WINNIPEG, MB – We all have influencers in our lives when it comes to spending time in the kitchen. Mine was my gran, and I have tried to emulate some of her classic recipes with a little modern twist. Here is one that will leave you wanting leftovers that much more often.
Typically, around Easter time when we were young, turkey was always on the menu. What followed, aside from the normal sandwiches or pie, would be “fricassee”, a dish made up of poultry and a sauce and served with mashed potatoes. The aroma would drive my palate crazy. Gran would call out, “Supper’s made,” and I was always the first to the table. I would always want seconds.
Nowadays, when I prepare this dish, it could be with rice or fries, sometimes with herbed dumplings and, of course, fresh French bread and butter for dipping and clearing the plate.
Turkey fricassee
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 cups cooked chopped turkey (brown or white meat)
2 medium onions sliced
4 medium carrots peeled and sliced “Julienne”
3 cups small button mushrooms halved
3 garlic cloves crushed
½ cup dry white wine
1 quart chicken stock
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon chopped
3 egg yolks
¾ cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Using a frying pan, heat the oil, then add carrots and onions and fry for 5 minutes or until the onion is clear. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and stir for a further 5 minutes or until the mushroom is tender.
Pour in the wine and reduce until nearly all the wine has evaporated. Stir in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the tarragon and salt and pepper for taste. Leave to simmer
Place the turkey in a large bowl and dust with flour and oregano. Shake the bowl, allowing all the turkey to be lightly covered with the flour. Whisk the egg yolks with the cream then pour into the simmering ingredients. Stir, then add floured turkey. Continue to stir until the sauce thickens.
Remove the pan and place all ingredients into an oven proof dish. Place inside the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Serve with your choice of mash, fries or rice.
By Ian Leatt who is general manager of Pegasus Publications and a trained chef.
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