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Susur Lee’s Favourite Bird Recipe

September 29, 2022 / Canada

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Uber Eats is working with Chef Susur Lee, the multi-award winning Toronto Chef and pioneer of Asian fusion cuisine, to help Canadians make a meal for Thanksgiving their guests will actually be thankful for. Use promo code CHEFLEE for $20 off of your grocery order of $60+. Simply apply the code in the Account section of your account after you’ve selected a grocery store. 
PREP
As any Thanksgiving host worth their apron knows, the trick to a perfect turkey is keeping it moist throughout its long cook. Enter the brine — a salty sweet 24-hour bath that locks moisture in and lays the groundwork for crispy, crunchy skin. 
Chef Lee puts his signature fusion spin on the classic Canadian Thanksgiving with an umami-rich Asian inspired brine and an pesto orzo stuffing. This is not your mama’s Thanksgiving turkey recipe, but she’s going to want it to be. 
Chef Susur Lee’s 4lb Bird Brine
1 4lb chicken (or turkey)
1 (750 mL) of sparkling water
3 rosemary stems
5 tbsp soy sauce
5 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp black pepper
2 piece of star anise or ½ tsp of 5 spice
1 whole smashed asian pear
1 tbsp liquid chicken bouillon
1 whole garlic
2 cups white wine (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Add carbonated water, white wine (optional), liquid chicken bouillon, black pepper, star anise (or 5 spice) to a bowl and stir to create the liquid brine mixture
Cut the pear into chunks and add to a large plastic bag
Add rosemary stems and garlic, cut into small pieces, put into the plastic bag
Smash the plastic bag with a rolling pin to break down the ingredients 
Combine everything into the same plastic bag
Add soy sauce to the plastic bag
Add the whole bird to the plastic bag and place into a large bowl
Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 24 hours 
Following day: 
Bring the bird to room temperature 
Preset the oven to 450 F 
Put sliced pancetta or bacon on top of the bird before putting it into the oven
Cook for 25 minutes at 450 F
Watch for browning and turn back to 400 for 1 hour 15 minutes
Let chicken rest for 15 -20 minutes
Chef Susur Lee’s Stuffing
2 cups cooked orzo (cook like pasta)
1 medium grated potato
½ cup cooked + chopped spinach leaf
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of white pepper
< ½ tsp garlic powder
2 whole eggs
1 tbsp ricotta
3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
4 tbsp sliced black olives
½ cup cooked corn kernels
1 tbsp pesto
INSTRUCTIONS
Once the bird is just about done brining for 24 hours, follow the next steps to create the bird stuffing:
Boil potato and orzo and add a few pinches of salt
Cook together like a pasta until they are tender, then drain the potato and orzo mixture 
Put the pasta and orzo in a large mixing bowl and add ricotta, parmesan, and chopped and cooked spinach 
Add pesto
Then add fresh sliced black olives, corn kernels, a pinch of salt, black pepper and nutmeg
Mix everything together in the large mixing bowl
Once the ingredients are mixed, add egg and mix into the bowl until it’s well mixed
Take the bird out of the brine bag and stuff the inside of the bird with the stuffing mixture  
Gravy
2 cups sliced button mushroom
1 cup water
1 medium potato
2 tbsp of liquid bouillon
5 tbsp of white wine **optional
INSTRUCTIONS
Boil potato and orzo and add a few pinches of salt
Grate potato and add to blender
Thinly slice 2 cups of white button mushrooms and add to blender
Add liquid bouillon, water, pinch of black pepper, and white wine (optional) to blender
Blend until smooth
Watch Chef Lee make the entire recipe here. 
Want more of Chef Susur Lee’s recipes? Check out his squash recipe.

TERMS & CONDITIONS
Get $20 off each of your first grocery order of $60 or more with select merchants. You must purchase through the Grocery section of the Uber or Uber Eats app. This offer expires on October 10, 2022. Terms and conditions apply. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Taxes and fees apply. Minimum purchase required. Exclusions may apply. Uber reserves the right to modify or cancel this offer at any time.