Warming Heart Cockles.

It's so very cold in Ohio right now. At some point, earlier in life, I could tolerate and even enjoyed the cold. Lately though, it, pardon the cliche, chills me to the bone. I've been craving soups. Nothing fancy or frou frou - just good, hearty soups and stews, so I decided to make a rich stew this weekend. Coupled with a recent dream I had about bacon, I think a meaty, hearty stew will be just what I need to warm the cockles of my heart through this snow we've recently gotten.

I found this recipe originally in La Cucina Italiana - a magazine I have to thank my fellow MA student, Mallory for. She gets the subscription and I get her leftovers, as it were. Initially, this was a veal stew chock full of vegetables. I simply made it a turkey stew, but still full of veggies. I heart veggies, what can I say? Also, and curiously I might add, the original recipe did not use wine, which I have decided to use to deglaze the pan after I've browned the meat and the vegetables. Also, I needed an excuse to buy some wine. Also, I needed an excuse to drink some wine :)

Turkey Breast* Stew
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lb turkey breast cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
4 small-medium yukon gold potatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup red wine (I used a shiraz)
3 cups vegetable stock

In a large pot heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the pot and the oil are hot, add half the turkey, making sure it's dry before you put it in the pot to ensure a good sear. Sear the turkey bits until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the remaining turkey and brown.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and, once it's hot, add the onion, celery, and carrot. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for about 8-10 minutes or until the onion is soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic, potatoes, and thyme cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Add the salt and pepper at the end.



Add the red wine to the pan in order to deglaze some of those delicious crusty bits. Finally, add the stock to the pot and bring the pot to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low or low, cover, and simmer slowly for at least an hour until the turkey is cooked through and tender.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the turkey and coarser veggies from the pot (who cares about the onions at this point, right?). Then pour off the liquid into another bowl. Return the empty pot to the heat and add 1 tbsp butter. Create a roux by whisking in 1 tbsp + 1 tsp flour to the butter. Cook the flour for about a minute to remove that floury taste. Slowly pour the liquid back in the pot, whisking constantly to combine the roux and thicken the sauce. Let the sauce come to a low boil and cook until it's reduced to about 2 cups (15 minutes, give or take). Add the turkey and the vegetables back to the pot and cook just to warm everything through. Enjoy! :)



*While I'm opposed to breasts of most kind, turkey and chicken breasts are particularly delicious. However, I'm sure an equal amount of any meat that you can brown effectively would work.

I made this last weekend, but am just posting now. Yay for crazy weeks! This weekend I'm making tiramisu and what should be a delightful sausage and potato soup / gumbo. Notes and recipes to come.