Chef Anthony creates a Morrocan Inspired Turkey for Thanksgiving. (Imogen Brown)
Cooking the same Home Ec. 101 turkey with butter, poultry seasoning and gravy can get a little tiring year after year. Fortunately, there are exotic options that can help you spice up the star of the table and inject some cultural pizzazz into the holiday meal.
Chefs around town, including Executive Chef Anthony Zamora of Atrio in Battery Park City, are fans of reinventing the classic Thanksgiving bird.
Chef Zamora, who is both Italian and Lebanese, brings a strong Mediterranean flavor and flair to both his personal cooking and the cuisine at Atrio.
“Turkey in general is a naturally bland meat, which is good because it will take on any flavor or seasoning quite easily. The variations can be endless,” says Zamora. “Try brushing the turkey during the last 15 minutes of cooking with an aged balsamic vinegar — [this] gives it a beautiful glaze and slight sweetness — or be brave and try rubbing the turkey with some Middle Eastern spices such as cumin, coriander and turmeric.”
He also suggests serving the bird with unique condiments like fig relish, Moroccan charmoula or a Spanish romesco sauce.
If anyone knows how to put a twist on classic recipes, it’s the executive chef of Delmonico’s, known not only as New York City’s first restaurant dating back to 1837, but also for its traditions and superior quality.
Over at DK (Delmonico’s Kitchen), the new restaurant at ???, Chef Billy Oliva puts a Cuban twist on his turkey.
“Being in the culinary field, I work with people of different cultures, especially Latin Americans. I love learning about new trends and infusions because it’s exciting for me as a chef. I am always looking to enhance traditional dishes and it seemed almost natural to gravitate toward a Cuban turkey recipe.”
His preparation not only makes for a super juicy bird, but also replicates a traditional pernil, Cuban-style roast pork. He likes to put a spin on his stuffing as well — instead of classic bread, he uses rice, plantains, yucca and black beans.
“This dish is so tasty that we are featuring it at DK on Thanksgiving,” he adds.
Cuban-Style Turkey
Recipe Courtesy of executive chef Billy Oliva, Delmonico’s Kitchen
For the Brine:
Ingredients:
2 gallons water
4 cups kosher salt
2 cups sugar
Mix the ingredients in a bowl and cover a 15-pound turkey in the brine overnight. Rinse and drain the next day. Thoroughly pat the turkey dry before seasoning.
For the Cuban-Spiced Marinade:
Ingredients:
6 jalapeños, finely chopped
3 limes, juiced and zested
6 cloves garlic, paste or pureed
1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup cane sugar (sugar in the raw)
Reserve the lime zest for the stuffing. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a bowl and use to coat the turkey inside and out.
For the Stuffing:
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 small onions, diced
2 cups turkey liver, heart and gizzards, chopped
2 plantains, peeled and chopped
1 yucca, chopped
1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
3 to 6 jalapeños, seeded and diced (depending on how spicy you prefer)
3 limes, zest only
2 cups Arborio rice
2 cups white wine
6 cups chicken or turkey stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 ribs celery, diced
3 carrots, diced
Heat the butter in a large skillet set over medium high heat. Cook all but 1 cup of the onions until golden, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add livers, heart and gizzard, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add plantains, yucca, cilantro, jalapeños and lime zest, and cook for 2 minutes. Add rice, white wine, and 4 cups of turkey stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the rice is almost done, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool completely. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan and add the remaining onion, celery, carrots and remaining stock; cover with aluminum foil. Roast the turkey, covered, for 1 and a half hours. Uncover and continue to roast until the juices run clear, and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg and the stuffing reaches 165 F, or about 50 minutes. Remove the stuffing from the turkey before serving. Serve with cooked black beans on the side.
NOTE: If there is extra stuffing, place it into an ovenproof casserole dish. Cover and bake at 375 F until hot, about 45 minutes. Serve with cooked black beans on the side.
Moroccan Turkey
Recipe Courtesy of Chef Anthony Zamora
For the Charmoula Sauce (makes 2 cups):
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium shallot, peeled and minced
2 bunches finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 bunch finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and pulse the mixture about roughly 10 times for 2 seconds per pulse. Place the charmoula sauce into an airtight container and refrigerate.
Note: It’s best to prepare the sauce the night before and refrigerator overnight.
For the Moroccan Spice Rub
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon cayenne
Combine all of the ingredients and place the mixture into an airtight container.
For the Turkey
Ingredients:
1 14- to 18-pound whole turkey, preferably heritage breed or organic
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 pound carrots, peeled and rough-chopped
1 head celery, washed and rough-chopped
2 Spanish onions, peeled and rough-chopped
Preheat your oven to 300 F. Pat dry the turkey with paper towels, and rub it with the softened butter, covering the entire skin. Generously sprinkle the Moroccan spice rub all over the turkey, making sure to spread it evenly over the entire bird. Place the carrots, onions and celery into the bottom of a roasting pan, and place the turkey onto a roasting rack set over the vegetables.
Loosely cover the turkey with heavy-duty aluminum foil and place it into the preheated oven. Roast until golden, about 3 hours. Remove the foil and continue to roast until very golden brown, about 30 minutes more. (A good rule of thumb is to cook your turkey for 15 minutes per pound to total weight.) Insert a meat thermometer into the lower part of the thigh; when the thermometer reads 165 F, remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for at least 30 minutes before carving to ensure that the juices redistribute.
Serve with prepared charmoula sauce.