Smoked Turkey Thighs with Lentils and Pea Pesto
Instructions:
- A modern take on an old-world classic. I have managed to lighten up a dish without compromising its integrity by substituting turkey for smoked pork.
- It is advisable to soak the lentils in cold water for about 3 hours prior to cooking them.
- Lentils
- 2 cups dry red lentils
- 1 carrot, fi nely diced
- 1 celery stalk, fi nely diced
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 small onions, fi nely diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 2 cups herb vinegar
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and white pepper to taste
- Smoked Turkey Thighs
- 4 cooked smoked turkey thighs
- 1/4 cup sliced sage
- salt and pepper
- 2 tsp. lemon zest, or the zest of half a lemon
- Pea Pesto
- 2 cups fresh green peas
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup onion, minced
- 1/2 cup mint, sliced
- 1/2 cup parsley, sliced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Lentils
- Soak lentils in cold water for three hours.
- Set aside half the diced carrot and celery.
- In a medium pot heat the olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic, half the carrot, and half the celery.
- Add the tomato paste, vinegar, lentils, and thyme then simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and bay leaf. Simmer about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
- Fold in the reserved carrots and celery.
- Smoked Turkey Thighs
- Preheat oven to 275ËšF.
- Place the turkey thighs in a roasting pan and season with sage, salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
- Roast for approximately 30 minutes.
- Pea Pesto
- To a food processor or blender, add all ingredients except olive oil, and purée. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to purée.
- In the middle of the plate, spoon a generous portion of lentils. On top of the lentils, place a crispy smoked turkey thigh and fi nish off with a spoon of the Pea Pesto.
- Serve at room temperature.