This homemade plate of turkey, fried cabbage, and red beans and rice is hearty, flavorful, and soulful — a complete comfort meal that feels like a warm hug.
Ingredients (paragraph style):
You will need turkey pieces (legs, thighs, or breast, seasoned with salt, pepper, and your favorite poultry spices), oil or butter for searing, cooked rice, canned or cooked red beans (drained and rinsed), chicken or vegetable broth, onion and garlic (chopped), smoked sausage or bacon (optional, sliced), green bell pepper and celery (for the beans and rice), a small head of cabbage (shredded or sliced), a little vinegar or lemon juice, paprika, thyme or bay leaf, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes or hot sauce if you like some heat.
Start with the red beans and rice: in a pot, heat a little oil and sauté chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery until soft. Add minced garlic and sliced smoked sausage or bacon if using, and cook until lightly browned. Stir in the red beans, a pinch of paprika, thyme or a bay leaf, salt, pepper, and a splash of broth. Let it simmer gently so the flavors blend, then fold in the cooked rice, adding more broth if needed to keep it moist and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning, then keep warm on low heat.
For the fried cabbage, heat some oil or butter in a large pan. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, then toss in the sliced cabbage. Season with salt, black pepper, a pinch of chili flakes if you like, and a small splash of vinegar or lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Stir and cook over medium heat until the cabbage is tender with a few caramelized edges, but still has a bit of bite. Keep it warm while you finish the turkey.
Season the turkey pieces generously, then sear them in a hot pan with a little oil or butter until golden brown on all sides. Transfer to the oven to finish cooking if they are thick pieces, or continue cooking on the stovetop with a splash of broth, covered, until the turkey is cooked through and juicy. Plate up with a generous spoonful of red beans and rice, a side of fried cabbage, and the turkey on top or beside — a complete, homemade comfort meal perfect for sharing on your Facebook feed and at the dinner table.
Ingredients (paragraph style):
You will need turkey pieces (legs, thighs, or breast, seasoned with salt, pepper, and your favorite poultry spices), oil or butter for searing, cooked rice, canned or cooked red beans (drained and rinsed), chicken or vegetable broth, onion and garlic (chopped), smoked sausage or bacon (optional, sliced), green bell pepper and celery (for the beans and rice), a small head of cabbage (shredded or sliced), a little vinegar or lemon juice, paprika, thyme or bay leaf, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes or hot sauce if you like some heat.
Start with the red beans and rice: in a pot, heat a little oil and sauté chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery until soft. Add minced garlic and sliced smoked sausage or bacon if using, and cook until lightly browned. Stir in the red beans, a pinch of paprika, thyme or a bay leaf, salt, pepper, and a splash of broth. Let it simmer gently so the flavors blend, then fold in the cooked rice, adding more broth if needed to keep it moist and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning, then keep warm on low heat.
For the fried cabbage, heat some oil or butter in a large pan. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, then toss in the sliced cabbage. Season with salt, black pepper, a pinch of chili flakes if you like, and a small splash of vinegar or lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Stir and cook over medium heat until the cabbage is tender with a few caramelized edges, but still has a bit of bite. Keep it warm while you finish the turkey.
Season the turkey pieces generously, then sear them in a hot pan with a little oil or butter until golden brown on all sides. Transfer to the oven to finish cooking if they are thick pieces, or continue cooking on the stovetop with a splash of broth, covered, until the turkey is cooked through and juicy. Plate up with a generous spoonful of red beans and rice, a side of fried cabbage, and the turkey on top or beside — a complete, homemade comfort meal perfect for sharing on your Facebook feed and at the dinner table.
