The Recipe: Turkey Turnovers
Original Recipe Found In: Food Network Kitchen's Favorite Recipes
Serves 4
What You'll Need:
8 Ounces Pre-Cooked Chunk Turkey* (Roughly 2 1/2 cups)
6 Ounces Shiitake Mushrooms, Sliced & Stemmed
2 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Medium Onion
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
3 Tablespoons Brandy
1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
2 Sheets Puff Pastry
* Pre-cooked chunk chicken is a functional substitute for this recipe as well.
Begin by preheating your oven to 425 degrees and lining a medium sized baking sheet with parchment paper.
Meanwhile, in a medium nonstick skillet, begin melting the butter over medium low heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper to the skillet and cook until the onions have softened and the mushrooms have absorbed the butter and moisture from the onions. The mixture will appear almost dry in the skillet.
Carefully add the brandy (remove the skillet from the heat if you're cooking with a gas stove - I would hope that goes without saying, but we'll be safe and warn you anyway) and simmer the mixture until the liquid becomes syrup like. This takes about 3 minutes.
Next, add the heavy cream and mustard and bring the mixture to a boil until the cream thickens. It should cover the back of a spoon (or at least not immediately drip away like water) when you dredge it through the mixture. Once the cream has thickened, add the turkey (or chicken) and turn until the turkey is incorporated and the meat is heated through.
Lay out your sheets of puff pastry on a floured surface or on top of parchment paper. Using a sharp knife or even a pizza cutter, slice the pastry sheet in half - diagonally. Place 1/4 of the turkey mixture in the center of one of the halves. Make sure to keep the mixture from the edges. Wet the edges of the pastry with a little water to encourage better sticking. Carefully fold over the puff pastry, creating a triangular shaped turnover for the turkey. (See pictures below)
Press the edges of the turnover with a fork to seal the pocket shut. Poke a hole or two in the center of each turnover to allow the pocket to breathe will cooking. Using a pastry brush, lightly rub the top of each turnover with a little leftover heavy cream. This will encourage browning while the pockets are in the oven. Repeat this process until you have constructed four turnovers. Place the turnovers equally distanced on the baking sheet and into the oven for about 25 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Serve and enjoy!
The Results:
I'm always a fan of adding liquor or wine to a recipe. From Vodka, to white wine - I've constantly enjoyed the great depth and flavor that a good alcohol can add to a dish. The best part is that the alcohol cooks off - leaving just the flavor. That means that even the kids can enjoy a tasty dish without the fear of child services knocking on the door!
The brandy added a whole new level of richness and depth to a very rich and flavorful foundation. I've used the heavy cream, onion and mushroom combination before, and I know that it packs a great flavor. Brandy only enhanced the flavor and ever brought out some of the subtleties of the concoction. When you add in the fact that the whole dish was wrapped in a golden, flaky brown crust - you simply cannot go wrong. Delicious dish!
That's all we have for you this week. We were a little front loaded due to our work schedules, but as long as we're sharing new recipes, it's all good right? We're back on Monday with another trip around the culinary world. Until then, enjoy your weekend and -
~Cheers
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