BAHAMIAN ESCAPES
What makes this time of year perhaps my most favorite, is the fact that it is the only opportunity I get to debone the family turkey and stuff it with crawfish. Traditionally we bake our turkey’s whole, but this holiday season I dare you to try this recipe that will yield a moist, succulent boneless turkey.
Bon Appetite!!!!
Deboning Instructions
• Place your hand into the turkey, then remove the neck and giblets
• Using a sharp cut boning knife; slice the backbone from the turkey.
• Use the boning knife to carve the left side of the turkey ribcage, separating the flesh from bone.
• Bend the wing joint from the turkey breastbone until it snaps, then cut
through the cartilage.
• Cut the ribcage and around the wishbone, separating the turkey meat from the ribs down to the thigh joint.
A Perfect Palate
A Perfect Christmas Palate
by Montgomery 'Mokamo' Penn
• Do not cut the skin on the breast. Hold the leg with one hand.
• Hold the upper thigh joint that is attached to the turkey breast with your other hand and press forward with your thumb on the joint while pulling it toward you. Thus will break the joint.
• At this point, if the cartilage is attached, cut it without damaging the skin.
• Take your paring knife, place it on the top part of the thigh and gently scrape the meat of the bone ensure the skin is still in place.
• Break the joint, then cut through the cartilage and remove upper thighbone.
• Repeat the same steps to remove the right side. Remember it is crucial to leave the skin intact with the breast and thigh.
Turkey Seasoning
½ cup Blacken Seasoning
6 bay leaves
Salt (to taste)
8 cloves
½ bunch fresh thyme
3 ½ ounces chicken broth
1 bird eye spice (chopped fine)
Combine all ingredients, then gently apply mixture to the in and outside of the turkey. For best results, always bake your turkey breast side up.
Craw Fish Stuffing
2 crawfish tails
6 slices of wheat bread, diced (about 4 cups)
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped celery
½ stick butter
1cup stock
2tbsp chopped parsley
1tbsp chopped sage, thyme and/or marjoram
2 eggs
Preparation
• Cut open crawfish, remove the meat and dice it
• Preheat the oven to 400°F
• Dice the wheat bread in medium size cubes and bake in a sheet pan until golden
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sautee the crawfish then add onions and celery until translucent.
• Remove from the heat and allow ingredients to cool down.
• Transfer the toasted bread, chopped herbs, cooked lobster, onion and celery into a large bowl.
• Drizzle the stock over the mixture in the bowl until it becomes moist.
• Add eggs and toss all ingredients together.
• Apply the crawfish stuffing to the turkey 15 minutes before the cooking process is completed.
