It’s OK to not serve turkey
BY KRISTIN MARAND
T he holidays have a lot of traditions — many of which are food-related. One of the most iconic North American traditions is turkey. Iconic pictures highlight the carving of a bird that seemed to have come directly from a steaming hot oven. In reality, there is a lot of work before and after preparing this dish. If not chosen fresh, tackling the defrosting is a feat of its own. And then there’s the stuffing. It has to be cooled before safely stuffing the bird. While the smell of stuffing and turkey is — to some — the smell of Christmas, the entire process is laborious for at least one member of the group. Whipping back to the kitchen to baste over as much as six hours is a time investment. And the weight of lifting this dish in and out of an oven can be a solid workout. Once carved and done, then there are the leftovers. Love them or leave them, that’s a debate for another day. If you cook the turkey and love
the entire process, then by all means it’s still the holiday dish for you. But for those who have doubts, note that you are not betraying the holidays to pivot and choose something else — including catering your meal in. Meat without bones takes much less time to cook. This makes sense in a home that dislikes leftovers and home- made soups. So many other protein options exist. Many families also have to consider allergies or food preferences. In homes with vegan, nut and gluten restrictions, consider a vegan mac and cheese, made with vegan butter and gluten-free pasta. It can be made ahead and served alongside a beef tenderloin, or other protein, for traditional meat lovers to enjoy too. Most proteins can be jazzed up to be seasonally appropriate. Just think outside of the box and plan ahead. Remember, the point of the holidays is for everyone to enjoy them — including the cook!
Our local friends at Manitoba Pork joined us in the quest to offer a show-stopping — but time-saving — recipe for this holiday season. (Recipe on the page 76.)
SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE TIPS OR RECIPES BY SENDING THEM TO:
aanders@freepress.mb.ca
78 SAVOUR MANITOBA | WINTER 23
Powered by FlippingBook