together ⅓ cup hot water, 2 teaspoons red Zhejiang vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of honey. Set aside.
• Roast your Cantonese turkey for 30 minutes. Then use a basting brush to glaze the turkey with your honey mixture and rotate the pan 180 degrees. Roast for another 30 minutes, and give the turkey another basting with the glaze.
• Remove the turkey from the oven, and lower the temperature to 325 degrees F. Using a clean kitchen towel and a sturdy roasting fork, flip the turkey breast-side up. Carefully brush off any vegetables that may be stuck to the turkey, taking care not to damage the skin on the breast.
• Roast the turkey at the lower temperature for another hour and 5 minutes (for a 13 pound turkey) to an hour and a half (for a 15 pound turkey). Glaze the turkey every 15 minutes, and rotate the pan halfway through the second block of roasting time. If the turkey is browning too much, tent it lightly with aluminum foil.
• The surest way to check if your turkey is cooked through is to use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature of the thigh should register 165 degrees and the juices should run clear (not pink).
• When your turkey is done, transfer it to a serving plate, cover it lightly with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the potatoes and leeks out of the pan. Serve them as-is, or make them into a delicious side of roasted mashed potatoes (just add milk, butter, and salt to taste). Lastly, pour the pan drippings through a fine mesh strainer into a fat separator to make the gravy.

CANTONESE-STYLE TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove turkey from refrigerator and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack in a roasting pan and allow turkey to come to room temperature while you prepare the sauce.
• Swirl 3 tablespoons oil into a wok or large Dutch oven and set over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add scallions, leeks and celery and cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften and cook down, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Add soybean sauce, orange peel, sugar, rice wine or sherry, white pepper, soy sauce and oyster sauce to the vegetable mixture, along with 2 cups water. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and allow mixture to simmer and thicken, 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 20 minutes.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Spoon 1 cup of the sauce over turkey and spoon 2 tablespoons into its cavity. Tuck the tips of the wings under the bird and truss its legs together with kitchen string. Pour remaining sauce and 2 cups water into roasting pan and transfer to oven. Roast turkey, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven to 325 degrees. Baste turkey with pan juices, and tent it with foil. Continue roasting another 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees. If pan starts to look dry, add hot water or turkey or chicken stock, if you have any, 1 cup at a time.
• Transfer turkey to a cutting board or platter and let rest at least 30 minutes before carving. Pour pan drippings into a small pot, adding enough warm water or stock to equal 1 cup, and keep warm on the stove.
• Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Grease a large sheet pan with 1 tablespoon oil, and arrange halved potatoes on the pan, cut side down. Season with salt and black pepper, and slide potatoes into the oven. Cook, undisturbed, until potatoes are tender and cut sides are nicely browned and crisped, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Remove pan from the oven, drizzle reserved drippings all over potatoes, toss and return to the oven to finish cooking, 5 minutes longer. Serve potatoes with turkey.

PEKING-STYLE ROAST TURKEY WITH MOLASSES-SOY GLAZE AND ORANGE-GINGER GRAVY

Steps:

• Steam the turkey:
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Season the inside of the turkey with salt and pepper and tie the legs together. In the bottom of a large pot fitted with a small round rack or crumpled foil, bring 8 cups water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and lower the turkey into the pot. Cover and steam for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in 1/2 cup orange juice, soy sauce, molasses, vinegar, and 5-spice powder. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the glaze is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Roast the turkey:
• In a large roasting pan, toss the scallions, celery, and reserved orange peels with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Fit a roasting rack over the vegetables and place the turkey on top. Brush all over with the glaze, lower oven to 350°F, and roast the turkey, basting every 20 minutes, until a thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 165°F, about 2 hours. If the turkey is browning too quickly, tent with a piece of foil. Let the turkey rest about 20 minutes before carving.
• Make the gravy:
• While the turkey is cooking, in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the turkey neck, gizzard, and liver and cook until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes, flipping occasionally; season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium and add the shallot, garlic, ginger, cloves, star anise, and allspice, and cook until the vegetables are softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the stock is flavorful and slightly reduced, about 1 hour. Strain the broth into a large clean saucepan and set aside on the stovetop to keep warm.
• In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until butter mixture is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until gravy is thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Once the turkey has been removed from the roasting pan, strain the drippings into the pot with the gravy, discarding the solids. Place the roasting pan over two burners over medium-high heat. Pour in the wine and orange juice and bring to a boil. Scrape up brown bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until reduced, about 1 minute. Pour pan juices into the gravy. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the turkey.

THANKSGIVING TURKEY CONGEE

Steps:

• Place dried scallops and dried mushrooms in a bowl; pour in hot water to cover and let stand to rehydrate, about 10 minutes. Rinse and drain rice; set aside.
• Separate any meat from bones of turkey carcass; set aside. Place bones and 9 cups hot water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Drain mushrooms and scallops; squeeze out any excess water. Break scallops into smaller pieces; slice mushrooms thinly.
• Stir scallops, mushrooms, rice, and turkey meat into the stockpot; reduce heat to allow congee to simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally for a smooth congee, until rice is tender and congee is thick, about 2 hours. If you like a thinner congee, stir in hot water a few tablespoons at a time.
• Ladle congee into individual bowls; top each bowl with cilantro, green onions, ginger, peanuts, red onion, sesame oil, and white pepper as desired.

TURKEY CANTONESE

Steps:

• In a large frying pan, melt the butter and saute the celery and carrots.
• Combine the next next 6 ingredients and mix until well blended.
• Stir into vegetables and simmer over medium heat until mixture thickens slightly, stirring constantly.
• Stir in remaining ingredients.
• Cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes.
• Serve over rice.

CHINESE PORRIDGE (CONGEE OR JOOK)

Steps:

• Place rice into a container and cover with several inches of cool water; let soak 8 hours to overnight. Drain.
• Soak dried mushrooms in a bowl of warm water until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and slice into strips.
• Bring 4 cups water and drained rice to a boil in a pot. Cook until rice breaks down into a thick and mushy consistency, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a slow cooker.
• Bring 4 cups water and turkey carcass to a boil in a large pot. Simmer until broth forms, about 45 minutes. Skim fat from the surface of the broth.
• Strain turkey broth into the slow cooker. Pull meat off the carcass and shred; transfer to a bowl. Mix in soy sauce. Discard turkey bones.
• Stir mushrooms, 1 cup boiling water, garlic, salted turnip, and ginger into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours.
• Soak dried bean curd in a bowl of warm water until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with running water. Break up bean curd into bite-sized pieces.
• Stir bean curd pieces into the slow cooker. Cook on High for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon congee into individual bowls. Top with 2 tablespoons of turkey meat and peanuts.

TURKEY LETTUCE WRAPS ( PF CHANG )

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground turkey and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the turkey as it cooks; drain excess fat.
• Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and Sriracha until onions have become translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in diced chestnuts and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style.