Chef Worthington offers a holiday classic with an appellant flourish, roast turkey and three stuffings. Here are the ingredients and proportions for the stuffing that goes between the breast meat and the skin.

The entree is, of course, turkey, but done in two ways. The first version is prepared by Chef Stephan Pyles, whose Routh Street Cafe has become one of Dallas’ diamond jewels. His treatment of the turkey is traditional, but with the stuffing he picks up the chorizo theme along with a New Mexico specialty, blue cornmeal.

Roast Turkey with Blue Cornmeal-Chorizo Stuffing
Stephan Pyles
taped at Routh Street Cafe
Dallas TX

Serves 8

Chorizo and chilies add bite to a Southwest-style corn meal dressing created by celebrated Southwest chef Stephan Pyles. Note that home economists now recommend that you cook the dressing separately from the turkey to be certain the dressing reaches 165 F interior temperature, or actually take the temperature of the dressing (as well as the turkey meat) if you prefer to stuff the bird. If you choose to stuff the bird, stuff it very loosely, as this will help the heat reach all parts of the dressing quicker. Remove the dressing from the bird before chilling or freezing for storage after dinner.

One 8- to 10-pound turkey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Stuffing
3 tablespoons oil
1 pound bulk chorizo sausage
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced carrots
4 serrano chilies, seeded, deribbed, and finely minced (jalapenos may be substituted).
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/4 cup chopped chayote squash (optional)
1/4 cup bourbon
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage, or 1/8 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
8 cups coarsely crumbled blue corn bread (recipe follows); yellow corn bread may be substituted if necessary
1/2 cup chicken stock
Salt to taste

Melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Wash the turkey inside and out, sprinkle the cavity and the outside with salt and pepper, and set aside.

In a saute pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it browns. Saute until brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, place it in a large mixing bowl, and clean the pan.

In the cleaned pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the onions, celery, carrots, chilies, garlic, and chayote. Saute for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are translucent and soft. Add the bourbon to the pan and boil for 3 minutes to reduce the liquid.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the thyme, sage, and cilantro. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the chorizo, add the corn bread crumbs and chicken stock, and toss to moisten the crumbs.

Place the stuffing in a deep oven-proof pan, cover, and place in the oven to cook for the last hour with the turkey. Or, if preferred, loosely stuff the turkey, placing any left-over stuffing in an oven-proof pan. Truss the turkey and place it on a rack in a large roasting pan. Rub generously with butter. Bake for 20 minutes per pound, basting frequently with melted butter.

When the turkey is completely cooked and the juices run clear, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. Remove the pan with the dressing and serve hot.

Note: The stuffing can be prepared a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator until use. Bring it to room temperature before stuffing and/or cooking.

Serrano Chili-Blue Corn Bread

Makes 1 corn bread; 12 pieces

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups blue cornmeal (yellow cornmeal may be used if necessary)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 serrano chilies, seeded, deribbed, and diced (jalapenos may be substituted)
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and diced
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and diced
3 garlic cloves
2 eggs
6 tablespoons shortening, melted and cooled
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch pan.

Sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Heat the butter in a medium sauté pan or skillet over medium heat and saute the chilies, red and green peppers, and garlic until translucent and soft, about 4 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs lightly and add the melted shortening and butter. Stir the baking soda into the buttermilk and add it to the mixture. Add the dry ingredients, stirring until the batter is just smooth; do not overmix. Fold the vegetable mixture and cilantro into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Note: The cornbread is best served straight from the oven; however, it may be made ahead and frozen when used for stuffing.

Traditional Roast Turkey
Richard Worthington
Le Meridien Hotel
New Orleans

This version of roast turkey celebrates Richard Worthington’s British roots. Three stuffings, two featuring other meats, are used for this quite traditional feast.

Serves 10 – 12

Truffle Stuffing
1 pound boneless chicken breast, skinned and minced
2 egg whites
1/2 – 3/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 ounce finely chopped truffles (fresh mushrooms may be substituted)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pork Stuffing
4 ounces crustless white bread
1/2 cup milk
1/2 pound pork sausage, breakfast-style
1 egg
4 ounces roasted, shelled chestnuts, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Parsley and Onion Stuffing
1 pound crustless white bread
1 cup milk
3 ounces parsley, stemmed and roughly chopped
1 egg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 ounce unsalted butter

1 turkey, approximately 12 pounds

To make the truffle stuffing: In a food processor, puree the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the egg whites, one at a time. When thoroughly blended, gradually add the cream with the processor running. Add the truffles and pulse briefly to incorporate. Refrigerate.

To make the pork stuffing: Tear the bread into small pieces and place in a bowl. Add the milk. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate.

To make the parsley-onion stuffing: In a medium bowl, break up the bread. Add the milk, parsley, and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Saute the onion in the butter, cool slightly, and add to the bread mixture. Refrigerate.

To assemble: Preheat the oven to 300 F. If the turkey is frozen, thaw completely. Rinse and drain. Remove any excess fat from the cavity, and reserve the neck and giblets for gravy or stock. Make a pocket for the truffle stuffing by carefully sliding your hand between the breast skin and flesh. Push the truffle stuffing into the pocket and smooth from the outside of the breast to distribute it evenly. Poach any leftover stuffing. Fill the crop (throat) cavity with the pork stuffing. Fold loose skin over the opening and close with a wooden skewer. Stuff the rear cavity loosely with the parsley-onion mixture and any leftover pork stuffing. Close the cavity with the croupion (commonly called the “parson’s nose”) and tie the legs together with string. Tuck aluminum foil in the cavity to keep in the juices. Tuck the wings under the turkey and salt the outside. Place in a large roasting pan. Rub the skin with butter and roast for 3 to 4 hours, to an internal temperature of 180 F. Baste frequently with pan drippings.

To serve: Place the roasted turkey on a serving platter. Make gravy with the drippings in the pan, adding chopped cooked giblets and neck meat if desired. Carve the turkey at the table and serve spoonfuls of each kind of stuffing. Pass the gravy on the side.

Stephan Pyles
taped at Routh Street Cafe
Dallas TX

Serves 8

Chorizo and chilies add bite to a Southwest-style corn meal dressing created by celebrated Southwest chef Stephan Pyles. Note that home economists now recommend that you cook the dressing separately from the turkey to be certain the dressing reaches 165 F interior temperature, or actually take the temperature of the dressing (as well as the turkey meat) if you prefer to stuff the bird. If you choose to stuff the bird, stuff it very loosely, as this will help the heat reach all parts of the dressing quicker. Remove the dressing from the bird before chilling or freezing for storage after dinner.

One 8- to 10-pound turkey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Stuffing
3 tablespoons oil
1 pound bulk chorizo sausage
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced carrots
4 serrano chilies, seeded, deribbed, and finely minced (jalapenos may be substituted).
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/4 cup chopped chayote squash (optional)
1/4 cup bourbon
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage, or 1/8 teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
8 cups coarsely crumbled blue corn bread (recipe follows); yellow corn bread may be substituted if necessary
1/2 cup chicken stock
Salt to taste

Melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Wash the turkey inside and out, sprinkle the cavity and the outside with salt and pepper, and set aside.

In a saute pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it browns. Saute until brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon, place it in a large mixing bowl, and clean the pan.

In the cleaned pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the onions, celery, carrots, chilies, garlic, and chayote. Saute for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are translucent and soft. Add the bourbon to the pan and boil for 3 minutes to reduce the liquid.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the thyme, sage, and cilantro. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the chorizo, add the corn bread crumbs and chicken stock, and toss to moisten the crumbs.

Place the stuffing in a deep oven-proof pan, cover, and place in the oven to cook for the last hour with the turkey. Or, if preferred, loosely stuff the turkey, placing any left-over stuffing in an oven-proof pan. Truss the turkey and place it on a rack in a large roasting pan. Rub generously with butter. Bake for 20 minutes per pound, basting frequently with melted butter.

When the turkey is completely cooked and the juices run clear, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. Remove the pan with the dressing and serve hot.

Note: The stuffing can be prepared a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator until use. Bring it to room temperature before stuffing and/or cooking.

Serrano Chili-Blue Corn Bread

Makes 1 corn bread; 12 pieces

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups blue cornmeal (yellow cornmeal may be used if necessary)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 serrano chilies, seeded, deribbed, and diced (jalapenos may be substituted)
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and diced
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and diced
3 garlic cloves
2 eggs
6 tablespoons shortening, melted and cooled
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch pan.

Sift together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Heat the butter in a medium sauté pan or skillet over medium heat and saute the chilies, red and green peppers, and garlic until translucent and soft, about 4 minutes. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs lightly and add the melted shortening and butter. Stir the baking soda into the buttermilk and add it to the mixture. Add the dry ingredients, stirring until the batter is just smooth; do not overmix. Fold the vegetable mixture and cilantro into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Note: The cornbread is best served straight from the oven; however, it may be made ahead and frozen when used for stuffing.

Chef Worthington offers a holiday classic with an appellant flourish, roast turkey and three stuffings. Here are the ingredients and proportions for the stuffing that goes between the breast meat and the skin.

Executive Chef / Managing Partner Michael Lomonaco offering $ 85.00 four-course menu with Thanksgiving dinner: appetizers include grilled salmon, pan roasted halibut,Black Angus rib of beef, and, of course, natural roast turkey with …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNAuo1uPavoendofvid [starttext] [endtext]

The first version is prepared by Chef Stephan Pyles, whose Routh Street Cafe has become one of Dallas’ diamond jewels. His treatment of the turkey is traditional, but with the stuffing he picks up the chorizo theme along with a New …