Wine Braised Turkey Legs with Lentils
At this time of year, turkey legs are in abundant supply at most grocers. This is a lovely way to tenderize an otherwise tough piece of poultry. The tenderizing action of braising in wine renders this dark meat into succulent pieces of meat. The pan juices are then reduced into a flavorful sauce to drizzle over the turkey legs and lentils. You may wish to find turkey legs year-round once you taste this dish!
4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
For the Turkey legs:
4 turkey legs or 1 large turkey leg + thigh
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup onion, small diced
1 cup carrot, small diced
½ large fennel bulb, small diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste concentrate
½ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
4-5 juniper berries, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cups hearty red wine
3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh butter
For the Lentils:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup onion, small diced
½ cup carrots, small diced
½ large fennel bulb, small diced
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup brown lentils, picked over for debris, rinsed, drained
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon fennel seed, finely ground
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped (garnish)
DIRECTIONS:
For the Turkey legs:
1. Salt and pepper the turkey legs. Heat the olive oil in a non-reactive Dutch oven or saucepot. When the oil ripples slightly, add the turkey legs skin side down. When browned, flip over to the other side and brown. Remove the legs and set them aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the onions, carrots, and fennel bulb to the pan over medium-high heat. Stir until softened, about five minutes. Add the tomato paste, fennel seeds, juniper berries, bay leaf, and rosemary. Deglaze with the red wine. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Return the turkey legs. Cover the pot with a lid and place it in the oven. Braise for forty-five minutes, turn legs over, and continue to braise for another forty-five minutes. Remove from the oven. Remove the turkey legs and tent with foil. Strain the liquid through a mesh sieve into a sauté pan. Simmer the pan liquids over medium-high heat until syrupy. Remove from the heat and swirl in the room temperature butter.
For the Lentils:
1. While the turkey legs are braising, make the lentils. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onions, carrots, and fennel when the oil slightly ripples. Cook until soft, about five minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth, lentils, bay leaf, thyme, ground fennel seeds, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, about twenty to thirty minutes. If the lentils become dry, add a small amount of water and continue to cook until soft. Remove from the heat. Discard the bay leaf. Taste, Think, Transform with salt as needed.
3. Serve the turkey legs on a bed of cooked lentils. Drizzle the pan sauce over the turkey legs.
Wine Braised Turkey Legs with Lentils
Ingredients
- 4 turkey legs or 1 large turkey leg + thigh
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup onion, small diced
- 1 cup carrot, small diced
- ½ large fennel bulb, small diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste concentrate
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- 4-5 juniper berries, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 cups hearty red wine
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup onion, small diced
- ½ cup carrots, small diced
- ½ large fennel bulb, small diced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup brown lentils, picked over for debris, rinsed, drained
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon fennel seed, finely ground
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped (garnish)
Instructions
- Salt and pepper the turkey legs. Heat the olive oil in a non-reactive Dutch oven or saucepot. When the oil ripples slightly, add the turkey legs skin side down. When browned, flip over to the other side and brown. Remove the legs and set them aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the onions, carrots, and fennel bulb to the pan over medium-high heat. Stir until softened, about five minutes. Add the tomato paste, fennel seeds, juniper berries, bay leaf, and rosemary. Deglaze with the red wine. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Return the turkey legs. Cover the pot with a lid and place it in the oven. Braise for forty-five minutes, turn legs over, and continue to braise for another forty-five minutes. Remove from the oven. Remove the turkey legs and tent with foil. Strain the liquid through a mesh sieve into a sauté pan. Simmer the pan liquids over medium-high heat until syrupy. Remove from the heat and swirl in the room temperature butter.
- While the turkey legs are braising, make the lentils. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onions, carrots, and fennel when the oil slightly ripples. Cook until soft, about five minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, lentils, bay leaf, thyme, ground fennel seeds, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, about twenty to thirty minutes. If the lentils become dry, add a small amount of water and continue to cook until soft. Remove from the heat. Discard the bay leaf. Taste, Think, Transform with salt as needed.
- Serve the turkey legs on a bed of cooked lentils. Drizzle the pan sauce over the turkey legs.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
967.14Fat (grams)
40.28Sat. Fat (grams)
11.61Carbs (grams)
32.7Fiber (grams)
12.89Net carbs
19.82Sugar (grams)
7.08Protein (grams)
99.26Sodium (milligrams)
1373.17Cholesterol (grams)
329.52The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.