Turkey Salad Wraps

Spring has fully arrived and the garden is in full swing. The peas have been producing for a week now, which is earlier than usual and which I consider a gift from the mild March we had. The tomatoes are in the ground. The herbs are up. The kitchen smells in the morning like whatever I've brought in from outside, which is the best morning smell there is.

First Saturday youth cooking class at New Hope AME, which Deontay and Odalys led while I observed from the back. Eleven young people, ages twelve to twenty. Deontay taught a simple vinaigrette and the concept of balance in seasoning. Odalys walked them through knife safety with a patience that I find extraordinary. One twelve-year-old named Marcus — which I received without showing a reaction, because names are common and don't belong to one person — was the most focused student in the room and asked Deontay twice to show him how to hold the knife again. Each time Deontay showed him without impatience. That is the teacher I have been watching Deontay become. I am proud of what I helped build without knowing I was building it.

Kezia finishes high school in June and leaves for culinary school in September. I have five more months of Saturday mornings with her and I am paying attention to each one. This is the last gift before the beginning: the season of almost-done, when the student is fully formed but not yet gone. I want to use it well. I want to give her something for the road. I haven't decided yet what that something is. But it will come to me. The right things usually do.

Watching Deontay show that class how to balance acid and oil in a vinaigrette — tasting, adjusting, tasting again — I found myself thinking about what I would make when I got home, something that put those same principles to work without fuss. These turkey salad wraps are what came of it: a vinaigrette-dressed filling, a little careful chopping, and the kind of quiet satisfaction that comes from a meal that required you to pay attention. Simple enough for a Saturday afternoon, and exactly the thing I needed after a morning that reminded me why any of this matters.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 15 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 cups cooked turkey breast, diced or shredded
1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 large flour tortillas or large romaine leaves
1 cup shredded romaine lettuce (optional, for serving)

Instructions

Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified. Taste and adjust the acid or salt as needed — this is the balance step, and it matters.
Prep the vegetables. Finely chop the celery, red onion, red bell pepper, and parsley. Take your time with the knife work; uniform pieces mean every bite carries even flavor.
Combine the filling. In a large bowl, toss together the diced turkey, celery, red onion, red bell pepper, and parsley.
Dress and toss. Pour the vinaigrette over the turkey mixture and fold gently to coat. Taste once more and adjust seasoning. Let the dressed salad rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
Assemble the wraps. Lay the tortillas flat. Lay a small handful of shredded romaine down the center if using, then spoon the turkey salad over the top. Fold in the sides and roll snugly. Slice on the diagonal and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Turkey Salad Wraps — What Deontay Taught Them First