Straight from the Lubrano residence, located somewhere in the general vicinity of bayou territory, (OK, Texas) comes this knockout recipe for Cajun Stuffed Turkey. This bird is a great change of pace from the usual holiday fare we find in our neck of the woods, where the well-dressed turkey is stuffed with bread and spiced with sage, rosemary, and thyme (not to mention parsley). This bird is stuffed with cajun spiced mud-bugs, and is guaranteed to shake up your traditional holiday meal. The pilgrims never tasted anything like this.
Ingredients
Whole Turkey
3 cups of Long Grain Rice
1 1/2 - 2 lbs of Crawfish (fresh or frozen)
1 bunch of Scallions
1 Tbs Olive Oil
Zatarains Cajun Seasoning
Creole Lousiana Cajun Seasoning
Salt & Pepper
Preparation
Remove the giblets from the turkey and wash the bird thoroughly. Pat dry, and dust liberally with Cajun and Creole seasonings.
Following the directions on the package, boil 3 cups of rice, making sure not to overcook, which will cause the rice to get pasty).
Chop the scallions and saute them in the Olive Oil and set aside.
You can avoid the cooking and cleaning of the crawfish by purchasing it already prepared.
After the rice has cooled, add the scallions, crawfish, generous amounts of the Cajun and Creole seasonings, salt, and pepper. Be careful not to over-salt, as both the Cajun and Creole seasonings contain salt.
Stuff the turkey with the mixture, truss, and roast at 350 degrees for approximately 12 minutes per pound (or until your popper or meat thermometer indicate the bird is done.
When the bird is done, remove from oven and allow to rest. Remove stuffing prior to carving.
Serving Suggestions
Spicy dishes can be hard to match with wine, and moonshine is hard to come by up North. My suggestion is a strong red, like Zinfandel or Syrah (Shiraz in Australia). Try one of the Ravenswood or Ridge Zin's - 1997 is a great year - or the Lolonis “Orpheus” Syrah.