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Turkey dinner on the fly
By JANET K. KEELER © St. Petersburg Times, published November 19, 2000
If this is news to you, come out from under that rock and embrace the quick and easy way to pull together the year's big feast. Maybe you've forgotten that you invited another couple for dinner. Perhaps work has been so crazy you've not had time to worry about turkey and the fixings for the family. Whatever the reason, you've still got time to pull off a lovely dinner by dressing up convenience items with innovation. Act quickly, though; otherwise you'll even be too late to make reservations. Jot these two words at the top of your shopping list: turkey breast. It defrosts and cooks quicker than an entire bird, plus a whole one will feed about 5 people. Plan on 1 pound per person, which includes enough for leftovers. It takes 24 hours per 5 pounds for a frozen turkey to defrost in the refrigerator. Even if you put off shopping until Tuesday evening, a turkey breast will thaw in time. (If you've still got your heart set on a 20-pound turkey, get to the store now. You might have luck with a fresh turkey if you contact a butcher shop Monday.) The classic method of roasting a turkey, whole or breast, is in a low heat (325 degrees) oven in a shallow, open roasting pan fitted with a rack. Don't add water or broth to the pan; don't put foil over it to prevent drying out; don't baste it.
The problem with cooking turkey is that there are no hard rules, just guidelines. Cooking times are inexact, 20 minutes per pound more or less and depending on the age of the bird, whether it is stuffed or not and your oven. To be safe, put a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the breast, not touching bone, before you put the bird in the oven. Take the meat out when the thermometer registers between 170 and 180 degrees. Because white meat cooks more quickly than dark, the breast meat is often dry. When cooking a turkey breast, you should get moist meat because you won't have to wait for the dark meat to completely cook. Remember, frozen turkeys come with instructions; read them. For a simple turkey breast, I salt and pepper the skin and cavity, and dot the skin with butter. Roast in a 325 degree oven, basting with the pan juices two or three times during the cooking cycle. If after an hour the skin looks too brown, tent with foil, expert advice notwithstanding. This won't keep the meat from drying out, but it prevents the skin from charring. The only thing that prevents the meat from drying is not overcooking; use the meat thermometer. A more elegant treatment is to glaze the turkey breast in the last 15 minutes of cooking with melted orange marmalade mixed with Dijon mustard. The sugar from the marmalade will cause the skin to brown quickly, so it's important to wait until the last minutes to glaze. Most people can't tell the difference between stuffing made from scratch and stuffing made with prepared mixes. Those bags of seasoned cubes, from Arnold or Pepperidge Farms, can be embellished with a variety of ingredients including apples and raisins, chopped chestnuts, sauteed sliced mushroom or raw cranberries. Chopped celery and onions are standard additions, adding crunch and flavor. Look on the bag for other ideas. The stuffing can be made the night before, but bring it to room temperature before baking. Because you aren't making a whole turkey, you won't get much pan drippings for gravy. Never fear, buy a packet of turkey gravy mix and add whatever drippings you have and low-sodium chicken broth in place of the called-for water. You can make mushroom gravy by adding thinly sliced sauteed mushrooms. The gravy should be made close to mealtime; otherwise it will get gluey. Some swear by instant potatoes, but you'll get more flavor and texture from fresh potatoes. For Chive Mashed Potatoes, evaporated milk instead of regular milk results in rich, creamy potatoes. Peel the spuds the night before, cover with water and store in the refrigerator. This will save time on turkey day. If you only make one thing from scratch, let it be your cranberry sauce. Canned sauce, jellied or whole berry, is often watery, and the taste is not as vibrant as that of homemade. Cranberry-Orange Relish is simply fresh cranberries, sugar, orange zest and water brought to a simmer and cooked for about 5 minutes. That's it. Make it tonight, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, and by Thanksgiving you'll have a thick, eye-catching accompaniment. Complete your meal with Gingered Carrots and Sunshine Citrus Salad. A bag of baby peeled carrots is blanched and then sauteed with butter and ground ginger. Beats peeling and slicing whole carrots, doesn't it? For the salad, bagged field greens provide the base for mandarin oranges, chopped pecans and thinly sliced shallots. Don't be tempted to use any other onions such as Vidalia, Spanish or green. The delicate shallot provides just enough bite. Dress with a store-bought citrus vinaigrette. This salad can be made in a large bowl and then served on chilled salad plates for a pretty presentation. To round out your meal, put together a sweet and savory relish tray of olives, sweet pickles, celery and carrot sticks, and buy some rolls. For dessert, store-bought pumpkin and pecan pies, fresh or frozen, will fit the bill. If you are feeling energetic, try your hand at Crunchy Pear Cheesecake. Pears are a fall fruit and are a tasty change from the ubiquitous pumpkin. Make it Wednesday and refrigerate overnight. Go on, now. Make your list. The grocery store beckons.
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