One of my favorite summertime appetizers is this stuffed French bread. It’s easy to make but it looks really fancy and often confuses guests as to how you made it. You can make it early in the day or the night before and slice it just as your guests arrive. It’s always a hit at my house.
Smoked Turkey en Croute
Ingredients
4 oz butter, softened
1/2 lb Smoked Turkey, roughly chopped or cubed
1/2 cu Shallots, minced
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp Dry Mustard
2 tbl Curly Parsley, chopped
2 tbl Chives, chopped
1 tbl Red Peppers, minced (you can used roasted red peppers if you like)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp Salt (optional)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 loaf French Bread (about 9-12 inches long by 3 inches wide, or longer depending on width. Look for a loaf a bit wider than a thing crunch baguette)
Method:
Place all ingredients except baguette into a food processor and process until smooth.
Meanwhile, slice off both ends of bread and with a long knife, hollow out center leaving about 1/3 inch crust. For simplicity, you can cut the French bread in half crosswise so that you hollow out two equal sized portions of the bread.
To easily fill the French bread, place the smoked turkey mixture into a pastry bag or a sealable plastic storage bag with about a 1” section of one corner cut off. Standing the bread on one end, fill the hollow cavity by squeezing the turkey mixture into it. Be careful not to overfill, as you might break through the thin walls of the baguette. Turn the baguette over and fill from the other side if it is not completely full. You can also use a large spoon to be sure that you’ve filled the entire cavity. If you cut the French bread into two pieces, repeat the process with the other half.
Wrap the filled French bread in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours until the turkey mixture has set up enough to slice. Slice the baguette into 1/4″ slices with a very sharp knife or electric knife. Layer the slices on a platter and serve.
To vary the flavor and appearance, be creative with this dish and substitute smoked ham or herb roasted chicken as well as other vegetables or herbs.