Nontraditional Holiday Fare

Turkey Milanese And Orange-Bourbon Cranberry Sauce

The Thanksgiving turkey may be gone by now and you’re already thinking about the Christmas bird. For something different, try this recipe for Turkey Milanese from Chef Garrett McKeeman of the Flint Creek Steakhouse at Cherokee Casino in West Siloam Springs. Chef McKeeman also shares his recipe for a special cranberry sauce below.

“When our guests come to Flint Creek Steakhouse, they are looking for a delicious and different meal to make their night out enjoyable. But, you can also try nontraditional entrees at home,” McKeeman said. “The secret is to use a traditional base of the meat or vegetable that everyone is familiar with, but intro- duce a new cooking method or fla- vor.”

Turkey Milanese

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound Portobello mushrooms, gills removed and thinly sliced Turkey gravy

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped 1 cup dry white wine 8 4-ounce pieces raw turkey breast sliced and pounded thin

Salt Black pepper 2 large eggs 2 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs Canola oil

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Add the mush- rooms and cook until golden brown and the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the wine and reduce by two-thirds. Add the tur- key gravy and thyme. Simmer on low heat to keep warm.

2. Place the flour on a large plate. Whisk the eggs together in a bowl. Place the breadcrumbs on a large plate.

3. Heat the canola oil over medium heat. Dredge the turkey pieces one by one through the flour, then the egg and cover with the

breadcrumbs. Add to the hot canola oil and cook until golden brown and thoroughly cooked.

4. Remove the turkey from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined sheet pan to absorb any excess oil.

5. Place the turkey on a serving platter and pour gravy over the top.

Orange-Bourbon

Cranberry Sauce

“This spin on cranberry sauce was a tradition from my grand- mother,” McKeeman said. “She would make this in early October when the fresh cranberries would first come to market and let it sit in the refrigerator until that special day of thanks.”

12-ounce bag cranberries, picked over one-fourth cup honey one-fourth cup brown sugar, packed

2 3-inch cinnamon sticks, broken 6 whole cloves Zest and juice of 1 large orange (about one-half cup) 1/4 cup bourbon Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a saucepan, combine the cran- berries, honey, brown sugar and a spice bag with the cinnamon and cloves. Add the orange juice. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, covered, but stir occasionally until the ber- ries have burst and the mixture has thickened. Add the orange zest and bourbon, salt and pepper (just for a little tang) and transfer to a bowl to cool. Serve at room temperature.

Flint Creek Steakhouse at Cherokee Casino in West Siloam Springs, Okla., is open Wednesdays through Sundays. The casino is also home to River Cane Buffet and River Cane Cafe, which are open seven days a week. The restaurants will be open on Thanksgiving Day.