Roast Turkey with Porcini Mushroom Gravy

Roast Turkey with Porcini Mushroom Gravy
by Mary Makowski
adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine, November 1998

Fall is here, which turns my thoughts to Thanksgiving and turkey. But with Turkey Day still weeks away, this recipe for 2-4 people is just the meal to satisfy those tryptophan cravings and make the wait to November 22 just a little bit easier. This is a delicious use for those flavorful mushrooms.

For the Roasted Turkey Thighs:
2-4 turkey thighs
one bunch parsley
several rosemary sprigs
thyme leaves
two cups porcini mushroom broth (see below*)
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Let thighs sit out of the refrigerator for 30 minutes prior to roasting.

Combine leaves from the parsley, rosemary and thyme and finely chop to make about 8 teaspoons. Rub each side of the thighs with approximately 1 teaspoon of the chopped herbs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the thighs, skin down, in a deep roasting pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Turn the thighs to skin side up, and pour 2 cups of the porcini broth in the bottom of the roasting pan. Drizzle the turkey with olive oil and sprinkle with more salt and pepper if desired. Bake an additional 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 170 degrees.

Remove the turkey, reserving the liquid in the pan, and tent with foil while finishing the gravy.

For the Porcini Mushroom Gravy:
4 cups chicken broth
3/4 ounce of Marx Foods Dried Wild Porcini Mushrooms
4 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1-1/2 cups dry white wine
1 Tablespoon chopped garlic
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper

While the turkey is roasting for the first 30 minutes, bring the chicken broth and the dried wild porcini mushrooms to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat; let steep 15 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to work surface; reserve mushroom broth in a large measuring cup (*pour two cups of this broth into the turkey roasting pan as described above for the last 30 minute of roasting). Chop mushrooms finely. Once the turkey is finished and resting, mix the juices from the roasting pan back into the large measuring cup.

Mix 2 tablespoons butter and flour in small bowl to smooth paste

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add parsley, thyme, rosemary and mushrooms. Sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in broth mixture and 1-1/2 cups white wine and bring to a boil until wine is reduced, about 20 minutes. Gradually whisk in butter-flour paste. Boil until reduced to about 3 cups, stirring occasionally, about 8 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle the gravy over your favorite mashed potato or stuffing recipe. Alternatively, vegetables such as chopped potatoes, carrots and onions may be roasted with the turkey and broth during the final thirty minutes of roasting and topped with the porcini mushroom gravy.