Turkey with lentils, turmeric and saffron

Here goes..my first foodie post that is not a dessert. Don't get me wrong, I still fired up the oven this weekend (caramel mascarpone layer cake in case you're wondering) but I want to show you want we eat before the treat.

I am not a soupie but my guy is so I had to come up with a way to satisfy us both. Stews. Thick and rich, it's soup cousin which is a must because I'm not big on eating dinner with a spoon (yea, hang-ups abound..). And since we're on things that make me happy, I like lentils. Basically the more flavourful and exotic version of the beloved Dutch brown bean. 

This baby is not pretty and it instantly made my kids loose their appetite, as they are not to be confused with adventurous eaters. Actually Mika told me exactly what it looked like, but luckily did not taste like..after much prodding, poking and a time-out. I, however had it for dinner and breakfast this morning and it's even better when the flavours have time to mellow. 

This a more a guideline than a recipe because I measure nothing and eyeball everything in cooking. I completely forgot to soak the the red lentils in water beforehand and since I wanted this dinner I put them in a bowl of hot water and microwaved for a minute. Worked like a charm. They then got transfered to a large pot with chicken broth and two bay leaves. 

In a separate pot I poached trimmed turkey breast with another bay leave, ground black pepper and a small handful of whole allspice/Jamaican pepper. Once cooked and cooled I flaked the turkey with a fork. In a pan heat a drizzle of oil and toss in an almost equal amount of diced onions as turkey and lentils. Once translucent sprinkle with ground turmeric and garlic powder and cook till glazed and crispy bits start to form.

Add the flaked turkey and turmeric onions to the lentils and let cook further. When the liquid has reduced, add ground saffron powder. I used a generous pinch. Season with black pepper and sea salt flakes. The total cooking time for the lentils is about an hour. 

Spoon into bowls and top with a spoonful of creme fraiche, that will slowly melt and add soft creaminess to the heartiness of this bowl. Serve simply with pieces of Naan. This stuff fills like a mother, without being too heavy. Perfect for the Indian summer weather of crisp autumn breeze and blue skies.