Saturday, December 19, 2015

Dried Fruit Crusted Turkey a.k.a. Spiedo di Taccinella in Crosta di Frutta Secca

It's turkey season so I thought I'd re-cycle a recipe that I posted several years ago following a trip to Umbria. To say that the menus during that particular cooking school vacation were 'pork heavy' is a bit of an understatement. I’m not complaining...I had some really great prosciutto (day after day after day). However, when Flavio, our chef/teacher, indicated that turkey was on the menu, we all pretty much wept tears of joy.   
  
Ingredients:
-  1 pound turkey breast (or pork, or chicken, or veal)
-  ½ cup breadcrumbs
-  ¼ cup almonds
-  ¼ cup hazelnuts
-  2 tablespoons raisins or dried cranberries
-  ¼ cup dried apricots
-  2 tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted)
-  2 tablespoons olive oil
-  3 tablespoons fresh marjoram (use much less if the marjoram is dried)
-  5 fresh basil leaves
-  Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Remove the skin and bone from the turkey breast and cut the meat into 4 cm. cubes. Chop all of the dried fruit, nuts and seeds together in a blender with the olive oil, herbs and salt and pepper. Mix everything with the breadcrumbs. Toss the turkey in olive oil, and then coat the meat in the breadcrumb mixture. Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees F) for about 30 minutes.  You can place the meat on skewers prior to baking if that appeals to you as a serving option.