Holiday Meal 2011

None of this is anything traditional to China though some come closer than others.  Rather it is a meal created from fusing Chinese flavors and techniques with traditional holiday fare in the US.

I didn't want a whole turkey cooked in just one way and so thought about ways to use the turkey throughout the meal that would fit with the concept. This meant using the turkey bones for soup which would be served at the same time as the rest of the turkey. 

Which leads to disassembling the turkey and then using the parts in appropriate ways.  I've never deboned any poultry before but if I can successfully debone one of the legs with the skin intact, I may try my hand a fusion galantine.

Part of planning a chinese meal is cooking food in diversified ways so it can all come together rather than just a series of stir fries from the wok. So I'll have a quick deep fry, something steamed, something stewed, something fresh, a stir fry, and an appetizer.

Red-Cooked Turkey Breast  Turkey is a traditional holiday item in the west and I've seen recipes for things like red-cooked turkey legs. But I have other plans for the legs and I have a whole turkey to use up. Red cooking allows me to cook the breast ahead of time and then reheat it with a deep fry that will crisp the skin as well.

Turkey potstickers  My family loves potstickers and the fattier meat from the legs and wings is better used in a forcemeat than the breast.

Stuffed Rice Cake  Stuffing is a traditional concept though this is more of a dressing since it's not stuffed in the bird. I fused the idea behind Dirty Rice and a Rice Cake.

Simple Slaw A salad is a pleasant contrast to the meal. Sadly in the west we don't see the sorts of things we might call a salad served much in the Chinese restaurants. But they do have some of the same concepts available in the cuisine.

Gai lan  I just like this. It's simple and tasty.

Red Turkey Soup I'm reworking a Peking Duck soup with bok choy

Clay Pot of Five Spice Sweet Potato, Mushrooms Tofu and Chinese Sausage  Sweet potatoes are a common food in China yet I don't think I've ever seen them used in a recipe in a cookbook. They marry well with the sweet spicing of five-spice powder and a clay-pot is a simple way to bring another cooking style to the table. 


Pie, well, my family specified pie for dessert. I was thinking of egg tarts myself, but I lost the vote. Apple Pie it is.