1 gallon water 2 cups apple cider 1 cup kosher salt 1 tablespoon fresh sage 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon fresh thyme 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 4 cups ice cubes Food & Drink by Shari Darling For more information on wine and food, go to www.sharidarling.com Brining Recipe Into a large pot, place 4 cups water, apple cider, kosher salt, sage, rosemary, thyme and peppercorns. Bring mixture to a boil. Simmer on low until the salt is dissolved. Remove brine fromheat. Add ice cubes. Transfer brine to the cooler or large pot. Add turkey. Set in a cool place, such as a refrigerator or in the garage, covered. Don’t let the water freeze. If brining for longer than 24 hours, be sure to rinse and pat-dry the bird before roasting. For most of my life, I have enjoyed turkey dinner twice a year − at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Over this past year, however, I have incorporated turkey into my biweekly menu. Turkey dinner doesn’t have to be time-consuming or unhealthy. I roast small birds or just a few drumsticks or thighs. Served with butternut squash or mashed cauliflower and multi-grain stuffing, this comfort food dish satisfies that festive craving every time. Turkey dinner, or what we refer to in our house as ‘turks dinz’, is the ultimate comfort food meal. This native North American poultry is highly nutritious and offers as much healthy goodness as chicken. Turkey is rich in vitamins and elements, such as: B3 (61% of your daily value); B6 (49% of the DV); B12 (29% of DV); selenium (46% of DV); zinc (12% of DV); and sodium (26% of DV). About 84 grams of turkey (about two thick slices) also contains 24 grams of protein, zero carbohydrates, is low in saturated fat and cholesterol (provided you don’t eat the skin) and contains only 117 calories. Most important, this protein contains tryptophan. L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps our body make proteins and brain signals. Our body actually changes L-tryptophan into a brain chemical called serotonin. Serotonin is vital to help lift our mood and to sleep. This explains why, after turk dinz, I just want to sleep. Turkey stuffing can also be healthy. The key is to use low-sodium chicken stock and salt-free seasonings. Using multi-grain bread also adds additional fibre to this healthy meal. To ensure that turkey dinner is both nutritious and healthy, consider replacing mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower. Mashed cauliflower (per 100 gram serving) possesses half the calories, has only three grams of net carbs, is high in antioxidants and offers about 35% of our DV of vitamin C. Turkey breast meat can tend to be too dry and that’s why most people stick to chicken. However, brining the bird can make a world of difference. For the past few years, I have been brining my turkeys before roasting. Brining makes the meat super juicy and highly flavourful, and makes the gravy taste scrumptious. Your turkey can be brined in a cooler or super large pot. The general rule is to use one cup of salt in the brine for every gallon of water. Brining can be done for up to three days. (Longer than three days will make the meat too salty.) A 24-hour brine will suffice. After brining, be sure to pat-dry the turkey skin, so that it will still become crispy with roasting. Butter the skin before roasting, as well. 54 | www.snowbirds.org
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