Revisiting Old Favorites

Ground Turkey Stroganoff

My tastes have changed.  I began to realize this when leafing through a collection of old recipes, looking for something different to cook. 

I stumbled on Hamburger Stroganoff, a dish I made regularly when I was first out of college.  When I read the list of ingredients, though, I began having second thoughts.  I don’t eat ground beef any more, and I stopped using canned cream of anything soup years ago.

So I reworked the recipe: ground turkey instead of beef, no soup at all, much more garlic and half the amount of sour cream.  The end result seemed bland, so I added a few shakes of a new Penzeys spice called 33rd & Galena, which the company describes as a “chicken and pork rub.”  The label says it’s a mixture of Tellicherry black pepper, paprika, nutmeg, sage, cayenne, crushed red pepper and oleoresin of basil.

My newly named Ground Turkey Stroganoff was a big hit and much more in keeping with my current preference for spicier, less fatty food.  Next I’m going to try my old recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork.  I’m sure it will need a lot of updating.

Ground Turkey Stroganoff – serves 4-6 

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Penzys 33rd & Galena or other multi-spice mixture
2/3 cup sour cream
3 cups cooked rice or noodles 

Begin heating the oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat.  Add the onions, mushrooms and garlic and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, or until the onions and mushrooms have softened.  Transfer this mixture to a large bowl or plate. 

Add the ground turkey to the hot pan and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the chunks of turkey.  When the turkey no longer shows any signs of pink, drain and discard the fatty liquid.  Return the meat to the pan and add the salt, black pepper and 33rd & Galena or other multi-spice mixture.  Stir thoroughly. 

Return the onion/mushroom mixture to the pan.  Then add the sour cream and stir to combine.  When the stroganoff is hot, transfer it to a large serving bowl.  Serve with rice or noodles.

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