Turkey Bolognese Polenta Nests Recipes

TURKEY BOLOGNESE WITH PENNE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add ground turkey and cook until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add carrots, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir until vegetables are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and discard grease, if necessary. Add white wine; cook and stir until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, tomato juice, and parsley. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce reaches a thick consistency, about 20 minutes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes. Drain and return to the pot. Add the sauce and Parmesan cheese; mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

TURKEY BOLOGNESE POLENTA NESTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Coat 24 mini muffin cups with cooking spray. Set aside., In a large heavy saucepan, bring 3 cups chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle boil; slowly whisk in cornmeal. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon until polenta is thickened and pulls away cleanly from sides of pan, 15-20 minutes (mixture will be very thick). Stir in 1/2 cup cheese, cream, salt and pepper. Spoon 2 tablespoons polenta mixture into each mini muffin cup. As polenta cools, press an indentation in center of each with the end of the wooden spoon handle to create a nest shape. Set aside. Wipe out pan., In same saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add turkey; saute until no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste, Italian seasoning and remaining chicken stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes., Fill each polenta indention with about 2 teaspoons turkey mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; bake until edges are golden, 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven; cool at least 10 minutes before removing from muffin cups. May be refrigerated or frozen for later use.

TURKEY BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot and celery and saute until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and saute 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend, stirring often. Stir in the basil. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 week ahead. Cool the sauce completely, then transfer it to a container and freeze for future use. Bring the sauce to a simmer before using.)
• Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten as needed. Serve with the Parmesan.

FAST TURKEY BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Place lentils in a saucepan with water to cover and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until lentils are tender, adding more water if necessary, about 30 minutes
• Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Push vegetables to the sides of the pan. Cook turkey in the center of the pan, breaking it up with a spoon until browned and dry, about 5 minutes. Mix turkey in with the vegetables.
• Stir red bell pepper and garlic into the skillet; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and tomato sauce; mix to combine. Stir in the cooked lentils. Add wine; if necessary, thin sauce with water. Add Italian seasoning and Worcestershire sauce; season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain. Combine cooked pasta and sauce.

CREAMY MASCARPONE POLENTA WITH TURKEY BOLOGNESE #A1

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in large pot. Add 1/2 diced onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Add 1 tbl garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
• Add 2 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in dried polenta and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for about 1 1/2 hours until smooth, adding in additional broth or water as needed.
• Stir fresh corn into polenta and continue cooking on low.
• Spray large pan with cooking spray and brown ground turkey. When turkey starts to brown, add in 1/2 diced onion, 1 tbl garlic and mushrooms.
• Cook for about 10 minutes, deglazing the pan if needed with water. Add in A1 Sauce, brown sugar, mustard and vinegar. Stir until well combined and cook 5-10 minutes, adding in water if needed to keep saucy consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm and set aside.
• Check polenta for consistency. If done, remove from heat and stir in 4 tbl butter, 1/2 cup parmesan and mascarpone. Season to taste.
• Serve turkey mixture over polenta and sprinkle with fresh herbs. If serving a crowd, you can also mix the polenta and turkey together.

CREAMY POLENTA AND BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• For the creamy polenta, combine 3 cups of the chicken stock, the cream, 1 of the crushed garlic cloves, salt, and pepper in a saucepot over medium-low heat. Bring up to a gentle simmer and lower the heat so it is barely bubbling, then start the Bolognese sauce.
• Heat a deep skillet or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Go once around the pan with a slow stream of EVOO. Add the remaining crushed garlic and the red pepper flakes and infuse the oil for 15 seconds. Add the beef, pork, and veal and break the meat up with a wooden spoon. Brown the meats for 3 minutes, then add the onion, carrots, celery, thyme, allspice, salt, and pepper and continue browning for 5 minutes more. Use the pocket of time to make the roasted veggies, page 227.
• When the vegetables are tender, add the wine and scrape up the drippings, then add the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock and reduce for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to combine flavors. Finish the sauce with the chopped parsley.
• As the Bolognese sauce is in its last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking time, whisk the polenta into the simmering seasoned chicken stock-cream mixture in a steady stream and stir constantly until the polenta can thickly coat the back of a spoon. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. If you find the polenta is thickening up so much that it is not creamy and it is becoming stiff, you can loosen it with a little more chicken stock or water. Turn the heat off and stir in the cheese.
• To serve, divide the creamy polenta among 4 bowls, top the polenta with a BIG serving of the Bolognese sauce, and garnish with some more grated cheese.
• Tidbit
• Polenta's like a magical porridge when you are in a carbohydrate-depravation depression. It is delicious and easy, and when you cook it creamy-style, a little dry polenta goes a long way in the tasty cooking liquid. I eat it guilt free!

TURKEY POLENTA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the onion, chilies, and corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Add the broth, polenta and turkey. Stir well, Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the cheese until melted. Serve hot.