Boxing Day Creamy Moroccan Turkey
Where this ended up was not exactly planned from the outset - but it was absolutely fantastic !
Equipment
- Stir-fry pan, wok or deep frying pan
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil for frying
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ginger paste (or about a 1" cube chopped/grated)
- 2 tbsp ras-el-hanout spice mix for the warmth
- 1 tbsp Harissa spices / paste for the heat !
- 2 cups leftover turkey chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 2 oranges just the juice - lemons could be an option
- 2 tbsp honey
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup (golden) raisins / sultanas etc
- ½ cup pistachio or cashew nuts if salted, just rinse them
- ½ cup leftover cranberry sauce
- 1 cup heavy cream (double cream) crème fraîche probably better here
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 handful fresh coriander chopped
Instructions
- Set up the fire and wok (or pan and hob) on a medium heat. Heat up the oil.
- Add in the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, ras-el-hanout and harissa. Heat up the spices to open them up. Make sure the onion is coated in all of those flavours. Stir for about five minutes.
- Put the chopped turkey in and coat all of this too. Stir around for another five minutes until well combined.
- Pour in the juice of two oranges, honey and the chicken stock. Keep the heat at a simmer and stir it all together.
- Add in the fruit and nuts and the cranberry sauce if you have it. Keep stirring.
- FInally add in the double cream (or heavy cream in the USA). Add in about half a cup at a time here.
- This is now where the wizardry comes in - go back and adjust whatever you like based on your taste, and how you feel. More sweetness - add in more honey. You'll probably need at least a little salt to lift the flavours, but do this at the end in case your chicken stock is overly salty. I didn't use any pepper, but that also might be needed, although maybe try to add more harissa. The dish needs to be a visual balance of meat, onion, fruit, nut and just enough red cranberries to look a little different.
- Stir it all together and let it all simmer to merge the flavours for about 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle on the chopped coriander just before serving.
- Serve with rice or flatbread (pita bread) or similar.
Notes
Paprika is probably the only other ingredient I might have added to the mix. And maybe some lemon juice too...oh, and I have some "Mike's Hot Honey" which might have gone well, but also might have been a bit pointless on this. I wasn't after "madras strength" - just a warming taste.
I think also if I'd have has pistachio nuts instead of cashews, that might have added an interesting, colourful dimension and complementary taste. Cashews were fine, however. Just make sure they're not overly salty by rinsing them first in water.
Cranberries also add some interesting colour. Fresh cranberries or even pomegranate could be an alternative here also if you have it.