Holiday Recipes from Mexican, Chinese - and Time-Short Cooks

MOLE A LA MONTANO Cut-up whole turkey, or turkey parts - enough for 10 people 10 chili peppers 5 tomatoes 1 onion 2 squares of baking chocolate 10 piloncillos (a cone-shaped mixture of sugar and molasses: substitute 2 tbl. sugar and 2 tbl. molasses for each piloncillo) 8 whole cloves 3 cinnamon sticks 2 teaspoons sesame seeds (roasted) 10 graham crackers 10 ounces corn starch

Place raw turkey parts in salted boiling water to cover. Simmer for two hours. Remove and bone turkey, save broth. Saut'e remaining ingredients (except the piloncillos and chocolate) and puree in blender before pouring through fine strainer. Discard liquid. Add strainings to turkey broth, bring to boil, and slowly add corn starch to thicken.

Simmer 20 minutes. Melt piloncillo and chocolate in a double boiler and add to broth. Stir in turkey, serve like soup. `VEGETABLE GOOSE' 12 sheets bean curd skins (from Chinese grocery store) 3 teaspoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1/2 cup chicken stock 1/2 cup shredded black mushrooms (Chinese kind) 1/2 cup shredded carrots 1/2 cup shredded bamboo shoots 1/2 cup shredded dry bean curd 1 cup oil

Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, stock, and sugar in bowl as a sauce. Set aside. In 3 tsp. of the oil, stir-fry mushrooms, carrots, bamboo shoots, and bean curd. Add 2 tsp. of the sauce from bowl. Mix well.

Place a bean curd skin sheet on cutting board. Spread completely with 1 tsp. sauce. Cover with another bean curd sheet and another teaspoon of sauce. Repeat to make a total of 6 layers. On the top, place 1/2 of the stir-fry mixture. Roll up tightly and push down as flat as possible. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make another large roll.

Steam each roll for 15 minutes, then fry in with remaining oil over low heat until golden brown. Remove and cut each roll into 1/2-inch-long pieces. Serve with rice. Serves 12. ONE-PAN HOLIDAY DINNER 9 or 10-lb. Butterball Turkey, thawed if frozen vegetable oil 4 medium parsnips, peeled, cut diagonally in 1/2-inch slices 1 medium rutabaga, peeled, in 3/4-inch chunks 2 large red potatoes, scrubbed, in 1/2-inch thick slices 8 ounces baby carrots, peeled, trimmed 1 bulb fennel, trimmed, in 1/4-inch crosswise slices (or substitute a locally available root vegetable) 10 medium shallots, peeled 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2/3 cup white grape juice Coarse salt, to taste Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Remove neck from body cavity and giblets from neck cavity; refrigerate for another use. Rinse turkey and drain well. Turn wings back to hold neck skin in place. Place turkey breast side up in open pan, about 2 inches deep. Insert meat thermometer deep into thickest part of thigh, not touching bone.

Brush skin with oil to prevent drying. Further basting is unnecessary. Roast in 325 degree F. oven. When skin is golden brown, shield breast loosely with lightweight foil to prevent over browning.

About 1 1/2 hours before turkey is done (see package directions for cooking times) place vegetables in roasting pan around turkey. Drizzle vegetables with melted butter and grape juice. Season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables with turkey for remaining time, stirring occasionally.

Check turkey for doneness. Internal thigh temperature should be 180 to 185 degrees F. Thigh and drumstick meat should feel soft. When thigh is pierced, juices should be clear, not pink.

Remove turkey to serving platter. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes for easier carving. Cover vegetables with aluminum foil until serving time. Makes 8 to 10 servings. VINAIGRETTE SALAD Beets, Carrots, Pickles, Onions, Potatoes, Corn oil, Vinegar, Salt

Yelena Gorovoy says, `I never know about proportions; I do it as I feel. Basically, I cook equal portions of all the vegetables, except a little less onions. I cook all the vegetables in the same pan, chop them, then refrigerate. Then I put oil and vinegar and salt on top.'