Family recipe by Miss Zaira Bolanos.
| 1 lg | fresh turkey (8 kg) |
| 1 c | white vinegar |
| ½ c | fresh lime juice |
| 2 med | yellow onions |
| 2 med | green peppers |
| 6 lg | garlic cloves |
| 6 | chicken bouillon cubes |
| ½ c | dry red wine |
| 3 med | cans diced tomato |
| 1 med | can crushed tomato |
| 6 T | relajo (black peppercorns, cloves, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, roasted peanuts, bay leaves, dry oregano, dry thyme, and achiote powder)* |
| 1 | dry chile guajillo, chopped |
| 1 | dry chile ancho pasilla, seeded and chopped |
Wash turkey in the vinegar and then the lime juice and rinse with water.
In food processor, add 1 onion, 1 green pepper, 3 garlic cloves and 3 chicken bouillon cubes to make a paste. Mix with red wine.
Place turkey in a large deep baking pan. Poke turkey and rub paste over the skin and stuff some of the paste inside the turkey. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
Pre-heat oven to 375º F.
In a frying pan, mix 7 tablespoons of water, 1 medium chopped onion, 1 chopped green pepper, 3 diced garlic cloves, the chopped chile guajillo and the chile pasilla and cover over low heat and stir occasionally. When the water has evaporated and the chile guajillo and chile pasilla are soft, then it is ready.
In a food processor, blend all the canned tomato, the sautéed chile and vegetables, 3 chicken bouillon cubes and the relajo. Place the turkey breast down and fully cover it with the salsa (the paste used on the turkey overnight stays on, do not remove.) and cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Flip to the rest of three sides, each time adding more salsa to ensure it is covered. Each side must be cooked for 1 hour.
*Relajo can be purchased ready to use at Latin supermarkets