Recipe for Caribbean Turkey Pita

Yields 50 Servings

This recipe yields 1 gallon, 2 quarts, and 1 cup of pita filling or 50–6½ inch servings of Caribbean turkey pitas.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

• 6 pounds and 2 ounces frozen, fully-cooked turkey taco filling (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
• 2 pounds or 1 quart and 1 cup dry, regular, long grain brown rice (USDA food item)
• 2 quarts and 2 cups water
• 12 ounces as purchased or 4 bunches fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons ready to use garlic, minced
• 6 ounces or ¾ cup lime juice
• 6 ounces or ¾ cup honey mustard dressing
• 1½ teaspoons table salt
• 1½ teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 quart and ¼ cup canned chili peppers, diced
• 50–2 ounce, 6½ inch, whole grain-rich pita bread
• 3 pounds and 2 ounces or 50–1 ounce pepper jack cheese slices

Directions

To Prepare in Advance

1. Thaw turkey crumbles in refrigerator at 41°F or lower 1 to 2 days in advance. Critical Control Point (CCP): Thaw turkey crumbles in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.

To Prepare Rice

2. Preheat oven to 350°F for conventional oven or 325°F for convection.
3. Boil water and add rice. Cook rice in oven. Note: Rice may be cooked in rice cooker or steamer.

To Prepare Lime Honey Mustard Dressing

4. Rinse and chop cilantro to measure 1 quart and ½ cup.
5. Combine cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and honey mustard dressing, salt, and pepper in 2 quart blender. Blend for 1 minute or until completely combined.

To Prepare Caribbean Turkey Pitas

6. Drain chili peppers.
7. Mix dressing with turkey crumbles, rice, and chili peppers in one–12 inch by 20 inch by 2½ inch steamtable pan.
8. Heat turkey crumbles, rice, and chili peppers mixture in oven. CCP: Heat turkey crumbles, rice, and chili peppers mixture to an internal temperature of 165°F or higher for at least 15 seconds.
9. Place pitas in warmer to soften, approximately 10 minutes.

To Assemble Caribbean Turkey Pitas

10. Slice pita horizontally in half. Note: Pita halves should be full diameter. Place one pita half, cut side up, on a flat working surface. Set aside other half.
11. Place 1 slice or 1 ounce pepper jack cheese on pita half.
12. Top with ½ cup or one number 8 scoop turkey crumbles, rice, and pepper mixture. Tightly pack, level, and spread mixture evenly over pita.
13. Top with other pita half. Slice the ready-made pitas in half. CCP: Hold Caribbean turkey pitas at 135°F or higher until service.
14. Serve two pita halves for each serving. Optional: serve with hot sauce and garnish with cilantro.

Nutritional Analysis

• Calories, in K calories: 405
  Carbohydrates, in grams: 46
  Protein, in grams: 18
  Saturated fat, in grams: 6
  Trans fat, in grams: 0
  Total fat, in grams: 17
  Sodium, in milligrams: 642
  

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

Yields 100 Servings

This recipe yields 3 gallons and 2 cups of pita filling or 50–6½ inch servings of Caribbean turkey pitas.

Ingredients

Ingredients list includes measure by weight or volume. Choose one measure, either weight or volume, for the ingredient. Weight is listed first in bold.

• 12 pounds and 4 ounces frozen, fully-cooked turkey taco filling (U.S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] food item)
• 4 pounds or 2 quarts and 2 cups dry, regular, long grain brown rice (USDA food item)
• 5 quarts water
• 1 pound and 8 ounces as purchased or 8 bunches fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup ready to use garlic, minced
• 12 ounces or 1½ cup lime juice
• 12 ounces or 1½ cup honey mustard dressing
• 1 tablespoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 2 quarts and ½ cup canned chili peppers, diced
• 100–2 ounce, 6½ inch, whole grain-rich pita bread
• 6 pounds and 4 ounces or 100–1 ounce pepper jack cheese slices

Directions

To Prepare in Advance

1. Thaw turkey crumbles in refrigerator at 41°F or lower 1 to 2 days in advance. Critical Control Point (CCP): Thaw turkey crumbles in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.

To Prepare Rice

2. Preheat oven to 350°F for conventional oven or 325°F for convection.
3. Boil water and add rice. Cook rice in oven. Note: Rice may be cooked in rice cooker or steamer.

To Prepare Lime Honey Mustard Dressing

4. Rinse and chop cilantro to measure 2 quarts and 1 cup.
5. Combine cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and honey mustard dressing, salt, and pepper in 2 quart blender. Blend for 1 minute or until completely combined.

To Prepare Caribbean Turkey Pitas

6. Drain chili peppers.
7. Mix dressing with turkey crumbles, rice, and chili peppers in two–12 inch by 20 inch by 2½ inch steamtable pan.
8. Heat turkey crumbles, rice, and chili peppers mixture in oven. CCP: Heat turkey crumbles, rice, and chili peppers mixture to an internal temperature of 165°F or higher for at least 15 seconds.
9. Place pitas in warmer to soften, approximately 10 minutes.

To Assemble Caribbean Turkey Pitas

10. Slice pita horizontally in half. Note: Pita halves should be full diameter. Place one pita half, cut side up, on a flat working surface. Set aside other half.
11. Place 1 slice or 1 ounce pepper jack cheese on pita half.
12. Top with ½ cup or one number 8 scoop turkey crumbles, rice, and pepper mixture. Tightly pack, level, and spread mixture evenly over pita.
13. Top with other pita half. Slice the ready-made pitas in half. CCP: Hold Caribbean turkey pitas at 135°F or higher until service.
14. Serve two pita halves for each serving. Optional: serve with hot sauce and garnish with cilantro.

Nutritional Analysis

• Calories, in K calories: 405
  Carbohydrates, in grams: 46
  Protein, in grams: 18
  Saturated fat, in grams: 6
  Trans fat, in grams: 0
  Total fat, in grams: 17
  Sodium, in milligrams: 642
  

Recipe Options

The CA Culinary Centers have calculated and tested the yields for this standardized recipe. You may choose to vary the spices in the recipe to meet the taste preferences of your students. For example, using a 1.5 to 2 ratio for spices when doubling the recipe yield from 50 to 100. However, changing or substituting any other ingredients may result in a different yield, meal contribution, or dietary specification, and should be considered a different recipe. To learn more about how to standardize your recipe visit the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab.

General Recipe Information

Category

• Sandwich recipes
• Recipes with condiments

Serving Suggestion

• Yield 50 or yield 100–6½ inch servings of Caribbean turkey pitas.

Contribution to Meal Pattern

The contribution to the meal pattern for this recipe is based on the suggested serving size above.

• 2 ounce equivalents meat/meat alternative
• 2.25 ounce equivalents whole grain-rich

If you decide to modify this recipe or serving size, you may use the tools available on the CA Culinary Centers Standardized Recipes web page Resources tab to create your own standardized recipe or find the contribution to the meal pattern.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Items

• Frozen, fully-cooked, turkey taco filling
• Dry, regular, long grain brown rice

Recipe Roots (Flavor Profile)

• Caribbean

Preparation Time

• Preparation: 40 minutes for 50 servings or 50 minutes for 100 servings
• Cook: 25 minutes for 50 servings or 30 minutes for 100 servings
• Assembly: 25 minutes for 50 servings or 50 minutes for 100 servings

Critical Control Point (CCP)

• CCP: Thaw turkey crumbles in refrigerator at 41°F or lower.
• CCP: Heat turkey crumbles, rice, and chili pepper mixture to an internal temperature of 165°F or higher for at least 15 seconds.
• CCP: Hold Caribbean turkey pitas at 135°F or higher until service.

Kid Rating

Culinary Center

Monterey Peninsula Unified School District