Turkey Paprikash

Ingredients

• 1½ lbturkey meatbreast or boned leg, cut into strips or cubes
• 2onionfinely diced or sliced; spring onions as an alternative
• 1bell pepperred, cut into strips or dice
• 10½ oztomatocut into wedges or slices
• 1 tbspPaprika powdersweet or hot variety
• 2 tbsppaprika pastefor colour and depth of the sauce (optional)
• 7 ozsour creamstirred in at the end to finish the sauce
• 1¼ cupsStockfor deglazing and braising; can be made from the leg bone and skin
• 1 tbspflourwhisked into the sour cream to thicken; cornstarch or sauce thickener also used
• 2 tbspoilfor frying; clarified butter as an alternative
• saltto taste
• pepperto taste (optional)
• 14⅛ ozpotatoespeeled, diced, cooked in the dish (optional)

Method

1. Pat the turkey dry, cut it into strips or cubes and season with salt. Finely dice or slice the onions, trim the bell pepper and cut it into strips or dice, and cut the tomatoes into wedges or slices.
2. Heat the oil in a wide pot and sweat the onions over medium heat until translucent, without letting them take on colour.
3. Add the turkey and fry it on all sides until lightly coloured.
4. Pull the pot off the heat for a moment, stir in the paprika powder and immediately pour in the poultry broth — that way it won't turn bitter.
5. Cover and braise gently for about 20 minutes, until the meat is starting to turn tender.
6. Add the tomatoes and pepper strips and finish cooking uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes. If you like, add the peeled, diced potatoes now and let them cook along.
7. Whisk the sour cream smooth with the flour and, if using, the paprika paste, stir it into the sauce and bring it to a boil once so it thickens.
8. Season with salt, white pepper and a little more paprika, and serve hot.

Tips and variations

Sweet cream can stand in for the sour cream if you want a milder sauce, and cornstarch or a sauce thickener works just as well as flour for binding. For a fuller flavour, use boned turkey leg and simmer the bone and skin into the broth first. The order can be switched around too: brown the meat, lift it out, sweat the vegetables in the same fat and return the turkey at the end. With diced potatoes and frozen peas it becomes a one-pot stew, and a scattering of fresh or dried thyme at the table suits it nicely. The classic side is parsley rice.