Saturday, December 3, 2011

Basil Fingers

As many of my close friends know, I love to cook.  Well, mostly I love to feed people I love good food.  So I don't know why I didn't do this earlier, but I have a goal to post one meal a week now of things that I create. Recently Americans celebrated Thanksgiving.  And, even though I live in South China, I was no exception.  I actually cooked TWO Thanksgiving Dinners this year! Anyways, like many I had a bit of leftover turkey and a turkey carcass that I needed to use.  So like many, after picking larger pieces off the turkey, I made a giant pot of turkey stock.  I salvaged more meat from the bird, and after putting most of the stock in the freezer, I took a look in my cupboards and concocted a dish that was far removed from Thanksgiving fare.  This was even better reheated the second day.  After cooking it my fingers smelled like basil...I love that.
Turkey Potato Florentine

1/2 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves smashed and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons of flour
1 cup of turkey stock
shredded turkey as available
1 large 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes(this is what I had, but I'm sure diced tomatoes, mixed with tomato sauce work just fine
10 small golden new potatoes, sliced into bite sized coins
two large handfuls of fresh basil roughly chopped
healthy splash of red wine(I used cabernet sauvignon)(maybe 1/2cup)
1/4 cup or so of sour cream(can also use milk for lower fat)
salt and pepper to taste
two large handfuls of fresh spinach well chopped

boil the potatoes in some stock and water until tender, set aside(or do this while everything else is cooking)
saute the onion in the butter, crush and add the garlic a bit later - brown a little but don't burn.
add the flour, make a roux
add the turkey stock
simmer till it has thickened
add the tomatoes and shredded turkey
simmer until this has thickened a bit
add the potatoes and red wine.
cook off the alcohol a bit.
add the basil, simmer for a little - allow the flavor to seep.
add the sour cream, stir well to combine
very last add the spinach, it will wilt as you serve it.

For those that don't do dairy - omit the sour cream and exchange olive oil for the butter.
But this is a good gluten free meal :)


2 comments:

  1. I wonder if I could make this with chicken...I mean, I'm sure I could. Because we do not have any turkey or turkey stock. P.S. It isn't gluten free because you used flour to make a roux, if you thickened with corn starch it would totally be gluten free. Also, you would have to make sure turkey has no additives injected into it that included either dairy or gluten. P.P.S. You can use a soy based sour cream substitute to still give it that creamy texture without adding dairy. It is how I do Indian food dairy free. Or they make a plain soy yogurt. P.P.P.S. I love the line, "let the alcohol cook off, a little." like you don't want all the alcohol to be gone :) P.P.P.P.S. Love you loads. I'm also fairly certain you will be sick when you are in America because I can't remember the last time you weren't sick when I saw you. Aren't I just a load of fun :) Still love you lots.

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  2. sorry Holly, I totally thought I wrote you could substitute corn starch as well....I guess I didn't - but yes you can use cornstarch, but you don't need 3 tablespoons of it, cornstarch is a stronger thickening agent than flour and it has a bitter after-taste if you use too much

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