Turkey Galantine
- 2 pounds ground fat pork
- 2 pounds ground ham
- 1 pound ground veal
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
- Cognac
- 3 eggs
- Quatre epices or Spice Parisienne
- 2 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 6- to 8-pound turkey
- Long fingers of boiled tongue and ham, cut about 1/4-inch square
- Fresh or canned truffles
- Pistachio nuts
- Meat stock
- Mix the ground meats, garlic, 1/2 cup cognac, the eggs, 1/4 teaspoon quatre epices, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, the pepper and thyme in a large bowl.
- Blend well with the hands.
- If you wish to test the flavor, cook a small amount of the mixture in butter until cooked through.
- Split the turkey down the back and carefully bone the bird, being careful not to slit the skin.
- With your fingers and a small, sharp-pointed knife, pull and cut the meat away from the bones.
- When you come to the legs and thighs, use your fingers to help locate and slip out the thigh bones.
- You may remove the wings and, if you wish, remove the leg and leave only the thigh.
- When the bird is completely boned, remove the breast fillets.
- Marinate the fillets for 1 hour in a mixture of cognac, 1 teaspoon salt and a sprinkling of quatre epices or Spice Parisienne.
- To assemble the galantine, spread the boned turkey, skin side down, on a table or marble slab.
- Spread the farce (the ground meat mixture) over the meat of the turkey.
- Place the well-trimmed marinate fillets in the center of the turkey.
- Arrange the fingers of meat and truffles along the sides of the fillets and push them well into the farce.
- Sprinkle with pistachio nuts and then roll up the stuffed turkey like a giant sausage.
- Turn in the ends of the skin and bring the sides together so that they overlap.
- Sew them with light twine and a needle.
- Roll the turkey in a damp towel and tie securely at the ends and around the middle, leaving pieces of string at the ends.
- Half fill a long fish cooker with meat stock and tie the galantine by the strings to the handles at either end so that it is suspended in the stock.
- Cover well with several thicknesses of aluminum foil.
- Press the foil around the edge of the cooker and steam the turkey for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
- Remove from the broth after it is partially cooled and weight it so that it holds its shape and become very firm as it cools.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 36 hours before serving.
- To serve, remove the covering and arrange on a large platter or carving board and surround with chopped aspic.
- Carve in thinnish slices and serve as an hors d'oeuvre or as one dish for a buffet meal.
ground fat pork, ground ham, ground veal, garlic, cognac, eggs, salt, freshly ground black pepper, thyme, turkey, fingers, truffles, nuts, stock
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/turkey-galantine-20137 (may not work)