Ummmm, carlo, you're makin' me hungry! I love this time of year...would do nothing but cook for 2 months if I could get away with it.
To my favorite Aunt, here is a real Holiday treat, something modified from my humble Italian roots!..
Roast Turkey Leg Confit on Wild Mushroom Risotto
- 1 lb turkey fat (should yield 1 quart melted fat)*
- 2 turkey legs, about 1/2 lb. each*
- 1-1/4 t. sea salt
- 1 t. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 T. garlic, chopped fine
1) Place fat in thick-bottomed pan over low heat until melted, stirring occasionally. When the remnants of skin in the fat turn light brown, strain through fine sieve. Discard remnants and refrigerate fat over night.
2) Mix salt, pepper, bay, thyme and garlic with turkey legs and marinate over night in refrigerator.
3) The next day heat fat over low heat. Place turkey in oven proof pan and pour melted fat over turkey, making sure it covers. If not, pour a little canola oil on top.
4) Place in the middle of a 350 oven uncovered for approximately 2-1/4 hours or until tender. Cool and refrigerate until ready to use. Turkey confit holds for two weeks if completely covered with fat.
At dinner time, pull legs out of fat and crisp skin side up under a broiler or skin side down in a sauté pan in a little preheated turkey fat.
Risotto
- 5 cups turkey or chicken stock
- 1 cup fresh porcini mushrooms, can use dried porcini
- 6 T. unsalted butter
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion, finely minced
- 1/2 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced, can use dried
- 1/2 cup fresh chanterelle mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cups calriso* rice or arborio
- 6 oz. port
- 1 cup grated sharp dry jack cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bring the stock to a simmer for any dried mushrooms you may be using; keep hot over a low burner.
2) Melt the butter and oil in a heavy, medium-sized sauce pot, and sweat the onions until soft, about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
3) Add sliced fresh mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring.
4) Add rice and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes until the rice is coated with butter and oil and begins to look opaque.
5) Reduce heat to low. Remove reconstituted mushrooms from stock with slotted spoon, chop coarsely.
6) Add porcini to the rice along with the port, stir for one minute and add 2 cups of hot stock, stirring constantly until liquid is almost absorbed. Continue adding stock 1/2 cup at a time as liquid absorbs, stirring constantly.
7) The rice is done when it is al dente or firm just in the center. This process takes 18-25 minutes. Stir in grated cheese.
Serve large pieces of turkey atop Wild Mushroom Risotto.
Garnish with sautéed fresh mushrooms and shaved jack cheese.