Roast Turkey with Pipian Sauce Pawlcyn is the owner and executive chef of three Napa Valley restaurants, including Mustards Grill. “I used a chile marinade on my turkey, then roasted it in banana leaves,” she says. “It’s unexpected but not so different that it disappoints people who want traditional.” From Cindy Pawlcyn.

Ingredients 

Marinade:

Water

12 dried guajillo or ancho chiles,*

destemmed and seeded

2 garlic cloves

1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

Zest and juice of 1 lime

2 teaspoons salt

1 bay leaf

2 whole cloves

1 teaspoon peppercorns

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ cup olive oil

Turkey:

1 (8- to 9-pound) whole turkey,

rinsed and patted dry

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 (16-ounce) package frozen

banana leaves *

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Boil water in a teakettle. In a small baking dish, toast chiles for 3 minutes. Remove pan from oven and pour boiling water over chiles, weighing them down with silverware to submerge; soak for 20 minutes, then drain. Reserve 6 chiles for Pipian Sauce (recipe follows).

2. In a blender or food processor, combine chiles with remaining marinade ingredients and blend until smooth.

3. Season turkey with salt and pepper inside and out. Using your fingers, gently separate breast skin from meat as far down toward the thighs as you can, being careful not to tear skin. Gently fill space between breast meat and skin with half of marinade, massaging skin to coat meat evenly. Gently rub remaining marinade inside turkey cavity. Refrigerate turkey 12 to 24 hours to marinate. An hour before roasting, remove turkey from refrigerator to bring to room temperature.

4. Preheat oven to 325°F. Defrost frozen banana leaves in oven for 2 minutes to soften. Place leaves in roasting pan. Set turkey on top of leaves and fold them over to cover bird completely (to keep it moist).

5. Roast turkey in oven until tender, 2 to 2½ hours. During last 45 minutes, remove banana leaves and baste turkey with melted butter. Let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Serve with Pipian Sauce (recipe follows).

Pipian Sauce:

½ cup sesame seeds

6 guajillo or ancho chiles, reserved

from marinade (recipe above)

3 medium to large tomatoes, peeled,

seeded, and chopped

1 large white onion, chopped

2 to 3 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons oregano leaves

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons corn or canola oil

1½ cups chicken or turkey stock

1 to 1½ teaspoons salt

2 to 3 teaspoons dark-brown sugar

Method - Pipian Sauce:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a pan, toast sesame seeds in oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown, shaking pan once or twice to ensure even browning; set aside.

2. In a blender or food processor, combine chiles, tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, cloves, and cinnamon; blend until smooth.

3. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat oil. When oil ripples, add chiletomato mixture, stirring until aromatic. Add stock as needed to create a smooth, thick sauce. 

4. Add sesame seeds, salt, and sugar and stir to combine. 

5. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  Serve hot with sliced turkey.