For a long time I thought, I don’t have to do my recipe until AFTER San Diego. Now, poof. It’s here and I made it on Sunday. This is one of Ken’s all time favorite dinners. We usually have it over pasta or polenta but this time I had just enough left over mashed potatoes and we ate it over them. Luscious!
Here’s the Recipe:
Braised Turkey Thighs
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 turkey thighs
1 cup dry white wine
2 large onions, diced
4 medium carrots diced
3 medium stalks of celery diced
8 oz. Mushroom, sliced
4 medium cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
2 bay leaves
1 28 oz. Can crushed tomatoes
parmesan cheese rind (if available)
¼ cup chopped parsley for garnish
Pre heat oven to 325
Heat 2 tbs oil in a Dutch oven, over medium high.
Salt and pepper both sides of the thighs.
Brown them, about 6 minutes each side, in the oil.
Remove from pot. Pour off all the fat.
Add the next 2 tbs to the pot to get hot. Then add the onions, carrots and celery and cook about 7 or 8 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms and garlic for another couple of minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pot (scrape up the brown bits left on the bottom).
Mix in the stock or water, the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and more salt and pepper. Add the cheese rind, if you have one. Remove the skin from the turkey thighs and return them to the pot, nestling them down into the liquid. It should just cover the thighs. Bring it up to a boil and then put into the oven with the lid on.
Cook until the meat is falling off the bones—about an hour and a half—maybe 2.
I boughts some great looking shitakes at the Farmers market and they worked well in here. Sometimes I add fresh rosemary to this dish, or some lemon zest and chopped parsley (gremolatta) at the end.

I just have to add this little snapshot from our flower/herb/butterfly garden. The dafs are amazing this year!

Enjoy spring, friends.
jan