The "L" Word: Leftover Turkey in Posole

The first words out of Dave's mouth when I mention ordering the holiday turkey are, "Oboy! Turkey enchiladas!" That's because after we've reprised the meal the next day to use up the leftover gravy and mashed potatoes, as well as a couple of turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce, there always seems to be enough for a batch of enchiladas.

I normally use my basic chile sauce, but I got to thinking that maybe a posole rojo would be a nice change, since I've always liked the way that chiles tend to mitigate the sometimes overbearing flavor that turkey can have. Plus the smokiness from the turkey meat (thanks to Dave's mad skills with the Weber) and the stock from the carcass would lend a woodsy, hearty flavor to the corn and chiles.

In the past I've made posole as a thick stew, but thanks to the incredible soup my friend Linda Colwell made with her verde version, I decided to try something like it with red chiles. It could also be made with chicken and chicken stock, but the turkey made it so much richer, and was so good we may just have to alternate it with the enchiladas from now on. Is that OK, honey?

Turkey Posole Rojo

12 oz. dried posole or hominy
6-8 dried ancho chiles
1 onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. oregano
Salt to taste
4 c. leftover turkey, shredded
8 c. turkey or chicken stock
Juice of 1 lime

Put dried posole into non-reactive bowl or Dutch oven and cover with water. Soak overnight. Drain posole and put back in Dutch oven in enough salted water to cover. Bring to boil and simmer for at least 2 hours until softened.

Remove seeds, ribs and stems from chiles and tear into large pieces. Place in heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. After half an hour, when chiles are soft and somewhat cooled, drain them, reserving the liquid. Put chiles, onion, oregano and garlic in bowl of food processor and process, adding reserved chile-soaking liquid to make it a thick sauce. Season to taste with salt.

Add meat, chile sauce and stock to cooked hominy in Dutch oven and stir to combine. Bring to a boil on the stove, lower heat and simmer, covered, for one hour. Add water if needed to thin to desired consistency. Stir in lime juice.

Photo of uncooked posole (hominy) from the James Beard Foundation.

Protecting Your Investment and Eating Well

You may have decided that you want to taste a turkey that's closer to what our ancestors found running around the countryside, and you've ordered a heritage turkey for your table. If you're wondering how to cook this much leaner bird to get the best result from your considerable investment, Kookoolan Farms is offering a series of instructional classes on marinating, brining and using spice rubs to get the most out of your bird.

Each class will feature Chef Gareth Mark of Stumptown Savory who will prepare the turkey and side dishes, provide recipes to students and, best of all, the class will sit down for a full dinner including a wine pairing and dessert. Each three-hour class is $65 with a choice of three regional themes, Southern, Southwest and Northwest, and will take place from 6 to 9 pm at Kookoolan Farms, 15713 Highway 47 in Yamhill, Oregon. Reservations can be made by calling the farm at 503-730-7535.

• Fri., Oct 23: Southern Holiday Dinner. Buttermilk-marinated Turkey, Turkey Gravy, Cranberry-Orange Relish, Cornbread and Bacon Dressing, Candied Yams, Waldorf Salad, Greens, Pecan Pie.
• Fri., Oct 30: Southwest Holiday Dinner. Chipotle spice-rub Turkey, Turkey Gravy, Cranberry Salsa, Dressing, Whipped Chipotle Sweet Potatoes, Salad with Agave-Tequila Vinaigrette, Side dish, Dessert
• Fri., Nov 6: Northwest Holiday Dinner. Apple-Brined Turkey, Turkey Gravy, Cranberry-Apple Chutney, Sausage-Mushroom Dressing with Apple, Sage, Hazelnut, Garlic Smashers, Salad, Roasted Carrots, Butternut Squash Pie

Photo by Mike Walters.

A Man's Gotta Do What a Man's Gotta Do

The ongoing crisis in the Middle East, the struggle between mainland China and Taiwan and now the flare-up between Pakistan and India over the recent terrorist attacks? They've got nothing on the potential fireworks involved in negotiating holiday meals with the family. The delicacy and maneuvering required as must-have side dishes are put forward for consideration, old family recipes are tossed in (and out) and dietary restrictions are figured into the mix would have Hillary grabbing for her migraine pills.

Like when Dave learned we were going to my brother's for Thanksgiving dinner. Normally an invitation to his and Ms. W-'s place isn't even a question due to the depth of his liquor cabinet and the quality of his cooking. But for this occasion Dave's reaction was a look of disbelief and a cry of "But I was planning to smoke the turkey in the smoker!"

After assuring him that he could smoke a turkey the next day, leaving plenty of leftovers for turkey sandwiches and his beloved turkey enchiladas, he immediately switched into research mode, looking up which wood charcoal to use as well as the complex calculations involved in getting the temperature and timing just right.

Suffice it to say that not only did we have a wonderful holiday meal with the family that included incredible cocktails and wines, a whole grilled turkey and some great side dishes, but the next day's smoking produced a bronzed beauty (top photo) and some rocking turkey enchiladas (left).

Another year, another negotiation successfully concluded. Now to start putting out feelers for Christmas.

Dave's Favorite Turkey Enchiladas

For the sauce:
6 dried ancho chiles, seeded and torn into pieces
2 small hot red chiles, seeded and torn into pieces (optional)
3 1/2 c. boiling water
1 Tbsp. cumin seeds
2 Tbsp. (6-8) garlic cloves
4 tsp. oregano
3 Tbsp. paprika (I use 1 Tbsp. smoked Spanish pimenton and 2 Tbsp. regular paprika)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
2-4 c. roasted tomatoes (optional depending on how strong you like your enchilada sauce)

For the enchiladas:
4-6 c. cooked turkey, chopped
2 c. grated Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3 green onions, chopped
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. sauce (recipe above)
Salt to taste
8 flour tortillas

Place the torn chiles in a heat-proof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Soak for 30 min. until they are soft and pliable. Drain them, reserving the soaking water, and place them in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Add remaining ingredients and 1/2 c. soaking liquid and process till smooth, gradually adding the rest of the soaking water. Pour into saucepan and heat to simmer, then remove from heat.

Mix turkey, cheese, onions, sour cream and sauce in large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Pour 1/2 c. of sauce in bottom of 9" by 12" baking dish and spread evenly over bottom of dish. Put 1/8 of enchilada mixture down center of one tortilla and roll, placing it seam-side down in baking dish. Repeat with remaining mixture and tortillas. Pour sauce over top to cover thinly (there should be sauce left over). Bake 40 min. in 350° oven. Serve leftover sauce on side or save for use in huevos rancheros, tacos, etc.

Primitive Cooking? I'd Say Not!

Our neighbor Jim Dixon, writer, olive oil and salt importer and, now, yurt pioneer, just got a great write-up in MIX magazine. Jim sent the following to his customers and gave GSNW permission to reprint it. Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey Confit

I based this on a recipe from Saveur. It called for using the legs and wings from a whole turkey you’d cut up as an alternative to roasting intact. The breast was boned, pounded thin, stuffed with the same kind of dressing you usually make at Thanksgiving, rolled, tied, and roasted. Sounds okay, but too much work for the most boring part of the bird. I just bought some turkey thighs at New Seasons (one of the best deals in the meat case, but call ahead to make sure they have some). The ones I got were huge, from 25 lb. birds, and weighed about 2 pounds each. I also bought duck fat at New Seasons but, again, call first because they don’t always have it in stock. I’ve also seen recipes that use olive oil, and if you go that route you can save and reuse the oil for cooking.

I gave the thighs a good dusting of sea salt and freshly ground pepper on both sides. The Saveur recipe called for sage, thyme and ground bay leaf, but I wanted a more straightforward flavor. I left them in a baking pan in a single layer in the refrigerator overnight, uncovered.

I melted 3 lbs. of duck fat on the stove (it comes in one pound tubs, which are probably a little less than a quart), then carefully poured it over the thighs. They weren’t totally covered, but nearly. The pan, tightly covered with foil, went into a 300° oven for about 3.5 hours.

I let them cool a bit, then transferred the thighs to Cambros (the plastic containers used in food service...Cambro is the brand name, and that’s what everybody calls them...you can buy smallish versions at restaurant supply stores such as Boxer NW [438 NW Broadway - KAB]). I poured in some of the duck fat, then used another container to save the rest. The fat and juices will separate as it cools, and I’ll save the fat to use again (everything cooked in duck fat is delicious).

We’ll crisp the thighs in the fat in hot skillet up at the yurt on Thanksgiving, but I did sneak a small bite as I was putting them away. Delicious!

Photo from MIX magazine.