Paul Stone and Chef Ming Tsai walk through Paul's turkey farm in Orwell, Vt.

Ingredients:

1 small turkey (cut with a cleaver: leg/thigh/breasts cut into 3 parts) about 12-15 lbs.
8 cups water
2/3-cup kosher salt
2/3-cup sugar
2 Tbs. dark soy sauce
3 Tbs. toasted Szechwan peppercorns
2 Tbs. toasted black peppercorns, plus freshly ground black pepper
10 1-inch thick slices fresh ginger
4 star anise
4 bay leaves
2 bunches Sage leaves picked from stems

Directions:

1. Two to three hours in advance, combine the water, salt, sugar, soy sauce, peppercorns, ginger, anise, and bay leaves in a cooler large enough to hold the turkey and stir to mix.
   
2. Taste the brine; it should taste like sweet ocean water
   
3. Add the turkey, if it is not covered add more water and adjust seasoning accordingly.
   
4. Fill the cooler with ice packs and cover.
   
5. After 2 to 3 hour time period fry the turkey in 375 degree F oil until cooked through. This should take 10 to 12 minutes depending on the size of the turkey.
   
6. Remove the turkey and season with the chile salt (see below for details).
   
7. Serve the turkey, if desired, with sweet potato fries and garnish with sage leaves that have been fried at 375 degrees F for 1 minute until crisp and translucent, not brown.

Chef's note: If you would like to do some of the cooking in advance, heat oil to 345 degrees F and blanche the turkey for 10 minutes. Later, when ready to serve, heat the oil to 375 degrees F and finish cooking until a meat thermometer registers 170 and the skin is crisp and golden.

Cranberry Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

1 large red onion, julienned
2 Tbs. ginger, finely chopped
3 cups cranberries
zest and juice of one orange
1 cup rice wine vinegar
2 cups cranberry juice, sweetened
1 cup sugar or less to taste
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sweat the onions and the ginger until the onions are translucent.
   
2. Add the cranberries, orange zest, juice, vinegar, cranberry juice, and sugar and simmer until reduced by about 25 percent.
   
3. The mixture should coat a spoon.
   
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

3 large sweet potatoes cut into spears

Chile Salt:
2 Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. Korean Chile Flakes
1 tsp. ginger powder
1 tsp. black pepper
Canola oil for frying

Directions:

1. Cut the sweet potatoes into spears and place in the prepared fryer for 10 minutes until crispy.
   
2. Combine all the ingredients for the chile salt in a bowl.
   
3. Remove and drain potatoes on paper towel, and sprinkle with the chile salt.

Chef's note: As with the turkey, the fries can be blanched in 345 degree F oil ahead of time till just tender, but not brown, and refried in 375 degree F oil until crisp and golden.

Plating: Arrange the turkey in the center of the plate, stick spears of the turkey with the cranberry syrup in a small separate bowl. Sprinkle with the chile salt, garnish with fried sage leaves. Dip in cranberry syrup and enjoy!!

Copyright, 2000, Ming Tsai, All Rights Reserved