Best Crispy Turkey Salad Recipes

CRISPY TURKEY SALAD

Steps:

• Cracklings Turkey:.
• Remove frozen skin from plastic bag and cut it into roughly 3/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/4 cups).
• Combine the skin, 1 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan and briskly simmer mixture, stirring occasionally (the skin tends to stick to the bottom), until water is evaporated and cracklings begin to fry in their own fat (you'll hear the sizzling), about 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat and continue to fry the cracklings slowly, stirring frequently, until deep golden and crisp, about 10 to 20 minutes longer.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to paper towels to drain. Taste and season with salt, if necessary.
• NOTE: You can cook the cracklings up to 2 days heads. And reheat in a heavy skillet before adding to salad.
• For the salad:.
• In a toaster oven or skillet, toast almonds until golden brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
• In a bowl, combine lemon juice and 1 heaping teaspoon salt. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Add garlic cloves and set aside to steep.
• Cut the kale into thin ribbons: gather a large handful of leaves, bunch together tightly, and use the other hand to slice into 1/4-inch-thick pieces. (Recipe can be made up to this point 1 day ahead. Keep kale and dressing refrigerated separately.).
• Place chopped kale in a very large bowl. Sprinkle surface with almonds and then with cheese and shredded turkey. Remove and discard garlic cloves from dressing. Pour half the dressing over the salad and toss. Taste for dressing and salt and add more as needed, tossing to coat thoroughly. Top with turkey cracklings. Serve within 1 hour.

CRISPY PORK CHEEK, BELLY OR TURKEY-THIGH SALAD

Steps:

• Sprinkle the meat liberally with salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight, uncovered.
• When you're ready to cook, rinse the meat in cold water; if you're using the oven (see next step), heat to 300. Put the fat in a pot that will allow you to submerge the meat, or nearly so. If you're using lard or duck fat, heat it in the oven until melted; if you're using oil, warm it.
• Submerge the meat in the fat, put a piece of parchment paper directly on top and weigh the paper down with something (I used a wooden spoon) to keep it in place. Cook slowly on top of the stove or in the oven, adjusting the heat as necessary so the fat bubbles gently - not rapidly - and turning the meat once or twice if it is not completely submerged. (You may wind up cooking at a temperature as low as 250.) It's done when you can easily pierce it with a skewer, 2 hours or longer for cheek and belly, 1 hour for turkey.
• Remove the meat from the fat. Proceed or refrigerate the meat, lightly covered, for a day or two. Heat the oven to 350. (If you're using turkey, drizzle the bread with olive oil.) Place the meat skin-side up directly on top of the slice of bread (you want the meat to just cover the bread; any bread that's exposed may burn). Put on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and roast, checking occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary, until the skin becomes quite crisp, as little as 45 minutes or somewhat longer. Remove.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, capers, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning; the dressing should be quite sharp. Wash and dry the greens. If you're using turkey, pull out the thigh bones (they should slip out easily). With the meat still on top of the bread, chop the meat and bread into bite-size pieces (it doesn't matter if it crumbles a bit). Toss with the greens and the dressing, and serve.

CRISPY TURKEY CUTLETS WITH GREEN BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• 1. Heat green beans in steamer bag in microwave, according to bag instructions. Open in strainer and run cold water on it. Let beans cool completely. 2. In a large bowl, toss beans with the tomatoes, olives, lemon juice, 1 tbsp. oil and 1/4 tsp. of salt and pepper. 3. Mix flour with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper on a plate. Coat each cutlet with flour, then dip in the egg (letting excess egg drip off) and then coat cutlet with breadcrumbs, pressing so it adheres. 4. Heat the remaining 3 tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the turkey until golden brown and cooked through (approx. 2-3 minutes per side). Serve with salad and lemon wedges.