Tasty Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes

Although when most people consider turkey variations at Thanksgiving these variations generally consist of different ways in which to roast the bird, there are actually a number of alternative ways in which turkey or turkey pieces can be cooked both very successfully and to form a very tasty meal. Whether it be that you simply fancy a little bit of a change and variety, whether it be that you are bored of the same old roast turkey, or whether it be that Thanksgiving dinner this year is only for one or two and a whole turkey is impractical, the recipes which follow on this page will hopefully provide some different options from the traditional to be tried either at Thanksgiving or at any other time of the year.

This is a recipe which came about simply because I had cooked fish this way the previous evening for my food blog. We have all heard of chicken in breadcrumbs but although I do not for one second presume it has never been done before, I do not personally recall ever hearing of turkey being cooked in this fashion. I therefore deemed to give it a try, see what the result was - and will definitely be making it again!

Ingredients (Per Person)

1 quarter-pound turkey breast steak
2 medium potatoes
1 large carrot
2 tbsp frozen peas
2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sunflower oil for roasting and frying

Method

The first step is to wash and chop the potatoes - but not peel them - in to approximately one inch cubes. Put them in to a large pan of boiling, salted water and simmer them for fifteen minutes. When the potatoes are on, add enough sunflower oil to a roasting tin to cover the tin to about a depth of an eighth of an inch and place the tray in the oven, turning the oven on to preheat to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6.

When the oven is heated, drain the potatoes well and carefully add them to the tray of hot oil. Beware of oil splashing upwards. Shake them around gently to coat them in oil and return the tray to the oven for fifteen minutes, removing to stir the potatoes around again half way through this time.

Scrape and chop the carrot in to discs around one eighth of an inch thick. Add them to boiling salted water and simmer for ten to fifteen minutes. Beat the egg in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Spread the breadcrumbs out on a dinner plate and firstly draw the turkey breast steak through the egg mixture before patting in the breadcrumbs on both sides. Repeat this process, if necessary.

Bring a little sunflower oil up to a medium heat in a non-stick saucepan and fry the turkey breast on a medium heat for four to five minutes each side until the breadcrumbs are golden and the turkey is fully cooked.

Around three minutes before the carrots should be ready, add the peas to the pot and turn the heat up to return the water to a boil.

The turkey breast should be placed in the centre of a plate and the potatoes, carrots and peas arranged around it as shown.

This recipe is one which I came up with on the way to the supermarket to create my latest offering for this page. The only one of the ingredients which I already had in the house was frozen chicken stock and the rest were purchased at the time - from supermarket shelf to table in a matter of a couple of hours. I absolutely loved this pie and will definitely be making it again - although the aroma which filled the kitchen almost had me eating the turkey and veg without bothering making it in to a pie!

Ingredients (Serves Two)

1lb diced turkey thigh
1 red bell pepper (de-seeded and chopped in to approx. 1" squares)
2 large closed cup mushrooms (quartered)
1 pint fresh chicken stock (pre-heated)
5oz puff pastry
10 to 12 baby new potatoes
1 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro/coriander for pie and 1 tsp of same for potatoes
1 clove of garlic
Butter
A little milk for glazing the pie
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

The first step is to seal the diced turkey in a dry pot. Put the pot on the stove at a medium to high heat. Add the turkey and nothing else. Stir it constantly with a wooden spoon until all the pieces have changed colour and sealed. At this point, add the de-seeded and chopped red pepper and the mushrooms. Stir well and allow to fry for around thirty seconds before adding the hot chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for twenty minutes. Add the chopped cilantro/coriander, season and stir well.

The turkey, veg and stock should then all be added to a 10" x 5" ashet (pie dish) as shown and the oven put on to pre-heat to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6. The pastry should be rolled out to an extent capable of covering the dish on a floured board. Take care not to use too much flour as this will dry the pastry and cause it to crack during cooking. The edges of the ashet should then be very lightly greased with butter and the pastry placed on top. The pastry should then be very lightly glazed with milk and a "+" shaped hole should be made in the top of the pie, to allow steam to escape during cooking. The pie should then be placed in the hot oven for thirty to thirty-five minutes, until the pastry has turned golden.

When the pie is in the oven, the potatoes should be put in to boiling, salted water for around half an hour. They should then be drained well and returned to the pot, along with a little butter, the teaspoonful of cilantro/coriander, the crushed/grated/minced garlic clove and simply swirled around to ensure even coating.

The pie should then be removed from the oven and this delicious meal served immediately.

This is a deliciously spicy turkey recipe which should not overwhelm the natural flavour of the turkey, provided one is careful not to add too much of the Thai seven spice. I have to be honest here and state that this was supposed to be Chinese five spice baked turkey breast but - inexplicably - I must have at some time returned the empty jar of five spice to the spice rack instead of leaving it out to remind me to buy more. As I certainly was not prepared to make a return visit to the supermarket simply to buy a jar of spice, I improvised - to what I believe to be delicious effect.

Ingredients (Per Person)

1 turkey breast fillet (around 1/4lb)
1 large sweet potato
1 large carrot
Approx 1/2 tsp Thai seven spice
1 tbsp freshly chopped cilantro/corander (plus one large leaf for garnish)
3 tbsp frozen garden peas
Pinch of ground cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg

Method

Put your oven on to preheat to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6. Spread a large sheet of aluminium foil on a baking tray as shown, big enough that the turkey breast may be wrapped securely but loosely. Rub the Thai seven spice very gently in to both sides of the turkey breast and sit the breast in the centre of the foil. Note that no oil, butter or anything else is required. The turkey breast will cook simply in its own juices and the spices. Wrap the foil around the breast as loosely as possible but ensure it is airtight and when the oven is heated, pop it inside.

The sweet potato should be peeled and chopped and the carrot scraped and sliced in to discs about an eight of an inch thick. Add them to a pan of boiling, salted water and simmer for around twenty-five minutes until soft. The peas take about three minutes and should be placed in a separate pan of salted, boiling water about this long before the sweet potatoes and carrots are ready.

The turkey breast should take twenty-five to thirty minutes. After twenty-five minutes, remove it from the oven, carefully unwrap it and pierce it with a fork or skewer to ensure the juices run clear. If so, re-wrap it and leave it to rest for the few minutes it takes to prepare the mash.

Drain the sweet potatoes and carrots well and return them to the empty pot or a large bowl. Mash them well before adding the cinnamon or nutmeg and the cilantro/coriander and stirring thoroughly. Plate the mash in a cricle and drain the peas and arrange them around it. Sit the turkey breast on top and garnish with the reserved leaf.

A burger and fries usually inspires thoughts of junk food and either beefburgers or hamburgers. This healthy option turkey burger with fries, however, is most certainly not junk food and is a delicious way to utilise turkey either at Thanksgiving or at any other time of year.

Ingredients (Per Portion)

1/4lb ground/minced turkey
2 tsp freshly chopped cilantro/coriander
1/2 small red chilli pepper (de-seeded and very finely chopped)
1 clove of garlic (crushed or very finely chopped)
1 fresh bread roll
1 tbsp low fat soured cream
1 large maris piper potato
Sunflower oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Put the soured cream in to a small bowl with half of the chopped cilantro/coriander. Stir well, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate until required.

Pour enough oil on to a baking sheet with sides at least one inch high to completely cover it and place the baking sheet in to the oven. Put the oven on to pre-heat to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6. Peel the potato(es) and slice and then chop it/them in to the shape of French fries. When the oven is heated, remove the tray and add the potatoes, stirring them around carefully in the oil to ensure even coating. Return the tray to the oven and cook for around twenty-five minutes, removing every five minutes or so to give a further stir around.

Put the ground/minced turkey in to a bowl and add the remaining half of the chopped cilantro/coriander, the red chilli pepper, the garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Mix very well by hand and then shape in to a burger/burgers about half an inch thick. Add a little oil to a non-stick frying pan and fry the burgers on a medium heat for around seven minutes each side.

Half the bread roll and put it on a plate. Remove the fries from the oven and lift them on to dry kitchen paper with the spatula or a slotted spoon to remove the excess oil. Put the burger on the base of the roll, followed by the soured cream and place the top on. Serve with the fries on the side.