Yesterday, I accidentally created the best gravy recipe on the face of the earth. So before I forget how I did it, I am writing it up in the hopes that you will try it, too and enjoy it as much as I did! This is a turkey and mushroom gravy and is made in a way that is similar to traditional Thanksgiving gravies. The thickener here is not a rue, but a stock and flour mix. And yes, the mushrooms are a critical component here...if you don't like mushrooms, then this is not the gravy for you.
Here's how it all came down:
I had a just roasted turkey, so I drained the pain into a gravy separator, then deglazed the pan with about a half cup of dry white wine and set aside.
In a large sauce pan, I sauteed fresh, chopped chanterelle mushrooms in olive oil and 3 tablespoons of butter, over medium high heat. I cooked until they started to caramelize, then removed them from the pan and set aside. I deglazed the pan with the separated drippings, scraping up every bit of deliciousness, then added the white wine mixture from the turkey pan.
Next, I added the following:
3 cups of chicken stock
1/2 (or so) cup of dry white wine
2 tablespoons of Italian seasoning (bay, oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary)
1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning (celery salt, sage, marjoram)
2 cloves of roasted garlic
cracked black pepper
I let this simmer together while I made the thickening mixture. I would suggest not adding salt at this point since the stock and poultry seasoning both have it. If needed, adjust for flavor at the end of cooking.
In a container with a lid, add 1/4 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of stock. Give it a good shake until well combined and pour about half of the mixture in the pan while whisking. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let thicken. If needed, add additional thickener...but be aware that too much of a good thing isn't so good anymore (at least in this case). Let it cook for a good 5-10 minutes on a low setting to ensure that the flour has a chance to cook...I mean, who wants to get a mouthful of raw flour? Stir in the mushrooms and you are ready to serve!
Reflecting back, I think there is one additional ingredient that I would add. Next time, I will caramelize a couple of leeks and add to the mix. Though any member of the onion family could be used, leeks have a spectacular flavor that would be a great component for this gravy.
Earlier in the week, or maybe at the end of last week (my days tend to blend together) I made a pumpkin and butternut squash shepards pie. Now, I thought of this as sort of an every day thing, but when I mentioned it on Twitter, people were astounded! "What? You used a pumpkin for shepards pie?", "You combined a pumpkin with butternut squash?" "You cooked for your family?" (For more hilarity, be sure to check out Good Enough Gardening Podcast, Hoards of Gourds episode).
The answer to all of the above is "Yes!". There are two key things at play here. The first is that shepards pie is really more of a method than a specific dish. There are a hundred variations, making it a great way to use up leftovers. The second is that pumpkin can actually be eaten like sweet potatoes. In fact, pumpkin tastes very similar to sweet potatoes...and to butternut squash, which is why many pumpkin pies are actually made with butternut squash. I happened to have a small sugar pumpkin and a good sized butternut squash, so I combined the two and made a great topping for my pie.
Here's how it all went down:
1 pie-sized pumpkin
1 butternut squash
6 oz broccoli, cut into florets
6 oz carrots, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lb ground turkey
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place broccoli and carrots on sheet pans. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until browned and tender, 30 minutes or so. Remove and set aside.
At the same time, grab the small pumpkin and butternut squash. Cut in half, remove seeds, place on a baking sheet. Drizzle the cut sides with olive oil, salt and pepper. Turn cut side down and roast until tender...anywhere from 30-45 minutes, dependent upon the size. When finished, set aside to cool. Once cooled, remove the outer skins and place the orange flesh into a bowl. Mix together and set aside.
Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Saute turkey, pepper, onion, and garlic together. Add paprika, thyme, salt and pepper and cook until turkey is browned. Push mixture to the outer edges of pan. Add one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of flower to the center. Let combination melt and cook for approximately one minute. Whisk in chicken stock, add roasted broccoli and carrots, stir to combine. Bring to a simmer.
Take the squash and pumpkin mixture and layer over the top of the filling. Use a spatula to smooth. Place in a 400 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until top starts to brown and firm.
Without a doubt, this is one of my favorite winter meals...and it is super easy! I would love to hear from you, if you give it a try...
photo by D3 San FranciscoIf you have listened to the Good Enough Gardening podcast (which is on a brief hiatus, btw, while Amanda settles in to her new job), you likely know how very much I dislike cilantro. It just tastes like soap to me. Yeah, I said it, soap...
As you probably know by now, I am finishing up my second book...and this one is a lot bigger than the first one. Grocery Gardening is a super hip gardening/cooking book that covers the details of growing herbs, vegetables, and fruits...as well as includes a ton of great cooking methods and recipes. We have an awesome chapter on preserving food and a handy dandy chapter that will help you choose edibles at the store when you don't have enough on hand.
As usual, I want my readers to join in on the fun...really, please submit something! If you have great photos, recipes, gardening tips, videos, etc, hop on over to the Grocery Gardening Ning group and share your wisdom. If we choose your (must be original) content, you will be acknowledged in the book and receive a free ecopy of my first book, Growing Food: A Guide for Beginners.
Back to my hating on cilantro...I really need your favorite cilantro recipes...cause you know I am not going to be making any of my own! Leave me a post in the herb group on the Grocery Gardening Ning...anyone have a good cocktail that uses cilantro? For some reason, I am thinking it would be good with tequila...another flavor I absolutely can't stand. But hey, it's not like I am putting up random things I don't like just because I don't like cilantro...I didn't say "try pairing it with tripe or tongue or brains".
And, if you don't have anything good to say about this herb, check out the other tasty herbs, veg and fruit...cause any reader of mine will most certainly have something to say about those... :)
