Some food porn

[pecunium]

There is, surprise, surprise, some leftover turkey in the house.

Turkey, which has cooled, tends to be dry, and somewhat bland (even the birds which pass for free range aren't the richest of flavors). I decided to use some for breakfast this morning. Went outside and cut some shallot tops, and a little dill (this is the season for cool weather herbs, if there's enough light to keep them from dying off, they thrive. My tarragon is doing it's annual die off to the ground, but the dill is going gangbusters, and the lettuce is coming up).

When I cook bacon I save the fat. I use it to cook with (largely for greasing the iron, it sheets well and has a less agrressive flavor at that level than olive oil. The lower smoke point is good too, esp for things like eggs). If it goes too long unused, the dogs get it for sauce on the dry food, waste not, want not). Today I took a large couple of dollops in a small skillet and chopped the turkey to bite-sized chunks; tossed it in the hot fat (which was over a diffuser, so as not to be too uneven).

Quartered a lemon, and beat five eggs. When the turkey was crisped I pulled it out, drained it and dressed with the lemon. Poured the eggs onto the griddle (greased with the fat from cooking the turkey) and when the omelette was set, addted the shallot greens, dill and lemoned turkey, et voila, Carnitas a la Leftovers.

Next time, I'll prep a little longer; chop some onions, maybe sweat them with a touch of cumin. The bird will soak in some lemon juice (the acid was a little light). But the texture was perfect, and the flavor not too far off the mark (none of the rich moist earthiness of slow simmered carnitas, but as an impromptu way of using the bird without resorting to casseroles, and creamed dishes, it was a great success).

Comments

[audrawilliams.livejournal.com]

Man I am hypersensitive but the ubiquitousness of "[Noun] porn" is really starting to drive me bananas. I am likely the only person who feels this way, though. So everyone should probably just carry on!

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

I had to give in. I think it's a silly usage, but it's what people say, it's how they refer to such posts and after some time of being told, by lots of people, it was what I was writing...

Color me weak.

[audrawilliams.livejournal.com]

Yeah. The word makes my skin crawl every time, but I guess that's a clear indication that I do not belong on the internet :)

[don-fitch.livejournal.com]

I seem to be of two minds about the use of "porn" in this context (and other non-sexual ones). Yes, it _is_ a bit silly (as is most of the "real" porn I've seen), but it also emphasizes the aspect of sensual gratification central to much writing about Food. And -- despite having a lot of ancestors who were Presbyterians or Lutherans -- I don't see anything inherently Wrong with sensual gratification (with the caveat that it not harm other people).

Besides (as my cardiologist would be glad to hear) Food Porn, also, can serve as a substitute for the real thing -- I can enjoy it tremendously even while going for years between buying pints of cream, or months between buying eggs or cuts of well-marbled beef.

I do envy, though, your having so much in the way of turkey leftovers. At 39 cents a pound (loss-leader commercial variety), I usually go through three or four turkeys during this season, but (being limited to a microwave oven) they're in the 13 to 15 pound range, and modern breeds at that size seem to be about 80 % breast, so what with the first serving, warmed-up in gravy the next day, sliced cold in a few sandwiches, and a kettle of soup made from the carcass, and my solitary short-shrift Feast (Turkey, dressing, potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie) there's often not enough left for the nostalgic comfort-food casseroles, pot-pies, & dumpling dishes, or even creamed turkey (with the white sauce made from turkey fat, of course) which does go great over toast for breakfast.

[sunfell.livejournal.com]

It's funny- I'm so used to the term [food]-porn that I don't even notice it much any more. I'd like to see something better, though- like perhaps food-geekery, or food-specialty, but it seems that 'porn' is being re-defined, just like the unfortunate over use of the word 'decadent' has changed the definition of the word. I see the word used all the time in conjunction with food- especially chocolate and seafood.

Both =porn and =decadence are originally negative and even nasty words, which like certain curse words, have become so common that they have lost their original impact.

Actually, I popped by to proselytize you about the joys of brining turkeys. I've been doing it for all turkey I cook, and it is amazing how it eliminates the dryness in the meat, and adds subtle flavor, too. Try it sometime- you won't be disappointed. Just make sure that the turkey you'll be doing is not injected with any solutions of any sort, or is a 'kosher' bird.

Hey, there's a term: Food proselyte! Let me lead you to the promised land- just try this technique! Halleluia!

[daedala.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the recipe. I save bacon fat and just made some. Yum!

I second the vote for brining. The first (and only) time I ever made a turkey, it came out brilliantly. I bought a cheap big styrofoam cooler to hold the turkey and brine, and that worked well.