Peppered whole turkey thigh from the baking tray

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 turkey thighs, fresh
• 3 large garlic bulbs
• 1 tbsp, heaped juniper berries, large
• 6 m.-sized onion(s)
• 4 m.-large orange(s), untreated
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cubes of vegetable stock for 1.5 liters
• 1 pack dumpling dough (potato dumpling dough half & half)
• 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 sprig(s) of rosemary, approx. 10 cm long
• 1 tbsp, leveled herb salt
• 1 tbsp, levelled pepper, mixed, fresh, from the mill
• 5 bay leaves
• 50 g spinach, frozen
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 small grill tray
• 1 bunch of thyme

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

with handmade spinach and onion dumplings

Wash and dry both turkey legs, make a superficial cut in the skin, and rub thoroughly with herb salt and pepper on all sides. Generously brush a roasting tray with relatively high edges with olive oil and place the two turkey pieces on it. Quarter the peeled onions and distribute them evenly. Do the same with the well-washed oranges. Halve the garlic bulbs crosswise and place them cut-side down on the tray. Arrange the juniper berries, rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, lemon zest, and thyme evenly on the baking tray in the few gaps. Spray the herb sprigs with a little oil to prevent them from burning. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) using the fan setting. Since my oven has a steam function, I set this setting to “medium.” A heatproof container filled with 1 liter of water will also do. Once the filled baking tray is on the second oven shelf, I prepare the dumplings and broth. I use special stock cubes that already contain parsley and garlic, and add some finely chopped fresh parsley. Meanwhile, I finely chop the shallot and sauté lightly. After about 45 minutes, I evenly mix the thawed spinach, the sautéed shallots, about half of the vegetable broth, and the dumpling powder. Let it rest (swell) for about 15 minutes, and then prepare a pot of boiling water. Spread the remaining broth on the baking tray. When the dumpling dough has a nice consistency, scoop out the mixture with a large ladle and shape it into a round dumpling with wet hands. Depending on the size of the ladle, you’ll get 4 to 8 dumplings, which are then placed in the simmering hot water. After 13 to 15 minutes (depending on the size), they’ll be cooked and float to the top. Now the turkey roast is ready. Place the roast on a clean baking sheet and keep warm in the turned-off oven. Drain the liquid from the roasting tray and reduce the heat to low for 10 minutes on a moderately hot plate. Transfer the dumplings to a warmed dish (place a small plate on the bottom to keep the dumplings dry). Season the finished sauce with a little pepper, if desired, and place the fried onions on the serving plate next to the turkey pieces. Since there’s usually quite a bit left over, the boneless meat stored in the refrigerator makes a great addition three days later, paired with, for example, braised chicory.