Turkey Braised In Red Wine By Craig Michie Of Barra Bronzes

The turkey leg has some of the best tasting meat on the bird, yet it is often left till last as diners favor the breast meat, which can be a little easier to consume having no bones or sinews to deal with. Yet with a little preparation, the legs can bring all of the flavour to the forefront with this simple recipe, that - if done correctly- lets the meat simply fall from the bone...

Craig Michie is owner of Barra Bronzes in Aberdeenshire, a premium, free-range turkey farm. Barra Bronzes has been shortlisted in the North East Scotland Food & Drink Awards 2017 for the Most Successful Product from the 2016 Awards category. Winners will be announced at Ardoe House Hotel on Thursday 30th March.

For details on all winners visit www.nesfoodanddrinkawards.co.uk

Ingredients: serves 3 generously

2 turkey legs, cut into thighs and drumsticks
2 turkey wings

For the marinade:

1 bottle red wine
2 small onions or 4 large shallots, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped

2 medium carrots, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Thyme leaves
Black peppercorns
1 bay leaf

For the casserole:

150g/51⁄2oz pancetta, cut into thick dice
15 button mushrooms
15 baby onions, peeled
Four sides of sundried tomatoes
1 carrot, sliced
1 celery stick, sliced
Sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf and at-leaf parsley, chopped

Method:

1. This dish needs a little preparation the night before to make the flavors really work and it tenderizes the leg meat.

2. First, place all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl then add the left over turkey pieces and leave to marinade overnight.

3. Then, heat a large pan or flameproof casserole, add a knob of butter and extra virgin olive oil and fry the pancetta until lightly brown. Quickly, remove it from the pan and cook the mushrooms and onions for a few minutes until they colour then remove them from the pan and set the pan aside.

4. Lift the turkey from the marinade, straining the liquid and vegetables over a bowl and begin to fry. Then add the mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, onions, carrot and celery along with the thyme and bay leaf. Finally, pour in the strained marinade and simmer for one hour or so.

5. Let the casserole rest for about 15 minutes then add the parsley and serve.

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