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12 ounces ground turkey

1 large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

4 ounces snow peas, finely sliced

3 cups cooked brown rice

2 tablespoons soy sauce (regular or reduced-sodium)

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Asian red chili paste

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Heat a large wok or high-sided sauté pan over medium heat, then swirl in 1 tablespoon peanut oil. Add the eggs and scramble lightly, just until set. Transfer to a small bowl.

Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add the scallions, garlic, and ginger; stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Crumble in the ground turkey; stir-fry until it loses its raw, pink color, breaking up the large bits, about 4 minutes.

Add the bell pepper and snow peas; continue tossing and cooking for 30 seconds. Add the brown rice and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Pour in the soy sauce, vinegar, and chili paste; return the scrambled egg to the wok. Toss gently and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Remove the wok from the heat and stir in the sesame oil just before serving.

Variations: Substitute one 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained, for the bell pepper.

Substitute 6 ounces Swiss chard, stemmed and roughly chopped, for the snow peas.

Add ½ cup chopped walnut pieces with the brown rice.

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What’s in Ground Turkey?

According to USDA guidelines, if the package says “ground turkey meat,” it should contain only the meat without the fat or skin. If it says “ground turkey,” it includes fat and skin. White meat alone is labeled as such; all other packaging should be assumed to be a combination of dark and white meat.

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Other Barnyard Birds: Capon, Poussin, Cornish Game Hen, and Guinea Hen

Treat these birds as you would any chicken: check expiration dates, make sure they don’t smell sulfurous, thaw them in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours, and keep them only a day or two unfrozen.

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Capon Stuffed with Potatoes, Bacon, and Sauerkraut

Capons start off tragically. They’re unwanted roosters, castrated, fattened, and sold before they’re 10 months old. But barnyard tragedy is a culinary miracle. A capon has moist, firm meat, like a cross between a chicken and a turkey, the best of both worlds. Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 pound small red-skinned potatoes

2 teaspoons canola oil

6 ounces bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 pound fresh sauerkraut, rinsed and squeezed dry

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

One 6 ½-to 7½-pound capon, giblets and neck removed

Butcher’s twine

½ teaspoon salt, optional (see Note)

Peel the potatoes, cut them into ½-inch pieces, place in a medium bowl, and cover with cool water to a depth of 1 inch. Set aside to leach starch for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Swirl in the canola oil, add the bacon, and cook until crispy, stirring often, about 3 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a large bowl. Drain off but reserve half the fat from the skillet; return the skillet with the remaining fat to medium heat.

Drain the potatoes in a colander set in the sink. Add them to the skillet and cook until slightly browned, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add to the bowl with the bacon.

Rinse the sauerkraut in a colander set in the sink, then squeeze dry in batches. Add to the bacon and potatoes; stir in the paprika and pepper. Set the stuffing aside to cool for 30 minutes.

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Stuff the sauerkraut mixture into the capon’s large cavity, then truss the bird with butcher’s twine. If desired, gently rub the salt into the bird’s skin.

Set the capon on a rack in a large roasting pan. Baste it with half the reserved bacon fat from the skillet. Cover the bird with aluminum foil and roast for 1 hour.

Uncover the bird, brush it with the remaining bacon fat, and continue roasting until the legs move freely, the capon is well browned, and a meat thermometer inserted into the stuffing registers 160°F and when