Turkey thigh is a great alternative to cooking the whole bird. It’s big enough to feed 4 and it’s all tasty dark meat (my preference). This one-pot meal combines classic fennel and orange flavours with lavender, a commonly used herb in French cooking. When cooked, lavender loses some of it’s floral notes but be careful not to use too much or it might be reminiscent of soap! If you don’t have any lavender, you can substitute a little rosemary instead as it comes from the same family.
Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF). In a baking tray combine 1 large fennel cut into wedges, 1 large onion cut into wedges, 1-2 carrots cut into batons and 3-4 cloves of sliced garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and toss the vegetables well to coat them. Season with a pinch of dried lavender, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dry the turkey thigh with a paper towel and coat the skin with a little olive oil. Grate or crush 1-2 cloves of garlic and smear them over the turkey on all sides. Season all over with a little lavender, a pinch of ground fennel, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Nestle the turkey in the centre of the vegetables skin side up. Finally, pour ½ a cup of fresh orange juice and ½ a cup of chicken stock around the turkey. Roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes. If you have a thermometer, pull the turkey out when the internal temperature reaches 67ºC (153ºF) and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
michelle picker cooks 