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Chef TJ Steele of Claro, a Michelin-starred Oaxacan restaurant in Brooklyn, dropped by our studio recently to share secrets behind his signature Heritage Turkey Tinga Tostada. Turkey is a protein that has existed in Mexican cuisine since well before Europeans arrived. Deli turkey sandwich culture this is not! TJ is a king of making the most of whole turkeys. In his kitchen, he celebrates heritage turkey and goat, two meats not typically found in America’s top restaurants.
Not everyone thinks nose-to-tail when it comes to poultry, but this recipe uses every last bit of our heritage turkey. Traditionally made with beef heart, today we are preparing this classic Peruvian dish that showcases the country's delicious native smoky pepper, with our heritage turkey giblets.
Our favorite way to prepare heritage turkey wings is to tenderize them by cooking them slowly to break down the connective tissues and tendons. We cure our meaty wings for two days then cook it in fat with herbs and garlic thus infusing the meat with delicious flavor, then sear it in a pan to get the skin crispy. We love the large turkey wing as a substitute to the more traditional confit leg of duck.
Chef Hannah prepares a garlic and herb paste which is inserted under the skin of the turkey breast adding flavor to the white meat. The breast is placed in a roasting pan with a splash of white wine on the bottom and then covered so it steams as it cooks in the oven. The breast is finished uncovered to crisp the skin.
A few years ago, in need of using some leftover ghee, the South Asian equivalent of clarified butter made its way onto the bird, filling the house for hours with the smell of drawn butter and citrus and thyme. One year, I placed fresh curry leaves on the skin, peeled them off when they were crisp and crushed them into a powder that was sprinkled on the carved meat.
I love smashburgers, their easy to consume patties, the large blanket of well-seared crust, the yellow cheese that burns a little because the patty is so thin that when a slice melts it’ll inevitably touch the pan. For years, I didn’t consider anything other than beef the meat one uses for a burger. But we grow older, and our absolutes become less absolute, and then all of sudden you’re letting other meats into your burger arsenal. Even writing that last sentence was hard.
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