Ingredients
Filling
- 4 ounces butter
- 5 medium onions, ½-inch chop
- 1 bunch celery, ½-inch chop
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 cups half and half
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 1 turkey breast, roasted, meat removed and and cut into ½- to 1-inch cubes (about 6 quarts cubed turkey); reserve fat and all drippings
- 2 ½ cups flour
- salt and pepper
- 6 quarts carrots, chopped and roasted until tender
- 2 cups frozen peas
- ½ cup chopped parsley
Savory Biscuit
- 1 pound plus 10 ounces all-purpose unbleached, nonbromated flour (prefer King Arthur)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons marjoram
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 ½ cups heavy cream
- egg wash (egg yolk or white beaten with small amount of wateror milk)
- sage leaf
Method
Filling
- In a sauté pan, heat butter. Add chopped onions, celery and thyme; cook until soft.
- In a saucepan, bring half and half to a simmer.
- In another saucepan, bring chicken stock to a simmer.
- Separate turkey fat from drippings. Measure fat: If there is less than 8 ounces of fat, add enough butter to make up for it.
- Add drippings to the simmering chicken stock. Stir to incorporate. Return to simmer.
- Make a roux: In a large pot, melt the 8 ounces of turkey fat. Gradually add flour, whisking constantly until the mixture pulls away from pot sidewall. (It should take about 2 ½ cups flour.)
- Add the chicken stock and half and half to the roux. combine using a whisk or immersion blender.
- Place the pot with the stock/roux mixture on the stove. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer at least 10 minutes, stirring frequently so mixture does not burn. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add turkey cubes, cooked vegetables and chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Savory Biscuit
Preheat oven to 350°F
- Line sheet pans with parchment paper; set aside.
- Using a standing mixer with paddle attachment, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, marjoram, salt and pepper until well combined.
- Add cream all at once. Continue stirring until combined. Don’t over-mix.
- Remove dough from bowl, roll out and cut dough with a 2 ½-inch biscuit cutter.
- Brush top of each biscuit with egg wash and place a sage leaf on each biscuit. Bake 20 minutes.
Assembly
Scoop a hearty serving of the filling into a bowl. Place one biscuit on top and serve hot.
Chef Note: This makes enough for a crowd and freezes well. Freeze extra filling in 2-quart containers, which will serve two.
