Catch ‘em & Cook ‘em: Our favorite Dressing and Giblet Gravy
Dressing
Ingredients:
2 C chick broth
Generous dash of ground black pepper
4 stalks celery coarsely chopped
1 large onion coarsely chopped
1 (16 oz. Bag) Pepperidge Farm herb seasoned or cornbread stuffing mix.
1 stick butter melted and divided
How to:
1. Saute onion and celery in half of the melted butter until they are limp.
2. Heat broth and the other half of the melted butter and bring to a boil.
3. Pour the stuffing mix into a large bowl and pour sauteed Vegetables over the dry stuffing mix.
4. Pour the hot broth mix over the stuffing and toss with a fork until it is moist throughout.
5. Stuff the neck cavity and body cavity lightly Do not pack in as the stuffing will expand while cooking.
6. If you choose not to stuff your turkey, grease an ovenproof casserole with butter and add dressing and bake at 325 degrees, covered for 30 minutes or until hot throughout.
Gravy
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. turkey giblets and neck (remember… they are in a bag in the fridge)
Celery leaves
1 Onion sliced
1 C flour
Dash of pepper
How to:
1. Remove the liver and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, place thew giblets and neck in lightly salted water to cover, adding a few celery leaves and onion slices, if desired.
3. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until tender.
4. Add the liver and simmer for 20 30 minutes more or until tender.
5. Remove and chop the cooked giblets.
6. Discard the neck (it was only for flavor)
7. Reserve the broth.
8. To prepare the gravy, add the drippings from the roasting pan to the reserved giblet broth to measure 6 cups. Add water to bring it up to 6 cups, if necessary.
9. In a screw top jar, combine 1 C broth, 1 C flour, and a dash of pepper.
10. Put the lid on good and tight and shake well.
11. In a saucepan with remaining broth, add the flour mixture.
12. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes more.
13. Stir in the chopped giblets.
Makes about 8 cups.
Capt. Dick May is the owner of Easy Rider Charters in Bokeelia. He can be reached at 239-283-3247 or EasyRiderCharters.com. “Capt. Dick’s Seafood & Southern Country Cooking” (a new cookbook) can be ordered at www.Amazon.com. Go to Cookbooks then to Food and Wine category. Type in “Capt. Dick’s Seafood and Southern Country Cooking” and click. A picture of the cookbook, price and info for ordering will be displayed.