Gobble! Gobble! Steal this chef’s turkey recipe

This week: American Heritage Turkey, from the Napa Rose restaurant at Disneyland, in Anaheim, Calif.

In this special weekly feature, “Today” food editor Phil Lempert brings you recipes “stolen” (with permission) from notable restaurants across America. See how much money you can save — and fun you can have — by cooking these dishes at home!

For Thanksgiving, we’ve “stolen” one of the country’s best recipes for turkey. It’s chef Andrew Sutton’s preparation of American Heritage Turkey, which he will be serving at his Napa Rose restaurant at the Grand Californian Hotel at Disneyland.

More about the chef:
Sutton begun his cooking career early, working during high school on line jobs at several restaurants in his hometown, Dallas. From there, Sutton was tapped by Jean LaFont, a corporate chef, before joining the original culinary team for Dallas’ Registry Hotel under executive chef Henry Boubee. Two years later, in 1985, Sutton enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America to add formal education to hands-on experience. An internship translated into an opening at Dallas’ Crescent Court Hotel, where he encountered his first taste of California cuisine from chef Steve Singer.

At the famed Mansion at Turtle Creek, also in Dallas, Sutton added yet another style of cooking to his repertoire while working under Dean Fearing, a pioneer of Southwest cuisine.

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In 1993, Sutton was recruited by Napa Valley’s Auberge du Soleil, where he fell in love with the wine country lifestyle — a passion that was to prove fruitful when, in 2000, Disneyland Resort came knocking with a tempting offer to open a destination restaurant at the upscale Grand Californian Hotel at Disneyland. The Napa Rose was the result.

The restaurant has earned several awards, such as “2002 Best Newcomer” from Zagat Restaurant Survey for Orange County and the top food ranking in the 2003 edition, as well as being among Food & Wine magazine’s “2002 Best New Wine Lists” in the country. Napa Rose also received the 2003 Santé Award for “Cooking for Wine, West Coast region.”

(PLEASE NOTE: Ingredient prices are estimates and based on national averages. Amounts listed are for one portion. Increase proportionately according to number of portions desired.)

American Heritage Turkey
(Thanksgiving Day four-course menu is $65.00 per person and turkey dinner for children is $15.00. Cook at home cost for 18- to 22-pound turkey is $31.19, which will serve 10 to 12 guests.)

There are several types of American Heritage turkeys, the most popular being the American bronze turkey and the Bourbon red turkey. These birds were the first to be bred for domestic consumption in the Americas and have a superior flavor to the mass-produced turkeys in your local supermarket. (They also tend to cost more.) Be careful not to overcook them, because they can dry out easily. This is why they should be marinated in a flavored brine, such as the Autumn Brine detailed below. (This brining method can also be used with any other type of turkey.)

18- to-22-pound American Heritage turkey ($28.75)
Autumn Brine (see recipe below)
3 tablespoons kosher salt ($0.08)
1-1/2 tablespoons black pepper ($0.02)
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped ($0.22)
1 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped ($0.19)
2 bay leaves ($0.06)
1 orange, quartered ($0.24)
1 sprig thyme ($0.14)
1 sprig sage ($0.16)

Rinse the turkey in cool running water to clean. Soak the bird in the brine (see recipe below) for 2 to 3 days prior to roasting.

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Remove the bird from the brine and place in a large roasting pan. Evenly season the whole turkey with salt, pepper, chopped thyme and sage. Place the bay leaves, orange quarters and remaining herbs inside the cavity of the bird. Place the turkey into a 400F oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300F and allow to roast for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Use a meat thermometer to test the temperature by piercing the turkey along the breastbone. The internal temperate should be 140 degrees. Allow the bird to rest for 30 minutes before carving. The turkey will reach the necessary 160 degrees while it is resting. Carve the turkey the way you might carve a chicken. Remove the legs first so that the breast is exposed.

Cut along the breastbone and completely remove the breast from the body before you begin slicing the breast. Cut the breast into quarter inch slices, cutting the breast crosswise. The breast will be more tender and juicy than it would be if you cut the bird lengthwise with the grain.

Autumn Brine
1 cup brown sugar ($0.36)
1/2 cup kosher salt ($0.12)
1/2 gallon water
1 tablespoon orange zest ($0.02)
1/2 cup orange juice ($0.34)
1 bay leaf ($0.03)
3 thyme sprigs ($0.30)
1 sage sprig ($0.16)
15 black peppercorns ($0.06)

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Place all the ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, then allow the brine to cool. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan, then pour cooled brine over the turkey. Refridgerate and allow the turkey to marinate for two to three days. Turkey should be turned over and rotated every 24 hours to allow even marinating. The purpose of the brine is to allow your seasoning to penetrate the thick skin and breasts of a large turkey. It will also help to keep the bird moist.

Napa Rose
Located in the Grand Californian Hotel at Disneyland
1600 S. Disneyland Drive
Anaheim, Calif.
(714) 300-7170
www.disney.com

Want to find out how you can make your favorite restaurant dish at home? Just e-mail Phil at (or use the mail box below) with the name of the restaurant, city and state, and the dish you would like to have re-created. Want to know more about Phil and food? Visit his Web site at www.supermarketguru.com.

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