An American Turkey in Paris

It was an American turkey dinner that won Antonia Robertson, executive sous-chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, a trip to Paris for the final round of judging at the 1991 Prix Culinaire International Pierre Taittinger Culinary competition. Today, she will compete for a prize worth $10,000 against finalists representing France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Holland, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium/Luxembourg.

Robertson, a former emergency-room nurse who is living out her life’s dream of being a restaurant chef, could not be more surprised. “I couldn’t believe it,” she said before she left for Paris. After all, she was selected among 600 entrants worldwide, 23 of them from the United States.

Robertson, who was born in Myanmar and moved to the United States in 1977, studied cooking in Chicago before beginning her career at the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

Chefs 25 to 39 years of age with at least eight years professional cooking experience were asked to prepare a complete meal costing no more than $200, built around a 7 1/2-pound turkey. No wonder Robertson won the attention of the French judges. Her American turkey was stuffed with truffles. The golden-tinged turkey was served surrounded with fried sweet-potato baskets filled with caramelized chestnuts, and a mousse of yellow and green sweet peppers decorated with tomato leaves. Turkey dressing, served in individual molds, was made with brioche instead of plain bread and cepes mushrooms flavored with Cabernet Sauvignon sauce.

Whole flash-frozen black truffles (the only type available before season) is responsible for more than half the cost of the meal. If you omit the truffles (which you can certainly do at little loss to the total effect of the spectacular meal), you’ll save $115, leaving a glamorous meal for eight costing only $67.94. And that’s not bad.

ROASTED TURKEY WITH BLACK TRUFFLES

1 (7 1/2-pound) young hen turkey

Salt, pepper

6 ounces frozen black truffles, optional

4 ounces chopped shallots

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup veal or beef glaze

Rinse turkey, reserving neck and giblets. Cut off first 2 joints of wings and set aside with neck and giblets. Trim excess fatty skin from neck area, leaving just enough skin to cover neck cavity.

Using sharpening steel or chopstick, punch holes in turkey breasts on both sides. Insert whole truffles into punctures, guiding with fingers. Slice remaining truffles into 1/8-inch slices. Separate skin from meat around breast, thigh and wing areas and place truffle slices under skin, spacing evenly (use all slices). Refrigerate overnight.

Rub inside of turkey with salt and pepper to taste. Place breast-side-up in large roasting pan. Tie turkey legs together to hold shape. Roast turkey at 350 degrees 35 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with pan juices. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and continue roasting 20 minutes or longer until juices run clear when pierced in thigh area. Remove turkey from oven at once to avoid overcooking.

To make sauce, skim off as much fat as possible from pan juices. Place reserved bones, neck and joints in roasting pan and brown over high heat. Reduce heat. Add shallots and saute 5 minutes. Add giblets and brown. Add white wine and cook over high heat until almost absorbed. Add veal glaze and simmer 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain sauce through fine strainer. Ladle into sauce boat to serve over turkey slices. Makes 8 servings.

Note: Sliced shiitake, porcini or other strong-flavored mushrooms make good substitutes for truffles.

BRIOCHE BREAD DRESSING

1 pound small fresh cepes (porcini mushrooms)

1 cup butter, clarified

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

1/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon

1/4 cup veal glaze

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Salt, pepper

1 pound loaf of brioche or white bread

Clean and finely dice mushrooms. Heat 3/4 cup clarified butter in large skillet. Add mushrooms and saute until tender. Remove mushrooms from skillet and set aside. Remove all but 4 tablespoons butter from skillet, reserving excess butter.

Saute shallots in same skillet 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and red wine. Reduce wine until all liquid is absorbed. Add veal glaze and simmer 15 minutes until sauce thickens. Add thyme and season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to cook 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat and cool (mixture may be made 1 day ahead).

Generously butter 8 6-ounce timbale molds using remaining clarified butter. Trim crust from bread. Slice into 1/8 inch, or thinner, slices, then cut into 2x1-inch strips. Fill bottom of each mold with cut bread pieces. Arrange remaining bread strips around sides to form cup shape. Fill prepared mold with alternating layers of mushroom mixture and pieces of bread. Brush with reserved excess butter. Repeat until all 8 molds have been filled. Cover each mold with parchment paper round. Place molds on single sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes. Remove bread pudding from molds by placing small plate on top of mold, turn upside down and loosen. Keep warm. Makes 8 individual molds.

SWEET POTATO BASKET WITH CARAMELIZED CHESTNUTS

Water

1 pound unpeeled chestnuts (about 32 chestnuts)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 large sweet potato

Peanut oil for deep frying

Bring 2 quarts water to rolling boil in large pot. Add chestnuts and boil 5 minutes. Immediately drain and place chestnuts in ice water. When chestnuts are cool, slice off bottom of each chestnut shell with small knife, then peel off remaining shell with fingers. If wished, toast chestnuts in slightly greased hot pan or at 400 degrees 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook sugar with 1 tablespoon water in heavy saucepan until sugar caramelizes. Add butter and peeled chestnuts. Slow simmer until chestnuts are coated with caramel sauce. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Peel sweet potato with apple peeler. Cut into fine shoe-string slices and place into 3-inch bird nest fryer or 2 nested strainers. Fry in peanut oil at 330 degrees until crisp, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove sweet potato basket from oil and drain excess fat on towel. You will need 8 sweet potato baskets. Before serving, place 3 large caramelized chestnuts into each basket. Makes 8 servings.

YELLOW PEPPER MOUSSE WITH TOMATO LEAVES

6 medium green peppers

6 medium yellow peppers

1 small onion

1 tablespoon clarified butter

Salt

White pepper

2 large Roma tomatoes

Roast green and yellow peppers on open flame burner until all sides of skin are charred. Place peppers inside large paper bag and set aside 5 minutes. Remove charred skin by rubbing off with dish towel.

Slice onion and saute in clarified butter over medium heat until soft and tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and divide evenly into 2 bowls. Puree peeled green pepper with 1 bowlful sauteed onion in blender and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Strain excess liquid using cheesecloth; mixture should be smooth, thick paste. Keep warm. Repeat process with yellow pepper.

Peel and quarter tomatoes and remove seeds, leaving 8 tomato leaves. Saute leaves in remaining 1 tablespoon clarified butter.

To assemble, layer green pepper mousse and yellow pepper mouse to form half-moon shape by using oval-shaped ice cream scoop, or by hand. Top with tomato leaves. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.