...You're So Filthy

Last night's dinner was taken almost directly from The 150 Best American Recipes by Fran McCullough & Molly Stevens. I really can't remember where this cookbook came from, but I've had it for quite some time, and never actually made any of the recipes out of it. It turns out that neither Dave nor I had ever eaten a sloppy joe before, so we really didn't know what to expect. In the end, we liked them quite a bit!

Dave loves Tater Tots, but I never make them, so this was a very rare treat.

The only changes made to the original recipe are:
olive oil instead of vegetable oil

1 lb of ground turkey instead of 1.3 lbs - my grocery store only sells prepackaged ground turkey from brands like Shadybrook Farms and Butterball, which are always exactly 1 lb.

28 oz can of ground tomatoes instead of crushed - Not much of a difference, but there is a difference! Crushed tomatoes are mixed with some amount of tomato paste, so the solids to liquid ratio is different. Somehow, I misread the recipe when I was making my shopping list and thought it said diced tomatoes, which I always have in the pantry. When I noticed my error, I figured it would just make a chunkier joe. As it turns out, I didn't actually have any diced tomatoes anyway! Luckily, I found a large can of ground tomatoes tucked in the back of the cabinet. They were given to me in a very cute gift basket that included pasta makings and a huge stockpot. Um, at my bridal shower in September of 2008...

Turkey Sloppy Joes

Mmmm. Love that smell!

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 Yellow Onion, diced

1 lb ground Turkey

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1 tbsp ground Cumin

1 cup Dry Red Wine

1 28-oz can ground or crushed Tomatoes

2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tbsp Molasses

1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

6 Kaiser or Portuguese Rolls

2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or chef's pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the ground turkey and salt and mix well. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the meat is thoroughly cooked. Mix in the cumin and cook for an additional 1 minute.

Add the red wine and reduce by 3/4. Pour in the tomatoes, stir well, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, molasses, and vinegar, stir well, and cook for 2 more minutes to blend the flavors. 

To serve, toast the rolls, split them, and top with cheddar cheese. Spoon on the sloppy joe mixture and serve immediately.