Thanksgiving Levantine-Style: Turkey Braised Drumstick with Dates and Bulgur

Tender turkey meat braises with dates, cumin and cinnamon into an aromatic dish that suits a festive Thanksgiving table. It is served with bulgur, tahini yogurt and fresh pomegranate seeds as an alternative to the classic turkey.

By yumbelo · 4 servings · 90 minutes

Ingredients

• 1200 g Boneless turkey thigh, cut into large pieces
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 pc Onions
• 3 pc Garlic cloves
• 2 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 150 g Dates, pitted
• 1 can Chickpeas, drained weight about 240 g
• 500 ml Water
• 1 pc Lemon, juice and zest
• 200 g Coarse bulgur
• 3 tbsp Tahini
• 150 g Plain yogurt
• 1 pc Pomegranate, seeds only
• 1 bunch Flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp Sumac
• Salt
• Black pepper, freshly ground

Method

1. Season the turkey pieces with salt and pepper. Peel the onions, slice them into fine half rings and finely chop the garlic.
2. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large casserole over medium to high heat and brown the turkey pieces on all sides until golden. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the remaining oil to the pot and sweat the onions and garlic over medium heat for about 6 minutes until translucent.
4. Stir in the cumin, cinnamon and turmeric and toast briefly until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and toast for 1 minute.
5. Return the meat to the pot, deglaze with water and add the dates. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes until the meat is tender.
6. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to the meat during the last 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in some lemon juice.
7. While the stew simmers, bring the bulgur to a boil in a pot with twice its volume of lightly salted water, then cover and let it soak for about 12 minutes.
8. Mix the tahini with the yogurt, some lemon juice and salt until a creamy sauce forms. Squeeze the pomegranate seeds and coarsely chop the parsley.
9. Fluff the bulgur with a fork and spread it on plates. Top with the braised dish, drizzle with tahini yogurt, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, parsley and sumac, and serve immediately.