Who said turkey always has to be roasted whole?

Fowl Play by Bruce Aidells Sometimes the parts are better than the whole. Take turkey. It’s not that a perfectly roasted bird isn’t delicious, but when you look beyond the expected, fall’s favorite fowl becomes an even more exciting and versatile proposition. Broken down into thighs, drumsticks, and breast, each of these cuts—which are all easily found in grocery stores—can be prepared in clever new ways. Here, the thigh is stuffed with sausage and porcini, the breast is rubbed with an herb paste and topped with pancetta, and the drumstick meat is pulled off the bone and added to a spicy mole sauce. The big bird had better watch its back this year. Roasted Turkey Breast, Porchetta Style Mexican Turkey Drumstick Mole Turkey Thighs Stuffed with Porcini, Sausage, and Artichoke Hearts

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Roasted Turkey Breast, Porchetta Style

by Bruce Aidells This centerpiece dish starts with a boned whole turkey breast (do this yourself or ask the butcher to do it for you) or two boneless breast halves. It’s rubbed with a spice paste and topped with pancetta for a clever take on porchetta, a traditional Italian preparation of pork wrapped in strips of pork belly or pancetta.Serves seven to nine. Ingredients: 1 tsp. coriander seeds 1 tsp. fennel seeds 1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary 2 tsp. chopped fresh sage 3 medium cloves garlic Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 Tbs. olive oil 1 whole skin-on turkey breast (5 to 7 lb.), boned or 2 boneless skin-on turkey breast halves (2 to 3 lb. each) Eight 1/8-inch-thick pancetta slices, unrolled into strips, or 8 strips thick-cut bacon More...

Mexican Turkey Drumstick Mole

by Bruce Aidells In this classic Mexican stew, turkey legs are poached until falling-apart tender, then the meat is teased off the bones and simmered in the rich, spicy sauce flavored with bittersweet chocolate, ground almonds, and three varieties of dried Mexican chiles.Serves six to eight. Ingredients: For the poached drumsticks 6 cups lower-salt chicken broth; more as needed 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and each studded with 4 whole cloves 6 medium unpeeled cloves garlic 6 whole allspice berries 4 fresh or dried bay leaves 2 tsp. cumin seeds 2 tsp. black peppercorns 2 tsp. coriander seeds 2 tsp. dried oregano 1 tsp. fennel or aniseed One 4-inch cinnamon stick 4 large turkey drumsticks (about 3 lb. total) For the mole sauce 3 ancho chiles 3 mulato chiles 3 guajillo chiles 1/3 cup raisins 3/4 cup whole toasted almonds 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (about 1/2 cup) 3 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded (about 1 cup), or 1 cup canned seeded tomatoes, preferably Muir Glen 2 corn tortillas, cut into 6-inch strips 1 cup chopped yellow onion 2 medium cloves garlic 1 tsp. dried oregano, preferably Mexican 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 1/2 tsp. ground fennel or aniseed 1/8 tsp. ground allspice 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon Pinch of ground cloves 3 Tbs. olive oil or vegetable oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds More...

Turkey Thighs Stuffed with Porcini, Sausage, and Artichoke Hearts

by Bruce Aidells Buy skin-on, bone-in thighs at the grocery store and remove the bones yourself—it’s as easy as boning chicken thighs. Ingredients: For the stuffing 3/4 oz. dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 cup) 1 Tbs. olive oil 1/4 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed (1 link) 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion 2 tsp. minced garlic 1/2 cup coarsely chopped frozen artichoke hearts (no need to thaw) 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary 1/2 cup coarse day-old breadcrumbs 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 large egg, lightly beaten For the thighs 3 turkey thighs (14 to 18 oz. each), boned Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil More...

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