MAMA’S TURKEY FRICASSÉE WITH THYME BISCUITS

Prep Time: 1½ Hours
Yields: 6 Servings

Comment:
The best fricassée is made like Mama's, in an old cast iron pot. Mama would always fry her chicken first, and many times she had to fry extra because the kids would eat it before it got to the stew. Her best fricassee however, was the one on the Friday after Thanksgiving using the leftover turkey and served over biscuits.

Ingredients for Fricassée:
3 cups cubed cooked turkey
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced celery
½ cup diced bell peppers
1 tbsp minced garlic
1½ quarts chicken or turkey stock
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped parsley
salt and black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste
Louisiana hot sauce to taste

Method for Fricassée:
Bone leftover turkey and reserve 1½ cups each of white and dark meat. You may also wish to create the stock by boiling the carcass of turkey for 1 hour to create the base of the fricassee. In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour, stirring constantly until a golden brown roux is achieved. Add onions, celery, bell peppers and minced garlic and sauté 3–5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add stock, a little at a time, until a stew-like consistency is achieved. Add turkey and mushrooms. Bring mixture to a rolling boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook 30 minutes or until turkey is tender. Blend in green onions and parsley then season to taste with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and hot sauce. Additional stock may be needed to retain consistency. Serve over Thyme Biscuits.

Ingredients for Thyme Biscuits:
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves or 1½ tsps dried and crumbled thyme leaves
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
⅓ cup shortening
4 tsps butter
⅔ cup buttermilk

Method for Thyme Biscuits:
Preheat oven to 450°F. In a mixing bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Blend well. Stir in thyme and mix well. Using a pastry cutter, cut in shortening and butter until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Using a large cooking spoon, blend buttermilk into flour mixture until moistened. On a lightly floured surface, knead dough until it comes together. Do not overwork dough as the less it is handled, the flakier the biscuits. Break dough into 8 equal portions and pat approximately ½-inch thick onto a baking sheet. Biscuits should be irregular in shape, but no more than ½-inch high and 1-inch apart. Bake 10–15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter.