Turkey Tortilla Pie aka Brunch Pie

Yesterday I was hankering for something "different" for brunch. What to make? So as I browsed through my cupboards wondering what to make, I knew that "experimentation" would be in order.

I grabbed a can of turkey meat (alternately this would be great with Thanksgiving turkey left-overs!), salsa, raided the fridge for sour cream and eggs (if I had cheese in the house, it would had been added with gusto! I don't know about you, but cheese seems to make EVERYTHING good! LOL).

I thought about making some kind of a pie, but I did not want to bother with making a pastry... hmph... what to use? Ahh-ha! Tortilla shells!!!

So, here is what I came up with and it was amazing!!!

I am calling it "Brunch Pie" for lack of a better word. [Update: My really good friend suggested calling it Tortilla Turkey Pie, which is really brilliant; so I've changed it in the title and give mega shout-out thanks to Marina for the suggestion! :)]

You'll need a round pie dish, I used a Pyrex bowl and lightly greased it with butter.

1 can turkey meat, drained (or thanksgiving turkey leftovers, cubed)
2 TBSP sour cream
3 TBSP salsa
1 cup cheese (optional)
6 leaves fresh sage, sliced finely
5 leaves fresh basil, chopped finely
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 TBSP ground garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper (or to taste)
3 large eggs, beaten
1/8 cup milk (or heavy cream)
6 flour tortilla shells
Butter

Heat oven to 350* F

1. Lightly grease baking dish with butter, line the pan with tortilla shell, then cut the other tortillas in half (leave one whole) and line with the curved side up, around the dish ensuring a complete tortilla "bowl".

2. Mix well the turkey, sour cream, salsa, cheese, and spices until very well combined.

3. Beat eggs very well with the milk (or cream). Add to the turkey mix and mix very well. Pour into the tortilla bowl.

4. Lightly butter the left over tortilla and lay it over top of the mix. Gently fold down the "rounded edges" of the tortillas around the edged so that they stick well to the tortilla in the center. Slighly butter each fold.

5. Cook in oven for 45 minutes or until the mix has "set" well. Remove from baking dish to a plate (it should slide out very easily). Let sit approx 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Serves 4-6

Moroccon-Style Turkey

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in Canada and since I have moved down here to the States, I have always tried to do something to observe it, even if making a full turkey and trimmings has not been first on my mind.

Always thinking of new ways to make turkey, I experimented with a new way tonight, and it was amazing! Not to mention fast; a 12.5lb turkey cooked to perfection in 1 1/2 hours! NO KIDDING!

Wanting to do something different, and align with a craving I'd had recently, I defrosted the turkey yesterday - did it the "quick method" way, and basically what that is is putting the turkey (bag and all) into a sink filled with cold water. Then every 1/2 hr (per pound) you change the water and add more cold water. Today, it was perfectly defrosted and ready to make.

So lately, I have been really on a "Middle Eastern" flavours kick, so I thought I'd take the idea of the tagine and apply it here. Now, as I've already mentioned in previous posts that required the Moroccan tagine, I don't have one, so I improvise. I use a huge aluminuium pot which, when filled, I take a really long piece of aluminium foil, fold it over to create a long "snake" and then wrap it around the edge of where the pot and the lid meet and "seal" it up. You can also do this in a crock pot or a Dutch oven. 

Ingredients:

Spice Rub:

2 TBSP Ras el Hanout (I make my own ingredients followed)
    1 tsp ground cumin
    1 tsp ground ginger
    1 tsp ground turmeric
    1 tsp salt
    3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
    3/4 tsp ground black pepper
    1/2 tsp ground white pepper
    1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
    1/2 tsp ground all spice
    1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
    1/4 tsp ground clove

    - Mix all together in a jar and can be stored for up to 1 month

1 TBSP ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cardamon seeds
1 TBSP garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sumac

- Mix all together and rub all over the washed and dried bird

2 large onions, sliced
5 cloved garlic, diced
5-6 carrots, peeled and cut into 3" long - 1/4 sticks
1/4 cup almonds, ground to a paste (optional)
2 cups raisins (or golden sultanas)
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 TBSP Olive oil
1 1/4 cup hot water
3 tsp chicken powder
1/2 tsp orange blossom water


Method:

1. Heat the pot you are going to use and add oil, then add the onions and garlic and fry until the onions are soft, then add the raisins and almond paste, fry together until the almond paste "releases" and coats everything. Turn the pot off.

2. Now add your turkey (breast side down) to the pot (make sure the pot is large enough to hold the entire turkey and to fit the lid on well also. Add the carrots all around the turkey. Add remaining rub spices all over the bird.

3. Mix the chicken powder and orange blossom water together with the 1 1/4 cup hot water and stir until the chicken powder is dissolved, add it around the turkey (try to not get the liquid over the turkey otherwise it'll take all the spices off), then drizzle the 1 TBSP olive oil over the turkey.

Cover and take your long foil "snake" and seal the lid to the pot. Turn on heat to high until you hear it boiling, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting to allow for it to simmer and cook slowly.

The bird I made was 12.5lbs and it took 1 1/2 hrs of slow cooking for it to be cooked through perfectly.


I served this with flavoured rice: 
    

3 cups rice, washed well
Enough water to come up to just below the first digit of my index finger from the top of the rice
3 tsp chicken powder
pinch of salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp orange blossom water
pinch of saffron threads

Mix well together and put on heat.



 I use a rice cooker, but if you don't have a rice cooker, use a heavier weight pot and bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for about 15-20 minutes. When cooked, turn off heat, place a paper towel over the pot and replace the lid. Leave it to sit for about 10 minutes.

Vegetable Casserole & Fried Onions

This past Thanksgiving, I tried Green Bean Casserole for the very first time, and the person who made it did a really awesome job. But at Christmas, I tried it again at our ward Christmas Party, and well... I have to say it was probably one of the worst things I had ever eaten! Sorry to those of you who love this dish, I can't say I do.

So last weekend, I decided to recreate my own version of it, but added corn (and if I had carrots, would have added them also).

While the "canned" flavour of veggies are not really my cuppa tea, in the future, I'd probably try this again with frozen, if not fresh veggies.

The flavour was really great, but I think my favourite part was the fried onions, which I am planning to do again and serve as a side with other things... maybe a thick juicy hamburger.

Vegetable Casserole & Fried Onions


2-3 sweet onions, thinly sliced into rounds
Enough milk to cover sliced onions
1 1/2 cup white flour
1 cup rice flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp chicken powder
Vegetable oil


1. Soak the sliced onion rounds in milk, and prepare the flours with spices - mix well
2. Dredge the onions into the flour
3. Heat the oil until very hot (a little flour will make it sizzle)
4. Add the onions, a few at a time and cook until golden brown - very fast, about 1 minute
5. Drain on a paper bag or kitchen paper to crisp up
6. Set aside


1 can green beans*
1 can sweet corn*
1 can chicken soup (condensed)
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp soy sauce


1. In a bowl, mix the chicken soup and milk together with the soy sauce, add the veggies and 2/3 cup of onions
2. Mix well
3. Cook in a 350*F oven for 25 minutes, until bubbling
4. Mix the veggies well and add the remaining onions on top
5. Cook another 10 minutes until golden brown


* If you don't want to use canned veggies, you can use frozen green beans, frozen corn, and also frozen diced carrots would be nice.