A Variation on Hamelman’s Whole Wheat Multi-Grain Levain

Ian--

This is one of those recipes I keep in my head, and eyeball the ingredients measurements.  So the measurements below are a guess.  Try it and adjust to your taste.  Enjoy!

Turkey Wings Etoufee

This is an adaptation of the Chicken Etoufee recipe from Commander’s Kitchen, a cookbook from Commander’s Palace restaurant in New Orleans.

Ingredients

6 Turkey Wings

Tony Cachere Creole Seasoning

1 ½ tbsp. bacon fat

2 large yellow onions

Half a bunch of celery (including all inner stalks and leaves)

2 large green bell peppers

2 Tbsp minced garlic

2 large jalapeno peppers, minced

1 cup dry roux

2 cups chicken stock (homemade is best, but canned works)

1 ½ tsp dry thyme

½ tsp dry sage

2 bay leaves

small can diced tomatos (optional)

kernels from 2 ears fresh corn

Recipe

Season the turkey wings with Tony Cachere Creole Seasoning (or make your own Creole Seasoning (http://www.gumbopages.com/food/creole.html) and use it plus salt).  Roast in one tight layer in a deep roasting pan or dutch oven at 400 F for 45 minutes.  Turn the wings after about 25 minutes.  Whatever you roast the wings in will need a tight cover for the braising step, but the wings roast uncovered.

While the turkey is roasting, heat the stock and chop the onions, celery and bell peppers and mince the garlic and jalapenos.  Melt the bacon fat in a large heavy pot.  Saute the vegetables over high heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.  Reduce the heat to medium and add the dry roux (I use Kary’s Dry Roux (http://www.virtualcajun.com/Kary_s_Roux-Kary_s_Dry_Roux.html), but you can make your own (http://www.cajun-recipes.com/html/sauce/41482.htm)) and stir it in.  As soon as the roux is well mixed in with the vegetables, add the hot stock a half cup at a time, stirring constantly, until you have a thick-ish gravy.  If you need more liquid, add water (but you don’t want it thin like soup).

Add the thyme, sage and bay and about a tsp of the Creole Seasoning (depending on how spicy you like it).  Also add diced tomatos if you like. Bring to a slow boil and then simmer for 10 minutes (or until the turkey has been roasting 45 minutes).

Pour the vegetable gravy over the turkey wings, and braise in the oven, covered, at 350F for about 75-90 minutes, turning the wings half way through and basting occasionally.  When the wings are 15 minutes from done, taste the gravy and adjust salt and spice to taste.  Then, stir the corn kernels into the gravy.

Serve in big bowls with steamed white rice and Crystal pepper sauce to taste.

The bread is real tasty.  It toasts up nice.

As for the etoufee, it goes with white rice better than bread IMO.

Thanks.

Glenn

Lots of steam followed by convection makes great crust!  This bread is ideal toasted with cheese.

Thanks.

Glenn

I appreciate the comment.

Glenn

*Almost* everything was spot on, but I would hope for a bit better aerated crumb.  Maybe the oatmeal kept the crumb tight.

As for the etoufee, the original recipe calls for chicken parts, but they cook quicker than turkey, so reduce the braising time to about 40-45 minutes.  Chicken wings would be fine, but chicken thighs would work better because of the greater mass.

Enjoy!

Glenn