Turkey OMG! Spicy stir fry brings out best in wild gobbler

A stir-fried mixture of peppers, onion and sea scallops turns wild turkey into a gourmet meal.
A stir-fried mixture of peppers, onion and sea scallops turns wild turkey into a gourmet meal.

Eating wild turkey is the finest reward for a successful turkey hunt, but preparing wild turkey often is a challenge.

Although its flavor is infinitely richer than store bought, wild turkey tends to go dry when baked or grilled. You can deep fry your bird, but dunking it in grease negates a wild turkey's naturally healthy attributes.

Oh, what to do?

A special version of stir fry expression is so charismatic and exciting to the taste buds that I call it "Turkey OMG!"

Here's how it works.

Cut the breasts and tenders into strips. Boil the strips in saltwater, black pepper, garlic and oregano. Cover what you don't eat immediately and place in the refrigerator for a week to let the meat absorb the spices and tenderize.

Cut enough portions of three fresh peppers as necessary into an iron skillet for the amount of servings you'll need. An equal amount of red, yellow and orange peppers combine to make a striking presentation. About one-and-a-half peppers were sufficient for two adults and three teenage daughters.

Add a generous amount of sweet Vidalia onion.

Add a generous amount of sliced fresh mushrooms.

Add a generous amount of garlic. Fresh sliced garlic is best if you have the time, but minced garlic from a jar or garlic powder tastes fine, too.

Grind in a desired amount of your favorite salt. I prefer pink Himalayan sea salt, a mild-flavored salt that excels in stir fry.

Add black powder to taste. I prefer just enough to tickle the tongue. I don't really want to taste it. I want just enough to feel it.

Add large Gulf shrimp and wild-caught scallops. I include three shrimp and two scallops per person, and we strictly enforce the limits.

The secret ingredient that makes this hot rod scream is La Tourangelle Pan Asian Stir Fry Oil. It is safflower oil infused with stir fried onion, garlic and ginger. I bathed the mixture in this oil and added about half as much extra virgin olive oil. That's a curious adjective. I was not aware that particular condition occurs in degrees.

Place the skillet on a large burner turned to high. Cover the skillet and let steam. Remove the lid to turn and mix the ingredients occasionally with a spatula. This ensures an even consistency and prohibits sticking.

Turn off the burner and remove the skillet from the burner when most of the moisture evaporates.

Serve over rice or noodles. We used Ramen noodles for the maiden voyage of Turkey OMG! Despite considerable protest from my daughter Brooke, I added the chicken flavor packets to the noodles. It was a pleasant complement to the onrushing tide of flavor from the stir fry.

As good as it was, it's probably better with a nutty flavored wild rice variety.

A fresh spinach salad with sliced baby carrots, fresh Vidalia onion, sunflower seeds, shredded sharp cheddar cheese and ranch dressing will send you into the final phase of your evening satisfied but not stuffed.

Best of all, the children loved it. They ate every morsel.

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A stir-fried mixture of peppers, onion and sea scallops turns wild turkey into a gourmet meal.

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A combination of special stir fry oil and extra virgin olive oil allows the mixture to cook evenly, with a hint of ginger, garlic and other spices.

Sports on 04/22/2018

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