Tag: poultry
Relleno Negro (Stewed Black Turkey)
Relleno Negro (Stewed Black Turkey)
I was just recently in Belize and my tour guide to the Mayan ruins was telling me about this dish called relleno. He was describing it to look like a pot of mud with shredded turkey in it. He said how flavorful it was and that I should try it out…so I needed to learn how to make it.Relleno negro originated from the Mexican Yucatán, but is also eaten in Belize and Guatemala. The paste is made out of charred arbol and ancho chilies, cloves, cumin, garlic, sour orange, oregano, and achiote. You can only find this paste in Latin markets if you’re not going to make it from scratch. I got mine in Belize for $1. Turkey gets simmered in this paste with giant egg yolk stuffed meatballs known as “the boot”. The turkey gets shredded and the meatballs sliced. The relleno negro is always served on top of tortillas. Not the prettiest looking dish but unbelievably flavorful.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small tomato diced
- 3 small sweet peppers sliced
- 2 quarts water
- 4 oz recado negro paste
- 2 bone in turkey thighs 3-4lbs total
- salt and pepper to taste
The Boot
- 1 lb ground beef or pork
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small tomato finely chopped
- 1 egg
- 3 hard boiled eggs yolks and whites separated
- 3 sprigs epazote leaves
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat up the oil in a large pot. Sauté the onions and garlic for 3 minutes over medium high heat.
- Add in the tomatoes and peppers. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the water. Dissolve the recado negr0 paste. Add in the turkey thighs. Cover and simmer for an hour.
- While the turkey is simmering, separate the yolks from the whites.
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, chopped egg whites, the raw egg, onion, garlic, tomato, salt and pepper.
- Form into 3 meatballs; stuffing the yolks in the center.
- At the 1 hour mark, add the meatball’s into the pot with the turkey. Simmer for 1 more hour or until the turkey shreds off the bone.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Slice the meatballs and shred the turkey. Serve with tortillas.
Thai Smoked Duck with Gravy
Thai Smoked Duck with Gravy
Instead of a turkey for thanksgiving, I went the duck route. I also wanted to do a Thai inspired dinner. So I made a smoked Thai duck with a rich gravy. The duck was stuffed with lemongrass, garlic, and ginger; the outside rubbed with salt, sugar, and ground ginger. The duck was smoked with hickory wood for 4 hours until the fat rendered out and the skin turned a dark golden brown.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Electric Smoker
- food processor
Ingredients
- 5-6 lb whole duck
- 3 stalks lemongrass
- 6 garlic cloves
- 3” ginger cut in half
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp sugar
Gravy
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1” ginger peeled
- 5 cilantro sprigs
- 2 tbsp fermented soybean paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
Wood Chips
- hickory
Instructions
- Season the inside cavity of the duck with salt. Stuff with lemongrass, ginger, and garlic cloves. Prick the skin all over with a knife. Rub the outside with salt, ground ginger, and sugar. Let dry out in the refrigerator overnight on a rack.
- Let your duck sit at room temperature for 2 hours before smoking. Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees. Throw the duck in the smoker.
- Smoke the duck for 4 hours.
- Let the duck rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Gravy
- Place the garlic, ginger, cilantro, white pepper, soybean paste, and 5 spice powder in a food processor.
- Process into a paste.
- Heat up a tsp of cooking oil in a small pot and sauté the paste for 2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pot with the chicken stock. Pour in the soy sauces, honey, and coconut milk. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes until thickened.
Peking Duck
Peking Duck
Duck has been roasted in China since the beginning of time. The preparation for Peking Duck can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty; being the main course on imperial court menus. The first time a restaurant in Beijing offered Peking Duck to the general public was in 1416. It grew in popularity, being considered food for the upper class. By the mid 20th century Peking Duck became an international symbol of Chinese cuisine, becoming the favorite dish of many world politicians such as Richard Nixon, Fidel Castro, Helmut Kohl, to name a few.Today, Peking Duck can easily be made at home for a relatively inexpensive cost. The duck gets rubbed, stuffed with whole green onions, and left to dry out for up to 24 hours. It then steamed for about 90 minutes to loosen up the fat from the skin. It is then roasted for about a half hour until it is browned. It is then basted with a soy sauce/honey mixture then roasted at 500 degrees, turning almost red in color. The skin becomes extra crispy with the fat rendered out. Traditionally, Peking Duck is served in 3 parts. First, the crispy duck skin is served with a sweet bean sauce. Second, the duck breast is sliced and served in thin Chinese pancakes with duck sauce and spring onions. Third, the rest of the duck can be eaten as is. You can also just quarter the duck and serve it much like a roast chicken with duck sauce, steamed rice, and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 5 lb whole duck tail and wing tips clipped; giblets removed
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 green onions
- 1 orange sliced
Duck Sauce
- 1/2 cup plum jam
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp white vinegar
Instructions
- Mix together the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, white pepper and cloves.
- Season the inside of the duck with 1 tsp of the spice mix. Stuff the whole green onion inside the cavity as well. Mix 1 tbsp of the soy sauce with the rest of the spice mix and rub the outside of the duck. Let dry out in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Place the duck on a rack and steam for 90 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Poke holes with a knife all over the skin of the duck. Place the duck on a rack and roast for 25-30 minutes.
- Mix together the remaining soy sauce and honey and brush the entire duck. Turn up the heat to 500 degrees and roast for 5 more minutes.
- While the duck is roasting, mix together the duck sauce ingredients.
- Let the duck rest for 10 minutes before serving.
