Turkey with Prunes and Garlic

There are always a lot of food leftovers after Christmas and New Year’s tables that can be reused. For example, for cooking delicious and nourishing Ukrainian borsch. Here you will find the basis for the future recipe. In the link below you will find the recipe for borsch based on turkey with bacon, prunes, apples, and garlic. How to bake the turkey you can find below.

Directions

1. Let’s make a bacon dressing to spread the turkey with this mixture. We take bacon and calculate that for every 1 kg of turkey you need 100 grams of bacon. Remove the skin from the bacon. We need only the pulp.
   
2. Chop the pickled peppers, remove the seeds, carefully remove the pulp of the pepper from the skin. Do not touch your eyes and nose. The pepper is really hot.
3. Put prepared bacon, gripped 2 heads of garlic, pickled chili peppers, fresh parsley, salt, and curry in a blender. Grind the components until smooth.
4. Wash the prunes, remove the seeds from the apples and cut off the skin, clean 2 heads of garlic. Cut it all into small slices.
5. Divide the bacon mixture into two parts. Apply one part put to the turkey skin. Use the second part of the mixture to spread the turkey under the skin, having previously lifted the skin with a spoon.
6. Put chopped and slightly salted apples, prunes, garlic, and bay leaves inside the turkey.
7. Cover the turkey with foil. If desired, put a cooking thermometer inside to understand the even temperature inside the turkey.
8. Put the dish in the oven preheated to 180°C. Our 4 kg of turkey needs to be cooked for 140-150 minutes. For each kilogram of turkey, it will take approximately 35 minutes to cook.
9. Remove the foil from the turkey 10-15 minutes before the end of baking. But don’t throw it away.
10. When the turkey is done, cover it with foil and a towel. Let it cool, steep, and soak in the smell and taste for 2 hours.
11. You can serve the turkey to the table and decorate the dish with garlic and rosemary sprigs.

Turkey Time — How Long to Cook:

Video by Food Wishes

Some ideas for using up the leftovers from the Christmas and New Year turkey with apples, prunes, and garlic recipe:

• Turkey and Prune Salad: Shred leftover turkey and toss with chopped prunes, mixed greens, and your favorite salad dressing. Top with crumbled goat cheese and toasted walnuts for extra flavor and crunch.
• Turkey and Apple Quesadillas: Use leftover turkey and sautéed apples to make a delicious quesadilla. Spread some cream cheese on a tortilla, top with shredded turkey, sautéed apples, cheese, and any additional toppings you like. Cook in a skillet until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy.
• Turkey and Prune Stuffed Sweet Potatoes: Bake sweet potatoes until tender and then split them open. Mix together leftover turkey, chopped prunes, and a bit of chopped parsley or green onion. Spoon the mixture into the sweet potatoes and top with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.
• Turkey and Apple Panini: Use leftover turkey and sautéed apples to make a delicious panini. Spread some honey mustard on bread, top with shredded turkey, sautéed apples, cheese, and any additional toppings you like. Cook in a panini press until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy.
• Turkey and Prune Pasta: Cook your favorite pasta according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, sauté leftover turkey and chopped prunes in a large skillet with garlic and olive oil. Toss the cooked pasta with the turkey and prune mixture, adding a bit of pasta water if needed to make a sauce. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh herbs.

Additional ideas for using up holiday leftovers using the recipe as a starting point:

• Turkey and Cranberry Quesadillas: Use leftover turkey and cranberry sauce to make a delicious quesadilla. Spread some cranberry sauce on a tortilla, top with shredded turkey, cheese, and any additional toppings you like. Cook in a skillet until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is crispy.
• Ham and Vegetable Fried Rice: Dice up leftover ham and any vegetables you have on hand (carrots, peas, corn, etc.). Sautee the vegetables in a large skillet with some garlic and ginger, then add cooked rice and diced ham. Drizzle with soy sauce and cook until heated through.
• Pumpkin Pie Smoothie: Blend leftover pumpkin pie with milk or yogurt, ice, and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. You can also add a banana or some vanilla protein powder for extra flavor and nutrition.
• Eggnog French Toast: Mix leftover eggnog with eggs and a splash of vanilla extract. Dip slices of bread into the mixture and cook on a griddle until golden brown. Serve with maple syrup and whipped cream.
• Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip: Mix leftover cranberry sauce with softened cream cheese, a bit of honey, and some chopped pecans. Serve with crackers or sliced apples for a delicious appetizer or snack.

With a bit of creativity, you can turn any holiday leftovers into delicious new meals and snacks!