Turkey with Two Delightful Twists
Normally this weekly offering of fine fare from nature’s abundant larder features one game and one fish dish. With Thanksgiving at hand, however, it seems appropriate to devote both recipes to turkey. If you are fortunate enough to have wild turkey as the headline offering on the festive family table, you should feel blessed.
These recipes focus on using the wild bird, but if you weren’t fortunate enough to get a lordly gobbler in the spring or don’t live in a state where fall hunting is allowed (and where you scored), they will work with domestic birds as well.
Turkey Scallopini with Asparagus Sauce
Baked turkey may be the standing standard, but if you try this recipe you may well decide that henceforth a new tradition is in the making.
You’ll need:
1 package Knorr béarnaise sauce mix
3 tablespoons chopped leeks (you can substitute sweet onion, but leeks are preferable)
1 (15-ounce) can asparagus spears
1 pound turkey breast fillets
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup flour
½-1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Prepare béarnaise sauce according to package directions. Cook leeks in microwave for about a minute. Chop half of asparagus up and add to sauce along with the leeks. Set aside.
Pound turkey fillets with a meat mallet to tenderize. Melt butter in skillet and add olive oil. Lightly flour fillets and brown each side until golden.
Put breasts in a shallow, greased 2 X 13-inch casserole dish. Spread remaining asparagus over the breasts and then top with sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and brown lightly under the broiler.
Serve at once (this is not a dish to be prepared ahead of time).
Turkey Parmesan Quesadillas
Invariably you have leftover turkey at Thanksgiving, and usually it goes into soup or sandwiches. Here’s a different way to use leftovers.
You’ll need:
4 flour tortillas
4 tablespoons marinara sauce, divided
1 to 1 ½ cups leftover cooked wild turkey, chopped or cut into slivers
½ cup mozzarella cheese, divided
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place two tortillas on the sheet. Spoon two tablespoons of marinara sauce atop each tortilla.
Top with chopped turkey, then sprinkle ¼ cup of the mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup of the Parmesan cheese on each tortilla. Top with the two remaining tortillas.
Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until crisp. Cut into wedges and serve immediately.
Note: This recipe can be doubled.
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