Don’t Poison Your Thanksgiving Dinner Guests

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So when I moved to DC, I gathered 19 of my friends and acquaintances without Thanksgiving plans to my little apartment and we ate like there was no tomorrow. Some were old friends, one was a new one I had picked up on the Greyhound bus a week before (I’m not kidding–he ended dating a friend of a friend who also came to Thanksgiving dinner for two years).

Three days before the big day, I started to make my gravy, Alton Brown-style. It is the best gravy ever. It does take some preparation and lead time, as you are rolling out balls of turkey and chicken fat…sounds rather unpleasant, but SO worth it. The recipe for Alton’s Turkey-Day Gravy is found at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Altons-T-Day-Gravy-233170

Now, aside from the usual sides (it was a potluck so I didn’t have to make everything), I also was determined to go organic. So I called the little organic market across the street and pre-ordered my turkey, trying not to be shocked at the price. I had already picked out how I was going to cook it and had also decided to brine it.

I bring the turkey home and lo and behold, realized I didn’t have a big enough pot to stick the turkey in its liquid, so despite reading that this was something you DON’T do, I figured the rules didn’t apply to me. I put the turkey in a new garbage bag and stuck it in the roaster pan to brine for 24 hours.

I had planned out my day: start turkey prep by 7:30AM, gravy by: 8:30AM…to be done for guests arriving at 1PM. Well, 7AM on Thanksgiving Day, I open my fridge and the turkey was…funky.

I didn’t realize was this was a Glad odor-eating garbage bag.

All the chemicals had leached into the turkey brine. I stood there for a good 10 minutes. I am going to poison my guests…BUT don’t they say, cooking kills all bacteria, so wouldn’t roasting a turkey count…BUT if they die, I’d feel really bad…BUT where am I going to find a turkey…BUT I think it’s poisonous now…..

I tossed the turkey out.

I called up the Georgetown Whole Foods and thank goodness, they were open! I rushed down, picked a turkey (ironically, same organic-brand and half the price. Yes, Whole Foods was half the price), and did my turkey the right way.

I decided to go with a Moroccan style turkey simply because I like these spices and I thought it would add a unique flavoring without going over the top. It was a bit hit. This turkey comes out crispy on the outside with wonderful textures of nuts and a hint of sweetness, and the insides are just juicy.

Note: Patty will not let me show the real picture because she thinks it’s ugly.

Moroccan Roast Turkey with Honey and Almond Glaze

• 8 pound turkey
• 2 TB sesame seeds
• 1 cup (6 oz) blanched almonds, finely chopped
• 2 TB ground cinnamon
• 1 TB ground cumin
• 1 TB ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 onion studded with 6 whole cloves
• 2 TB butter, softened
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• ½ cup (4 oz) honey
• 2 cups (16 oz) chicken stock

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, spread sesame seeds and chopped almonds in single layer on shallow pan or baking sheet and roast them, shaking tray occasionally. Roast until nuts are golden brown, 8-10 minutes, set aside to cool
2. Mix ground cinnamon, cumin, coriander, ginger, cloves, salt and pepper in a small bowl, rub skin and cavity of turkey with spice mixture
3. Put onion studded with cloves in cavity and truss bird, place in roasting pan and spread skin with softened butter
4. Cut giblets in pieces and add to pan with cinnamon sticks, pour honey and half of stock
5. Roast bird in preheated oven, turning it from one leg to the other and finally on its back, until cooked, 2 ½ – 3 hours, baste often and if stock and honey begin to scorch during roasting, add more stock
6. Fifteen minutes before turkey is done, remove from roasting pan and strain pan into small saucepan, skim fat and boil into reduce, if necessary there should be about 1 cup of glaze
7. Stir in toasted sesame seeds and almonds, return turkey to roasting pan, spoon glaze over top and continue roasting, basting very often, until skin is golden and crisp, 10-15 minutes
8. Discard trussing strings, transfer turkey to platter, spoon over any remaining glaze and leave to stand, covered with foil, 10-15 minutes before carving

Tags: cultural, food, holiday, Morocco, recipe, Recipe Vault, Thanksgiving

Category: Recipe Vault, Travel & Culture, US & Canada