Kathys Perfect Turkey Bisque Recipes

SIMPLE ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Remove any giblets from the cavity and reserve for stock or gravy. Pat turkey and turkey neck dry with paper towel; rub turkey all over with 1/2 teaspoon salt per pound of turkey, the pepper and the lemon zest, including the neck. Transfer to a 2-gallon (or larger) resealable plastic bag. Tuck herbs and 6 garlic cloves inside bag. Seal and refrigerate on a small rimmed baking sheet (or wrapped in another bag) for at least 1 day and up to 3 days, turning the bird over every day (or after 12 hours if brining for only 1 day).
• Remove turkey from bag and pat dry with paper towels. Place turkey, uncovered, back on the baking sheet. Return to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours to dry out the skin (this helps crisp it).
• When you are ready to cook the turkey, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature for one hour.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. In the bottom of a large roasting pan, add the cider and enough wine to fill the pan to a 1/4-inch depth. Add half the onions, the remaining 6 garlic cloves and the bay leaves. Stuff the remaining onion quarters and the lemon quarters into the turkey cavity. Brush the turkey skin generously with oil or melted butter.
• Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack set inside the roasting pan. Transfer pan to the oven and roast 30 minutes. Cover breast with aluminum foil. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh reaches a temperature of 165 degrees, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours more. Transfer turkey to a cutting board to rest for 30 minutes before carving.

KATHY'S PERFECT TURKEY BISQUE

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the turkey thigh until both sides are brown, about 8 minutes per side. Remove and discard skin, return the thigh to the skillet, and cook until the skinless side is golden brown, about 8 minutes more. Remove the turkey thigh, and pour the Merlot wine into the skillet. Scrape and dissolve the browned flavor bits and drippings from the bottom of the skillet into the wine, bring to a boil, then reduce the wine to about 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes.
• Place the turkey thigh into a slow cooker, and pour in the reduced wine, water, thyme, rosemary, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cover the cooker, set to Low, and cook for 4 hours. Stir in the tomato sauce, and cook an additional 4 hours; then remove the turkey thigh, and separate the meat from the bone. Return the meat to the slow cooker. Bring back to a simmer, pour in the half-and-half. Stir the cream sherry into the soup to serve.