TALKING TURKEY
Follow the right steps in getting the bird ready for the roaster, says food columnist
First, a few reminders about the Thanksgiving turkey.
If it is frozen, the safest way to defrost turkey is to put it in the refrigerator so that the exterior will stay cold while the inside thaws. That takes a while so allow about 24 hours for each 2.5 kg (5 lb). If you have a frozen 5-kg (10-lb) turkey to roast on Sunday, it’s best to move it to the refrigerator on Friday morning.
If it is too late for the refrigerator method, you can defrost a turkey in cold – not warm – potable water. Keep it wrapped in leak-proof plastic, place it breast side down in a clean container, cover with cold water and change the water every 30 minutes to keep the surface cold until thawed.
When defrosting turkey in a microwave – also considered a safe option if done as recommended – use only microwave safe wrappings and containers and roast the turkey immediately because it can defrost unevenly, with hot spots and cold spots.
Turkey Farmers of Canada offers this information about approximate times required to roast a stuffed turkey in a 180 C (350 F) oven. It is based on the weight of the turkey before stuffing and there is a range of times for each weight category: For a turkey weighing 3.6-4.5 kg (8-10 lb), allow 2 hours 40 minutes – 3 hours, 30 minutes; 5-5.9 kg (11-13 lb) – 3 hours 40 minutes-4 hours 20 minutes; 6.4-7.3 kg (14-16 lb) – 4 hours 40 minutes -5 hours 20 minutes; 7.7-8.6 kg (17-19 lb) – 5 hours 40 minutes-6 hours 20 minutes and 7.7-8.6 kg (17-19 lb) – 5 hours 40 minutes -6 hours 20 minutes. Use this information to calculate what time to put the turkey in the oven.
For fine tuning, check the temperature with a digital food thermometer to ensure that the turkey is well-cooked. Previously, I had learned that it was best to check the temperature at the thickest part of the thigh meat, but Health Canada currently recommends inserting the thermometer at the thickest part of the breast, making sure it does not touch a bone. The temperature needs to be at least 82 C (180 F) for safe eating.
There is more information about handling poultry safely on the Health Canada pages of www.canada.ca, and cooking instructions at www.canadianturkey.ca.
Now, about the cake. Several people I am thankful to have in my life have birthdays around Thanksgiving time and I am planning to bake a cake for one of them.
It will be a short-cut version – totally inauthentic – of Black Forest Cake, with whipped cream filling sandwiched between two layers of chocolate cake and topped with more
cream, canned cherries, drained well and blotted dry and shaved chocolate.
The recipe for this cake has been around for years and, although I am not sure of the original source, the website I took it from claims it’s originally from the Moosewood Collective.
Deep Chocolate Vegan Cake
Adapted from a Moosewood book, via recipezaar.com
375 mL (1½ cups) all-purpose flour 75 mL (1/3 cup) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 mL (½ tsp) baking soda
2 mL (½ tsp) salt
250 mL (1 cup) sugar
125 mL (½ cup) vegetable oil 250 mL (1 cup) cold water or chilled brewed coffee
10 mL (2 tsp) vanilla extract
25 mL (2 tbsp) cider vinegar
Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F).
Oil a 20 cm (8 inch) square or round cake pan, and dust with sifted cocoa.
Sift together flour, cocoa, soda, salt, and sugar.
In another bowl, mix oil, water and vanilla.
Pour liquid into dry and mix until smooth.
Add vinegar and stir briefly. Immediately pour batter into prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes. Fortifying whipped cream with unflavoured gelatin allows it to hold its shape on cake.
Whipped Cream Filling
Adapted from Wattie, Helen and Elinor Donaldson: “Nellie Lyle Pattinson’s Canadian Cook Book”. Ryerson Press, Toronto, 1965.
5 mL (1 tsp) unflavoured gelatin softened in 10 mL (2 tsp) cold water 250 mL (1 cup) whipping cream 15-30 mL (1-2 tbsp) fine sugar (or icing sugar)
2 mL (½ tsp) vanilla extract
In a double boiler, dissolve softened gelatin over hot water and cool slightly.
Whip cream until fluffy. Add gelatin, sugar and vanilla. Continue beating until stiff.