IF you don’t feel like roasting a big turkey for Thanksgiving, or want to try a great dish for holiday entertaining, you might want to try my Stuffed Turkey Rolls. I pack these turkey cutlets with my Savory Stuffing, roll them up, and secure them with kitchen twine. The finished rolls are sliced and fanned out on a plate to make a beautiful presentation, and you can serve them with cranberry chutney or cranberry sauce for a nice added touch.
Because I marinate the turkey before cooking, it’s juicy and flavorful. The selenium in turkey can increase your resistance to infection. The red wine (I use a Pinot Noir) adds a bit of resveratrol to the selenium’s antioxidant power.
Stuffed Turkey Rolls
SERVES 6
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
2 Tbs. red wine
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
6 turkey cutlets or butterflied turkey breasts
1 recipe Savory Stuffing
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. olive oil
1. To make the marinade, combine the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, red wine, salt, and pepper in a large re-sealable plastic bag.
2. Add the turkey cutlets to the bag. Squeeze out the air, seal the bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
3. Remove cutlets, reserving the marinade. Pat each cutlet dry with paper towels.
4. On a work surface, lay one cutlet so it slightly overlaps a second one. Pound the seam together with a mallet. You should have one fairly large, thin turkey round. Repeat with the remaining cutlets until you have 3 rounds.
5. Spread about 1/2 cup of Savory Stuffing evenly onto each turkey round, smoothing almost to the edge. Roll up the turkey, pinwheel style, and secure with kitchen twine.
6. Heat the butter and olive oil in a heavy bottomed sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey rolls and sear until a golden crust develops, about 1–2 minutes per side.
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place turkey rolls in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Spoon the reserved marinade and any remaining stuffing around the rolls. Cover with foil and bake until the turkey is cooked through, about 20–30 minutes.
8. Before serving, remove the twine and cut each turkey roll into 5 slices.
9. Serve with a cranberry sauce or cranberry chutney if desired.
Savory Stuffing
Homemade croutons, fresh celery and onion give this stuffing its unique flavor and texture. It can also be served on its own as a side dish if you spread the stuffing in a greased baking dish and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
YIELDS 2-3 cups
4 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 lb. ground turkey
2 slices cubed whole-wheat bread
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup turkey or chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped celery
1. Heat 3 Tbs. of the olive oil in a large pan over medium high-heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the ground turkey and cook until done. Set aside.
3. To make the croutons, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season the bread cubes with the salt and pepper, drizzle with the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil and the Italian seasoning, bake at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.
4. Add the broth, croutons, celery, and sausages, if using, to the turkey mixture and mix well. Season to taste.
Shrimp and Moringa Curry
Shrimp and coconut milk are a classic Asian combination. I’ve added moringa powder to this very mild dish in order to increase the health benefits. If you want to dial up the heat a notch or two, use Serrano or other hot peppers in place of the mild red Anaheim chilies. If desired, serve over brown or jasmine rice.
Ingredients:
1⁄4 cup peanut oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 inch peeled and thinly sliced gingerroot
1⁄2 cup sliced red onion
2 red Anaheim chilies, seeded and cut into strips
1 can (19 oz.) coconut milk
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 lb. peeled tiger shrimp (devein, if desired)
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
1 Tbs. moringa powder dissolved in 1 Tbs. warm water
1. Heat the peanut oil in a nonreactive saucepan, such as copper or enamel-coated cast iron, over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and onion slices and sauté for 5 minutes.
2. Add the chilies and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the coconut milk, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add the bell pepper, shrimp, salt, pepper, and Moring a powder and simmer for 5 minutes.
