The following recipes were provided by Russ and Nancy Adams, owners of Strongbow Inn in Valparaiso, Indiana. The Turkey Pie recipe is a signature dish of the restaurant and dates back to the earliest days of Strongbow. Literally, thousands of Strongbow Turkey Pies are made and sold each year. The Turkey Schnitzel recipe was created by Russ Adams, who is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America.
Strongbow Turkey Pie
Makes 4 pies
Dough:
2 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. shortening or lard
6-7 tbsp. cold water
Filling:
4 tbsp. butter
1 c. sliced celery
½ c. chopped onion
3 tbsp. flour
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. poultry seasoning
2 c. hot turkey broth
3 c. cubed turkey
Gravy:
4 tbsp. flour
¼ c. flour
2 c. turkey broth
½ tsp. salt
In bowl, stir together 2 c. flour and ½ tsp. salt. Cut in shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. of the water over part of the mixture and toss gently. Push to the side of the bowl. Repeat until all is moistened.
Form dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, flatten dough. Roll to 1/8” thickness. Cut into four 4-inch diameter circles and four 6-inch diameter circles.
Melt butter in a medium skillet; add onions and celery and sauté until transparent. Add flour, stirring constantly, and cook until bubbly. Now add broth and seasonings, stirring and cooking for several minutes until thick. Add turkey. Cool.
Place 6-inch round of dough in a small dish to shape the pie. Place turkey mixture in bottom crust and cover with the smaller 4-inch round of dough. Moisten edges of lower dough, crimping over top layer. (This smaller layer will be on the bottom for baking; the 6-inch round will be on top, nice and smooth.)
Before baking, poke a hole in the middle of the top crust. Place the pies on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in 425° oven for about 25 minutes or until light brown. Serve with gravy.
To make gravy:
Melt butter, blend in flour, and gradually add broth and salt until a nice thick gravy results. Serve over individual turkey pies with cranberry sauce.
Strongbow Turkey Schnitzel
6 3 to 4 oz. turkey breasts
flour for dredging
3 eggs and equal amount of water for egg wash
fine breadcrumbs
juice of 4 lemons
12 oz. clarified butter
Carefully pound the turkey breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap until they are ¼ inch thick (about 4” x 7” overall). Dust each on both sides with flour, then dredge through egg wash, then through breadcrumbs.
Combine lemon juice and butter. Put enough lemon butter in a pan to sauté turkey pieces one or two at a time, depending on pan size. After sautéing, dredge through remaining lemon butter mixture.
Pikk’s Tavern’s
Vanilla Cranberry Martini
2 oz. cranberry vodka
2 oz. vanilla vodka
Simple syrup
Splash cranberry juice
Place the two vodkas and a splash each of simple syrup (see below) and cranberry juice in a martini shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with fresh cranberries.
Simple Syrup
2 parts water
1 part sugar
Place water and sugar in saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cool completely.
Lucrezia’s
Candy Cane Martini
2 parts of your favorite vodka
2 parts crème de menthe
2 parts Godiva White Chocolate Liquor
Rim martini glass with crème de menthe and then rim with red sugar. Using squeeze bottle, swirl raspberry reduction around the inside of the martini glass. Mix above ingredients with ice in a shaker. Shake hard until there's frost on the outside of the martini shaker. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a small candy cane.
Raspberry Reduction
2 parts raspberry purée
1 part water
1 part sugar
Let above ingredients come to a boil until thickened. Cool and put into a squeeze bottle and refrigerate.
Bentwood Tavern’s
Harvest Cranberry Martini
2 oz. Absolut Brooklyn (red apple ginger flavored vodka)
½ oz. cranberry syrup
½ oz. Prosecco
Combine vodka and cranberry syrup over ice in martini shaker. Shake until cold. Pour into martini glass and add Prosecco. Add a couple of cranberries for garnish.
Cranberry syrup instructions (makes about 500 ml)
Heat ½ c. of sugar and ½ c. of water in saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add 2 c. frozen cranberries. Simmer on low heat for 1 to 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. Let mix cool, then blend until smooth.
Bistro 157’s
Sugar Cookie Martini
2 oz. Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur
2 oz. Bailey's Irish Cream
2 oz. Butterscotch Schnapps
2 oz. Whipping Cream
2 oz. Milk
Combine ingredients in a martini shaker with ice. Shake and pour. Remember to save some for Santa.
