Kitchen Encounters

~Gobble Gobble: Get Tangled Up in Turkey Tetrazzini~

When one writes a cooking blog long enough, one learns that sharing vintage recipes is as important as sharing trending, innovative new ones.  Experience has taught, "what's old is always new to someone", and cooks of all experience levels appreciate learning about it.  Experience has also taught: "what's old has often been lost to someone", as many times, these retro classics, which evoke fond memories, have sadly, been lost (grandma never taught it, shared it, or worse, never wrote it down), or tossed (instead of being handed down from generation to generation).

 About vintage recipes:  What's old is always new to someone,  and sadly,  what's old has often been lost to many. 

I know this to be true because by the time I was in my thirties, Tetrazzini had been around for a long time but I had never had the opportunity to taste it made the right way.  Mom didn't make it because dad wouldn't eat anything in a cream sauce.  Yea, I don't get it either, but that's that, "you're father won't eat that".  By the time I was in my thirties, the mid-1980's, the manufacturers of canned soup, cream cheese and mayonnaise had had a couple of decades to bastardize Tetrazzini recipes to the point of detestable, inedible glop.  The concept was so bad, I never had any desire to waste one moment trying to untangle the mess they made of this classic recipe.  

Then we went to a small wedding at The Toftrees Resort here in Happy Valley, PA.  Back in their day (the '80's and '90's), this was a swanky, upscale place with a highly-paid creative chef, a well-trained tuxedo-wearing waitstaff, and, an incredibly talented handsome guy who played the grand-piano.  After the champagne toast, the first course, pasta, arrived in small, classic-white, shell-shaped plates.  As the plates were placed in front of us, the waiter announced: "Seafood Tetrazzini".  Just wow, and I was inspired to embrace and make this dish in my own kitchen.

Tetrazzini is named after Italian opera star Luisa Tetrazzini.

A bit about Tetrazzini (teh-trah-ZEE-nee):  Tetrazzini is a rich dish combining cooked, stranded pasta (usually angel hair or thin spaghetti) tossed with chards of tender, cooked poultry (usually all-white chicken or turkey breast) or pieces of succulent seafood (never red meat) enrobed in a sherry-cream Parmesan-cheese sauce.  Lightly sautéed mushrooms (a requirement for the dish) get tossed in, along with some optional steamed peas and carrots too.  Each individual-sized dish, or the entire casserole, gets sprinkled with sliced almonds and additional grated Parmesan, then broiled (individual dishes) or baked (a casserole) until a crunchy, bubbly and golden top forms. The airy combination of almonds and Parmesan (not heavy breadcrumbs) causes strands of exposed pasta to crisp up too, which makes this super-rich dish all the more charming.

All food historians agree that even though the dish contains pasta it is not Italian.  It is an all-American concoction.

All food historians agree on one thing: this dish is not Italian, it is an American concoction named after the Italian opera star Luisa Tetrazzini.  It is said to have been invented for her in 1908-1910 by chef Ernest Arbogast at The Palace Hotel in San Francisco, CA, where it is said she was either a regular guest or a long-time resident of the hotel.  I can find no specific documentation to say the dish prepared for her was made with poultry, as seafood, which is common to San Francisco, would make more sense.  A follow-up to this story is:  Luisa then gave the recipe for Spaghetti Tetrazzini to Louis Paquet, chef de cuisine at The McAlpin Hotel on Harold Square in NYC (the largest hotel in the world when it opened in 1912), who made famous a chicken-based version. To muddle the dish's history up a bit, in October of 1908, Good Housekeeping magazine made references to Tetrazzini being served "in a restaurant on 42nd street" -- The Knickerbocker Hotel in NYC, located on the corner of Broadway and 42nd Street claims the rights to the recipe as well.

Tetrazzini = Stranded Pasta (Spaghetti) NOT Egg Noodles.

Unfortunately, Tetrazzini took a slow downhill slide after that.  Spin-offs started turning it into a casserole made of of leftover poultry or canned tuna, which is totally, completely understandable, as we Americans love our casseroles.  I have no ax to grind with that, it's tasty and family-friendly, but it was not what the elegant Ms. Tetrazzini had in mind.   Read on, because the worst was yet to come.  The cream of mushroom soup, cream cheese and mayonnaise versions that replaced the silky sherry-cream Parmesan-cheese sauce:  they were the death of the iconic dish.  

One last item:  Tetrazzini is made with stranded pasta/macaroni (any width will do but angel hair or spaghetti is most common), not egg noodles.  Egg noodles (a different product) = a noodle dish or a noodle casserole (example:  tuna noodle casserole) -- it's not Tetrazzini.  Got it? Good.

Tetrazzini is prepared in separate stages on the stovetop.

All white-meat turkey Tetrazzini is, perhaps my favorite version, with chicken or shrimp Tetrazzini coming in at a close, creamy second and third.  I don't make my Tetrazzini using leftovers of any kind, but,  if it's turkey Tetrazzini you grew up eating and are craving after Thanksgiving, by all means, use your leftover turkey (I won't call the food police), but try to stick to the tender, white breast meat.  That said, I really hope you'll give my method for making this dish a try.  It gets made in five very easy parts:  boiling pasta; oven-roasting or poaching turkey tenderloins; sautéeing vegetables; making sherry-cream Parmesan-cheese sauce, and; topping and baking.

Part One:  Boiling the Spaghetti

For the pasta:

1  pound spaghetti, broken in half

1 tablespoon sea salt, for seasoning pasta water

6  tablespoons salted butter

6  tablespoons finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

3/4  teaspoon coarsely-grind or cracked black pepper (not fine "table" ground)

~ Step 1.  In an 8-quart stockpot bring 5 quarts of water to a boil and add the 1 tablespoon of salt to the water.  Break the pasta in half and add it it to the boiling water.  Give pasta a quick stir.

~ Step 2. Cook spaghetti until slightly less than al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well and return to stockpot.

~ Step 3.  Add the butter, Parmesan and pepper.  Toss until butter is melted and pasta is evenly coated. Transfer to a large bowl & set aside.

Transfer pasta mixture to a large bowl & set aside:

Part Two:  Oven-Roasting or Poaching Turkey Tenderloins

While we're all familiar with whole, bone-in turkey and whole bone-in turkey breast or breast halves, we're not all as familiar with turkey breast tenderloins.  Weighing anywhere from 8-ounces to 1-pound each, these 7 1/2"-8" long, plump pieces of turkey are the tenderest part of the turkey. I love them, and use them occasionally, because, quite frankly, an entire turkey or a turkey breast all-to-often yields more turkey than needed, or takes more time to cook than I've got.  There's more. Trust me when I tell you, a poached or roasted turkey tenderloin served with mashed potatoes, gravy, a green vegetable and cranberry sauce is as wonderful as any oven-roasted turkey dinner.

~ Step 1.  Poach (photo #1) or roast (photo #2) 1 1/2-2 pounds turkey tenderloins according to my directions provided in the links, cool until meat can be handled comfortably with the hands, then pull it into bite-sized pieces.  The alternative is to use turkey breast leftover from your Thanksgiving feast.

Add the pulled turkey to the pasta mixture & set aside:

Part Three:  Sautéing the Vegetables

For the vegetables:

4  tablespoons salted butter

1  pound white mushroom caps, sliced

3/5  teaspoon garlic powder

1/2  teaspoons sea salt

2  cups frozen peas and diced carrots combo, unthawed

~ Step 1.  Slice the mushrooms as directed.  In a 3 1/2-quart chef's pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the sliced mushroom caps.

~ Step 2. Add garlic powder & salt, increase heat to medium-high & cook until 'shrooms are losing moisture & mixture is juicy, about 6 minutes.  Add frozen vegetetables.  Cook until almost no moisture remains, 5-6 minutes. Toss into the pasta mixture and set aside.

Add the sautéed veggies to the pasta mixture, toss, &, set aside:

Part Four:  Making the Sherry-Cream Parmesan-Cheese Sauce

4  tablespoons salted butter

4  tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2  teaspoon sea salt

1/2  teaspoon cayenne pepper

3  cups heavy cream + up to 1/2 cup whole milk, to control consistency

2  cups finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2-4  tablespoons dry sherry

~ Step 1.  In the same chef's pan, melt butter over low heat. Increase heat to medium and add the flour, salt and cayenne pepper. Using a large spoon or a small whisk, stirring constantly, cook until mixture is thick, smooth and bubbly, about 30 seconds.  It happens fast.

Add the cream, in a slow stream, stirring constantly the entire time.

~ Step 2. Continue to cook until sauce is smooth, thickened and drizzly, about 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat.

Sprinkle in the Parmesan. Stir until mixture is smooth and ribbonlike, adding milk if necessary.  Add the sherry, 2-3-4 tablespoons, to taste. You will have 3-3 1/2 cups sauce. Add and toss into pasta mix.

Add Parmesan-cheese sauce to pasta mixture & toss thoroughly:

Part Five:  Topping and Baking the Tetrazzini

3/4-1  cup sliced almonds

3/4-1  cup finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

~ Step 1. Transfer mixture to 13" x 9" x 2" casserole that's been sprayed with no-stick. Without pressing down on top, use a fork to evenly distribute mixture.  Sprinkle  sliced almonds evenly over top, followed by the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

~ Step 2.  Bake, uncovered, on center rack of preheated 350º oven 25-30 minutes.  Top will be a nice golden brown and casserole will be slightly-bubbling around the sides. Do not overbake or casserole will dry out, meaning:  all ingredients have been fully-cooked, all it needs is a reheat. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

Portion into individual bowls or au gratins & serve ASAP: 

Gobble Gobble:  Get Tangled Up in Turkey Tetrazzini:  Recipe yields 12-16 servings.

Special Equipment List: 8-quart stockpot; colander; microplane grater; cutting board; chef's knife; 3 1/2-quart chef's pan w/straight deep sides, preferably nonstick; nonstick spatula; salad servers, or two large spoons, for tossing pasta throughout recipe; 13" x 9" x 2" casserole.

Cook's Note: Turkey divan is a spin-off of chicken divan -- an all-American casserole invention. At this time of year, with Turkey Day just around the corner, it is, obviously, a very tasty use for leftover turkey. That said, by using quick-to-cook stovetop-poached or oven-roasted turkey tenderloins, it is a truly wonderful alternative if you want to serve turkey in a non-traditional way for a more laid-back or take-to-a-potluck feast.  Make no mistake, we're not talking "cream of canned any kind of soup" thrown into a casserole dish.  This dish is indeed creamy, comforting and divine.  Try my recipe for  ~ Gobble Gobble: Divine Parisian-Style Turkey Divan ~.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)

~ Gobble Gobble: Divine Parisien-Style Turkey Divan ~

Turkey divan is a spin-off of chicken divan -- an all-American casserole invention. At this time of year, with Turkey Day just around the corner, it is, obviously, a very tasty use for leftover turkey. That said, by using quick-to-cook stovetop-poached or oven-roasted turkey tenderloins, it is a truly wonderful alternative if you want to serve turkey in a non-traditional way for a more laid-back or take-to-a-potluck feast.  Make no mistake, we're not talking "cream of canned any kind of soup" thrown into a casserole dish.  This dish is indeed real-deal creamy, comforting and divine.

While we're all familiar with whole, bone-in turkey and whole bone-in turkey breast or breast halves, we're not all as familiar with turkey breast tenderloins.  Weighing anywhere from 8-ounces to 1-pound each, these 7 1/2"-8" long, plump pieces of turkey are the tenderest part of the turkey. I love them, and use them occasionally, because, quite frankly, an entire turkey or a turkey breast all-to-often yields more turkey than needed, or takes more time to cook than I've got.  There's more. Trust me when I tell you, a poached or roasted turkey tenderloin served with mashed potatoes, gravy, a green vegetable and cranberry sauce is as wonderful as any oven-roasted turkey dinner.   

Divan refers to a baked casserole containing poached all-white-meat chicken (or turkey) and blanched broccoli florets enrobed in béchamel sauce (it's called Morney sauce if cheese is added). It was invented in the 1940's and was a popular, medium-budget entrée on the menus of fine-dining restaurants and country club catering menus during the 1960's and 70's, which is where I encountered it.  When I got married in 1974, it was one of the first meals I cooked out of Betty Crocker's Cookbook (p. 306), which was my first cookbook and a bridal shower gift, then afterward, from the 1975 edition of The Joy of Cooking (p. 264), which I purchased myself.

Divan is classic American. It was created in the 1940's in the Divan Parisiene Restaurant of New York City's Chatham Hotel by a chef named Lagasi.  He had entered his dish in a contest, and, after winning money for it, it became the hotel's signature dish.  In French the word "divan" means an elegant meeting place or great hall, and it was this meaning that caught the attention of the owners as they searched for a name implying continental elegance.  In America, the word "divan" had come to mean "sofa", and, in the 1940's and 50's, in the Divan Parisien restaurant, diners ate at tables that were drawn up to small sofas (divans).  (Photos of Chatham and Parisien courtesy of Card Cow.)

When I was a young bride and just starting to entertain, chicken divan (dī-van) was one of my favorite go-to all-occasion casseroles.  It is great served for brunch, lunch or dinner.  It can be baked in one large casserole and served family style, or, it can be baked in individual-sized casseroles and served at a fancier gatherings too.  There's more.  It can be served with or atop toast points,  buttered noodles or steamed rice -- buttered noodles are my favorite.

Note:  The following recipe fills a 2-quart casserole (11" x 7" x 2"), and, when served with toast points, buttered noodles or rice, will easily feed a family of six people. In the event you've got hungrier mouths to feed (teenagers), a bigger crowd, or want leftovers (they reheat great in the microwave), do the math, double the recipe, and, bake it in a much larger 4-quart casserole. 

For the casserole:

1 1/2-2 pounds boneless, skinless turkey tenderloins  

1  pound frozen broccoli florets, preferably medium-large, not chopped broccoli

3  14 1/2-ounce cans chicken broth, or 5 1/2-6 cups homemade stock, for poaching chicken and broccoli  (Note:  Plain, nicely salted water can be substituted, but I like the added flavor that stock or broth lends to the chicken and the broccoli.  There's more.  I don't waste a bit of it, meaning:  I don't pour it down the drain.  I add some water to it, to get the necessary amount needed, and, I boil my egg noodles in it too.)

4  tablespoons salted butter (1/2 stick)

a scant 1/8  teaspoon ground cloves

a scant 1/8  teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 1/2  teaspoons sea salt

1/2-3/4  teaspoons white pepper

1 cup small-diced yellow or sweet onion

1/4  cup Wondra Quick-Mixing Flour for Sauce and Gravy

2  tablespoons dry sherry  

2  cups heavy cream, half & half or whole milk, your choice

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated Gruyère cheese

no-stick cooking spray, for preparing casserole dish

For the topping:

2 tablespoons salted butter, melted

1/2 cup French-style breadcrumbs or panko

For serving:

toast points, buttered egg noodles or steamed white rice, your choice

~ Step 1.  Poach (photo #1) or roast (photo #2) 1 1/2-2 pounds turkey tenderloins according to my directions provided in the links, cool until meat can be handled comfortably with the hands, then pull it into bite-sized pieces.  The alternative is to use turkey breast leftover from your Thanksgiving feast.

~Step 2.  Return the saucepan of remaining stock to a simmer and add the frozen broccoli florets. Adjust heat to a steady simmer and partially cook it, until it is just thawed, 1 1/2-2 minutes.  Using the same Asian spider or large slotted spoon, transfer it to a colander and rinse it under cold running water, to halt the cooking process.  Allow to drain thoroughly, giving the colander an occasional shake every five minutes or so for about 15 minutes.  Set aside.

~Step 3.  In the same saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, then, using a large spoon, stir in the spices (ground cloves, ground nutmeg sea salt and white pepper).  Add the onion and increase heat to medium and cook until onion is tender, about 1 minute.  

~Step 4.  Stir in the flour. Stirring constantly, cook for 1 full minute.  The roux will be very pasty.  Add the sherry then the cream (milk or half & half) and adjust heat to simmer.  Continue to simmer, stirring constantly until nicely-thickened but drizzly, about 2 minutes.  Lower heat to low and stir in the Gruyère.  Stir constantly until a thick Mornay sauce has formed, about 1 more minute.  Remove from heat.

~Step 5.  Place the pulled turkey pieces and blanched broccoli florets in a large bowl.  Add all of the hot Mornay sauce to the bowl.  Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold in the sauce, until everything is evenly enrobed in sauce.  Do not over mix.  Do not risk breaking the turkey or broccoli into smaller pieces.  Using the spatula, transfer all of the mixture to an 11" x 7" x 2" casserole that has been sprayed with no-stick spray.  Set aside while preparing topping.

~ Step 6.  In a 1-cup measuring container, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in microwave.  Stir the 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs into the melted butter.  Using your fingertips, sprinkle the topping mixture evenly over the entire top of the casserole.

~ Step 7.  Bake on center rack of 350° oven, until golden brown on top and bubbling around edges, 25-30 minutes.  Remove from oven and rest 15-20 minutes prior to serving.  Use rest time to make toast points, cook egg noodles or steam rice.

Turkey, broccoli & Mornay mixture in 11" x 7" x 2" casserole:

Casserole w/breadcrumb topping & ready to go into oven:

Golden & glorious after baking in 350° oven 25-30 minutes:

Place toast points, buttered egg noodles or steamed rice into the bottom of six 8"-9" round or oval au gratin dishes.  Portion & place turkey divan atop each portion & serve immediately:

Gobble Gobble:  Divine Parisien-Style Turkey Divan: Recipe yields 6-8 hearty servings.

Special Equipment List: 4-quart saucepan, preferably nonstick; Asian spider or large slotted spoon; colander; cutting board; chef's knife; hand-held box grater; large spoon; large rubber spatula; 11" x 7" x 2" casserole; 1-cup measuring container; ordinary tablespoon

Cook's Note:  Another great use for poached or roasted turkey tenderloins is ~ The Classic Kentucky Hot Brown Turkey Sandwich ~. Simply known as "the hot brown", or "Louisville hot brown", this Kentucky ope-faced sandwich is a culinary legend.  Invented in 1926 by Fred K. Schmidt at The Brown Hotel in Louisville, unlike many other famous sandwiches, this one was no accident.  It was specifically created, from some carefully-selected, well-thought out ingredients, to please his hungry late-night crowd.  It was a sort-of spin-off of the British Welsh rarebit and Scotch woodcock (using a smooth, creamy fondue-like "cheese sauce on toast").

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)

~ Let's Talk about Roasted Turkey Breast Tenderloins ~

While my family always celebrates Turkey Day with a traditional dinner, with all the pomp and circumstances leading up to the moment when the oven-roasted and well-rested turkey gets carved and served, there are many folks, both novice and experienced cooks, (single men and women, young couples, elderly couples, etc.) who neither need nor want, or, don't have the time for an entire turkey.  There are other folks, for whatever the reason, simply want to eat some turkey for the sake of the day and move on.  That's why I'm talking about turkey tenderloins.  

While we're all familiar with whole, bone-in turkey and whole bone-in turkey breast or breast halves, we're not all as familiar with turkey breast tenderloins.  Weighing anywhere from 8-ounces to 1-pound each, these 7 1/2"-8" long, plump pieces of turkey are the tenderest part of the turkey. I love them, and use them occasionally, because, quite frankly, an entire turkey or a turkey breast all-to-often yields more turkey than needed, or takes more time to cook than I've got.  There's more. Trust me, a roasted turkey tenderloin sliced and served with mashed potatoes, gravy, a green vegetable and cranberry sauce is as wonderful as any oven-roasted whole turkey dinner.

That said, unlike its cute cousin the chicken tender, turkey tenderloin, because of its larger size, is not quite as versatile.  When it comes to cooking turkey tenderloins, any method that works for a bone-in or boneless chicken breast half can be adapted to work for a turkey tenderloin. My two favorite methods of preparing it are oven-roasting or stovetop poaching, but, it's worth mention I've had excellent results marinating it or applying a dry rub to it to grill it outdoors too.

Poaching vs. Roasting = Low Moist Heat vs. High Dry Heat.

Poaching = 30-40 minutes.  Roasting = 1-1 1/4 hours.

Loosely defined for modern times, roasting implies food items, like meat, poultry, fruits and vegetables that "stand on their own", meaning, they have an independent structure prior to being roasted -- unlike baking, they are not dependent on a vessel to attain their shape during the cooking process.  Like baking (a casserole for example), roasting can be done, covered or uncovered or a combination of both, but unlike baking, roasted foods are placed on a rack so they do not cook or stew in their own juices.  Typically, the desired end roasting result is a brown crust, which requires fat, either provided naturally by the item being roasted, or, applied by hand.  In the case of roasting turkey tenderloins, open roasting to attain browning is not ideal in that they emerge dried out -- they do not have the body mass to support a moist end result no matter how much fat one apples.  Please trust me on this point, or, do your own experiment at your own risk.

Place 2, large 3/4-1 pound turkey tenderloins on a rack in a small (disposable aluminum) roasting pan to which 2 cups chicken stock, 1/2 cup diced yellow onion, 1/2 cup diced carrot, 1/2 cup diced celery, and, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary sprigs (or 2 thyme sprigs or bay leaves depending on what you're making/serving with tenderloins) have been added.

Using a pastry brush, the paint entire top surface of the tenderloins with 2 tablespoons (microwave) melted salted butter, and, a fresh grinding of sea salt and pepper corn blend.

Tightly seal the top of the roasting pan with aluminum foil and bake on center rack of preheated 375º oven for 1 hour.

Remove from oven, remove foil and transfer tenderloins to a plate.  There's not need to discard the stock.  It's well seasoned and perfect for making gravy.  

Cover plate of turkey with plastic wrap and wait until it has cooled until you can comfortably handle it with your hands, prior to proceeding with specific recipe.

Steamy, roasted perfection, fork-tender, moist and juicy too.  Each tenderloin yeilds 3-4 servings sliced and about 3-4 generous cups of chopped or pulled turkey tenderloin:

Let's Talk about Roasted Turkey Breast Tenderloins:  Recipe yields instructions to oven-roast 2, 3/4-1 pound turkey tenderloins/6 servings.

Special Equipment List: 3" x 9" x 4" disposable aluminum roasting pan;  cooling rack; cutting board; chef's knife; vegetable peeler; pastry brush; aluminum foil; plastic wrap

Cook's Note: Looking for an all-purpose gravy that goes well on almost anything?  I've got one.  One basic recipe, made with a few pantry staples, and, in a few minutes:  a great gravy that carnivores and vegetarians can sit down to enjoy, together. Got pan drippings?  Just add them to my ~ Vegetarian Herb Gravy for Whatever Floats the Boat ~ along with the stock. Like a chameleon adjusts its color to blend in, this gravy graciously accepts any carnivorous flavor you've got to add.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2019)