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Slowly cooking the turkey in wine for a few hours gives the delicious melt in the mouth texture and buttery rich textures that one usually associates with a traditional veal Osso Bucco yet it is a healthier version. Be sure to use turkey legs for this recipe. You can use whole drumsticks or thighs or ask your butcher to cut it into pieces for you. My butcher sells turkey legs already cut into rounds for this very purpose – very handy.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 4 turkey pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 large sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
Gremolata:
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 lemon, zested
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 180C / 360F
Pat the turkey with paper towels to dry and ensure even browning
Dredge the turkey in the flour to coat and shake off any excess
In a large dutch oven or casserole dish, heat the oil over medium high heat
Add the turkey and cook until brown on both sides
Transfer the turkey to a plate and set aside
In the same pan, add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until golden brown
Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes
Add salt and pepper
Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute
Pour in the wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes
Add the herbs and place the turkey on top on them in a single layer
Add enough chicken broth to come 2/3 up the sides of the turkey
Bring the liquid to a boil over medium-high heat
Cover with a tightly fitting lid
Cook until the turkey is fork-tender, about 2 hours, turning the turkey after 1 hour
Season to taste
Meanwhile, for the Gremolata:
Combine the chopped parsley, lemon zest and garlic in a bowl
Cover and reserve until serving the turkey
To serve: Sprinkle each piece of turkey with a large pinch of Gremolata
Serve immediately
Enjoy!
Cranberry sauce is a very American accompaniment to Thanksgiving turkey. In fact, I had never eaten it until we moved to the US and then my first experience was at a dinner where the host served the jellied kind that comes straight out of a can, I hated it and could not imagine how an entire nation loved this vile tasting “sauce”. My ex-husband asked to have cranberry sauce with the turkey the following year and so I started searching out a recipe. Low and behold, I discovered that you can actually make your own, from fresh or frozen berries and you did not have to resort to eating jellied cylindrical shaped sauce – and to top it all, it is actually very easy and tastes far superior to any store bought variation. It is a great accompaniment to turkey and and I discovered with my leftovers this year, superb with foie gras. So make some for Christmas lunch and have the rest with your foie gras for New Year!
Maison Travers 