Grilled Turkey in Sofrito Sauce with Mofongo
Prep time: 20 minutes
Grilling time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
• ¼ of one boneless, skinless turkey breast, sliced into ¼ inch strips
• 3 green plantains
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sofrito Sauce:
• 1 small bunch cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into large chunks
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped into large chunks
• 1 bunch green onions, ends removed and chopped roughly
• 6-8 cloves of fresh garlic
• 2 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
• Juice of one lime
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, roughly chopped (optional)
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Allow grill grates to preheat – do not rush this step! Food only sticks to a grill that hasn’t been preheated long enough. In the meantime, pour half the olive oil on the strips of turkey, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Grill the strips of turkey over direct heat, until cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit – approximately 5-7 minutes per side. Set aside.
3. Line an aluminum grill pan with parchment paper. Pour the remaining 3 tbsp of oil in the bottom. Cut the ends off the plantains and cut a ¼ inch deep slit along the length of the plantain. This will allow you to remove the skin easily. Do not try and peel like a banana – it won’t work (trust us! 😊 ). Cut the plantains into ½ inch discs, and place in the bottom of the pan.
4. Cook the plantain over direct heat in the grill until lightly browned – approximately 3-5 minutes a side. Keep your eye on them – the sugars in the plantains can quickly burn if left unattended. Let cool enough to handle.
5. In a mortar and pestle, add the cooked plantain and mash into a smooth paste. While mashing, add salt and pepper to taste. This is the ‘mofongo’ part of the dish!
6. Add all the ingredients for the sofrito sauce to a blender. Blend using the ‘pulse’ option in order to control the consistency of the sauce. You’re looking for a blended sauce, with some texture left. We’re not looking for a savoury smoothie here!
7. In a cast-iron pan, combine the fresh sauce with the cooked strips of turkey. Allow the turkey to cook in the sauce over indirect heat for 5-10 minutes.
8. We like to serve this dish using the mortar and pestle as a bowl to hold all these delicious contents. Allow the mofongo to creep up the sides of the mortar and pestle. Add some of the sofrito sauce, and top with as much of the grilled turkey you can fit on top!
*Optional accoutrements: sliced ripe avocado, red onion, fresh cilantro.
Recipe courtesy of Maddie and Kiki (www.maddieandkiki.com)
