Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Braised Turkey Thighs with Olives and Chilies

Adapted by DrDaddy and Merry from Ada Boni's Regional Cooking of Italy. A family favorite and SIGNATURE DISH.
2 turkey thighs -- about 2.5 lbs total
1 6-oz can pitted ripe green or black olives, drained
2 7-oz cans chopped green chilies (Ortega™ is good)
1/2 c dry white wine
2 c chicken or turkey stock
1 T minced garlic
3 T olive oil
12 oz extra-wide egg noodles, boiled according to package
Trim excess skin, remove visible fat, and discard. Season both sides well with salt. Heat a deep skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat, add oil. Fry turkey until well browned on both sides, turning occasionally. Add garlic and cook until lightly colored -- do not burn! Add wine and cook until reduced by half. Add olives, chilies, and stock.  Reduce heat to simmer, cover partly, and cook until meat is tender -- about 2 hours. Remove meat from pan, cool, and slice parallel to bone. Return to pan to reheat along with the hot noodles. Serves 4 to 6. Steamed or braised broccoli makes a nice side dish.

Braised turkey, noodles, and olives
with butter-braised green beans on the side.