March 15: Turkey or Chicken Croquettes with Spinach Mashers and Pan Gravy

3 large starchy potatoes, peeled and cubed
   Coarse salt
1 package ground turkey breast or ground chicken
2 celery ribs and their greens, finely chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
   Coarse black pepper
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup cream or half-and-half
1 pound triple-washed baby spinach leaves
   Prepared whole-berry cranberry sauce, to pass at the table

Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water. Put a lid on the pot and bring the water to a boil. Salt the water and cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes.

While the potatoes cook, make the croquettes. Place the turkey or chicken in a bowl. Add the celery, onions, poultry seasoning, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, and egg yolk.

Combine and form 8 patties. Coat both sides of the patties in the bread crumbs. Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cook the patties for 5 minutes on each side.

Remove the croquettes to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Reduce the heat under the skillet. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet and melt, then whisk in the flour.

Cook the roux for a minute or two. Whisk in 2 cups of the chicken stock and bring to a bubble. Thicken for a minute or so and turn off the heat. Season the sauce with a little salt and pepper.

Drain the cooked potatoes and return to the hot pot. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken stock, and the cream. Mash and season the potatoes with salt and pepper.

Fold in the spinach leaves until they all wilt into the potatoes.

To serve, pile the spinach mashers on plates and top each portion with 2 croquettes and a spoonful of gravy. Pass the cranberry sauce at the table.

4 SERVINGS

I used 6 medium potatoes and 1/2 pound of spinach. It was too much spinach, so I recommend not using a whole pound. I had a really hard time getting it to wilt because the potatoes got too cold. I eventually had to microwave them. I used sage and thyme instead of poultry seasoning because I was out. These croquettes are pretty good. They taste like if you mix the turkey with your Thanksgiving stuffing. I did use turkey and not chicken. I also used dried thyme instead of fresh. I used half and half in the potatoes. The recipe calls for 2 cups of bread crumbs, which must be a typo because I put 1/2 cup of crumbs on a plate and I still had half left over when I finished breading the patties. My girls really liked this meal; Leah, because she got to eat leaves (spinach) like an animal, and Susanna, because she loves cranberry sauce!