As the days grow shorter and the wind chills, we pay final
homage to the end of summer with festivals.
The Renaissance Pleasure Faire at Casa de Fruta takes place over
a few weekends. With its recreation of an Elizabethan town, this
festival could be considered the truest form of the original
harvest festivals.
As the days grow shorter and the wind chills, we pay final homage to the end of summer with festivals.
The Renaissance Pleasure Faire at Casa de Fruta takes place over a few weekends. With its recreation of an Elizabethan town, this festival could be considered the truest form of the original harvest festivals.
The Taste of Morgan Hill occurs this weekend. Although it is not thought of as a harvest festival, the timing of the event coincides with the end of the regions agricultural harvests.
Each festival features foods that are uniquely their own. There is one unique item from both festivals that stand out in my mind. At one time, both festivals had featured the turkey leg as a gastronomic treat.
Grilling turkey legs isn’t too different from grilling just about any other poultry, but I want to get at the true essence of the Renaissance Faire turkey legs.
Some versions of recipes had hot sauce and pepper flakes while others used herb and spice blends. The unique ingredients each recipe had in common was the use of lemon lime soda as the boiling medium. It removes a good quantity of fat from the skin. The final step is to allow the turkey leg to brown and develop some caramelizing.
I was pleasantly surprised by the finished product. The turkey was very tender and remained quite juicy. The flavor imparted by the soda and seasons was excellent. The skin was crisp, but not overly saturated in fat.
Festival-Style Turkey Legs
(From Mitch Mariani; Serves 4)
4 turkey legs
1-2 liter bottle of lemon lime soda
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons peppercorns
2 teaspoons rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
5 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Step 1: In a large pot, combine all the ingredients, except for the turkey legs. Bring the mixture to a boil and allow it to cook for five minutes.
Step 2: Reduce the heat to a low simmer and add the turkey legs. Allow them to simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. The turkey legs will be finished when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the turkey legs from the liquid.
Step 3: Heat the grill to a medium heat. Meanwhile, add an additional amount of salt and pepper to the turkey legs.
Step 4: Grill the turkey legs for about 15 minutes while turning constantly. The turkey legs are finished when the outside skin becomes crisp and browned.
Send questions to
Mi*******************@ya***.com
. For recipes, visit www.geocities.com/MixedGrillSouthValley.
