Moroccan Turkey Salad

Makes 5 servings (serving a crowd?)

1¼ lb cooked turkey, cubed
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped bell pepper
1½ teaspoons chopped parsley
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
¾ teaspoon aleppo (or substitute paprika)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup olive oil
½ cup sliced black olives (about 3 ounces)
5 large (7 inch) pitas

Special equipment

none...

Method

Toss turkey, onion, bell pepper and parsley in a large bowl. In a separate mixing bowl combine vinegar, lemon juice, aleppo, cayenne, cumin, salt, and pepper. Whisk together, then slowly add the oil, whisking constantly to make an emulsion (or, if you enjoy dirtying the equipment, use a mixer). Pour over the turkey mixture and toss, toss, toss. Cover and chill. Serve in, or on, a 7 inch pita.

Notes

You can use any form of cooked turkey — well, maybe not deli breast — but ideally you should grill the turkey on a naffekh, an earthenware brasier Ali's ferengi wives were never able to master. We roasted whole turkey breast, sprinkled generously with garlic powder and a just a pinch of tandouri (that telltale sing-song rhythm in Ali's voice suggested the hint of subcontintental flavouring).

We used whole turkey breast because of the respectable usable meat yield rate (62.5%, a helpful number to have for calculating quantity cookery) and flavour much superior to cheaper boneless cutlets.

Our recipe is based on one from Holden. Of course, turkey is originally a New World bird, but it travelled back and forth across the Atlantic a number of times and is eaten throughout the Old World. Does Ali's taste for the bird come from his native Morocco or from an East Anglian wife's culinary abilities?

Aleppo is an Armenian/Syrian mild red pepper flake that's much more easier to come by than when this recipe was first written. Our original supply came from Kalustyans on Lex but we're currently sampling Aleppo from Penzeys and World Spice Merchants.

Suggestions

The addition of a few handfuls of artichoke hearts would make this dish even more stunning

First served: Samhain 1993
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Last modified: © August 2009