Ingredients

Citrus Marinade:

• 8 Large limes (add / or substitute tangerines, Clementine’s, or oranges if you wish)
• Zest from 2 of the limes
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and flattened
• 1 jalapeno chili, chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (8-10lb) free-range, organic turkey, properly thawed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  

Aromatics for baking

• 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 5-6 cloves of whole garlic (more is better!)
• 1 large onion sliced thick
• 2 large carrots chopped
• 1 celery stalk chopped
• 2 green apples chopped into thick chunks
  
  

Directions
Put all the marinade ingredients into a bowl and pour over a generous amount of olive oil. Squeeze everything together with your hands to blend all the flavors.
To flatten this bird, use heavy duty kitchen shears to cut out the backbone of the turkey. Reach through the middle of the cavity and make and cut and remove the chest bone and cartilage or just ask your favorite butcher to do this for you. Press the bird down until it flattens fairly well. Make a small slit in the webbing of the wings and truss the bottom of the legs through the small incision to keep the legs from flopping around on the grill and in the oven. You can also ask the butcher to do this for you.
To marinate, put the turkey in a large platter and pour on the marinade; turn the turkey over in the marinade to make sure it is well coated on both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Remove the turkey from the refrigerator about 1/2 hour before you are ready to grill it. Heat the grill to medium (clean all of the burned carbon off) and wipe the grate with some oil. Wipe the excess marinade from the turkey and season it well with salt and pepper all over. Put the turkey on the grill skin side down and weight it turkey down with a large foil-covered-brick or heavy cast iron pan. Grill for about 10-12 minutes per side or until nice grill marks have appeared and it has turned golden brown. Turn the bird over and continue grilling, basting with more olive oil and season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Remove the turkey from the grill and place on a roasting pan on top all of the aromatics. Cover loosely with foil and cook at 350 degrees for approximately 1 ½ hours or until the thickest part of your turkey (thigh or breast) reaches 165 degrees and until the juices run clear. Set aside, cover with foil, and let it rest for about 10 minutes before carving. Mmmmmm! This definitely isn’t Grandma’s turkey!

Twice-Cooked Butternut Squash

• 2 medium butternut squash, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons plus 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine or chicken stock
• 1/2 medium red onion or shallot chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes or 1 diced jalapeno
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 clove garlic, sliced thin
• Mexican Crema with ground, toasted cumin added
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
  
  

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Season the squash with salt and pepper, drizzle with 4 tablespoons olive oil, Place in a hot sauté pan and add red onion, dried oregano and cook until onions start to become tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minutes. Add wine or chicken stock to deglaze and add pepper flakes or jalapenos. Layer sautéed squash in a buttered or oiled baking sheet.
Bake in the pre-heated oven until just tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toast some ground cumin in a dry pan on med-low until you start to smell the cumin become very fragrant and earthy. Remove from the pan and mix with 12 ounces of Mexican Crema or you can substitute sour cream if you can’t find the Crema at your grocery store. Remove the squash from the oven and make sure that the cubes are fork tender. Taste the squash and re-season with salt and pepper if needed. Place in a serving platter and drizzle the crema mixture over squash and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. Enjoy!

Fancy French Green Beans (Haricots Verts)

• 1/2 pound haricots verts (thin French green beans, trimmed)
• 4 strips good quality bacon or Italian pancetta, chopped
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Olive Oil
• Handful of fresh basil, sliced into thin strips
• Handful of slightly toasted pecans, walnuts or almonds
• Salt and pepper, to taste
  
  

Directions
In a pot of boiling salted water boil the haricots verts for about 2- 4 minutes first to blanch them until they are crisp-tender, drain them, and plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Cook the bacon on med heat until most of the fat is cooked out and the bacon becomes slightly crispy. Remove bacon from pan but reserve the bacon dripping to reheat the green beans. Drain the beans again and pat dry. Since you adding these beans to hot bacon fat, you DO NOT want any moisture on the beans or they can splatter and burn you when that moisture hits that hot pan and oil. Slowly add your green beans to the pan with the bacon drippings (add more olive oil if necessary to slightly coat). Stir the green beans to reheat. After 1 ½ minutes, add the fresh basil and stir. Turn off the heat from the burner and add the butter, toasted nuts and crispy bacon back into the beans. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy! (And YES, you can add those canned, crispy onion things on top as a final garnish if you want!)

Texas Creamed Corn (Texas Maque Choux)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups fresh sweet corn, scraped from cob (2 ears)
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup minced red bell peppers
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1 chopped red jalapeno pepper
• Southwest Seasoning blend

Directions
Carefully, remove the corn from the 2 cobs with a sharp knife by slicing downward on your cutting board. In a large skillet heat oil over high heat, add shallots cook for about a minute. Add corn, shaking and flipping skillet several times, about 1 minute. Add the bell peppers and season to taste with salt, pepper and your favorite southwest seasoning. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the diced jalapeno and stand back for about 30 seconds and then pour in the cream, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until cream reduces and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes more. Pour into a warm dish for serving. Garnish with more peppers and cilantro for extra color and flavor! This side dish will make your tongue slap your brain for sure!

Southern Apple Cranberry Cornbread Dressing

• Cooked cornbread
• 1/2 cup of dried, sweetened cranberries
• 1 cup of diced Granny Smith apples
• 7 slices oven-dried white bread
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 7 cups chicken stock (or you can “fortify” it like Chef Trevor does with other liquids)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, dried white bread slices, dried cranberries, sliced apples. Pour a couple of cups of chicken stock over the mixtures to moisten it. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture over cornbread mixture. Add the rest of the chicken stock, mix well, taste, and add salt, pepper to taste and poultry seasoning. Pour mixture into a greased pan and bake until dressing is cooked through (at least 165 degrees internally), about30- 45 minutes. Serve with the grilled turkey and all of the other great sides dishes from the “Inspector Skillet” holiday show! Happy Holidays ya’ll!

The City of Allen offers the following "turkey basics" to help reduce foodborne illness at your holiday celebration.

By following these basic food safety practices everyone can reduce the risk of foodborne illness.  Keep hands and all food preparation surfaces clean, don't cross-contaminate foodborne bacteria from one food to another, thaw your turkey properly, cook to proper temperatures and refrigerate perishable foods quickly after eating.

Storing the turkey and avoiding cross-contamination
Whether you purchase a fresh or frozen turkey is a matter of personal preference. Buy a fresh turkey no more than two days ahead of the big meal and make sure you have adequate storage space in the refrigerator. If a frozen turkey is the choice, you can safely defrost it in the refrigerator, allowing 24 hours for every 5 pounds. Check that the original bag is not broken, to prevent raw juices from coming in contact with other foods. Also, the turkey can be thawed in cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes until the turkey is thawed. Cook immediately. Never defrost on the kitchen counter!

Safe cooking
For safety and doneness, the internal temperature of the turkey must reach at least 165° F in the middle of the thigh for at least 15 seconds  just to be safe. Use a meat thermometer to be sure the correct internal temperature is reached and to prevent overcooking. A meat thermometer should be used even in turkeys that have "pop-up" temperature indicators.

To stuff or not to stuff
The safest way to cook the stuffing is separate from the turkey. But whether the stuffing is cooked inside or outside of the turkey, it must reach an internal temperature of 165° F. If the turkey is stuffed, mix ingredients just prior to filling the cavity. Stuff loosely to help ensure safe, even cooking. Remember, as with all poultry products, the thickest part of the cooked bird must reach 165° F to be safe, while the stuffing must also reach a temperature of at least 165° F also to kill any harmful bacteria.

Safe handling of leftovers
Cut leftover turkey into small pieces, or slice. Refrigerate stuffing and turkey separately in shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking. Use leftover turkey and stuffing within 3 to 4 days, and gravy within 1 to 2 days. Gravy should be reheated to a boil and leftovers, if heated, should be thoroughly reheated to 165° F.

For more information please contact The City of Allen, Environmental Health Department at 214.509.4145.