Shredded Kale Salad With Turkey Skin Cracklings Recipes

Steps:

• Pull off turkey skin and freeze in a small resealable plastic bag. (You can use the skin to make cracklings for our Shredded Kale Salad with Turkey Skin Cracklings. )
• Cut out the thigh bone from each thigh and save in another resealable plastic bag in the freezer for a future stock.
• Mash garlic to a paste with 2 teaspoons salt in a mortar and pestle or mince and mash to a paste with a heavy knife.
• Whisk together the paste with the chili powder, cumin, and olive oil and spread it all over the thighs in a baking dish. Cover the dish and marinate the thighs, chilled, at least 2 hours.
• Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high for gas); see Grilling Procedure, below.
• Oil grill rack, then grill thighs (cover only if using a gas grill), turning once or twice, until thermometer registers 170°F, 15 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.
• Grilling Procedure:
• Charcoal Grilling Instructions: Open vents on bottom of grill. Light a large chimney starter full of charcoal (preferably hardwood).
• For Direct-Heat Instructions: When coals are lit, dump them out across bottom rack, leaving a space free of coals on one side of grill equal to the size of the food to be grilled where food can be moved in case of any flare-ups.
• When charcoal turns grayish white (start checking coals after 15 minutes), the grill will be at its hottest and will then begin to cool off. It will be at the proper medium-hot temperature when you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill rack (directly over the coals) for 3 to 4 seconds.
• Gas Grill Instructions: Preheat all burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then adjust heat according to recipe.

Steps:

• In a medium fry pan over medium heat cook bacon until brown and crispy. Remove bacon and place onto a plate lined with a paper towel.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan. Turn down heat to low and whisk the balsamic vinegar into the bacon fat. Pour over kale. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and set aside.
• In small nonstick fry pan over medium heat add butter and fry egg sunny side up.
• Transfer the kale to a serving dish and top with fried egg, orange segments, bacon and dollops of ricotta cheese.

Steps:

• To remove the skin from the turkey, cut along the backbone of the turkey with a sharp knife. Begin pulling and cutting on each side of the bone to help separate the skin from the carcass. Keep pulling and cutting the skin to separate it completely from the bird. Do not worry if you make holes in the skin or if it is cut into smaller pieces.
• For the crackling, spread the turkey skin, stretching it thinly in one piece or several pieces on a large cookie sheet in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and place in a preheated 350-to-400-degree oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, until crisp and brown all over. The skin will have shrunk considerably. If the skin is very thick, bake longer, until very crisp. Cool slightly and lift from the surrounding fat. Break into half-inch pieces and set aside. The skin from one turkey should yield one to one-and-a-half cups of crackling. Reserve the fat in the pan for sauteeing vegetables or for adding to the vinaigrette above.
• For the salad, trim off the outside escarole leaves that are very green or damaged and cut the remaining leaves into two-inch pieces. Wash thoroughly, lifting the leaves up out of the water. Dry well in a salad spinner. You should have approximately 9 to 10 cups of washed escarole.
• For the dressing, combine the mustard, garlic, vinegar, pepper and salt together with a spoon. Add the oil and turkey fat slowly and mix well. (The dressing should be slightly separated, not homogenized, so the salad is shiny when tossed with the dressing.
• At serving time, add the dressing to the greens and toss well. Sprinkle with the crackling and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Cracklings Turkey:.
• Remove frozen skin from plastic bag and cut it into roughly 3/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/4 cups).
• Combine the skin, 1 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan and briskly simmer mixture, stirring occasionally (the skin tends to stick to the bottom), until water is evaporated and cracklings begin to fry in their own fat (you'll hear the sizzling), about 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat and continue to fry the cracklings slowly, stirring frequently, until deep golden and crisp, about 10 to 20 minutes longer.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to paper towels to drain. Taste and season with salt, if necessary.
• NOTE: You can cook the cracklings up to 2 days heads. And reheat in a heavy skillet before adding to salad.
• For the salad:.
• In a toaster oven or skillet, toast almonds until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
• In a bowl, combine lemon juice and 1 heaping teaspoon salt. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Add garlic cloves and set aside to steep.
• Cut the kale into thin ribbons: gather a large handful of leaves, bunch together tightly, and use the other hand to slice into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. (Recipe can be made up to this point 1 day ahead. Keep kale and dressing refrigerated separately.).
• Place chopped kale in a very large bowl. Sprinkle surface with almonds and then with cheese and shredded turkey. Remove and discard garlic cloves from dressing. Pour half the dressing over the salad and toss. Taste for dressing and salt and add more as needed, tossing to coat thoroughly. Top with turkey cracklings. Serve within 1 hour.