Turkey is another contribution to international cuisine from the New World. Native only to the Americas, the turkey was first domesticated by the indigenous people of Central America and southwest North America. The Spanish Conquistadors brought the domesticated variety back to Europe in the 1500s. It is believed the bird got its European name because it was imported through shipping routes that passed through Turkey.
As it was already familiar to the early English settlers, they quickly adopted wild turkey as a staple of their diet. However, despite the traditional story, it is unlikely that the Pilgrims ate turkey on their first celebration of Thanksgiving in 1621 and it was not until the middle of the 19th century that turkey became central to the day’s celebrations.
Turkey is a good source of high-quality, lean protein. In fact, gram per gram, turkey offers more protein than most other meats. At the same time, however, the nutritional values of the light and dark meats vary. The light meat, generally the breast, is lower in fat, and therefore in calories than the dark meat, such as the thigh. While the light meat is richer in vitamins and minerals, including niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, the dark meat is a good source the minerals iron and zinc and contains more of some B vitamins, such as riboflavin and thiamine.
However, while a whole roast turkey is most intimately associated with Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner, turkey meat is available all year round as sliced roast turkey from the deli, and from the butcher or poultry shop as mini-roasts, pieces, cuts and minced (or ground).
The following recipes are designed to be made with a small portion (100–125gm) of minced or diced turkey, either light or dark meat according to your preference. The recipes all include vegetables from either the Standby Vegetables or Crisper Essentials range.
While turkey is readily available in minced form in both dark and light meat, it isn’t usually available already diced, so you might need to purchase turkey breast strips and cut them up yourself. If so, I have found it easier to slice or dice meat semi-frozen. You can then freeze it in small portions in resealable snack bags. In such small portions, it can be quickly thawed by dunking the packet in hot water, and, if it’s a consideration for you, the snack bags can be washed and reused.
As turkey falls in colour, taste and texture between chicken and beef, it can be substituted for the meat in the recipes in both the entries One Pot Main Courses: Chicken (with preferably white meat), and One Pot Main Courses: Beef (with preferably dark meat). Minced turkey can be used in almost all the recipes in the entry One Pot Main Courses: Mini Meals and in several recipes in the Cooking in Bulk: Savoury Rice, Pasta and Sausages collection.
Recipes:
Turkey Bolognese
- 100–125gm minced turkey
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp. tomato paste (optional)
- ½ cup pasta
- Dried onion, garlic granules and pepper
- Parsley and basil
- Shredded Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Place diced tomatoes in the small cup of a bullet blender with tomato paste and liquidise (optional)
- In a small saucepan, sauté turkey with spices until browned
- Add tomatoes with tomato paste and herbs and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add ¼ cup water, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
- Simmer, stirring often, for 12–15 minutes until the pasta is cooked, adding a little water if required
- Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese
Turkey Chow Mein
- 100–125gm minced turkey
- 2 tbsp. chopped onion
- 1 cup coleslaw mix
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- Garlic, mild curry powder and ginger
- ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- 1 tbsp. rice
- Canola oil
- In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and spices
- Add turkey and sauté until browned
- Add vegetables and sauté until heated through
- Add ½ cup boiling water with chicken stock and soy sauce and simmer for 5 minutes
- Add rice and simmer for a further 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
Turkey Cacciatore
- 100–125gm minced or diced turkey
- 1 tbsp. chopped onion
- ½ cup red capsicum and mushrooms, sliced
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
- 2 tbsp. small macaroni or elbows
- Garlic, chilli or paprika and pepper
- Parsley, basil and oregano
- Olive oil
- In a small saucepan, sauté onion garlic with spices
- Add turkey and sauté until browned
- Add capsicum and mushrooms and sauté
- Stir in diced tomatoes with herbs and stock powder
- Add macaroni with ½ cup boiling water
- Simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally
Variation: substitute ¼ cup frozen peas for the pasta and omit added water at Step 5
Mexican Turkey
- 100–125gm minced or diced turkey
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- 125gm can four bean mix or chickpeas, drained
- 1 tbsp. rice
- Garlic granules, chilli, dried onion, coriander and oregano
- Olive oil
- In a small saucepan, sauté turkey until browned
- Add beans and heat through
- Add diced tomatoes with garlic, chilli, dried onion, coriander and oregano and bring to the boil
- Simmer for five minutes
- Add ¼ cup boiling water with rice and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
Variation: substitute a can of Snack Time Red Kidney Beans and Chilli for the four-bean mix and chilli
Turkey Stroganoff
- 100–125gm minced or diced turkey
- 2–3 mushrooms, sliced
- Dried onion, paprika or chilli and garlic granules
- Pepper and parsley
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 2 tsp. tomato paste
- 2 tbsp. small macaroni or elbows
- 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt
- Olive oil
- In a small saucepan, sauté turkey with spices until browned
- Add mushrooms and sauté
- Add ½ cup boiling water with tomato paste, soy sauce and parsley
- Simmer for 5 minutes
- Add macaroni and simmer for a further 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt
Turkey Curry
- 100–125gm minced or diced turkey
- ½ cup red capsicum and carrot, chopped
- 2 tbsp. chopped onion
- 1 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- Chilli, garlic and mild curry powder
- 1 tbsp. rice
- Canola oil
- In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and spices
- Add turkey and sauté until browned
- Add vegetables and sauté
- Add ½ cup boiling water with tomato paste and soy sauce
- Simmer for 5 minutes
- Add rice and simmer for a further 15 minutes, stirring occasionally