Crispy Turkey Fingers Recipes

CRISPY CHICKEN FINGERS

Steps:

• Cut the chicken lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide strips. Put the flour in a shallow dish. Whisk the milk, cayenne, eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper in another shallow dish until combined. Put the breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish.
• Dredge the chicken fingers in the flour, shaking off the excess, then dip into the egg mixture, and finally coat with the panko breadcrumbs, pressing to help adhere well. Set aside on a piece of wax paper or a baking sheet.
• Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry the chicken fingers, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken fingers to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and season with salt. Serve with honey mustard, spicy ketchup and/or ranch dressing for dipping.

ROAST TURKEY WITH LEMON & GARLIC

Steps:

• Up to two days ahead, make the salt mix by grinding the salt with the thyme leaves and pepper in a spice grinder or using a pestle and mortar. Sit the turkey in a roasting tin and gently push your fingers under the skin, starting from the neck, until you can push your whole hand in down the length of the breast. Take care not to tear the skin.
• Season the bird all over with the salt mix, inside and out and under the skin. Leave the turkey in the tin, breast-side up, and put in the fridge for up to two days - the longer you salt it, the more succulent the turkey will be. For the crispest skin, leave the turkey uncovered so it dries out, but loosely cover it if you prefer.
• Tip the butter, vegetable stock powder and lemon zest into a small bowl and mix until completely combined. Cover and chill. Can be made a few days ahead or frozen, wrapped in cling film, for one month.
• Remove the turkey from the fridge an hour or so before you want to cook it. Remove the butter from the fridge to soften. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Work out your cooking time based on 40 mins per kg for the first 4kg, plus 45 mins for every kg after that.
• Use your hands to spread the butter under the skin so that it covers the entire breast area and work it into the crevice between the thigh and the main body, then smooth the skin over with your hands. Put the onion, lemon halves, and garlic in the cavity.
• Cover the tin loosely with foil and roast for the calculated cooking time. Around 30 mins before the end of cooking, increase the oven temperature to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, remove the foil, baste the turkey and return to the oven. When the turkey is beautifully brown and cooked through, remove from the oven and leave to rest on a warm platter covered with foil for up to 1 hr. Save the juices from the tin to make gravy.

CRISPY TURKEY FINGERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Rinse and pat dry the turkey breast and slice into 1/2 inch strips.
• Add sage, thyme, salt, and pepper to bread crumbs and mix well.
• Dip turkey fingers into egg white and cover with crumbs mix.
• Place fingers onto baking sheet and bake, turning once, about 10 minutes.

CRISPY-SKINNED HERB-ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Three days before cooking the turkey, rinse, clean and dry the turkey thoroughly.
• In a food processor, pulse the salt, granulated garlic, black pepper, bay leaves, thyme, orange zest and rosemary until still coarse but uniform, about 10 times. Rub the inside of the turkey with the salt mix. Then carefully slip your fingers under the breast skin and rub a liberal amount UNDER the skin. Flip the turkey on its side and sprinkle more of the salt mixture on the thigh, wing and leg. Repeat on other side.
• Place the bird in a large zipper-top bag or brining bag. (If neither is available, cover in plastic wrap.) Place the bird on a wire rack on a sheet pan breast-side up, and place in the fridge away from any raw food (on a lower shelf). Leave in the fridge for 3 days.
• On the night before cooking, remove the turkey from the fridge and take it out of the plastic. The skin should be dry and the salt should be dissolved. If any large patches of moisture are present, wipe with paper towels. Place back in the fridge, uncovered, for another 8 hours to dry out.
• On the day of, take the turkey out of the fridge 1 hour before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Fit a roasting pan with a wire v-rack.
• Put the turkey in the roasting pan and brush with the melted butter. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn the heat down to 325 degrees F and roast, basting occasionally, until the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about another 2 hours. Let the turkey rest for 30 to 45 minutes before carving.

CRISPY TURKEY BITES

Steps:

• For the dipping sauce: Puree the cranberry sauce, mayonnaise and orange zest in the bowl of a food processor until evenly combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the bites: Heat 3 inches of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat to 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Put the stuffing, turkey, Parmesan, rosemary and 1 egg in a medium bowl and mix well until the mixture is evenly moistened. Place the flour, remaining 2 eggs and the panko in 3 separate shallow bowls. Beat the eggs to break apart until 1 cohesive color.
• Shape 1 tablespoon of the turkey mixture into a ball. Press a piece of smoked mozzarella into the middle of the ball and reshape the mixture around the cheese. Bread the ball by rolling it first in the flour to coat, then the egg and lastly the panko. Repeat with the remaining turkey mixture and breading ingredients. Fry 4 to 5 or the balls at a time until deep golden brown and hot all the way through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Serve hot alongside the dipping sauce.