TURKEY – A NEW WORLD NATIVE, has been an important part of the diet throughout Mesoamerica for at least 3000 years. Meleagris gallopavo – the species we still use – was domesticated in Mexico’s central plateau as early as 200 B.C. Meleagris ocellata – or the oscillated turkey – is indigenous to Yucatán and is the wild turkey still preferred by the Maya. It is the first turkey tasted by Europeans, and soon became the rage of royal banquet halls in the Old World. This turkey cannot be domesticated, but archaeological evidence shows that the Maya captured chicks in the wild and caged them in their solares to fatten them up for feasting. Turkeys played and still play a vital role in Mayan ritual, and were important components for worshiping the rain god, for curing and for planting ceremonies. Pavo en Relleno Negro originated as such a dish, although now it is also a popular food for daily fare. Traditionally, the dish was prepared by forming a ball of chopped, seasoned meats (known in Mayan as but) around the yellow of a boiled egg, stuffing the turkey cavity with the balls, then simmering in a broth of charred chiles (Recado Negro) overnight as abuelita kept vigil from her hammock slung in the cookhouse. The post-conquest introduction of alcaparrado – a Moorish/Andalusian mix of capers, olives, raisins and almonds – later enriched the but. Highly symbolic to the Maya, Pavo en Relleno Negro refers to the Creation and to resurrection: the intense black color of the burned chiles represents death or “no life” while the eggs buried deep inside represent hope and new life. To eat Pavo en Relleno Negro is to cheat death: having it right in front of you, but surviving and being nicely sated at the end. Our version has been adapted to the French style – a turkey galantine filled with a rich pâté de campagne.

 

Yield: 10 servings

 

PREPARE THE TURKEY
• 1 small whole turkey breast, boned with skin intact (Note: for a more manageable dish, you may substitute 2 large whole chicken breasts.)

STEP 1  BRINE TURKEY OVERNIGHT. Mix 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup sugar for every 1 gallon of water. Cover turkey completely with brine and refrigerate up to 10 hours. Remove from brine and rinse.

PREPARE THE STOCK
• 2 Tbs. (30ml) vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 green or red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
• 12 cups (3 liters) rich poultry stock (preferably turkey)
• 1 tsp. whole cumin, toasted
• 2 Tbs. (30ml) whole orégano Yucateco (Substitute: half the quantity of powdered Mexican oregano), toasted

STEP 2  IN A LARGE STOCKPOT, heat the oil and sauté the onion, pepper and tomato until onions are translucent. Grind the orégano and cumin together in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, then add to the vegetables. Pour in stock and bring to a simmer as you complete the next steps.

PREPARE THE ENRICHMENT
• 3 oz. (85g) mulatto chiles, stems removed and seeded
 • 6 Tbs (90ml) Recado Negro*, dissolved in 1 cup water  
• 1 large head garlic, charred
• 1 chile chipotle en adobo, drained

* Also known as "Recado para Chilmole". Available in small boxes in the ethnic foods section of most supermarkets.

STEP 3  TOAST THE CHILES at 350˚F (176˚C)  for 15 minutes or until fragrant and just crispy. Remove from oven and cover with boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain and place chiles in the jar of a blender. Strain the recado liquid through a piece of cheesecloth placed over a large sieve directly into the blender. Press and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard any recado that does not pass through. Add whole garlic and chipotle to the blender and process at high speed until puréed. Add some stock if necessary to thin. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into the stockpot. With a spatula, mash and press the mixture until only a bit of pulp remains at the bottom of the sieve. Pour some additional stock through the sieve if necessary to extract as much of the pulp as possible. Discard any pulp that will not pass through. Bring stock to a boil, reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from heat. Check seasonings.

PREPARE THE BUT
• 2/3 cup (160ml) onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbs. (30ml) butter

 

STEP 4  SAUTÉ THE ONIONS IN THE BUTTER until soft and translucent. Allow to cool, then proceed with remaining steps.

• 2 oz. (60g) smoked Yucatecan longaniza (Substitute: any smoked pork sausage), skin removed
• 1 cup (60ml) bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup (80ml) cream cheese or goat cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 Tbs. (45ml) cognac or brandy
• 1 Tbs. (15ml) salt
• 1/4 tsp. (1.25ml) each: ground allspice, ground thyme, ground cumin, ground bay leaf, ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs. (15ml) Recado Negro, dissolved in 1 Tbs. water and strained through cheesecloth


• 500 grams (1 lb.). ground pork
• 375 grams (13 oz.) ground chicken breast
• 250 grams (9 oz.) ground chicken liver or beef liver
• 1/3 cup (80ml) each capers, pitted green olives, black raisins
• 1 Tbs. (15ml) fresh orégano Yucateco, finely chopped (Substitute: fresh sage)


• 1/2 cup (118ml) blanched almonds
• 6 boiled eggs, peeled, yolks separated from whites (reserve whites for other use)




ROAST THE TURKEY
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 1/4 cup (60ml) butter plus 1 Tbs. (15ml) vegetable oil, melted together


• 4 Tbs. (60ml) masa harina