Turkey in White Wine Sauce

People don’t eat turkey with the same zeal that they eat it in the States. But the fermier (free-range) turkeys in France are excellent

I wasn’t able to get a great shot of the finished dish with my middling camera skills, but I can assure you, this was delicious.

Since Romain is one of those who isn’t a fan of turkey, I decided to serve it with wild rice, which he loves. (I know. I should have had kids.)

Turkey in White Wine Sauce

You could swap out chicken parts of the turkey. Thighs and drumsticks will be more flavorful than breasts, but if you go with breasts, bone-in is the way to go. If you don't drink wine, you could use a combination of water and stock. I'd add a squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of vinegar to give it some character. I used mushrooms but you could add diced root vegetables to the pot instead, and let them cook in the liquid.

Servings6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 turkey thigh and leg, or 4 turkey legs (about 4-pounds, 2kg)
• kosher or sea salt
• freshly-ground black pepper
• 2tablespoons olive oil,plus more if necessary
• 5ounces (160g) diced bacon(about 1 cup)
• 3small shallots,minced (about 1/3 cup)
• 2cups (500ml) dry white wine
• 3cups (.75l) low-sodium chicken stock or water
• 10branches fresh thyme,plus 1 1/2 teaspoons minced thyme for sauteeing the mushrooms)
• 4tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 pound (450g) mushrooms,trimmed and quartered
• 3cloves garlic,peeled and minced
• generous handful flat-leaf parsley,chopped
• fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. 1. Rub the turkey legs with a fairly generous amount of salt and pepper. If you can do this and let the turkey legs sit overnight in the refrigerator, they'll be a lot more succulent.
2. 2. To cook the legs, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the turkey to brown them. It's best to put them in the pot in a single layer and not move them until they're well-browned on one side. Then turn them to brown the other sides. Don't rush this step as browning the turkey gives it additional flavor. It may take up to 15 to 20 minutes, total.
3. 3. Remove the turkey and place the pieces in a bowl. Drain any excess fat from the pot, then add the bacon, and stir until it's just cooked, about a minute. (French bacon isn't fatty but if your bacon throws off a lot of fat, you can drain that off as well.) Add the shallots and stir for another minute or two, until they're translucent.
4. 4. Add the wine to the pot and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any delicious browned bits. Then add the turkey pieces, the water or stock, and the branches of thyme. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 1/4 hours, turning the turkey over a few times during cooking, so they cook evenly.
5. 5. Turn off the heat and remove the turkey pieces to a bowl or plate. When cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones and return it to the liquid in the pot. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and let cook to reduce the sauce, until it's richer in color and flavor.
6. 6. In a wide skillet, melt the butter over high heat. Add the mushrooms, season with a little salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes. Add the garlic and minced thyme, and continue to cook until the mushrooms are browned and cooked through. Turn off the heat and add chopped parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
7. 7. When the sauce is reduced to your liking, scrape the mushrooms into the pot with the turkey. Taste, and season with additional salt and pepper, and serve.

Recipe Notes

Serving: Serve warm with rice, pasta, root vegetable puree, or mashed potatoes.

 

from David Lebovitz https://www.davidlebovitz.com/turkey-in-white-wine-sauce/
VietNam Travel & Food Magazine Vina.com offers News✅ Travel info✅ Food Recipes✅ Photos✅Restaurant Guide at Vina.com https://vina.com/travel/nightlife/ https://vnfoodandtravelblog.blogspot.com/