BRAISED TURKEY THIGHS WITH PEANUT SAUCE

BRAISED TURKEY THIGHS WITH PEANUT SAUCE 

Ingredients for 8 servings:

4 pounds bone-in turkey thighs

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup diced onion

3 medium carrots, sliced (1 cup)

1/2 fennel bulb (also called anise), thinly sliced

2 inner stalks celery, thinly sliced

3 ginger slices the size of a quarter

3 tablespoons peanut butter

2 1/2 cups dry white wine

bouquet garni: 1 bay leaf, 1sprig fresh thyme,1 stem tarragon, 1 sprig parsley

1/2 cup whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Heat a cast-iron roasting pan over medium heat 1 1/2 hours before serving time. Saute the turkey thighs in hot butter and oil in a 5 quart cast-iron casserole. Lift out the meat and saute the onion, carrot, fennel and celery pieces as well as ginger root slices slowly for 5 minutes.

Return the turkey to the pot, skin side down; pour on the wine and bring to a simmer. Add the bouquet garni, cover and cook for 40 minutes. Turn the meat over and simmer another 30 minutes. Internal temperature should be at 165 degrees.

Lift the turkey to a warm plate and cover. Strain the pan juices, skim off excess fat and reduce to 3 cups. Remove bouquet and puree the vegetables. Return the vegetables to the juices. Stir in the peanut butter and the whipping cream. Reduce the sauce further if you want a thicker consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle peanut sauce onto warm plates and overlap turkey breast slices on it. Serve with Skillet Cornbread and Roasted Root Vegetables.