Cold nights = comfort food - Quebec style

Sigh, it is already mid-October and I have found that it is time to start wearing season appropriate footwear. I tried to stay away from the warm comfort foods in my bid to keep the cold weather at bay but it was inevitable, I live in Canada. I gave up when I put on socks today.

In response to the cold day, I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. It was warm and billowy. But there was a whole day ahead, I could stay in bed or I could have something to show for it. And so I decided to choose the latter and make a turkey tourtiere. (Tourtiere is a classic French Canadian meat pie filled with peppery ground pork surrounded by a buttery tender crust.) French Canadians know a thing or two about the soul-sustaining foods that will keep you going through the LONG Canadian winters. And while mid-October isn't exactly the dead of winter, it felt cold and gloomy outside. We needed to have something to lift our spirits today. Besides, it's Sunday, so why not spend a little time in the kitchen to create something that is so comforting, indulging, buttery and utterly delicious. And, if you pair it with a tomato salad, it doesn't feel like you have given in entirely to the autumn night and to winter's looming approach.




Turkey Tourtiere (adapted from Gourmet Magazine Cookbook)
1 lb ground turkey
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 small onion finely diced
3 garlic cloves finely diced
1/2 tsp of allspice
1 tsp of salt
1/2c of chicken broth
1/2 tsp of pepper
2 tbsp flour (add extra if there is alot of liquid)

2 pie crusts (this is a double crusted pie)
1 tsp of milk

1. Warm 1 tbsp of olive oil in pan, add ground turkey, onion and garlic and saute until the onions are soft and the meat is no longer pink. The meat should be crumbly with no large lumps. Add the chicken broth, salt, allspice and pepper. Once it comes up to a simmer, sprinkle the flour over top and incorporate into the meat mixture. It should thicken immediately, turn down the heat and but it should still stay on the heat to ensure that the flour is cooked.

2. Cool the meat to room temperature.

3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Tumble meat mixture into the prepared pie crust and ensure that the meat is smoothed out so that the filling is about uniform. Do not pat down the meat.
4. Carefully place the second crust above the first shell and crimp the edges with a fork. Slash the top of the crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the milk onto the top of the crust. Place on larger baking tray.
5. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until crust is golden brown. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Makes one pie.